Message from the Governor.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 1707, 7 August 1875, Page 2

Message from the Governor.

A message was read from the Governor, informing the House that he had written _&>• despatch on either the bill or the opinion of the Attorney-General relative to abolition, SECOND BEADING OF THE ABOLL , TiON BILL. On the House resuming, at 7.30, The Colonial Treasurer rose, amid ap. plause, to move the second reading of th* Abolition Bill. He said they might, had they so chosen, merely have brought down a bill repealing the Constitution Act, or rather its second clause. That would have met - the case sufficiently 5 but if they could abolish one province—and no one could say they could not —what was to prevent them abolishing collectively what they could do individually, and separately s They had, as a general controlling authority, full power to alter their own Constitution whenever they: thought fit to do so. Coming to what they proposed to do by this bill—on that he would be very brief. They simply proposed, to give the people real local self-government in the fullest sense of the word. (Loud applause, and derisive laughter from the Opposition.) The hon. gentleman then proceeded to comment on clause six, and 6%. plain why the Government left certain questions open for further consideration during the recess. It was so that they might be able to submit next session certain measures in relation to matters in that clause which were now left in statu quo regarding clause eight, and it was considered necessary that they should reserve the ■ power to delegate subordinate powers, ahd that the locality should have power over local taxation, and all such items of taxation 7 were handed over to them. Clause 19. related. to Road Boards, and made an important provision. He saw by the Opposition organs that they said Government would not b* able to carry out these provisions and make substantial endowments. He had no doubt whatever that all the promises made in ths financial statement would be easily fulfilled. Tne bill would also provide for gaols, police, lunatic asylums, and charitable institutions. They had been taken to task about the manner in which the bill had been , introduced, but he was not aware of any 7 Constitutional law for preventing the Crown from relieving the people7from disagreeable liabilities and from disagreeable bodies of servants. (Hear, hear.) It would at once set free some thirty or forty very hardworking public servants, and also set free some hundred or more gentlemen who must every year come down to meet their Provincial Councils to vote away the money of the people. If the House complains of anything, it -urely ought not to complain and assert , that the Government should not bring down, a bill like that- a bill which amply supplied in most cases, and paved the way in others, . for what the people had been wanting for years. It had also been alleged that the bill . had not been brought down in the form it had. He would ask, —What good had Provincial . Councils done for the country of late-years, I that Road Boards and the General Govern- } ment could not have done and have done:

more efficiently, as well as more economically? (Hear, hear.) No doubt there was a, time when Provincial Councils performed very useful functions. In the early days they served a very good purpose, but during - the last few years, they altogether failed to perform these functions and immigration ceased and stagnation prevailed until in 1870 the House by general acclamation placed the control of these works in the hands of the General Government. He could say, from his experience in these matters, that Provincial Governments had never shewn that they could perform those func- - tions which they maintained pertained to them partichlarly, so well as the General , Government and Road Boards could. If Provincial Governments wanted to promote education, or look after harbours, they hadf always to depute the work to someone else, ) in the'shape of Education Boards and Harbour Boards, and if Provincial Governments were tolerably well managed he saw in it an argument in favour of one central administration. Provincial Goyerhmentß p<_- * sessed two functions-legislative and administrative—and it was agreed on _,_- ---hands that the legislative function. - should cease. (Loud cries of. "No, no," and "Yes, yes.") But the._M.-~ ' member reiterated again and again ia spite of interruptions that it was admitted on all hands, both by the House and the country, that the legislative functions of the provinces should cease. The only function the Provincial Governments performed well was getting money out of the Assembly. It was a sound principle of political economy that the powers which imposed and raised taxes should spend the money and, be the responsible power. But was that the way provincial legislation worked ? (Loud cnei of "No, no.") Provincial Councils raißed money from the people in various ways, and spent it as they liked without giving the General Government any account of it, excepting as a matter of history. > .■,-». | therefore was desirable this state of things , should continue no longer. (No.) Thev,oM?j. of the country and House was unmistakably against it. (Hear, hear.) Referring to the system of organised provincial pressure which was partly brought to bear against the Go' vernment of the colony in maintaining and perpetuating the local interests that were antagonistic to the general interest of the colony, he maintained that the voice of the country was decidedly against all, owing to the possibility of so unfair and selnsa pressure being allowed to continue a day longer. The peculiar circumstances 'of this case reminded him very strongly of a passage in an essay that was 7 called " Pig Philosophy," which -no doubt members were as well acquainted with as he was. It was to this effect: What is pig philosophy ? It was this : What is justice . It is, in the general swinehood sense of the terms, in gettins on the whole as much out 01 . the swine trough as you can, get, w^" > '' \ being hanged or sent to the galleys. -Now, he was sure the House would agree-•™, 1 . him that the colony would be benefited oy the sweeping away from New Zealand o_,i j those centres of sympathy—thos fl nm« {/ . sturdy mendicants, regarding which jno ■il j . member for the Hutt used to-speak wiw J-W I -

- -ha'foined-their r«ks. be arSy increased hy passing flua ML their afai-isttat-oi- also would > Se_-_TaS the country would secure da JJSSof many, able and none*- _«**«*» « soon as they wero leloaaed f-tm thSbSb yvi;*h Jao hotO-d them to ProSS m k: S om- casee through *ejt-m-J It in v ' 7. tlirou^h old assoemt-ons. E' w^.Sl .1 this Act took- AW? tb 0 rberties- ™ jeaple; bathe wondered how the lion-: -;er for Auckland City West could bif-'-got such ah opinion. Althongb l& beld, speaking in the broad, ifease, that every man in New Zealand was fully represented in the present Parliament, of course be must be understood not to be taking into account at the present moment certain inequalities in the representation of the colony. He held that by thk bill very many in New Zealand would be still bettor represented than they were before. They were also told that the bill should be referred to the electors before being passed by the .Assembly, but he could confidently ask the House bad. the bill not been already referred to the electors, and had they not already decided in its favour from one end of the country to the other? (Cries of "No, no," and "Yes, yes.") The party to which he had the honor to belong for the last twenty years always consistently strove for the vital principle of this bill. He only regretted that the hon. gentleman who wa3 the recognised champion of this principle had not the duty of moving the second reading of the bill, and these completing the scheme with which his name had been identified for so many.years. In conclusion, he need only say that the principle, and it prevaded the bill from the one end to the other, was the unity and oneness of the colony, and the only principle consistent with true local self-government, and that was what this bill provided. Sir George Grey moved the adjournment of the debate till Tuesday next. Sir Donald McLean said the Government had no objection, but hoped when the debate was resumed on Tuesday, it would be continued" to its conclusion without any more adjournment of debates. The debate was then adjourned till Tuesday evening, at half-past seven. Indemnity Bill. The Immigration Expenditure Indemnity Bill, interim report of Select Committee {Finance), was read. Messrs Bunny, Eolleston, Keid, and McGlashan. and Sheehan condemned the present system of audit. Mr Pearce, Sir P. D. Bell, Mr Shepherd, Mrßowen, and Major Atkinson supported the'course as necessary, the latter taking npon himself full responsibility for the action of the Government. The Bill was reported to the House without amendments, and read a third time and passed. Mining Companies. The second reading of the Registration of Mining Companies Valuation Bill is to be committed on Tuesday. Mr Reader Wood on Colonial Finance. Mr Wood asked, If the Government on Tuesday intended going into Committee of Snpply before the debate on the Abolition Bill, as the Opposition (although anxious to go into finance) wished to have a full report of the Finance Committee, and other information, before debating the subject ? The financial proposal of the Government aright be likened to some beautiful image which they were called upon to worship ; but they objected to have first, perhaps, the charming grace of the head to admire; then the exquisite symmetry of an arm, then the fair proportions" of the bust, the gilding and ornamentation of the dress, ere they would admire and criticise it, perchance, as ono captivating harmonious whole. He hoped, therefore, the Government would not go on with the Committee of Supply until the abolition debate was finished.

Mr Atkinson, on the part of the Government, had no objection to state that the Government would propose to go on with the debate on the Abolition Bill; but it must be understood that after Tuesday the Government must go on with the regular business of the Bouse.

Departmental Statements. In reply to Mr Beeves, the Native Minister said he would make his statement on native affairs on Wednesday next, Major Atkinson would make his on Immigration on Tuesday or Wednesday, and Mr Reynolds his on the Marine Department on Tuesday. The House adjourned at 1,23.