PUBLIC ACTIVITY. THE LATE MEETINGS.

Southland Times, Issue 557, 10 September 1866, Page 2

PUBLIC ACTIVITY.

THE LATE MEETINGS.

(TO THE EPirOB P TUB SOtTTHLA.VD TIMTS ) Sir, — The public meetings that have, retvn ly b^en held has given a little life to the community, ami I believe will do gool, if the people should continue to follow it up in other masters. To me it was a matter of regret that your surges lion th it tie oppori unity of expressing, an opinion o \ the policy of the Gvneral Government", was uot taken at the list' meeting. While local affairs are of much importance, an. l in the meantime Southland is so deeply involved in obligations to the General Government — yet ii should especially watch und express an opinion as to its doings. To my mind the appropriating of the portion of the Customs, hitherto iiiyeu to the provinces, for G-n ■••al Government purposes, is a sabjee' of importance, aid although tie ad\v M nisn-) has moJifijd their deinmd* they maintain a righ^ to take all from the provinces if th -y desire. T> my mini tuis is the beginning of a plot to destroy provincialism without, in any way, providing another system of kval selfgovernment. This should call forth public opini »n of a most determined cha Ticter. Tnis is much required, as I perC3ive that the Municipal ties Bill (f O<ago, thfit is only a reproduction of the Victoritn Act, w .ich is founded upon the s mndesfc principles of local self-govern-ment, has been taken objection to by the General Government — it does not ob ect to Municipal OvOinciLs, but desires to get hold of all the fines, fees, &c , arising from Municipal Legislation. From time immemorial it has been the privilege of .Municipal Councils to receive the fees d rived from the Mayor's Court. If the privilege.-* Were taken away, each corporation would be almost powerless for want o; fuuds, would be required to pay for tiie collection without any return. This is a question that affects all the provinces, inasmuch as if Provincial Government should be destroyed, all disncta of the colony will be | la-ed unler Municipal Government.— Yours, &c, invercorgill, Btfi Sept., 1866.

(TO THS ■ROtrOtt OF THE SOOrHIiASD TIMH3.) Sir, —Contrary to the opinion, and I ha~e no doubt the wish of Mr Harvey, that it is cowardly to take advantage of your columns anonymously, I venture a | mild review, and io so without attaching mv nime and address, for reasons that will appear to Mr Harvey as they do to you ; I. fear that conscious of ma own deserts at the hands of the public, he j has taken speech in hand, and denounced the healthy influenve of the correspondent's colu nn in a well-ordered journal, or may be he would be noticed in a ieiding article, as he expressed considerable anxiety for the local press in this respect;. Perhaps conceited enough in his own talents to deliver a ri or.ition or write an article, he forgets that there are those who may be able to give expression to common sense opiuions yet modestly fear the prelude of rushing into prnt; however, I enclose my card, and should Mill, desire to know who thus d.ires to question his conduct, I beg you will actas Miy se-ouds, and make all needful a.rage;nents. As leader or" the deputation (.i duty by the way, which he discharged with characteristic effronter}"-, whereby he ign red the right of the chairin-.in of the public meeting.) he undertook the proposal of the-first resolution, which, he said conveyed a "censure" —a "mild" an-.l " va^ue" censure, and took occa-ion to indict a speech of some 40 minutes duration, which, if it contained no stump declamation, gave certainly no evidence ot that suijarior education for which he had the v nity to take credit to hi nself. To prove my assertion, you need only consult the report as published, even after it has undergone the process of revision ami convi-tion; and I ra»ke boM to affirm that for repetition of assertions (I regiet I c;nnot say argurnfut), for synonymous of expressions, for brilliancy of wit, and grandeur of illustration (the bundle of sticks for example), nothing has bdiii heard like it on the sune platforu for s>me time except perhaps the pugilistic of the indignation of the gentleman who repudiated the charge of "no phn-k" but what could compare with Mr Harvey's review of the past history of the Province ? By relating the harrowing Je'ails of his own quiet and culp ibility, disingenuoi&s contrition which, he expressed tor his misconduct to Dr Menzies. His m inly confession to his having been so engaged making money while the Province was going to ruin for lack of bis valuable services, or listen to the measured terms in which he announced his determination to leave no stone unturnel to expose the present Treasurer. I beg pardon Government, but certainly the leirning of the speaker reach a cliaiax, when he declaimed his iutentiou to illusrate on himself the S'>ng of Longfellow: Litfi's of great men sill remind -.a We can make our liv s sublime, And departing leave behind us Too prints on the sand of time. began and ended the review by Mr Harvey, of the Province, its embarrassments, their cause, and care. In his autobiogra <hy, during his residence among us, was told the sad story of our difficulties, as a Proviuce, and in his future action we are to see the restitution and redemption of Southland, although I am equally certain that werd he to uxercise the same care anl vigilance over the interest and people of Southland, as he evinced for the committee, who each after the other detailed, the resolutions which, he had planned in che quiet of his closet during the nights of his inspiration, there might be some truth in the high-handed egotism of Mr d irvey's after all. With this I close my remarks, anneut the conduct of this selfsatisfied oracle of the railwiiy meeting. I expect to be able in my next to refer to the objects of the meeting, and the nature of the resolutions. Meantime, I am, sir, &c, DOMINUS. Invercargill, Bfch September, 1866.