A NELSON MEMBER ON THE SEPARATION RESOLUTIONS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 206, 22 August 1876, Page 4

A NELSON MEMBER ON THE SEPARATION RESOLUTIONS.

(2V. Z. 2 'imes, August 16) , Mr Sharp said he had told bis constituents when before them for election the course he would take if this question should crop up, and therefore no apology was required for his vote. He alluded to the disadvantage members speaking late in the debate were subject to in having their opinions anticipated, and in proof of the remark, mentioned that many of his arguments had been anticipated by the previous speaker, and an able article in the New Zealand Times that morning had actually contained many notes which be had been some time collecting. He spoke of Sir George Grey's efforts in respect to the Constitution, and said he considered very much confusion had arisen in consequence of his having left the colony, not before calling tbe Provincial Councils together, but before he had called the General Assembly into session. The result of that incident was that the Provincial Councils had obtained the dominant influence which should have centred in the General Assembly, and many of the mistakes occurring had been the result. The Provincial Councils from the very first should have been taught that their powers were administrative, and tbe powers of the General Assembly legislative. Had they learnt that early, the present discussion would not probably have been necessary. Speaking of the compact of 1856, he contended that in the passage of the Immigration and Public Works Act the compact of 1856 had been put to an end, and he quoted the speech of the Premier to show them that he then thought the land fund should have become partly responsible for the construction of railways. The abolition of tbe compact of 1856 was the necessary inference to be drawn from the acceptance of the principle of the Public Worka Act. Wno got tile benefit of the scheme of 1870? Not the colony, but particular provinces. The revenue of the small provinces had been taken to enrich the large provinces. Nelson had been called the Sleepy Hollow, and it was said they could not undertake any large worke. Perhaps that was true; but what was the cause? Because tbe larger provinces had taken its money. Since tbe introduction of the Public Works Act, tbe paltry province of Nelson had paid £551,000 to the Consolidated Revenue, of which they had only received back, in tbe shape of public woiks, JE86,958. That waa tbe position of the Nelson province, and (hey did not expect to get any justice while provincialism existed. But although opposed to these resolutions, he was not in love with the proposals of tbe Government, he preferred not ie see the colony purcelled out, but a kind of voluntary principle adopted. If counties were allowed to form themselves tbe people would be satisfied, and the same powers might be given to self-erected counties as were now being given to towns and municipalities; by this means people whose sympathies, wishes, and circumstances were common would unite themselves together, and by degrees tbe colony would be taken up iv counties. Hon. members had said Provincialism was not dead. He declared most positively it was, and referred to tbe voice of the people as expressed through the newspapers for years, and through tbe ballot-box last general election. Tbe country had demanded a fresh form of government, and the Government were doing their bast to supply the demand. True, all their measures ia tbeir present state might not be of a character to please all parties, or perhaps to please tbe country; but the country adopted the principle, and it was not to bo expected that a form of government could be buii; up in one seesion. Time was necessary, but they were now on tbe right road to get what was required. As for these resolutions, he said, if we wera to have separation, let us have it pure and simple, and not this crude indefinite sort of separation. He denied Chat there could be any saving of time or expense by the constitution of two governments, and said the hon member ior Waikato, instead of saying these resolutions would renew political life tboughout the colony, should have said tbe resolutions if carried would give a fresh lease of power to the extreme North and extreme South, and tbe middle provinces, as in tbe past, might in the future be sent to the wall. What had small provinces to expect from men like tbe hon member for Duaedia (Mr Macandrew), who said if ttsis were carried, the revenues of Otago, which were more important to her than tbe unity of tbe colouy, would bs secured to her? He was not wedded to tbe present Government, although bis sympathies were at present far and away with the Government in preference to the Opposition, and if it could be shown that the Government did not carry out tbe wi6b.es of the people, he said, get better men. That bad not been shown yet, however, and be hoped the House would address itself to business, and that the Opposition would desist from factious coDfluct.