WHAT ARE WE COMING TO?

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 27, 15 August 1868, Page 3

WHAT ARE WE COMING TO?

BY SAM JONES.

Otago, once as plump and promising an infant as old Mother Britain could desire, is beginning to asaxime a somewhat wan and under-fed appearance, with a look of greatness, nevertheless, on its little pinched up face laughable to behold. The little burlesque evidently feels itself to bs of no mean importance. If being governed at an expense befitting a great country, and all the fuss and fluster befitting an empire makes it of importance, it i 3 important. Rightly governed, it might assume a real importance, as a promising country, or a portion of a promising country ; for it is ridiculous that New Zealand, which, taken as a whole,' is a mere patch, should be cut up into so many little, tiny bits, each with its superintendent and its little government. It is surely time that ail such burlesques should be put a stop to. When gold was pouring into the Treasury ruinous misgovernment was not so much felt ; but now, when it is become a matter of the last importance to economise every fraction of our revenues — when all money frittered away on needless men and needless objects is wanted for necessary public works, it is surely time to ask — Is there no mode of carrying on the government of the country more efficiently and less expensively than it has hitherto been done? It has been openly stated in fhe. Council by^ T tbink^ the present Treasurer, that, inenoi talent, were not to be had for the co"ri#qct of "public affairs unless they were well paid. The .number of men. of talent we'liave is out of all proportion to the rest of the community; and their idea of the value of their services out of all proportion to their real value. A host of officials, one making work for another, may be a very good thing for the officials themselves ; but, unfortunately, increased taxation, niismanage"ment of public works, and frittering away of public moj»ey are the only beneiit the bulk of us receive from them. It is a much easier matter finding faults than finding remedies ; but it is a question worthy of serious, study. Would it not be better if the cumbrous, ill-regulated machinery of provincial governments were swept away altogether, and something less expensive, if not so grand, substituted? By being brought into more direct contact with the General Government, provincial cliques could scarcely work into each other's hands in the manner they have done. We (by we I mean men of small capital) know pretty well what we may expect at the hands of the Provincial Government. The shameful manner, in which they have dealt and are dealing with the land question would not be very easy to paralell. The manner in which public money has been squandered in the adornment of Dunedin has raised indignation throughout the Province. And the way in which any money that has been expended on roads and bridges has been frittered away is equally well known; and we are likely, simply because the proprietors of the "Daily Times" are interested, in the maintence of the present state of things, and raise bugbears to frighten the ignorant and blow bubbles to please the foolish, to have the colony hopelessly strangled by debt, and by the stoppage of emigration through the disgraceful administration of the Land Act.

The county system which < many districts, feeling the need of some remedy, are. petitioning for may not altogether remedy matters, but at least it would abolish the senseless farce of a provincial government which is rendering Otago ridiculous as well as ruining her, and by sweeping away so • m\tch cumbrous machinery, would materially lesson the coat of government. The petty jealousy that would wish Dunediu the seat of government can find little echo out of Dunedin. if we remain .joined to. the North island, Wellington is. certainly a more central position ; and if separated, Christchurch is. But lam no advocate for separation 4rom tha.North Island. s The cry is more one of scheming adventurers, anxious for their 1 own benefit/ fchan men anxious for the good of the c6untry.