The Lyttelton Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1869.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2500, 7 January 1869, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1869.

frtOM various causes, and in several ways, the colonists of New Zealand have had their attention directed to the federation of the British North American provinces. That federation was referred to in the General Assembly as an indication of Imperial policy, and cited as a strong argument against separation. We took occasion, some months ago, to point out the principal features m the Act of federation, and to show that each province, even under the new Constitution enjoyed such privileges in the matter ot locai self-government as the advocates of unity and centralisation in JNew Zealand never dreamt of in their proposed Substitute for the Provincial institutions which they desire to see abolished. The federated British Worth American provinces are just now attracting a large amount of attention, add furnishing the materials for animated discussion, in England and elsewhere. The primary cause of this is the hostile attitude which Nova Scotia has assumed in relation to the Act of federation, and repeated threats that, it the Act is not repealed, there is only one course left open to those who desire to see the country as prosperous and progressive as it ought to be. The Nova Scotians have made strenuous efforts to secure what they believe to be their rights. Hanoi tailed, they now threaten—not lightly , or in a revengeful spirit-to petition ior annexation to the United Stutes. In the beginning of the past year, lie people of Nova Scotia sent four delegates to England, who were instructed by the local Government and Legislature to ask that the Act of federation, so far as it secured the union of Nova Scotia with the other italwh North American provinces, should be repealed. Their request was laid before the Imperial Parliament, and, notwithstanding the powerful advocacy of John Bright and other prominent members of the Liberal party, it was rejected. A story j B current that Mr Howe, the most active and able of the Nova Scotian i elegateH, hud the honor of dining one <ay with the Duke of Buckingham. At dessert he peeled an orange, mid was about to out it, when the Duke fHked him why the orange ] lo |, o |,i j n |»H hand resembled the Act for m «,ir- ' »>g the union of the British North

American provinces. Mr Howe was unable to answer the conundrum, or Messed to be, upon which his Unieo of Buckingham rcplioduecauso it cannot be ro-pealed. The »»«< is, perhaps, as good as others ol ilb class, but it is hardly worth repoatiug were it not for the sigiiiCcanct) winch the Canadians—strong up. holders of the federation-have attached to it. As a pendant to this story, we are told of a serious demonBlation which took place iu Nova Scotia

on the first <of July, the day set apart for commemorating the union. Dominion _ day, as it is called, was duly and joyously observed as a festival in the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Quebec, while Nova Scotia indicated her disapproval of federation by sundry unmistakeablo and not very loyal acts, In order that there might he no doubt as to the proclivities of Nova Scotia, the people firod salutes, hoisted the stars and stripes, and were otherwise demonstrative on tho fourth of July, the anniversary of American independence. And this is by no means nil that they did. Tho Nova Seotiau Attorncy-Gonoral, in submitting a series of anti-union resolutions to the local Legislature, made a speech of such fervour that, on seeing tho published report, the Lieu-tenant-Governor roquested an explanation. In reply, the Attorney-General repudiated the charge of disloyalty, "although nothing occasioned him " greater pain than to witness the daily " increasing discontent of tho peoplo "in consequence of the refusal to "restore their Constituticn." Tho following is the pointed conclusion of his letter:-" Should it be the will of " providence that Nova Scotia should " be deprived of her old Constitution " without her consent, and against the " will of her loyal peoplo, it is the "opinion of the Attorney-General " that the political system of any other " civilised country would be preferable " to the Constitution which has been " provided for her by the Act for the

union ot Uanada, Nova Scotia, and "New Brunswick." The House of Assembly proved less manageable than the Attorney-General. When the Chamber met on the Bth of September, a resolution tantamount to a vote of censure upon the Lieuteu-ant-Governor for "interfering with " the liberty of debate" was passed almost unanimously. According to the latest accounts, this resolution was rescinded under a threat of dissolution. From these, and other indications of popular feeling, it is evident that Sir John Young, late Governor of New South Wales and recently appointed Governor General of the federated provinces, will have all his powers of conciliation put thoroughly to the test. The Nova Scotians appear to have made out a strong case, not only against the union itself, but against the apparently nefarious means by which it has been accomplished. A Victorian contemporary, writing on this subject, has pointed out that under their old Constitution, conferred upon the provinces more than a century ago, the laws were made, the taxes levied and distributed, trade and cnm.

meree regulated, virtually by the people through their representatives, who had to give an account of their stewardship at least once in every four years. Under this system, the individualaud general prosperity increased, and while cultivating a friendly and profitable commercial intercourse with the United States, the people never swerved from their loyalty to British institutions. All this, they contend, has disappeared with the loss of their political independence. Instead of being represented by a Parliament of NovaScotians, responsible to and sympathising with them, knowing their wants and holding their welfare 01 paramount consideration, their affairs are henceforward to be controlled by a Lecture essentially Canadian. In a Senate of seventy-two members, they are supposed to be represented by twelve; but as these are the nominees of the Executive Council in Canada, Nova Scotia having no voice whatever in their appointment, to say that they represent her is a mockery. To the House of Commons, containing one hundred and eighty-one member's, she elects only nineteen. Thus, in the first Parliament under the union, she is practically represented only by nineteen against one hundred and sixty-two in the House of Commons, and not represented at all in the Senate, the twelve members nominated for that purpose having notoriously been selected for their support of Canadian interests in the confederation. Their local House of Assembly remains, but only on the status of a parish vestry, a ukase having been issued by the Dominion Government that the GrovernorGeneral will have to disallow local legislation more frequently than Her Majesty was accustomed to do.

It is further urged, on behalf of the NovaScotians, that apart from the humiliation entailed, by the change upon a people habituated to self-government, there are substantial grounds of apprehending serious danger to their material interests. They point to injuries sustained during the year in which the Act of federation has been in force. They complain that their tariff has

been raised, and their indirect taxes largely increased; that they have been saddled with vexatious stamp duties, and taxes on newspapers and bank notes; that their railways and other public property have been transferred, and may be sold for the benefit of the Canadian Treasury; that, while their Customs revenue has been appropriated, they have been doled out a pittance inadequate to the requirements of their local administration. Although it is possible, perhaps probable, that there may be some exaggeration in these complaiuts, it ia not denied that the trade and commerce of Nova Scotia have seldom been in so wretched a plight as since her union with Canada. It is asserted that this

decay of trade is not the result of federation, but that it must be ascribed to the termination of the reciprocity treaty with America. English journals have gone so far as to say that the United States rofusod to renew the treaty because they foresaw that commercial necessity might force Nova Beotia into annexation. There may bo truth in this, but on the other hand, it is equally clear that little eompul. Hlou was necessary. The manner in which the union of the provinces was accomplished-judging from such iuformation as wo have boon able to obtain—is not creditable to British statesmanship. In the preamble to the- Act of federation, it is Btated that it was passed with the knowledge and consent of the local Legislatures and

people. It is this statement which the Nova Scotinns especially repudiate.