AUCKLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 987, 17 July 1868, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

(feom ottb ows coebespoitdent.) AuckgaitDj 4th July, 1868.

The approach of the meeting of the Assembly has called forth an amount of political activity such as has seldom been displayed. The necessity for a change in the" Government is now the popular song, and meetings have been held in most of the chief settlements, when resolutions have been passed in favor of local self- Government, and strongly condemnatory of a continuation of the Provincial system. The meeting at Mongonui, of which I advised you in my last letter, has "been followed by others of no less importance. A large meeting has been held at the Thames, at which the Auckland Provincial Council was roughlyhandled, and resolutions passed to petition the Assembly to grant the inhabitants of the district power to govern themselves, and in the event of the appeal being unheeded, to apply to His Excellency the Grovernor to -withdraw all delegated powers from, the Superintendent. Meetings have also been held at Papakura, and at Otahuhu, that have attracted attention. The speeches and the resolutions were more clear than those previously proposed. I was present at one of these, but to report the proceedings would occupy too much of your space. It is enough for me to say that the opinion was universal as to a thorough change in the system of Government being required. The speakers were numerous, and showed an interest that I have not before seen. The following extract from the " Southern Cross," gives the pith of the proceedings : — " The meeting held at Papakura, and subsequently at Otahuhu, was perhaps more important than the others, and, from the resolutions proposed, we can gather some notion of the ideas which are just now agitating the public mind. The first resolution advocated a change in the system of government, and recommended the formation of counties. The first amendment proposed the political separation of the Northern Island from the Middle Island, with one central Government for it, and subdivision into counties. A second amendment suggested a delay in any fundamental change in the Constitution of the colony until the electors had had a voice in the matter. The final resolution was, that the Auckland representatives should be urged to advocate a change, with the view to the establishment of a separate and independent legislature in the North Island." Another political meeting was held in the Mechanics' Institution on Thursday evening last, the object of which was stated to be the putting a series of queries to the representatives of the province, previous to their departure for Wellington, to attend the General Assembly. The following members of the Assembly were present: — Messrs Bell, A. Clark, G. Graham, His Honor the Superintendent ("Williamson), Dignan, Major Heaphy, and Macfarlane. The chairman (Dr Nicholson) read the advertisment calling the meeting, stating that the object was to obtain from the membeis of the General Assembly their views upon some very important Dolitical matters. A series of questions had been prepared, and as each of those gentlemen had been furnished with a copy, he hoped they had come prepared to answer them. He then read them, viz : — " Have you considered the advisability and practicability of obtaining the following reforms ? — l. The simplification of the General Government arrangements, and the reduction of the number of its paid officials to such an extent as to admit of the total taxation by the General Government being reduced to a sum not exceeding six hundred and fifty thousand pounds per annum. 2. The reduction of revenue to be raised by means of Customs duties, during next financial year, to about three hundred and fifty thousand pounds, and the increase of stamp duties imposed so as to

amount during the same period to about three hundred thousand pounds. 3. The immediate rej-.eal of the Act under which th,-. Grin-mi Government officials are GiilirKil to pensions upon retiring from the public 4. Will you advocate '.h;- foregoing policy during the a[) ! :- > .••■;?!•.■ session ot' Hie General A •--■u'.iiiy, or, if you are /not prepared to cX: :-.-». what course do you propose to adopt in lieu thereof for the relief of the taxpayers ?" The meeting was a stormy one. "It originated with the Financial Keform League, and accordipg to the programme no speeches were to be made except by the members of the Assembly in reply to the above questions^ However, this plan was not carried out. Messrs Clark, Williamson, Graham and others addressed the meeting, but the number of speeches from, small politicians, in putting questions to these gentlemen prolonged the meeting to a late hour. As far as I could see all the representatives present objected to pledge themselves to any fixed line of action, but were generally in favor of two Governments for the two Islands. I feel some reluctance to write upon mining matters, not having visited the goldfields, but I am sanguine that our mineral riches are great, and that although they may be slowly clevoloped they will ultimately make this province once more the chief in the colony. The subjoined extract from the " Southern Cross," gives, I think, a fair idea of our mining prospects : — " The continued success which, as a whole, attends the mining population at the Thames, is matter for hearty congratulation. "Week after week the story is heard of good leaders being struck and splendid yields obtained. In some cases truth seems almost stranger than fiction. Over l,ooooz. from two tons is the result of the last crushing, of picked stone, at the celebrated Manukau Claim, and we should be afraid to make a guess as to the probable yield this month from the still more celebrated Hunt's claim, when they set their new machinery to work. That the Thames goldfields will take, their stand as one of the richest Teefing diggings in the world is, we think, beyond question, and this impression as to their value is becoming more widely known, and, what is more, believed in. Already have we had a large increase of population, consisting of miners from the West Coast, and numbers of others are waiting the reports from their mates and friends previous to their own migration northward. It has also been reported, with every probability of truth, that quartz gold-bearing reefs have been discovered at Eangiriri and Kaipara, but the information at present received as to locality and nature is not sufficient to justify an indiscriminate rush to either of the above-mentioned places."