POLITICAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 202, 12 May 1866, Page 5

POLITICAL.

By a late telegram received from Christchurch on, Thursday evening, wo learn that tho Provincial Council has been dissolved, and wo presume— although our message is silent on the subject — that the writs for tho new elections have been received. If so, tho Province will so6n be in the thick of a political conflict, the preparations for which have been making for months. In the variation of the Provincial system which obtains in Canterbury, the Superintendent is elected by the popular vote, and his election must take place within a fixed term after the dissolution of the old, and prior to tho election of the new, Council. Anticipating the retirement of the Superintendent, Mr Bealey, three gentlemen haye — as wo have had the opportunity frequently of announcing, owing to tho protracted delay that has taken place — entered tho field as candidates —Mr Moorhouse, Mr Travcrs, and Mr Lance. Mr Moorhouse |is member for the district of Westland in the House of Representative* (the lower House of tho General Assembly), and also holds at the present moment the seat for the gMount Herbert district, having been returned for both at the late general election. It is understood that his chances for the Superintcndenoy aro the best, and he has tho good wishes of the whole popu. lation on this side of the Province, for reasons that are perfectly appreciable. He is the only one of tho candidates that has visited tho district to mako himself acquainted with its wants • during his visit hero he so successfully secured tho favor of tho people as to obtain a seat in the ' Assembly, in preference to a local candidate; and ho made such fair promises, contingent upon his appointment to tho Superintendency, of reforms to bo effected in Westland, as havo created a general feeling of expectation and hope. The result of the contest will now soon bo known, and immediately following it will be the elections for the five mem*, bers assigned to Westlaud in tho Pro- \ vincial Council. For these seats no candidates have yet announced themselves, although it is understood that Mr Barff— one of tho two members for the district in tho Council just dissolved — will seek election as one of tho now members for tho goldfields. The, long delay that has taken place in tho issue of tho writs of election, and tho consequent suspension of tho moro aotivo functions of Government, have

occasioned very great dissatisfaction, and havo indeed not been unattended with considerable injury to the interests of tho district. Tho retiring Superintendent has never displayed tho slightest anxiety to promoto the welfaro of the goldfields ; and since his announcement of his determination not to seek re-election, everything in tho shape of an improved administration of the affairs of Westland has been deferred until the election of a new man, surrounded by new advisers, shall have inaugurated an organic political change. The present system of government, by means of a Commissioner acting under the instructions of the Christchurch authorities, has been j entirely outgrown by the extraordinary development of tho district and tho creation of large and varied interests. It was a suitable expedient to be resorted to in tho first emergency, but an expedient fitted to be a temporary one only. Yet it has been perpetuated hero to tho great detriment of a community so advanced in everything but in its possession of proper institutions of Government. Whoever is elected Superintendent, there must be a change ; and tho change that seems most likely is the creation of a gold-fields department in tho Government, and tho location of a responsible Executive officer in Hokitika. The discontent occasioned by the protracted absence of his Excellency Sir George Grey from the seat of Government at Wellington, has not been confined to this district, and is indeed fed by considerations of a larger and more general- character than belong to our own limited politics. A late number of a Christchurch paper, the " Lyttelton Times," says :—": — " We learn by tho Lady Bird that the Governor had last been heard of between Kawau and Tauranga. In consequence of his Excellency's protracted absence and irregular movements, a great deal of business was in arrear at Wellington. Mr. Patorson, we learn, was appointed Postmaster-General, but could not receive his commission or bo gazetted ; and many other matters of great importance, including the Canterbury writs, and dissolution of the Council, were in abeyance. Despatches and documents of all kinds were crossing and recros^ing from place to place, in tho vain hope of catching his Excellency, who is not expected to return to Wellington till the beginning of June." The prediction contained in tho last sentence has been falsified by the unexpected return of Sir George Grey, as announced in our Chriotchurch telegram of Thursday evening. But we extract tho passage as illustrating the serious inconvenience occasioned to Middle Island interests, by being in subjection to a Government so much engrossed with the management of war and native affairs — with which the provinces to the south of Cook's Straits have nothing whatever to do, except to contribute from tho revenues created by their peaceful industry and enterprise, to tho expenses of this most costly department of the Colonial Government. Tho feeling is growing that Southern interests are sacrificed to the exigencies of the war, aud the enormous drafts it makes upon his Excellency's timo and attention ; and the proposal to erect the Middle Island into a separate colony, with an independent government, is daily becoming more popular. At the date of our last Summary, the timo had closed for sending in claims for registration on tho Electoral Roll of the colony. We explained tho very exceptional circumstances under which tho right of claim had been enjoyed for the first time by the settlers on tho West Coast, and expressed regret at our inability to state the number of names sent in. Immediately afterwards, however, tho advertised list of claims appeared in our columns, comprising upwards of 250 names. The list of objections has sinco been published. It comprises only seven names, the objection in each instance being raised by tho Registration officer on technical grounds. Tho " Electoral Roll" thus likely to bo formed for the first time for tho district of Westland, has nothing to do with the special goldfields franchise, by which the members for thb district havo hitherto been elected. Tho General Assembly is summoned by proclamation for the 28th of the present month. But it is doubtful whether the Houses will then really proceed to despatch of business. All depends upon tho extent to whioh Sir George Grey will bo enabled, in tho meanwhile, to releaso himself from the native difficulty, aud lead his attention to the moro general affairs of tho colony.