COMMENTS ON THE SESSION.

Evening Star, Issue 3605, 11 September 1874, Page 3

COMMENTS ON THE SESSION.

MR ROLLESTON AT CHRISTCHURCH. [By Telegraph.] {From, our own Correspondent.) Christchurch, September 11 Mr Rolleston gave a lengthy address to his constituents last night, in which he dealt with the last and previous sessions Referring t© the Pacific Trade Bill, he said no doubt the connection of New Zealand with the Islands was of great importance to the future of the Colony. He felt strongly cn the matter, and would go to a great length to encourage it, believing that the Colony was so situated as to carry on an advan tageous trade with the Islands ; but in the pr. sent state of the Colony be would not lend himself to the scheme, because be did not think it a proper one for the Government to embark upon with its present undertakings incompletcd. He touched npon the personnel of the Government, admitting the Hon. Mr M‘Lean’s ability, but objected to the personal system of the administration of Native affairs ; nor does he believe that any one man is absolutely necessary to the Government Referring to railway matters, he said h° would be sorry to predict results similar to those which occurred in Canada, but there was every ground for looking gravely amund and using the utmost caution. The point about which Canterbury had great cause to be nervous was whether they were putting down railways st all, <r bat tramways. F>r him elf, he held strong opinions upon, and had done his best to prevent what he thought a crying wrong to Canterbury, namely, the forcing* upon it a chapge frrnn the first-claps system of rail ways it had initiated. H e believed the present sytem would noran-werthe expec‘at ; ons entertained. Speaking of irmnigrat o-i be said be found Mr Vogel, as the head of the department, prompt and business like, and satisfactory to work with ; and though opposed to his policy he (Mr Hol'esm) was himself prepared to work cordially with him and do his best to make i's administration a success in Canterbury Coming to the Provincial questl n he said the change Mas inopponuue, because ihi '-.sserably had shown itself incapable of dealing generally with a large range of subjects affecting localities The General Government, as inspectors, had not done their duty in seeing that such institutions as gaols, hospitals Ac., were pro perly carried out The inaccuracy of turveys was traceable to insufficient care being taken in issuing Crown grants. Neither Mr Vogt] nor the Rouse could see the result of the sudden abolition of the Provinc s, even over a portion of the Colony, and he warned fhe Middle Island particularly to demand increased representation. It was absolutely impossible to ca»ry out partial abolition ; it must be either all or none. When a desire for change has been mo t unmistakeably expressed he would accept it; bat at present he did not see his way, and was waiting, as he hoped the people were waiting, to see the detais of the scheme. Powerful Otago and Canterbury would not suffer any scheme to be adopted which would tend to do them wrong in respect to the rest of the Colony. Ho trusted the people of those Provinces would look to it at the next election to return men who would express themselves clearly as to what they intended to do with regard to the proposed obanges Referring to the debates in the House, be asked where were the substantial revenues referred to by Mr Vogel to come from ? He was at a loss to know. On what principle was Mr Vogel going to frame the Billagiving these revenues and localising the land revenues ? In conclusion, Mr Rolleston said he hoped the people generally would show that they respected existing institutions, and would demand to be consulted before any great change was made. ersonally he did not think a man holding hia position should blindly oppose any particular form of the Constitution afiei the people had unmistakeably dec'ared for a change. When so declared it was his duty to do the best he could to guide that change for the best interests of the people.