Ms. Macandrew and his Constituents.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1688, 16 July 1875, Page 2

Ms. Macandrew and his Constituents.

Sl© Advocates Separation.

[Special Telkgeam to the " Star." "■'■■*

PORT CHALMERS. (From our own Correspondent.)

This day. Mr. Macandrew (superintendent and member for Port Chalmers) addressed his con. stituents last night in an able speech. The meeting was crowded. He announced himself: a steady supporter of the public works and emigration Jpolicy, but objected to unecp-1 nodical manner of administering the policy^ and believed the local governments would have done better with the money than had r the Central Government, because the ad-: ministrators would have been more directly under the eyes of We people. He advocated - the application of the sauio principle to the system of immigration, Upon education and other questions he also avowed himself a separationist, and would strenuously support^ measures tending to the separation of the : two islands with a merely federal bond of ' union. Alluding to the approaching session at. Wellington, he condemned the super, fluiiy. of legislation with which the Colony was burdened, and thought it a good thing if the Colonial Parliament were to go to sleep for a while, merely providing for the payment of debts in the meantime, though the Colonial Parliament was eating out the very vitals of the country ; if that of retrenchment-was not practised, a day would soon arrive when New Zealand would not to able to keep its head above water. Be denied there was any truth in the rumour that he had agreed to join an Opposition of which Sir George Grey was the reputed head. His action would altogether depend upon the action of the Government; if thelatter wished to change the constitution of one part of the colony, he should oppose it. Ho did not believe the Northern provinces were in the abject prostration assigned them. Either the system of Government would remain as it is, or they must go in for some rub, and the two Islands separate. He wasin favour of the latter course. He concluded by alluding to the political apathy of the people—money-grubbing was unhappily the rale.