TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4577, 20 November 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Grahaiistown, Friday. Dividends paid since Ist November, £4902. This is. exclusive of amounts of dividends by tributers. The Native Lands Court is sitting. Snider rifles have been issued to the volunteer companies. A race meeting for Christmas week is decided on. . New Plymouth, Friday. A meeting of the shareholders in the Titanic and Steel Company in New Plymouth was held last evening, convened by Matheson, for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the company. Matheson condemned the action of the directors, in giving work to private persons instead of putting it up to public tender. He said he was of opinion that the directors did not want to make the company a success, and urged that a practical manager should be appointed. E. M. Smith also spoke, saying he considered a local directory should be appointed. The following resolution was carried:—“That a committee, to consist of Jackson, Smith, and Matheson be appointed to ascertain the correctness of the facts mentioned, and to report next Thursday, with a view to bringing the matter before the directors. Wanganui, Friday. At a meeting of merchants interested in the formation of a harbor hoard, a ’ resolution was carried to the effect that a harbor board be formed. The feeling in favor of the resolution was unanimous. A committee was formed to carry out the object. A memorial to the Superintendent was also drawn out and signed by all present. Great interest is taken in the matter. At a meeting of volunteers last night, strong opinions against the short Sniders lately issued were expressed. They are considered very inferior. The continual change in the rules for qualifying for the champion competition was also condemned.

Dunedin, Friday.

The Bruce Herald says Mr. Bastings for Waikaia, and Mr. William Fraser of Earnscleugh, for the Dunstan, are to he classed among the declared candidates. Mr. Hooper is to he requested to stand for Dunedin to be in Sir G. Grey’s interest. At a large meeting of boating men held last night it was decided to hold a regatta on Jan. 2nd. Some good prizes will be offered. Sir Dillon Bell addressed the electors of Waikouaiti last night. He said that at the general elections he intended coming forward as a candidate for. Waikouaiti. He had at one time intended to retire from parliamentary duties, but he had changed his mind, principally because he thought at this difficult period every man of, experience should not shrink from offering his services to the country. Referring to the future construction of the Government of the colony, he had thought it was because of tbe existence of that question that he asked their suffrages, as they were in duty bound to re-elect members furnished with skill, experience, and patriotism. Of course the great unquestionable cause of the present crisis was the financial position of the colony. The Public Accounts Committee, of which he, was a member, never realised four or five years ago .how quickly under the system of local pressure the money borrowed under the public works scheme was being swallowed up. While the expenditure was going on at this rapid rate, aud the public revenue of the colony was increasing, the revenues of the provinces were dwindling, until at last, with the exception of Otago and Canterbury, all the provinces had to be carried on by the General Government. That reached a climax, when the Assembly, in an excess of provincial enthusiasm, agreed to the provinces being allowed to borrow. There were some members of the Assembly who were determined to put a spoke in that wheel, believing that the time would soon come when it would be hard enough to keep the colonial finance right. The Legislative Council now gained the respect of the whole colony by putting an end to that proposal. He argued that if the provinces could not exist by their own effort without borrowing or obtaining aid from the General Government, they could serve no good purpose by continuing to exist at all. Of course Otago and Canterbury always were able to hold their own, and formed an exception to this state of affairs. There was nothing to prevent Otago and Canterbury retaining their Provincial Governments, and any part of the colony retaining them where the people would pay for that form of government; but those who had studied the financial position could not but turn a deaf ear to the request to continue the present state of affairs. The_ great question now was, what shall be done in the future ? That was the responsibility the electors had, and that is the responsibility that will rest with their representatives. He did not believe the Local Government Bill-would be accepted by the Assembly. It was not sufficient. What was wanted was to maintain the expenditure in the provinces, and administration in the same way as hitherto, without the expense and worry of the political part of the provincial system. There were very few who believed that the old provincial system could be maintained., _ Not a single man iii the colony, with brains in his head, discussed the possibility of such a thing. There was not the ghost of a chance of the colony being divided into two or four provinces, with a federal Government. The theory was not a bad one, but it was impracticable ; first there was the public creditor to be provided for, and then interest and sinking fund, and after the absolutely necessary departments were provided for, there would be scarcely anything left. Then lot them look at the voting power that would probably be in favor of such a proposal. For all the central provinces it would be more convenient to govern from Wellington, and the representatives of these provinces would vote dead against such a proposal. If they had two provinces for the Middle Island the one difficulty would arise, consequently the proposal was utterly impracticable. Before the last session of the Assembly he expressed the opinion, which he still held, that it was unnecessary to entirely abolish the Provincial Councils, but that they should strip them of Legislative functions, and convert them into boards' of works. The thing he would do if returned would be to try to unite the Otago interests in the General Assembly. The Otago interests had not been united in the past; they had regularly in the past been humbugged. He was not free to say about the result of communications which be had had with leading men in the province, but he had hopes that such an opinion would be effected. With regard to the land question, the opiuion of the people had been undoubtedly expressed in favor of the sale of land on deferred payments. As he told the House of

Representatives last session, when the system was first introduced, he was opposed to it, seeing the extent of dummyism which prevailed under it in Victoria ; but seeing that settlement had been successfully effected under the system in Otago since its introduction, he would withdraw all opposition to the desired payment system. In reply to questions Sir F. D. Bell said there was an idea abroad that the pastoral leases could pay a great deal mure rent than they do at present for their runs. Such an idea was a great mistake. There were only two ways by which a reasonable rent could be received from the waste lands, namely, they should be divided into smaller areas, and - fixed tenures should be given. If the runs, were cut up and no fixity of tenure were given, no higher rent would be obtained. Speaking as a pastoral tenant, he never saw a greater mistake than'was made by those who altered the land laws, because they played into the hands of the worst class of monopolists. What he was afraid of, as a public man, was that When the lease fell in no political men would he found courageous enough to propose a fixity of tenure; He would be in favor, of a Bill proposity to cut up the runs when the leases fell in, and to give fixity of tenure. He did not think the system, of. balloting hitherto existing in connection with deferred payments had ended successfully. .He thought it had done a great deal of harm. Reasonable runholders never objected to land being taken up for bona fide settlement, but they did object to their runs being broken up to allow capitalists to buy large blocks. - There w T as no * class in the country more interested in the settlement of agricultural land than the runholders. To men of property, it was their interest to see the number of. taxable colonists increased, as future taxation must fall on property. He also stated , he. was opposed .to the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage Bill. A vote of confidence, was proposed in the speaker, but was negatived, and a motion that Bell be thanked for his address was carried’by a large majority. ’