WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3592, 27 August 1874, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[By Electric Telegraph.] .[From our own Correspondent.) mi rr , August 25. j L House was crowded last night to bear the debate on Mr Fitaherbert’s motion, which he moved in a moderate speech, lasting half-an-hour. ° Mr Vogel spoke at length and with unusual PO*’ er - reminded hou. members that in 1871 tad 1872 he warned the House that Provincialism was not safe if they Were onposed to the Public Works policy, and must go to the wall. It had been suggested that the Provinces should be starved iuto submission This would have been eaiy, but he preferred to treat them generously, and to wait the time when the system was no longer l round advantageous to the country. The motives attributed to him were wholly without foundation. It had been alleged that the action of the Government had broken up a party. On the contrary, a powerful party was formed out of the majority which put the Ministry i u office. Only four friends had thought fit to leave them lately, and he hoped their separation would be only temporary. He alluded to Mr Hunter, who had bean offered a seat in the Cabinet; Mr Macandrow and Mr Reeves, whose sudden transition from friendliness to vicious, spiteful opposition was surprising; and Mr O Rorke, whose loss he regretted, but who he k- ew thought the principles of the Government resolutions right, though the time to bring it before the country bad not arrived. He was none the worse for being burnt in efllgy. The action of the Government was not understood in Auckland, so much had telegraphy and pen and ink assisted to mislead men’s minds. If the people of Auckland knew the right of the propositions, they could not fail to be delighted with the freedom from trammels „ kad weighed them down for years. What he proposed was complete localisation or the revenue for local purposes and education. He was neither prepared to take away the seat of Government from the North, nor the land revenue from the South. So long as Otago and Canterbury carried on a ministration with advantage, it would be carried on j but he warned them that Superintendency would be on its trial, for no new form of Government would be proposed. The departmental management substituted for Provincial institutions would be' enlarged and a more powerful form of local Government, with a upon which he coiil'd depend, and not of an eleemosynary character. He asked what necessity there was for a change ? Whether it would havebeeti better to have had a double struggle in 1870 was the question. Mr Fitzherbert would puli Ins hand m the fire rather than have given him his support. Mr Stafford gave his strongest support to the amendment. The “orbing to fear if he went to the country. They were not going to take the country by surprise, and the South ould soon be m the same position as the Horth. Mr Fitzherbert replied to Mr Stafox B P°^ e a* l eloquent In the Council last ni o ht, the Land Bill had a narrow escape. On clause 7, Mr Campbell moved as an amendment the following words ;—“No area exceeding 5,000 acres shall be set apart in any Hundred for the purpose of deferred payments, nor shall more than one block he so set apart in any Hundred" After considerable discussion the amendment was negatived by 14 against 12. Colonel brett, who intended to vote for the amendment was, looked out. The Bill then passed. , “ paSd. City ° f Duuedin Gasworks R.U ha* la the House of Representatives there wag debate on the Excise Duties drn« Messrs Glilies, Murray, and Maoaa. vlrL r . r S teßted agamst the CoUrsß th ® Go. ST ? n BB ad °P tia e- Mr Tolmie de. tended the Government. To oontinui distil, latiun was suicidal and absurd. By the ohange the Colony would gain more in one than the entire compensation. To distill L 12,000 worth of barley would eowt W9

•ountry L 30.000. The Colony loit 3s 61 on every gallon of distilled spirits, besides th< differential duty. Messrs Hunter and Mi 0. Wilson gave strong support to the Bi because it Was a p towards the destruction of protection. The Bill then passed. On going into Committee of Supply. Mr Murray and Mr fh teson tr ated the Horn-, to a couple of hours of u-e'ess talk. On the Immigration Estimates Mr Vo- e fcaid great care was now being taken in toSelection of immigrants Ls r ge numbers selected by the agents, who were paid so much per head, had lately been rejected. Personally he would give preference to nominated emigrants and to emigration of persons possessed of some means to enable them to settle on the land. Sir C. Wilson said that m Canterbury there was not the slightest prospect of the demand for labor being easilv satisfied. The whole of the estimates were passed without comment. On the Licensing Bill it was proposed to amend it, so that the clause only r< fers to bouses not previously licensed. The licenses should not be easy matters to obtain. Mr Gibbs said the clause as it stood would load to a large amount of slv grog-selling. Mr Vogel altered the clause to allow applications to be made in September and December of the present year for licenses not apph'e i for in time ; thereafter only at the June meeting. On the barmaid clause the Council’s amendment was disagreed with. Mr Vogel said the danse would be perfectly inoperative, and should bo struck out. 'I he Home also disagreed with the Council’s amendment that a person convicted of felling adulterated liquor should lose bis license for ever. August 27. The Council last night, by a majority of one, threw oat the Railway Bill. The decision will not affect the necessary works in the schedule, as the Government will meet them eut of unauthorised expenditure. In the House of Representatives, Mr in a personal speech, moved that the nomination of tenants of the Crown to seats in the Legislative Council is highly objectionable and incoftsisfcnt with the indeEendence of Parliament. The Speaker eing requested to rule whether the prerogative of the Crown could be qm-siio td pronounced the motion to be simply a piece of impertinence. Sir D. M'Lean hoped the. motion would be withdrawn, as it ought never to have been put on paper. Mr Murray, however, pressed it. The Speaker said he hoped the bon. member would withdraw it, and not bring ridicule on the House. Mr Murray said it was a great Constitutional question, and objected to being accused of jmpertinence, and to being exposed tq contempt. He would not withdraw it, if he stood alone at the division. He said he Jiad no intention of reflecting upon the Council, but that it was more his duty to the country. Sir Reid supported the motion as one which should commend itself to the House. It w>-s highly improper that the legislature should be interfered with by persons personally interested in the important platter before thejn. He hoped the motion Wfiuld bo pressed to a division, hoh'ing that the House was quite in order in expressing its opinion as to how he Government should exercise the right'to nominate. At one time he had thought the Council should be elect d. hut had since changed his mind. The existing system worked with a fair amount of success. Mr Fox suggested meeting the motion by a direct negative. There were other ways of attaining the object—either by .a vote of confidence in the Government, or by a Bill disqualifying certain members from holding seats in the Council. He thought a double Chamber was necessary, and so long as it existed, it was necessary for preserving amicable relation that it should be treated with respect, Mr Gi’lies agreed with what had fallen from Mr Re d. After considerable debate the motion was withdrawn. Mr Brown submitted a motion affirming the desirability of the Government complying with the petition of the Bine Bpur residents for a sludge channel. Mr Richardson said the Government was quite aware of the importance of the work, and would submit a scheme next session. Mr Brown pressed fbr power being given to go on with the work during the recess ; but Sir D. M'Leau and Mr Reynolds objected. Ultimately Mr Brown agreed to accept the assurance of Mr Richardson. The Council withdrew its amendments in the Incensing Bill. Barmaids’ hours are to stand at from eleven to eleven, as before In the Burial Ground Bill the right of cremation clause passed, Tbo division on the Railways Bill showed 18 against and 15 votes. Mr Richmond dirt not vote The effect is to drprive Otago of half-a-million she expected to get to make branch railways and other works authorised daring last session of the Provincial Council. MrMacandrewwill endeavor to passthrough the House to-dav a resolution pledging the House to indemnify the Government if they complete the sale. The Southern members will all proceed South on Saturday.