The Globe. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1876.

Globe, 30 December 1876, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1876.

It is an old recognised axiom among people living under constitutional laws, such as rule in Great Britain and its dependencies, that a Parliamentary Opposition is a good and wholesome thing. Sometimes, however, Oppositionists may fairly deserve , the name of obstructionists, during the last*session, “ Her Majesty’s Opposition” at Wellington was indeed guilty of tricks of a strange and dark hue. Look for instance at the way in which the colony has been carved out into counties ! And, in several cases, how singularly Eidings subdividing them have been mapped out! The estate of the Honorable William Eobinson, M.L.C., known hitherto as the Cheviot estate, has now lost—and we suppose for ever—that plain and common sense designation. It will henceforward be known as the “ County of Cheviot,” the property of only one man, whose political position with reference to the application of the new constitutional measure called the county system, will be anomalous in the extreme. What a satire this incongruous excrescence of the Counties Act seems, upon the so-called development of democratic ideas in a new country like this, where newer and more modern notions are naturally supposed to prevail, than are found in the old country! It has almost the ring .of a giant stride in the direction of founding amongst us—by Act of Parliament—vested rights and interests of a semi-feudal character. We have watched with interest what proceedings would follow the initiation of the county system among the “ Cheviot Hills,” and we believe that the result

of the nomination for the two Eidings in that favored locality, has, so far, been a grotesque nullity. The whole thing in fact has missed fire. Of course, ultimately, Mr W. Eohinson will be the county chairman of all that he surveys and. become possessed of almost the same political power over the roads and public works of that strip of land, as that which he sways over the land itself, which he holds in fee simple. As the new financial arrangements give £2 out of the colonial chest for every £ levied, locally by county administration, and as whatever public works the Lord of the manor may require, will naturally be selected by him with a view of ministering to his own local pet requirements, we may well look forward to a singular state of public expenditure in this extraordinary county. How the Assembly came to sanction such an abnormal state of things may be told in half a dozen words. Mr. Robinson, it was well known in Wellington at the time, was actively canvassing friendly members of both branches of the Legislature with a view of getting his little scheme brought to successful maturity. The members of the Ministry were fully aware of what was going on and they took what was thought by them suitable steps to secure a sufficient majority for the prevention of so ridiculous an attempt at turning into a farce the application of the new Act. Government however, reckoned without their host. The selsipn was pretty well at an end, members were mostly fagged out, and difficult together. The Laird of Cheviot *and his friends seized a favorable opportunity, and when the division bell rang Ministers found themselves defeated and this political monstrosity, Cheviot pounty, had seen the daylight and was a record of the year’s most unholy doings. How Parliament may deal with this kind of “ No Man’s Land ” when next | it meets, it is haDck to say; of course neighboring County of Amuri migh'tJwiith effect be made to swallow that of Cheviot. As was made patent at the late election, ratepayers of the former district are indeed few and fa?, between. Out of several candidates j whose numbers went up for electionj the first gentlemen who were did not muster half a dozen between them; the cillor indeed getting the astounding total of If so great a legion of taxpayers turned out at contest of the ' Amuri, what to show to the (or rather seat F) icings are throw

proved* one top good to be upon it at ionce parades the the holy position it oeß|H|| amohjg newspapers, and, brinnaflH| ,jn all their gorgeousness virtues* it proceeds to exultant, war-dance around oiar contemporary : —“ only' for business railway authorities- may in our case, at all dence -will not theauthorities in question will now, have to look out very sharp, and do detective duties in the case of every other Canterbury journal, as they will certainly abuse that confidence alluded to by the Times in so pathetic a manner. It has long been a matter of notoriety in Canterbury, that while every other organ published there has been habitually guilty of the most depraved practices conceivable, the Cathedral Square oracle alone has withstood the multifarious temptations of the age, and stood firm upon the indestructible pinnacle of its own virtue. Hever was it placed on record that the mantle it always wears is a highly reversible one, gifted with all the hues of the chameleon. A wilful misstatement never passed its lips, nor did it ever sell its birthright for a mess of pottage, let the latter be ever so unwholesome. When the Times rolls the white of its eyes, it is never done in a PecksnifSan sense. Oh! no. When ’umble, its genial 'nmbleness is as unlike Uriah Heep’s as a tenpenny nail is**like aupyatch key. It always pretends, and ©recourse we must bow to the dictum, th£t throughout a successful career, virtue has been its own reward ; and intensely virtuous indeed is our sanctimonious contemporary. We devoutly hope that Mr. Lawson will be duly impressed with the fact that the Times is absolutely proof against any of those paltry temptations which now and then assail newspapers. The Times said so, therefor® -it must be; and our unctuous friend never prevaricates, nor does he ever take a bribe. Virtue is the thing, and that solely, upon the varied application of which depends that greati organ, when tuning its tone to suit the times.