The New Zealand Herald. AUCKLAND, MONDAY, JULY 1, 1867.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1132, 1 July 1867, Page 3

The New Zealand Herald.

AUCKLAND, MONDAY, JULY 1, 1867.

SPIiCTEMOB AGENDO. " Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice s Take each man's censure, but reservo thy judgment. This nil.—To thine own eolf be true And it muat follow, as the night the day, ..Than eanat not then he false to any man."

The time is now drawing near when the Auckland representatives, wlio have seats in the General Assembly, will leave for Wellington. i The duty these gentlemen have undertaken is a moat important one. They go to the Colonial Parliament to represent the varied interests of this Province. At no period in the history of the Colony has it been of greater importance than that they should have a thorough knowledge of what is best for those interests than at this present time. Wo would, therefore, urge upon them to carefully consider, in a broad and catholic spirit, what legislation is required specially for the benefit of this Province, as well as for the welfare of the Colony generally. There are many grave questions requiring the most serious' consideration, and to arrive at a right judgment in regard to them, it is first necessary to have full information respecting them. And we, therefore, point out to Auckland representatives that they ought not merely to be prepared to take a general interest in the Parliamentary work of the session, but that they ought to be specially prepared in respect to every matter in which the interests of the Province are concerned. And the information which they obtain, should be not only of a general but of a special character. To this end no labor should be spared, so that each membei', for instance, may thoroughly inform himself of the financial relation between the Province and the Colony, as well as on other special topics, and the members by consultation with one another, would then have their general information improved and confirmed. Were this plau pursued the representations and arguments, of members would have far greater weight than when these are merely founded on. vague and general, and perhaps, not always' reliable information. Take the financial question to which we have alluded.. It is manifest that this is a most important one, and its discussion ought not to be based on mere general information, and left to the doctrine of chances for a settlement. Certain charges are made against the Province on account of certain alleged special benefits it has received by the expenditure of certain sums of money. Now, is there a singlo member of tho Auckland representatives. who is thoroughly well informed on this subject, in all its varied bearings ? Ought Auckland to be charged with expenditure made by another party for merely theoretical and imaginary benefits? Ought it to be t chai'ged for even, well meaning attempts to benefit her which have failed,' partially owing to defective administration of those who spent the money, and partly to circumstances over which neither tho General nor Provincial Governments had any real control. We contend that the loss from such causes ought to be a general charge on the Colony, not a local charge on the Province. The General Government meant well to this Province and to the Colony by the expenditure of these largo sums of money. We give full credit to it for that iutention, and had it produced the harvest of benefits which we all hoped it would produce, wo should never have written one word against paying for the full alnount of the expenditure incurred. One argument, in short, as between the General and Provincial Governments is tlii3: the Province should not bo-charged with the full amount expended in a certain manner, but the benefits accruing to tho Province from that expenditure should be fairly assessed, and she should be charged in proportion 'to the absolute practical benefits received. We consider this broad principle is fairly and equitable under the peculiar circumstances of the case. Its proper consideration by our representatives is important, but it is evident one or more of them should make tho subject a peculiar and special study, and then he could speak cx cathedra, and not merely beat the air. The member for Parnell has gonc_ into one subject, to a certain extent, and 'no doubt, has an advantage in this respect. But wo trust ho will enlarge his knowledge in tho direction we have named, and so be prepared at all points to advocato what is just and equitable,- and to eocuro tho beet financial adjustment possible for the Province, in accordance with a new as to what is really, truly, and fairly chargeable to its practical benefits received. But in all these things we must again remind our representatives that "knowledge is powerand knowledge comes not by intuition, but by dilligent search and labour, and it will be found that their influence in Parliament will not be by any means in proportion to their debating power, but rather in proportion to the knowledge they possess and display in reference to tho matters under discussion, and to the temperate yet confident manner in which they state and enforco their opinions. Eloquence has doubtless a vast sway over men, though perhaps more over the imagination and temporary feelings than over tTie judgment, and political converts are made nowadays much moro by the judgment being convinced by an array offacts andby comprehensive knowledge of a subject clearly displayed, than by stirring and brilliant orations. In young countries, where persons cannot afford to makb economic and' political science a lifelong study, and politics a profession, it is important that our legislators should be reminded of the absolute necessity for them to make efforts to obtain the fullest information on the principles which underlie domestic and general legislation, and of the ( particular remedies suited to particular die-

eases of that; portion of the body politic to which they belong. . It is to be hopecl that all our members will be prepared to discuss fairly , and frankly with one another all matters affecting the Province, and that wherever possible they will sink minor differences, and agreed generally to put forth their views through a recognised leader, and enforce, them by their own speeches and action. If this course be pursued calmly and in a dignified manner, without displays of mere factious opposition, we have strong hopes that the forthcoming session of Parliament may be of Very considerable benefit to the Province,, and that, without any undue or improper advantages being conceded. "We ask for no special benefits that would be injurious to the other parts of the Colony, but, we believe, a certain line of action may be taken, which though apparently specially favouring 1 Auckland, would very soon be found to benefifc the Colony to a far greater degree than would be the present cost to it in making certain concessions to this Province.