The Otago Witness. DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, JUNE 27.

Otago Witness, Issue 865, 27 June 1868, Page 11

The Otago Witness.

DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, JUNE 27.

Throughout the Colony there is an outcry for some change in the Constitution. In the Northern as well as in certain parts of the Southern Island, discontent has grown up, and the cry has been raised that ProYincilaism must be abolished. It is not very clear on what grounds this conclusion has been arrived at, or whether those who are loudest in urging a change, could exactly state the grounds on which it should be based. The demand is for Local Self-government, a cry as indefinite as the reasons urged for the change. Thus, at a public meeting at Timaru, resolutions were passed, recommending " a " more developed scheme of local govern- " ment" than that conferred by the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works Act. After some rhodomontade about the " political effects of our present "financial systsnV' the meeting declined suggesting a scheme for the consideration of the General Assembly, and contented iiself with recommending the abolition of the present system, in favor of one "the form of which" is "to be left in "the hands of the members of the " District and the General Government." Happy district to enjoy the privilege of having members to whom it can entrust interests so grave and universal ! Happy General Government, to enjoy tha confidence of the inhabitants of the Timaru and Gladstone Road District !

But it niay be fairly questioned, ■whether the scheme to be adopted, will equally enjoy the confidence of the Colony. Every district is not situated like that of Timaru and Gladstone, and people in many other parts of the Colony very much question the desirability of breaking up the Country into a multitude of petty areas governed by men whose ideas do not extend \ eyond the construction of a road, beginning, they hardly know where, and leading to some place they know little about. If change is to take place, it should be of a much more sweeping character. It should be a change adapted to the political situation of the Colony ; a change calculated to secure to the tax-paying inhabitants, a fair return for their contributions to the revenue, and not one which will transfer all power of appropriation, except that derived from, land, to the General Government, to loe expended hew and where they choose.

Major Richardson, in his speech, at the Clutha, recommends the apportionment of the Land Revenue into three — one part to fee devoted to the construction of Trunk Roads, one to be devoted to Immi-

gration, and'the remkinJßg third ito pis- ■ trict Roads. As for- -the ConsolidatedRevenue,, although the Middle Island raises two-thirds of it, the General Government is to have the power of devoting it to the improvement of Auckland, Hawkes Bay, or Maryborough, or, perhaps, . elsewhere, as seems good in their eyes; any place, in fact, that will secure for them snch a number of votea as mil give a majority in the House. These proposed arranuoments are in the highest degree o1o 1 jecti-jr.uble. The pi*oposal of them shows that the preterit condition of things is not undfc^rt,:-.J, and that Major Richardson, equally with fihe Government on whose behalf he expounded his scheme, has no ideas in advance of the arrangements for inter-communica-tion which prevailes in England some thirty years ago. Trunk Roads, if New Zealand is to take a foremost position in civilisation, should be the best kind of roads — railroads ; and these cannot be secured by a system of Road Districts, each of which would have a different idea of the direction a Railroad ought to take. Nor need it be supposed that the cost of railway communication necessarily involves an enormous outlay. Railways suitable to the requirements of the Colony can be constructed even cheaper than common roads ; and the latter, in the present development *of engineering science, should only be used as feeders to railways. But, to render Railways effective, they must be constructed on one general system. It need 3no argument to shovr that this cannot be expected by Breaking up the Middle Island into smaller Governmental areas than Provinces. Instead of this, if change is really made, it should be that of fusing two or more Provinces into one ; or, better still, by separating the two Islands, whose interests are so different. Other considerations point in this direction. The Central Government are gathering strength and power in the North Island by the introduction of the Maori element into the General Assembly. However desirable it may be for the interests of the Native Race, that they should have their •wishes and interests expressed and watched over by representatives chosen from among themselves, it is not so clear that it will conduce to the advancement of the Middle Island, for they will ha% r e a voice in the apportionment of the Consolidated Revenue-; and the example of last Session abundantly proves that the presert Government know well how to secure votes, by judiciously giving pecuniary assistance to need;/ districts. These things should not be lost sight of in any change that may be made.