MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 222, 3 September 1875, Page 2

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Major Atkinson said : Before the crier of the day fs read for considering the report of the Committee of the whole house on the Appropriaion clause* of this Bill, I desire with permission of this House to take the first opportunity which the Govet ament have bad of stating to the House the course they intend to pursue with regard to the amend,- , ments which have been proposed by the hon. member for Port Chalmers The Government hare from the first invited hon. members opposite to join with them in the endeavour to render the Bill not only effective t but satisfactory to the people at large, and , I desire on bthalt of the Government, to . thank the honorable member for Pore Chalt men for the frank and manly way in which . he has met tkat invitation. Anyone who p reada the resolutions moved by the hon, gentleman, must see at a glance that he not only accepts the situation, but has determined to bring the weight of his great influence and abilities to bear, with a view to rendering . this Bill aa perfect as possible. The Government regret that they are unable to accept the propositions that be has wad«, bat if I ( undent md the principles contained ia them ( that taey are in entire accord with the Bill we are now considering. We shall therefore bo prepared to go a little farther than the hoo. gentleman proposes on the same road. 1 The principle of the Government Bill, with which these re* olntioas are ia entire accord, • is that local revenue be locally appropriated and «peot. Therefore if the people be mora \ satisfied that this is re&Hv the intention of the ' , Jtovemmeai by having Bmrds in the different - Xistricfcs having a community of interest, wa shall be very glad to meet them in that rea- • pect. We shall therefore be prepared to introduce a Bill dividing the various provinces into large and suitable districts, lv which » Boards of Worka elected by the people will be appointed, *nd to which the bitance of the land fund will be appropriated. With regard s to education also, we have declared that we > desire that the large reserves which hare 1 been made ia the various provinces should be secured for educational purposes in those provinces. We shall therefore be prepared to > introduce a Bill to constitute and confirm the T various Boards of Edacuion in the several provinces, and to convey to those Boards, or 4 rather to vest in them, aIL the reserves that - now rest in th« Superintendents for educational purposes. This is shortly the way in which the Government propose to meet the " resolutions of the hon. member for Port » Chalmers. We shall not of course accept [ them, bat we shalJ introduce measurts to give eflect to what I have now stated, i Friday. [ After Major Atkinson's statement ia«t • mght, Mr Stout said thtt it would be well [ iOr the Government to reconsider its position, J and to bewg in those Bills before proceeoine J farther. * Mr Wood said the Government "intended to abandon the appropriation clauses, to which » Major Atkinson replied that the Government • abandoned nothing. Sir George Grey then made a long declama- ' tory speech, the burden of which was daring | the Government to go ihe country. Sir D. M'Lean replied with spirit, and concluded by announcing that the Bill would be pushed on through all its sfag«. t Messrs W Kelly, Crrington, Takamoana, and May spoke defending the Bill, Mr Montgomery opposing. [ Mr Thompson moved the adjournment of 1 the debate near midnight.