THE ABOLITION OF THE PROVINCES.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1844, 31 August 1874, Page 3

THE ABOLITION OF THE PROVINCES.

The N. Z. Times begins to -'see the approaching'end...of provincialism in the South as well as in the North. It says: —" A Bill will, no doubt, be brought into Parliament next session to consolidate the Northern Island, and if it be passed; as in all probability it will be, there will be time enough to test the soundness of the views of the supporters of the Ministerial resolutions. If the experiment is success-

ful, there { is a strong probability that the South Isl'aud will prefer to be more closely allied to the General Government .than it is now'i and to place some faith id the'old Scriptural proverb which favours unity between 1 two'houses as giving material strength/ 1 ' 1 '' ' ; ; '''•'■'' ' -' : -'- "■■■ '"■'' '■■ \ The Hqwfo's : Bay Eerald says the Thames Guldfield carried 5 the ;cost''of maintaining Auckland as a p'rovinde'on'its

shoulders for some lime. ; Uur contemporary declares that:-The strongest p'roviocialist must admit that some of the Northern provinces'—notably Aucklandhave, as Mr Vogel says, been unable to carry out their functions; -Auckland'was ail but bankrupt some six years ago.and a; speedy abolition of its Pro'vincial'Gdyernment' was expected-at the time Mr Whitaker resigned the Superintendency, and Iwas succeeded by Mr .Williamsbn," but the ripple of returning prosperity was heard oh the waters of the Thames' and Ooromandel-a goldtield was proclaimed:

diggers came from, the West Coast and, Australia, and ah amount of labour andcapital was poured into Auckland, which set the/.provincial..establishment legs again. We have already expressed it as our opinion that the colony of New Zealand would be far bettor off when ruled-by one large central and-united Government, than by nine petty Provincial Governments, and we believe the good sense of the House and the country will express a similar opinion. The Odderbury Pressmen supports the'abolition measure and says:-The truth is there are only .two provinces' left in New.Zea-. land—Canterbury andOtago. The others are virtually defunct; The name ;of province and the outside appearance are

still retained,' but for all purposes';of public utility they have ceased to exist. Why.thcn.should we keep up. the farce of pretending torcgird them as living P" If ; vfeare to ssveep.apy.the:.provinces of the North Ishnd, hmiui llwy no longer .answered- the-puqiosos for.which they,, wero constitute'!, why s.Hlmil I we preserve thdsWof: (lie. 1 Jltd.lle dfhud whic-i d»; so even less-of whie'i ,t-Wii }««>.» I'.iiluws from their very firit bi:th? 'h'lmv be | to aooHsh bury aud Otagoi-'Thoy urj.pjiiiicaliy powerful, and their .p-Tyrei 1 raU on a substantial basis 01 ])ivsperit.y an 1 wealth. A. province "'which lilis a liiiliion of mouey.inits coffofsoecupici on undeui-ibly, sti'oiig pdsitioh, and : i'g'uit lo'i)tr'ea:-ily ! disposed of. But tlieoUiers can plead no such, title,,to exemption. If thea, .Mr Vogel does,not."see hi.) way_ to 'pushing hisreform to it^.utqioVC.&jiiwj'lie at least oarry, it as', tar 'as ii wil,l rchchi'id. as:the-circumstances of, tiie'j.couiiky'ide-,, mand. .A.formof goveniriieiit.wiiich.ri,'* practicable and' good' on ;one Cook's Straits wiil be equally.so, under similar'conditions, on the other. There can be ; no reason why an arbitrary Aktlhctibh''should be drawn 'betweeri ;l the'

islands; or why those parts of the Middld. island ; 'where provincialism' ha'a,';eithef diedout or never "takea foot;should' be prohibited from .availing themselves j: pf the better sys.tem.which it is proposed to substitute in the North. , '"■■■■■ ;-. ~; \ The TamnaM Eerald: writes:—The great functions of Provincial Governments the construction of public works, and the' introduction of population, huve long become obsolete, and are now being per-' formed by, the General Government with great vigour; and not only ardHhelarger colonial works undertaken by it, but the minor constructive works of road boards are carried on out of colonial funds. It is admitted that as far as money expenditure is concerned,; the General Government permeates the romoter districts of the polony,,and interlocks: and'overlaps provincial administration. The functions of Superintendents in the North Island have, now degenerated intoOthose of the, unfortunate beggar-a position as undignified as it; isinjiripus to. the communities which they govern. Year' after year they'and their followiiigs-weary''the House' with their prayers 1 for, aid.i and fierce are their: denunciations,.if; .their financial, hunger is not, allayed. The smallest pittance keep these institutions' alive, and, as there is no hope of their dying decently so'ldhg'as ihdiscrimihato : charity is administered, thev.best. thing for all

parties is.,.that the; happy .despatch .be given to them, now,the,necessity of their continued existence is no longer apparent.

: The Ihmaaki Nowskys:— The march of time has completely changed the aspect of our affairs. We now have weekly stoam communication with other ports, roads and, railways are in struction,'and what is still more-pertinent;

wo have' Inter Provincial telegraphic communication, so that our isolation is

practically •destroyed;-' Provisional -'Gro-;i verhihents, wo feel them mow to. be : - expensive and cumbersome-machined of 500 horse-power, with but the work-of'a single team to perform. _ ; There can be ho ] doubt but that they engender selfishness ■-they naturally seek- the'welfare' of the Province; against the woridV The : time has come', ; 'we think, when the country should be grandly governed. Wo; are hob a band of meroadyebturers whp are bere' : to-day .and gone to-morrow.' We stepped upjn these shores in they, hey? day of y.vuih, an] the glory of bur diyi in bnv■VcmiuiY of suVluitig the ,wif:leru!!"si oil.' iwli'ei -Til! uMgl-Jwitlv tbi soil,-iiiid it' is Ibo-native ; -lun-Uof l t!io 'troops of iv)?y iiliiliiriJii' :ifOUiul;>us;:'jlw jare fast. (.n tii'ro.qiir.pU.k'-'. jj\Vo therefiiv deuiuul » str Ocutriil, '(!overi\rap'.)t- as, a ' b ; .>n I uf, uii-ja- and •patriotism. > The . Otiujo fhuii'liai n'iie-:--" flowthat Mr Vouiir, has ia'ie.i lii-j IVjvineial : bull by tho liorus. lif ni 55 iu.voep;?c r "l ■care or he will liml hisivi.'lf sired'by tlie• 'irate brute"at soiu aixuMi'. It is a, struggle:in■■.viii.! i .'.oilier must absolutely couqtu'. il'liow uau be, no,truce. ,'Quarter iiij^yb! .aiitcJ Ji'y.,i'ii< . Provincialists;.-but they wiij never give, .quarter when they hii.Vfll.au:..adiraotaife. ; fkeso; are the -leading ii'-ituiVH of ih'o struggle, and it is well '-lit' they should be borne : in mind,-boeause,'- «rinle• tlro/ijvtelligence and 'patriotism.of the'countryare With iMrVoa.Ki., the: voting pp(vor iii the General Assembly, ii largely in the hands !bf his political opponents ~-foi''op. poneats the Pro vinoialists • now arc to a, man, however, divided thoy may be pu

other - It .is ■■ therefore the bonnden duty of all who wish the colony lb be cheaply and efficiently governed to take measures for making their opinion known. There is ample time to petition, 'shoijld it bo thought desirable, but in spmepubiid way the'opihiou'of the comuflunity at large should be expressed."