THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1858.

Colonist, Issue 99, 1 October 1858, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1858.

In our last issue we called attention to the amount of business wliich had been gone throngh-at the late session at Auckland, and particularised one special point,—viz., the relief afforded to Nelson by the more equal adjustment ofthe New Zealand Company's debt. It was said at. the dinner given to Dr. Monro that it was chiefly owing to the absence of the Wellington members; and to this may be attributed, perhaps, the passage through the House of the Bill commonly known as the New Provinces Act. In this Act the most interested are certainly Nelson and Wellington. The general features of the Bill are, we believe, generally known; but it may be as well to revert to them, as it will form the subject on which.we shall make a few comments. It is with a view of allowing outlying districts the advantages of a local self-government that it has been proposed ; but certain geographical and other conditions are requisite before an application can be entertained of a severance from the mother province. There must be a port of outlet—the natural harbour of the district—and one possessing sufficient accommodation for the requirements of commerce; and the petition must bear the signatures of twothirds of the registered electors, and in no instance to be less than one hundred and fifty in number. When the office of Lieutenant-Governor was extinguished, there arose in each province a sort of representative of him, under the title of Superintendent ; and a House of Representatives was established, elected from the various districts, who were to have the power of local self-government; and it was apparent that as many of these gentlemen would be residents of country districts, it could be only once in the year that their own business or pursuits could be abandoned; it would therefore follow that some body always at hand should have the general management of affairs, as otherwise for nine months in the year there would be a lack of power to remedy evils which might at any unexpected moment arise. Thus an Executive was formed. A Treasurer was necessary as the safe-guard of the province against a too liberal expenditure by the Superintendent; and as many cases -would necessarily be brought before their notice involving points of law, a Provincial Solicitor was added to give his advice in such cases; for the transaction of the documentary portion of the business a Provincial Secretary was added, and thus we arrived at an Eiecutiye Council. The means of supplying the sinews of war for these gentlemen to w^ork with, was by apportioning'some part *bf the Customs' duties to their use, in this way-M.hat after the General Assemblyhad voted a sufficient supply for the Government,

pach province, in proportion to its subscription, should receive the surplus. The land revenues of each were to be their own,'^ancl on the Middle. Island the land was charged with a debt to the New Zealand Company. This Executive Council was, in fact, a mere Municipal Corporation with extended powers, for it had to superintend not only the immediate neighborhood of its seat, but to take into consideration all necessary improvements or proposals within the whole circuit of the province. The mode of election was by the whole body of electors ; and thus we have found that instead of always working harmoniousty, the Superintendent was at times in opposition to his Council. The districts of Ahuriri and the Wairau being far separated from the seat of the Provincial Government, found this arrangement distasteful to'their feelings"; and there is no doubt but that in future years, as colonisation extends, other districts will he found entertaining the same views.

From the force of circumstances, the largest amount of land sales takes place in the more re r mote positions, and they who reside there look with some feeling of regret at the expenditure of money derived from their district in the support or improvement of another place. These matters having been considered by the Houses at Auckland, the Bill was passed* to enable the outlying districts to amend {.heir position. That the ultimate tendency of'such a step will be to give more power to the central government, there can be little doubt, for while it appears to be creating new powers, it is in reality breaking up the six provinces, in such a way, that Aye shall shortly become only so many counties with a municipal board in each. Once take away the great argument against a continuous Provincial Council, namely, the distance of the districts represented, and we shall gradually become- a Province with regular meetings of its Council, and the now extended powers of the Superintendent and his Executive Council will cease to he necessary. Extremes ever meet, and this apparent disruption will bring us gradually to unity, and we shall become one large province with separate county establishments for the transaction of local business, hut the whole real governing power will be in the hands of the General Assembly. That Wellington should regard the separation of the rapidly increasing district of Hawke's Bay with feelings of dislike, we do not wonder at; and Nelson will view with similar feelings the separation from her. of the rjch wool-growing plains of the Wairau. To the absence of the Wellington members, as we said before, may in some degree be attributed the success of this new proposal. We consider ourselves that the step is premature? for in spite of all the little political animosities, we think that the Superintendents of the Provinces, as a class, have deserved well of their fel-low-settlers. It is impossible to give satisfaction to all. The experiment of appointing those offices was at the request of the colonists themselves, and they have hitherto been well satisfied. We must guard carefully against insidious attempts to overthrow that which we have ourselves established. The argument is extremely specious on its first blush, that as we have ourselves a Superintendent, why should not our outlying districts have one too. It is a neat attempt to weaken the power of those already existing, and to bring the^ country into such a broken and disunited state, that it will be necessary for one great directing head to come and ; put us all to rights. The advocates of Centralization are playing a subtle game when they seek to thus weaken the powers of our Executive Council. Fairly speaking, can any one district complain of inattention? That each does so, the remarks which our post brings prove. We know that it is an Englishman's peculiar foible to grumble, and unless there be an actual and apparent cause of complaint clearly shewn, and backed by irrefragable testimony, we should be chary of disorganising our existing institutions. There is a point to which we must no ty fail to call the attention of the proposers of the separation of the Wairau, which is, that Nelson is now assessed at the rate of £2700 a-year to the New Zealand Company; they will have a considerable portion of that tax to hear. They cannot leave us the debt, for it is represented largely by the land in that district. It is a subject which deserves calm deliberation, and should be entered upon in a spirit of temperate attention. We must not seek to derive all the benefit and leave'our neighbors none; but they should not forget, that though perhaps at this time land sales may be more extensively carried on in the outlying districts, they have been fostered'and eared for during many years by the very settlements from which they now wish to plead for a

divorce,