GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3581, 14 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Tklruraph,] Mr CWV Wellington, August 13. Mr Shepherd tried to introduces amonil menu into the Goldfields Act No 2 nrovid" the Act of 18bb and other Acts should be prejudiced. Negatived by 19 to 16 1™ Prß- - VVe.tiandWa.te Land. Act AnEEn* Bill, Immigration and Works Loan Bill. * Mr Fitzherbert moved that the amount of u u e ra ! B ± on “hort-dated. debentures should be L 1,000,000 ; otherwise the Tree* surer would be unable to raise the whele amount at short-dated debentures speedily, when he could not do so at a long date,— ihe Premier pointed out the economical advantage which the Colony would derive by entrusting the Government with discretionary power.—Mr Keeves saw a very dangerous power in the clause as it stool in offering opportunities for recklessness.-The Piemier detailed the advantages to be derived by dealing with large sums as compared with small ones. He was quite willmg to be guided by the wishes of the House, bub not of two or three members.—Mr Rolleston asked what had been paid for negotwtmg the loans at Home. The Premier said that, for the L 120.000 negotiated by Mr Julian, who was not a Government servant 81.000. After he (Mr Vogel) left England Dr Eeathcrston and Mr Seargent acted for him, but they received nothing. Mr T. B. Gillies would not oppose the clause m the slightest way if he thought he was crippling the Treasurer in any legitimate operation He hoped he would do himself justice by not taking powers which might be abused by some other person.—Mr Outhbertson pointed out that l£st year the House granted, without any opposition, the power to issue short-dated debenture n7n non loaa8 > together amounting to LI70.000; and he left it to the House, if there was so much disparity between that sum and the L 4,000,000 now asked a \ to call , the former a small sum. If the hon member for Auckland City West could show him how money could be’ohtamed as advantageously on mortgage or long-dated debentures as at short om», than he would go with him. Mr Johnston said the clause simply meant that the Treasurer was enabled to raise the whole L4,000,b00 without going to the Stock Exchange ; and considering the peculiar mode in which the ask loan was floated, he did not approve of the clause.—The Pramer gave *ll these insmuatmns a flat denial. He really thought, although the matter was not of much immjrtance, it was not fair to expect Government to allow their measures to be moulded by non. members who had lately gone into opposuion and who could go into the lobbies and say. We compelled the Government to modify according to our views.”—Mr Reeves reiterated that the Premier had made a pledge last night, which he undoubtedly broke now.—Mr Reader Wood supported the views of the Premier. The House agreed to the substance of the Bill, and yet endeavored to fetter the Government in the mode of raising that which was essentially necessary. Be never saw such.a feeble display of opposition. —Sir Cracroft Wilson said, if his car did not deceive hup, he failed to recollect any pledge made by the Premier.— u e -t) auae P ajßed without amendments, and the Bill then rapidly passed without amendments. In the Legislative Council, Dr Pollen moved the second reading of the Canterbury Water Supply Bill.—The metion was seconded by Colonel Brett. He felt sure the Canterbury people would esteem it the greatest boon ever granted by the Conn'oil.—Oaptaiu Fraser supported the motion. —Mr Lobinson ca’led attention to the arbitrary powers vested in the Superintendent oi Canterbury by the Bill He hoped they would be remedied ia committee. —Mr Buckley suggest! d that the measure should be inferred to a select committee, to remove the objectionable powers it contained.—The Bill was then read a second time. , The Select Committee of the Legislative Council on the Civil Service Act Amendment Bill reported as follows : “ That insomuch as the existing law relating to the Civil Service, was the result of labored investigation by a commission, it is not desirable to alter the law without a similar investigation; and that a commission be appointed to inquire, during the recess, into, and report upon, the working of the Civil Service Acts.”—Dr Pollen has given notice that he intends to move the adoption of the report. THE ABOLITION RESOLUTION. The Premier rose amid applause, and introduced the Abolition resolutions. He quid the action the Government was now taking had been caused by the debate on the Forest BUI. The figures which came out showed the enormous amount of expenditure which came, directly or indirectly, out of the Colonial purse. This made a great impression upon him. There was some doubt as to the sufficiency of the arrangements for the North Island for this year—also the following year. It had been for some time apparent to him that the Government was compelled to finanoenot only for itseif, but for many of the Province*. After considering the subject, he had arrived at the conclusion that there must be one Province or no Province at all for the North Island. He had long felt that some large change was necessary. Years ago he was a . very warm supporter of separation, but circumstances had since made that impossible. He was in favor of coalition, but be beheved, still, m large Provinces to enable the olrri'pr) t0 Bettled . ItS WOrkS nkn d Th« T ll a i la . rge *? d , T . h * G ® neral , Government would be obliged to undertake a large share of that ‘ w lt i f WuUld be in JPOMible to carry out these works amongst the jealousies of local legislation. It was made' dear that it wa* better at once for the Government to be its -* fi r Cler tha ? for so many Governments. He had become so thoroughly sick of this invidious position tbat be P re 7 rr l d that the whole question should be fought out, and a plain imderKSSn* T V t d . at • The member for Parndl, who had given the subject great 2t ratlOD ’ bad Pf°P°Bed to bring down resolutions on the subject, but the question was so large that it was better to make it a Ministerial one. It was only the moderation of the Government itself, not fear of onnol wtion, which induced them not to hrmn down a BUI. but a simple resolution. During the three years ending June 30, 1874. there was spent in this island, out of fund., L2, 387, 0M whaAhTwhLpS. «W. w« wa, impassible the Government etdd dlle*. £y ito'T ir 4 ?* Slonv hj! r f th ! > xa to>* of the the member tion ® f d the h V^ W T, goi ** g on » but toe relations the General Government with the Province now were entirely different. He would ' Mk them to look at the map of the North Is*

land, and are the amount of roads and works. The divisions of tbe island were not suited, politically or geographically, the only obj-ot being apparently to distribute political power among few persons. Be admitted more suitable men could not be got to carry out the affairs of the Provinces of the North Is land, bntlthey were ob’iged to confess that their efforts were fettered by tbe ive jealousies of each other ; but it was the financial relation of these Provinces which were the real ground of complaint. Year after year they had come down with device s for enabling them to earry out their func' ions constantly, to make their roads, and bear •wier charges ont of the consolidated revenue. Waa their ever to be an end of this ? He flatly denied having any designs upon the local land revenue, but it was high time the North Island should meet the expense of its public works, out of its land revenue, and get a system of finance adjusted. The hon. gentleman detailed at length the amount of various provincial services, and the amount to which the Government assisted them by the capitation allowance. This brought out the evil strongly. The total cost of the North Island services for last year was L 58.000, while the capitation paid by the Colony was LBB,ouo. The appropriations for the present year were 188,000. whilst we are proposing [to give capitation allowances for the year of L 93.000. Was it not the duty of the Government to insist upon certain duties being carried out, notwithstanding the powers or measures of the Provincial Government ? It occurred to him that the division of revenue should be as fo lows : Local revenue, goldfield revenue, land revenue, and revenue of the Colony. Land should be appropriated to pay interest upon the debt, for executing public works, such as harbors, and other revenue employed for local purposes. It was not intended to impound the revenue of any province. There was nothing ulterior or sinister concealed; they merely considered it advisable to assume the control ef those functions which should be properly performed. He meant by local government that when they altered the present system they would introduce a system of local control, and place it in the hands of the people. The Timaru system might be abundantly introduced, and the naturallydefined districts of the North Island seemed to fit it for that. There should also be one land law, instead of four. It was time one comprehensive land law should be brought down. In respect to dealing with existing Superintendents, he thought, in regard to one at least, his life-long services should entitle him to a pension for life. He did not consider any compensation was called for the Executives; other Superintendents should be paid to the end of their terms of office. With regard to the compact of 1856, any departure from that would be dishonest, and any arrangements to be made regarding the North Island must be in accordance with that compact. Owing to the feverish dread of Otago and Canterbury that their lands would some day be attacked, they were realising them as fast as possible. He thought that in Otago and Canterbury they did the work of Government well, and, if the people were satisfied with the way their local affairs were administered, they could see no menaces in these proposals. Why Should npt the children in Auckland be edugated as well as those in the South ? The North spent 8s lOd per head qn the education ef their children ; the South spent 16s. Zither one was extravagant, or the other Tgretchedly off. The gaol and other service ■ of one cost 10s Id per head, the other 19s fid. To the objection that the works were too much for the Government, he thought they could get on very well with a Resident Minister at A uckland, and a Govern m ent agent at Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki, without being more extravagant, though it would prove ngre efficient than the old plan. It would not be doubted that the gaol and lunatic asylums of the North Island were a disgrace to the Colony. Education was sadly behind. All these services were carried on by a succession of expedients. He looked upon the Provinces of Nelson and Westland as having a gopd future before them, on account of their mineral resources ; but the tfme had come to look thoroughly into the whole goldfields question. By making the North Island one Province, they would remove all Provincial prejudices, and ensure the efficiency of its service to carry on the public works policy without opposition, and the facility of adjusting finance. When the Government obtained cession of this Mand and nursed its land revenue, they would find they could carry out the functions and duties of government more effectually. Nature probably had never been more bountiful in gifts to any ether island than to the North Island, which eould support a larger population' than the Middle Island. He considered that the present proposals might have been properly brought down four years ago, when the whole island was asked to undertake the important works it did. On such great questions as these, the Government would not be satisfied solely with an expression of the House. (Hear.) He denied that he had changed his opinion, or that anything personal of an ambitious nature had induced him to take this step. It was solely upon public grounds that the Government volunteered to undertake so large and difficult a struggle, and which might lead to the severance of political allianpes which had lasted for years ; but the question he felt must, for the gopd of thp country, be faced boldly, and at once, (Applause.) Mr O’Rorke made a personal explanation. He wished to say that he had been no party, and could be nb;party, to the scheme. Had he voted for it, he would have deserved to to be called a base political traitor, and, although there were eminent political apostates, he was happy he could not initiate them. If the scheme was carried out it must result in a failure. He could not alter his political opinions in the twinkling of an eye, and would never have joined the Ministry if he thought his hon. colleague hadjiu his copious armory the dagger to stab the political life of Auckland. The resolution contained as much as it was possible to condense of all that was ofiensive to Auckland. He had no personal grounds of objection against bis colleague ; he had always been courteously treated. The Premier had entered on a voyage of which no man could see the end, (Leud applause by the Opposition). The (Premier said he owed tbe House an apology for a member of the Cabinet making such an exhibition of his colleague. He had never a single word intimated to himself or colleagues that he disapproved of the policy. It was quite a surprise. J * Mr Reeves moved the adjournment to Monday.