The Sonthland Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 978, 1 July 1868, Page 2

The Sonthland Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1868.

As the time for the meeting of the General Assembly draws near, the question— Colonialism versus Provincialism — ' is becoming better understood. Some of the leading politicians have taken the opportunity of addressing their constituents, and have at greater or lesser extent dwelt upon this subject. Reform Associations have been formed, and many able papers read, still it is only very recently that any defined views have besn expounded by either one party or the other. The address of Mr Stafford was -looked forward to with great anxiety. It was generally believed that on the occasion of meeting his constituents at Nelson he -would not -only have defended the past policy of his' Government, but would plainly state what icourse of future action he intended ,to pursue. . The hon. gentleman, however, did not, it would appear, deem it prudent to adopt this course, but maintained^ a cautious j reticence. Others of the party, however, , have supplied in -a measure the deficiency, ' and we can now tolerably well understand what is the aim and object of the Colonialists. The Proviucialist leaders have also shown, their hands, and to a certain extent the people have been placed in possession of sufficient information to enable them to form an opinion as to which of the two parties present legitimate credentials for public support. The Colonialist policy, as shadowed forth by Major Richaedsos", in no way tends to the destruction of local self-govern-ment, but rather to elaborate and perfect that system. Its aim is to lessen the present extravagant expenditure without violating the principles upon which existing institutions have been founded, to do away with the legislative power of Provincial Councils without disturbing the boundaries of the Provinces, and by the creation of Municipalities and District Boards, more fully to carry out the objects of local self-government. Under the present system no outlying district is ever certain that its claim will be entertained by the Council. When the whole revenue of a province is thrown into one chest, and no definite plan for its dis tribution recognised it follows as a natural consequence that the districts that are the strongest or best represented will obtain the largest share of the funds to be expended on public works. On the other hand, if the provinces are to be divided into counties | and municipalities, endowed with a .portion of the land and general revenues raised in the districts, there would be no longer the unseemly scramble to secure the largest share of the expenditure for this or that particular district that now disfigures the proceedings of every Provincial Council in the colony. The denuding the Provincial Council of its legislative powers, instead of being an evil, could not well fail to prove a positive good.- Is it not a trans parent absurdity to have nine different codes of laws in a colony scarcely numbering a quarter of a million of people? Yet such is now the case. Each province is session after session altering and amending one act after another, creating confusion and dissatisfaction. Uniformity in law has ever been the great aim of statesmen of all enlightened countries, and no uniformity can be secured for New Zealand until the legislative, if not the administrative power, is centered in the Colonial Government. It is certain that if Mr Stafford is prepared with a workable scheme of reform — a scheme approximating to that sketched , by Major Richardson, it. will deserve universal support. It would lessen the cost of government, more equitably distribute the public funds, enlarge the bounds of local self-government, and establish uniformity of laws throughout the whole colony ; it would destroy petty provincial bickering and local discontent, and by union render the colony as powerful as it is now weak. What is meant by Provincialism ? Hitherto the term has been supposed to mean the maintenance of Provincial Institutions as at present existing. This generally accepted idea, however, proves a myth. Mr Fox has spoken, /'and, his utterance : may be taken as that of his party : it means the annexation of

the smaller provinces to the larger ones. He says : — " Was it too late to limit the General Government and thwart its great appetite for aggrandisement — to reinstate Provincial Institutions from which local self-government must flow ?" What does this mean ? Simply, as far as Southland is concerned, annexation to Otago— placiug the original provinces on their old basis. We believe that the voice of the province would unanimously declare against this. The Ofcago politicians have not yet found favor with the people*of Southland. The neglect and injustice this locality experienced previous to separation is still fresh in the memory of the old settle* s, and any attempt to force annexation would .be determinedly opposed. What could Southland gain by suckan arrangei>ment ? Nothing : it would be all loss J and no profit. We should part with our : provincial offices, and be still required to pay through the nose for being governed from a distance by .men in whom we had no confidence — men whose politicalactions and legislation has lowered the character of the colony and brought Provincialism into -oon.'tonapt U!<ron._anppn<lia£r_ sucn an event did take place, in order to secure even a moiety of self-government, i the county and municipal system would have to be adopted ; but with this difference, we. would have to look to the Otago G-oyemment instead of the General Government. Are the Solons of Dunedin fit legislators for Southland ? We think not. If any change does take place it must be in the direction of a closer connexion with the General Government. The question may be thus briefly summed up : Colonialism embraces one strong government, with Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament to legislate for the whole colony giving the fullest amount of local selfgovernment; Provincialism means the absorption of the smaller provinces into the larger and stripping the General Government of every vestige of real authority, perpetuating log-rolling in the Assembly, if such a body is permitted, to exist, and maintaining the system of extravagance that has brought the colony to the verge of ruin.