The Abolition Question.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1711, 12 August 1875, Page 2

The Abolition Question.

MEETING AT PAKNELL,

One of the largest and most enthusiastic meetings ever held in Parnell took place last night, pursuant to advertisement, in the Parnell Hall to afford the electors of the Parnell district an opportunity of discussing the Abolition Measures now before Parliament. Over COO electors were present. " Mr Brett said the meeting had been convened at the request of a number of electors of Parnell. In order to proceed to business, he would ask them to elect a Chairman. Some disinclination was manifested m inaugurating proceedings, during which goodnatured chaff was indulged m. but at length Mr. James Baber, C E., was called upon to fill the chair. . Mr Hughes then came forward and said he would shortly give them his views of the two bills before Parliament. As to the Abolition Bill bis opinion was that the Provincial system had done its work. Most of the functions of the Provincial Governroeats had been gradually transferred to the Municipal Councils the Harbour Board and the Road Boards. At the same time as the Provincial Government had been divesting itself of the duties, it had kept the means of administering them. Then they had the Provincial system to thank for the glorious Education Tax. This was an incubus which they would have a great difficulty in getting rid of. As to the Local Government Bill it was a very long bill and he had not thoroughly mastered it But it had some capital features. Among these the speaker enumerated the piohibition of any public money being spent in roads less than C 6 feet wide- the R-oad Boards having to decide what' workß should be undertaken; the abolition of the proxy system and compulsory submission of names for election seven days before the annual meetings ; the improved position in which it placed the road boards ; the clause which arranged that half of the boards only should retire each year &c. Mr. Hughes having spoken at some length moved the following resolution : " That this meeting approve of the Abolition Bill and of the Local Government Bill." Adding that while proposing this he wished it understood that he did not think the measure the best that could be devised, for he was in favour of a common land fund and common Customs purse; at the same time he thought the present measures were the thin end of the wedge and if once it got in it could be driven home (cheering.) The Chairman asked several times if there was a seconder to the resolution, but as no one responded the Chairman declared that the motion had lapsed. (Cheets.) Mr George Staines came on to the platform to propose the following resolution : —"That this meeting views with alarm the proposition to abolish the provinces without an appeal to the country by means of a general election, and protests against the proposed Abolition of Provinces Bill being passed by the Assembly, whose term of office is expiring, and which does not represent the people of the colony." Mr. Staines said his hearers would recollect that when fcir George Grey had come forward as Superintendent, he told them that if they stuck to him he would be able to do much, but if they left him to himself he could do nothing. (Cheers and cries of "We will stick to him.") Mr Staines went on to base his reasons for moving his resolution upon the unfairness which it was to a large portion of the population to pass such wholesale measures without allowing; them to have a voice in the matter. He approved heartily of the mode in which Sir George Grey had administered the Provincial system, and thought if others had] administered it as well, tbtey would not now be reduced to the strains they were in. (Cheers). Mr Staines alluded in forcible terms to the large influx of population which had lately been going on in the colony owing to the Government immigration system, and maintained that it was contrary to all princples of justice to decide upon such an importantchangeas that contemplated by the Government without giving them a chance of expressing their views in the general election. He concluded by moving his resolution, which was received with immense cheering.

Mr H. Bretfc seconded the resolution, and handed the Chairman the following telegram, which was read : " Nature of bill not understood. Debates will make all clear. No money for endowments. No legal power to abolish. Contest Parnell against all-comers. Read this to meeting. —Rkader Wood."

The reading of this telegram was accom paDied by bursts of cheering.

Mr Caleb Wood next addressed the meeting. He pointed out what he considered the defects in the Government measures, and passed a high compliment to Sir George Grey for his disinterestedness and desire for the good of the province. In him they had a man above most men, a man who had no private ends to serve, u.o timber leases to get. (Cheers and laughter.) In concluding, Mr Wood proposed that they signify to the Government their readiness to accept the license fees and other money which it seemed the Government had to spare, but let them know that they were not prepared to sell their birthright to get them. (Loud cheers.)

Mr W. Kirby said he had something bo say. He was of opinion that the passing of the measures was a question of sharps and flats. (Laughter). He thought that any one reading Sir George Grey's speech that morning and wishing for Centralised Government without considering the matter was not fit to be a citizen of New Zealrnd. (Cheers). It was a question that concerned them all, and they should have time to think it over. (Cheers.) Mr Dargaville after stating that it was his intention when he entered the room not to take part in the meeting, (cries of " gammon,") as he was prepared to contest the seat of Parnell with Mr. Reader Wood, and he did not care to attack his adversary in his absence. Since Mr. Hughes' motion had lapsed, he thought he would be showing the white feather if he did not come forward. He had prepared the following amendment: "That in the opinion of this meeting the provisions contained in the Abolition of Provinces Bill and the Local Government Bill now before Parliament are generally such as to merit the approval of these constituencies and it is highly desirable that both Bills should be passed into law during the present session." " That the chairman be be requested to communicate the above by telegram to the Hon. the Premier and to the member for Parnell." The reading of Mr. Dargaville's amendment was greeted with loud hisses. In response to these Mr. Dargaville quoted Shakespeare to the intensa. amusement of the audience. He then proceeded to comment upon the two great public measures of the session. At the outset he paid a high tribute to the talents of Sir George Grey, and the good he had done, and no doubt would still do in opposition. The . principal objection taken to the present Abolition scheme was the asserted illegality of the measure. He thought it was absurd that after Southland had been absorbed into Otago any outcry should be raised against absorbing any or all of the other provinces. Again even if the measures were illegal it would no doubt be easy to obtain from the Imperial Parliament a ratification of the Act. It had also been objected that the bills confirmed to the South their Land Fund. In the first place he maintained that the bills placed the General Assembly in the position of being able at any time to lay their hands upon the money. In proof of this he would instance the opinion of their own member, Mr. Reader Wood, given in his speech of last night, that he thought in this instance Mr. Reader Wood must have been carried away in spite of himself. If they looked at the ranks of the opposition, they would see that Macandrew, Eolleston,

and the sturdy beggar of Wellington « ■ M foremost in the ranks of the Op^osiiilß and why? because they consideredtb»tf" the measures were carried, the Land ]?£ would be public property. They r«?7recollect that all the Land Fund hadß^ paid into the Consolidated Revenue a A then afterwards apportioned to its vari objects. He considered ihat if the I^S Fund was confirmed totheSouthagreatwrn^ would be inflicted on the colony &o^W^ He would also call their attention «£ jjjjf 6; that they had a large land reveuS jiw^ allysprineingup in the Province of >g ,y Bn j" and by the time the land fund c? Cante bury and Otago were exhausted theirs Wonto be just coining in. Nearly 4,000,000 acr« of land had been purchased in the Nortfc Island with this object. The questW" was whether the bills should be r^sed or not. The speaker here expl a j B <!2 his reasons for denouncing Provincialisnj ■; It had resulted in oppressive taxation. $g|f could show from history that unjust taxation had been the cause of nearly every revolution in history. He could go beyond the lgjj. century— (A voice—that's quite far enough V Tbe Rebellion in Wat Tyler's time, the Rebellion in the reign of Charles the Just the war of Independence in' America had allbeen brought about by unjust taxation, ft was nonsense to talk sentiment in these days; finance was at the bottom of every great question and its consideration must precede all other considerations. Jfo objected to the change being carried over till tbe next session, because if the Bnbjectof abolition was made an election cry it woulj result that their representatives would be elected as they supported Provincialism of not. This was not right. These men were elected for five years, arid they should hV elected for their general fitness not for their, predeliction for one particular measure. ThY speaker concluded by alludirjg to the benefits 1 which Parnell in particular would receive from the Bills in the increased grant to the Road Board.

oa Mr Wrigley, in secondng Mr Darpavill e y amendment, contrasted Mr Beader Wood's expression of opinion as contained in the telegram just read, and in his speech in that ball after the last session. He should support the bills beoause they provided that the land fund should for the first time he paid into the Central Fnnd. The obtaining of a pound out of consolidated revenue for each pound raised in the district was also a great thing. (A voice : Will it be paid ?) i Mr Wrigley : He would defy them to point out any act of the Assembly which had not been carried out.

Loud cries of the Capitation Act, the Capitation Act ! Mr Wripley said they mutt . recollect that the Capitation Act was pasaedj one session and altered the next. He had noticed . that the Provincial Council did nothing but tinker and talk over the Educa-/

tion Bill and the Highways Bill,

Mr Ehodes, ascending the platform, began , a speech in which the words "worms," " provincialism," " bloodsuckers," were audible, without any distinct connection between them. Two facts told by Mr. "Rhodes were intelligible, viz. : that Sir George Grey was born in Lisbon in 1812, belonged to the SOth Foot, and was Btill ' drawing the pay of an officer of '"that regiment; and that.he himself was born'at f Leeds, the fifth town in England, and wwj in favour of the abolition proposals; (Ironical cheers and laughter.)

[For Conclusion of Meeting see 4th Page ]