ABOLITION OF PROVINCES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 4460, 31 May 1875, Page 3

ABOLITION OF PROVINCES.

{New Zealand Herald?). If the New Zealand Times will condescend j to come down from the stiltson which' 1 it has j of late been riting, we should be glad to hear j in what respect the abolition at the Northern; Island provinces is. to. he a saving of ex-: penditure. In this province, at all events, we are disposed to think that the mere sub-; stitution of General for Provincial Government action would be attended .with the | reverse of saving. We are far disregarding the. importapce of finance, which: rests on sound, good; and economical government. But' our contemporary knows perfectly well thot Prpvincialism and Cenfraliami had.their ,supporters long before the financial [question was, raised; ana that they involve; higher, greater, and mote permanent, issues than any financial : question can possibly; raise. If the General'Government have a| surplus at command. manage the provinces without farther taxation, will the: ‘ Ttmes tell us what becomes of that surplus! now ? If they have ; not the surplus’, where; will their funds comefrom, except by taxation p That we tithe to be the only financial part of the qtiMlidtt—ft very different affair; to organising.a Constitution,,on which thei ’whole future .position of classes, the tjon of wealth, and the possession of power largely depend. J