TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4406, 4 May 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[i'ROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Monday. The Early Closing Association makes a powerful appeal to purchasers not to shop after six o’clock. Sergeant King, recently released from Mount Eden, under a Judge’s order, has resigned his appointment. The Co-operative Meat Supply Company advertises mutton at from threepence to fourpence per pound. Messrs. Whitaker and Russell, of this city, have given an opinion that the Superintendent cannot interfere with the leasing system at Tairua, under the Mining Districts Act. Sir George Arney goes home to visit his brother, who is ill. The Provincial Hospital contains seventyfive male and fifteen female patients. A coroner's inquest on the man named Arthur Johnston, who died in the block-house at Whau, showed that the cause of death was heart disease. Owen Martin, at the Police Court to-day charged Alexander Campbell and Martha Chisholm—the latter a mere child—with stealing £8 from his pockets. The evidence showed that the male prisoner chewed tobacco, which he put into Martin’s beer. Martin went to sleep upstairs. The male prisoner then instructed the girl to rob him. The man was sentenced to twelve months, with hard labor, and the girl to three months. The latter was an inmate of the Orphanage, and broke out several times. ■ The inquiry as to Major Clare is closed. He made a powerful written defence.

Alexandra, Monday. The result of the Te Kuiti meeting was that all Acts issued by Tawhiao are to be revised, and that the system of accepting Government rations should be stopped ; that the Kingites should keep the country now possessed by them, and preserve separation from Europeans. The City Council to-day discussed the question of paying the first £3OOO interest on the Waterworks Loan out of capital, or imposing a special rate of sixpence. The matter stands over till next meeting. [from our special correspondent.] Dunedin, Monday. Heavy rain set in on Saturday night and still continues. It was intensely cold yesterday morning, with snow on the hills. Three inquests were held to-day—one on Langseigne ; one at the hospital on the woman Jeffreys (still sitting) ; and one at the lunatic asylum. A large land-slip took place to-day near the Middle School, where the Corporation have been making extensive cuttings lately. The children were at once sent home. The school committee wait on the Government to-morrow to ask them to pull the school down, level the site, and build another. OPENING OF THE OTAGO PROVENCIAL COUNCIL. There was not a very large attendance of members of the Provincial Council to-day. The Superintendent delivered ». long speech, which concluded as follows : Gentlemen, in conclusion, there is one subject which so vitally concerns the future welfare of this province to which if I, as an integral of these Legislatures, did not on the present occasion advert, I should fail in my duty to the people, with whose interests I am specially charged. I refer to the contemplated constitutional changes. It is proposed, as you are aware, forthwith to abolish the North Island provinces, on the plea that they cannot longer perform the functions assigned to them by the Constitution Act—that is to say, that they are unable, without the aid of the colony, to provide for the maintenance of peace, order, and good government within their borders. Gentlemen, if this be so, which I deny, the cause is not far to seek. The present condition of the provinces might be very aptly illustrated lA' comparing them to a man who has been bound hand and foot by one stronger than himself, and then told that because he cannot walk he is a cumberer of the ground. Of one thing I am certain, and that is that there can be no partial abolition ; that so long as New Zealand is one colony the provinces, both North and South, must stand or fall together, unless in so far as they may mutually agree to a voluntary fusion, as in the case of Otago and Southland. It is useless to disguise from ourselves the fact that abolition of the provinces implies that the whole revenue of the colony is to be appropriated by the Colonial Legislature, and that Canterbury and Otago, which now contribute the lion’s share of the Consolidated Revenue, are to be called upon to supply still more. It implies that the resources which mil be derived from our railways, the whole of which are being constructed at the cost of the province, shall become colonial revenue, to be appropriated by the General Assembly. It ■will not be long before this item figures very largely in the annual balance-sheet. It implies, moreover, that the administration of the waste lands and the settlement of the country will be under the control of a power much less directly responsible to and under the eye of the people than at present. Although, no doubt, this might suit the interests of some, it is doubtful whether in this province, at least, it would be conducive to the public interest. In the course of two or three years, the existing leases of extensive areas of country now held as grazing runs will begin to terminate. If properly dealt with, these runs mil yield a considerable permanent revenue, which will be increasing annually for the next ten years, and which will go far towardskeepingdownlocal taxation. They will also carry a large agricultural and pastoral population. It therefore becomes us to guard most watchfully against an organic change in the Constitution, which I am persuaded will prove to be as the 'letting in of water as respects the future disposition of the provincial estates. No doubt we are told, and that sincerely, that the compact of 1850 is to become as the laws of the Medes and Persians. I confess, however, that I have no such faith in a Legislature composed of such conflicting elements as that of New Zealand. I regard it as the sheerest infatuation on the part of the people in Otago to countenance a constitutional change, the advantages of which (granting that there are any) will be as the small dust in the balance compared with the certain loss which cannot fail to result. The same remark will apply in a somewhat less degree, perhaps, to our neighbors of Canterbury. Why should the people of Otago submit to their resources being still further swallowed up in the Maelstrom of colonial finance 1 Why should they quietly take it for granted that they must needs be the victims of the inevitable when, if theywould only pull together, and rise superior to local jealousies, they have the destinies of the province in'their own hands ? It is humiliating to reflect that while this province has been materially the backbone of the colony, contributing, as it does, about one third of the Consolidated Revenue, it has been politically a rope of sand, allowing itself to be kept in leading strings by a political system which has little knowledge of, and less sympathy with, its interests and requirements—a political system, the relationship with which has been to repress the progress of the province and to swallow up its resources. Gentlemen, there can be no doubt that a radical change is required in the political framework of the colony as it now exists; and if this change would only take the right direction happy would it be for all concerned. It was a disastrous day for New Zealand when the policy which dictated the New Provinces Act, 1858, presided over its destinies ; and I am persuaded even now, difficult although it may appear to he that the wisest thing that could be done would be to fall back upon the Constitution Act, allow the respective provinces to rely upon themselves, limit the Central Government to purely federal action, let each province have the uncontrolled disposal of its public revenue from whatever source derived, contributing its share pro. rata towards the maintenance of the central power, and towards the payment of the debt for which the colony as a whole is now liable. Were this policy adopted, the provinces in each island would gradually and spontaneously merge into each other, and the apparently irreconcilable idea of a great and united colony, and at the same time practical financial separation between the two islands, would be realised. We should, moreover, bo relieved to a large extent of that enormous departmental expenditure which is yearly assuming more and more gigantic proportions, and swallowing up resources which might be more beneficially applied;—expenditure which, in a great measure, is at present practically beyond the control of the representatives of the people. It may be said that these views are now impracticable, and that it is too late to entertain them. I venture to think, however, that nothing is either too late or impracticable if the people will ife It should not be lost sight of that most of the absolutely necessary and primary functions of Government are now being carried on by the provinces. Surely it is only reasonable that, before committing political suicide and relinquishing the powers which they now possess, by means of the existing provincial organisations, the people of the colony should know into whose hands these functions are to be hereafter entrusted. If they are to devolve upon the Central Government, all experience goes to prove that they will neither be better nor more economically performed than at present. If they are to be entrusted to Road Boards, not only will the cost of administration be enormously increased, but it will end in confusion worse confounded. You may depend upon it, that the real question with which the colony ought to grapple is not the abolition of provinces, but the question of finance a more equable appropriation of tho public revenues among those by whom it is contributed, and the reduction of the cost of administration -without impairing its efficiency. I am well

assured that under the peculiar circumstances of New Zealand, colonial administration will give us neither. The great problem which we, in the South, have to solve, is how best to hold our own, which we certainly shall not do by renouncing the local self-government which we now possess. From first to last, the Central Government has abstracted from Otago alone two millions of money, not one farthing of which has ever been expended within the province, and it is because the abolition of the provinces of the North Island must, in my opinion, stereotype the continuance of, and render worse, this state of things, that I express myself so strongly upon the subject. No doubt I shall be jibed with the “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” argument by those who cannot conceive it possible for men to be prompted by principles of political action different from their own. I can assure you, however, that were this the last day of my official existence, the opinions now expressed are those which would be honestly held by me. Gentlemen, hoping that your deliberations will conduce towards the best interests of the province, I now declare this Council open for the despatch of business.

[Per Press Agency.] Auckland, Monday. Arthur Johnston, a fisherman, living at Whau, dropped dead suddenly yesterday while sweeping out his whare. He had never complained of sickness. Alexander Campbell, alias Douglass, and Martha Nicholson, were charged ■with hocussing a man named Martin, by putting tobacco in his beer, and then robbing him in a house in Queen-street. The case is not concluded. A fire at Otahuhu destroyed an outhouse belonging to John Taylor, farmer, burning a valuable bullock, which could not be got out. Guahamstown, Monday. Gold returns—Queen of Beauty, 5650z5. ; City of London, 6610z5. Both results for a fortnight, the City crushing with 40 stampers. Nelson, Monday. Judge Gillies opened the Supreme Court to-day. Six cases are on the calendar. The Grand Jury found “no bill” in the case of Jones, committed for manslaughter in connection with the recent accident on the Beach-road. James Thomas Smith, over seventy years old, pleaded guilty to indecent assault upon his granddaughter, seven years of age. He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Christchurch, Monday. Mr. B. Parkerson,jun.,agedforty-five, housesurgeon of Christchurch hospital, died yesterday morning from typhoid fever. The hospital has been crowded with typhoid fever cases for months past, and Parkerson was greatly overworked. Mr. and Mrs. Bates made their debut at the Theatre Eoyal on Saturday night in “ Elizabeth,” with great success. On Saturday last Dr. Back, sheriff, proceeded to Lyttelton and gave Mercer official intimation that the sentence of the law would be carried out upon Mm at eight o’clock on Eli day morning next.; On being visited by the Revs. F. Knowles and J. Wills, and asked to attend prayers, Mercer declined to do so. Bishop Redwood attended mass in the Roman Catholic Church yesterday, and preached to a crowded congregation. A laboring man named Knight, who was fined £lO for having two grey ducks in his possession the day before the opening of the shooting season, and in default of payment was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, has been liberated by Sir Cracroft Wilson paying the fine. The Governor, in response to a petition, had just previously signed the warrant for the release of Knight. Lyttelton, Monday.

On board the Tinteru Abbey there were nine deaths, all children, excepting one, a man named Hitchens. The Luna went outside the Heads and towed the vessel to the anchorage. The ship was cleared “all well,” and the immigrants will land to-morrow. A heavy storm was experienced here to-day, rain and hail nearly flooding the town. The Tintern Abbey brings a valuable consignment of birds partridges, blackbirds, thrushes, yellow-hammers, redpoles, goldfinches, linnets, starlings, and hedge-sparrows. Over 80 per cent, of the shipment has arrived in splendid order. Timaru, Monday. A painful report has been circulated that Hunt, the head master of the Timaru School, who was drowned in the Rangitata in April last, with his wife hnd mother-in-law, had another wife still living in New South Wales, who now claims the estate of deceased for self and son. The police at Christchurch and Timaru have been communicated with. The circumstances of the drowning were mysterious, and have never been satisfactorily explained. The evidence of the ferryman pointed to suicide on the part of Hunt. It was not believed at the time, but it is now thought more probable, in view of the subsequent revelation. Seventy applications have been received for the head mastership of the school, and will be considered by the committee to-night. Heavy rains are falling, which will be of infinite value to the district. A parish meeting has been called for Thursday, to consider the case of the non-resident incumbent. Dunedin, Monday. The thirty-fourth session of the Provincial Council was opened to-day by the Superintendent, at noon. About twenty-six members were present, and all the Executive, with the exception of Mr. Stout, Provincial Solicitor. The Superintendent’s address was very lengthy. It stated that 12,311 immigrants had arrived during the year. The great drawback was the want of house-room. £13,000 had been borrowed from the Colonial Government to erect cottages, repayable in four years. The amount in deposit in the Savings Bank, for the year, was £241,766 ; traffic railways, £57,000, compared with £35,000 last year-. The Clutha line would be opened in July, on completion of the Chain Hill Tunnel. He considered the question of education would become imperative. £21,000 was spent on school buildings during the past year. He hailed with very great pleasure the construction of branch railways by public enterprise with private capital He alluded with regret to Conyers’s retirement as manager of railways, and stated that to his exertions the improvement in traffic receipts was mainly due. He paid a tribute of respect to the late Mr. Auld, agent for the province, and stated the province had lost a valuable public servant. He intimated that a School of Mines would be established. The Superintendent concluded by alluding to the proposed abolition of the provinces, and admitted that a change of the present Constitution was necessary, but said he was altogether opposed to the modus opcrandi proposed. He instanced that Otago and Canterbury contributed more than one-half the Consolidated Revenue of the entire colony, and averred that by abolition their resources would bo still more drawn upon. He expressed himself favorable to unity of the colony, but submitted that the surest course to obtain that end would be by every province being dependent on itself, and contributing a fair share towards the support of the Federal Government in Wellington, and also a fair share of the debt already incurred by the colony. Consistently pursuing this course, the provinces would draw together, as in the case of Otago and Southland, and the unity aimed at would eventually be brought about. Financial separation between North and South was practically accomplished long ago. The Middle District School is in danger of falling down, the heavy rain causing a slip in the bank on which it is built. The scholars have been dismissed, and arrangements made for a new school. In the Provincial Council the Speaker stated, as it was held by some to be incompatible with his holding the office of Speaker that he should be at the same time secretary to the Harbor Board and ex officio a member of that body, he intended to send in his resignation to the Government this evening. The Council would thus have an early opportunity of expressing its opinion on the matter. At the inquest on Jules Lanseign, the jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. It has been raining hard all day.