Province of Otago, N.Z.,
Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 6th April, 1876.

SIR,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 28th March, informing me that Messrs. Gisborne, Seed, and Knowles are visiting this Province for the purpose there mentioned, and enclosing copy of the instructions with which these gentlemen have been furnished.

In reply I have to say, that the present action of the Colonial Executive, in taking for granted that the New Parliament, to which was relegated the ratification or otherwise of “The Abolition of Provinces Bill,” will ratify the self if left to itself the revenue of Otago would, I state, appears to me to be premature, and that I believe, in a very few years exceed that of the whole of the rest of the colony put together. The system of finance which has been determined as to what is to be the form of Government for the future.

I cannot for a moment suppose that in the case of Otago, where, under much abused Provincial Institutions, this province has grown up and flourished to a marvellous extent, these institutions are to be wantonly destroyed in the very prime of their manhood, and directly in the teeth of the declared and all but unanimous desire and convictions of the people. I feel persuaded that if a plebiscite were taken on this question, a vast proportion of the votes would be on one side and in favour of the Province retaining its own revenues, distributing them on its own behalf, and working out its own destiny in its own way.

Your favourite idea of counties, with fixed endowments, far more permanent and secure than any that is likely to be acquired from colonial legislation, has been for years within reach of the people of Otago, if they chose to avail themselves thereof, and it needs no action on the part of the Colonial Legislature to confer that privilege on them.

Under all the circumstances of the case, I desire to be excused from being a party to initiating the policy now in question, as being alike disastrous to the interests and repugnant to the feelings and wishes of the people of Otago.

I cannot recognise the right of the rest of the colony to force upon Otago any system of administration of its local affairs which is to be centered at Wellington, and which does not commend itself to the judgement of the people concerned.

It is bad enough, for example, that Taranaki with 6,000 people should have an equal voice in the disposal of the consolidated revenue, with Dunedin having a population of 25,000, and it will be infinitely worse that in disposing of our territorial revenues and dealing with the domestic affairs of Otago, the Province of Taranaki is to have as much power as the city of Dunedin.

No doubt it may be said that, while my views are limited to the narrow platform of a province, you are called to deal with the interests of the Colony as a whole.

I submit, however, that no policy can be beneficial to the colony which affects so injuriously such an important section thereof as Otago, over which I have the honor to preside.

In consequence of what I have so fully stated in this letter, and as I am advised that the sending of three gentlemen to inspect the departments of the Provincial Government is without legal or constitutional authority, I must respectfully decline to admit Messrs. Gisborne, Seed, and Knowles, or to furnish the Provincial Government of Otago any aid in their mission.

Regretting that, in the performance of my public duty, I should have been compelled to refuse your request,

I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
J. MACANDREW,
Superintendent of Otago.

The Honourable the Premier, Wellington.

HOLIDAYS.

THE Provincial Government Offices will not be Opened on Friday, 14th, Saturday, 15th, or Monday, 17th April, 1876.

Printed under the authority of the Provincial Government of Otago, by George Jones, of Moray Place, Dunedin. Print said Provincial Government for the being.