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Southland Times, Issue 1228, 25 March 1870, Page 2

Some time ago vague rumors were bruited about that the General Government were going to pay the arrears, due to officials and others by several departments,,which" of the public .service! Then again fresh reports .were circulated about the matter, to the effect that some conditions were attached to the advance, which the local Government could scarcely comply with. Again, t difficulties were said, to be in the way through^ the vouchers hearing interest,, which item in the claims the Paymaster refused to acknowledge. JL few words to the oflicial organ, or any other semiauthoritative intimation relative to the true state of the case, would have been most satisfactory to the public, and would have put an end to many needless surmises and anxieties. Considering that the present Government plumes itself upon being the elect of the people, one might have looked for it to show some sympathy with the " expectant populace," and to. have told in,. as many words what hindered "operations at the Treasury" from being resumed. But that's not the way our. rulers choose to do business. A little mystification gives an air of importance, and an opportunity for selfinflation does not occur every day, and must not be allowed to slip. Common folks cannot help being awed a little by the presence of a man who is in " constant telegraphic communication with the head of the Colonial Government," and when applicants learn that negotiations of such a momentous nature are being carried on on their behalf, they-accept the request to "call again" almost ,as pleasantly as they would have done their money. ,' However,, those, who have made so many bootless trips to the Treasury will be glad to hear that," proper repre-. sentations " have for once had the desired effect. We have , authority for saying that the Colonial Government have conceded the point in dispute, and agreed to pay arrears 'with interest. Why the General Government should restrict its assistance to the four departments provided for, there is no good reason, and it is to be hoped it may be induced to place the other public fervantß and, creditors on the .same satisfactory footing. „ On the assumption that reunion with Otago will be consummated, it is quite safe in doing so j and if reunion is not accomplished, the necessity for,its stepping in to our

assistance, until oar assets can be in some way realized, is still more pressing. The plea of injustice to the other portions oi the colony is utterly untenable. Probably no other district has equal security tc offer, and, whetheror not, no division of the colony ought to be allowed to retrograde through pressure of mere temporary difficulties, if it is within the power of the Government of the colony to prevent it. The province must assert its right to be regarded as in integral portion of the coofitryj : whose success implies the prosperity of the whole. The boundaries whujh cut New Zealand up into so many peifcy states, with opposing interests, are purely fictitious, and ought to be ignored as far as possible by colonial statesmen. The result of the system ha 3 been most disastrous, and it cannot be too soon superseded by one which will tend to conbine, rather than to disunite the people. At the present moment we suffer principally from isolation. Our ideas, hopes, and aspirations as a community are confined to the area of Southland, and the sympathies and efforts of the people of the other provinces are stunted in the same way. While thus divided, and severally, cribbed to our narrow limits, the country never can or will become great. We want Nationalism instead of Provincialism.