The Sonthland Times. MONDAY, JUNE 29, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 977, 29 June 1868, Page 2

The Sonthland Times. MONDAY, JUNE 29, 1868.

The Hon, Major Eichabdson's address, delivered at a meeting of the settlers in the iClutha: district, (Otago) on " ?olititical affairs as relating to: Provincialism " contains much matter of -interest and importance..- Although not now a mem- j ber of the, 'Stafford Ministry, his utterances may be considered as identical with the' sentiments : of " the party with whom :he 'has long cooperated. He boldly maintains the principle; of unity, and ably attacks the ' arguments of the ultra-proviricialists. A large. portion of the address is taken up with the local politics of Otago, a subject of second interest beyond the bounds of that province. Therefore in this article, the question — colonialism versus provincialism will form the prominent feature. He declared plainly his adhesion to the policy the present government had adopted,; and in support of the views he held, briefly reviewed the polititical history of the colony from the time wb.3n the desire for responsible Government was first publicly expressed. He held that, the provincial system was adopted at a time when communication between the different settlements, and the then seat of government (Auckland) was precarious and difficult, and that it was framed as a temporary expedient, to give distant settlements large powers of self-government only for a time. On this subject he says: — I wish more especially to point out that the es • tablishment of Provincial Institutions was merely of a temporary character, and was intended to give way, when steam communication, and the electric telegraph, had brought the more remote portions of the Colony practically together. The question will arise, whether that time has come or not. My opinion is, that the time has come, for the abolition of Provincial Institutions, but not for the abolition of Provinces themselves. The abolition of Provinces I should 1 be very sorry to see. I want" to see the Provinces retained, according to their present boundaries, so far as it cmn be done. I propose to devide my subject into ,two branches — 1. The Colonial portion ; 2. That which is more interesting to all of us, at present, the Provincial portion. In "the former, I shall attempt a historic review of the. policy of the General Government, up to about the present time, as bearing -especial reference to Provincial Institutions ; iv. the latter I shall refer more; particularly to that which, of all other subjects, is the most important, the Administration of the Waste Lands of the Crown. Is will be, in all probability, in the recollection of many of us, that, anterior to the year 1854, the affairs of the Colony were administered by a Governor, with a nominated Executive : it was, to all intents and purposes, a Crown Colony. But even when New Zealand was a Crown Colony, it was a subject, always, of very earnest desire on I the part of the Crown, that local self-government should be conceded to the settlers. In referring to the action taken by the j Colonial arid Imperial Grovernments in 1849, when Sir, Geobge G-bey was empowered to give a constitution to New Zealand, he said — Sir George Grey was thoroughly in earnest that constitutional government should not be a shadow, but a substantial reality ; and, therefore, he immediately commenced those introductory measures which, are always necessary to the mature and substantial growth of institutions. One of the first things he did wa3 to introduce a Provincial Councils Bill. But, you must be reminded, the word " Province" had then a very different meaning f- om that which it now has to us. The Colony was then divided into but two Provinc s — New. Ulster and New Munster, I think, the one consisting of half the Northern Island, and the other o the remainder of the Colony. Sir George Grey introduced what was called the Provincial Councils Bill, as aa intro- { ductory step towards constitutional government. By this bill, he ll proposed to create in each Province a District Council, with very extensive powers in the first instance, but" — and I wish \ particular attention to be paid to this — ■" which powers would be continually absorbed by, the Central Legislature of these islands, as this body may think proper to do." This was the opinion of Sir George Grey, at the time of the reading of the Provincial Councils Bill. ■■■■--■■■■■. ■ , He then quoted from despatches from the Secretary of State for the Colonies,, endorsing the policy of Sir Geobge Gtbet, in which he writes : — . I agree with you in thinking that hereafter, when the population shall have increased, and the means of coinmunicaticn have been improved, many subjects which must for the present be. dealt with by these separate Legislatures, will bo brought again, with propriety," under the control of the General Legislature, the Provincial Councils confining themselves, ultimately, to the discharge of duties similar to those which in Canada devolve on the District Councils; . He then reviewed the policy that led to the adoption of .ihe Hiinared system, which was formed an the belief that it would be the best means to pave the way ipr the after establishment of municipali-

ties. In proof of this being the views of the Imperial and Colonial Governments prior to the granting of the existing Constitution, he quoted from despatches from Earl Gtrey, Secretary of- State for the Colonies in 1852, and his successor, Sir John Pakington. The former writes with respect to Provincial Councils :— In the progress of events, as colonisation extends, and the several settlements are drawn nearer to each other, in boundaries and in interests, they will very probably assume more and mora of the municipal character, whi)e the funotions of the General Legislature will increase. The latter, a few months afterwards, expressed the same sentiment in even more distinct language. He suggested a single instead of a double chamber for the provinces, "on account of the comparative unimportant nature of the functions of those Councils, which will be limited to; local objects, such as would be of a municipal character rather than partaking of the higher attributes of a legislature." He also quoted from the address made to the Assembly by the officer administrating the government in; those days — an address he deemed one of the most states- ! manlike documents that ever appeared in. any colony of the British empire: — ■ I It appears that the object of all legislation [that I is, with special reference to New Zealand] is the forming of a great nation, exeroising a commanding influence in the Southern Seas, and not a collection of insignificant, divided, and powerless ! petty States.' ■■■■!,,'•. The evidence brought forward by Major Richardson to show that provincial institutions as at present existing were never contemplated by the framers of the constitution has been only partially given, but it is sufficient to show the line of argument employed. The hon. speaker then proceeded to defend the action of the General Government. He said :— It is a remark often. made, and which I have read very often, that the General Government is aggressive — that it does all it can to -demolish Provincial Institutions. I assert directly the contrary. I say that. [ the General Government, representing the General Legislature, has been criminally .indifferent to its duty ; and that the sad effect's of that criminal indifference are being evinced at the j present day. I wish to refer to two portions of the Constitution Act, with especial reference to ' this subject — that is to say, parts of the Act with respect to legislation and. with respect to revenues. By the 37th clause of the Constitution Act, every Provincial Ordinance requires the Governor's sanction. The Governor acts "by and with the advice and consent of his Executive Council :" so there, at once, you see, Provincial •' legislation is dependent upon the action of the representatives"- of the General Legislature. By the 57th clause, there is an affirmative, controlling, and .: superseding power given to the Assembly over all Provincial legislation. And it goes still further than that. Not; content with giving such control, the Act says, that all Provincial legislation, of whatever character it may De, which is inconsistent with the legislation o( the Assembly, shall, by ; that inconsistency, become null and void. Well might Mr Labouchere say, in 1856, when reviewing the subject, that if words could possibly express the subjection of one. Legislature to another, it wa3 expressed in the words of the clauses of the Constitution Act. Now, with reierence to the very important point of revenues. Let us see whether the General Government have been aggressive on Provincial revenues, or whether a criminal indiff rence has not been evinced. I turn to clause 62, and I find that all taxes of all kinds, under the term, " Ordinary Revenue," and the whole of the Land Revenue, were subjected to administration by the General Government, and were subject to two special charges, besides the charge of collection and management — namely, to the extinguishment of the New Zealand Company's Debt, and to the purchase of Native Lands and the extinguishment of Native titles, in both islands. By the 60th clause both Customs and Land Revenue were subject to be appropriated by the General Assembly, and the surplus only was to be divisible among the Provinces. I would put it to an impartial jury — after simply reading to them the evidence — whether or iiot, considering that the Land Revenue has been permanently transferred from the Assembly, and that a considerable fixed proportion of the Ordinary Revenue, under the name of " Consolidated Revenue," has also * been transferred, the legislation of the General Assembly has been antagonistic to the Provinces? After detailing the circumstances that led to the passing of the new Provinces Act,a measure that met withstrong opposition, he referred to the territorial arrangements of 1858 arising from resolutions passed m 185S, that were embodied in an Act of 1858, whereby there was an agreement between the two parts of the Colony, to the following effect : — ■ .The "Middle Island should take the New Zealand Company's debt of £180,000, or more, and that the Northern Island should have a loan of £180,000, for the purpose of extinguishing Native titles in that island, and buying" land as it was required. The Middle Island became, by the payment of that email debt of £180,000, the possessor of that magnificent I estate which, it now holds. In one year — in half | a year, I will say — there ■ has been realised from that estate more' than was originally paid for it. j On the contrary, the Northern Island— since i some action which, took place in 1862 — has been deprived of the power to buy Native lands— the Government can only go into the marker to buy as private individuals would ; and, therefore, while we in the Middle Island held 'firmly to our landed estate, a grevions injustice was done to the Provinces of the Northern Island. Having passed in review the efforts made to repeal the new Provinces Act, which proved successful in 1865, he affirmed that an universal cry was raised for counties and endowed Road Board Districts, which cry he believed would never be hushed until the rights of the outlying districts were freely, fully, and frankly recognised. - In entering upon the second part of his subject, which had especial reference to Provincial institutions, he acknowledged that a great amount of good had been done by what are called Reform' Associations, now existing in several Provinces, and quoted largely from the report of the Canterbury Association, and a letter published in that Province by Mr Stevens,, to illustrate the sad conditionintowhich "thefirst Province inNew Zealand" had been brought by the working of the " Provincial system. He thought that it was generally known that he had ever opposed the Separation movement, and,, when a member of the Assembly for Dunedin, at a crowded public meeting held in the Theatre, declared his unalterabje opinion that " Separation would be a grievous injustice, a grievous and a criminal mistake." He maintained that it would be unjust to the Provinces of the Northern Island, unjust to the Natives, and overwhelmingly injurious to the whole Colony. "But he said— .",, j | ' If- there ' mußt be a change, and if the]

alternative were presented to me of ultra-Provin-cialism, and a destruction of the nationalty of the country, and a merging of it into a set of " insignificant, divided, and powerless petty States," then I would say, if.it can be honorably done,-; "Let there be a separate administration for the two islands." But only upon those terms; would I consent — that the thing can be honorably done, and that the doing of if; is the sad alternative of our becoming a set of " insignificant, divided, and powerless petty States." What has been our experience of Provincialism during the last few months. When I review the whole of the Provinces of New Zealand, from the extreme north to the extreme south, what do I find ? In many cases an entire paralysis — in some cases, partial paralysis — and in scarcely anyiportion a soundness such as is. to be desired. I. will tell .you .the evidence on which my views are based: then, we may differ, but, if so, let us agree to diffei. The Provinces have done a good work — there is no of it ; but I think £heir time has gone by. It. is through their instrumentality that New Zealand, in a great measure, is what it is at the. present. day. But, since the electric- telegraph and steam communication have arisen, the neces-. sity for" these different legislatures has passed away. _ ; ,; , , The speaker also pointed out aome of the evils arising from members for Provinces giving their sole attention to subjects especially affecting their particular Province, to the detriment of general legislation, 1 and, in stating the liabilities of each Provincej he exposed the folly of continuing a system so ruinous in its working. The most important statement of the whole is the description of the change that Major Richabdson deems desirable— we say most important because . any suggestions thrown out, or opinions uttered by this gentleman, are always worthy of respect and consideration ; but, in defining the particular reforms required, it is impossible to think that he doea not reflect the mind of the Staffobd Ministry, as well aB express his own matured views on this subject. He says : — J I shall be asked what are my proposals for a change for the better in the Colony ? Let me say, I speak now as a private settler. I am no logger connected with the General Government. I say, first should come — The Abolition of Provincial Institutions. It is utterly unnecessary that there should be nine sets of Provincial Institutions — nine Provincial Councils, nine Executive Councils — and a General Assembly and Colonial Executive. It' is one of the most extraordinary, political phenomena that have ever appeared on the surface of this world ! In the States of America, the Governors "receive salaries varying from £200 a year, in the smallest State, to £1200 a year in California. I believe that the Governor of the State of New York receives. £800 a year, and the legislative powers of the State are comparatively trifling ; while it has an enormous territory, and New (York contains I* think, some three millions of inhabitants. My second proposal is— The Substitution of Nominated for Elected Superintendents, as vacancies occur ; each Superintendent to act with the advice of a Council of twelve, elected for two years, andmeeting quarterly ,for. a short time, simply for business. Thirdly, I propose — That a portion of the Consolidated Revenue, to follow population — as the people are the sowers, so they should be the reapers — be given to each Province. Fourthly, I propose — That there be an appropriation of this Provincial portion of the Consolidated Revenue, to be applied to the maintenance of Gaols, Police, and Harbors : the balance, if any, to go towards the liquidation of Provincial debts. I have entered very, accurately into this subject. I was most earnest in my desire that the partnership should cease, and that there should be a reduction of taxation correspondingly ; but I found that, if that took place, some of the Provinces would, not be able to meet their loan liabilities, and that others, again, would not be able to meet those liabilities, if they were to maintain their Gaols. Police, and Harbors. Therefore, though it is highly— lean scarcely use language sufficiently strong — highly injurous, I will say, that there should be one purse for the General Government and the Provincial Governments, yet I cannot see that the arrangement can be altered, without the ruin of the Provinces. It is nonsense to talk about : the people of Auckland taxing themselves ; they cannot do it. You must continue the system of a common purse, vicious as it is, for a little longer ; and therefore is it, I am afraid, you must bid adieu, for the present, to anything like an extensive reduction of taxation. My, fifth proposal is—The Allocation of Provincial Land Revenue — one third to be applied to Immigration, one thrd to Trunk Road. Commuuications, and one-third Road Districts ; after a portion has been taken off, towards the liquidation of debt, where the Consolidated Revenue may, probably, prove insufficient to yield anything for that purpose. Under the new system as to Loans, you know that if a province is now unable to meet- its loan liabilities, the General Government can come upon the proceeds of Land Sales for what is deficient. I propose, sixthly — That Separate Accounts shall be opened at the Banks, for the different funds, and that those accounts shall be audited and checked by the Providcial Auditor in each case. Seventhly, I propose — That, while Retaining the Provincial Boundaries as they now exist — unless satisfactory reason is given for alteration ; and- 1 dare say some such reasons might be given — there should be a Division of. each Province into Counties and Road Board Districts ; delegates from the latter to form the former — each electing its own Chairman — the former body administering the Trunk Road Fund, and the latter the District Road Fund. Eighthly, I propose — -That the Provincial Debts be charged on the whole Colony. During the whole of Major Rickabdson's long address he was listened to with marked attention, and was frequently warmly applauded. This in itself is a most significent fact, when it is borne in mind that but two short years ago the same gentleman was reviled and hooted by a Dunedin mob for holding similar opinions and giving free expression to them. It proves beyond dispute that public opinion is tending, even in Ofcago, towards the establishment of one strong Colonial G-oyemment.