THE ABOLITION BILL.

Evening Star, Issue 3909, 3 September 1875, Page 3

THE ABOLITION BILL.

On the House resuming at 7.30 p.m,. Major Atkinson said—-Sir : Before the order of the day is read for considering the report o£ the Committee of the who] p House on the appropriation clauses of this Bill, I desire, with the permission of the Hottse, to take the first opportunity which the Government have had of stating to the House tire oourse they intend to pursue with regard to the amendments which have been proposed by the bon. member for I art Chalmers. The Government have, from the first, invited hen. m embers opposite to* join with therein the ender yvov to render the Bill not only effective, but satisfactory to the people at large, and 1 desire, oi.t behalf of the Government, to th ink the hurt, member for Port Chadmers for the frank and xoady way in which be baa met that invitation, A.iyoue who reads the resolutions moved by the bon. gentleman must see; at a glance that hj e not only accepts the situation, but has determined to bring the weight of his great intiuei ice and ability to bear, with a view to rendering this Bill as perfect as possible. The CJovernmo: nt regret t hat they are unable to accept the pro; positions a vhich he has made; but if I underst and the principle contained in them, they are in entire .accord with the Bill now considering. We .shall, therefore, bo preps red to go a little farther than the hon. gentleman proposes upon, the samur road. The principle of the Govermner it Bill, with which the resolutions are in tint ire aouord, is that local revenue should be i acally appropriated and spent. Therefore, if the people will be more satisfied that that i s really the intention of the Government by having Boards m the different districts having community of interest, we shall be very glad to meet .them m that respect. We shall, therefore, be_ prepared to introduce a Bill dividing tibe various Provinces into large and suitable districts, m which Boards of Works elected by the people will be appointed. ; to which the balanc.* of the land fund will* be appropriated. With r «gard to education ala °> we have declared th’ a * We desire that the large reserves which hav.A been made in the vai i° us Provinces should bo st'cured for educations purposes in those Provinces. We shall/ther. e^or ®, be prepared to introduce a Bill t//’const! tu . te °. r coa ' firm the various Boards 0 f Educi v^on ™ several Provinces, JWld to convey " those Hoards, or rather t'o Vest in themv re* serves that now vest Ur the 'Supeiiute. udent for educational purposes. That is shortly way

in which the Government propose to meet tho resolution of the hon. member for Port Chalmers. We shall not, of course, accept them, hut we shall introduce measures to give effect to what I have now stated.