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The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1867.

The Session of the Gefleral Assembly that has just terminated may be deemed the most, important one — as far as the colonists of New- Zealand are concerned —that has ever been held. All previous periods the "native difficulty" has been almost the only "topic seriously debated, while the seed of disunion, extravagance, and' depression, scattered by: the Provincialisystem, grew ranker and ranker. until it threatened to choke and destroy, unity of feeling or action, and even extinguish the hope of steady progress. This session has, however, been essentially colonial, and although all. has not been done to; remove the checks to advancement, that cluster round -the existing system of government, sufficient has 'been accomplished to set at rest the doubts so freely expressed as^to the impossibility of one great united colony being constructed, by the welding together of the nine petty principalities of New Zealand. It was a difficult task to undertake, arid required bold and statesmanlike selfreliance to even initiate operations. 1 The Stafford Ministry have grappled with it, and although the work has not progressed with the rapidity that many could have wished, more has been achieved than could have been expected in .the face of the almost superhuman efforts of the Provincial party to obstruct it at the comiriencemerit of the session. Provincialism -is not, dead, but the number of its days are limited. The Provincial invincibles are scattered, and- the ranks of the Centralists ; augmented. Measures of much merit , and colonial importance have, been passed-— measures calculated to place the colony in high credit "in" other countries, arid 'by 'an equitable system of self-government, make New Zealand" one great and united colony. The Provineialists, defeated; in the House of ■ Representatives^ "coached up" their colleagues in the Council as to the way to harrass the Government and bring about a " dead 16cli"^-a something' that would procrastinate business and give, the self-seekirig supporters of a rotten system . time , to .re-organize and muster their forces. With a contemptible attempt- to imitate the "action of the Legislative (Dorincil of Victoria' they endeavored to: follow the obstructive policy of that body. s But Dr Menzies and his supporters forgot that even, the Council of Victoria" never took exception to the preamble of a Money Bill, because that- it did not, when sent" jU'p by the Assembly, include the name of that branch" of the] Legislature. The ob- j jections the Victoricjn body took "were to a system oftacking" objectionable matter to the Appropriation Bill in order to get.it passed through the Council without discussion. However, this is a matter of little importance ; the mimic -Lords have played but their farce, have' obstructed public business,, and put the country to unnecessary expense, but they have d6ne what will more than compensate -'for all that— they have sounded the " death knell" of nommeeiam ir. New Zealand; with the demise of Provincialism, the obnoxious system, of a nominee Council, will be buried. The two most important measures that, have become law, are the " Consolidation of -Provincial Loans '■ and the " County Bill," separating Westland and Timaru from Canterbury. The " Consolidation of -Provincial Loans" had become a positive necessity. ' The number of debentures that had been issued by the Provincial Government of Canterbury had become 'so numerous that they were rejected and despised on " Change " and had to be sold with difficulty and at a heavy ,dis.cpurifr The general credit of New Zealand was. impaired, and bondholders frequently were putto severe inconvenience and loss ;in order to realize when necessity arose^ ; What is the probable result of this cdnsoiidation ? It will urimistakeably 1 ; raise ; securities, ; ; hitherto held at discount, to ; a premium. Objection has been taken to it on the ground that it raises the value of stock held by the banks and others, Is this to be ,re-. gretted? r ShaU we repudiate legitiraato i^btedneßS becau.ti© R^osxmodi^Qa baa

been given in our 1 time of neeci ?■; Wo. say, no. Whatever may be said to the contrary, (by Provincial special pleaders) , the passing of this Act .was a. necessity, and is a great boon to the people in ; every psrt of the colony. We ; are '•satisfied, with it j ~no> : only because it jyvifl^^i^esj the needy provinces of n^ftehof their financial difficulties, but will : prove the chain "tKat will unite New 'ZeaTan'd, and""' crusK to death the upas'-'tr^Si^^Eprm-.ciaJisin.,_.. T „..-..-..-. , • „-.,.-—■ .-.■. -..^.-.-^j The County Bill is not be fore us, but sufficient information is air hand to con-" vince ; us that/it is framed from the Shire Act that , has. worked so well in- Victoria, "and; other Australian, and British Amen-' can colonies. "; It embodies to the. fullest extent the principle of local self-govern- v merit, with a standard 1 scale for- the equitable 'distribution of the reveriu'e,withqut the costly machinery of a sham legislature arid a regiment of superflous , officials. ; Victoria' with nearly a million of a population is "go verried,"and governed satisfactorily^ by one Parliament and one code of" laws, ;"as "are" otheFri'^ighbofing colonies. that have territorial possessions far more /extensive than those of y New Zealand.^ Why' then should we be taxed to keep up ten ten governmental staffs, nine of which are worse than useless. • Is 'it- not ; a 'patent fact that thV.Va'ried Pjrovmcial.. Ordinances, havd reridered New Zealand 'law a : cori- ; glomerated mass of crude contradictions and absurdities— a "^ Benjamin's' mess"—' that; would disgrace any . country ? It is. ..Whair. is wanted, and, what mus.tY be obtained, is a Central Government, with full and free local representative institu-tions..--This is the aim and object of the Stafford Ministry. The Bill in question is intended to accomplish this, and we 'have faith that its working,. will prove sufficiently satisfactory to induce this and other provinces to "court _ its adoption. It-is, however, an experimental measure that: may possibly require to -be somewhat changed/before adopted as a general system. The two districts in which it is first to be tried— rTimaKu^and Westland-r---express great satisfaction with it. The West Coast Times, commenting ron the success that had attended the labors of the Westland Separation League. says : — When the League ■determined : to> petition for the erection of a ' new Pfoyince, there was nothing to indicate the possibility of obtaining ; - the control of' our revenues by any reform' short of that? extreme measure. Men may-say now to the League, " What you have succeeded in gaining is all that we ever asked for.". But we maintain that it is much more thani was ever asked for "by those who seceded from the League. They would have, been content with a reform that would have fallen very far short indeed of the result now^ practically secured. The Bill' introduced by Mr Staffobd gives us all the practical advantages of separation without the only drawback that 'attached to the creation of a. new Province, viz., the necessity of the establishment of a Council with legislalative powers. / .

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18671016.2.7

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Southland Times, Issue 737, 16 October 1867, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,148

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1867. Southland Times, Issue 737, 16 October 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1867. Southland Times, Issue 737, 16 October 1867, Page 2

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