THE PROVINCIAL SYSTEM.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 180, 27 February 1868, Page 2

THE PROVINCIAL SYSTEM.

(From the WaJcatip Mail, ISth inst.) Though the Provincialists have lowered their pretensions—finding that the people are bent on obtaining local self-government in preference to the existing provincial system —yet they must nevertheless feel the comments upon the present condition of affairs in Canterbury keenly. We blame the Provincial party in Otago for not having courage to look their own latter end clearly and boldly in the face. We think it is impolitic to be always pushing back and hiding away with eager care the skeleton that is yet nevertheless ever presenting itself. Our neighbors of Canterbury adopt another course, and meet their difficulties with boldness, and, bad as they are, clearly in the face. Speaking of the present financial position of Canterbury, the Press remarks:—r

"We have seen a picture somewhere of a party of misers quarrelling over their hoard, while Death stands behind with a huge extinguisher poised in his arms, which the grinning skeleton is in the act of lowering over the whole party. The position of Canterbury, sqnabbling over the fragment of its loan, reminds us of the artist's morbid and fanciful creation. That Canterbury, any more than any other Province in New Zealand, can long exist financially, no one who knows anything about New Zealand finance believes. In the meantime there is a small sum to be done something with ; and the last days of the Council will be devoted to the expenditure of his money. No wonder that many laimants are in the field. No wonder

that all sorts of schemes aro spoken of It is the question for Canterbury at this moment—" What will he do with it?" When all outstanding engagements aro fully salisfied, and the £30,000 is. deducted which has to bo paid over to the Timaru and Gladstone Board, wo are under tho improssiou that the residue will somewhat disappoint public expectation. There will, however, be still something, and the question is, what shall wo do with it ? Shall we bridge the rivers ? make tramways to coalfields ? make the Northern railway ? or give a series of public dinners to all hands ? —the last quite as useful a mode of spending the money as some that have been adopted. As Duncdin insists upon having a railway, as well as a harbor reclamation docks, and no end of works of all kinds in and near to the city, the experience to be obtained from" Canterbury should not be altogether thrown away upon us. "We fear, bowever, that in quoting the following remarks we are committing something like that wiseactoin of throwing pearls before swine:-

AVe who have so often pointed out the impolicy of engaging in these vast works at all, so long before they could possibly pay, shall not now be accused of any pre] udice, or of unduly urging the expenditure of more money at the portal of the Province instead of in the outlying districts. But we cannot help perceiving that the debt incurred is a millstone round the neck of the Province, and that is a matter of life and death to the country that the interest on the debt shall be produced. It is as much the interests of the outlying districts as of the capital or the port, that the borrowed money expended shall me made to pay. All will suffer alike if this interest be not produced. Surely, then, it is only common sense and commercial prudence, to take such steps as will make our burdens fall as lightly as possible.

And yet Otago wants to borrow another million sterling!

ANOTHER WARNING. The Hawke's Bay Herald, in reviewing the Provincial question, asserts that: —" The Provinces of the Northern Island are all, more or less, hard up. Auckland is virtually bankrupt. Taranaki has to work in the most economical manner, upon an income of less than £SOOO per annum. Wellington, hitherto so prosperous, is unable to meet the demands upon the treasury chest. Hawke's Bay, with the assistance of its £60,000 loan, seems to be the best off of the lot, but its land revenue is almost nil, and it, no more than the others, can carry on any great while without local taxation to supplement a very scanty revenue from other sources."