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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4239, 21 October 1874, Page 2

Our Canterbury contemporaries are arguing out the question of constitutional amendment with untiring zeal, and we are bound to say with a great deal of ability on both sides. The organ of the Constitutional Association, however, is somewhat pushed for his facts, and is certainly very much weaker in his arguments than tho Press, which boldly advocates the abolition of Provincial Government throughout the colony. Indeed, the majority of the newspapers in the Middle Island advocate the abolition of provincial institutions as unsuited to the circumstances of the colony, and to a material extent also preventive of progress. When member's of the Assembly meet their constituents, the balance of opinion is decidedly in favor of a Colonial Government, with extended powers of local administration. That being the case, it is idle for the Constitutional Association, and tho Lyttelton Times, to harp upon one string, —an appeal to the electors. On tho other hand, it is no argument against the proposed constitutional amendment, to say that the details of the measure are not before tho country. All in good time. The Legislature will have ample time to consider its provisions before the Bill passes into law, and that, as we take it, is all the country really cares for. Another argument which tho organ of the Constitutional Association uses, appears to be quite as untenable. It may be termed the economical argument. The promoters of constitutional amendment are challenged to prepare a balance-sheet, showing the saving to be effected by the abolition of Provincial Government ; but it is manifestly impossible to do so with anything like accuracy until the departments have been re-orgauised. This will be a work of time and trouble ; but wo feel convinced that a very large saving indeed would result from the abolition of tho provincial system. On the other hand, it is pointed to with triumph that Mr. "Vogel, when he took charge of the Immigration Department, entrusted the distribution of the immigrants to the Provincial Governments. Tho Lyttelton Times remarking on this fact, says : Again, when we como to immigration, what do wo find? Why. that the very first thing Mr. Vogel did when he undertook the charge ot this department was to request the provincial authorities to relieve the Colonial Government of all tho work at this end of the chain, lie said, in effect—The Colonial Government will find tho immigrants and land them on your shores, and they will provide all necessary barrack accommodation ; every other part of tho work will be placed in your hands. If you aro not willing to take up this work, the Government will have to create machinery of its own. It was in fact found impossible to carry on tho most essential seetion of tho work of colonisation without calling in tho aid of tho Provincial Governments. Tho only alternative was, as wo have said, the creation of new machinery, or largo additions to that which had been transferred from the Provincial to tho General Government when the latter commenced operations in tills direction. Our contemporary states the position with the greatest accuracy, but ho proves too much. What else was the Government to do than to make use of the machinery of tho Provincial Governments —not the best by any means that might be devised for the purpose—for the distribution and location of the immigrants arriving at irregular periods in all the principal ports of the colony ? To have ignored that agency would have been signal proof of want of administrative ability. The country pays tho cost of Provincial Government and it is entitled

to receive aometliing in return for the outlay, and the work which Mr. Vogel asked the Superintendents to do, and which some of them most unwillingly undertook, was the very work to do which Provincial Governments were invented. Mr. Vogel found local machinery, kept going out of tho public funds, available for his purpose, and rather than incur additional expense to the country he availed himself of it j but that is no argument in support of the provincial form of government. On the contrary, the reluctance with which the Superintendents undertook to assist the General Government to locate immigrants in their respective provinces, and the perfunctory way in which the work has been done in many instances, is a very convincing argument for the abolition of Superintendentalisra.