TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5249, 19 January 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

, ; , (per press agency.) Alexandra, Friday. O’Conor has succeeded in getting a promise of a location for himself in the King Country - other Hgatimaniopoto chiefs, however, object He and Rlwi are away at Kuiti. . The weatheris frighful for harvesting. The Kopua, natives are looking particularly dejected. ’ TnrABU, Friday. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day William Corbett,., proprietor of the Cave Arms accommodation house, Mackenzie Country, for forging and uttering a cheque by altering, the, amount from £2 ss. to £22 ss'., and changing it at the Bank of Hew,Zealand, wa's"committed-for trial at the Supreme Court, Bail was allowed—the accused in £4oo,;aud two sureties of £2OO each. - 1 . - Christchurch, Friday. the past year ’ 950 males and 103 females .-wereAarrested- for drunkenness in Christchurch. The following are the names of the fifteen selected to play against the Australian cricketers Baker, D’Emden, B. Fowler, W. Fowler, C. Frith, W. Frith, Fuller, Godby, Leach, Lee, Moore, Heilson, Corfe, and A. M. Ollivier. Heilson was elected captain. The weather is very promising for the match, which commences at noon to-morrow. The Australians will-arrive-by the last train tonight.! . - ’ 1 1 1 ■ The returns from the Post Office Savings Banks in l Canterbury show the deposits for--187/ as £163,137 ; withdrawals, £155,701 , credit of; depositors, £190,322. ;, Mr.! W. Montgomery addressed his constituents’ at, Akaroa; ! He ’reviewed the proceedings of the'past session, during which he said that when the Atkinson Ministry was turned out by Sir George Grey he asked him to take the Colonial Treasurership, but he declined, as he could hot get from Sir George Grey a positive promise' that the compact of 1856 should, lie respected. It Had been said he was to join the Ministry after the end of the session, but there never was any. foundation for it. The present Ministry had taken the Land Fund, but that portion which had 'accrued up to the 31st December was to be handed back. Indeed, Canterbury had already received £300,000, and the balance would be paid within ninety days. On the other hand. Major Atkinson’s proposal was to,take;part of the accrued Land Fund, and-he was pledged to some of his supporters to-take the whole of the Land Fund next session. There was no hope of getting the Land Fund back, but it was hoped they would get aland law to fix a uniform price for land throughout the colony, so that people would settle first on good land, and not be fixed on bad . land,-, while money would be taken from good land to make roads and bridges, and to keep them. He regretted his Bill for alienating 350,000 acres of land in Canterbury. for branch railways did not pass the Upper House, but he intended bringing it forward again. As to the management of native lands, his idea was that a Bill should be passed to survey them in blocks, and put them up to auction ; the expenses and royalty then to be deducted, and the balance handed to the natives, who would thus receive more than they did at present. Speaking of finauce, he said the actual debt was £19,541,749, thq interest and sinking fund being £1,118,000. To meet this there was the profit on the railways of £166,000, leaving over £900,000 te be made up gradually from other sources. He did not believe the Land Fund-would cover this. Sir George Grey estimated.the deficit at £286,220,. and spoke of retrenchment to meet it, but he (Mr. Montgomery) would have it met by direct taxation on property—that is, on land, bank, insurance,, and other shares, and money employed in trade, but would not tax the first £SOO a man made. Instead of having a tax on incomes, it would be far better to tax those who held property simply to get a rise in value. The Representation Act required amending, population ought to be the true basis of representation. He believed pressure would be brought to bear on the 1 Government to give every man a vote, and it had been said any man who would oppose this would set one class against another, but he did not for a moment believe that. He objected to miners’ right qualification, as the franchise should not be conferred on a mere nomadic population. He was distinctly opposed to manhood suffrage. After answering a few questions, a vote of thanks was unanimously carried. The vote of thanks also included a vote of confidence.