MR LUCKIE, M.H.R., ON PROVINCIALISM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 307, 12 September 1874, Page 4

MR LUCKIE, M.H.R., ON PROVINCIALISM.

Mr L.ckie has^ddr eased the following letter to tbe Auckland Herald :— Slit, fib tf notice in the Herald of Fri^y, of ( jrepent speech to my constituents at Neljßon, there seems to be some misapprehension or oversight, wbifbf&rba.pa yoii will . permit me to put right. . You aak, •*• Can Mr Lnckie explain why, when in the House, he conlna^.d only ihe North Island p.o--vini ^(B6oulc*( 86oulc* be abolished, and nofy, wbtaiu^efiqn. his .constituent v he has come to the conolusion that all the provinces of _flffh Islands should be consolidated under; one Government ? " And you continue, -"Mr Lucsie may be quite rigbt;/but how was it he did not make koown Mb sentiments when speaking in the presence of the Premier ? " In your last question, probably from not having had time to examine Hansard, you assume an inaccurate proposition. It , is true, I, like many more, ditT _ot speak on the provincial resolutions; not the fabt is, I had given expression, not before the Premier only but in presence of the Hqn#£j to . cry decided opinions on the subject before it. was known that the Government would buDg~-d.wneucbresolu-tions, and while it was still believed that Mr Reader Wood bad abandoned all idea, of doing ao. How strong and decided ' those opinions were will be seen from the following extract from an ..unpremeditated speech I made in the House 00 the 4th of August on the subject of the Conservation of Forests Bil> f) and for. which I trust you will be able to afford me space. I was speaking apropos of the opposition of pro. vincial officers, members of tbe House, to the .Forests measure : — " lam surprise!- 1 tb find that amongst those Lonorable inei-bers who have spoken agalpst the, measure ere the Superintfenttenwbf nearly every province io Nq «** 2^«^l%^d } fjie Provincial Secretaries with scarcely au exception, acd other honorable members who are interested in the n preyervilioh of : provincial insSitutibnp,' and who support the pro-vir^C-AB^ the risk of damaging the cofonyT '" As a citizen of this colony, I sbopid . ihe converse will be the re^U fir^-Jo -not thiok the colony is to o^j f daoii.aged, hut there is no doubt that ' m many of the provinces great changes are' necessary with the respect to ,7 -lnei. "mflhaegeinent. Rather than tbu^the'' colony as a whole should suffer— tbe colony which is now es> gageft ih a vast and important work of valoable and lasting civilisation, and developing the wealth aod power we possess wit-in ourselvee - 1 say perish the provinces, but preserve the country ! The time has not yet come wben >|ij-|^rofincial"Byßtem shall end ; but;' it weTfidd such wretched finance, and so strange a system of audit as has existed itf.the Province of Wellington j suet 1 miserable, apd atterly incompetent finance as exists in Auckland ; if we fin_d.,. Taranaki, . which is by no means wealthy, and., neither large nor. impof(ta*»J^ ,progressing : by sucb slow deg&BS-; -liifc* we fiod.eontinual differences between the head of the Province ao_ _ls so- dalled responsible Executive, as in Nelsou ; jand if we find on such occasions ar-ihis that, those very gentlemen, th^.prpyincia. officials, are tbe strongest opponents to a measure which .has been alluded to. by all as one that, e^^— °^> woa^ c a sa(pt-.^j'j-^°r? to tbe country — the> i-o*-.er->tbat time, comes the better." NBr/Wtig rtiat' the only time that; I expressed similar opinion!.. I look, as do nine-teotbs^of the people, on the proposal to, abolish the Northern provinces r To ;. »<il7«ri^' :•} .,.' '■;'-.. « . . as a mere mswltnent— the first step only. The next may, aod probably will, come soon, perhaps simultaneously. ' That it must and will come, everyone believes. Tbe condition of Auckland finance, ani"! -fitd latbentable financial exhibitions »|d^ doring the last sitting of the AD-ilandY Provincial Council, form aalt>le warrant for tbe nature of my reference thereto ; add tbe full facts re^petti^g . bfV. management have yet to be didc-dseaL I have restricted my remarks to those portions of yours wb'_-^'ar 00 Wy action in the Assembly; andTapoiogising for trespassing on yoar space, I am, &c, D. M. Luckie, M.H.R; for Nelson City. Auckland, Septl 5, 1874.