MR MACANDREW'S ADDRESS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF OTAGO.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 619, 13 June 1876, Page 3

MR MACANDREW'S ADDRESS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF OTAGO.

[By Telegraph J Dunedin, Jane 12. 11 Gentlemen,—The late Colonial Parliament having enacted that you shall not, as representatives of the people, assemble in yonr collective capacity, I am deprived of the privilege of again addressing you in Council assembled, and you debawed from -exercising those functions with which, by the people, you have been entrusted, and Which were conferred upon you by the conrtitution. I do not know that there is to be found a more reckless, uncalled for, and tyrannical proceeding in the history of representative institutions. My belief is that, in so far as Otago is concerned, if the popular voice were taken, it would be found to be all but unanimous in demanding that the Provincial Council shall again assemble, and that any ■question of constitutional chaDge should -be therein discussed and determined. While :i am far from saying that the Provincial 'Council is immaculate, or that i(s action in rthepast might not have been improved upon, H assert and maintain that it affords a much more complete reflex of the public mind of Otago than does the Colonial Parliament, and that as such it is the proper arena in which to decide all questions affecting the peace, order, and good government cf the province. I would say further, judging from a lengthened experience as a member of the Colonial Parliament, that in proportion to its numbers the Provincial Council of Otago possesses as much ability as does the Colonial House of Representatives, and that while the former is much more capable of dealing with subjects exclusively appertaining to the province, it is quite a 3 competent to deal with what may be termed colonial questions as is the Colonial Legislature. I venture to predict that should the abolition of provinces be effected, and all legislative and administrative power be centred in Wellington, it will be the prelude to years of departmental extravagance, political turmoil, and wellfounded local discontent, which cannot fail to exercise a most baneful influence upon the advancement of the colony in general and Otago in particular. Most assuredly New Zealand will yet have cause bitterly to rue the day that centralism rules supreme, and the different political entities of the colony shall have been destroyed de jure bat not de facto. From the heterogeneous elements of which the colonial legislature is made up, it is not impossible tnat the majority of votes may be found to accomplish the one, although they cannot possibly effect the other. The blind infatuation which leads colonial statesmen to presume that without rhyme or reason, and in spite of the declared wishes of the people to the contrary, they can suddenly blot out of existence the political entity of a province like this by means to some extent of setting one district against another, and bribing its different municipal bodies with their own money, is to my mind most lamentable, and augurs anything but well for the future. It exhibits a very poor opinion indeed as to the intelligence of the people and their capacity to realise what is best for their own interest. Why not have left well alone? is in all conscience being bled sufficiently by the colony, without being further drained of its land fund, educational endowment?, and railway revenues, all of which must as a matter of coarse become colonial property under the abolition regime. To say that it will be otherwise appears to me an insult to our common sense, and cannot possibly be believed but by the most prejudiced partisans and inexperienced politicians. One of the prominent provisions of the Abolition Bill, which he who runs may read, is that the £90,000 a year interest of the provincial debt which has heretofore been met chiefly out of Otago's share of the consolidated revenue, ib henceforth to be charged against the land fund. When to this is added the expenses of survey administration, compensation to leaseholders and payment of interest on unproductive railways in other provinces, it would be interesting to know how much will remain with which to fulfil those glittering promises of the Colonial Government ss to the permanent endowments to the provinces, which we may rest assured will prove as

evanescent aa all those of a similar nature which hare emanated from the same source. Gentlemen, although you cannot be convened to review potentially the action of the Executive, and to receire an account of its stewardship, I deem it right that you should be put in possession of all information as to the state of the affairs of the province during the past'financial year which you would have received if in session assembled. With this view, the various departmental reports will be forwarded you, and also the balance-sheet of the year ; likewise the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the six months ending the 30th September next. The following figures will no doubt be interesting as applying to twelve months preceding the 3lßt of March laßt. The revenue paid into the Provincial Treasury was £524,124, while the disbursements amounted to £656,640. The revenue derived from this province by the Colonial Treasury was £532,980. It will thus bo seen that the total public revenue of Otago, colonial and provincial, for the year amounted to £1,058,104. With such resources, why should the province be required to go to Wellington to be dry nursed 1 The number of deposits in the savings' banks for the year was 21,600; amount of cash deposits, £234,290; the births, 573 ; the marriages, 474 ; and the deaths, 585; the immigrants landed from the United Kingdom, 5132 ; the amount of gold received by escort for the year was 108,791 ounces ; of the public schools, supported by the Provincial Government, there are now in the province 162, with a t'aching stall of 313 ; the total number of scholars in attendance at the end of the year was 13,026. The amount expended on education for the year was £59,128, of which £25,023 was for school buildings, and £2534 on public libraries and athenaeums. The education report enters fully into these details, so it need not be enlarged upon here. The area of rural lands sold for cash for the year was 102,094 acres to 337 purchasers, and of town lands 116 acres to 76 purchasers. The area of rural land taken up on deferred payment was 19,707 acres by 126 individuals. The area of land surveyed for settlement during the year was 245,740 acres, oE which there were for immediate payment 1216 sections, covering 210,316 acres, for deferred payment 165 eections, covering 33,000 acres. Of town and suburban sections there were surveyed 1537, covering an area of 2124 acres. It will thus be seen that the Survey department has not been idle. There are at present about 130,000 acres in course of survey. The railway revenues for the year from over 202 miles, amounted to £105,000, the working expenses being j 866,600. In our case the working expenses cover a considerable expenditure incidental to the initiation of traffic—expenditure which it may be assumed will not be required when the lines are in complete working order. Reference is here made to the working and progress of several of the lines. With regard to the question of light branch railways, I may say that I take some credit myself for having been instrumental in promoting their adoption in this province, believing they will be found much cheaper than metalled roads. I cannot but regret that we are not in a position, as we ought to be, to extend them where practicable throughout every district in the province. But for the action of the Colonial Parliament, there would be nothing to prevent this. I observe that in some quarters there is a disposition to sneer at these lines as compared with the colonially constructed railways, forgetting apparently that the one can be made for onehalf or one'third the cost of the other. In framing the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the current six months, it will be seen the Government ielied to a large extent upon the receipts lrora the land sales. During your last two sessions there were authorised various important public works which were to be constructed out of land revenue or loan. The Colonial Parliament htving declined to sanction the latter, there remained ho option but to fall back upon the former. It is true that Parliament empowered the Colonial Treasurer to advance the province in respect of these works the sum of £60,000 'ont of the immigration and public works loan, the evident intention being that the sum would have to be repaid by the province oa the same terms, and within the same period, as the public worts loan- was to be repaid by the colony. Instead of this, however, the Colonial Government insisted upon the province repaying the amouut with interest in twenty-four monthly instalments, commencing upon the 30th Juue, 1875. Had the repayment of this £60,000 been extended over thirty years, as is the colonial loan, out of which it was advanced, there might have been some advantage to the province. As it is we might almost as well have been without it. It will no doubt be obvious that the land revenue is the only Bsur:e out of which provision can be made, not only for the completion of contracts already authorised by you, but for numerous other necessary works in all parts of the province. Under these circumstances, I need not say that the recent action of the Waste Lands Board has placed matters in an exceedingly awkward position, and has compelled the Executive Government to curtail operations in every direction. Practically, the whole policy of the country is controlled by an irresponsible Board, which can set at defiance the decisions of the representatives of the people. Such, I am persuaded, was never the intention of the Legislature when it altered the constitution of the Board, although it was pointed out by myself and others at the time as a possible result of that alteration. Gentlemen, I do not know that I need say more. I would only express aa earnest hope that in dealing with the question of constitutional changes, the new Parliament may bring to bear upon the subject a judicial spirit—that spirit of fairness, prudence, and grave responsibility, the absence of which was so conspicuous in the reckless action of the late Parliament. The Provincial Council, which means the people of Otago, has done much in the past, and although very much still requires to be done, yet under its enlightened sway this fair pro vince, which yesterday was but a wilderness, for most part inaccessible, has now scattered over it a prosperous and thriving population, thousands of comfortable homesteads abounding with peace and plenty, and is intersected with roads, bridges, schools, and other public institutions, which in many countries have been the growth of centuries. In fact, it exhibits the spectacle of a 1 nation born in a day.' Can it be that the institution under which all this has arisen—that system of local self government—which has accomplished so much—which in the heroic work of , colonisation has borne the heat and burden of the day—is to be suddenly swept away, not by the sovereign fiat of the people, but

by that of some mysterious power and influence at Wellington. In a country with representative institutions, a political revolution which not only does not emanate from the people, but is resented by them, is the greatest possible anomaly, and cannot but result in disaster. What would be thought of Congress were it to abolish the States of America without consulting the Beveral States, and they themselves dissenting ? Toe very idea is preposterous, and yet this is precisely what is sought to be done in the case of Otago. It is not necessary that I should enlarge on the political position of parties in New Zealand. As Superintendent of Otago, I have had a long correspondence with the Premier, and I forward to you copies of the various communications which have passed between us. In conclusion, permit me to say one word personal to myself. In adopting the political action to which, under a sense of public duty and regard for the interests of the province, I have been impelled, mercenary motives have been freely attributed to me by those who, it may be presumed, are themselves incapable of being actuated by any other or higher principles of action. All I would say is, that it only shows how weak is the cause which must needs have recourse to arguments so contemptible arguments which might be equally as well applied to the action of every public man, central or anti central. In common with those to whom I have be«n longest known, such a charge is regarded by me with disdain. —J. Macandrew, Superintendent of Otago."