Wellington Independent WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1871.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3166, 5 April 1871, Page 2

Wellington Independent WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1871.

The " Wanganui Herald" in a recent issue waxes very wroth at the Wellington press generally for not supporting the candidature of Mr Fiphimure. In doing so he lashes himself into a white foam. We do not intend to follow him in all bis heroics. We would simply point out a few misrepresentations into which bis impetuosity has carried him. We shall be very brief. We did not say we " had found perfection" in Mr Fitzherbert. We do net say so now: but he may be an infinitely more eligible person for the office of Superintendent of Wellington than Mr Finnimore, and yet fall very far short of it. Mr Finnimore stated in his address that for the office there were " certain quiilifii:at : ons absolutely required" — he admitted that he did not himself possess them ; and we attempted to show (and humbly think the attempt was successful) that Mr Fiizherbert did. Tho conclusion we next came to was a very simple deduction from the premises granted by Mr F. himself, and was to this effect, that it would be foolish for the electors of the province to vote for one (Finnimore to wit) who had not " tho qualifications absolutely required," and against one (Fitzhorbcrl) who undoubtedly had them ! The " Herald" is indignant at our allusion to America forgetting? that Mr I<\ in his address first makes the reference, and holds out the hope that if provincial institutions are continued, in which case we will ail be ruiued, that there is one countiy, America, which will bo tlis refuge of all who can " clear out" for it. Jt was, therefore, not "absurd," but very pertinent, to show that in escaping from provincial institutions — " that baneful system of dual government," the refugees would find 1 the same evil in America, only in a more aggravated form ! The example we took (New Jersey) was selected as being particularly approI priate. Mr Finnimore admits that j " provincialism was in past years admirably udapted to the special and peculiar circumstances under which the several towns, now the capitals of the provinces, were then pluced. Their very isolation, commercially and politically, demanded that an extreme mode of government should be adopted," and contends that an increase in our means of communication has rendered this form of government altogether " nnsuited," and "no longer necessary." Was it not a very fair argument to show from the very country destined to receive refugees from provincial institutions, that there the same form of Government had been maintained for ninety five years, and after their means of intercommunication had increased beyond all precedent ? We took a good case to test this argument. We instanced a state with two millions of acres less than the province of Wellington, with water communication unsurpassed in the world, and deriving two-thirds of its provincial revenue from " railway sources,'' and we showed that it still retained provincial institutions in all ' " their costly and cumbersome machinery," and never dreamt with all their " enlightenment" of altering institutions under which for ninety- five years they had been governed, and under which they had so flourished that their elected Head could boast of his little State, that she had larger value per acre to her land, and more wealth to each inhabitant than any other State. Our reference to America was, therefore, particularly appropriate, and it was incumbent on us to inform those who may intend, if provincial institutions are continued (i.e., if Mr Finnimore is not elected) to " realise their property and effects, and reach (he shores of America," that America is the very last place in the world to go to to escape " dual government and direct taxation." There are several other misrepresentations «hich, as they do not bear on the question very directly, we can afford to pass over. We will mention one for an example : " Mr Stafford said he (Fitzherbert) knew no more of finance than the anthropomorphoid ape." We would ask our Wanganui contemporary kindly to point out his authority for the statement. We will make him a splendid offer. If he can find that Mr Stafford ever used these words at all, we will for ever after hold our peace ; and if they were ever used with reference to Mr Fitzherbert by Mr Stafford or any other person, we shall, in the eloquent words of our contemporary, " support the man who pledges himself to the immediate and unqualified handing over of the province to the General Government." We will doubtless bring upon our devoted heads another torrent of eloquent reprobation, for venturing to hint that our contemporary is making a " dual mistake, but we make bold to affirm that these words were never applied to Mr Fitzherbert, and wore never tutored by Mr Stafford. The only thing we can discover res ambling thorn is the following: "I am a firm believer in the Darwinian theory of animal development. 1 sec in the conduct of the lion, gentleman now at the head of the Government strong evidence of the near relationship of humanity to the anthropomorphous ape." Hut these words were spoken by the Hon. J. C. Richmond of the Hon. E. W. Stafford !