WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3905, 30 August 1875, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[By Telegraph.] (From our own Correspondent.)

Wellington, August 28. Major Atkinson, in his reply on the abolition question, said : I was very much struck by the member for Cavershiim's spe ch, because it dif fered from all th» other speech s by i >pposiTin members m that he apparently thinks no change necessary. He further argued that it was nor the duty of the Opposition to submit a policy to the country, and I fully agree with him if the Opposition’s functions are simply those of criticism ; but when a change is üb-olutely ne cessary—when the people have so declare I, the Opposition are not doing their duty if they consider the Government p 1 opoauls wrong unless they submit a counter proposal, which would enable them to get on the Treasury benches, and enable the country to get| what it really requires. The member for Cav\ rsh an told the Bouse that the Government would have a majority in Otago, Air Stout: j. did not say so. Major Atkinson : Accor ing to the member for Auckland (’ity West we shall -et nobody's support in Auckland ; according to the memoer for Avon, undoubtedly we shall not get a majority in Canterbury; and now, according to the member tor Caversham, we shall not get a majority in Otago. Where is the Government majority to come from ? Accoiding to t,he member ior Cavei-sham the Government’s support rs in Otago are not settlers but capitalists and loafers. I commend that statement to the people of the Colouy. Air .Stout ' I object to the hou. Treasurer putting words into my mouth. I never used the word “loafer.”

Major Atkinsonsaid he had so understood him* at all events his division of the classes of supporters and non-supporters of the Bill in Otago conveyed that meaning. There had been a great ileal of talk, particularly from the member for Auckland City West, about the liberties of the people protected by Provincial Governmeats, which this despotism of the General Government was About to do away with h© should like to know what liberties Provincial Governments protected. Could the strong Government of Otago protect a singleman in Utago in his personal liberty ; could they interfere in any way or be heard in that House in regard lo any law however arbitrary; could they in the smallest degree for practical purposes protect the people of ■ Otago; could they remove a single tax or burden that the Assembly laid on the people ? Should such statements about protecting the people’s liberties be seriously received by the House ? To his mind Provincial Governments were a serious obstacle to true liberty, for they interfered with the Assembly being brought face to face with the people. Referring to the financial part of the question he said various Opposition speakers had declared that the proposals of the Governmem were intended to cover a defi iency in the revenue. The member for Parnell, by grotesque figures, des red to show that in a most wonderful way, and the member for Auckland said it was easy to nuke a surplus with figures, yet urged that there was a glaring deficiency. Sir

BMt Mriou olttlMlZ S. Jf 1?* dotted whether thefewSbw u° f r „A City West ever read the Financial attached to it were all the taDlts Sir George Grey was bo often calling for. T 8 ciet ermined not to let the hon. member alone: anyone of his high standing should not make such statements, so calculated to injure the credit of the Colony, without being m a position to substantiate them. He would turn to the financed statement and eliminate all the figures representing new set vices for the year and instead of a surplus of 1,70,000 as shown by his statement, they would have a surplus of I,2ll.ooo—without providing 1.5? 1,000 for the Armed Constabulary, which for the fust time, was made a permanent charge upon the consolidated revenue.—(Cheers.) He called on the member for Auckland City West, as a statesman, true patriot, and man of honor, to come forward and substantiate bis statement or retract it. He would not leave the hon. gentleman alone, but would challenge him on every occasion to prove the truth of his statement or retract. (Cheers,) That hon. member said the accounts were so muddled up that he could not understand them, but the truth was he did not cire to understand them. Major Atkinson th -u compared the sum available in each Province for local public works under the existing system, and that preposed in the Gill, thus

Present Proposed system. system. Auckland deficit ... £21.38 f available £06.002 Taianaki available.. 2 888 do 2d,35L Wellington do 9v»,2‘i2 do 223.881 Hawke’s Bay do .... 14,035 do 19.004 kelson do 22.135 do 47,807 Marlborough do 712 do 12,711 Canterbury do 538.485 do 576,023 Westland do 2,785 do 34.443 Otago do 163,864 do 218,588 Ihe several Appropriation Acts of the Provinces furnish the figures and the totals above quoted in the first column are the balances of revenue after deducting appropriations of expenditure. The proposals of the Government leave 1.66,062 for appropriations for local public works in Auckland after piovidiuj for expenditure. and it is proposed to issue L’ 6,20 d iu Treasury Bills on account of the land fund for Auckland during the present year. In the case TV n™ ls °-n’ l i, ':' amil 7 Hills to.i.he extent of 1.7,000 will be issued, Marlborough will have an issue of L 4.400 Treasury Bills, and WestrVo a d°g ether there will be an issue or LoB,IOO Treasury Bids in anticipation of land levcnues. In conclusion, he desired to teil the House the intention of the Government, and ask the House to carry the measure throimh this seas on. - (Cheers ) He said: “ intend to press it steadily on, and will set asid all other business, so far as possible, till that is accomphshed. We mean to stand by the Bid—(Lm,d clieeis)-in so far as that iho whole of the j rovinces shall be abolished—- ( heers) we have no idea of submitting io T.T » por f lo . n of them being abolished. We shall be g ad to receive in committee suggestions which will make the Bill better one, but aie noo prepared to receive such suggestions as may be entered to modify it ho that when it comes out «.f committee we shall not know it. i member proposing an amendment of the latter kina will not receive the support of the government We trust that the members will, after the second reading, address themselves to making the Bill effective and useful. Any reasonable amendment we shall be glad to consider ou their merits. As I said before, we shall press the Bill forward and carry it at the earliest possible period, because we believe it is desired) by the House and the country.” -(Loud

The ‘Post’ considers Mr Stout’s the finest speech of the debate, and, referring to tho result ot the debate, sounds the following warning notes • “ With that decision we entirely agree, and can only express our surprise that so many votes were recorded in opposition to it. he division was but the conclusion of the proiogue to the great play-the beginning of the W‘ len the end will come and wb.it it 5?! 1 c,l \ Ka >\ attempt to force the Bill through this session must inevitab!y fad of success, if, indeed, it does not defeat its own object. The Government certainly present a bold and determined font—there could be no mistaking the 01 " Atkinson’s announcement ft 1 tlie pd) was lobe pushed cm day ! a V^ y -c t0 tlle exclusion of all other business, and that.ifnecessary, a more peremptory measure would be adopted. This means of course sitting f’f a , w . eek and ; dl night and every night. he Ujmosiuon arc sufficiently numerous to be quite able to maintain such a contest if pushed o it, and are quite determined enough to carry if forced into the position ” The ‘ Tribune ’ admits that Mr Stout’o speech was full of lire, and agrees with him on the land question. It also commends his outspokenness, but says lie allowed his better ]Ui gjnent to be warptd by prejudice when he sought to draw the least parallel between the small change proposed in the existing Constitutiou of this Colony and those frequent attempts at Constitution mailing which havo been the curse of Fiance. <

The Otago hard fight on Wednesday night resulted in Mr Merryn’s discomfiture * With the promise of large support he resisted the action of the Land Committee in excising clause 2 of his Bill, which sought to extend the area aoo hj , agricultural lease Horn 200 to 320 acres, but Messrs h'eid and Pyke stoutly opposed it, and on a division the clause was negatived. Mr Mervyn, losing his temper threw up the Bill, but it was ruled he mS proceed With the passage of the Bid as amended tin ough the H ouso. J iemg pressed by Mr Reid Mr Mervyn appealed for del -y, uiv'ing that if there had been a lull Homo he would have earned the clause a nwiion that the. chairman eave the emur was ncg.tived on the voices. .lr Mervyn attacked dr t eid for opposing necessary legislation which he should himself have brought in. Me ,-heph. I'd, in moving his amended Bill, re pollution of rivers, informed th- House that the present measure was framed by the bolicitor-Ceneral from his instruct ions. Allud- *''* V, the telegram-. 8. Nt to the Otago papers that the Bill was a o ffeent one, he denounced rim actio * of the senders, saying he was deter--1 ined to expose the mischievous, unprincipled opposition he always met with from certain members