MR. WAKEFIELD ON THE SEPARATION RESOLUTIONS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 205, 21 August 1876, Page 4

MR. WAKEFIELD ON THE SEPARATION RESOLUTIONS.

The following ie the report furnished by the N. Z. Times of Mr Wakefield'a speech which appears to have given dire offence to the good people of WeU lington:— Mr Wakefield desired to speak not as a member for Canterbury, but as representing a constituency of New Zealand, and in doing so he should redeem the pledge he had given to his constituents, that he ehouid always act conscientiously and honestly. He felt bound to refer to the exhibition the hoa. member for Dunstan (Pyke) had made of himself, ani asked whether the conduct of that hoc. member was purity or impurity, honesty or dishonesty, truth or untruth? But the reception of his speech by the House was a proper reception; he bad never seen a speech received with such perfect couteinpt. Speaking to the resolutions, he said he considered them the necessary outcome of the rejection of the land fund resolutions brought forward by Me Whituker. The separation movement Lad been oomoienoed in the compact of 1853; and alter discussing that question, he referred to the removal of the seat of Government from Auckland lo Wellington, which had been one of the greatest mistakes ever made in the colony. A large and beautiful city had been spoiled for the Bake of forcing prosperity where prosperity could not exist, and erecting a brummagen collection of wooden boxes. In connection with this subject he made a violent attack upon tbe Native department and the Native policy of the Government since the accession to office of the Fox Ministry. He charged Sir Donald M'Lean with being the author of the first war — that in 1860 — which had ever taken place since the establishment of responsible government. It waa becaußa of the mistakes and dark ways of the Native department that the North had not been able to keep pace with the South. Then, it was said the prosperity of the colony during the past five years had been owing to the extraordinary value of wool and not to the Public Works policy of the Government. The Premier claimed the prosperity as an effect of his policy, but immediately embarrassment came it was attributed to the fall in wool. It was said that tbe memory of the Premier would be cherished in the future, if he was not properly valued now. The fact was the bon member bad enjoyed undeserved popularity and such popularity as he would never again achieve. He compared the popularity of Sir George Grey, which in cUya gone by had been real and genuine, with the fleeting, bec&uae undeserved, popalarity of tbe Premier, and then took occasion to refer to the demonstration in Wellington on the return to the colony of tue Premier. He eaid it was a got up affair, originated by servile flatters of tbe Government) and was the most debasing demonstration which bad ever degraded a servile people. The working men throughout tbe colony had not only been uiepleased but absolutely disgusted at the action of a few loaiers on ibe Wellington beach, and they had pro* tested against it. He said the hun. tbe Premier bad by his action brought about, cue ueccaauy fur separation. Ha theu charged ttie Goveruuient with tbe groascßt corruption tuat bud ever been witnessed in ihe colonies, but from these charges he desired to except tbe Minister ot Immigration and tbe Minister of Justice. Tue hoc. Major Atkinson : We don't want to ba excopied. Mr Wuketitjla : Tbe bon. members must be exuepieJ, because most or tbe corrupt acts li»u beau committed before tuey tiaa joiued tbe Ministry. Tue appointment oi Dr. Faatueißiou as Agent-Gtineral; tbe dell-aupointuiem ot Mr Batijgaie, wiio had ouiy jjiuea the Ministry 10 get an appointing in the Civil bervice as Evident, Magistrate aud District Judge ot Dunedin; proposals for boarus and sub-boards of works; railway bill schedules; circumstances attendant upon the introduction of tbe abolition measures, were all referred to as disclosing the most unblushing corruption. Keferring to the cry for compassion for tbe Premier wbich bad come from the Minister of Justice, he referred to the treatment which Colonel Huultain had received some years ago when Minister from tbe hands of the Premier and his party. He coocludad a fierce onslaught on the Government by saying it waa miagoVernment in tbe past which had brought the Houae to a frame of mind which would induce it to accept anything rather than a continuation of tbe same kind of administration. In this view he should vote for the resolutions, in tbe hope that all parts of the colony •would get better government than heretofore.