"MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 276, 15 May 1873, Page 4

"MEASURES, NOT MEN."

The ink with which our last week's leader was written; was hardly dry when an event occurred in Otago politics, which fully bears out the truth of our remarks. The playing at Parliament has been don© with a vengeance during the last few days by the Otago Provincial Council; and we regret having to chronicle the fact that the game has been indulged in by some members whoso names we had entered upon our list of sensible men. That this province should have to submit, without any apparent chance of redress, to the wilful and utter waste of its revenue, which is now going on, and which will inevitably continue for some weeks to come, is a great and scandalous shame. That to stem the tide is an undertaking of great difficulty, we admit, but surely the public must at least be alive to the fact that something must be done to end the present state of things; that by some method, fair or foul, the absurd farce must be terminated. Any means, whether constitutional or otherwise, would be fully justified by the circumstances, and the man possessing sufficient pluck and constructive ability to turn the whole thing upside down, and relieve us from our present position would immortalize his name, and deserve well of the people. We would like to interest the public on this subject, so as to obtain some real and substantial results — some general agitatioij^ which should have the effect producing a revolution. For some months past, our Provincial Executive has consisted of a number of men who appear to us to have, been honestly doing their very best to carry on the business intrusted to them faithfully, and with a single eye to the good and welfare of the people. The Council is called together ; and behold, at the very outset, in order to gratify foolish personal spleen — the result) of jealousy and abominable pride — the result of beggar-on-horseback ignorance — instead of business being proceeded with, the whole thing is interrupted by Mr. Donald Reid, who, for some unaccountable reason, manages to curry with him a sufficient number of members of his own views, and so turns oufc from office the very men who have been trying, and that successfully, to administer the affairs of the province prudently and well. As regards the manner in which Mr. Tolmie's Government was appointed, it is just possible that Mr. Reid may bo correct in his constitutional kw, though we believe him to be utterly wrong; but granted that he is right, what of it ? Mr. Tolmie's Government was doing its work well, and had the confidence of the public, why, then, kick it out? With far greater reason might the constituents who return such obstructive men as Donald Reid be disfranchised, and thus prevented for the future from spoiling the handiwork of good workmen — prevented from lawlessly wasting the public funds, and annoying the sensible portion of mankind by such blatant blather as the Otago Council has had to listen to during tho

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last week. We "would urge the public to perform its functions, and •withahighhand end this sortof thing. The public may be its own Cromwell if ifc will ; it l^as the power, if it choose to act with unity, to alter the constitution, not perhaps by such a ready method as that adopted by the Protector, but it may act no less surely, and carry all before it by unity and combined action. Take the case as though it were a private matter to be decided bya Court of Equity — and we should like to see it, as it would, under such circumstances, be represented by counsel of average ability. Take, then, the Imperial Government as the Court (which it is) : let the public agitate for an immediate and change in the constitution — the sweeping away of Provincial Councils — the substitution of a Genera] Legislative Assembly for each Island— urge the exisiting state of things as one of many good reasons for desiring the change, and we fear not for the result. Mr. Armstrong, a few days ago, in addressing the Council, said that if the Executive were allowed to hold office upon an appointment made without the sanction of the Council, the result would be that the Superintendent and half-a-dozen clerks could- and would do the whole work of governing the province. Truly, just the state of things which ought to exist, if provincialism is to continue. Half-a-dozen sensible men could govern the whole colony for that matter, and that without a twentieth part of the hubbub and bother which the existing imperium in imperio makes over it We greatly regret that Mr. Tolmie and his colleagues ■were so ill-advised as to resign. Even if the Superintendent was wrong in his law when he appointed an Executive without consulting the Council, that Executive, having accepted office, owed a large allegiance to his Honor, and unless prepared i to pay that allegiance, they should | never have taken office. When offered the position, then was the time to have considered the law point; once in office, they should have stuck to it manfully, and stood or fallen with their colors nailed to the niayt, and not have struck at the mere sight of Mr. Reid's malcontent flag. However, this was an error in judgment, which we are prepared to condone, and trust we riiay see • >me decided action on the part of the people, such as we have SHggested above. This is really a matter which the municipal authorities might well take up as the moving spiritsin public affairs throughout the province. Doubtless, in this town the Mayor would convene a meeting if asked to do so, and the ball once set rolling would receive ample impetus from the efforts which the public generally earn and ought to make. The remedy is in. our hands, if we feil' to apply it, we have ourselves to thank for the bitter consequences.