Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1873. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 275, 8 May 1873, Page 5

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1873. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

JThe Otago Provincial Council is in session, and that for the thirty-first time. During its existence, it has undergone changes in profusion, and has realized to itself mutation, permutation, modification, and a variety of transformations too numerous here to particularise. As it exists, we have towards it two feelings, both honorable in their way — but incongruous, or rather irreconcilable. The first is honor for the' Council as a representative body, the other, supreme contempt for it as it actually exists, and more particularly for the manner in which it performs — or rather fails to perform — its functions. In duty to the public, we must draw atten- • tion to things as they exist, in order to demonstrate our reasons for objecting to the longer existence of Provincial institutions ; and we cannot choose a more fitting time than the present for our remarks. Most persons are doubtless aware that the executive and legislative powers of Provincial Councils have been from time to time curtailed, but we think the public — particularly the voting public — has very seriously over-valued and over-estimated the actual powers possessed toy Provincial Councils — powers created originally under peculiar circumstances, to meet peculiar circumstances, and as locum tenens only. As such, Provincial Councils until some ten years ago, very well and ably fulfilled their destiny ; they governed the few placed beneath their rule, and in the olden time of the colony, were, no doubt, fuily up to the need and standard of the times. But the " times " have changed ; knowledge has indeed increased, and men have run to and fro, so much so that the need for Provin-

rial parliaments and a multiplicity of governments, has passed away. We have plenty of communication ; the extreme north is in rapid and almost uninterrupted communication with the extreme south by steamboat or telegraph — aye, and shortly will be by rail. Twenty years ago, communication once in a month was a wonder, and hence I the necessity for Provincial Governments. When the revolution • produced by the gold discoveries ten or twelve years ago first occurred, to have immediately swept away Provincial institutions would have been all but impossible and very impolitic ; but that they should have lasted so long has surprised vs — and not only us, but also, we fancy, a large number of our legislators. Increase of function is said to produce increase of development. Physiologists tell us so, and in the special matters with which they have to do, the saying is doubtless axiomatic. With Pro /incial Councils, however, the reverse seems to be the case — decrease of function appears to produce increase of development, for in Otago at all events, the more the powers of the Provincial Parliament have been curtailed, the more the pomp and ceremony with which it has contrived to conduct its few remaining scraps of business. Ten years since, when the Otago Provincial Council was limited to but a few members, and its actual executive powers were far greater than they are now, the august assembly was content to meet in a very unpretentious building — just such a building however, as well became the real insignificance of the Council as a power in the world, and the actual smallness of the business to be tran- 1 sacted. Later on, when the j powers of the Council are very considerably curtailed — its functions as a legislative body almost nil — certainly at a minimum, j",we find it meeting in a gorgeous hall erected at the cost of many thousands of pounds ; built specially for it at this wasteful expense ; built in a style j of magnificence wholly unnecessary for the requirements of those who use it, and beyond all reason past what the financial circumstances of the colony or the province justify. It would be as reasonable and as prudent for a laborer earning his eight shillings per diem, to require such a house for himself to inhabit, as a man with his £10,000 per annum would be expected to occupy. Why, at home in England in any of the large towns, were the local governing bodies to dare so to waste the funds of the ratepayers, the} 7 would simply not tolerate it, and we are of opinion that those who waste our money have simply to thank the circumstance of the population being scattered, and, consequently, to a large extent disunited, and so unable to act in unison, for the power they possess to squander the funds entrusted to their care. Take j the town of- Leeds for example, containing a population of nearly 300,000, or rather more than the entire population of the colony of New Zealand. We have been in that portion of the magnificent town hall in Park Square, which is devoted to the meetings of the Leeds Town Council. It is a roomy,' comfortable chamber, half moon shaped, well adapted in every particular to the requirements of those who use it, and for the business transacted in it — business involving the expenditure of many thousands weekly — yet it is not one-third as large as the Otago Provincial Council Hall, neither is it in any way one-tenth part as costly. We have dwelt at some length upon the matter of our Council Hall, but' simply because it is a conspicuous illustration of the political waste, of which we with so much justice complain. The whole machinery of government in New Zealand is beyond all sense and reason too costly, and too costly because too cumbersome and un wieldly. There are now but few who really deny this, but there are just as few who appear disposed to go right heartily to work, and pull down existing institutions and build afresh. What will the Council do in the matter this session % What opinion will it express ? The expression of opinion is all it can do. It is powerless further than that. Will it speak out boldly, or simply discuss the matter at a pound a day per wind bag, and leave the question open as it did last session \ We hope not. Surely if some of the very few sensible men in the Council would go seriously to work, the}* might succeed in carrying resolutions recommending the annihilation of Provincial Councils, and the, establishment of a respectable, efficient, representative legislative body for each Island. Provincial Councils and the Legislative Council are useless institutions, a great expense

to the colony — nay more, a ruinous drain upon its resources — institutions kept up with no other object than to provide aground for certain would-be-great men to play at parliament upon — a game very amusing no doubt to the performers, and laughable enough in its way, but so useless and costly as to be unwarrantable. We await with great impatience the upshot of this session. We want particularly to see what Mr. Bastings will do. We referred to him when writing on this subject in our issue of the 3rd ult., and to him we commend the remarks we then made, as well as those we have just penned.