POLITICAL—GENERAL.

Southland Times, Issue 620, 18 January 1867, Page 5

POLITICAL— GENERAL.

Since our last Summary Colonial politics have fallen to zero. The month has been chiefly devoted to holidaymaking ; and therefore but little to record. Still at the commencement of a new year a retrospective glance at the one that has gone will not be out of place. It can scarcely be said the political upheavings have been much less conspicuous than those of preceding years, still marked improvement in legislation has been made. It may in truth be Baid that New Zealand during the past year has not retrograded ; if we cannot boast of brilliant progress we can at least take credit that it has not gone backwards. Politically, it is still convulsed with the agitation for reform, but the character of that agitation has wonderfully improved ; the zigzag utterances ; the undefined and unin- I telligible demands for a reconstruction of the constitution of the colony has assumed a more systematic and enlightened complexion, and promises to make the era we have entered upon a red letter chapter in the history of the colony. The native difficulty, if not overcome, has been considerably diminished in importance; new gold-fields and other mineral products have been discovered ; financial difficulties lessened, and steady advancement made. "With the exception of a few dark spots that have disfigured the criminal calendar, social progress has kept pace with material improvement, and the great work of colonization has steadily moved onward. Let us hope that the experience gained during the past year will be profitably applied in controlling events during the current one; that the indications that have been given of a rising public activity, a general disposition on the part of the people to study the politics of the country, and apply themselves with wisdom and prudence to those reforms that are essential to the permanent prospect of the entire colony. Should this spirit animate the people of each Province, we may bespeak for New Zealand during the year 1867 continued progression. His Excellency Sir G-eorge Grey is visiting the provinces of the Middle Island, and it is to be hoped that it may tend to create a better feeling on the part of the Southern Island colonists towards the representative of Her Majesty than has hitherto existed. The neglect that has been shown by his Excellency during the last five years— never during this period having once visited the South — had called forth a strong feeling of indignation. But iritt th& true ioitinct* off Britwlttn ttpttn

realizing the fact that tk© representative of royalty was jeoming, tho past appears to have been forgotten, and great preparations are being made to receive him with demonstrations of loyalty. Preparations for a brilliant reception are being made in Otajjo and Canterbury, and Southland is not inactive. • The Stamp Duties Act, passed during the last session of the General Assembly, has been brought into operation, and although there are complaints of the working machinery employed, no marked dissatisfaction of the measure itself has been shown. There is no war news to comment upon. If the rebellion has not been crushed; out, it only flickers between life and death. T'be new year has commenced promisingly.