THE Marlborough Express. SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1868.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 127, 25 July 1868, Page 2

THE Marlborough Express.

SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1868.

“ Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to rrgua freely according- to conscience, above all other liberties." —Milton.

At this time -when the position of some of the Provinces renders a change in the financial arrangements between the General and Provincial Governments absolutely necessary, and which may possibly lead to changes in the Constitution—it is well for us as a small Province, and one in financial difficulty, to look about us and see what is required for our restoration to a healthy existence; and from which side of the House we may expect to receive the most efficient support. Our first and greatest requirement is, either that the distribution of that portion of the Consolidated Revenue divided amongst the Provinces shall be upon a Population basis ; or else that the Indirect Taxation of the country should be reduced to what is absolutely necessary for General Government purposes alone; and the Provinces left to raise revenue within themselves for Local purposes by Direct Taxation. Of the two plans, we can have no hesitation in saying that we prefer the latter, not alone that it is more equitable and just to all classes, but because it would conduce to greater economy in its expenditure by reason of the local and immediate control which would be exercised by the people.

If we may take Major Richardson’s address to the electors of Clutha, as a shadow of the policy of the Stafford Ministry, of which he was until lately a prominent member, they support our former proposition, since they advocate a distribution of Consolidated Revenue according to the population. This is however but a single grain of wheat which the Major has put in a bushel of tares. Many of his propositions are monstrous. Nominated Superintendents might do very well in Russia or Turkey, but will never suit a free country 1 It means power and patronage to the General Government, by placing Nine Satrapies at their disposal. Has a‘Minister a friend or relative to serve 1 The Sublime Porte appoints Pacha Cousin-dick. Or, is a Member in the Assembly to be bought on a close division, it appoints Major Majority-one; or, perhaps His ExExcellency may wish to recompense the services of the obsequious gentleman who does small offices for him, so Colonel Toady must have a Pachalic given him. If we consent to be ridden, the Ministry will find “ Old men of the Sea !” But then a Council is to be provided, to advise the Pacha. If an amiable man, he may thank it, but in any case, he will do as he likes ! This proposed Council scheme is a mere sham, and no one possessing any self-respect would be a member, where there is neither power or responsibility. Under any form of Government, RoadBoards will have to be established, and the amount of assistance they will receive may be as much under one form as another, no matter by what name those funds are called. We may be very sure of one thing, that no money will find its way into the Province, County, or District, that has not first been raised there.

Major Richardson proposes—like the Lyttelton Times, and the so-called Canterbury Financial Reformers—that all Provincial Debts shall be charged on the whole Colony, a proposition almost as iniquitous as the provisions of the Public Revenues Act, from which we are suffering so severely. Marlborough, with its interest on debt of not more than £1 5 s. per head of population, is to pay the interest on Southland’s debt of £4O per head, or Canterbury’s £l4. It is to be hoped for the sake of the people of this Province, that more honest counsels will prevail than those which produced the Act referred to, or such a scheme as that now enunciated by the ex-Minister at Olutha. On the other hand the smaller Provinces must not be beguiled and lulled to sleep by the syren song of Mr. Fox when he sings of the glories of the Provincial system; they must not be led away by the mere sound of words—his song is not of them, but of the good-old times of the “ Six Provinces,” before the New Provinces Act brought the “little bastards” into existence-; when

large Provincial centres exercised uncontrolled tyranny over outlying districts. We must beware of the ultra-Provincialists “ they would -be undoing all, as all had never been,” and have every larger Province absorb its smaller neighbour. Of all the evils that could befall us, this would be the worst. We know . how we weretreated before Separation. See even now, how Nelson acts towards her outlying districts j in the last Session of the Nelson Council, when a comparitively small sum was asked for, the Amuri, it was voted with the conditions, “to be met with an equivalent .of subscriptions,” at the same time that £25,000 was voted for works in the Town of Nelson, without a word about an equivalent! ■ Let us then resist re-annexation, if necessary, to the utmost of our power. Let it not be supposed that any saving is to be effected by giving up our independence. The Pacha will want as large a salary as the Superintendent now has, and as many clerks in his office. A Council to advise, will cost no less than a Council to act. The Land department, police, gaols, hospitals, harbours, &c., cannot be reduced by a Superintendent being nominated, instead of elected. What then shall we gain by becoming a Pachalic 1 This Session, the small Provinces will have to pass through Charybdis and Sylla. If they are to steer clear of the dangers that threaten them, it must be by united action.