The Bruce Herald. TOKOMAIRIRO, NOVEMBER 30, 1865.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 87, 30 November 1865, Page 3

The Bruce Herald. TOKOMAIRIRO, NOVEMBER 30, 1865.

What, is the .General Assembly % Ask the members, and in all probability they" will reply that it is the Supreme Legislature of the Gdcny. Question them as to its functions, and answer will be made that the duty of the Assembly is to guard the interests of the Colony, to legislate on; matters affecting those interests, to regulate the policy of New Ze&land towards the Natives and the Mother Country, and; to a certain -extent control and supervise the action of the various Provincial Governments. Enquire more closely, and you will find that the Assembly is composed ot members elected by certain districts, the boundaries of which, have no reference to those of the various Provinces. That to hold a seat in it, ho connection with Provincial (politics is- necessary, ..and that so far as the constitution of the As • sembly' is concerned, the have no standing; that New .Zealand is .ta-j garded as a whole ; and that the.Assembly is in theory the "representative body of/ the Colony, not an assemblage of delegates from the nine Provinces. Compare the information thus obtained with the actual records of the proceedings during/last sessession and with speeches made by members of the Assembly "sin,ce ; the clpse of the session, and the inevitable conclusion is that- theory and' practice are" at issue, apd that the present system : of Constitutional Government in New Zealand is an •absurdity; of, in .hackneyed phrase, a mockery, a; delusion, and [a; snare.'; . ; Well might His Honor the ' Superintendent., in his opening, address to the Council, comment on the unsatisfactory relations of the Provincial and General Qovernments ; but . to a ; remedy such as ■indicated in the dfoyernment Biesolutions on- thei subject, is only to make the matter ' worse. To remedy evil, i i inust-.fce traced, to the fountain head, and the'Causft of the present' unsatisfiictbry relatjonV asoerfained; jS^me say -that it is the "Kati ye 4i$ c iiJ ty that is "the" appl^ rof discord, and. these as a f universal panacea — Separationv lOthers again. ascribe all the blame to ; th6 Imperial 'Go vernment, and its interference^^ wifh: inte:rual pjolitics. Few sjgt it dowries a hafiiral do'ntsfequehce; of that pf»rniciou.r system — Provincialism. Yet such : ive ; believe, to be the true cause: When New Zealand was first granted- Representative ihs'atutipris, it- wasvYgenerally understood that the Colony had been fur-i nished with a mbde! constitutibn: ;So it was on paper, but- like mostniodel schemes, the New Zealand ; Gbnstku tion ; has ■*' proved exceedingly faulty m pvactice, • and;.. the present urisatisfactory relations bf^: \ve teay say,th;e , provinces /_to the Colony, iis v bu'jt Uw natiical result of the complex system

of d6ubleUGoveni merit imposed C\Sy the Constitution Act. The very idea of ten different^ -Governments, with, ten different legislatures ia one Colony, is o£: itself an absurdity j. and it would indeed ; be n wonder if the relations bi one towards the. other were aught l>eit unsatisfactory. Separation might; nay; undoubtedly would, lessen tlie evil, for it would reduce tho number of antagonistic principles, from which union would l)e expected, but; Separation would never cure it. MriMaeandrew's resolutions ; (which we published last week), would effect a financial separation, and consequently lessen the present evils, but sack measures fail to reach the real source of the disease,, and even it tried, the result w.ouU still have to be pro nounced unsatisfactory. To effect a cure the; knife, must, be applied with no-falter-ing hand, and the seat of the disease cut out. A radical chaag-e is ; needed, and it will have to be boldly and yet carefully made. Tiie great evil now complained of •^.the one most frequently .spoken ef— is the unsatisfectpry relations of the ProVincial Governtrien ta to wsards tjie General Government, an 4 tlie phief cause of camplaint is that the latter evinces a desire to override the former arid to dip into what are regarded as ProvincialEurids. It was this which led to the overthrow of the Weld Ministry. It is this which has formed; the burden of theextra Parliamentary speeches of the hembers ever since. The (General Government wish to take so puch of the customs revenue from the Pro- 1 yinces, so much of the land revenue. The Provincial -debentures; are interfered with by those df the General Government. The General Government stakes so much reyenive from biir Province and spends it elsevyhere. Such and sued a measure would, deprive the Province of so na>ucli. This is the burden of the .song-. : Every member speaks of the Province, and seems to look at everything as it bears on the interest ol the Province to which he belongs.: The word 'Colony' is scarcely eyer heard, excepp in antagonism, to ' the Province.' Every question brought before the Assembly is regarded arid discussed from a Provincial, riot a Colonial point of view. , : The, General Assembly ceases to be a Colonial Parliament legislating for a Colony ; it becomes anassemblage of-Pro-vincial delegates, scrambling for a share of the spoil. Log-rolling to any extent g.,es on, and if, by a combination between the representatives "of a couple of Provinces, those two obtain what they want, regardless of the interests of the remainder of tlie Colony, the successful scramblers return to their constituents, exhibirthe fruits of their log-rolling pbthbihati6h, a!rid are lauded to the skies for their | services, because they have secured to their Provinces a certain shave, of, the spoil. It was only the other day that Mi* Burns, one of the members for Bruce, said,, that if the Otago electors would return 15 mem befs (6 the new House who would co-operate with the 15 of' Auckland and Otago could have things all their own \vay. Exactly, "mia;ht makes, right.;" a new Representation Bill is only a means :rof obtaining a little more piower and moire hands in the scramble; arid then, by judicious combination, Otago and Auckland olit'airi what they require; bin New Zealand— why, members, of the Assembly never think of such a place. It is all "my Province;'' and men who., placed in office as Ministers of the Colony, who, by their very office, are compelled to regard the interests of the Colony /as paramount io those of any particular ppi^ion, if they endejivbr f o i|o tbeir du ty as New, Zeala nd statesmen, are sure to come into collision with the.merabers for some, particular Province, totread on the prejudices of Provincialism j and to be yili fied iri every -possible way in some Provinqe < i«Sr other, for to try and reconcile the interests of the Provinces with each other and wjth the Colony, would be a task beyond human capability. We have no fc space now to enter further into the suliject;:but we shalltake an early opportunity of doing so. In; .tlie. meantime, we ican only express f>ui\ cbnviction rthM "the^ true toeans ofextrication from the present urissituifUctory state of things is not by limiting t^e power of the General Govern men tapd; extending ■that; of /the 'ProviLnces, but by abblishirig^ Provincialism aridProvißices altogether. "

,sAS..any resident e^r^f)e^ulate<i,upcwa the probable future^ of /flliltont/vTlie sublet 4si<a&l nrterestm^and^ important, • one Reserving of serious corisivieration. .jlsitlie present struggling; r^viila^e^er to be any-

thing more than a village ? Is it hot des tinedtoassunfe the imposing dimensions and' attributes r -6i a town? -A?s far as human probability allows of an answer, we would reply —Yes. Miltpfl is the natm-al centre ■of a large agricultural district-. .'. In it unite the roads from the agricultural and pastoral district of Clutha,, and from- the chief gold fields of the Province/ Milton is the centre at which they join the trunk line to the capital. 'Erelong we may reasonably hope that Milton vviU be the centre from which an iron road, traversed by the steam horse, will radiate to the Clutha, the Gold-neMs,' and Dunedin-. The recent discovery of valuable quartz, reefs in the neighborhood is also. likely to enhance the wealth and importance of the township ;: and there is g^od reason for believing that the hills around may 'be found, the: depository of vast mineral wealth. Apart,, however, from the results of any exceptional advantages of thisdescription.any or*e acquainted with the history and prospects of the Province must anticipate an important career and future position for the town- of -Mil-ion. Within a remarkably shore space of time, it has sprung into, existence, acquired a local habitation and a name, and l>een enabled with good grace to advance a' chain to the position of being, in. importance, the second town of the Province. It has attained adolesence, and the present is the turning point, or at least one of the most critical, points of its life. Its future career and position must shortly be. decided, and on that decision hangs many a grave responsibility. A scattered village trusts to pure native air for health., and to natural formation for drainage, arid in? many casesmay so trust with safety ; but as the dimensions of a town are assumed, sanitary precautions an<s conveniences become necessary to the- public health.. Even at tike present momeot, and with the present limited population, there are parts-, of' Milton which wcnld be improved in many ways by judicious drainage, and as thetown grows in size so will the necessity for sewerage. The natural position of Milton is such as render efficient drainage a work of .some little difh'culry, but although it presents no inseparable obstacle. it v wrll be expensive. Where then- are the necessary funds to come from, not only for sewerage, but for the formation of side streets and the many other- works which ■will have to be entered into-. There is no Municipal estate-, and if, as seems probable,. Milton is likely soon to be constituted a Municipality, the funds for Municipal purposes will have either to be obtained by "•rant from the Revenue of the Province orby direct taxation. Unfortunately Miltonbeing* a private township, there are no reserves for public purposes. Fairfax, the neighboring Government township, however, is enclosed by a reserve of some 280 acres of valuable land, Which at 1 present is lying- usel/ess, That Fairfax will ever be more than a collection of small cottage* and gardens is n» we than doubtful, and therefore the reserve will be of little us& to ■it. Mr W. J. Dyer, one of the District Members, has introduced a motion into, the Council to hand over the reserve to thetownship of Milton, and although ho decision has yet been arrived at, we believe that malffre the opposition of the Government the motion is likely to be carried, if not in its original form, at least in : the shape of a resolution, to hand over the reserve to the first Municipality created in the district. Mr Dyer deserves the thanks ot the inhabitants of Milton for his exertions in (his matter. The reserve, if obtained, would in time prove a most valuable property ; and even now it could be let at a considerable rental. Possessed of such nn estate, the Mhnicipal Council \vouW be in a position to undertake many, useful works, and every year the Jilunjcipal. estate would increase in vaTue. That Fairfax will ever require theJ^nd is, we> have said, more than doubtful; that it would prove eminently useful to Miltonundoubted; arid we trust that no prejudices regarding private townships will' be allovvefTto prevent its being handed over tib the latter.

: TKe arrival of English news compels us to hold over a variety of local intelligence. On Parade last Friday, Captain Jones read a letter' froni Captain Allan, of the East Taieri Volunteers, challenging ten of the Britce Eiflea to meet a similar number from tliaf Gotripanjr in a 1 friendly Rifle-; Match at the Taieri five shots each at 150, 200, 250, and' 3oo' yards; ' The challenge was ac 4 cepted, and week, 9tli instant, appomtad for the match..

i The Araateur Concert in aid of the Ch-ra«ra p£ England. Building Fund is to take place in the new Hall on Tuesday evening next. .The progr&taime includes many well tnowax and favorite pieces, ancl will no doubt prove ; attractive;. ! To-night Miss Edith Palmerston (Mrs W Alexander) is to" appear for the first iimebefore a Tokomairiro audience in her M usical Serio-Comic and Protean Entertainment, entitled ' Household Sketches,' Miss Palmerston ha* just completed a successful engagement in Dunedin, after having made a tour of the Northern "Provinces. Before leaving, England. Miss Palmerston gave her entertaininent in the presence of Royalty, and the. English press was lavish in praise of her i ability.. In Australia the: press; loaded her with encomiums ; and in Doth Canterbury, Wellington, and Otagp the entertainment has unanimously -been pronounced good, and Miss Palmerston accorded the highest' praise, bothas an actress and a vocalist. iV>r Alexander; assists in. ; the entertainment,. and ! the good folk of Tokomairiro should, not loose the op>portunity of passing a pleasant evening with' such an artiste as is. Miss Palmerston. If the. new Hall is completed it is- possible that the. entertainment will be given in it instead p£ the school-house as advertised.. In tfo& Resident Magistrate's Court, y.ester(Jay, a colored man named George Henry was; conunitt-d to- take his trial before the Supreme Court on a charge of sodomy.. , Some ntonths ago, the Roman Catholic Congregation in Tokomairiro purchased the building foirmerty occupied as a store by Messr^ Smith & HJJbbard. Since the purchase was. completed, workmen have been, .employed , in converting the store into a chapel* and, on, Sunday last, the building was for the first time opened for Divine worship. The alterations, have all been judiciously made, and have resulted ir* a very nicely arranged,, comfortable, and commodious chapel,, capable of sealing about 230 persons. The altar is in, an alcove at the- east end, and on Sunday it was tastefully decorated with flowers. The choir included a number o£ Dun edh* amateur?, amongst whom were Messrs Leary, Mitchell, and Sykes,. the saiter presiding at the harmonium, ki.idly lent for the' occasion by James Smith, Esq.,, The grand sacred music of the Catholic Ritual was admirably p-eribriiied,. although there was a manliest want of female assistance in the choir. A . large number of visitors from Tuapeka, Dunedin, and other places were present,. the% chapel beings well fillet? , deapite-. the unfavorable . weather. In the morning Mass, was performed at 9 a.m., and High Mass at 11.30. Vespers and Benediction ai; 7.30 pan. The., Key. P. Lhihig (ruapeka) preached at; High Mass, taking his text from Mat. 13 — 31, 32, and. preaching an admirable and appropriate, sermon. At Vespera. the Rev. Mir. Williams preached an eloquent sermon from! Uev. 4 — l, 11. We Understand the chapel will be consecrated on the occarsion of . the, next, visit of the; Bishop of Wellington to this, portion of his diocese. The. * livening Star' supplies the following figures.: — The/area.. of the pastoral lands in occupation in Otago is 6,304,100 acres ; from which at present, 'the Province derives the. munificent income of £4,840, 105. 9d. The. quantity of land under pastoral leases, falling in during the next eleven years, is as. follows.:— "Year.. Acres; 1868. ' ... .... 6; 000 1868 ... ... 833,460 1869/ . .;. .... 43,520 1870 .... ... 237,320 1871 ... ' ..'. 266,000 1872 . ... .... 2,675,580 1873 .... ... 682,060 1874 ... ... 1,760,920 .1875. ... ... 68,120 ' 1876; ... ... 233,000.