PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 275, 26 May 1875, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

A complaint from Mr. W. A. Murray, that a monopoly of purchasing laud on Wairoa river had been given to a private individual was referred to a select committee. The Provincial Treasurer replying to Mr. Lloyd said there were no funds available for opening up the East Coast roads via the Hot Springs. Mr. Taylor was informed that no information had been received from the General Government as to when the Kai para Railway would be open for traffic; also as to whether the Auckland extension would, be proceeded with. The Treasurer informed Mr. Lundon. that there were no funds to supply the £6,000 it would take to increase the Onehunga wharf accommodation ; and also that no reply had been received from the General Government in respect to the granting of waste lands at Mangere to the Superintendent. In reply to Mr. Bagnall, MrJ Wood said that Captain Fraser has not yet reported on the petition of Messrs McGregor, Hanlan, and others. DUTY ON KAURI GUM. Mr. Dargaville moved, “ that in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that a duty of £5 per ton be levied on all kauri gum ex]K>rted from this colony, and that the revenue derived therefrom be declared land revenue, and applicable exclusively to purposes of education. That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to His Honor the Superintendent, asking him to forward the same to the General Government with a request that legal effect may be given thereto.” The motion was put and carried. Sir R. Douglas gave notice to move for £6OO for a wharf at Wangarei Heads, and £BOO for a road between Mauugakaraniea and Wangarei. TAMAKI BRIDGE. Captain Peacocke asked the Government whether it was their intention to repair Tamaki bridge. Mr. Wood thanked the hon. member for drawing the attention of the Government to it. Mr. Allwright reported that it would cost £l5O to put the bridge in repair, and that sum would be placed on the supplementary estimates. Mn. Roche asked whether the Provincial Government had received any money on account of the fourth of the proceeds from sale of confiscated lands. The Provincial Treasurer said that the General Government, instead of handing over the money for the Highway Boards to spend, had spent it themselves. COLONIAL LAND FUND. Mr. Carpenter moved, “ That the Council considers it of vital importance to the province that an investigation should be made into the causes which operate to deprive it of an equitable share of the land fund of the colony, and that a committee be appointed to take evidence and report thereon ; such committee to consist of Messrs Wood, Lusk, Cheeseman, Shepherd, Swanson, Rees, and the mover” —Agreed to. POLICE CONTROL. Mr. Dargaville moved “that in the opinion of this council it is not desirable that the existing relations between the Provincial and General Governments with reference to the police force should be disturbed ; and that the above resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent. The hon. member supported the motion by comparisons with Otago, Canterbury, aud Auckland. A warm discussion followed, in which Mr. May and Mr. London exchanged some hot language. After the discussion the question was put and carried. 1 The debate on the message from his Honor relating to Mr. H. H. Lusk having been cast in damages £4O on Government account, was adjourned until the arrival of Mr. Johnson from Poverty Bay. Mr. Davies carried a motion for forming, managing, and controlling public cemeteries at the Thames.

On the subject of tollgates Mr. Taylor obtained a reply from Mr. Wood that the Government were in favor of abolishing them altogether and throwing the cost of road repair altogether upon the Road Boards. A warm debate ensued on the subject of the appropriation of £lOOO for Mrs. Williamson. On a division taking place there were 17 ayes and 11 noes. The appropriation was therefore carried. -JTRESIDENT ENGINEERS. Mr. Moat asked the Provincial Treasurer whether the Government had appointed, or intend to appoint, resident engineers for the Northern and Southern parts of the province, as promised by the Provincial Secretary last Session. Mr. Sheehan said the Superintendent was of opinion that it was not desirable to appoint engineers, but that the Highway Boards should be encouraged to appoint them themselves. In deference to that expression of opinion on the part of his Honor, he (Mr. Sheehan) gave way, and the appointments had not taken place. EDUCATIONAL RESERVES BILL. A bill to make further provision for the management and disposition of Educational reserves witbin the province, was received from the Superintendent; read a first time, and the second reading fixed for Tuesday next (yesterday.) CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES. Mr. Sheehan moved, “ That the resolution arrived at on the motion No. 1 moved yesterday by Mr. Bagnal be rescinded. 1. That it is not desirable that any large constitutional changes should be made until the people of the colony have been fully informed of the details of the scheme of local self-government which is to be set up in place of the Provincial forms of Government, and have had ample time to consider the same. 2. That such change should not be attempted to be made during the next session of Parliament, but should be dealt with by the next Parliament. 3. That any such constitutional changes should apply to the whole colony, aud not to any particular part thereof.” M r. Sheehan said he would move the first resolution separately. He admitted that on the previous occasion there had not been any attempt to entrap the Council into a division, and explained thereason why the resolution went unexpectedly to the vote. The hon. member, Mr. Bagnal, had become famous in a night, Instead of such a question having been brought forward by an old member, it was introduced by a comparatively young poli-

tician. He might say— An Eagle soaring in his pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. The hon. member for the Bay of Islands had even proved by his persistentopposition that he was a good hater. Although in his old age, he still groped blindly about for some one to attack, like the giant in the fable whose eyes had been thrust out. Mr. Carleton rose to order. The hon. member was misquoting the classics. He was confusing Jack and the giant with Ulysses and Polyphemus. (Laughter.) Mr. Sheehan bowed to the hon. member’s correction. Being in his second political childhood he was better acquainted with infantile literature. (Laughter.) The country in unanimously electing Sir George Grey as Superintendent had accepted his holding opinions identical with those embodied in the resolution, before the Council, and the people expected that the Council would not tie down Sir George Grey by passing such a resolution as Mr. Bagnal’s, but leave him free to employ his ability in treating the great Constitutional question in the House of Assembly. It was right that any change in the Constitution should not be decided by a moribund Parliament, but by a new one which would be elected by the people after a fair consideration-of the subject Mr. Vogel could not arrive in the colony until September, and he might not be able to resume his public duties at all. If the determination of these Constitutional questions were left to the other members of the Ministry, it would be left to less than ciphers. The Council ought to allow the Superintendent to go down to Wellington unfettered. Therefore, he would ask them to rescind the resolution and have a fair stand-up fight. The opinion of the Council to have any weight ought to be come to after a long debate.

Mr. Carleton said if anything were wanting to show the decadence of Provincialism. it was the hon. member unblushingly asking them to make themselves ridiculous by passing this motion. Hon. members had made up their minds and could not be affected by listening to the assembled wisdom of the Council. It was well-known that the private opinions of a majority of hon. members were in favour of the abolition of Provincialism, and public feeling was with them. Sir George Grey’s election did not indicate as the hon. member (Mr. Sheehan) implied, that the bulk of the people were iu favour of his views, for the argument was generally used. “ Provincialism is doomed. Let us put in a clever man.” He denied that it was a Parliamentary rule that an old House could not deal with Constitutional questions. The first Reform Bill was a case in point. The argument of the hon. member on this point implied delegation as against representation, and was not in accordance with those principles on which the British Constitution was based. It was immaterial whether constitution changes were brought on next cession or any future one. He looked forward for this for a long time, aud one session made no difference—the triumph was bound to come. He would vote against the first resolution, and let the others pass. Some hon. members who voted for Mr. Bagnal’s resolutions might change their minds, but the vote had gone forth nevertheless.

Mr. Reader Wood said it was true the Council could not suffer by rescinding the resolution. The only question was, had there been sufficient reasons given for such an unusual course. In his opinion such reasons had not been given. There was not one simple reason why the course proposed should not be pursued. There was not a man in the province who had given any attention to the subject who did not agree with Mr. Bagnal’s resolution. From Auckland to Otago, Provincialism had broken down, and was disgusting the people, causing irritation, and ought to be removed. A great deal had been said about hampering his Honor, but had it ever occurred to hon. members to think whether they could fetter him ? They tried the other day to do so, in the matter of the Police, but failed. (Hear.) He (Mr. Wood.) liad known Sir George Grey for many years, and served him in different capacities, and right or wrong, good, bad, or indifferent, he wonld always act and’ think for himself. When Sir George asked him (Mr. Wood) to take the office Of Provincial Treasurer, he told his Honor that probably the Council would like to know what his views were, with regard to the question of what wasp called Ministerial responsibility in Provincial affairs. He said, “Well, Wood, if the Council think that I am in this way going to act as a constitutional Governor acts, who does nothing without the advice of his ministers, I had better go back again to Kawau.” (Hear.) Mr. Sheehan said, with all due reference to his hon. colleague, he had the authority of Sir George Grey for saying that he regarded the action taken ou the previous day as most disastrous and fettered him to such a degree that it became a question whether it was worth while carrying on any further. Sir George said he had left his retirement for the purpose of taking up this question. The people heard him, he proclaimed openly what views he held; resolutions of confidence were passed in him; the Provincial press teemed with articles of approval, and yet the Council which he expected to assist and aid him in the matter appeared determined to convert him into nothing more or less than a mouthpiece. He appealed to hon. members not to spoil the chance the Province had of getting a fair consideration of its claims in the General Assembly. Question put: “ That Mr. Sheehan’s motion be now put,” upon which the Council divided with the following result: Ayes 19, Boylan, Cadman, Carpenter, Cheeseman, Dignan, Goldie, Hamlin, Hurst, Lundon,Lusk, Macready, McLeod, Peacocke, Prime, Reed, Rees, Sheehan, Swanson, Wilson. Noes, 18, Bagnall, Ball, Brown, Buckland, Carleton, Crawford, Dargaville, Davies, Douglas, Johnson, Kelly, Lloyd, May, Moat, Morris, Shepherd, Taylor, Wood.