RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS.

Southland Times, Issue 615, 7 January 1867, Page 2

RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS.

! The resolutions proposed by tlie Otago i Executive, respecting the relations which ouLfht to be established between the General aud the Provincial Governments, were at length passed without division. Nothing could be more significant of the extent to which Middle Island politicians are drawing together than the general tone of the debate, and the absence of division at the end of it. It is true, the resolutions are somewhat indefinite in expression and I suggest no specific measures. But this is done, as we think, both intentionally | and wisely. It is sufficient merely to i puve the way to terms of agreement between parties who have hitherto stood aloof, that it points out the main object to be aimed at, and the general course which requires to be taken. The relief of the Middle Island from all further responsibilities on account of the natives, and native affairs of the North Island ia the great object sec forth in these resolutions. To our apprehension this is but a poor bargain for the Middle Island to make. We have sacrificed two millions of money in these Northern wars, and our only satisfac iti is to be that we shall not be required to sacrifice any more. Now, we do not conceal our strong conviction that really and justly the Middle Island provinces have as complete a title to a lien over the hinds conquered from the Maories as the Provinces within whose boundaries these lands may be nominally situated. Whatever proceeds might be obtainable from them are chargeable with a proportion of the expenses of Canterbury, Otago, or Nelson, in the native war, as justly as they are chargeable with the expenses of Auckland or Taranaki. Nothing can be clearer as a matter of law and justice ; and it is a question whether it is always wise or politic to surrender a right because it does not seem to be a very valuable one. More might be made to follow in its train than we might be altogether willing to allow. But it is surely too much to expect of us that we shall consent to be fleeced any more without the slightest prospect of return. Notwithstanding the comments which have been made upon our views with respect to the appropriation of the general revenue, we see no reason to change them. Of course, the threeeighths which the Provinces receive are but an approxomate average of the amount returnable to the Beveral Provinces under the Surplus Bevenuea Act.

!Bnt we presume it is bemuse it approaches that average very closely that it has been adopted. As between ourselves and our Oh go neighbors, it would surely be a scant measure of justice, were the two Provinces to receive exactly threeeighths of their T'evenues, without any adjustment at the end of the financial year, while perhaustho one Province had twice the. nmount nf <renernl revenues expended within its borders that the other had. What s^enn to us the most consisted' view, is to rpcoornise a« of paramount importance the darns of the General Government upon the general revenue. This would not interfere with watchful ness in res trie tins: these claims witbi" the bounds of a, ju'~t o^Tinrav. I?nt it would secure for the General Govern mont Ihe pro-eeds from till Imds conquered br it. Lot the expenses o'" Maori jiffairs be locked, nrc^ps'v astib.r* rxp^'-Mos o? S'lnrpT'e C'>'p*£, n'-' PoUcr, of Jh.^-h^ aro Vcnli—d. T - 7this n>*. >n pvt-r-y • -■Vt branch of r>u !■»!?• or pHv:vv }?t tho vri'vt md loss b« o l^r:_ r H to Ihe s-ime account. — Zyftrl'on Tww, Dec 2(1. W« i ren-'i>i L to-d-iv an article from i^o Soufhri'n O'oss upon the recent deh;ito in the Provincial Council of Ofcn go. which confirms the view we had already expressed as to the unsatisfactory nature of the resolutions passed by thnt body. We d.o not ■nr.Wi^b. thes? remarks in the vul^a"' spirit of what v "f-lled crowing over an opponent, still less agreeing with every sentiment expressed by tlie Southern Cross writer. For example wo should be very sorry to endorse the view that Otngo, in its Separation movement three years ago, was actuated solely by the j desire of m along Dunedin tho Seat of Government of the Middle Island. But "what we do gather from the Northern view is, and what we would wish to impress upon our readers is, the inherent difficulty surrounding the subject with | which Mr Yogel and his Government have undertaken to deal. There is nothing easier than to frame a paper constitution, or to propose a theoretical remedy for evils which all acknowledge ; but it is only when the difficulty is fully recognised of devising a plan which shall satisfy all parties, reconcile all opinions, and do justice to all conflicting interests, it is only then that there will be any chance of effecting a change in the constitutional law. Those who propose changes are apt to forget that there is a tower of strength in the existing position. Whether our I system be bad or good, it exists — it is the law. And each party and each interest knows the best and the worst of keeping things as they are. Those who propose a change must propose such a change as will satisfy a considerable majority of the Colony. T was qiiiie a sufficient objection to tliL' latest Otago scheme that it had no chance of commending itself to the bulk of the people. It was quite certain to be rejected by the North ; and we do not suppose for a moment that politicians who have adopted almost as a watchword thatthe South should notlegi-slate for the North, would conteniplaleforciugupon the North by a Southern majority a constitutional change to which the whole Northern Island waa opposed. We have never argued that no change in our eys- i tern of Government ought to be mndo. • On the contrary we have constantly | pointed out that the Constitution Act | itself originally contemplated and pro- ) vided for such changes, by giving the Geueral Assembly an over-riding power over the laws and powers of the Provincial Councils, either in the way of enlargement or curtailment ; and by the subsequent Acts amending the Constitution Act, the same principle was still further asserted, by not only giving the Assembly the power of altering the Constitution Act. but especially by empowering it to rept^! the second clause ; in other words, to blot out the Provinces altogether from the map of New Zealand. We do not say that such a course would be right, but the argument is conclusive to prove that modifications in the Government of the colony are contemplated and provided for in the constitutional law itself. The actual separation of the colony nto two is not however one of those changes which it is within the power of the local legislature to make. That can only be done by the Imperial Parliament ; and we might have been content with one argument in opposing separation, namely, that the Home Government and Parliament could never be induced to consent to it. It was to us inconceivable that the Mother Country would voluntarily assent to a change, the whole object of which was, however disinclined some of us have been to avow it, to throw upon the taxpayers of England the cost of defending and governing the Northern Island ; and this object was distinctly avowed by Mr 3J. Graham's resolution in 1864. Had there been no other argument — and there were many and powerful ones — this would have been sufficient. We foresaw and dreaded the result of an agitation for an indefinite time and for an. impossible end, in the course of which all the evils, to avert which we proposed such a remedy, were sure to be aggravated. The Dunedin party has come round to our view. It has abandoned separation because it sees its hopelessness; and if one additional proof- were wanting of the truth of this opinion, it would be found in the reply which we have heard upon gool authority Lord Carnarvon recently gave to a deputation of Auckland gentlemen who 'v.Jted upon him to urge the erection <-f Auckland into a separate colony. That reply has not found its way into any newspaper, either Home or here, and it may readily be guessed why ; b it not the less do we know that it was as distinct and uncompromising an answer as was consistent with the cou tesy of official language in the mouth of the most courteous of noblemen. Abandoning Separation, Otago proposes a scheme of ultro-Provincialism. But Auckland, which readily accepts a proposal which would throw the respon-

Ability and cost of her defence on Rutland, naturally declines a plan which would merely isolate her from the rest of the Colony, and deprive her of that assistance which every part of a country has a ri<*ht to expect in times of danger from the whole, whilst it does not even give her the dignity of an independent Grovernment. T\ r e are not ar^um? to-day for or uny particular change, or indeed .■>ny change at all. "Wh.^t wewiint to rn-nre-s on the eourtrv is. th -t all parts of New Zealand have special rights nnd interests recognised by 1-nv on which they take thrir stand ; and all have grievances 'v ! ii-}i they want to see omK-ted. But no parfi'l remedies proposed for the sole interest of one province or section of pro"inf" j s will hnve any chance of meetiu? vith Riich <renoral afi ceptanee jm to promise its adontfon The whole Northern T-Vifvn 11 oufsid^of AucVhnd voted against "Ytr VVinN-n^p-pV' pronosiH.on of last. R^si^n: f W- there is ?>s a vavictv of interests Ml as <rr?at or !»r<vi^er antn'ronism. of 'V -l'Mtr Ivtween different parts of the "^ort-'i^ni Island as between any parts of the Nns-fhTn and Southern Tsla-id. And l! "*o whole of the Northern Island, inclndian^ Aiic'dinu, would vote n^u'iist Mr Voxel's sclieme should it ever be proposed in the Asse'mhly. I No pehoMie has yet been proposed, or has boon attempted, wrr'di pvon : >nded in iT»iilc»» any c^an^e in ovr* Cor»s!t : hitioa ! with due consideritien to the interests of j all. Mr Whi taker's was an Auckland | peheme ; Mr Yo- vo l's was an Otago scheme; ! and all snch f: - ?- rr.entary proposals are j snre to bo rejected by the mass ox the i ' colony. ! I For our own part we cannot but think ' j that ihe difficulty of agreeing upon any I j one plan suitable to nil parts of the colony j w HI pmvo ii----;irmountable. But at the same tiiao we are quite sure that thecausea for discontent, valid as they may be at present, will speedily disappear. Our friends in the North will find that there is no desire on the part of the South to impose laws on them of which they disapprove, and they perhaps sometimes recollect without unkindness, that it was to Southern Ministers they owe the Native Lands Act, which they used at one time to say was to be the panacea for all their ill p. Our friends in the in the South will find that with the disappearance of Native difficulties and of the Native question altogether as a political element in New Zealand affairs, will disappear those drafts upon the Middle Island revenues, which have alone called forth a feeling of disunion formerly never heard of; and we believe few in the South are aware of the rapidity with which the Native question is being solved by the inexorable laws of nature. The day, we are confident, is not far distant when the tide of colonisation will set in to the Northern Island with such rapidity, that the wealth, the revenues, and therefore the contribution to the G-eneral expenditure of the two islands will no lender show that inequality of which the South now complains. If the present state of affairs were stereotyped for ever, few might be found to oppose an immediate change ; but those who think as we do that the Colony avill have become more real:^ united in all its commercial, industrial, and social in- • tercets before its poiitioal iiuity can be j I destroyed, and who do not see any chanco ; of agreement ou any particular change j proposed, will be inclined to rely on the i fund of wisdom which lies in the old proverb — ([nictation move/c. — Press, 28fch December.