Untitled

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3755, 28 July 1883, Page 2

TnE Tiinaru Herald, in a leading- article on Mr Montgomery's resolutions in favor of decentralisation and a return to real local government, says the present Ministry arc fn no wise responsible for Abolition. One of them, Mr Rollcston, was the bitterest opponent of that measure. He denounced it in session and out of session. Ho perambulated the colony with Sir George Grey in 1875, making speeches against it. Long after other provincialist leaders had accepted the new order of things, ho held out with gloomy obstinacy; and he never ceased to decry the county system in bitter terms, or to predict the most terrible and disastrous results from centralism. What he wanted, of course, was oflice ; and now that he has got it, he goes dead against his former convictions, declares that any condemnation of the existing system isa vote of want of confidence in himself and his colleagues, and cheerfully affirms that centralism and the county system are all that could be desired. Mr Montgomery's resolutions, rightly understood, were an appeal to tho Legislature to fulfil the promises of the Abolition party by establishing a broad and effective system of local administration. No one, we believe, wants to sec Provincialism restored in the form in which Mr Rolleston cherished its memory so long. But there is undoubtedly, from one end of the country to the other, a strong .sense of dissatisfaction with the miserable system of meddle, muddle, and intrigue, which at present usurps the place of politics. There is a growing demand for local control over local affairs; and ; sooner or later, that demand will become irresistible. The man Avho shall bo tho first to formulate that demand .in such a manner as to concentrate the full force of public opinion, and at the same time devise a means of satisfying it, will deserve the gratitude of the people pi

New Zealand. He certainly is not among the present occupants of the Treasury Bench; and we very much fear he is not among tho Opposition either.