THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES ON THE NORTH ISLAND QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3985, 20 August 1874, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES ON THE NORTH ISLAND QUESTION.

The endeavour of the Government Press representative at Wellington, the New Zealand Time*, in discussing the project for the conyersion of the North Island into one province, is to allay the natural fears of Southern members that the same step will be taken with the South at the earliest possible date. Our contemporary says :— We were not surprised that when the subject was first kroadieii it was taken for granted that the intention was to strike a blow at Provincialism as a whole. This is but an illustration of our previous argument. Provincial Government in the Middle Island would be no more doomed by the scheme of the Premier being carried into effect than it is at the present time. Ic fact, if Mr. Vogel's ideas could be carried outin their entirety, it weuld stand on a basis as firm as anyone could reasonably desire. Mr. Vogel does not wish to effect a change in the North Island until the people both North and South have had an opportunity of expressing an opinion on the matter in a constitutional manner. And if the decision be to abolish it in the one island that would form no reason whatever for doing so in the other. There is absolutely no analogy between the circumstances of the two. The difference between some of the provinces of the colony was very well explained by Mr. Vogel in his budget speech. The contrast between Wellington and Otago, Auckland and Canterbury, is as treat us it well can be. The reasons that exist for the General Government having the control of revenue and expenditure in the North Island do not altogether apply to the Middle one. If then, the Superintendents are wise, they will view this question as a colonial one, as not affecting Provincialism in itself, ami as hanag no relation to the future of the institution in the Middle Island. This will have to be relegated to the people to settle for themselves, as Mr. Vogel proposes to do in the North Island. No more equitable course can b* conceived. The time may come when the people of the Middle Islani, whilst not insensible to the advantages they have derived under Provincialism, may feel that the day has come, when their land revenue being nearly nil, the public expenditure should be under the control of tlie General Government. They may, perhaps, have an opportunity of judging from the result of the experiment in the Nerth. Meanwhile, we hope the institution may have a fair trial here. In a previous issue the same journal remarked :— Attempts are cunningly made to excite alarm in the Middle Island by asserting that the abolition of provinces in the North must soon be followed by the same result in the South. It is premature to discuss tlio entire question of Provincialism, but this may be safely predicted, that so long as the people desire the continuance cf the provinces they are perfectly safe. In the North Island there caniiot be a doubt as to the result if a plehiscitum were taken. By vast majorities except possibly at the provincial capitals, the vote would he civeu for immediate abolition. When it is seen that the land fund is to be as heretofore strictly localised and that a Parliamentary Kuarantee is to be given for its so continuing, the only cause of alarm in the South -will pass away. There is even there no peculiar affection for Superintendents and Executives, but there is a n'ltural de-ire to retain possession of the revenues by means of which Canterbury and Otago have been made prosperous. With these r_.ly secure! no opposition will he offered to the people of the North being delivered from the Provincial incubus The Superintendental party would have shewn more wisdom in supporting the Government than they are doing by ru-liing into frantic opposition. Egged on by disappointed po iticians, who have perfect confidence in themselves, the usually astute Superintendents are playing a losing game. Far better would it be for them to assist in passing a measure that would for ever place their land fund beyond the possibility of being shared with the North, than to resist the removal of somewha, envious rivals from the field. In the south, opinion is rapidly growing that the colony i» governed too much. The excitement of this contest will force the people to enquire, aud then they may find reason to believe that prosperous provinces do not need Superintendents, and those which are poor cannot afford to pay them.