ABOLITION BESOLUTIONS.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 8, 27 August 1874, Page 5

ABOLITION BESOLUTIONS.

.Tbe debate on the: abolition of the Northern Province's resolutions was brought to a close on Thursday night. The resolutions were carried oil the voices. The following is the division list :•— Ayes : , Andrew, Atkinson, Bluett, Bradsbfow, J. K Brown, Bryce, Buckland, Creighton, Cuthbertson, ! Fox, Gibbs, Jackson, KatenS, Kelly <2), Kenny, Luckie, M^Gillivrav, M'Glashan,. M*Lean,Mervyn,Muurb, O'Connor, O'Neil, j Ormand, Parker,, G.B.Reynolds, Richard- , eon, Richmond, Seymour^ Shephard, Stafr j ford, Steward, Studhdlme, Taiaroa, Tolrriie, Tribe, Yogel, Webb, Wilson. Wales. Noes H. Brown, Bunny; Curtis, Fitzherbert, T. B. Gillies; Hunter, Macandrew, May, Montgomery, Reeves, Reid, Rbileston, Sheehan;, Swanson, Williams, Williamson. Pairs— Ayee : Parata, C. Parker, T. L Shepherd; Ingles, Carrington. Noes: Takarrioana, 1 Murray < Gillies, Brandon, Thomson;

On Friday last Mr.l^Fitzherben gave notice, that on going "into, committee of supply he would move. "That this House having resolved that the Provincial form of Government in_ the 4 North Island be abolished, declares its opinion tbat organic change in the constitution involving the establishment of a central bureaucratic authority for the rights arid powers conferred on the people of the colony by . the Imperial Parliament ought not to be made without first testing tbe opinions of the people through their constituents ; and in lorder to give effect to the foregoing resoution a respectful address be presented to His Excellency praying him to dissolve the the present Parliament. "

This resolution was moved on Tuesday,when after a debate it was negatived by 45 against 19 votes. The resolution as amended by the Premier, as follows, then became the substantive motion : — " That all the words of the original motion commencing with the words ' organic change ' to the end of the resolution, be left out, and the following substituted :-rr*That the Provincial Governments of the North Island should as soon as possible be followed by an inexpensive, bnt mote thorough, form of local government under which these Islands should be divided into districts and sub-districts, endowed with substantial revenues, and the residents therein be enabled to" take larger and more direct shares in the management ef local affairs and the expenditure of the local revenue than at present.' " Mr. Swanson moved the addition of .the following words : — "And that a Bill, to give effect to these resolutions, be circulated at least two months before the meeting of Parliament." A division was called for, and the result was: For the amendment 21, against' 40. The motion was therefore carried. The Wellington correspondent of the •Daily Times' telegraphed as follows on Saturday:-— "A Government caucus meeting, held to-day at Mr. Vogel's, was attended by 44 members, and lasted a long time, but the result is indefinite. Tbe idea of a dissolution waa discussed, and found very little support. Tbeir proposal of a special session before Christmas was considered, but it was received unfavorably. Ultimately, those present gave a general pledge to oppose Mr. Fitzherberl's* resolution, and to support tbe Government on a I Bill for the abolition of the North Island Provinces next session. Mr. Stafford was present. A meeting of the Opposition held on Monday in tbe Provincial buildings was attended by 24 members, and four others were unavoidably absent. It was resolved to form a New Zealand Constitutional Association, and after that the meeting adjourned for a few days. The report of the Ward- Chapman Committee stated first, that after taking a considerable amount of evidence witb'the object of ascertaining the means through which it was alleged' the telegrams wtre communicated to the Otago Dailf Times, they were satisfied the Times "received the telegrams from Mr. James Macassey, but the manner in which they came into his possession had not been satisfactorily proved. 2nd. That the evidence was very , contradictory, and involves distinct charges of perjury against one br more persons. 3rd. The Committee suggested that a fuller investigation should be rhade, and recommended that their reports, together with an address, praying that a Royal Commission might be appointed to make a full invesiigation of all matters connected with , the enquiry, and if necessary an Act should ' be p*st>ed giving powers to the Committee to compel tbe production of all necessary evidence as far as the witnesses might be able to give it without cr'uni ating themselves. Ti e Committee was of opinion that irregularities bad been Committed in the telegraph and po9t office at Oatm'ru, hut that Messrs Clayton and Holdsworth had given their evidence in such a ready and straightforward mariner thai the Committee should overlook their past misconduct.