THE OPPOSITION PLATFORM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 165, 4 July 1876, Page 2

THE OPPOSITION PLATFORM.

MR. READER WOOD & THE PREMIER. (Evening Argus, June 30 ) The usual formal business of considering his Excelieucy's *p?ech gave Mr Reader Wood an opportunity of apreirlng for the first time in the character of leader of the Opposition. Hebegtu by complaining that the . peech gave no information regarding tha flnanciil condition of the colony, and did not even allu-ie to the notorious deficiency in the revenue. He then entered at great length into a vindication of his own consistency in having joined the provincial party last year, although he had always pr.viously beeu an a-wlitionist. The proposed localisation of the land fund as one of the provisions of abolition ha \ he said, forced him to adopt this, course. Further reflection had, however, cawed a modification ol his views, and of those of tbe Auck and members generally. There was not ooe of them who now desire to reinstate , tha old provincial sy-tean. They had now a p<rty with definite views aud objects, and he proposed to t.ll the House what these were, and what ih*y were there to d.. Thsy recognised the fact that although the compact of 1856 h*d been a moat unjust one, still it was impossible and chimerical to suppose that Auckland would ever be allowed to participate in the Middle Island land fund. Canterbury and Otago would resist it to the utmost, and any attempt In thit direction would bo futile. Auckland sii.i to the South, " Keep your land fund, but .ska into consideration the hardship* which Auokland ha* endured through the operation of the compact of 1856, and give us reasonable allowance and compensation therefor. Give us a fair proportion of our own revenues to speed ior our own purpoaes " He had been accused ot sticking to provincialism for what he gut in the shape. of salary, hut he would be quke willing to hand over to the Premier all his future salary— lt would do for him to play 100 with . As might be expected, this inJecent t.unt raised a storm of indignation in the House. There wer« cries of" shame" and " apologie '• The Speaker interposed, and called Mr Wood's attention to the Impropriety of his remarks, whereupon Mr Wood made some wretched excuie and proceeded with hia speech. What Auckland wanted was to have secured to it by a law_ which could not be altered a fair share of it . own revenues, and to be left to mmage it* own affairs. Otago was in the same boat. It wanted to manage ita own affairs, and spend its own money. Auckland and Otago wanted to see an Act raised to limit the powers aod functions of the General Asteoably, so that each province might be left to manage its own affairs, and the Assembly only have power to manage m-rnage a few aStira of common interest. Ota^o and Auckland wanted to collect tb. ir own revenues and then pay a fair contribution to the General Government, instead of the 1-tter collecting the money and giving tiem some of it bick. They would not impose any coustitation on any other part of the colony against its will. Each should mould its own form of government Each province ehould be a separate colony, and assist a small central legislature to maintain and manage such mittrrs as the debt, postal, customs, &c. Everything e : ae should be left t^ the provinces. Nature hid ao forme 1 this colony (hat it could' aot be governed from ac- ntre. Nat re had intended it to consist of several distinct communities, aod it was only in the way he had indicated that New Z aiacd would ever he a great nation. A united colony was unnatural and impossible, but they might have, snl he hoped to st-e, the '■ Four Iniepandent Colonies of the Confederated Dominion ot New Zealand." The Premier replied very briefly to Mr Wood, and omitted special reference to the insult offered to himself. He told the House thit, although the estimated revenue hal not been realised, still the actual revenue of the year had been considerably in excess of the revenue of the previo >s year. The object of tho Opposition seemed to be to raise the lani fund cry bb an obstacle to abolition, but when the Government proposals came down it would be found th.t they made it possible and easy to decide the main quest ioa without raising any difficulty. As to Auckland sharing in the land fund of the South, w .s it reasonable to suppose that, wh?n Auckland give away its lan 1, it was going to also share in the £2 an acre which Canterbury got for its. The cry about the Provinces of Auckland and Otngo really meant the cities of Auckland and Dunedin. The conntry (<i?tricts had no sympathy with the cities in the matter. What the country required whs to be freed from the dominion of the towns. They wantei loc»l government, the towns t> man .go their affairs as muaicipaliti* b, the conntry to manage theirs «s countieg, with uo in-erme.liate Government between them and the Gvneral Government of the colony. This waa what the Government proposals would give them. Now, when about to approach these great questions, he hoped members woull abandon all pers.nali ies, and that they had now heard the last ot them. The motion that a supp'y be granted to her Majesty was then put and carried. The House afterwards adjourneJ. With reference to Mr Reader Wood's remarks the Argus says:— There have been a good many bitter prBon*l al usions indulged ia this . eaai m, and more offensive language used than we ever before hesrd within the wails of the New Zealand Parliament. It was however, reserved for Mr Re.der GThon Wood, member Tor Parnell, snd now, we believe, leader of her M_je*ty's Opposition, to signalise his assumption of lhst office by the grossest outrage up *n decency which the House bas ever witnessed It was in no sudden ebullition of temper that Mr Reader Wood ofiered io the Premier of the colony au insult so gross that a general cry of shame rose on every site. They were no hasty words us,d without consideration an 1 regretted as soon as uttered, which Mr Reader Wood use I. He is not an impulsive speaker, but a very careful one, whose orato'i.al efforts are the result of study and rehtarsnl. The manner in which he aimed hi* disgraceful taunt at Sir Julius Vo^el bespoke premeditation and intention. He had not even the decency to apologise heartily or sincerely, when the impropriety of his conduct waß pointed out by the Spetker, and an apology was demanded by an indignant House. Mr Reader Wood has made a fatal mistake, wbi h will certainly entail serious social forfeitures. It is is said that if the polished skin of a Russhn be rubbel off, the savage Tartar will te found beneath. Mr Reader Wood has himself rubbed off the skin of a gentlemin, which he has hitherto worn, and has let the world see what is beneath.