THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2124, 25 October 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1875.

The recent session of Parliament has naturally caused abundant food for discussion, and in some cases it would seem even for prophesying. The Abolition Bill was sure to cause some dissatisfaction among its opponents, as was only natural, considering how deep rooted to it were their antipathies, whether from interest or conviction. The same dissatisfaction, though it by no means follows so naturally, or bo necessarily, is caused it seems by the Representation Bill, not only in the minds of those who themselves labor under a sense of injustice, as is the case with ourselves, but even amongst others who are not themselves so directly interested in the measure. Hence from one or the other of these causes, very likely from both combined, we have, as we said, suggestions of what ought to come to pass, prophesyings of what will come to pass, as well as hopes of what may come to pass. One class of those who seek a remedy for a state of things which, according to their vievr, is bad, consider the division of the colony into two smaller colonies would be the best thing that could happen, the division to be effected by insular separation. Foremost amongst those who desire to see this state of things we have the name of Mr Hugh Carleton, who declares that so far from having only just joined the Separationists he has always been with them from the first " foreseeing disagreement and even illfeeling." Nor is this foreknowledge a characteristic of Mr Carleton only, but Mr W. E. Sadler tells us that, what •' is to %-inevitably, certainly, and per predestination (!)" is that we shall have " two independent parliaments for the two large island countries, instead of the old ten parliaments for the two." It may be very true that if the Colony can be governed by two councils instead of ten, the lesser number is certainly to be chosen; but it is also a matter for question whether by a parity of reasoning one parliament is not better than two, and in spite of Mr Sadler and, predestination, this is the question to be really discussed. The same gentleman also elaborates a plan by which this scheme is to be effected, though if it .bo. a.matter of-predestination

it seems almost a work of supererogatio on his part to do so. He nevertheless thinks it as well to inform us, apparently in all simplicity and good faith, that Lyttelton " for many good independent reasons" is the most fitting place in which *the seat of Government for the South Island can be carried on, while he proposes Butt's Corner, Shortland, where " there is a two-acre plateau, five feet high, and level; at base of mountain; fit for first rate building of wood as thomost suitable spot from which to direct the affairs of the North." This he tells us " quietly and confidently " is " what is to be, for surely the right will ultimately, sooner or later prevail." If so it will be a good thing.for the Thames in general and holders of land near Butt's corner in particular ; and we are fully prepared to accept insular separation if the prophecy of this predestined event bo verified thereby. Mr Troup disagrees with Mr Carleton in his notions concerning separation, and asserts that when the "proper time arrives, a scheme will be propounded which the proposers believe will avoid the necessity of either insular separation or Lieutenant Governors." Wherever Mr Troup derives this) knowledge of a scheme to be propounded at the proper time, whea that proper time will be, or of what nature the scheme will be, we are lamentably ignorant; but as neither we, nor, we suppose, Mr Carleton, are in the habit of-taking omne ignotum pro magnifico we should like to hear something more of the scheme before pronouncing it magnificent. Mr J. Wood has another plan by which the colony is to be governed somewhat after^ a judge and jury model, with a governor for judge, and " what Lord Bacon calls ' a temper-number' of councillors taken from the rank and file of our citizens" as a jury. The plan has certainly the merit of originality, the only question being where this " tempernumber" of councillors is to end, and who ale to be the judges of what is, or is not a " temper-number." It is far from improbable that on this subject it may be found as hard to agree as on the whole question of government in the abstx*act. Mr J. Wood adds to the originality of the idea by stating that he considers it necessary that the heads of all religious bodies should be entitled ex-ofiicio to seats in this council. If this suggestion bo adopted it is very probable that theology will form no unimportant item in the politics of the day, and the Whigs and Tories re-appear with somewhat of their former rancour. It would not be easy, however, to found a new sect for every ardent politician to hare a seat bji being the head cf that sect, and the question might also arise as to who is head in some sects .of which many members arc equal. Or again, how many would be necessary to form a sect? Would the mere fact of having two or three followers give a man a seat, and would the editor of Enoch be equally entitled with the Bishop of Auckland to a place on this jury? As a means of creating schisms perhaps the scheme would be successful; we fancy it would hardly work wellinreal life. We can easily see that ideas are far from rare as to some Utopian form of Government to be exercised over us. We hare only considered a few out of many. As time progresses, and politics for the future campaign are of more and more interest daily, we shall doubtless have many others to compare with these —perhaps favourably.