The Southland Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 724, 16 September 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1867.

After repeated delays and adjournments of the Provincial Council an Executive has at last been formed. The following gentlemen have agreed to accept office: — Mr M'Cltjbe, Provincial Secretary, Mr Blackcock, Provincial j Treasurer, Mr Akimstkong-, aud Dr Monckton, members of the Executive, without office. Most of these gentle- ! meu, however, expressed their intention of resigning at the end of the session, so that if there is not a conciliatory spirit shown by both sides of the House to aid the Executive in conducting the affairs of the Province, it is reasonable to assume that another " deadlock " will be re-enacted at no distant period. The most ordinary observer of the proceedings of the Council must be impressed with the incongruity of the Provincial system. It must be apparent' that a system so constructed, and possessing such a complex form, cannot fail to be detrimental to the best interests of the Province. There is ample evidence of the truth of what we advance. The late elections have more than sufficed to show that the spirit of party feeling thereby occasioned .- is highly injurious to our prosperity. We are, in point of fact, at a complete standstill. The Province is indebted to the Bank considerably more than it is in a Dosition at present to liquidate. There are no public works being proceeded with, nearly the whole of the ordinary revenue is devoted to departmental expenses, and we predict that so long as Provincialism is perpetuated in Southland those expenses will not be much lessened. Executive officers, with all the necessary paraphernalia, are expensive toys, and must be borne with until the whole fabric is destroyed. It became quite apparent that a great difficulty was experienced duting the late elections to find men who could spare sufficient time to attend to politics. Then again, when the number was obtained necessary to form a Council, how glaringly the imperfections of the Provincial system became manifest. No idea of attending to the interests of the great majority of the people appeared to animate most of the members of Council • but rather, on the contrary, a systematic game of political " pitch and toss" was indulged in, to the gratification of the players possibly, but certainly not to the satisfaction of, or in accordance with, the wishes ofthe people who witnessed such performances. The sooner there is a radical change in the mode of conducting public business the better for all classes. The present log-rolling tactics cannot long continue. The Provincial form of G-overnment is not adapted to the wants or necessities of small communities, whatever it may be for large ones. Those gentlemen possessing the necessary qualifications which entitle them to enter the thorny path of politics rofuse to accept office, well knowing that they can do no permanent good for the Province so long as the whole of its " land revenue is absorbed by the G-eneral G-o---vernment. The only good likely to be achieved this session will be tie passing of the railway resolutions, with a proviso that if the land is set apart, the General Government should appoint an Engineer, who will supervise the construction. Indeed it would be advisable to request the Colonial Executive to assume the control of the Bluff line. It is essentially a colonial work, although at present charged against the Province. If this course be pursued it is calculated to relieve Southland of a considerable difficulty, and it will further prove to Mr Stafford that the people of the Province are in favor of one strong and united, Government,

having full control of all works of colonial magnitude, instead of ten petty republics, each having the most inflated ideas of its own importance, and attempting to construct works far beyond their limited means. We trust the question of Centralism will be again taken up by the Council, and that it will pass a resolution which will strengthen Mr Staffobd's hands when this subject is again brought before the General Assembly. It would be for the benefit of all parties that such a course should be adopted.