THE ABOLITION SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4127, 4 February 1875, Page 3

THE ABOLITION SCHEME.

To the Jvlitor of the Jlkkald,

Sin. —In 0110 of a series of memoranda of the proposed one-sided constitutional changes, recently published in the Hki:aii>, .Sir Ceorge Grey took occasion to say that the Provincial or Federal system at present in vonue in Canada had been copied from New Zealand. Upon the strength of information acquired during a six weeks' scamper sonic three years ago from San Francisco to Halifax (Xova Scotia) and back again, I took the liberty in the absence of direct proof to the contrary, to dillcr from Sir George Grey, and to hazard the opinion that the Provincialism of Canada, on the other hand, was taken from the Federalism of its neighbour and cousin, the I'nited States. In an article upon Lord DuU'crin's recent tour through the Dominion, and referring more particularly to charges of jobberv made against certain t iowrnnient oliicials, the .SW'i/'if";/ Itcci >'• confirms in a sentence my vie«" of the above-mentioned question, it may be worth while adding here that the present Governor! It iural ot Canada is the great-grandson of Sheridan, and jud"ing from his brilliant and humorous address'delivered at Toronto, appears to l>e no mean scion of such a sire. Hie following is the extract: —

American experience shews tli.it il.rnb'Lfacv ton'ls to create corruption, and it is to b« fiurefl that in Canada similar rvs-ilti will follow from the s.mn c-iuses Thoughtful Canadian politicians liave lat. ly corapUined of the etfect-j of a I'eltrul system which l>y liuilliplyi- K the number of elected repre-aert-it'ivcs nrct's.irilv diminish.- til- ir t: 'lllpotciice. In a'busv communit} it imut b< riiilictil'. u> liml u::c

set of honest and ablo men to become members of tM House of Commons, anil an*th-r upright body to partake in the obscure excitement of prorincial legislation If tlie humbler of popular representatives sometimes reward themselves for their trouble by jobs, the best way of removing the evil would probably be to dispense with the service? of the local .Jicinblies. The questions concern the Canadians alone. The Imperii! Parliament will neither wi*h to meddle with their Constitution nor hesitate to concuc in any measures which iuay be necessary for making it more effective. It was probably judicious to copy tho American Constitution in its Federal element, at a tiin*> when some of th-> provinces were scarcely reconciled to the establishment of the Dominion; — I am, iVc., F. H. Troup. Auckland, February 3, 1575.