The Press. TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1870.

Press, Volume XVI, Issue 2184, 19 April 1870, Page 4

The Press. TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1870.

Tin: speeches delivered in Christchurch tby candidales lor the olliec of Superintendent must be* taken as addressed, Hot merely to the audience assembled in the Town Hall, or wherever the meeting is held, but to the public at large. In the country districts thore are generally sundry matters aflecting the particular locality on which the electors are most desirous of hearing the candidate's views, and to which, therefore, he is apt to confine himself. But iv the capital town, where there are no such local interests to require attention, he is free to take a wider range. He has to deal with matters of interest to the province as a whole, and even, going outside tho province, to extend his survey into the iield of colonial politics. Tbe latter, indeed, is expected of him. For it is assumed as a thing of course that, if successful in his election, he will take tho first opportunity of securing a seat in the House of Representatives, where his ollicial position will place him at the head of the batch of provincial members, and cause him to be regarded in the House as in a special manner the representative of the province. It is of importance therefore that his views on general as well as provincial politics should be fully known ; since they might possibly be such as, in the opinion of the majority of the electors, would render it highly unadvisable to invest the person holding them with | the authority of Superintendent. There are two great questions which include in some form or other the whole Of New Zealand politics—the Native question, and the question of provincialism v centralism ; to which j we may add a third, though it is as yet only in its earliest stages, that of | protection v free-trade. !

On these two points Mr. Eolleston's views ought to be most satisfactory, judging from the expressions of public opinion on previous occasions in Christchurch. As to the first he deprecates the \he of party cries and watchwords, and would regard every question not according to whether it happens to chime in or clash with a set of preconceived ideas, but whether it is for the good of the public. He points out that the system of government in New Zealand has undergone much modification since the constitution was first granted, and that further modifications are to be expected. The provinces having fallen into difficulties, and having resigned their borrowing power to obtain the consolidation of their loans, cannot continue to maintain a separate existence, since their revenues are not more than sufficient for the ordinary expenditure of police, gaol, <fee, and for anything beyond that they must have recourse to the colony. While averse to sudden or violent changes Mr. Kolleston holds that in the natural course of thinge changes are inevitable, and that the wisest course is not to stand in dogged opposition to them, but to try and direct them as will be best for the country at large. On the whole we take his meaning to be this :— " Let us look to practical results, and adopt that political eye tern which will do most good to the country. Instead of standing on our dignity as a province, or wasting time in quarrels about provincialism and centralism, let us go in for colonisation—for railways, harbor works, immigration, for opening up the country and selling the land. These are the things we want done ; and that system is the best for us under which they can be done most quickl}- and thoroughly. There is a deal of sound common sense in this advice. That it does not set up the maintenance of provincialism as the be-all and end-all in politics ought to excite little disapprobation in a town where, two years ago, a resolution was passed at a public meeting, and where the quondam provincial champions were leading a cry in favor of the abolition of provincial institutions.

On the Native question Mr Rolleston finds himself in complete accord with the people of Christchureh. He holds that the main cause of Native wars has been the persistent attempts of the Colonial Government to retain forcible possession of the confiscated lands ; and that there will bo no hope

'of lasting peace tili t..e m.: Jr.-. of il.c North consent to the abandonment of all exposed and distant .settlements, where the presence of Europeans is calculated to provoke disturbances, and which can only be occupied by force of anus. Ho believes that so long as the expenditure on military settlements is defrayed by loans it will be continued ; that the system of military settlement is a costly mistake; that tho peace may be kept by a wellorganised civil police force, which should be maintained at the expense <>f the districts requiring it. These views are identical with those expressed on resolutions passed at a public meeting in Christchurch in ISUs, shortly before the outbreak of the war. -Mr. -Rolleston declares that he voted against Mr. Stafford because lie was avowedly bent on endeavoring to obtain peaeo by the subjugation of tho Natives. Yet ho could not j-upport Mr. .Fox's Government since their policy was based on the employment of Imperial troops, which lie believed was equivalenttothe indefinite prolongation of a state of war. But now that that question is settled, and there is a reasonable expectation that, as the j troops have been refused, the carrying jon of war in the North will bo finally dropped, ho is prepared to support, and hopes the whole of the Middle Island members will combine to support, the Government in a policy of peace with the Natives. The third point we have mentioned is a more disputable one, and will some day be warmly debated; but protectionists at all events will consider it a merit in the Superintendent of Canterbury that he voted last session for the grain duty. Mr Eolleston's reasons for his vote were threefold. First, for the sake of revenue ; for as nearly all necessaries of life are taxed he did not see why iirain should not be taxed also. Secondly, as an act of fairness to the producer, whose exported grain is taxed at Australian ports while imported Australian grain is admitted free. Thirdly, as an advantage to which the Middle Island is entitled, in consideration of the enormous burden imposed on it by the expenditure on native wars in the North. Mr. llolleston's views on colonial politics then may be summed up thus. As regards Native affairs, he advocates cessation of war expenditure, and the retirement from positions which cannot be occupied without risk of disturbance. As to provincialism, he is gene r ally conservative; but is disposed to subordinate political theory to active exertions in the practical work of colonisation. And he is in favour of such amendments of the tariff as will make it more equitable to the interests of the Middle Island. So far, then, the electors of Canterbury must be fully satisfied. The remainder of Mr. Rolleston's speech which was devoted to provincial affairs, must be the subject of another article.