Counties Bill.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 412, 23 August 1876, Page 2

Counties Bill.

On Friday night Mr Curtis announoed hisintention of voting for the Bill, although itrequired a great deal of amendment. E&. thought larger powers ' should be given to Councils to induce the best men to take part' in them. . That might be done by giving Counoils charge not only of the main roads, but also of: the- gaols, lunatio asylums, and/ police, ,-. ■ Mr Rolleston said, be wmld vote against the bill. He believed the County maohinery., too cumberous and expensive, and did took.

think any local bodies would be able to borrow in the manner proposed; Mr Donald Reid said' he would vote for the * bill although he believed provincialism wus better ; but he would endeavor to- make the bill as useful as possible.. He advocated very large counties. Mr Montgomery agreed with Mr Reid. He thought that the bill in Committee might be' made workable, if not he- might vote against the third reading. Mr Wasou said he would also vote for the Dill, and Messrs De Latour, Hodgkinaon, and Burns, opposed it. Mr Gibbß supported. Mr Stout described it as vicious, and would give it his unqualified opposition. Sir Robert Douglas supported' the second reading, as he thought the Bill would do good to out-lying districts. Messrs liusk and Thomson opposed. A meeting of the Auokland Opposition members was held, when- it was resolved to adjourn until half-past two o'clock on Monday, when the whole of the Auckland members should be invited to attend. It is understood that the majority of Opposition members were determined not to countenance any further factious opposition to the Govern' ment, but are anxious to form a more moderate party, and to obtain whatever they can for their. Provinces. To-day", Rafter some preliminary business, Mr Mo'orejpke brought up the Report of the East Obast Election Committee. It was to the effect that the sitting member, Captain Real, was not duly elected, having been guilty of bribery and corruption, and that the petitioner, Captain Morris, was duly efaoted. also that the costs should be given against Captain Read, and that he shonld pay the petitioner a sum. of £150. in addition to his costs.

On the- motion of Mr Moorehouse, the Clerk of Writs was ordered to attend until tomorrow at three o'tlook to amend the return by substituting the name of Captain Morris for that of Captain Bead.

Mhe Native Minister stated that the Government) intended to- place a sum on the Estimates to eradicate Bcab on the East Goasfc by purchasing diseased' sheep from natives. The IS ative Minister here proceeded to make his annual statement as to native Eand purchases in the North Island. At a meeting of Auckland members last night, at which all were present, Sir George Grey made certain statements relative to his resolutions, which he regretted were not carried. The constitutional measures pro" posed by Government wonld impoverish the country and deprive the people of their rights. Ha said, "'these considerrtions have led me to the following conclusions : '1 hat the people of New Zealand and many of our constituents will not be' disposed at once and without further efforts to acquiesce in the arrangements made. This is also my view of the matter, consequently I ought to take no step which will be an admission on my part that I have given up the contest,, while I think my duty requires me to struggle to the last ; especially then I ought not to unite in common action with gentlemen who- 1 believe are wronging their fellow countrymen, since they are setting the gain of temporary pecuniary advantage for the Province of Auckland' at the oost of allowing to be imposed upon the people at large what in my judgement will secure poverty and the ultimate degradation of the great masß of the people of New Zea land. I say this in no spirit of discourtesy ; if I have said aught harsh I beg fully to apologise, but I must only act with those who think that full and complete liberty should be assured to the people of New Zealand in some such manner as our friends have proposed, that all may see that I have not given up hope and will not relax my exertions." Sir George Grey accompanied by Mr Dignan, then retired, followed by Messrs Tonks.

Mr Bowe then commenced to speak, and addressed his remarks principally to Mr Tole, whom he spoke of as " that young man," and termed him a baby, who- would be more at home eating pap than taking part in politics. Mr Rowe and Mr Brees then exchanged some verbal compliments, and something was even said about more forcible arguments, but friends interfered, and ultimately the meeting, broke up in rather a confused manner, without anything whatever being done* It is almost beyond- donbt that Sir Julius Yogel will be appointed Agent Qeneral.

(PBESS AQEKCY ) Land Purchase Operations. Stat£*Sat by Sir D. McLean. The following is a precis of the statement by Sir Donald McLean of Land Purchase operations during 1875 6. After referring to former difficulties the Government bad to oootend with ie acquiring Native land, consequent on superior advantages offered by capitalists and speculators he said, that during the past year the Government agents had not been less exposed to the same difficulty. North of Auckland, 443,856 acres had been acquired at a cost of £43,895, or 2s per aorfl. The surveyors report that the land will be adapted for settlement, and appeals have been made by natives to have those lands peopled with Europeansv Of the above purcbrse, 229,559 acres have been handed to the- Province of Auckland to be dealt with by the province under existing Land Laws. The Government donbt if. it is desirable to acquire more land after the present negotiations are completed. In the Ooromandel and Thames districts, some 119,000 aores were purchased, on which payments have been made of £16,000, ab the urgent request of the Superintendent, in the belief that the land was auriferous. The total area purchased in the Thames district was 145,441 acres, at a oost of £23,231. About 200.000 acres in the Upper Q hames and Piako- districts are under negotiation, but owing to difficulties- raised by certain natives of the Arawa tribe, land purchases have been discontinued. Bay of District :— ln Taupo District, about 100,000 acres have been purchased, at a cost of £14,258, or about 2s lOd per acre ; on the Eaßt Coast very few pnrchases are completed ; in Upper Wairoa, 146,000 acres' have been acquired, the late hostile Uriweras joining in the sale. Total purchases in Province of Auck' land since June 1875, 335,369 j total since 1872, amounts to 835,628, at a total cost of £103,000, or at an average price of 2a s£d per acre. No purchases have been made in Hawke's Bay during the past year. Total in Wellington province since 1875 amounts to 58,425 ncreß ; total purchases, 440,927 acres, at. a Coßt ol 2a 8J per acre. In Turanaki the

purchase? completed amount* to 82,381 acres, making a total for Taranaki of 252,886"acres' at a cost of about 2% 10£il per note. Large blocks are are now- undor negotiation. Total purchased completed m the North Island are 1,769,972 seres ; total uncompleted trans 1 actions are 2,695,869 aercs. (BBOM A SPECIAL CORBKdPONDENr) The defection of Donald Reid and others of the TJltra'Provincial Party, almost insures the ultimate passage of the Counties Bill and the other Abolition Measures. Even the Auckland phalanx feel the hopelessness of further opposition to the repeated expressions of opinion on the question of Abolition by the new Parliament, and, excepting Sir George Grey and a few> of his personal adherenls, everyone seems disposed to devote the remainder of the session to render the new County Bill adaptable to the requirements of their own district. Mr Macandrew epoke this afternoon agoinst the measure, prophesying from the temper of the House that the bill would pass into Committee, but would emerge so mutilated as to be unrecognisable by its framera, and that on the day of its becoming lair, the dismember ment of the Colony would begin. The House is discussing, the boundaries of the new Counties- to-night, and some time must elapse before the third reading.