DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 149, 15 December 1870, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

(From our Own Correspondent.)

Dunedin has been during the List few weeks rather fruitful in matters political. Wo have had the pleasure of listening t>> a new aspirant for political honors, in the person of Mr Macassey. Then wo have had our Council in session, and have listened with pleasure to the opinions of members for and against the financial scheme of the Honourable Julius Yogel. Not only have we had the Council's opinion, but we have also had that of his Honor the Superintendent expressed by messsages, and finally on the occasion of proroguing the Council, when he informed them that he would recommend an immediate dissolution, because his advisers and a majority of the Council are not at one with him on several matters of importance. And now we have the great man in our midst — the Honourable Julius Vogel — who has come to convince U3 that his financial scheme of last session is something that we should receive without a murmur.

There i 3 no doubt we are a great people. We are fit for anything. And it is a pity we have not some great man living amongst vs — some Socrates — who could mould us so as to produce that ideal Government so much written about by philosophers. But although we have all the elements, we have not the master mind and hand to develops them. Occasionally we see them rise to the surface, but they disappear as rapidly again. The only element which is fully developed is that of inconsistency. Most of our public men, and also would-be-public-me:i, are filled with it. Even the great "Reynolds" is not without it. Mr Macassey, who condemned both city members, Messrs Reynolds and Birch, is not without it. In his address he condemned the "Regulation of Hundreds Act," but yet in the same breath he said he would accept it, or, in other words, he was satisfied with it. He was not a believer in the colonial financial scheme, but he would accept it. He was a freetrader, but would impo.se duties on Australian produce, because the Victorians levied taxes on our produce. He did not believe in the Constitution, in so far as the Legislative Council was concerned, because it was a nominee one. lle preferred an electoral chamber ; one that the people would have a say in— that is the people who possess large properties. In fact, Mr Macassey does not believe in the people or the people's representative, who has the choosing of those who are called to the Upper House. He believes in a property qualification, and the creation of an oligarchy in x\"ew Zealand. Now as we are not over-burdened with an aristocrac}', nor a timocrac.y, it is possible, nay probable, that we may have the blessings of an oligarchical form of Government with Mr Macassey, its champion, in a democratic House of Representatives, do much for Mr Macassay's principles, which only require developing — and which J place as element number one in our midst.

Element number two — democracy — is the ruling power at the present moment, but how long it will remain so is yet to be determined. Oligarchy has spoken, and so also has tyranny. His Honor the Superintendent has sounded the key note of the latter in his messages to the Council during the last session. He has declared that Provincial Government, as now constituted, is obstructive ; that the power should be ve3ted in one person — that person being the Superintendent. Any person who stood in the way, or who spoke his mind openty, should be got rid of. None should sit iti the Council but creatures without a will but that of the Superintendent. Mr Macandrew, four years ago, was the great champion of the people. By them he wis placed in power ; and now, after four years' experience, he has declared for tyranny, and his motto is—" Porish Provincial Government ! " Perish Government by, or through the people.

I stated before that the Honourable Julius Yogel was here, and that his mission was to persuade. He came well recommended— with Port Chalmers the terminus for the San Francisco Mail Service. lie was met at the Poi-t by several admirers, amongst the numbs)-, his consistent friend Mr Reynolds. The people at the Port are a grateful people. They are not like the Dunedinites, nor have they been so well educated. They gave Mi- Yogel a lunch, and why should they not, when he had given them the steamers ? It will be a glorious time for the Port when the steamers come. All will get rich, and all will be happy. There is nothing so good as money. Mr. Macassey Iras said it. Tt is a pity that Mr. Yogel's mission did not begin and end at the Port. But no, that would not do ; he must go to where he was once a master and a teacher ; where he had been to the trouble to educate the people up to a given point. Now, I believe, it i 3 an imderstood thing, on all occasions, that no one can persuade any person or persons unless he or they are prepared to listen. They would do anything else. They would roar, bellow and crow, and also interrupt, .but they would not listen. They had their great master before them. He had taught them how to mob, roar and pipe, and their delight had no bounds. YVliat did they care about persuasion. All they wanted to prove was that they were worthy pupils come to congr.il ulafce a worthy master. I need not tell you that all this took place at the Princess Theatre, on Thursday evening last, when the Honourable the Colonial Treasui-er made an at c upt to address the people of Dunedin.