Telegraphic Despatches

Southland Times, Issue 971, 19 June 1868, Page 2

Telegraphic Despatches

Wellington, Tuesday. — Major M'Donnell is enlisting only a small temporary force, to be aided if necessary by the Constabulary at Waikato. The Government refused to commit the country to much, expense till the meeting of the Assembly. — With the view to free action in the Assembly on the steam subsidies, three months notice has been given to the Companies determining the mail subsidies. JDunebin, Wednesday. — Major Bichardson spoke for an hour and three-quarters on the subject of the political aspect of New Zealand, especially with reference to provincial institutions. He gave an historical review to show that the original intention of provincial institutions was that they should be temporary, and be succeeded by locally-governed districts having one-third of the land revenue for public works. He said the time had now cotne for abolishing provincial institutions, but not for abolishing provincial boundaries, which he wonld retain if possible. Separation was never more impossible than now ; but, if possible, he would accept it, rather than that the colony should be cut up. into , petty, divided, powerless states. He said the General Government, instead of being aggressive, had been criminally indifferent to its duties to the colony in that matter. He , advocated, first, abolition of Provincial

Legislatures; secondly, nominated Super- 1 intendents with each an elected Council ' of twelve, meeting quarterly; thirdly, that a portion of the consolidated revenue, in proportion to population, be given to each province; fourthly, that^ the land fund be allocate 1 thus: one-third immigration, one-third trunk roads, and onethird district roads; "fifthly, keeping separate accounts of different funds ; sixthly, the division of the provinces into counties and road districts. He considered the selling of land at 10s an acre a great wrong to the settlers, and a gross depreciation of the value, of the landed estate of the colony. The Hundred system was

the most prominent feature ot the .Land Act, 1866* and the sale of label. in blocks without previous declaration into Hundreds was simply ruinous policy as regarded settlement. ■i [The foregoing telegram was received from Dunedin yesterday afternoon, and is said to be the gist.of a speech delivered to his constituents, at Balclutha, by Major Richardson. We "fancy there must be some mistake, as the hon. gentleman represents Taranaki.] ...