Southland Times. MONDAY, JULY 1, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 690, 1 July 1867, Page 2

Southland Times. MONDAY, JULY 1, 1867.

The Q-eneral Assembly will meet for the despatch of business in a few days, and as the time draws near, the importance of the session becomes more observable. There can be no doubt as to a radical change being required in the system t>f Grovernment now in operation. The events of the last few years — the rapid increase of population, and the settlement of new and unexplored country — has created wants which necessitated an expenditure in excess of the colony's receipts. Thus Colonial and Provincial loans have increased year after year, until they have reached the enormous amount of £8,000,000, and still there is scarcely one out of the nine Provinces that does not require to borrow at present aB much or more than has already been obtained. There is nothing that has shown so plainly the evils arising from Provincialism than the difficulty that has been experienced in negotiating ProvineialLoans, and it has long been the desire of our statesmen to devise a plan whereby all New Zealand loans should bear the one security and conseI quently maintain a corresponding value. Numerous suggestions to this end have DeenmadeDy successive G-uvemmeuls, but iup to the present time none were bold ! enough to grapple with this difficulty, and the other changes in the Grovernmental system that were, universally acknowledged to be urgently required. The Stappoed Ministry has done this. Whatever may be the verdict of the public when the ministerial programme j is fully exhibited, it must be conceeded j that during the recess, the Q-overnment has not been sluggish in the labor of preparing measures that they believe calculated to remove the evils arising from a system of divided responsibility, of which the varied sections of the colonists have so long complained. It is I now certain that at least two measures will be introduced by the Grovernment of the very highest import — the Consolidation of Loans and the Municipalities Bill — which, if carried, will materially alter the present system of Grovernment. In another column we publish the correspondence between Mr Stafford and His Honor the Supeeixtendent of Canterbury, on. the Consolidation of Loans. From it can be gleaned the nature of the proposed measure. By it the whole of the revenues ot New Zealand, territorial and ordinary, will be taken by the Q-eneral Grovernment as security for existing and future loans. Of such importance does the Ministry consider this measure, that Mr Staffoed intimates an intention of making it a ministerial question. Without attempting to pronounce judgment upon a measure, the object of which is but dimly shadowed forth, it may be asked what will be the effect of its passing on the existing state of Provincial affairs ? It is plain that all Provincial Lands, and Customs revenues, by the proposed Consolidation, will cease to be solely Provincial property. The Middle Island will suffer far more than the North, by this arrangement. Few of the Northern provinces have any Land, and but small Customs revenue, to offer as security for the large debts they have contracted on account of the Maori war, while the Southern provinces have large tracts of Valuable land, and an increasing Customs revenue. Thus, Consolidation will at first sight bear heavily on the Middle Island. Southland is deeply interested in this matter. Unless His Honor the SuPEEnrTENDENT, by earnest and energetic action, has succeeded in averting the evil likely to arise from the clever tactics Of m interested class, and the vanity of

fledging politicians, and exercised his influence with Mr Staffobd to consider the mongrel amendment that was carried in the Council on the railway question, as an acceptance of the offer made, and induced him to set apart the land required for the works, the chance of obtaining it will have - been lost. How will this Province be positioned ? The repro^" ductive works will become assets oi the colony — there will bo no certain revenue for public works, and we shall have to depend upon a moiety of the amount received from all sources during the financial year. If we cannot get the three-eighths of the Customs, we may give up all hope of carrying on useful undertakings, and unless our representatives in the General Assembly unite to obtain this, our prospects are dark indeed. Southland would severely feel the taking out of circulation in the Province of about £15,000 per annum. It is more than probable that Mr Staffobd and his colleagues — in their offer of land for railways — the yielding up of over 200,000 acres of laud for that purpose before consolidation — considered it would in a measure compensate for the withdrawal of the Customs revenue. The opportunity presented by the Q-eneral Government of aiding the construction of important works, the carrying out of which would have caused the circulation of an amount of capital that ;vould relieve the pressure likely to arise from the withdrawal of the customs revenue, has been jeopardised, if not lost, though Lhe action of the obstruecors of progress, and the foolish ambition of pretenders to political position. The only hope that now remains is in the united and determined action of Southland's members of the Assembly. If they are true to the people they represent, the looming cloud of depression may be dissipated, and progress secured ; if recreant to their trust, the Province will become one gigantic sheep-walk. The Municipalities Bill is scarcely less important than that of Loan Consolidation. We have not sufficient information before us to pronounce an opinion upon its character. If- we take the utterance of the Hojs". W. C. BicnMoin> for our guide, and he, it is to be presumed, speaks with authority, it is a scheme that, in some of the smaller Provinces, will be received with favor. As he shadowed forth the character of the measure, it is liberal in principle and would be equitable in working. Though his expressions have been sometimes ambiguous, yet in reply to a question put to him at a, meeting held in Queenstown, he stated with reference to the stamp duty, that by the proposed Bill every district would receive a full share of the amount realised within its bounds. From this it would appear that it is not the intention to swallow up the Provincial revenue for G-eneral Government purposes, but by substituting endowed municipalities for Provincial Governments, to lessen departmental expenses, while affording full scope for the exercise of local self-government. Prom what we can learn from other sources as to the character of the Bill in question, it has been drawn up by the Attorney- G-eneral, with the assistance of Messrs Stafford, Richmond, and other legal gentlemen. The provisions of the Bill are said to be permissive, not obligatory. Any of the smaller Provincee that by petition expresses a desire, by a majority of the electors, to abandon Provincialism and be placed under the control of the General Government, will be permitted to do so. It would be premature to say more respecting the two Bills referred to at the present time. One thing, however, is certain, Southland requires to give an expression of opinion upon one or more subjects that must be entertained by the Assembly during the session. We have a right to obtain from our representatives a pledge to use their utmost efforts to secure for the Province the Customs Bevenue, the Pastoral Eents, and other sums now received, or a fair equivalent in another shape. Their views on the Bailway Question should be elicited before they leave for Wellington to attend the Assembly.