THE CONVENTION.

Evening Star, Issue 4275, 8 November 1876, Page 2

THE CONVENTION.

The Convention of "members of the House of Representatives and of the Provincial Council, Mayors of Municipalities, Chairmen of District Road Boards, and of local Education Committees," summoned by Mr Macandrew to attend as a Convention "to confer as to the best meann of extricating the Province of Otago from the evil results involved in the Abolition of Provinces Act," commenced in the Provincial Council Hall at noon to-day. Besides those who intended taking part in the Conference there were some sixty persons present. Mr Macandkkw, who, on entering the room, was received wits cheers, intermingled with signs of disapprobation from the back part of the hall, delivered the following address:—

Gentlemen,—As convener of this meeting it de- | volves upon me to sttate the reasons -which have influenced me in calling you together* and the objects which, m my opinion, ought to he attained thereby. I may Bay that until the term of office 1 conferred upon me by the people expires, which will be some few months hence, I hold myself to be de jure, the Superintendent of Otago, aad as such I now address you. I need scarcely say that, assuming the General Assembly to have the power—which many believe it has not—the Province of Otago, the foundations of which many of you in common with myself helped to lay, and which we have grow up into a goodly fabric, has been ruthlessly swept away by those who for years have fattened upon its revenues and been jealous of Ub progress. Its very nnme has been eias?d from the map of New Zealand. Its land revenue, which has always been recorded as th apple of its eye, and which we have been wont loudly to boast that no power on earth should deprive us of—our land revenue, by a roundabout process of political hocus-pocus calculated to blind and deceive the public mind, is ; one—gone as effectually as if it had been taken to Wellington direct. Our much-abused local Parliament, which with all its imperfections, conducted its business with economy and efficiency as contrasted with the General Assembly, has been by the latter debarred from meeting—notwithstanding the fact that each derives its existence from the same source, and that the one was a much more complete transcript of public opinion than the other. Gentlemen, a more arbitrary and revolutionary act:on on the part of a representative body has, I believe, never been perpetrated. It isonewhichl venture to think will yet recoil upon the Colonial Legislature in a way that was little anticipated.- (Applause.) In my opinion the Provincial Council had as much right to enact the abolition of the Colonial Parliament as had the latter to ennct the abolition of the former, and had the Colonial Government consented to refer the question to a judicial decision thei e is little dmibt but the Abolition of Provinces Act would have been found to be ultra vires. The majority at Wellington, however, have very wisely determined not to run the risk of such an ordeal. There caa be no doubt that while the extinguishment of of provincial sentiment will be most disastrous to the material interests of -New Zealand (it is like stopping the motive power which hitherto h:issent the Colony ahead), it will be more disastrous still as respects thosv higher qualities of selfreliance, wholesome rivalry, political training, and such like, which it is the part of genuine statesmanship to foster and encourage. Such are some of the circumstances which have led to this Convention of representative men. It has been said that this Convention is now too late, and that it should have bcon called together before the Parliamentary session commenced. As to this, I can only say that could it have been anticinatod that the newly-elected Parliament, to which Otago returned twenty-one members, nineteen of whom were pledged to vote for Financial Separation from the North Island— could it have been anticipated that this Parliament would have ignored and turned a deaf ear to the desires cf the people, I should have invited you to meet prior to the session. I do not, however, believe that had this been done it would have made the slightest difference, inasmuch as his Excellency's wno speak the sentiments of the majority in tho Assembly, have officially intimated to the Governor, in their reply to my telegram of 2ad October last, that oven were a plebisci'.um to r.iiow that the people of Otago are all of one mrad as to the form of local self-£avemmeut best adapted to their requirements, their wishes on the subject would notforamonientbe listened to a3 against the dictum of the people of Hawke's Bay, Tavauuki, and the smaller Provinces, which, altiiough in the aggregate iuferior to Otago in population and revenue, havo a prepouderance of voting power in the Gcueral Assembly. As it is, it is utterly futile to hope for justice at tho hands of New Zetilnnd Parliament, so long as Otao-o has anything to lose. When the life's blood is completely sucked out, then, aad not till then, will the horsc-li'eoh relinquish its hold. It might have becu expi-owd that our neighbors in Uanterbary, wbosc interests avo very much the same as ours, ' would have o-mbinod with us in our efforts to hold our own. UnforMinately, however, the dread of Oingo uiliug the roast in tho proposed Middle Island Legislature prevented this, and it is to be i lm& Oat this ilWottndbii feeling o! feUousty is'

likely to hinder harmonious action betw«m n « »,». by w fe*. Otago can secure the ?l£f, tr«s urc apti2! £° *,, Auckland, which! TlfJL*} owed to tt»«gTW«ini affairs Ind& deal with its own revenues* would, IVelteveT be one ° f a^^W*?? 8 toi*ti** in the Empire -8^ 19 Province wm B***T Abolition aU I?™ yw s-?„ ter y «>iaU Bum after sKJ?MrtS3 i 8 W tt ls btn «? g £*' 4p array of figures P™tet£°a *P •*?* 1 throughout the F.?o!i? oeby 'T? ] ? lIllls t? r of the Crown to prove this assertion. It is said that figures can be made to pw>ye anythißjj, and.oartainly wehave in the figures in question a striking example 6! this aphorism T am specially challenired to controvert these figures, Z 11 -* o ! \ ot fl^uresonly . bn * stating facts which must he patent to air who will take the trouble to inquire for themselves. The only savlne which can possibly result from Abolition, unless you are to dispense with Police, Gaols, Lunatic Asylum, Education, Survey Department, and other establishments wh-ch must be kept up under: auv system of government—is the expense of the Pro S& 1 Couiacil and Executive, amounting to some L 9.000 a year It is not pretended that any dopartment of the Provincial Government can be dispensed with other than the Legislative and ExeouVZV JL h ™ ° 9o a 7 ear - How . therefore, this L 9.000 can he conjured into LI.OOO is beyond my powers of comprehension. But, gentlemen, the Hon. the Minister of Customs, who has sown bis Financial Statement broadcast over the Province, omits to include in the balanoe-sheet the cost of the County Councils. He oaiits to include the enormous additional outlay involved in trans ferring the business hitherto transacted by the Provincial Council to that most expensive and unsatisfactory legislative machine at Wellington. ?Js£S inclnded all these in his balance-sheet the Ijlß,ooo a year, and much more, would be found on the wrong side of the ledger. There is much more, however, which has been omitted from the balancesheet. For example, he does not attempt to show us how the drain of L129.00e, which the Colonial Government has abstracted from Otago annually during the past eighteen years, is to cease under the political millennium on which we are-about to enter. See the return laid on the table of the House of Representatives, which shows that during eighteen years Otago has contributed to the Colonial revenue L 2.329.692 more than it has received in return.

The best oxposition that can be given of the fallacy of the figures with which the hon. gentlaman attempts to gild the Abolition pill is the fact, cmbodied in an official return from the officers of the Treasury, which shews that, during the past ten years, the Provincial Government of Otago has expended, almost entirely out of revenue, upon open, mg up the country and promoting settlement by means of public works, the Bum of L 1.593,68,, being attherateofLls9,36Ba year. This is a fact which can be verified by vouchers for the money actually expended, and which no array of figures can set aside. Thesis nothing to prevent the Province from continuing fhe same, aye, and a much greater expenditure, on similar objects for years to come, provided the management of its affairs were in *ts own hands and its resources leftatits own disposal. Gentlemen, what provision, I would ask, is there under the new order of things for the continuance °y™»« w °rks of a similar nature to those upon whieh the Province has been expending, chiefly out of revenue, at a rate of £159,368 a year? iTsuch works are m the future to be provided for at all, the provision must be made by the Counties, not out of revenue, of which they will have little or none, but out of rates to be subsidised nominally from what is termed the residue of the Land Fund, butpractically out of the proceeds of Treasury bills, which will ultimately have to be met by the Counties themselves, either by a land or income tax, or additional taxation of some kind. When the Counties come to be compelled to tax themselves for the re-erection of some of the expensive bridges which have been constructed by the Province they will begin to comprehend the real effect of Abolition. It will soon be found that the residue of the Land Fund, after deducting the liabilities which under the new order of things are imposed upon it as a first charge, is a delusion, and that it will barely suflice to find the Counties with writing materials. Even the present Colonial Treasurer himself, in one of his financial statements—and here it may be remarked, that financial statements have become somewhat kaleidoscopic of late—puts down the residue of the land fund available for distribution among the whole of the Otago Counties as •tt A 8 ' d —(Laughter)—a large sum truly to enable them to construct and maintain works upon which the Provincial Government has hitherto exponded at the rate of L 159.358 ayear. In fact, gentlemen, in as far as Otago is concerned, Abolition can only be characterised as a gigantic swiudle—(Applause) j I say as a gigantic swindle, having for its effect the absorption by the Colony of our local revenue, under the plea ostensibly of localising its expenditure, but in reality for the purpose of onabhng the Coloi y to oontinue to live beyond its means. In point of fact, the Colonial expenditure is now so greatly in excess of the Colonial revenue that nothing short of the Middle Island Land Fund can enable the Colony to carry on upon the same reckless state of extravagance into which for years past it has been gradually ptu-ig. ing deeper and deeper, and out of which I take leave to say that nothing could bo effectually extricate it as that Otago should separate itselfypaying, of course, its fair quota towards the liabilities of the past. One need only spend a short time in Wei. lington during the Parliamentary session to be fully convinced of the truth of what I am stating. I am persuaded that the whole system of Government into which the Colony has been allowed to drift is on a scale far beyond the means, and beyond the necessary requirements of the handful of people who occupy New Zealand. It is not so much a change of men that is required in the Government of the Colony as a radical change of system. lam further convinced that under the new order of things, with an absolute centralism reitming supreme at Wellington, the whole of our public reserves—our education, harbor, and other endowments—will at no distant date be appropriated by uhe Colony. This, in my opinion, is a simple question of time. They wiU ali be needed to meet the requirements and exigencies of Colonial finance. You may rely upon it that the same power which has set at nought and ridden rough-shod over the deliberate wishes of the people of Otago—which has deprived them of their land and railway revenue—which has despoiled them of those fondly-cherished political privileges which many of them prize so highly—l say you may depend upon it that this power will not hesitate when the occasion arises to affirm and enac*-. that the whele of those endowments are the property of the Colony, and must be shared by nil alike. We need not go far tov evidence of the total disregard of good fanh towards the Provinces which has characterised the Government at Welliusjton I shall not, however, weary you by enumerating the cases in point.

I repeat that to my mind the only panacea for the great wrong which is being inflicted upon Otago is that it should be proclaimed an independent Colony with a supreme legislature of its own, and the absolute eoutrol over its own revenues. It is evident that the different communities of New Zealand are at present unequally yoked together, and that the time has not come when tbe two islands can be satisfactorily governed from ©ne centre.

It cannot be disputed that Otago is in an infinitely better position to stand alone than was New Zealand when self-government was conferred upon it, and it is in many respects in a better position than was any of the Australian Colonies which separated from New South Wales at the time of their separation. ■

Last year the revenue of this Province was a million and fifty-eight or fifty-nine thousand, I think. The annual revenue of 'most of the Colonial dependencies of the British Empire in 1871 waß as follows:

Contrast with this the.revenue of Otago, Provincial an 1 Colonial, for the pnsfc year, which amounted to one rc.illion sterling, a revenue which will go on increasiTig, and out of wbieh we could defray our proportion of the past liabilities of New Zealand, and carry on those public works which, under the new'order of things, if carried on at all, imut be provided for, not nut of revenue r.s hitherto, l.ut by means of additional and spec al taxation. We Bhould he enabled to construct railways, not only to Tapanui, but to dvery, other important district in the Province, and this out of our own revenue, and without bending the l;nec as humble supplicants to tho representatives of liawko'a Bay, Taranaki, and

bare our own Parliament, and oar representatives woaid be spared all th« dangers, discomforts and incdhveniences of a 6ea voyage to Wellington—a scat in Parliament would be within the reach of residents in every part of the Proviuco, and would not involve their being expatriated 4rom ZQ&ir families and their homes for six monthsih tbfti&r 6r more, as must be the case under the now lyjjwiM. I confess that for one I am not prepared to* make suoh a sacrifice, and I doubt if there arajjaany otLers among our present ire prepared to do so.

Gentlemen,—We can scarcely realise to ourselves the advantages which would result from Otagr being created into an independent Colony. It would vastly enhance the value of property all over the Province. It would impart fresh life and vigor into the whole community. It would enable us to ■ ™ake all ourshippimj porns free ports, thereby j in everydireotios. I have no Provincialism as it has been of late years—my aim* are far higher than this, flinch as has been done under the Provincial system, and admirably adapted (if it had fair play) as that system was to ; the tb! New under the action of a jealous, over-riding, and intermeddling Centralism, it has for years been placed a *»ls«.poaaioß, andhad become-well nigh effete. Wemight compare it to a man Who is expected to j run a race with his legs tied together; and the-* wonder is that under, such circumstances it has' beenabletodoso much as "it has done. What! have contended for has l?een the Provincialism of the Constitution Act; but seeing that we cannot have that, the best thing by •far for us is to become a separate Colony, with power to govern itself,: aud to work out its own destiny in its own wayJ untrammelled by. the millstone whioh a vicious system of eentralism has yoked about its neclr. IknoW it will be said that all this is Utopian and impossible, just as was said in the ease of Victoria Bn<i Queensland separating from New South Wales, and as was said with regard to steaming the Atlantic, and many other things whieh have added greatly to the' sum of human happiness. Gentlemen, I know well that the New Zealand Parliament, as at present constituted, will never consent to let us go until the orange is sucked dry, when probably it would not be worth laving;; but.l am conviuced at the same time that Separation is net impossible if the people will it. lam convinced that if Gtago is determined upon it, and goes the right way and constitutionally about it, the Imperial Parliament will grant it. Such is the object, - which, in my opinion, rituht to be aimed at, and whish, I trust, will be attained by. this Convention. I: consider this the beginning of a great movement. Assuming that-you agree with me on this point, it will become a matter for very seriousand earnest deliberation as to the modus operandi te be pursued now. Whatever course of action may be decided upon as the best, one thing is clear, that to suqceed will involve thorough earnestness of purpose and considerable self-sacrifice, both of time and money; Wo shall have to contend against much apathy and indifference, as well as some opposition from within ourselves—indifference and opposition which I would fain hope may give way before selfinterest, and the unquestionable advantages which are involved in the attainment of the .object in view. I have retson to believe that the opposition on the part, of some to this proposal is an ill-founded nnd absurd idea that my object in making it is a desire for power and personal aggrandisement 5 the slightest reflection, however, may set at rest this fear. Should Otago succeed in becoming a separate Colony the Governor will have to be nominated by the British Crown, an honor whieh those who ! dread such a contingency may rest assured is not at ! all likely to come my way. -• Gentlemen, I can safely say that I have no object to serve in urging upon my fellow-citizens the course of action which I am now doing, other than to promote the interests and to secure the happi ness of the people of Otago—a Province whioh possesses within itself all the elements ef a great and powerful State. I have devoted the best part of a lifetime towards this end, and have been, for my pains, about the best-abused man in New Zealand. It is to me a matter of the utmost satisfaction that there are men in this Convention of far more ability and political sagacity than I can pretend to—men to whom I sham be delighted to gave way. I feel that if the Province is true to itself there is a great struggle before us, and also a great future, which is well worth struggling for. It is gratifying to me to know that we shall not be alone in this contest, And that we shall have the sympathy and co-operation of the people of Auckland at least, who, I rejoice to think, are determined to shake thems Ives clear of that extravagant and reckle-ss Centralism, which has steeped that great Province in poverty, just as it is doing in the case of Otago. Gentlemen, he who is not with us in this contest is against us, and if it wou d disarm the opposition of t-hose who take up that position on grounds personal to myself, I pledge my word that the day Otago hoists its own flag I shall retire into private life; for, after all, what is grandeur, what is power, but heavier toil—superior pain. I have received a considerable number of communications—l think upwards of sixtjyl hold in'my hand—from representative men throughout the Province who were invited to this Convention, bat are unable to attend. Those communications will be laid on the table. Many of them express the warmest sympathy with the object of the Convention, and a desire to co-operate in any action which may be determined upon. I have also a telegram from Dr Hodgkihaon, M.H.B. for Biverton, stating that he will not be able to reach Dunedin until 7 o'clock to-night. In conclusion, I would only express my most earnest hope that good may result from this meeting; that the people of Otago maybe led to see, eye to eye, as to what is best for their future.fand that all may go hand in hand in the great and noble work of building up a new nation with which we have been entrusted. After the applause had subsided, Mr Macanbrew said: Gentlemen, I would now suggest that you appoint a chairman. Mr Robin : I beg leave to propose that Mr Thomson, member for Clutha District in the General Assembly, be chairman of this 1 Convention. -

Mr Stout, M.H.R.: I beg to second that. ! The question that Mr Thomspn do take the chair was then put and. carried. Mr Thomson : Gentlemen, I, thank yon for the great honor you have conferred, on me in asking me to take the chair. lam sorry that it has not been convenient for Mr Gillies, Speaker to the Provincial Council, to take the chair on this occasion, because I am sure that Mr Gillies, from his great Pa*> liamentaiy experience, would have presided over this Convention in a most satisfactory manner. However, as you have asked me •to preside, I shall do my best, and I can assure you I shall endeavor to act fairly and impartially. It will be necessary for this Convention to appoint a gentleman to act &s secretary, and after you have appointed a secretary I propose leaving the chair for half-an-hour, when gentleman who are entitled to sit as members of the Convention will have the goodness' to' come forward to the secretary so that a roll may be prepared. It is necessary, as you are aware, that a roll of members of the Convention be obtained. I shall therefore sit down .till the meeting appoint a gentleman to act as secretary. Mr rose at that early point to make a statement. He came there out of courtesy to a requisition signed by the late Superintendent. He did not agree with that document. It stated that evil would result from the Abolition of Provinces—and this was assuming a fact not proven at present. Under the circumstances, he must withdraw from the meeting.—(Applause.) Mr Andekson gave his individual views of the Convention. Dr. Drysdale had spoken of sedition in what he (Mr Anderson) thought a very absurd and foolish way. He attended because the Road Board had chosen him to do so, because he was invited to attend, and because he chose to attend ; and bad he been a most ardent Abolitionist he would not be false to the Abolition pirty, and have let the Provincialists have it all their own way.

On Mr Stout's motion, Mr Barrowman, representative of South Dunedin, was appointed clerk. Those who attended the Convention were :

Members of the House of Representa-tives-Meßi-rs A. J. Burns, Roslyn; W. Wood, Mataura : T. W. Hislop, Waited; G. Lumsden, Invercargill; J. C. Brown, Tuapeka; R. Stout r Dunedin; W. J. M. Larnach, Dunedin; Henry Manders, Wakatip; James Macandrew, Dunedin; J. Seaton, Caversham; H. De Latour, Mount Ida; J. W. Thomson, Clutha; D. Reid, Taieri.

Members of Provincial Council:—Messrs D. Henderson, Clutha ; J. M'Neill, Clutha; A. Mollison, WaihoJa; T. Daniels, Riverton ; J. M'Kenzie, Waihemo; J. P. Armstrong,, Mount Ida; JH. Clark, Matauj J. Davie, Dunedin ; J. L. Gillies, Milton; J. Greeu, Blueskin; J. Mills, Waikouaiti; H. M'Dermid, Port Chalmers ;:E.M , Glashan, North Harbor; J. Wilson, Makerewa; G. Turnbull, Dunedin! \

School Committees:—Messrs'TJS. Fleming, Balclutha; H. Calder, Caversham ; j A: J C. Bogg, Kaikoiai; Duncan Cameron, pine HiE; Janitti Anderson, Mornington; W. D,

Morrison (p|k«, Flat, Williamson*! Kyeburna Brighton ; flames Robin, tua; W. T. Melville, Port Oalder, N. E. Valley; Alex. Stewart* JUgkClitt ; R. Raynbird, N. E. Harbor; B. VELen, Kensington; Alex Mitchell, Wangaloaj Waiwera» Geo. Warepa; J. Somerville,, Waitepeka; M.. Patterson, Kaibiku: R. S; MtorayY £hag Valleys Duncan M'Gregor, Anderson sßgyj Forest Hill; AndrewJVieteery Owake; Allan Flat ;-Wmr M'Kenne,—Fairfield ; 'Nicholas: Gdneys, B>rtdke|h>F#~ Allan Gilmbur, Green Island %> Wm. Brash; f Saddle Hill; Jai.Lnmsdeui Lower Mafcanra; ■ . JohnJßrace,Jßrigbtgn_;_Peter Cuiiningham, :?>■ Tokomaiiiro ■;•» BT Kitchen, Xdaizfir Membera; of Rc&d Boards. r-rMessra T.y HovbrthjV Walton,; John Mathieson* Peninj 5 •sula; Geo. Inglis, Mutau; AdamAndenon,£ Otejiop?; Miller, Mount' Stuarfcy "Isaac' ,Green/-N.K # VaUey; Rutherford, Cavershaui; Ja«. M^Kfty^Waii /' hola; Win. Christie; Clutha ; Thos.; BlacaW v lock, Clinton; J.' "A. Glover, TPalmerstonT' ' N. Y: A. Wales, Roslyn; Wt A.; Wilsonir Portobellb. **

Mayors of Municipalities C. '■ S. Reeves, Dunedin; Peter Mason, Balolutha 4 ? XP. Jones, St. Kilda; Thos. M'Wilnam, ,■ Wiuton; Robt. Ohurch, Maori Hill; John' Barrowman, South Dunedin;' «f; J.Eagerty, Green Island. ■■-■ :\'y '_ *

The .following, notices of motion, were given':—''/- -<.:•'■'-'.:■: .;;.-':. [.;,. ■;.-'. *«>;..-.

By Mr Db LAtrtouKr-J" That a pbmmittee -.: ■• to consist of be appointed to prepare an address to Her Majesty, praying that an in-! quiry be made into the conduct of n«r*e-f i presentative the Governor of New, Zealand?in allowing the feelings and wishes of thlaf majority of her loyal subjects in .New f ' Zealand to be misrepresented to, ner. Government in his and in supportiiigi' unduly with his to the detriment of the other. Such address ~ to humbly desire that if upon Buchdnquicy it shall appear that the impartial position) wMchßhorJd be"adhered tobyherirepre- . sentative has been in this case she will be pleased to order bis recall." r * • By Mr Flejiing against the will pf her people and represen-" tatives, has been deprived of a large amount of local self-government'and despoiled of her ' revenues by the recent legislation of the" Geaeral Assembly: Resolved—l. That ai. committee of three 'be appointed to draft *;' petition to Her Majesty, asking, that Otago . may be proclaimed a separate and indepen- ; dent Colony. 2. That the said committed consist of Mr Robin, Mr Stout, and ihe mover." ./',.'... •-;'" By Mr'SKATON—"That Mr Macanafew having the entire confidence of the people of., Otago,' it is desirable, in accordance with the;' provisions of the Abolition Act, that the. management of the JProvincial affairs the 31st of Becemoer next shoultl be en/ trusted to him; and that, therefore, this Convention requests Mr Macandrew, in the beat interests of Otago, notto refuse to watch over its affairs."

By Mr Rutherford—" Whereas consistent and contmuous misrepresentations have been made during the past two. years to the Imperial Government, sufficient to entirely: control the real feelings and wishes of a great part of the Colony: Resolved—That Sir George Grey and Mir Macandrew be requested to proceed to England to lay before Her Majesty the united prayer of the people of Auckland and Otago that they may pe allowed to retain the rights, liberties, and privileges originally bestowed upon them under the Constitution Act." By Mr MußK*Y~"This Convention flees no reason why outlying districts: desirousof being constituted into Counties - and en- : dowed with fuller powers of, Municipal Go-/ verament should not be so constituted and endowed, but is of opinion that the provisions and endowments of the Otigol ounty Ordinance, 1872, would be more satisfactory" to the residents of the -Prdvince for such purposes than the Counties Act now about, to be enforced throughout, the Colony." By Mr Attwood—•" That each and every member of this Convention be supplied with printed forms of petition, to be circulated for signature universally throughout the Province of Otago/' * By Mr Whereto the Province of Otago is not sufficiently represented in the General Assembly of New Zealand, and whereas the autohomy as a distinct Friovince guarding her own revenues has been destroyed and broken up without* the. v consent of her local legislature, it is agreed "that an Otago Convehtibtt be formed, and that the representatives riff* present 1 be, with their consent, enrolled 1 as members of the Convention. 2. Thatihe said Convention meet annually,'of at euch, other times as the President or Vice-Presi k dent and the Council shall determine. 8. That for the purposes of management there be a President, Vice-President, and Council of nine members. 4. That Mr Thomson be appointed President, and' Mr Clarke VicePresident." *,'■■■'.. The Convention then adjourned till seven o'clock this evening,. It was decided to sit tomorrow.-

Mr G. K. Turton, M.P.C*., forwarded 4he following reply to the Superintendent'r circular:— •••--•.

I am in receipt of yours of the 241h ult., request. rng me to attend a meeting- on the Bth just.'"to oonfer and determine as to the best means of extri< eating the Province of Otacro from the evil resolte involved in the Abolition of Provinoes Act." When it is borne in mind that the members of the present Parliament were elected according to tkerr views on the Abolition question, and that after a louff and exhaustive debate in the House on the Abolition Bill the latter was carried by a large majority, and eveatudlly became and now is law, I think that, as true colonists and loyal »übjeots, it is the duty of one and all of us in giving the bolition Act a fair trial, andwfc to excite the people to dissatistajtion and disloyalty. Under the circumstances, I must decline :o attend the meeting. : ■ ■ " ;:

At a meeting of the Roslyrt and Kaikorai School Committee last evening—Mr Parley in the chair—the following resolution by Mr Jackson' was carried: -"That this meeting Btrongly condemns the action of his Honor the Superintendent for requesting members of School Committees to' take part in matters political. We, therefore, decline) to send a delegate to the Convention as requested." ■■'- ■-_ Last evening the Council of St. Kilda met; the Mayor (Mr J. p. Jones), in the chair. "Councillor Houghton asked the Mayor if he had received an invitation by circular to atiend the Convention invited to meet by Mr Maeandrew. The Mayor raid that he had, and that he intended.tp to present. Councillor -iJoughton ,then moved a resolution that in the event «f the Mayor attending the Convention, he quested toeupportno(resolutionopposed fa> the laws of the I country. -The resolution found no seconder, and Councillor Arnold moved as tnatytjwMayor, if he atfeaudthe; private capacity, not W-irepr^^atij^jof: withdrew hiss that of Councillor Arnold. Oounbiifoj Halugan then moVBd aa an that

the Mayor attend the Convention to represent the interests of the nunicipality. 'J his Iras seconded by Ceuncillfcr Robin. As it was evident the result must depend on the oasting vete of the Mayor, Councillor Houghton (pointed out that should his Worship vote for the amendment it would be equivalent to" electing himself as representative in the Convention, and could carry no weight beyond his personal opinion in the Convention. The Mayor fave the casting vote in favor of Councillor [alligan'B amendment. A few accounts were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.

Colony. Beventte. 1871. Canada (Dominion) ... £4,028,200 Victoria ... ... ... 3,305,300 New Scmth Wales (1870) ... 2,49*1.200 Now Zealand ... ... 1,342,100 Ceylon... ... 1,121,700 Queensland 803,000 South Australia 778.100 Cape ... ... ... ... 744,800 Mauritius 617,000 Jamaica 434,400 British Guiana... 379,600 298,700 Straits Settlements Tasmania 269,700 Trinidad 264,400 Windward Isles ... ,'„ 2C9.200 Natal ... 176\500 Hon?Kong 176,000 Malta ... 170,900 West African Settlements ".. 167,700 Newfoundland... 165,800 Prince Edward's Isle ... 116,700 Le.ward Is'.os ... 109,900 Western Australia 97,600 Honduras 42.900 Dabamas ... .;. ■41,950 St. Helena -) Turks Island Labuan y ... ... 39,100 Heligoland 1 Falkland Isles J Gibraltar rs,2o6 Bermuda 35,000 £18,462,100