The Southland Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1867.

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

The Southland Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1867.

Makt pungent and self-convincing truths were uttered by French writers, prior to the revolution that took place in 1797 If we recollect aright it was a celebrated authoress that gave utterance to the significant and trite Baying : — " To become a reformer, requires perseverance, integrity, honesty of purpose, and an avowed programme." " But let a man stand on the pedestal of patriotism," continued the writer, naively yet ironically. "The essential qualities necessary, is a wide mouth, a very shrill voice, and an unlimited command of abuse." Perhaps when this lady wrote she judged of the outward appearances around her, and did not seek to closely analyse the motives which actuated the numerous plaeehunters and charlatans 1 to whom she so cuttingly alluded. Yet, after an absence of many years, and in a locality, the existence of which was little dreamt of by the lady satirist, how very true and just these sayings may be applied to some of our local politicians. The part that is being played by our " patriots" is looked upon by ail right-thinking men as absurd and foolish, and the sooner it is discountenanced the better for the prosperity of the Province. What is more ridiculous than the self-inflated vanity ot such men ;is Kinross. Dalrtmple, and M'Clure — Daniels come to judgment — who imagine that they can |>Liy upon the credulity of the public in order to further their own cuds. Do these gentlemen imagine that because thepublie are apathetic and somewhat amused by their water gruel declamation that they possess the influence or the confidence necessary to carry their peculiar doctrine, whatever it may be, iato force ; and whilst on this theme we would like to ascertain what they do want ? We know . that Mr Kinboss requires roads to i his farm, Mr Peteii DAUtrMPLB has a similar desire, and Mr M'Ci/übe must have popularity at any cost. The meeting on Wednesday evening cannot be viewed in any other light than that of a political farce very badly played. No arrangement appeared to have been made, no programme drawn up, and the audience after waiting for a considerable time became impatient for the appearance of the performers. Mr Daletmple took the chair with gravity of demeanor, and pomposity of utterances, and introduced the speaker of the night, j Mr M'Cltjee oscillated between the declamatory and the pathetic. But did he argue or reason ! No, he endeavored to bespatter with censure all that were in power, but never attempted to show how the abuses he denounced could be redressed. To hia mind the Council and the Government were corrupt or imbecile, and should be replaced by nobler and better men. Where are these men to come from ! Have the farcical peoceedingß in which Messrs Dalbtmple, M'Clure, and Kdtboss, of late so conspicuously figured brought to the surface of the political sea, men with greater ability and integrity than those that now form the Council ? The positive answer is, no ! Whatever may be the deficiencies of tiie members of the Council it has not yet shown that utter ignorance of the relationship between the Provincial and the General Government that has been lately manifest at the frothy exhibitions of the Southland Association. If we take the resolution of Mr M'Clube. It calls upon His Honor the Superintendent to dissolve the Council; yet the speaker must hare well known that His Honor has not the power to do bo — indeed, the whole of that gentleman's address was a series of flippant declamation. He advocated an appeal to the Governor for the Eoilway investigation. This would be useless, as all who know the meaning of responsible Government must be aware that the General Government having refused to entertain the subject, the Governor [is unable, if lie was bo disposed, to grant -

the prayer. The appearance of Mr Chotjch as the seconder of tiu'3 extraordinary resolution is a matter for won der. As a representative of the Press he ought to have known better, he ought to have known that it it? indelicate for a journalist to take an active part in any public meeting of a political th racter, such a course being calculated to deteriorate from the independence of the paper. Yet as one who has permitted the columns of his journal to be disfi-^urtd with scurrilous and libellous correspondence, nothing great could have been expected. Still, no excuse can be oflvred for the pare that he so unseemly play., d. He either <(id or ! did not know- time the resolution war. m: •■ absurdity — a valueless document. 1f...; knew this his support to it: •: us c-:-n?ur- : abie — the pirt ho took was the most stupid of all tlia p> rib nuance. If rcfunn there i.< to be, and reform i« it w\l\ not he ob*"v>rud !>y such m n or the in vchinery that is now in motion.

T:r.s Stamp Act that ra?no into force on j this l-=t insl n^, like most of the New \ Zealand o-ia however gool or bad j in theory is eertaiuly ineonveireiit and vexatious in practice. Considerable annoyance has already been experienced in this province. The few stamps that huve been forwarded from "Wellington to the Invercargill office were totally insiinVieut for the requirements of the place, and we have lieard of eases arising from the inability of drawers of cheques to obtain stamps, giving rise to trouble and suspicion. In a subjoined extract from a journal, supposed to be in the con- i tidence of the Government, it will be seen that our rulers have some idea of what is waated, but lack the energy or ability to i i*arry out their ideas with that activity ! essential to tho convenience of the people they serve. There has been ample time since the termination of the sitting of the General Assembly for all the machinery necessary for the working of the Stamp Act to have been perfected and in full operation. But with the chronic amiability of New Zealand admiiilatrators, a pet s a •.■aut has been dispatched on a pleasure excursion, for what ? To obtain stamps and dies, outside the Colony, when they could have been executed within its bounds at the same cost, equally as well executed, and in half the time. But, no. Wellington could not execute the order, and, therefore, the "nutshell" proclivities of the centralising Government lead to the conclusion | that a Stamp Commissioner, -with a rovingcommission is an essential. To them Wellington is New Zealand ; if ~Welh*ngton cannot supply what they require New Zealand cannot. Are the business men of the colony to be thus inconvienced | because antideluvial legislators are content to remain in a state of deplorable I ignorance of the- capabilities of the artists of other parts of the colony, than the liliputian settlements in which they have for years vegetat 1 - 1 ? It m wrong in the highest degree that an Act passed months ago should not yet be in working order ; yet such is the eas3. Deeds, now ready, cannot be issued ; ordinary business is disjointed, and the public inconvenienced : for what ? Simply because the Government do?s not know its business. The following article we publish because it contains some information, although a wry lame apology for the blii-denngs of the General Government in reference to the Stamp Act. It is fro-v. 'Daily Times, 3 1st December. It says: - '" It is to be feared thai: at first there will be a great deal of inconvenience occasioned, aptrt from that which will chronically attach to the tax. The General Government have exerted themselves to umlce the necessary preparations ; but not unnaturally the arrangements, as yet, are somewhat incomplete. The Stamp department is under the Commissioner of [ Customs ; but we believe Mr B-VTKiN has been, or is about to be, appointed (Jommissioae;* of Stamps. A Branch of the Stamp otiice will be opened at the office ot the Itegistrar of Deeds of each Province, where stamps of all kinds will be procurable by requisition in quantities of not less than £2. It does not appear to be intended to allow postage stamps to be tt-ed. As the Duices of the Begistrars of Deeds are only in the capital towns, stamps at other places are to be procured ret iil only at the Post-offices. In Otago they are to be obtained at tli3 following Post-offices : — Waikouaiti, Oamaru, Hamilton, Lawrence, Queeustown, Tokomairifo, Port Chalmers, and Balclutha. It will be seen the Dunediu Post-office is not included, so that as yet no provision is made for a retail supply in the town. But applications are invited from persons desirous of vending stamps, who, on being licensed, will be allowed on purchases of five pounds and upwards, a commission of 2£ per cent. Persons not licensed to sell will be allowed on purchases direct from the Stamp-ofd^s, of not less than £10 a discount of 2^ per cent. To supply immediate demands, pending arrangements being made with licensed vendors, we believe a quantify of stamps has been sent \ to each of the Banks, and we presume for the present, they will be procurable at those establishments."