PETTY PROVINCIALISM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7028, 17 January 1910, Page 4

PETTY PROVINCIALISM

gturely iihe time has gone by wh'en tho test of geography is to be applied to a member of the Cabinet. Yet this paltry question is being tfaieed in! connection -with Mr T. Mackenzie's appointoent ,;to a portfolio, and we are given to understand by the "Auckland Star" .that aji injustice is d«rae. to that part ; of the country tibrough some northern member of Parliament not being oalled to the Mifnitsbry. The theory that certain parts of the Dominion must be represented in Oa.bin.et is a /survival of a. mouldy parochialism, inspired by greedy- solicitude for the expenditure of public money ujkmi a provincial basis. "What are the "special interests" of Ofcago, or Auckland or Canterbury which demand personal representation in the -Ministry? There are none, and .the public long ago realised the bogus charactor of the argument which insisted upoji the necessity for the Prime Minister being guided in his choice of col-

leagues by whoro they oame from rather than by tho degree of oompetonoe they would bring to tha discliargo of .responsible duties. New I Zealand is big enough now ito bo ' superior ,to this miserable t local jealousy, which, by the way, has marlac been shared by any considerable number of th'e oommunity. It was originally the special pnaserve of ai certain class of politicians wttioso prospects' of proferment depended entirely upon rolling logs and .pulling strings. The'sola consideration, s;» far as the •electors are concerned, we take it, is that a Ministor shall be competent to ,fiU Jiis office as an. administrator and to defend, with iskill and forae, thd policy of the party cho belongs bo. la the present oaso 'either M/r Mackenzie is or is not well qualified for his post. If tibiore is someone at Auckland c* Capo Maria Van ffiamen or anywhere •else better fitted for the position '.and Wligibl© as a member of Barliameimt fbtr appointment' we could umdetretiand the friends of tMs individual resemtiag •Mr Mackenzie's appointment. Butt •when we are .told Mr Mackenzie should not have been promoted because he comes from Otago and someone sli/auld have been selected because ho lives in Auckland, wo take the liberty of saying that:thei'argumcint ia an offensive ohalleinfee tto commonfi'ense. As it happens Mr Mackenzie is believed to Jiave pa,rtioulajr quslificsrfaons for the portfolio he holds, and that evon this is admitted by tihosa /who are oibjeoting to. his, appointment .is shown by the foot that phe worst they have to , s a.y againstt him is that he "comes from the tSoutb," It is to be profoundly hoped that tWo futila /protest under notico represents tho last kick of the (provincial donkey.