CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1216, 2 October 1874, Page 2

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

It is very seldom the Lyttelton Times finds occasion to express approval of any thing done by the Premier. His appointment of Mr Travers to prepare the new bill re Abolition of Provinces, proves no exception. It is thus commented on . The " barrister of colonial reputation" whom Mr Vogel has employed to do his own—the Premier's—work while the Premier is enjoying a trip to the Old Country, must be congratulated upon his appointment. He is, in fact, the luckiest man of the clay, and we are sure that he fully appreciates all the advantages of his position. Mr Travers will be enabled, at the expense of the colony of course, to travel as we have said from Auckland to the Bluff during the most pleasant part of the year in New Zealand; ho will bo well paid—that may be at once taken for granted—and ho will be in a position where he can combine business with pleasure, where he can, while flirting with science bully the local authorities of every grade. What more could a man desire than such an opportunity ? The only consolation is, that " the mission" has been entrusted to a man who will derive enjoyment from it, and we hope that he will recognise the benevolence of the Premier by writing—without fee or reward—a popular and useful handbook of the colony—when his labors in search of a local Government policy are completed.; when his pleasure-trip is ended ; and when he has lorded it over the Road Boards, &c, to his heart's content. Mr Travers could write a popular, though not perhaps a reliable handbook about New Zealand, and he will doubtless feel that something of the kind is due to the colony in return for the pleasures he will derive from the position assigned to him by the Premier.

It is necessary, on such occasions, to speak plainly, and we must therefore point out that Mr Vogel, without the consent of Parliament, without even the show of consultation with the representatives of the taxpayers, has delegated his duties as a Minister to this " barrister of colonial reputation," who is not cvon a member of the Legislature. And, looking for a moment at the question from what must bo called the sordid point of view, he is putting the country to double expense, lustoad of remaining here to discharge his duties and duly consider a questiou involving radical constitutional changes, he suddenly leaves for Englaud, and in saying''good night" to his constituents, he iuforms them that " a barrister of colonial reputation" has been—wo are entitled to say hired—to do the work that ho to have dono himself. We have, then —it is not pleasant to be placed under the necessity of so prominently alluding to these matters —to pay the Premier's salary as Premier, £1756 per annum, and the expenses of his trip to Englaud, and we have also to pay, without being asked whether we are willing to do so, the lawyer's bill that the " barrister of colouial reputation" will undoubtedly send in. Again we must say that Mr Travors is the luckiest man of the day. Ho will be able, at the cost of the colony, to do that which, of all things in the world we believe he would like to do ; and he will also be paid for doing it. This must bo looked upon as " the very acme of bliss" What is this " barrister of colouial reputation" going to do when he has put himself in harness': 1 Is he lobe receiver general of so-called grievances from all municipalities and road boards ; or is ho to bo inciter-general of complaints against the Provincial Governments? iVoui the fact that

Mr Travers is the barrister, wo are induced to believe that the latter is his mission, and we therefore congratulate Mr Vogel on the adroitness of - his choice, as we have already congratulated Mr Travers on his good fortune. It is not often that a man is placed in a position where he can comfortably, and without any procuniary risk to himself, kill not two, but three or four birds with one stone; and there are few Premiers who feel themselves in a position to dispense such substantial favors. The lioad Boards and all other local bodies in ' this province must be delighted to learn that Mr Travers has boen appointed by the Premier to visit" every highway Board in the colony and confer with the chairman before framing the bill," that is to revolutionise the Constitution of New Zealand. And they may, if the political cards "gee" to the Premier's bidding, fairly claim that they had a considerable share in bringing about the new order of things.