(PUBLISHED DAILY). MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1884. A "CONSTITUTIONAL" MOVEMENT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5304, 10 March 1884, Page 2

(PUBLISHED DAILY). MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1884. A "CONSTITUTIONAL" MOVEMENT.

Under the auspices of the Hon. W. H. Reynolds, a " Constitutional Association " has been formed in Dunedin. The objects which the organisation is to attain are rather mixed. It will move to bring about retrenchment, "which everyone wants in the abstract, and no one in the concrete if it affects his own locality or his own interests. It will seek to return members to the Legislature who are in favor of its principles, but it will not interfere in elections. The great achievement is reserved for the last — it will attempt to effect the separation of the two islands, with a government in each, with one Federal Government over all. In order to promote " economy," three parliaments shall take the place of one ; when taxation will be less, local government achieved, and no more jobs perpetrated like the spending of a quarter of a million on the Dunedin railway station ! Of course Christchurch or Canterbury will have nothing to do with the movement, but that does not matter much if only Otago can be united. This separation movement is only a sixth edition of the great insular separation question. When politicians are hard up for a subject, separation is always at hand, and distressed politicians are relieved. It is quite true that the centralising policy of the Continuous Ministry has tended to encourage in every way revolutionary changes. The farmers are disgusted at the way in which the Sheep and Branding Acts are administered, while people generally feel that it is a heartbreaking business to have anything to do with a department at Wellington. But while we see the necessity for a reversal of the policy under which the colony is being governed, we are utterly opposed to a revolutionary change which would only lead to confusion worse confounded. A Parliament for the North Island would find Wellington and Auckland in deadly antagonism, and confer no more real local government than we have at the present time. Reform, not revolution, is the line of policy which we believe the most earnest and liberal of the colonists desire; reform in the direction of decentralising the work of administration, and of bringing the taxpayers face to face with their responsibilities. One Parliament is enough for the colony. There is no national sentiment which has to be studied. Canterbury is to us in Wanganui, for instance, precisely the same as Auckland. In matters of administration we have our local interests to be represented, and a North Island Parliament conveys no more idea of local government than does the Parliament of the colony.