MR. REYNOLDS AT DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4587, 2 December 1875, Page 2

MR. REYNOLDS AT DUNEDIN.

BY TELEGRAPH. (PER PRESS AGENCY.) *! Dunedin, Wednesday. The Hon. W. H. Reynolds addressed the electors in the Drillshed this evening. The hall was filled. His Worship the Mayor was in the chair. Mr. Reynolds, who was received with applause, said he had taken, the earliest opportunity to address them, so as to give an account of his stewardship. He was sure they would grant him a quiet hearing. The present Parliament had been an eventful one, and highly progressive to the colony. He trusted that when he had finished his address they would admit the electors had lost nothing at his hands. He would confine his remarks to questions affecting, this province. He considered Nelson and Auckland as prosperous as Otago .at the present time. After giving a statement as to railways and telegraphs in progress, he stated that the connection of New Zealand with Australia by cable was one of the most important undertakings of the present Parliament. , He* alluded to telegraph, postal, and immigration matters, but his remarks were merely a repetition. of former statements' made in the House. He could point with no little satisfaction to the fact that no fewer than thirteen , lighthouses were constructed or under construction in the colony. He had also the satisfaction of being able to establish a system of storm warnings, and he had also initiated a system by which masters of vessels could ascertain the state of the weather at open roadsteads. He had been able to establish a naval school at Kohimarama. He anticipated that the colony would he able to turn out from 500 to 600 trained young seamen. He hoped soon to see a training ship established at Portobellb. * He looked upon the Marine Department as second "to no other in’the colony, and though no prophet he thought it would take the lead of any department in the colony. He felt proud that with the aid of his colleagues he had carried out this department so successfully. The Government, though not given to much talking, were a working Government (Hear, hear.) The Opposition had left no stone unturned to find some cause of complaint against the Government, but his hearers would see how lamentably they had failed. He was • now going to tread on dangerous ground, and have a turn at the Press. He thought that a portion of the Press had not acted fairly towards the Government. (Groans: Oh ! oh !)■ It had not acted fairly towards the Government, and particularly towards himself ; he would give an instance. In the Daily Times he was chained with making some ridiculous statement in committee on the Abolition Bill, when he never spoke on the matter. (A voice; Good job too). He would not have minded this, had there not been a leader next day commenting on some absurd reference he made to the Bill. He should be sorry to think these mistakes were purposely made, but he felt bound to clear himself before his constituents. The late session had been an arduous one with the Government; it had been attacked from all points, but had withstood the siege. He should be very explicit in speaking on the Abolition Act, as he had been charged by the Press with breaking pledges he had made, and doing something very awful. He totally denied doing such a thing. (Oh, oh!) He had nothing to hide, and intended to state the matter clearly. He had never pledged himself to oppose the abolition of the North Island provinces. _He frankly admitted that he still had a hankering for provincialism. He admitted that all that was i claimed for provincialism in the past was fully justified- He was certain, from what he had now seen, that provincialism must break down. He had endeavored for ten years to secure a federal Government for these two islands, with separation. He admitted that from what he had said at his last meeting, it might be inferred that be was opposed to the abolition of the provinces in the Middle Island. He was opposed to the abolition of the provinces of the Middle Island when he last addressed them; but after he had seen how the members from other provinces were in favor of abolition, he thought it advisable to do the best for his constituents, and he voted for abolition. He thought that Canterbury and Otago would stand a poor chance of obtaining justice if they retained their Provincial Governments after the others were abolished. He was a resident in the province for 25 years, and it was not at all likely he would do anything to sacrifice their interests or that of his constituents in any way whatever. Fault had been found with the Government because they sought to carry the abolition measure before the matter was relegated to the constituencies. It was the Provincial Governments they were afraid

of The danger was, if Provincial Councils were alfewed to meet again, unprincipled Executives—and there were some (cheers)— might have gotestimatespassed farinexcessofrevenue, and contracts entered into, and the colony would have found itself involved m some millions of: indebtedness which would entad ruin upon the credit of the colony. Had it not teen for these fears he for one wouidhave been in favor’of placing the question before the electors., , He had no hesitation msaymg^hat the Government and its suppo , tew little was known Of the Ack He then now liui- esand provisions of the akJtk C t> AcL liberality had ever manifested by the Otago Provincial 2f - m . . X) une din as had been mamS"ed in the provisions of the Abolition Bill. ■ With reference. to the endowment of mumcinalities, the question was often asked, what are we to get from abolition of the provinces ? His answer waq the provisions of the Abolition Act, by which they would get local government and local control of expenditure. The Government had to prepare a mere tentative measure, "which would .harmonise irith the road hoards machinery. They thought,vit- advisable to prepare a simple meamrre and calculated to carry out a complete system of local self government, and he denied that the Government had any idea of centralising the administration of the affairs of the colony in Wellington. The provinces were abolished and would never be resusitated, therefore it was useless for them voting for a man who was in favor of provincialism. There were those who believed in two provinces for each island. (Bond cheers). This he thought was not feasible, as the provinces of Nelson and Marlborough voters would not agree to it. He thought that a province for each island was most) reasonable, but not possible. He had made, this, scheme his study for ten years. H e quoted resolutions that he had brought forward vn ~ that subject from Hansard. for the session . 1870. In 1872 introduced a resolution that the provinces should he abolished, and one province for each island substituted. When he went into the details of the matter he found there was no unanimity among his party. He therefore jrave the scheme up in disgust, as he had been so thoroughly sold by those who had asked Llm to bring the subject forward. He referred to Sir George Grey's speech on the 22nd March, m which he (Grey) slated he was in favor of upsetting the compact of 1356. [Three cheers for Grey were called, which were given.} ■ AH the Auckland people had been told to follow Grey and all the members would be. returned, pledged to break the compact of 1856. * He was confident the Auckland members would never vote for two provinces for the colony unless they. obtained a share of the Middle Island land revenue. His advice to the electors was to sp cure honest representatives;—(derisive cheers) 1 independent men, and who would see justice done to all parts of the colony. They should secure Tyi who would see' to the administration of the land, not only to the province, but the [colony. He announced that he intended i* offer himself as a candidate—(cheers) —and if they returned him he would be found watchmo their interests, and as a consequence his own. (Cheers) In answer to questions he stated that as Otago was the largest province, and had the largest population, the benefits that would ensue would be proportionately creator. The land fund of Otago would not go out of Otago. The land revenue would be expended in the province, and localised ; the revenues would be more fairly distributed if we had’ not provincial combinations. If the provinces were not abolished, the consolidated revenue would go towards the hungry provinces, and the rich ones would not get a fair share. He thought it test to have pure and single financial separation, but it was not attainable.; They would not get twenty members to support it, no matter who Otago or Christchurch might send as representatives. He considered it his duty to protect the colonial credit; and that was why he thought it best to support the aholitionof the provinces relegating the matter to 'the constituencies. He did not think that they would have to keep up the same number of officials under the new system of government as under the old; /Hq thought they would be to blame if they-allowed it. (Cheers). He thought it possible—to- govern the three islands in with local self-government, and he was certain it would be done. He would not like to see the Upper, House an elected body. If so it would continually be at a deadlock with the House of Representatives. The members should be nominated from the Lower House. A motion to the following effect was earned by a large majority : —“ While thanking Mr. Reynolds 1 for his address, we regret that he supported the Government in the pressing of the Abolition Bill before consulting his constituents.” . An amendment thanking him for his address only was lost. The proceedings terminated at 11 o’clock.