THE COMING SESSION.

Southland Times, Issue 1154, 7 May 1869, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE COMING SESSION.

The present critical position of the colony invests the election of a member of the G-eneral Assembly with more than ordinary importance. The time has arrived when the haphazard selection of representatives, which has so long been tolerated in many Provinces, should be brought to an end. If the war is to be terminated, if the progress of the colony is to be secured, the people must make a determined effort to find men with large and matured views to represent them — men who have capacity and firmness to rise above Provincial small-mindedness, or governmental influence. Hitherto party strife, Provincial trickery, and censurable "log rolling," have been the main characteristics of New Zealand legislators, and what. is the result? The Maori war has been perpetuated until the colonists have become more heavily taxed than any other subjects of the British Crown, and there is little prospect of the burden being lightened, but a probability of further demands being made. This state of things must be altered. Each new Ministry has pre-

sented a Pandora's box of novel nostrumsfor the reform of the const ifcufciou, and the healing of the sores whicli bad legislation have created, but all in vain. Their application has only tended toirritate. The disease: — party strife and corruption, — has reached a point that demands strenuous measures to be taken for its extirpation. The only hope we can see for the future, is for the electors of the colony to realise the depth of their responsibility, and send to the Assembly men with talent, experience, and liberal views. The Provincial system we believe destructive to efficient legislation— it pits party against party, renders its representatives mere delegates for local purposes, > who in order to gain a supposed advantage !■ for their particular district, will enter I into any alliance that is likely to aid them in accomplishing their narrow- * minded desires. Thus the colony has been split up into sections, until the Parliament has become a thing of shreds and patches — a nondescript wituout a parallel. The North Island is fighting against the South Island and the pro* vinces in both are quarrelling with each other for the lion's share of the loaves and fishes. The demand for a re-casting of the constitution is universal, but the question, is, what shall be the nature of the reforms ? It may be asserted, although no adequate organisa* tions have been formed, or clear programme propounded, that .there are three propositions before the country, viz., the separation of the two islands, the perpetuation and expansion of the Provincial system, and the unity of the colpuy, by doing away with provincialism, and substituting therefor a simple, more efficient, and less costly system of local self-go rerameut. The first of these propositions is simply ao. impossibility. At one time such mi^ht have been accomplished if the members of the Middle Island districts had unitedly advocated i%. '■ But party dissention was too powerful — each province had its particular object to gain. Loans were required, and to obtain them every imaginable scheme was resorted to, regardless of the interests of the colony as a whole. The consequence was, the accumulation of provincial loans, until the. General Government was compelled to consolidate them in a colonial enactment, rendering the colony responsible for their payment. To such an extent has this prevailed, that in the event, of a motion in favor of Separation being carried, the complication of accounts would render it almost impossible for the Government to carry it out, even if the Imperial Government were to sanction such a radical change in the constitution. It would be a stretch of the imagination to think it would take over the North Island, as a Crown colony, and terminate the war by Imperial expenditure. The second proposition — "to increase the "powers of Provincial Governments" — is one that can never be satisfactorily accomplished. Its advocates seek to obtain the annexation of the small provinces to the larger — in fact, to make those created under the New Provinces Act, dependencies of the provinces from which, after a long period of neglect, misgovernment, and injustice, they were compelled' to separate. There are few in this province that would consent to come again under the domination of Ofcago, and if the opinions of the representatives of the other small provinces can be understood, from their utterances, this feeling is general. The third proposition — " the unity of the colony, and substituting for Provincialism, a simpler, less costly, and more efficient system of local self-govern-ment " — is undoubtedly the one to which immediate attention should be given. The bills introduced last session by the | Stafford Ministry may have been defective, but the principle upon which they were framed is sound, and the aim and object of our legislators should now be to perfect the system that has been already shadowed forth — to strive to secure the unity of the colony, while obtaining for every district a fair proportion of legislative influence in the Assembly and equitable local administrative power.

Holding these views we look with some interest to the election of a representative for th^ General Assembly, to occupy the seat vacated by Alex. M'HJleil, Esq,,for the electoral district of "Wallace. With a couple of exceptions Southland has not been happy in its choice of representatives. We have been too amiable in our disposition and taken men too much on trust. The retiring member has acted fairly, but his influence in the Assembly has been nullified by the actions jof the, non-resident member, Mr Dillon Bell. It is therefore to be hoped that 1 steps will be taken to induce gentlemen of ability and standing to come' forward upon this occasion. The nomination will take place on Friday, the 30th inst.