NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4506, 30 August 1875, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH.

AUGUST, 1875.

For transmission by the s.s. Pluebe./rom ITOlington. on the 31st, and the A.S.N. Co.'s steamer City of Melbourne on the Slst August, Jrom Auckland, via San Francisco. Our last summary of news contained condensations of the Abolition of Provinces and local Government. The initiatory struggle on the first has just concluded, after a debate extending over three weeks and one day. The debate has been-exceptionally good and exceptionally bad. It was full of surprises and disappointments. Where interest and excellence were expected, both failed to put in an appearance. Where they were least looked for they came to the front. The Colonial Treasurer was singularly unhappy in his speech with which he introduced the bill; on the other hand he was most happy and effective when replying to the Opposition at the close of the debate. Sir George Grey's address was the merest declamation. Neither Mr. Stafford nor Mr. Fitzherbert came Tip to. expectation. The former was brilliant and taking, but used little argument. The latter, whilst in some respects [jood in his matter, was more prosy and wearisome than is his wont; and his occasional sarcasm was divided into thin slices, separated by dreamy wastes of monotonous platitude. The new members—Messrs. Ballance and Stout, the former in favor of, and the latter against the measure—gave each to Ms side, perhaps, the most effective assistance rendered during the debate, although if must be admitted that Mr. Stout commenced too much in a special pleading style, which, however, he fortunately dropped, for had he continued it, he would have disappointed the high expectations entertained of him. The Minister for Justice, another new man, was one of the surprises, speaking well and to the point, where such speaking was least expected. During the progress of the debate, meetings have been held throughout the country, and each party claims the victory in regard to these. As a matter of fact, it cannot be said that on either side they are real indications of popular feeling, for in too many instances they have been merely got tip or swayed by political wire pullers. But so far as they may be taken, they are almost unanimous in favor of abolition, and simply divide themselves on the question whether that abolition shall take place immediately or be delayed until the election of the newParliament next year ; and it is this fact that "gives a want of coherency to the Opposition in Parliament., One portion of that party promises, if delay be only •ranted, to more liberal abolition measures than those brought down by Government; the other party is opposed to abolition at all. Meantime, there are some waverers on the Government side, from six to ten gentlemen being anxious in the final struggle to take that side which shall best secure them their seats at the general election, and, though now voting with the Government, being by no means confident that persistence in doing so will secure them their desires. - For one circumstance in connection with the abolition question Sir George Grey and Mr. Fitzherbert have met with merited censure. That circumstance is the appeal they have not hesitated to make, both by inuendo, prediction, and almost precept, to the passions of the people. If they have not exactly countenanced armed resistance to the Government measuresin the event of those measures becoming law, they approached so closely to such as to have deserved the rebuke administered to them by the Press. The debate was closed by Major Atkinson, who reviewed, at some length, the arguments used against the Bill, pointing out the erroneous statements that had been made by Sir George Grey on the financial position of the colony. This part of the speech was the most telling, as he evidently endeavored to compress his general arguments into the narrowest possible limits to avoid protracting the sitting. However, the Colonial Treasurer managed to introduce a good deal of new matter, not the least important being a comparison between the sum available in each province for local public works under the existing system and that proposed in the Bill. As these figures will be of great general interest to our readers, we append them in tabular shape. Thu 3 :

These figures are at once startling and suggestive. The several Appropriation Acts of the provinces furnish the figures for the results of the existing system, and the totals above quoted in the first column are the balances of revenue after deducting appropriations of expenditure. In the case of Auckland, it will be seen that there is a deficit of £21,384 on the revenue side ; in other words, the expenditure will exceed the revenue of the province by that amount during the current financial year. The proposals of the Government leave £60,062 for appropriation for local public works after providing for expenditure. It is proposed to issue £36,200 Treasury bills on account of land fund for Auckland during the present year. In the case of Nelson, Treasury bills to the extent of £7OOO will be issued ; Marlborough will have an issue of £4,400 Treasury bills, and Westland £ll,lOO. Altogether there will be an issue of £58,700 Treasury bills in anticipation of land revenue. We commend these figures to the careful consideration of our readers. The Parliamentary discussion on the second reading of the Bill was brought to a close at half-past one o'clock on Saturday morning, with the following result: — -A¥E3. Messrs. Andrew Messrs. O'Conor Gibbs Cuthbertson Tribe Ballance 3. E. Brown SH™.??" Bluett O '^eill Ormond s?*s?„. „ Bichmond McGillivray Reynolds S",? on ., Wales Richardson Pvke Atkinson Xateno W "*i ia '? 3 Mervyn Carrington Murray Johnston W. Kelly Basstian J. Shephard O. McLean • T. X,. Shepherd C. Parker Von dcr Heydo May Bryce Bowen Buckland Wakefield Parata Sir D. McLean T. Telly McGlashan Luckie Stewart Stafford Webb Creighton J. C. Brown Pearcel . \ Tellers. Munro Jackson ) KOE9. Sir George Grey Messrs. Whito Messrs. Header Wood Titzherbcrt Thomson Keeves Dignan Hunter Sheehan Swinson O'Rorke Eeid Stout Montgomery Macandrew Bunny Takamoana,

PAIRS. FOR * AOAINST Messrs. Parker (G. B.) Messrs Uolleston Kenny i„S„„ Brad/haw n- £*n 4. j. e As several clauses of the bill treat of appropriation, it must be dealt with in Committee of Supply, and therefore when the numbers of the division list were announced (creating loud cheers and counter cheers) the Colonial Treasurer gave notice that to-morrow he would move tho House into Committee of the Whole, when the entire struggle will be commenced de novo. And a bitter struggle it is certain to be, as Ministers have definitely announced that they intend to press forward tho Bill with all consistent haste, and, if met in a factious spirit, to postpone all other business if necessary for its passing. The Opposition, too, have not been chary of expressing their intentions to defeat the passing of the measure by every parliamentary weapon that can be used, so that when we characterise the struggle as likely to be a bitter one, it will be seen that we do not use an inapplicable word.

PRESENT SYSTEH. PROPOSED SYSTEM. Auckland, deficit .. £21,334 .. Availabl e £63,062 Taranaki, available .. 2,883 do. 23,351 "Wellington do. .. 99,203 do. 123,831 Hawke'sBay do. .. 14,935 do. 19,004 Nelson do. .. 22,135 do. 47,867 Marlborough do. .. 712 do. 12,711 Canterbury do. .. 533,435 .. do. 576,023 Westland do. .. 2,785 .. do. Otazo do. .. 163,864 do. 218,538