MR VOGEL IN DUNEDIN.

Southland Times, Issue 1350, 20 December 1870, Page 2

MR VOGEL IN DUNEDIN.

As stated by telegram in our last issue, the Colonial Treasurer addressed an immense meeting. in punedin on the 13th inst. We make the following extract from, a very excellent report of the speech in. the Evening Star;— : , WHY OTAOO HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE ' POIJeY. „- . „: ; The reason alleged here for non-accept-ance by the Provincial Executive and Council, is that the measures are not sufficiently Provincial ; but I say that -those whn ao-object do not givfl ■snflSr.ienfc. heed to the circumstances of the Province, even supposing their objections to be well founded. The Government were thwarted hi their attempt to pass the measures- in a more Provincial form than that in which they were passed ; the great opposition that had to be contended with being on T;herground that _"aa framed, the measures gave too much consideration to the Provinces. It is true that iMr Rolleston the Superiutendent of Canterbury, .and Mr Maeandrew, the Superintendent of Otago, expressed much regret that the measures did not leave much more to be done by the Provinces ; but the contentions of all other members who at all opposed the G-overnraent, had an entirely opposite direction: Any concession taat could be secured, in the nature of power taken from the Provinces, was eagerly welcomed by a large section of the House ; and I ; am thoroughly cbu^ vinced that if the -Acts were hereafter . altered, it will be in the, direction of making them less acceptable, rather than more acceptable, to you here in Otago: Supposing there is any., force in the arguments you have heard in' the Council Chamber behind me^-for I have no doubt that many of you have attended and listened~to~tfre— eioxjuence aired in that Chamber during the last two months (laughter) — that ,Otago is now being asked to construct railways for the rest of the Colony, is it likely that you" will persuade the representatives of the rest of the Colony to repeal^ or greatly -to modify, measures which are so advantageous tp - them ?^-r("Hearj /hear," and applause.) Ido not admit that the effect of the "Acts is', at, all as ■ you have been told ; but granting for the moment that it is true, can you really believe that the rest of the Colony willconseht to give up what they are said to have gained ? K not, then I ask you, is it -wise, as a mere matter of policy, for Otago to say, *We will not have or other works, constructed under these Acts. What we wantjvfi. will . construct., ibr_ ourseliesX? I submit to-you, that from the very standpoint of these Otago opponents of the colonising policy, the conduct of tliose opponents is simply ridiculous.— (Applause, and a cry of " Bravo ! Give it to 'em. 1 ') I tell you that, in Otago, you have hever.yet.had any thing like unanimity amongst your representatives. You never have had a voting power of 13 — the number of your members ; but very often your members have' 1 vo^edeight^on- one side .and seven on sp^that you have' had a voting power of jiist ph T e. I ;do; notibelieve, there' [ißJ.nQ«rianyj; bejttey chance than before, of jour getting as , representatives men who are' aU of one ppmionj-7-(Applauße.) ? You may -succeed in keeping the" Colonising' Acts' aV'they are; and ,so l6ng as -you.' do that, you secure that each Troyince shal| . hear its . own liability for public works; ; L You may get them altered. ~ I am not referring., Jp amendments in details ; because Tdo *not for an instant pretend to "think that, it may not be shown that great amendments in details are necessary.^ But ;_'-X. feel warrantied in saying that any^radical.

alterations which may hereafter be made in the Acts will be such as to make them more distasteful to Otago — in the sense that they will lessen the power of control to the Provinces as such. The question before you is not whether Otago should construct public works for itself, or should have them constructed by the Colony in the manner prescribed in these Acts but the question really is whether Otago should have works constructed under these Acts or should go without- public works at all. — (Applause, and " No, no.") Yes, that is the question, believe me. The argument that has been used, that by taking advantage of these. Acts you will be bound by them is puerile, lhat argument was urged when I pressed upon the Provincial Executive the duty of taking all advantage of these Acts. If the Executive use our measures, and then find that amendments are necessary, the Executive would have a status enabling them to suggest what amendments should be made. But 1 put it to you very directly, what heed do you think would be paid by the Assembly to objections or suggestions by those who have stood by in mere sullen determination not to allow the measures to be used by this Province ? The argument that the measures are not to be used because the Province will be bound by them as it were, is of a very narrow and contracted nature, and one Tfhich. would sacrifice — to- a misguided feeling the best and immediate interests of the Province. — (Hear, hear). I told you the other night in the theatre that the fetters recently received from Home give us the most pleasing assurance that the prognostications uttered here, and ■which have especially been appearing in the Daily Times, that our measures would not be accepted at Home, have not been in any sense realised. — (Interruption.) It is no light thing, believe me, that a newspaper with a large circulation, and called the leading journal of the Province, should endeavor pertinaciously to throw dirt upon the Colony. "What could be more injurious in its way than the repeated ; declaration that because of these measures i New Zealand securities would go down to a great extent on the English market ? But that declaration has not been verified, although the Bailg Times has not told j you so. I beseech you, whatever may be our internal quarrels, let us endeavor — to use a very homely adage — to wash our dirty linen at home. — (Laughter.) "Why, because of. some local quarrels, should endeavors be made to injure the value of our securities at Home ? — (Hear, hear.) Understand me that I do not wish to blame the Provincial Executive for the position they have taken. I am very sorry that this deadlock should have occurred, but I have no doubt that the members of the Provincial Executive have acted conscientiously in the matter. — (Laughter, groans, and " Oh, oh.") I may believe that they mightacteonscientiously and yet believe them very foolish, you know. — (Laughter.) One thing I do complain of and that is this : lam quite sure that the Provincial Council was deceived in the matter ; that it was not allowed to understand before passing its resolutions that the Government were prepared to go on with their colonising measures. On the very last day of the session a member who had voted with the Executive asked that works for the supply of water to the Goldfields Bhould be proceeded with, although the resolutions of the Council involved a refusal to allow them to be proceeded with. Clearly the Council did not understand that the difficulties arising out of the war were really at an end, so far as our scheme was concerned. The Government communicated with the Superintendent recently and aßked him if it was his desire that we should at once authorise a survey for a line between Tokomairiro and Tuapeka. But no— the Executive would not have any such thing. I do not believe that the Council understood that there had been any such refusal to allow us to proceed with the survey — not that I adroit the right to refuse, because I believe that we still might cause such a survey to be made. The Executive have attempted qr talked of attempting to get the Clutha railway constructed under an 8 per cent. guarantee, while the General Government can do it without difficulty for 5^ per cent. — (Applause.) At one time I confess I thought it desirable that the Clutha railway should be constructed on at 8 per cent, guarantee, for then it seemed exceedingly improbable that the General ■ Government would be able to do the work at such a Coßt as I say they are now able to do it. Yet difficulties are thrown in the way, and there is a pretence made of getting the work done under the Provincial Ordinances, although I know that that cannot be done.

..'■ *■ A. H. P. M. TuotW 30 M> 54 11 26 Wednesday 2l 11 56 — Tbarsifey ' 22 .;...;... 025 050