THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1875.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4397, 16 December 1875, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1875.

There cannot be a doubt of Mr. Macandrew's sincere devotion to Provincial Institutions. Throughout his long career he has never swerved in fidelity to them,

or in bis belief that they represented the highest form of self-government, in deriving everything directly from the people. - It iraa this conviction that brought Sir George Grey and Mr. Macandrew together in united opposition to th® fiat of the Government which desired to crush out those institutions without i giving the people a chance of having a voice in the matter. It was a similar 1 love for the liberties and privileges of the ; people and a determination that they should not be infringed with impunity, that brought together Sir George Grey, Mr. Fitzlierbert, Mr. Holleaton, and the other members who formed the gallant Opposition of last session. The good i feeling engendered by this united action and the good understanding it created will not be lost in future sessions. At the same time, it is idle to close our eyes to the new issues raised by Mr. Macandretv and by Mr. Fitzherbort and Mr. Rolleston in their speeches, and not to see that these issues will very materially affect the courso of policy in the next session. Let us rather praise the candour with which the whole caso is thus laid before the people. It is the best augury for a settlement of our difficulties, for without candour, honesty, and a straightforward policy in dealing with these difficulties permanent settlement will be impossible. The matter is too grave—it will affect all classes in the colony too seriously for all time to come—to be" the subject of petty intrigue, of scheming expediency, or sinister attempts to gain temporary legislative advantage over those to whom we are opposed. Acting in this spirit, we must not suffer ourselves to be misled by theories involving the gross breach of faith implied by the passage of an Act of Parliament to-day, with the deliberate design of breaking ita solemn pledges to-morrow. If 3 for example, we agree to Centralism on tho terms of the Abolition Act, and renew with increased solemnity the socalled f£ compact of 1856," we shall refuse to regard this confirmation as of no account merely because we can reverse the Act to-morrow. A course so deliberately false is unworthy of free men and very likely to land those who contemplate it in the ditch they would dig for others.

Regarded in this light, we read with great interest the speeches we have referred to, and especially a pamphlet addressed by Mr. Macandrew to the people of Otago. He tells them in the strongest terms how much he is attached io Provincial Institutions, what great things they have done for the province, and how, under them, peace, content, and progress have markod the carecr of the colony. He sees in them the true bond of union—the only bond, because it is one of which the pressure is not felt and which leaves perfect free play to the energies and aspirations of all sections of the colony. He regards the perfect selfgovernment they represent as "a great political privilege," and he earnestly warns the people against parting with that which will with very great difliculty be recovered from a governing class by theirchildren hereafter. Heshewsthat the poverty of Provincial Governments is due only to the waste and unthrift of tho General Government. The wliolo pamphlet is an eloquent appeal to the people not to suffer themselves to be misled and not to deprive themselves of that direct control over the Government which they now possess. But, through it all, there runs another strain equally clear and equally pronounced. Mr. Mr.candrew thinks much of tho future of New Zealand. He looks forward to its greatness with an ardour that no man could beat. But he refuses to allow these visions of the futuro to occupy his whole mind, and to sacrilico to tliem the well-doing and tho progress of his own province. He asks for nothing inimical to New Zealand as a whole. He begs only that Otago may be allowed to go on unmolested, and to add by the energies of her people to the proud foundation of content and selfgovernment 011 which alone the New Zealand of the future can safely rest. He will not have unity sought in laws to be forced down the throats of great, masses of the people against their will, and threatening the interests and independence of their children. Therefore, he is for a diffusion of the power and patronage that would bo a dangerous instru-'ient in the hands of a Centralised Government in so long, narrow, and disjointed a colony as New Zealand. He seeks this diffusion by the creation of two or four Local Governments, not the shams of the Local Government Bill, but genuine Governments with full legislative and executive powers within well-defined sjjheres. He holds the willing union of such provinces under a Federal Government to bo firmer, stronger, and safer than any forced union—especially if accompanied by breaches of faith and chicanery-—could possibly be. For this purpose lie is quite willing that reasonable terms should be mado with other provinces based on the justice without which tho arrangements cannot endure.

Mr. Macandrew takes no pains to conceal, but on the contrary ho almost openly avows liia creed to be—Otago tirst, and New Zealand afterwards. Is there one among us who can say that Mr. Macandrew is not acting only with the udelity to his constituents which we should ourselves expect if in their case'( Had wo enjoyed for so many years tlio exclusivo use of the land fund of the colony, should wo not have learnt to regard it as our own by right now 1 Had we the profits of a huge Government expenditure here, as they have in Wellington, should we be ready to fling it away at a breath, and can wo expect Mr. Fitzherbert to do so in his case? Wo ask nothing in the present that can be injurious to the future of tlie colony. Let us also rest satisfied to look to the interests more immediately before us. Let us beware, above all things, that we are not juggled by empty phrases out of the perfect self-gOTernment we now enjoy, forming the noblest foundation and the best security for a future united, prosperous, and intelligent nation. In the present crisis our course is clear. Wo know what Mr. Macandrew. Mr. Fitzherbert, and Mr. Ilolleston think. They are frank with us, shewing their hands with sincerity, and seeking no mean advantago, no dishonest trick. Our course is, therefore, clear. We, will deal as frankly, and declaro that Auckland never can be content while her revenue is drained from her to meet an expenditure that the land fund should largely share. Nor can she be content while her children are deprived of tho advantages of education enjoyed by thoso of the South, and without which they stand in danger of occupying hereafter an inferior position in their common country. So thinking, and anxious for an honest and reasonable settlement, whether the Centralist or Federalist principle ultimately prevail, we ask all who have tho welfare of Auckland at heart to refuse to be led away by loudsounding words or false issueß. Let them determine that they Trill not only bo in the right, but will be strong enough -fcp maintain that right. They can only gain this strength by the union of their members. They must have men who will know how to make their differences subordinate to the common welfaro, and who know how to follow a recognised and trusted leader.

We know of no cry to which they .can I rally—none to which there could be so little objection—as that we have already suggested—a pledge to oppose any Government that will not make a cardinal point of the restoration of the land revenue and the educational reserves to the colony. We commend this to the constituencies, and we hope they will refuse to return any candidate who will not formally adopt it. Auckland, like other provinces, must look out for herself and for the happiness and progress of her own people. In no way can she better do her part towards building up that great future New Zealande, of which we all believe we are now laying the foundation, —a New Zealand in which an honest Government will receive the willing and hearty obedience of an honest and free people.

We presume that with Sir Julius Vogel will come out the gentleman who has been engaged at a large salary to organise a " I<'orest Department" in New Zealand. Captain Walker, who has been lent by the British Government, in order to enlighten our ignorance, and to instruct us liow to deal with our forests, is no doubt an excellent authority on this subject, but we are afraid that his mission to New Zealand will not be a success, except to himself. This colony is in a very different position from Germany or India as to its forests, and the methods pursued in those countries could not be carried into effect here. The most valuable forests in the North Island are in the possession of private parties, who could not be interfered with in the way in which they deal with their property, and we do not know if we in New Zealand could really learn much from any European or Indian forester about our timber. Captain Walker will require a considerable apprenticeship hituaeUt bafoEe h« can teach some of our mißiftmersfciiad j&nsbmen much about kauri, £or iififtaurfe. Ti£ofe3sions ago Mr. Vogel coftipiled a huge paper on forests, in which he set forth the methods of cutting and sawing timber in various countries, with engravings of the machinery used. We venture to say that an experienced bushman would hardly get a hint in the volume—indeed, we believe we are many years ahead of anything Sir J. Vogel held up for our admiration. But if it really were considered that it would be advantageous to establish a department of the Government to look after our forests, men well fitted for the work might have been got in the colony, who would have undertaken the duties at a much lower salary than Captain Walker is to receive.

Another of the Ministers has spoken—this time the gentleman who was the leader of the House last session. Sir Donald McLean seems, however, to have given a smaller amount of information on matters political than was vouchsafed by Mr. Richardson, excusing his brief and rather loose address on the plea that he had not had time to prepare a longer one. He .puts forward prominently his services in keeping the natives quiet, knowing well the effect that such a statement will have in the South. What he says about an agreement with the Waikatos, aud their having kept it loyally, is open, we think, to question, when we reflect upon the murder of Sullivan and other occurrences. Perhaps the most important part of Sir Donald McLean's speech is that in which he warns the country that additional taxation will certainly be required.