PROVINCIALISM.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 181, 28 February 1868, Page 3

PROVINCIALISM.

At the dinner given to Lyttelton and Mr Selfe in Cristchurch, his lordship made the following remarks on Provincialism : —" Duriug the long voyage from home he had occupied himself with reading Grote,s History of Greece and there he found it set forth as a most pointed truth which was worth inculcating—that the great political weariness and inferiority, the Waste of strength, of the Greek nation was caused by its comminution into numerous small isolated communities. To that cause Mr Grote attributed the decay and failure of the Greek nation. He did not mean to go beyond the broadest application of the principle, but the question of Provincialism or non-Provincialism was one of the most important that could be brought before the people, and he must say that he hoped the time was coming when, with the increase of wealth and the means of communication, the principle of political consolidation would be borne in mind. He believed it was needless to preach this, for he thought it was nearly a won battle, and that the principle was nearly established. But he was anxious to urge upon those who upheld the. principle, that it would require the utmost caution in the detailed steps by which it was brought to bear. He could not express an opinion on anyone detail, everything should be left to the colony, and no obstacle interposed to its progress ; but every step was one that would leave a lasting impression, and therefore would need the most careful deliberation on the part of the politicians and statesmen of the colony before it was carried out."