THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1861.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12, 28 November 1861, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. " Inveniam viam aut faciam." THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1861.

We again ask, is it to be war or peace ? But this time our question does not refer to the Europeans and Maories, but to the General and Provincial Governments. There is no question the Provincial Government of Otago is on the verge of a quarrel with the General Government—a quarrel forced on it by the obstructive course pursued by T the ministers who lt do " the General Government business. It is the fashion to blame the Local Government for its dulness and slowness, to reproach it for its apathy and want of go-a-headism. Allowing that much of the censure is just, and that the Local Government has.not awakened to the altered circumstances of the Province, we question whether at least an equal share of the blame should not attach to the General Government, which, in every direction, is throwing obstacles in the /way of the local. We could mention a Vcore of reforms urgently required, the want of which every one is crying out about, and blaming the Local Government for, the cause of the delay in carrying out which, should rest on the shoulders of the men at Auckland, who do the Constitutional advising business, and on the Governor, who is supposed to be advised by them. The delay in providing wharf accemmodation, the inadequate facilities afforded by the post-office, the non-appointing to the commission of the peace the commissioners on the gold fields, and a score of other instances of the kind are all to be attributed to the apathy or the policy of the General Government.

We use the word policy advisedly. It is not to be supposed that public men are incapables, or that they act without i motives: on the contran 7, one is justified in gathering from their actions the objects they pursue. The Auckland authorities are in this dilemma; they are either acting with the greatest folly, which is not for a moment to be imagined, jud^in"from the samples that have lately honored Otago with their presence, on they are pursuing a tortuous policy to serve some ulterior purpose. Before we touch upon this purpose it is as well to state, that we have not the slightest intention of electing ourselves into the champions of the Local Government. Although we may think that needless difficulties have been cast in the way of the Provincial Government, and although we may consider those who have interposed these difficulties deserving of the severest censure, it does not follow that the Government that has been made to suffer by them has taken the wisest course to surmount them. The Provincial Council should have been made the confident of the Executive Government, and allowed to take what steps it considered necessary to uphold and secure, its privileges. Half measures never succeed, and the eyes of the Local Government should long ago have been open to the fact that a collision between the local and general authorities was imminent. Aware of this it was a duty it owed to the Local Legislature to warn it of the threatning danger, if for no other purpose than to enable it to assume an attidude of defence or offence whichever it judged wisest. We are very much mistaken if the session that is now

convened bythe Superintendent will pass over without the attention of the Council being directed to the^obstructive and aggressive policy pursued by the General Government, and we cannot but deem it a grave error that the Council has been allowed to remain in ignorance of it so long. " Events precipitate themselves," and we doubt whether thetimehas not arrived when endurance is only another name for cowardice. The nation that sees its neisrhbour arming, but delays doing so it«eif until war is absolutely declared, is guilty oia grave error, and the Province of Otago,- knowing; the force that is being marshalled against it by the General Government, would be rash or cowardly in the extreme, if either through blind security or deadening fear, it neglected to place itself in a position to resist the attack. It is only a surprise that can have any chance of success; if preparations be made to receive the enemy, he cannot succeed.

But in what shape is the enemy to be expected, many persons will ask ; and the question brings us back to the point from which we started—the purpose the General Government has tc> serve: This we take to be neither more noi; less than the destruction of the Provincial Governments, an(3 , the establishment of, one General Government. As we said before, of tbe Provincial Government of Otago, so we say of Provincial Governments in general —we are not prepared to champion them. But this we maintain, that no invasion of the principle of Provincialism must in any way be permitted, until the point is conceded that the two islands shall be separated, and an independent government be established in the southern Island. With Sir George Grey one,has more to fear from strategy than open force. Probably the artifice will be resorted to of persuading the Provinces to cede their privileges, under the pretence that a recommendation for Separation will be sent home, backed by Sir George Grey's interest and approval. But this recommendation might be left yearly in abeyance, and meanwhile the impoverished North fatten on the resources of the South. That this course will beattempted, we can scarcely doubt. Indeed, we believe, that under all sorts of pretences itinerant Responsible Ministers have been journeying through the Provinces to see how the object is best to be secured. On this subject, did space permit, we would enlarge. We .would characterise as utterly disgraceful the sending Responsible Ministers on roving missions of espionage, to report officially the information they could pick up in a non-official capacity. Uncharitable persons might deem them little better than spies, and the court martial of public opinion would be apt to give a very summary verdict on the reception they should receive, should they repeat their visits. The pretence of remodelling the Post Office would not again be accepted, nor would that of the sale of Stewart's Island, however welcomly a fortunate wreck might interpose to prevent the reaching the pretended destination. The Local Legislature will meet in a few days, and it is to be hoped that, alive to the dignity of the Province, it will utter a vehement protest against General Government encroachments.