GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Evening Star, Issue 3589, 24 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[By Telegraph.] Wellington, August 22. On the House resuming, A message was brought down from his Excellency the Governor, recommending the appropriation of LIS,OOO to the Province of Wellington, in connection with the Mauawatu and Rangitikei claim. Mr Vogel quoted the opinion of Sir Dillon Bell that the sun should not be given to the Province as a free grant, but be charged to the Province He reminded the House that a re commendation only, and not an award, had been made. The Government, guarding the interests of the Colo y, opposed the payment of the sum as a grant. They were willing to advance it as a loan. The money, if paidj should be expended in public works, under the Provincial Advance Bill. The Governmmt, in obedience to the wish of the House, had brought down a clause embrac’ng the amount, but they would not support it.— Messrs Brandon and Rolletson objected to referring the question again —Mr M acandrew sud the Govirnment should accept the decision of the House so long as Wellington remained a Province. Let the money, it due to it, be expended as the Province desired ; let it be thrown into the sea if it liked.—Mr Vogel would not consent to borrow the money for expenditure over which they had no control. Mr Fit/herbert said the House had decided that L 15,000 was due to the Province by the Government— (“ No, no !” and " Hear, hear ”) - and then down came the Treasurer in a vindictive spirit to say, “ You shall not have it.” Such a course would soon convert the Ministerial majority into a minority: He accepted, however, the clause,'as proposed by the Government, hard lines as it was for the Province ; but when the Premier stated that be would still resist the vote he thought the hon. gentleman was going too Pre mier gave a most unqualified denial that the -Speaker had admitted' ia his report, that the Colony owed Wellington L 15.000. That Was an utter misstatement. He denied any feeling of vindictiveness against Wellington or the hon. gentleman, and he made bold to say he did all that man could do to promote the prosperity of Wellington, and he insisted that he had done a very great deal indeed. He knew that. As long as the bon. member for the Hutt was persistentjin making statements regarding his vindictiveness to Weilington, he supposed he would have to put up with the odium, but he must do his duty ia the interest of the wh )le Colony, while utterly repudiating the charges made against him. He could say that he had experienced more trouble from the Superintendent and Provincial Secretary of Wellington than from apy other Province, and, had the Government fjhp power to remove the Superintendent oveftfoe aqdif; depute, they would have dope so, and hj« felt tlyat' thp Hquse Would have yiudicatpd such a epurse.—Mr Fitjjherbept asked the Hopse if the Speaker had nob given ftis opinion in fayor of Wellington. He would reiterate the charge that tbo Premier wag actuated by vindictiveness, and he would gay more—that in relation to the audit dispute which the Premi r referred to, he had acted most disgracefully, and in a way utterly unbecoming to any Premier. Nay, more than that, he had connived, colluded, and consnired wi* hj members of the Provincial Council, and had informed them that they need not have troubled themselves to disallow a certain Bill, for he would have done bo himself. Mr Fox defended the hon. gentleman at the head of the Government from the charges madejagainst him of persecution of Welling, ton. He could say that, during the four years he was in the Government, Wellington had no truer or more indefatigable and kaxiohs friepd Jjhau the Premier. The hon. member recapitulated tko shockingly bad pepunjary pf : WelUegtoa at pb# £i«He. The Province was absolutely Obliged to g'fjpred trusts placed In the hands of the Province. All jta (jificera were unpaid fop months, jj,n4 be enumerated the specific acts of assistance renders to the Province repeatedly. For the last few days they had had dinned into their ears, in the whining tone of the old mendicant, “Pity the sorrows of poor persecuted Wellington.” What was this persecution ? He defied the hon. gentleman to adduce a single instance. —The Premier explained the circumstance which had led the Superintendent, to accuse him of collusion with the members of the Provincial Council. —Mr Reid deprecated the nature of the discussion. He supported the views of the hon. member for the liutt, .He protested against the Province of Otago being placed in a false position by compelling its ebiiutiye to administer works which had uoif received' the sanction of the Provincial Council. This really’wds a pureaucrstie Governt^ejit. —Mr Pearce regretted‘ that the Premier and ttys Superintendent could not Speak peaceably to \eaph Qspr.—l>iyi«ion called fop, and the plauso rejected by’3l against 25. • ' J " In answer to Mr M'Gillivray, Mr Richardson said the Engineer-in-Chief would bo directed to report upon the requirements of the harbor at Riverton, Mr Shepherd moved that an annual re* turn he laid oh the table showing the qaan*

tity of land alienated from the Crown for the precei'mg year, ]>, should also show ihe total quantity of land alienated from the Crown since the foundation of tie Colony in the Provinces, and the amount received for the same—Mr Reynolds agreed to furnish as o implete a return as possible. The House adjourned at 11.40 p.m.