Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 647, 8 December 1865, Page 5

To the Editor of the New Zealand Herau>. Sie, —I address myself to you aa ono who knows everything:, to enlighten me on a ccrtain B u~~ :] ject of which I mast confess myself lamentably ignorant. J allude to Franklin-street, Freeman s ®*y ; of courae I do not mean the condition of the street itself, as no one can possibly be ignorant of i the disgraceful state n which it is, at least no one is unfortunate enough to live in that direction. 5 I am one of those, and all the past winter have trudged, I will not say uncomplainingly* hut very patiently through the mud, in some places knee deep, m others Heaven knows, perhapß like tho Takapuna .j Lake, they had no bottom. However, the time has : [i * think come when we ought to have some alter ition in the abominable state of this thoroughfare. If J mistake not, the City Board for some time past have hud the funds in hand to repair this street, and I have been informed they intended doing so last autumn, but on account of the wet wcither setting in could not; but this does not exculpate them from great neglpct in leaving the street in its present shameful condition ever since it became dry enough to work at. , Knowing t as I have said, everything, perhaps you can inform me whether it is likely the City Board ? move in the matter, and when; and whether •; b&ve any funds for the purpose or not. | i ■ 4 P°logising for taking up your valuable space, \ ' I am, Ac., C UjiFOETUNATE MAK. ,'<s >| .. omni?ciencc dees not extend so far as to pre:is ' Wit ti oc tion of that remarkable institution the 4V ar 00 opaque a body for ua to '3 v. 4 Probably the work is being left over to ?! daring the winter rrvins of 1860.-

To tho Editor of the New Zealand Herald. Sin, —Physicians generally hold a consultation over an extreme caso.

Is life to be.savod by the amputation of a limb or the porformanco of aay difficult or dangerous operation, tho family doctor sends for somo of his professional brethren, that the patient may have tho benefit of their experience and learning as well as his own, and also that tho danger and responsibility may bo shared by and not bo borno entirely by himself. .Nothing is done with precipitation or haste. Tho learning acquired bv wi*o men through successive centuries, added to tho porsonal experience and implication of that learning by tho individual practitioner is applied to save tho particular lifo. , If diseases affecting tho " body human" can th is be discussed and considered without prejudico or passion, why not those that aro incidental to tho " body politic ?" 'l he roason is apparent. Human sympathy aroused in tho ono caso ondeavours to alloviato human pain. No motives of self-interest or simple gain interfere to warp the doctors' minds in their calm consideration of the patient's caso. " Allopath" or " Homoeopath," making distinctions in tho dust, have only tho one object in viow—tha euro or tho saving of tho sufferer. Self-intorost, ambition, or gain, on tho other hand, will teni to prevent a dispassionate view of those disorders incidental to the " body politic." Those who are appointed to euro its maladies, instead of working with ono object from tho circumferonce towards tho contre, all labour with diverging interests from the centre towards tho circumforenco. In new countries, whero scantiness of population tends to isolate the individual or family in a manner from society, and thus crtafos rather a narrowerminded view of political questions, than would bo tho case in an older or thickly populated community more "under tho influence of "public opinion," the foregoing remarks are moro peculiarly applicable. In colonit b. like fhi-t, when education of a high class is by no means widely extended, and where tho learned professions hold but a very limited sway, and whero art and literature aro as yet unknown, naturally enough the hustings and tbo council board arojlooked upon as the means and tho end to tho only distinction and honours that aro opon. Men who have sutcessfu ly subdued tho wilderness, and couvorted a solitude into a smiling garden, the 1 ruo settlers and the hardy planters of the standard of civilization as a rule havo little time or inclination to ongago in tho turmoil or bustle of political existence. Thoso who have timo consider they havo earned their leasure. 'J hoso whose success is yet to como cannot afford tho timo.

Accordingly tho very numerous class of fliosa whoso business confines them to towns, and whoso various callings, bo they mercantile or professional, would bo no worse of supplemented by official pickings or governmental crumbs, seeking in political life that advancement which their professions iu a mannor den}' them, have in a great measuro secured the management and government of tho country. Tho peculiar and strangely complex form of Government hero tends greatly to confine political power in the one class.

General Government and Provincial Government, often antagonistic in their interests, is shared in by men who are members of both. Provincial Council members of the 'General Assembly seldom take that vidj and comprehensive view of affairs necessary for tin good of the country as a whole. They are too apt to look upon themselves as provincial members, having only provincial interests, durino- even the time they are assembled to legislate for the colony as a whole. Thepastsession of the General Assembly will boar out the truth of these remarks. Of whom was tlve opposition to Mr. Weld's Government composed but the members of tho two Provinces of Auckland and Otago, who opposed him not because they supposed he was unable or unfit, to carry on the Government, but because they fancied he was inclined to sacrificc tho interests of their respectiveProvincesin orderto benefit and exaltotners. That they had some reason to think so there :s no d .übt, but the fact of that bung so make it only the more to bo deplored that Provincial and narrow interests should actuate even those who aro placod in position of high trust and power. It must strike thoughtful men tint the time is approaching when this this Governmentwitliin Governraentoughttobo put an end to. The infancy oftliecolony ispast during which it may be sairl that such a complicated machine was necessary. The interests of the different provinces are every year becoming more and more identical, and tho communication between them more and more frequent, and, accordingly, there is less necessity (if ever there was any) of local Governments or Provincial Councils. If we are ever to arivc at the days of puberty and manhood, let us lay asido tho play-toys that amused our youth. Let us have u strong Central Government legislating for all the provinces alike, not an Auckland or a "Wellington Government, but a Aoithern Hew Zealand Government. Hetrenchment i 3 now admitted on all sides to be necessary. Where could it be better obtained than by abolishing the extensive staffs which constitute the various Provincial Governments, Superintendents, Provincial Secretaries, Provincial Treasurers, Provincial Law Officers, with their stall' of clerks, private secretaries and hangers on. Cornwall and Devonshire were as far from London 50 years ago as Wellington ii from Auckland now ; yet there was no necessity of a local government bevond a grand jury or a bench of magistrates. It may be said that New Zealand was not established at onco, or colonised from one centre, from w/vn-c the civilising rays diverged like other colonies, but that it was colonised at different times, .at various places, with different objects and opposito views. "Whatever force there may have been in thi3 objection against a central and in favor of local government, has surely long passed away. Taranaki and "Wellington, Hawke's Bay and Auckland, havo interests and dangers in common — lot them havo one Government in common— one strong central executive which can can develope the one and control the other. These remarks necessarily lead one to the question of the day which iB now buing discussed in both islands by po iticians of all shades of opinions, namely tho Separation of the islands at Cook's Straits into two distinct colonies. A considerable section of Southern members, principally tho representatives of the great Province of Otago ; and ono or two others, such as Mr. Crosbie Ward, openly advocate it. The reasons which influence the Southern Island are of course widely different to thoso which cause the Auckland people to demand • Separation, but though the reasons may not be the same, they arnvo at tho same conclusion, which is all we require. _ Whether we should ever have heard tho topic of " Separation." mooted in this Province bad tho Seat of Government not been removed to "Wellington, is not worth considering. Great political events aro often brought about by an agitation caused, or at any rato Bet in motion, and aided by local disturbances. It is a question if, to this day, the peepie of Great Britain would have been able to inseribo " Freo Trado" upon their banners as one of their most glorious victories had not the Irish famino been such a powrfulally. 'J ho Irish famine has thank God passed away, but " Freo Trade," its rich inheritance, remains. So'did tho temporary depression caused in this Province by thi withdrawal oftha Seat ofGovernment to Wellington give rise to the cry of " Separation.' The seeds were planted that wero one day to grow into two tall and stately trees, side by side, alternately shpltnrine and protecting the other, replacing tho sickly and stunted shrub which at present represents this colony of New Zealand. But let it he impressed upon all the advocates ot Reparation the necessity of at the same time agitating for the abolition of Provincial Governments. A strong central representative government is required, aud that that cannot co-exist with tho numerous little Provincial parliaments and local ministries must bo evident to all, except those whose interest blinds their reason. When we have attained Separation, we shall havo then a race of emulation to run with our Southern brother. Let us all join with ono heart and one. purnoso to convert those difficulties and dangers, which may at first setting out, hinder and delay us, into ultimate sources of prosperity and greatness. Let us form this isbnd into one strong united Colony, and her natural gift.) will make her happy and powerful. Let her renia'n as she is, split up into fo many rival Provinces, with clashing codes of laws and hostile politicians, and it wero bettsr far that Separation had never been heard of than that she should th sbo left divided and weakened, a prey to intestine feuds, and domestic bickerings. OHO. December, 1865.