A VOICE FROM WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3872, 22 July 1875, Page 2

A VOICE FROM WELLINGTON.

To the Editor.

Slß,—The weather since my arrival hers has been dreary, wet, and occasionally very windy, so I have not gone about much to learn the gossip.

I may tell you this, however, that the increase in the revenue for the year is very favorable. _ In Customs and stamps alone there will be an increase over estimates of (to be within the mark) say L 130,000. This is good, considering that last session the Treasurer stretched the estimated income to the utmost.

There will not be much legislation on the part of the Government: a few measures useful as well as necessary will be brought up : A Bankruptcy Bill—simple and concise; a Registration of Electors Bill—the same as that withdrawn last session ; a Bill for the Re-dis-tribution of Peats—vfmch will increase the numberof members slightly, and, if taken on a population basis, Dunedin will be entitled to two additional members, and Oamaru to another. This Bill was demanded last session, but Mr Vogel did not see his way then to introduce it. I believe Mr Reynolds will have the charge of introducing these two Bills—a Bill for the Abolition of Provinces, and another giving local self-government in lieu thereof. This will bo the groat battle-field of the session, for the Provincialists, such as Sir George Grey and Mr Maoaudrew, will be desperate. The attempt to stave it off by asking for an appeal to the new constituencies Is altogether a sham, and only Micawber-like, hoping “ something may turn up.” The reign of Provincialism is over — requiescat in pact. It did good in its'day, but it has now become an excrescence of evil—a blight that, if not eradicated, may destroy *ll good government and leave us a legbey of petty governments, discontented and jealous of each other, and unable to push the Colony ahead. Anyone, not blinded, can surely see this. Take the action o T our own Provincial Government during the last year or two: but you know this as well as I do, as your views expressed in the Star show. I wish the people of Otago would only look into the question more attentively, and not be led by the ?u 8 * c one or w fi° desire to keep pewer in their hands as a divine right apparently. Ihe bugbear of the land revenue being in danger, as so lustily insisted on by designing —or rather I should say ignorant—men, will be seen when the Bill is before the public, to be a delusion. The land revenues of the Province will remain intact for the uses of the Province generally, as so frequently stated by the late Premier (Mr Vogel)—although I believe, as a Province, we shall not be ultimately so well off as the North Island Provinces, whose land revenues will yet be immense, as land is being largely acquired of the Natives. 1 do not remember anything else very particular to communicate, except it may be, as I have heard hinted, that the gigantic railway proposals of the Executive will not be listened

to, tat that the branch railway* proposed to he made by private enterprise will be acceded tee I purpose bringing up several motions for retnrns in respect to the doings of the Executive and Waste Lund Board, with tie view of ask* ing for a select committee of the House to inquire into the working and administration of our land laws. It is high time that this should be looked into. We cannet afford, on the one hand, to keep settlement on the lands back; but, on the other hand, we want justice to be done to ali, and not to be ruled by despotism. This land law should not be such a puzzling question. Give fair justice to the runholders, but let them clearly understand that they can* not and must not withhold land that should be occupied by yeomen and a thriving peasantry—as the poets call them, a “ nation’s pride. ” Edward M'Qlabhak. Wellington, July 19.