NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4812, 24 August 1876, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY TOR THE MONTH. AUGUST, 1876. For transmission by the P-M.C.S. Wellington, on the Ssih Avgust, .to Europe, . via San Francises. Parliament has now been in session upwards of two months, and the work done is but little. Erst of all a long tune was '.occupied by the debating of a resolution brought forward by Sir Georoe Grey in reference to the dealings of the Government with a piece of land known as the Piako Swamp. The question was settled by Sir George Grey being beaten'by 52 to 21; then came Mr, Whitaker’s resolutions for destroying the compact of 1856, also disagreed to by a large majority ; and this was followed by Sir George Grey’s proposition forseparation. On this the Parliament has been engaged for the best part of the present month ; but fortunately the calamity which the would-be patriots were working to bring about was avoided, and the good sense of the majority leaves us still a united colony. The Opposition, however, is completely broken up. The Otago members have found out what everyone else knew before, that all Sir George Grey wants is to turn out the Government; and there ■were not wanting indications during the debate that the Southern men are not inclined merely to play his game. The Auckland team ran together very well during the debate, but they split up into parties last week after a great row. The whole facts connected with this matter we believe to be much as follow: —Mr. Tones, the recently elected member for Auckland City West, supported Sir George Grey loyally on the separation resolutions; but when he found that the wish of the country as represented in Parliament was not only decidedly against separation, but was in favor of abolition, and the modification of the Government measures to suit the circumstances of the colony, he represented to Sir George Grey that nothing was to be gained by continuing purposeless and factious opposition to the Government on their constitutional measures, and that it would be better to fairly endeavor to so shape those measures as would bo most advantageous to Auckland. Put Sir George Grey was obstinate and would consent to no compromise, and when at the request of Mr. Tones he called a meeting of Auckland members for Saturday last, only those members who had voted with hita were summoned to attend. At that meeting it was agreed, however, that nothing should be done until all the Auckland members should be present, and accordingly an adjournment was taken until Monday afternoon, at which all were present, on the requisition of Mr. John Sheehan, acting for Sir George Grey. Business was commenced by Sir George, who occupied the chair, reading a kind of manifesto, .and . making an explanation. The substance of these was, that the safety of the Constitution, which is in danger of falling by the hands of the Ministry, was paramount to all considerations, and that jf they only persisted in their patriotic resistance they would ultimately obtain redress from the British ■ Parliament and British Government. In the meantime he, as leader, would hear of no truces or negotiations with the enemies of the colony and mankind, meaning the Cabinet, and he meant to fight the constitutional question to the last. Mr. Tone’s explanation was to an effect similar to that which we stated as being Mr. Tones’ remonstrance to Sir George Grey, after the decisive defeat on the separation resolutions. Several gentlemen expressed themselves as being decidedly of Mr. Tones’ opinion, and Mr. Rowe said that the constitutional question did not trouble him half so much as the getting of good roads and bridges in his district, and assistance in the process of Auckland. This practical sentiment of Mr. Rowe’s met with pretty general endorsation. Sir George Grey thereupon formally resigned the leadership of the party, and left the meeting, which then broke up in confusion after some pretty compliments had passed between various members. And so ends, it is to be hoped, the bubble that has lately been blown to such size and thinness on the Constitutional question, the rights of mankind, and the interests of the human race and posterity. It is to be hoped now that the House will set itself to work. The more closely the Government policy is examined, the more it appears a fair attempt to provide for local administration ; and the best men in the Southern camp will probably, if they cannot get their own way, endeavor to make the best of what they can get. And it is pleasing to see that there is a disposition to get on with business. On Tuesday the Counties Bill was read a second time without a division, and is now proceeding through committee. It is a very well drawn measure, and will certainly secure local administration and the distribution of the surplus land revenue without an appeal to the House of Representatives. This is a very imimportaht consideration. Nothing tends to dem’ade a legislative body so much as an annual scramble for the distribution of funds devoted to local public works. If the annual voting of the surplus land revenue in the different provincial districts for certain specific work is to be left to the General Assembly, or even if it is left to that body to apportion the revenue among the different road hoards, wo shall gain nothing by abolition. But by apportioning the land revenue once for all, according to a fixed rule, among the different counties, both Parliament and local councils will gain in dignity and usefulness. It is a great pity that the proposed committees on the boundaries have not been at work for the last fortnight. The Government will agree to reasonable amendments in the measure, and we have no doubt that they will be able to provide such local organisation as will meet the requirements of the country for some time to come.

One member of the new Parliament Ims been unseated for bribery, namely, Captain Read. The ground of the petition was bribery on the part of Captain Read's agent, the principal in elections of course being bound and affected by the act of his agent. Major Pitt, the agent of Captain Read, was convicted of bribery and fined £IOO at Tauranga, it having been very clearly proved that he gave a man named Fairfax Johnson some £2O to procure nineteen native votes, Johnson was brought before the committee, and by his evidence it was shown beyond a doubt that the offence had been committed. This fact having been established, it became necessary to connect Read with the act, and from a largo 'quantity of evidence given,_ it seemed that at the outset of his candidature Read had appointed a man named HenshavF to bo his agent at Gisborne, one of the polling places of the district. Subsequently to this Mr. Hbnshaw was

recalled by Read, who told him that hearing that he was unpopular at Gisborne, he had appointed Major Pitt |to supersede him. Captain Read on his oath denied that he; had appointed Pitt, and called Mr, Wilson, who had been chair-, msn of his committee, to prove that Pitt had been appointed by a member of the committee, but in cross-examination it came out that Captain Read had placed himself entirely in the hands of his committee; and when informed of the appointment had complained of the expense, but had not taken any steps tocancel the appointment. Counsel urged that as Captain Read had thrown himself into the hands of his committee he was responsible for the acta of the committee, especially for the appointment of Pitt, as he had virtually approved of it by having taken no steps to cancel it. Captain Morris was only eight or nine votes lower on the poll than Captain Read, and therefore ho claimed that had it not been for this bribery he (Captain Morris) would have been returned. Counter-charges of bribery were brought against Captain Morris. It was alleged that at one polling place he had offered a man £1 for his vote, and £1 for every vote he could get for him ; and further, very liberally offered to mako an advance on his price should it turn out that other candidates were giving more than £l. Captain Morris was called, and said that ho had never, to his recollection, seen the man who made these statements, and he denied most positively having committed bribery. Captain Morris, who has been declared elected, will sit as a moderate opponent of the Government. He does not believe in Sir George Grey’s plans for benefitting posterity, but would be inclined to follow the lead of any gentleman who could consolidate the Auckland party on some more; practical platform than that of Sir George Grey. The counsel were Mr. John H. Shaw for the petitioner, and Mr. G. E. Barton for the respondent. The news respecting the successful floating of the late loan has been received with great satisfaction.