CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5549, 10 January 1879, Page 3

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.

(contributed),

Ifi'the Australian colonies all material progress has been of an almost Linprecedented character. The engery of its people, their freedom from the tyranny of superstition, together with the broad liberality which characterises their institutions, point clearly to the fact that they are destined at no very distant period to rival in wealth and every other element of greatness the country from which they have sprung. They have, it is true, and no doubt most wisely, adopted the general features of the Constitution of the mothercountry. A Constitution, the progressive character and far-reaching influence of which has long excited the wonder and admiration of impartial and intelligent foreigners. There are, however, not wanting men whose opinions are entitled to great consideration ; who, in the face of all this progress and prosperity, are bold enough to affirm that representative government, in its present form in the colonies, is not only on its test, but is also iu many ways unable to maintain that peace, order, and good government on which the permanent progress of society and the steady advancement of a nation so much depend. While it is a very easy matter to find fault with our present form of government, and to point out many and most grave defects in its operation, it is the remedy of those defects rather th m any radical change in the constitution that should be the aim of all practical statesmen. That any constitution in its entirety, however excellent in itself, can be adapted to all peoples and to all stages of civilisation, is an axiom that will hardly be concurred in by any man whose mental vision is not darkened by the cloud of prejudice or superstition. The wisdom of any Legislature is therefore displayed in so moulding aud adapting any constitution they may have to deal with, as to best meet the particular phase of society in which they live. In England this has been done with the most eminent success; at the same time the old constitutional lines have been most religiously preserved. Both in Victoria add iu New Zealand the call for radical constitutional reform is being loudly trumpeted forth by their respective Premiers. In New Zealand the cry scarcely finds an echo save in the ranks of the more immediate or personal followers of Sir George Grey, and in one or two of his subsidised newspapers. The lack of public interest shown furnishes unmistakable evidence that the pubUo are generally well satisfied with the constitution as it is. In this the people of this country act wisely, as they should be slow in accepting any radical change in the constitution, and should confine the operations of the Legislature to the necessary expansion of its principles, to meet the growing requirements of the State. In doing this they should most jealously guard the lines of that noble old constitution, of which ours is a copy, —a constitution that has stood the teat of ages,

and contributed so much to European liberty and European civilisation* As all is not gold that glitters, so all is not liberty that bears the name. We read of wolves in sheep’s clothing; there are also public men calling themselves patriotic statesmen, with the words liberty, equality, and fraternity ever on their tougnes, but with the word tyrant indelibly stamped ou their hearts. Our people will therefore do well not to be seduced by fair words and specious promises, remembering that flattery and word patriotism is as cheap as is meaningless, and is only used for the purpose of catching the unwary.