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New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 85, 12 December 1874, Page 5

The senior member for Dunedin, who is also a member of Mr. Vogel's Cabinet, addressed his constituents on Tuesday evening last. The hon. gentleman is not a brilliant orator, nor does he give evidence of being a philosophic statesman ; but he appears to possess a fair share of common sense. His experience, too, in New Zealand politics is considerable. He has represented Dunedin in the General Assembly for twenty-one years, and cannot have failed to acquire a great deal of information as to parties and politicians. His opinion, therefore, is worth hearing, but as the opinion of an experienced public man rather than of an original or an able thinker. No one expected to derive much information from Mr Reynolds' speech, and no one, therefore, can feel much disappointment, on reading it, to find that it contains absolutely nothing that the public not fully aware of already. The hon. gentleman spoke at length in reference to the abolition of the Provinces of the North Island, and, in order to convince his constituents of the necessity and wisdom of the measure, read long extracts from the Pre-

mier's speeches. This was unnecessary ; his auditors had probably many times previously read these, and discussed their import and value. It would have been more satisfactory had Mr Reynolds favoured his constituents with the process of reasoning which had converted himself from his former convictions to his present views. Certainly the people of Dunedin might not unreasonably expect their senior member to be able to form an opinion for himself from his own train of thought.

The opponents of the abolition of Provinces policy fear that, if successful, it will lead to a loss of local selfgovernment, and that the land fund will be lost to the Provinces. In order to meet this objection the Premier promised that local self-government should be secured, and the land revenue hauded over for local purposes. This being so, one naturally asks — why destroy the Provinces ? Mr Yogel's reply ia, it is not our intention to do away with, the Provinces of the Middle Island, because they are able to maintain themselves; but the Provinces in the North Island are bankrupt, and can only subsist on subsidies from the general revenue. Consequently it is necessary to pursue a different policy in reference to the two islands, and to put an end to Provincialism in the North. But the question revives — from what source are funds to be derived for local purposes in the North Island ? and the answer given by Mr Reynolds is not satisfactory in two points. First : Mr Reynolds tells his constituents that the revenue is to come from local rates, land revenue in the respective districts, and captitation grants. But Provincial revenues are, at this moment, derived from these sources, and yet it is found insufficient ; and this insufficiency is precisely the reason alleged by the Premier for bis proposition as to Provinces. But it is certainly not dear how a change going no further than a mere re-distribution as to local government can make an insufficient revenue sufficient. This is far from satisfactory ; unless, indeed, it be maintained that the superior economy of the General Government, aided by a multiplicity pf local governing bodies, will effect such a saving as is without parallel.

In the second place, it is not satisfactory to hear Mr Reynolds say, " The Colonial Treasurer stated that when the Island was under colonial administration he would be able to make both ends meet." Evidently Mr Reynolds does not himself see how this is to be ; but he has faith in the ability and honesty of his chief, and trusts his word implicitly. Mr Reynolds, however, ia a Responsible Minister, and ought to be able to assign, some better reason

for his conviction that, after the proposed change shall have been effected, it will be no longer necessary, session after session, to vote certain sums of money to the Provincial Governments of the North Island, to be expended by Provincial Governments, than the mere word of Mr. Vogel. Mr. Reynolds has, however, no other reason ; afc all events, he did not favour his constituents with any other. This is eminently unsatisfactory ; and it is also not a little alarming to find a member of the Cabinet advocating a change which high authority has' declared to be unconstitutional, and ultra vires of the Colonial Legislature, on such flimsy reasoning.

Mr. Reynolds maintains the Colonial Legislature has the power to abolish the Province of the" North Island ; but Sir George Grey holds it has no such power ; and says he has taken high legal opinion on the point. It appears that the Colonial Parliament, by an Imperial Act passed in 1868, can abolish any single Province, but this does not imply a power to annihilate all the Provinces of one of the islands at one stroke. Such a claim, it appears, is not only unconstitutional but illegal. This is a point on which wo are not competent to give an opinion ; but it appears to us that Mr. Vogel's Government has not met Sir Geokgb Grey's argument in the only way in which it can be satisfactorily met. And we do think there is some ground for the assertion, that one of the objects of the Premier's visifc to England is to negotiate with the Imperial Government for for the introduction of a Bill into the Imperial Parliament to enable him to do away with our Provincial system. On the question of the advisability of appealing to the country by a general election before proceeding further, with this question Mr. Reynolds has been silent. This is a great omission : certainly on such an important question the people ought to be consulted. We noticed another omission in Mr. Reynolds' speech. The subject of education was not even alluded' to. He is aware that great dissatisfaction exists throughout the colony as to ihe various systems of education prevailing in the several Provinces; ; and that, here in Dunedin, one section of the community is practically thrust out of the schools maintained at the public expense. But he seems, judging from his speech, to be either unconscious of this dissatisfaction, or absolutely indifferent to the injustice perpetrated on a minority of his fellow-citizens. It may, be indeed, that he cares only for education in Otago ; and as he considers our system here nearly perfect, his conscience is at ease. It is unfortunate that some of Mr. Reynolds' interrogators did not ask him if he would consent to present a petition on the subject of education from the Roman Catholic citizens of Dunedin ; and we hope that, on the next occasion when he will address his constituents, this question will be put to him. It is not likely, indeed, that he shall ever have an opportunity of refusing, nevertheless it would be satisfactory to have his answer. Besides, it would be only fair to the electors to let them know what it is they have to expect from Mr. Reynolds' sense of justice on such an important point.