INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 317, 24 September 1874, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

nn '.: ,TIT G-AHAKiSTOww, Wednesday. babquet to Mr Sheehan last night, Mi 1 __teba_i in replying to the tout of his besjft_, spoke for nearly an Hour. Referring tonne opposition tittered to the Waste Lands Act by the Upper Honse, be said that tbat Honse had given evidence of a sound conservative spirit There was one question, ho^dres'.'bn! which they were always wrong. aa_lh Which they were so deeplc interested that" thsy were incapable of dealing with it fairly and justly, namely, the question of land. VBrf_bWy.i-en>bersof the Upper House owned very large landed estates, and reckoned their parties .by .hundreds of thonsinds of acres, afyf theten meu jealously scrutinised every rajjurajre whose, object was to enable men to agcjfdre Jand; easily, the Bill which was in^d-ced|W*B, when in their hands, similarly aijqated tyjthe young man, who, when going d<rjrn £5001 Jerusalem to Jericho fell into tbe m&M rWFW» ««np*W *TWch need oot be particularly referred to. Referring to the question cf an additional representative, he taidtl^'srl^ever the proposal was made to give -another J member to the North Island constituency, it was met by the cry that tbe balance of power was in danger! He found, hewevery that the Southern troldflelds members always came forward manfully and straightiqrjrsrdr/; ,V[Oo goldfields question and alteration present representation comes mainly irom Wellington and Taranaki Honse could no longer delay recognise right to additional representation. Though Native department viewed with alarm every advancing leave civilisation as hastening time when services nodODger required.] t _ CmusTCfIORCH, Wednesday, *_fr Regies addressed his constituents at Selwj n district last night He spoke for over two hour*, and gave a resume of his general conduct during the past two sessions. He said hie had -always awed as an independent n^nsbtr, and named several cases when he had opposed the Government as proof. He said he bad supported the public wo ks policy, au-tWODId Vgam, only be wished Mr Yogel bad confioed himself to carrying it ont before ititroducuig such i»rge constitutional changes Heijiia /nr O/Borke acted ib a highly ere Jit awe manner m resigning. The South Island •l^ald r*cjeiTp w '* n considerable doubt the orjgrad. statement of the Government to the <^^tjhat they intend to stand or fall hy tbeir support oi. the .Compact of 1856. lie (Mr Eeev^s) opposed the abolition resolution because he considered the time most inopportune airitaiu^kiqmi^ and because there was. 00 tei___aM_tn_, , t_e people for such thange. The Parliament elected would mainly carry

on public works aud immigration without reference to the large constitutional changes." It was aot for Parliament to carry out snch changes, because he thought the Parliament was not in a frame of mind or temper to fiurly, thoroughly, and honestly consider so l*rge a question, for it had shorn more energy in debating whether to add £50 to the members' honorarium than in the collective debates on the Financial and Public Works and Immigration Statements He also objected because it wss a most novel and unheard-of experiment to alter the constitution of one-half of the colony, while the other ha**f jwaaf leT| Undisturbed. One of the. 'effect, oil the abolition of the Northern Provinces would be that all their ordinances would cease to exist. Great difficulties would arise regarding, the. finance; in fact, it was impossible to overrate them for reasons which led to doiog away with tbe county form. The Government of Westland would show tbis. If the Northern Provinces were abolished the abolition of those in tbe South/Island wonld inevitably follow, when as a local sequence, the laud revenue would become the property of the colony, and tbe Assembly would ap- ] preprint© it as . they thought best. ; There beiog 78 members of the Assembly it would I be seen that Canterbury and Otago would bave very little power as affecting these appropriations. It bad been said tbat Provincial institutions Interfered with the prosecution of public works, but the Minister of Public Works, when questioned in the Uouse, did not say so, and he (Mr Reeves), when Resident Minister, received the greatest assistance from Provincial authorities. It had been said the Pioviuces interfered with immigration, but Mr Yogel, as Minister of Immigration, wisely denuded himself of his powers and put them on the Superintendents. It bad also been said the Provinces impeded the proper government of the natives. When he asked Mr M'Lean ia the House if he had not received very large assistance from Provincial Governments; by which much bloodshed and disaster had been avoided, Mr M'Lean caid hear, hear. The reason for the proposed change was entirely a financial one, but he (Mr neeveo) thought that if the Government had pluck to say the colony was engaged in large undertakings for borrowing large sums, and wanted larger security and a larger area of revenue to work upon, if they would do this instead of driving at land revenue in a variety of indirect ways, he believed the majority of tbe Hou? e would be ready to meet tbe requirements of the Government and make snch apportionment of land revenue as would meet their necessities, and the people would submit rather than to additional taxation. He was able to take a dispassionate view 'on any question and asserted that the proposed change was undesirable in every way. Mr Reeves was frequently cheered during his speech. A unanimous vote or confidence in him was passi d Thnrsdiy. Tbe Lyttelton Times tbis morning says that Mr. C, C. Bowen, 8.M., of Christchurch, has been offered a portfolio in the Cabinet and a teat in tbe Upper Houee. Tbe department offered to Mr. Bowen is that of Minister of Justice. New P-tsiouth, Wednesday. The Controller, Mr. FitzGerald, is now here, inspecting tbe books of the various Government departments. Land is changing bands at fair prices. Mr. Vavasour, of Wellington, has purchased Mr. William Bayley's property," at Taiaraim&fca, at £8 per acie. Mr, Drake of Wellington, has bought Mr. Dingle's farm, at Otahuhu, at £9 10s. per acre Some land in Devonstreet sold at £10 per foot ; in the centre of the town, £15 to £20 per loot is asked. Auckland, Thnrsday. A very heavy westerly gale, blowing all the day, has done about £1,600 damage to the shipping and wharf. The Victoria has arrived from Sydney, which ehe left on the 17th inst.