THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 83, 18 June 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

ME BbjFO RE THE TAURAKGA \ ELECTORS,

Ok Thursday Evening, Jane 12, s public meeting, convened by poster, was held in Mr Chadwick's large store, formerly occupied by Messrs Harrison and Co., on the Biach Road. The meeting bad been called by Mr EL H. Lusk, who arrived from Auckland by the steamer Southern Cross. There was a very large attendance.

On the motion of Captain Nossis, seconded by M> Bodexp, Captain Sfeeet took the chair. The Chaibmak said the object of the meeting was to bear the views of Mr Lusk, who was one of the candidates for tho Superintendency. He wished to state that, by his taking the chair on that occasion, he was not to be considered as pledging him*«lf to support Mr Lusk. The duty of a chairman was to secure a fair hearing for the speakers, and it was for the electors themselves to deride who was the best man for the office. He hoped, on his own part, that the best man would g > in. With these few remarks he would introduce Mr Lusk to the meeting. Mr LtJSX said that the audience had already heard from the chairman what was the-object he had in meeting them that evening. That object would be best attained if he gave a brief idea of

the existing state of political mat!era in connexion with provincial institution#, - A sa candidate to fill the office of Superintendent, he might say that be had been a resident in the province of Auckland ever since the introduction of provincial institutions. It was in the year 1852 that provincial institutions were first established, and he believed be hud been in the province during every political occurrence of any importance since that time. jFor that reason he was in a posit ion to form some idea of the past working and future prospects of Provincial Governments, which, though not

altogether satisfactory, yet had been a very great benefit to New Zealand at large. He believed that no ether form of government could have gone so far to meet the necessities of our position as that form of government had done, in a colony which it was impossible to settle or govern from one common centre in the earlier stages of colonisationIt would not now be very many years before the communication between Auckland and Otago would be as rapid as was the ccmmuaioatioa with the Bay of Islands some years ago. The consequence of this would be that the state of things which rendered Provincial Governments a necessity in the early days of the colony would become, in some respects, matters of the past. There was another point to which he would like to draw their attention. When provincial institutions were introduced, it was intended that nearly ail matters of Government should be administered by the Superintendent in conjunction

with his Executive and Council that a very small part of the revenue should go to keep up a central form of government, and that the remainder should be spent by Provincial Governments in needful public works, such as the making of roads, bdrlgos, &c. Little by httle circumstances occurred which rendered a departure from this design necessary. The native w rs led to a very vast increase of the expenses of the country —to large loans and corresponding expenditure. Little by little it came about that the share of revenue coming to provinces, and to the province of Auckland, dwindled, to so very small an item that -it was hardly worth while at. present for the Provincial reasurer to take it int o account. If Provincial Governments were to continue, at least in Auckland, a very large part of the work and the power at present vested in the Central Government must he given back to the Govern-

meets which originally had them. He did not mean to go into the question as to which of these two systems was the best to retain. The power was at present in the hands of the General Assembly, and they must face the fact that Provincial Governments are not likely to continue very much longer. He did not mean to hind himself down to any particular period, or to say that they would end in on© or two years. He meant only to say that the period during which , Provincial Governments can reasonably be expected to be retained is not likely to be a very long one. There could not, however, be any greater mistake than to pronounce authoritatively on such a question. Were he, as one of the candidates had already done in a manifesto, to propose the abolition of provincial institutions absolutely, unconditionally, and apparently at once, such a proposal would savour very much of an electioneering cry. He bad already said that he could not see how the provincial system *x>uld very much longer be sustained, unless by a total change of policy unlikely to be pursued by the Assembly. The best plan would, therefore* be to provide that the winding up of provincial institutions should be wisely and carefully done. Were they to give up provincial institutions tomorrow, their Southern neighbour* would not do

so, Canterbury, Otago, and Wellington would not do so. They would stand by and would profit by being merely spectators of our headlong folly. At one time there were vast resources at the command of this province : until, by the wellknown and most suicidal compact of XBS6, we divested ourselves of the vast landed estate in the 'South Island which was bought with our cash. This insane arrangement it behoved them still, in any changes which might be made, to struggle to reverse, so as even now to secure what was left of that property. He believed that that property should go (subject to the making of necessary roads and bridges to give access to the lands sold) towards the payment of the national debt. The

people of Auckland had as much and as equitable an interest in that money as any province in the South. The proposition to give up provincial institutions was not such a simple one, nor should fche question ever be entertained except in connexion with the other : of how they were to rescue fche remnant of the surplus land revenue of fche South, and so relieve themselves and their Children of the heavy burden of the war debt. If lie bad the honour of being elected, it would be Lis endeavour not to lend himself to political of more than questionable morality, but

to proride for the exigencies of our p § tion by careful economy, and by endeavouring to bring together a large party, both in the North and South, to bring about the desired changes in our institutions—not by revolution, but by reformation, It was a mistake to suppose that Provincial Governments had no duties. The duties of the Provincial Gr>v#»rnn)©nt meant all the management of most nt the necessary departments of Government in this country. They included the car© of

gaols, of police, of Highwav Boards, and of ©very local institution whatever. Th© only things that did not come within their compass were the colieetion of revenue in its various forms of Post Cffice, Customs, &c., the Defence Force, and, he might add, that admirable department, the Native OSI-e. (Daughter ) A good deal might be said with regard to the manner in which even these duties had been performed. They had, indeed, undertaken the const ruction of railroads and the introduction of immigrants. Of the immigration, we, m Auckland, had seen but little, and that httie of very indifferent quality , and he believed it was intended to hand over the railways, as soon as completed, to bo managed by the various Provincial Governments. Under these circumstances it was very absurd to say that the Provincial Government had nothing to do, and that their sudden absence would not he noticed. With regard toa central authority, Road Boards required some centre outside of themselves to whom to

B Pply. He (Mr Lusk) might be told that that centre might Just as well be the Central Government as the Provincial. He was ready to admit that such might be the case. Still, that would involve the payment of an officer, call him what thev might, at a very large salary, with a of clerks not less numerous than the Superintendent now has. Such a change would increase the expenditure of the province and decrease the responsibilities of those who governed us, because ir would remove them from th© control of local election. What he wanted was to see things changed info something not worse, but better than they were at present. Bocal government by Road Boards worked well, but it needed a scheme which would unite the different Road Boaids by ’some central bond for purposes not so rigidly and narrowly local ; which would take something like eight or ten of these Road Boards, say by their chairmen, as an associated board of control, and set them to manage their own affairs, and then would be seen something like a local government, which might be better, because cheaper, than the present. This could not be done in a year, or in two, perhaps not fully even in four ; bub if only the Superintendent and his Council were to face the position, and set themselves to devise measures to meet the circumstances of the community as they now are, they would be able to set matters on a footing that wou'd ere loug remove the incubus of our cumbrous system of government. So far he had spoken of the past and present position of Provincial Governments. He was not an ultraProvincialist; nor was he what is ca'led an ull.raOentralist, because he would not be willing to

give up those inslitulioos they at present pos* messed into the hands of the Central Government without knowing what they were going to replace them with. He had no wish that any man should vote for him without being convinced of the correctness of his opinions 5 nor would he, on the other hand, do so simply because be expressed a particular set of opinions. But ha would ask them whether the opinions he had stated were not better calculated to serve the interests of the colony and this province than any rash scheme of at once doing away with or pulling down provincial institutions- He would not have it said that there was no work to be done by the Superintendent J here was a great amount of work to be done, and work that, if not well done.

they would have reason to regret it. So long as provincial institutions were to be in' existence, so was it advisable that they should be properly administered. There were some provinces in the South even now which were prepared to apply for power to borrow money. And there works for the execution of which, whether in the South or here, it would be Justifiable to borrow money. But if anything of this sort were to take place, and it was not unlikely that it would take place, a great deal of care would be necessary in the selection of a Superintendent. In that, and in the election of members of the Provincial Uouncil, |

it was moat important that great care should b© exercised—as much cow as at any former period. most important that the working of provincia. institutions, so long as they did work, should be a sound working. For this purpose he (Mr Lusk) was not prepared to sav that he was the best man ; but, to the best of his ability, he would be found m the future, as he bad been in the past, really desirous of the well-being of the province. He did not know that what he had saia with regard to provincial institutions would b© unlike what electors would hear from one, at least, of the other candidates. It might then be asked—-'What special right he had to come forward? What special right he had to ask the

constituency to support him P In answer to that he would eay that for four years he had taken an active part in their provincial politics. For three years he had been perhaps the most prominent ! member of the Executive* Tho consequence was that what h&d been done, whether good or evil, had largely to be laid at his door. He claimed the votes of electors on a prima facie claim, and not on grounds which he would not be able to sustain. H© was ready to He examined by any of the electors present with regard to what he had done and what he had not dose, and if so examined, he thought he would bo able to show that he had deserved the confidence of the electors of Tauranga. He would a 3 k whether they had not found that during the last three years their necessities had met with a

more veady response and consideration than ever !u or tr I l ea , r *) He would not ask whether they had received large sums of money, but he would ask whether they had not found a more prompt compliance with their reasonable demands than they had ever ddne before. He said this because one of the candidates had met th ® _ factors many times before. He asked them because the gentleman referred to would, m all probability, ask for their votes on the ground of former services. He (Mr Lusk) said that, as far as Tauranga was concerned, he was content also to refer to his former services. He could not promise them large sums of money

in the future, but would refer them to what had been done to meet the moat pressing wants of the district as evidence of his goodwill to serve them in the future. He could not promise sums of money, but he could promise prompt attention, so far as the means at disposal would*extend, to any requirement of their district, which promised to be of the most important in the colony. He believed that no other district more deserved the

attention of any Government. The progress which had been made, and it was not a little, bad been mode in the face of great difficulties and great discouragement. He trusted that soon the care and management of the lands in the district would be thrown into the hands of the Provincial Government ; and when this was done it would be his endeavour to promote by settlement the welfare of this particular district, which

be considered one of the most promising in the North Island. What the people of Tauranga had done was only an index of what they could do when the terrible incubus of locked-up lands which had overshadowed them so long should be removed. He considered that the progress of the province in these and other respects might have been much more If the Provincial and General Governments bad been upon terms of more cordial co-operation, and, if elected, it would be his aim to prevent any loss to the province on this account. The people of Tauranga were well represented by a newspaper which would speak their views, and would speak them boldly, when the time required. But the only thing that would make Tauranga truly prosperous was a larger

population than it had, and this population should, he thought, be secured even by giving tbt land away if necessary. If this were done ue did not doubt that Tauranga, and the inhabitants themselves, would soon become rich and prosperous. (Applause.) This was the policy which he would propose to follow in the future. This appeared to him the only want the district laboured under just now. He held that the only thing now wanting was a proper administration of the land and immigration departments. The

immigrants wanted were not only men who were willing to work, but men who were able to pav for the labour of others. He believed that could well be obtained by the efforts of any man who would make the most of what could be done by Provincial institutions. On the question of general policy he had little to say. The suppression of native rebellion was not a work within the scope of Provincial Governments, but yet bv the introduction ot immigrants and the encouragement sf settlement a great deal could be done to prevent such insurrections arising. Therefore the Provincial Government had a great duty to perform, not perhaps in buying native lands, but, certainly in administering them so as to promote and foster settlement. There was another point which he conceived might require some explanation at his hands : during the last session of the Council hs felt it bis duty to bring in an Act for Uie better education of the people of the province. That Act was drafted by himself. For that Act, except the rating clauses, he was responsible. He was aware that the action which he had taken might expose him to misrepresentation and oen» sure, but he thought that instead of concurs he was entitled to the credit which the measure deserved. He felt that the provision for the education of the province was a disgrace to the inhabitants—that large districts were nevoid of the means of even the most elementary education. ■^ n .^_ w hile this was true, he felt that tho Provin-

cial Council could no longer vote even the sums required for the support of the existing schools without interfering with the meet necessary provision for other brunches of the public service. He felt that it was the duty of the Government to provide a system whereby the people (even the poorest.) could educate their children, and, where compulsion was required, could be compelled to do Siu. If that view did not meet the wishes of electors of the district, he could readily believe that there was little in common between their views aad his own, and that he need count on but little support from them. He was not responsible for the rating clauses of that Act, however The Act drafted by him was to provide a rate bv valuation of property. (Hear, hear.) I hat clause was thrown out by a very large majority of the Council, because they said they did not believe

the clause would be workable, as the cost of valuation and collection would be so very great. When the question came on ogam an amendment was proposed by Dr Nicholson, and when he (Mr Lusk) went round the Council there were but eight out of thirty-six in favour of the original clause. Under the circumstances, he was obliged to give way. It seemed to be better for the I experiment to be tried, even while doing so with the conviction that it would have to be altered. He felt that it was bel ter to have a system of education, even with a faulty mode of rating, than to be without education at all. He was responsible for the clauses rendering education compulsory and secular. (Hear, hear.) He was not responsible for the clauses making the rates similar in the case of the rich and of the poor man. If, in this matter, the electors of Tauranga were of opinion that he bad not done wrong in rnore rigidly maintaining hia own opinion, if they could see that even with a fault which had crept in spite of hia strenuous endeavours, if they k® convinced that he had initiated a system which would do great things for the population of the country, by fitting the child of the poor man

aa well as the rich for the highest positions in the State, then he claimed credit for the part which he had taken. He had already told what his Idea was of the direction which reform and alteration should take in Provincial Governments. He could assure them of his fixed determination, economicallv, prudently, and honestly to administer the affairs ot the province if committed to him, and of doing all that could be done to promote immigration and the settlement of lands so long as he has anything to do with the Government of the country. He had occupied so large a place in the public eye as to have a right to ask for the countenance of the people in his present candidature if they were satisfied with his conduct in the past. He asked the electors for their support on the grounds of comparing his acts with those of his predecessor. They should look to the past of a man’s history, but not to the past alone, for they had to look also to the probable future of it, Tet them do this, and then honestly give their

y otes for the welfare of the province and the

colony. Whether they elected hitn or™ 0 dtd so on such grounds as these h! ' tae ? when the election was past, receive , Wr ’ uitl » hearty thanks as men who had whetlT? h - ,tn hia or not,believed they had done their dutv s?' Sti ' bn now be happy to answer any questions ufJ !° ald gentleman might put to him. 4 any Mr Lusk sat down amidst loud sonlam... MrC A KTHT ; Were you one of tSS tlo ' , men who pocketed the £lO as an Rantleat the Grammar School ? fes

Mr LrsK : There was some money Mb Cabtst : There is no mistake. I have th. authority m my pocket. 6 th ® Mk LtJSK : I never accepted 6d. The was very considerable for about a week aJ end of that period, the Board of Education t warded a cheque for £lO to each of the examhJ o** 0 ** In the case of Messrs Carleton and Davis it retained, m Captain Beale’s and mine it * returned, but it was not my plj£ to Tav wh?! fine fellow I was for refusing the money 7 (£nJ applause.) 1 could not say it was not to say to the others, “Don’t take that money .’M f 6 Ir L° J dutj to return “y own cheVue 1 Me Stewabt : On behalf of the inhabitan t would ask if the mode of enforcing payment’of the rate is not an infringement of the liberty of the subject, and a breach of Magna Charta wlLh ..du.grM.ful, I. it not on s f e „,

Me Lusk : The poll tax has always appeared to me a tax upon everyone of a certain age^uS L! S fh CaU?ed Ber i ,>US rebellioD m England, ft was then imposed on every person over fifUea years of age. He bad already explained that be never approved of the present mode of rating but a poll tax would press much more heavily. He believed, however, it was a very unfortunate approach to the principles of the poll lax, and for that reason he had already opposed it, and should continue to oppose it. It is rather a family than a poll tax and it is a presumption, at least in New Zealand, that in every family there are children. But a poll tax would press infinitely more heavily than it does. That part of the Act he disagreed with, that be had voted against, and d u 6 B r fP sreci . to endeavour to get altered. (Hear, hear.) Captaik Noebis had very great pleasure ia proposing a vote of confidence ia Mr Lusk. Mb Geokgb considered it rather prematura to pass a vote of confidence in one candidate without bearing the others.

Mb -Lusk, while much obliged to the proposer of the resolution, felt that it was rather premat“re- Captain Norris would propose a vote of thanks, it would be more in accordance with what ne (Mr Lusk) felt to be in accordance with the views he had expressed as to hearing all the caadidates.

The resolution was altered accordingly, seconded Captain Toybt, and carried unanimously, Ms Lusk briefly replied. He asked no man to pledge himself then, but be would thank any sector who should see bis way to repose confi* dence m him after hearing all the candidates and duly weighing the merits both of the men and the measures they advocated. After a complimentary vote to the Chairman, proposed by Mb Bodblu, the meeting terminated.