THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1877.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2573, 6 April 1877, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1877.

The Hon. Mr Fox has made a speech to his constituents' at Wariganui in which he has announced his intentions in part, and v|ilso his views on certain political matters. Provincialism.':, has sunk so low that any attempt to resuscitate it would probably Tie tfselessi and othat its present inert advocates seem tcrfeelj still it isjast; as well to know from his own lips that Sfr :'Fori:-Will ;in6t-''supp6irt ;i'"-k rtetr6greßsife' pplicy," .meaning; ( thereby. ,a..renewal of the abolished provincial institutions! Mr Fox regards insular separation—--on which,'doubtless,"there will soon be an-: other ojitcryr-as bat;ft 1 .phase-6f*Pro?in-cialism, and this he will not support; His-views, therefore, on 'this 1 point ate rtipre imporJant to ascertain, and it is satisfactory to our way of thinking, that he intends to support what we.mustcall a policy of progress. A: policy'of prpgress in this ;way, that though no idoubt the", .institutions>were productive of good, especially as enabling New Zealand to be colonized frjOmt fVariipjasv.points.; instead: of; from, only a nominal centre, and thereby doing in ten years what else would have taken thrice that time to accomplish, yet the time is come when,their usefulness has a^y^and when old friends cease to be. useful they cease to be desirable. An, unkind speech no doubt, but nevertheless a true one, and orflbis point; it! wasHruly;.'saidi-by the writer of a paper to which we have lately adverted^ that "for mariyyears iliei| (pro-; vittc|at! ?itiSii(;j»iipns). influence^?|hafbfcen ; mischievous, owing to constant conflict with thei Central Government, especially on points of finance, each province spending in 'excess of income" and' scrambling for its .share of .public loans, j as well as contending for local interest in the narrowest spirit,.and by means of caballing or 'log-roiling,' putting a pressure on,the Genial Government which the latter could not/always^ resist.'V To the truth of these, remarks^ the neglected Thames can Bear bitter testimony. Towards reiriedyingl the-' - state' of - affairs \o which Provincialism has brought us, Mr Fox believes the Counties Act to be a step in the right direction, though he thinks the Government made a mistake in "not retaining the Road Boards with increased powers." Now, first of ail the Government lias retained the Road Boards as far as this, that they have left it optional with the ratepayers themselves whether they will in certain matters still be/g6verhed:by Boards elected by themselves, ;;pr,:whetjier amalgamate • with a council to be by them elected in part. As to giving the JRoad Boards increased ' powers, were they to have these • where i.were the use of the County Council' i It ■ would lead to that same spirit of scrambling for the funds to use for.simple local purposes which was condemned in the case of Provincial Governments. Thus the writer whom we have above quoted says of the Provinces that it .was owing to them that the system of railways is so imperfect here as it is at present, as so anxious were the Provinces to secure their own special advantages that the formation of trunk lines of railway was neglected to the detriment of ,the whole colony. So would it bo in the case of Eoad Boards had they increased powers. ! The chances are greatly in favor of the roads, which would tend to open up the County being neglected while the efforts of the Boards would be

employed in spending the rates to improve the property and increase the conveniences of thoir own. ratepayers; the result being that roads would be formed leading from nowhere to nowhere. Eegarding colonisation Mr Fox says that there can be no better plan than that of special.settlement.. Granted that special, settlement is likely to be advantageous as introducing as it must; capital as well .as labour, yet special settlement is manifestly unfair when it allowed to interfere witli'llie just rights which former residents hare of insisting that opportunities should be given to them also of acquiring TaticTat least on.'"the"same" terms as; those allowed to others. Secularism Mr Fox prefers to denominationalism in the matter of education, but at the same time is evidently.ijn favor of . r some-system which will;aJlbw the 13ible'to be fead in schoola "with conscience clauses." Mr Fox considers the country eminently prosperous, and this is satisfactory considering the experience he possesses afforded to him by time and place. Further, he thinks the Government should borrow no more ."for a>time " (chatterer that indefinite period xn.ay.be) and in this, he .is very likely, right* as, like; Shyldck's ■ gold and silver, our loans ought to bring forth fruit in a short season. : ■■■■■ : ' w\■■.:■,'■:';. ■.■■'■■■'■;'',.