THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3910, 4 September 1875, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[Bt Telegraph ]

Wellington, September 4. .In the Legislative Council yes erday, on the motion of Dr M-mziua, a Select Committee wa-a-pointed to inq are into certain allegations which na l been made respecting m-mbrsof the Legit-1 itnro duiing the term of trie pies. ml Pailiament being interested in ceitain transactions with the Government, involving the pai - m«ut of money and granting ot p .-cuaiiiry ad vantage to snnh members.

Mr Bo w m (?) moved the a«e >nd r< a ling: of the Goldfields Act Amendment Bill, and said the object of the Bill was to provide just and equitable law regulations for the use of streams in goldfields. L 300,000 had been spent by the General Government in constructing water races, the whole of which, as well us many works constructed by private enterprise, would be perfectly useless and the whole mining interest be destroyed, if some such Act as this were not passed. Dr Pollen supported the second reading, but said the Government would taka exception to some of the clauses. Mr Holmes opposed the Bill, and moved that it be read in six months. Ur Menzies supported the BilL Mr Miller urged that the matter stand over till next session. The second reading was ultimately carried by a majority of five, Ihe debate on the second reading of the Otago Waste Lands Bill was resumed by Ur Pollen, who said he would endeavor to improve the Bill in Committee. Messrs Buckley and Waterhouse supported the Bill, Colonel Brett opposed it, Mr Hart would reserve the right of proposing amendments in Committee. After a reply to Dr Menzies, the Bill was read a second time, and the Council then adjourned. in the House of Representatives on Thursday evening, after Major Atkinson’s statement, Mr Stmit said it would be well for the Go. vernment to reconsider its position altogether, and bring in these Bills before peoceoding fur* then Mr Wood said it seemed the Government intended to abandon all the appropriation clauses. Major Atkinson: The Government abandons nothing at all.

Mr 'ffwA: Tb#Trsaiurar laid the Government would abandon nothing at all, yst they proposed bringing down a Bill which alte>s the whole thing. Sir George Crey, referring to statements previously made, denied that the legal question was merely technical, as alleged. He said he did not attach much value to the opinion of the .I® General. On the Government 'ide of the House not one single lawyer had ad* vanced an opinion in favor of legal ty, whereas many able awyeis on his side bad given an opinion against such legality. The duty of the General Assembly in the first instance was to uo to the Imperial > armament, and if the Assembly pursued the course proposed each Province bad a right to say—“ We came into this federation under a certain compact, and if you break that compact wo have a right to consider what our future shall be in every respect.’’ Each Province had a right to begin ab initiu. The original Constitution had been framed so as to appeal to the noblest sentiments of human nature ; but this Bill, and all the measures of the Government, appealed to iv.ll that was low and base of human nature. The hon. member for Timaru had said, “Let us be New Zealandeis,” but there wag not strength in the argument. The Canadas had it* Legislature, the Cape had if* Legislature, .*few Zetland hud its Legislature; yet all were proud to be called Britons. And so with New Zealand. If ihe people had their rights and privileges, they would be as true New Zealanders as they wou d he if deprived of those rights and privileges. It bad been said that <ha people would not love the privileges, but ■hey would ’lhe Bill was false on its front, for it on ht to be called not “a Bill to abolish the Provinces." but “a Bill to take away the representation of the people.” “Pro vincml istrict was submitted lor “Provinces,” mil “representation” was taken away. For “representative institutions’’ we re submitted “ a Government by nominees of the Governor.” Major Atkinson ; No. Sir t ieorge Gray : ho says “No?” Major Atkinson : I do.

.sic George Grey : I can only say you have not teacl tu.e Bid. Ihe measure was only caluuauo(l to create a governing class, which had been the tendency of all measures lately, as .night be seen by the enormous estates that had been given by the Gownunent to its supporters, he Government were mereh taking the oppnrr,unity offered of having a majority at their command. knowing they would never pass it if they went to the country. Major Atkinson: No.

Sir George Grey ; Then dissolve. He agreed that the burdens shnuM be cast upon property, Hut he had no faith in tta recent conversion of the Government to this doctrine, and bolisved u hai if they passed this Bill they would not attempt to lelit-ve the middle classes. That would cast a burden upon taxpayers that years of toil WoUid not cast off. He trusted every man who really loved bew Zealand would use every means the ru'es of the Assembly provided to prevent, If pns.-ible, this detestable measure passing into law. He intended to do 7*’» he trusted he would have many members a-tiMg with hi n.

Sir Donald M’Lean said it seemed the whole gist of ihe member’s argument was that ho wished to raise up a Republic iu the Colony, •vith the only difference that Provincial Governments should form a pa t of the machinery There was no attempt to take away ihe rights and privileges of the people, and as for the Hill appealing to the lowest motives of tlie people, the lion, member and his party must have been more guilty for having promised to mring in a Bill which would give the people more? Of the nine Provinces, there w> re only two which could do anything for the people. On his own admission, the Province over which he (the hou. member for Auckland City West) presided, was in a state of bankruptcy, and he could do nothing for the people; and where were the rights and privileges? It was not because they bad a majority in the House that the Government were desirous of passing the Bill. They had a majority all over the country, and the question of delay was entirely unnecessary, as the Bill bad been before he country for years—eter since 1858, and even for two years beiore that. The people had called out for it from all parts of the Colony. (“No/* “Yes,” and cheeie.) Tho assertion of class legislation was not warranted. Where had been the class legislation ? sir George Grey : Orders in Council. Sir Donald M'Lean: Orders in Council! Why, no one had been so fond of Orders in Council as the hon. gentleman himself. The per pie, in those days, had no rights and privileges, and were governed by a despot. That hon. gentleman continually got up and said the people were borne down by oppression; that the Government in all their acts acted illegally; but if the acts of the Government w.-re compared with the acts of the hon. gentleman in olden days, it would be seen that their acts were light and trifling to the despotism that hon. gentleman had been guilty of. The Government had determined the Bill should go on to its conclusion, feeling confident it should meet with the appr- ibatiou and the requirements of the people. Mr Carrington thought the whole effect of the change would bs to consolidate the Colony, ind a more ab'e change than that proposed could not take j lace. Mr Wi I arata expressed his intention to support the Bib, not because he was a member of the Government, but btcau-e Wunganui had uot received justice at the hands of the ."superintendent, and because Provincialism had failed in other directions.

Mr Montgomery would not argue as to whether "the Provinces should be abolished. Ke intended to reserve the right to vote against its third He would do nothing to protract business, but would endeavor, in ommittee, to make it as desirable a measure as any member who was its irdc-nt supporter. He believed lint the lojies held out as to finance were fallacious, i le referred to the Colonial Treasurer's speech with resi ect to the pub ic loan, in which he said the hororable gentleman was not speaking ’o the House but to the country. Ho proceeded to illustrate his argument by figures, and devoted some time to showing that tho expenditure would increase year by year and place the country in an embarrassing position. Mr Kelly did not agree with the member for \karoa that L 45,000 would not be realised from confiscated lan s in the Province of Auckland Juriug the financial year. A much larger sum might be expected. Air May supported the Bill. Mr i boms m moved an adjournmeat’at about mblnight. Yesterday afternoon, Sir George Grey moved, without leave, for i return of all lands purchased by Government from Turopeans during the last two years. He 'routed to know how these lands were to be applied. Return ordered.

Mr Stout asked under what authority Sir Julius Vogel entered into a contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company for the conveyance of emigrants to New Zealand. He thought, il he could make a contract by himself at Home, it was no use having the Cabinet.

Major Atkinson replied that Sir Julius Vogel entered into no contract. These contracts were always made by the Agent-General. Mr Stout then gave notice to ask whether ship-owners generally were given an opportunity to compete with the Now Zealand Company. The adjourned debate on tke Abolition Bill was resumed by Mr 'lhomson who prefaced his remarks by stating that it had been demonstrated last night that all the land funds of the Colony would be exhausted in two years. He hoped the Government would take care to appoint for Provincial districts men of ability ind integrity. The public works measure given notice of would not stand on all fours with the A bolition Bill. The only conclusion to be drawn from this discordant legislation was that the Government did not know their own minds : they had no guiding mind—no unity. 'I he lion, gentleman criticised at great length the Treasurer’s statement regarding > he results of the proposed system of local government, and arguing that his figures were entirely fallacious. The Civil Service was becoming an enormous drag upon the Colony, and Government would soon bo compelled to face the difficulty. Would any member credit that then- were 5,256 per so"s employed in the Civil Service ? It was alarming to think what tbi- army would swell to by additions from Provincial services when abolished. The position of tho General Go-

T«&xa«Bt might be likened to amaater who was too poor to keep his servant any longer, but, disliking to admit hia poverty, he sought to find some pretext for hia dismissal. The General Government could not afford to keep up Provincialism—(“ hear, hear,” from the Treasurer) —and wanted to abolish it. They outfit to have boldly, and said so.— (“ We did,” from the Treasurer.) Air ! ‘Glashan pointed out that a very large number of Civil servants referred to received very small salaries, and if these were not wanted, they would not have been on the hat.

Air Wood said he never heard anything so unfair or uncalled-for as the criticism of the Native Minister upon the speech of the member for Auckland City West, in attributing to him a desire to sever the Colony from the mother country. Not a single word in the bon. gentleman’s speech would bear that construction. Not a word in that direction had proceeded f.om hia side of the House—though he was sorry to say such ideas had proceeded from the member for Timaru, when he made out that the Legislature of New Zealand was superior to the Imperial Legislature. The Bill was not an Abolition Bill. The principle was affirmed last session, and the last resolution then passed was to the effect that, in the room of the abolished Provinces, there should be placed a cheap and effective system of local self-government. This Bill did not do that. From the Superintendent of Auckland down to the chimney-sweep, not a single one but would agree on the necessity for a change, but they were all unanimous in rejecting the machinery proposed. Why? Because the Government was interfering with what was dear to them the power to govern themselves ; and, although they were offered a bribe, poor as they were, they spurned it. The General Government was like that strange fish at the Brighton Aquarium that threw out its tentaculm in all directions and conveyed everything into its capacious maw; so the General Government conveyed everything to its great centralising maw—the stomach in which all local revenue disappeared for ever. What would be the effect of the Bill on Auckland? At the next election every member would come down to tl e Assembly pledged to vote for separation. The Government would abolish themselves. In his opinion the title of the Bill should be “ a Bill to abolish the General Assembly.” If, on passing this Bill, the Superintendents of Auckland, Otago, Wellington, and Canterbury had said to their Councils, “ the General Assembly has set itself up independent of English Parliament, and you can now set yourselves up independent of the General Assembly, and make yourselves supreme in your districts, what was to prevent their doing it ? If the General Government asked for their assistance in enforcing this measure they would not get it, but if the Superintendents asked the people in their Provinces to rally round them, they would be surrounded by the people most enthusiastically. The present system of finance p'cased unfairly upon Auckland. They were told about the Compact of 1856, but there was another compact equally important and just as binding which had been broken. There was a compact that Auckland was to receive live-eighths of Customs, anil that the expenditure of the Colony was not to exceed L 50,000 in any one year. The hon. gentleman then read an estimate of his of what Auckland could do as a separate Colony, which made out that the Colony of Auckland could, after defraying expenses of gaols, police, asylums, &c., have LIOO,OOO to spend upon public works annually. His speech was interrupted at 5,30 by the adjournment till 7.30.