DR. FEATHERSTONE ON PROVINCIALISM.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 161, 9 March 1871, Page 6

DR. FEATHERSTONE ON PROVINCIALISM.

The following is a telegraphic summary of the Superintendent's speedup opening the Provincial Council Wellington : — In the course of his remark he referred at length to the mission of the New Zealand Commissioners to Europe, saying that it had, in a variety of ways, been productive of very appreciable benefits to the colony. The Imperial guarantee of the one million loan had of itself saved from £250,000 to £300,000 on the principal, in addition to the interest. He intimated his appointment as Agent-General for the colony, and stated that he was desirous of leaving for England in April, He would not, therefore, initiate any new policy calculated to hamper his successor. He addimtted the existence of a strong feeling in favour of the abolition of provincial instiutions, but said that he entirely dissented from it believing, as he did, that their maintenance in their integrity has never been so necessary as now. Of "Wellington's financial position he drew a most hopeful picture saying that the revenue for the present year exceeds the expenditure, and that in future years he saw a prospect of a surplus of £15,000 a year for district roads. He advocated the province going in for immigration at the rate of 2400 persons yearly, so as to justify the G-eneral Grovernment in going on with public works in it. He spoke strongly in favour of the Public "Works and Immigration act, condemning the narrow.minded Southern jealousy of the North Island getting railways, and contended that the action of the Middle Island representatives had deprived the North Island of its territorial revenue by the passing of the Native Lands Act and the plunging the colony into war. The G-eneral Grovernment had advanced £12,000 to the province, but he held, nevertheless, that the province owed them nothing, and the balance really was the other way. He strongly condemned Mr. M'Lean's interference in the Manawatu question, and his giving away the land of the province, saying that he had demanded from the G-eneral Government payment of the rate of £ lan acre for the land thus given away. The G-overnment had refused to recognise the claim, but he hoped to see justice admitted and the affair adjusted before he left the colony. He concluded by urging the Council to maintain provincialism, saying that under no conceivable circumstances would he be a party to such a great political crime as the surrendering of one particle or iota of the privileges conferred by the Constitution Act.

There are 196 medical practitioners duly registered in New Zealand, of which the greatest number are i*a Auckland and Ofcago in proportion to tho population, over other parts of New Zealand. In Westland, where there are very few doctors, the number of deaths is comparatively very small. We do not say that this is to be accounted for by the pancity of medical men, but we think the coincidence singular.

The origin of Napoleonic violet-wor-ship dates from the days of the Consulate. .] osephine had asked her husband to bring her on her name-day "only a bouquet of violets" — a request which he succeeded in fulfilling by an accident, But from that circumstance dated Napoleon's love for the flower. He cultivated them even at St. Helena ; violets, little violets, were planted around the tomb of the poor heartbroken Josephine ; and when the great conqueror's coffin reached Cherbourg it was, in a few minutes, covered with violets. L. Napoleon, when picking his way to the throne of his uncle, was more than once made aware of the real sentiments of people by their exhibition of tho traditional flower of his family.

Beauty in woman is a most valuable possession ; but, as it is the case with other valuable possessions, it often brings sorrow and misery to the possessor. If a woman's beauty is backed up with intelligence, honesty of soul, purity of heart, cheerful industry, and other homely virtues, it will be pretty sure to be a blessing to her and others ; but if it be accompanied with ignorance, selfishness, laziness, and such-like qualities, it will as surely be the means of bringing her to much grief. The "Press," in its report of a meeting in Canterbury, held lately, has the following :—": — " Mr. Gray (the candidate) complained that the meeting had treated him ill in voting Mr. Hood to the chair, with a view to a disorderly meeting. Mr. Paget — I proposed Mr. Hood to the chair to keep Mm quiet. That's the only place where he Is quiet at a meeting." At the nomination of candidates for Auckland City East, when Mr Yogel was elected without opposition, an objection to his return was raised by Mr Eastwood. We quote from the report of the " Southern Cross " : " Mr, Eastwood stepped on the platform with a blue book in his hand, and protested against the election of Mr. Yogel. According to clauses 6 and 62 [42] of the Constitution Act, every candidate must be within the Provinces of New Zealand. Mr. Yogel was without the provinces of New Zealand, and he therefore protested against his election. (Loud hisses and laughter). The Returning Officer : I have nothing to do with that Act. I go by this Act (pointing to the Eegulation of Elections Act of 1870, which was on the table.) Julius Yogel is an elector, and he has a right to be proposed,"