CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 51, 5 December 1871, Page 3

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

The Morning Xetcs contains the following summary of proceedings in the ProA'incial Council, on the resolutions relative to the reform of the constitution :

“ The debate on Mr Creighton’s motion in the Provincial Council having reference to the attempt of the General Government to make fundamental changes in the Constitution Avithout first consulting the electors Avas resumed after eleven o’clock on Friday night by the Provincial Secretary, Mr Lusk. He spoke in faA r or of the general principles of the resolution, hut expressed a hope that it avouM he so amended as to secure unanimity. Mr Lusk Avas strongly opposed to the policy of the General Go vernment,as developed in the last session in respect of Provincial Institutions. He condemned the conduct of the Colonial Treasurer, Avho had attempted to steal a march on the provinces. Mr Lusk likeAvise denounced the administration Avhicli had groAvn up under the control of the Central Government, and thought that the General Assembly especially needed reform. We are quite in. accord Avith those opinions. We are glad to find that expression has been given to them, and hoAverer inconvenient it may he to our morning contemporaries to report them, Ave trust they Avill not be altogether lost to the public. Mr Sliehan, Goldfields Secretary, folloAved iu a Avell reasoned speech. He concluded by intimating his intention of moving the folloAving amendment to the original motion : “ That the Council feels called upon to express its disapproval at the attempts made during the last session of the Assembly to pass measures calculated to effect a radical alteration of the Constitution Avithout notice being gh'en to the governments of the several provinces, or opportunity afforded to the electors of the colony to consider those measures. And this council further protests against any alteration affecting the constitutional poAvers and functions of provincial legislatures being made unless and until the proposed alterations be submitted to the country, and the Avhole of the constituencies he allowed to elect a parliament for the express purpose of considering such alterations.”

Mr Sheehan, during the course of his speech, said that the hon. mover of the original resolution deserved the thanks of the Council for bringing the subject before them. They had been correctly informed of the manner in Avhicli legislation Avas conducted by the General Assembly, and from the statements made in the Council, and by influential persons out of doors also, they had had an opportunity of judging hoAV public business Avas conducted at the seat of Government, and they must conclude that the General Assembly Avas much more corrupt than any Provincial Council ever Avas or could possibly become. He denounced the policy of the General Government. It Avould lead to repudiation in the not distant future. They Avere embarking on a policy that Avould yet make New Zealand a bye-Avord to all civilised nations. He could not trust the present Government, because they had proof of the corrupt influence Avhicli it brought to bear on the Legislature and the country to enable it to carry out its policy. The attempt made by the Government last session to undermine Provincial institutions Avas unconstitutional, The most eminent constitutional authorities in England held that no fundamental change in the constitution could he made Avithout first appealing to the country, and having a House elected specially to deal Avith the question. But the Government had attempted to change the constitution of this country without giving the electors an opportunity of expressing any opinion ; and the scandalous nature of this attempt Avas only' equalled by their undignified AvitlulraAval of their measures on the slioav of opposition. Never had anything taken place in a legislative chamber so undignified and umvorthy as the conduct of the General Government in regard to the bills affecting the ProA'incial Governments. The Government acted more like a man detected in fibbing aAvatch than as a statesman Avho had carefully considered a grave constitutional change, and Avere prepared to carry it out at all hazards, because the country required it. When they Avere detected in the fact, they seized the A'ery first chance giVcn them to Avriggle out of the difficulty by AvitlidraAving the Bills, and protesting they neA r er meant anything hostile to the provinces. But these constitutional changes Avere not demanded by the electors. It Avas not because the country required reform that the Bills Avere framed, but because the Colonial Treasurer Avanted money to carry out his policy—“ a hold and enterprising policy,” as it had been termed, but Avhicli Avould yet cause the fiuger of scorn to he pointed to this fine country, when, overwhelmed by debt, it would not he able to meet its engagements. He could only apply the term “ impudent” to the language of the Colonial Treasurer, when lie characterized his budget as “ a budget of retrenchment.” Hoav Avas the retrenchment to he effected? By teaching the Provincial Governments economy. Mr Vogel’s proposal Avas to save something like £70,000 ; and lioav Avas it to be done ? Last year £50,000 was paid to the Higlnvay Boards out of revenue ; he proposed to save this £50,000, and he pays a like amount as a bribe out of loan. Then there Avas £20,000 Avhicli lie saved because there Avas no Government House to he built at Wellington this year, nor Avas the census to be taken, or lighthouse to be built. It Avas simply an impudent statement for the Colonial Treasurer to make, Avlien he said that his budget Avas a retrenchment budget. The Provincial Council OAved it to its oivn dignity to resist the threatened encroachment by the General Goversment. After their scandalous breach of faith Avith the provinces this year, they could not trust them. Had such a tiling eA’er been heard of under any form of constitutional GoA-ernment as had taken place since the present Ministry took office ? They Avere placed in office to defend proA-incial institutions, and they set about destroying them, not in a hold and manly way, but by undermining and making them contemptible. In 1870, they had entered into a solemn arrangement Avith the provinces, and gave it the sanction of laAv, by Avhich they plaeed the financial relationsof the General audProvincial Governments ou a fixed basis for seven years. A scale of annual payments Avas fixed ; and ou the strength of this legal compact, proposed by the General Government, and sanctioned by the Legislature the Colonial Treasurer Avas enabled to carry out his proposals, inA'olving a large addition to the permanent debt of the Colony. But Avithin seven months from the passing of the Act, the Government refused to give effect to its provisions. They declined to pay the stipulated amount to the provinces ; and came doAvn with new pioposals of an entirely different character. A Government which AA-ould do such an act Avas not one in which he could repose confidence. It did not deserve the confidence of the

country. He had heard it stated ii| the Council that the Auckland members/'Avith a few exceptions, had been returned pledged to support the Government policy. But Avhicli policy ? He Avas prepared to state that were Mr Vogel noAV to stand for the City East, after the developmental his policy, it Avould not he possible for him to squeeze himself in for that constituency. He Avould not receive an influential requitien like that which had been presented to him AA’hen he first came to Auckland. He Avould not find honest provincialists working for him hoav as they had worked on that occasion. The fact was that the country and the Provincial party had been grossly deceived and betrayed by the Government. It Avas idle to say that the Council had no poAver. It had power, — great poAver; and a sense of its importance, a true appreciation of its responsibilities and duties, should induce them to adopt resolutions Avhich would unmistakeably mark their sense of disapproval of the conduct of the Government. No General GoA'ernment could stand against the

united action of the Provincial Councils of NeAY Zealand. He trusted the Council Avould not he induced to betray its trust at the bidding of Mr Ellis, avlio appeared to hold a brief for the General GoA'ernment, and Avhose amendment Avould have the effect of strangling the province. He considered that the Provincial poAvers should be enlarged, and the powers of the General Assembly curtailed. They had evidence that in the expenditure of the loan under the present Government the public interest Avas not the primary consideration, as Avitness a contract of £BOO,OOO for a railway from Wellington to Masterton, across a snoAv-clad range to a district in Avhich a hungry man Avould be compelled to travel far before lie could hope to find a meal. He Avas not prepared to accept the public Avorks policy of the Government as the panacea for all evils. He Avould not Avorship the golden calf that had been set up for their adoration, nor Avas he prepared to prostrate himself before the car of Juggernaut Avhicli Avas annually rolled from the seat of Government at Wellington. He believed they Avould he better governed iu Auckland if they had the management of their own affairs, —if they collected and expended their oavii revenue, than they could ever be by a Government at Wellington. Their public Avorks Avould he more economically carried out than they Avere ever likely to he under a GoA'ernment such as the colony noAV had, and by a system Avhicli rendered it more than probable that

£9 out of every £lO Avould find its Avay into improper channels. We give the foregoing summary of Mr Sheehan’s speech in this form, because avc think his remarks deserve prominence, and because avc feel assured that the avoi - - shippers of the golden galf which Mr Vogel has set up Avill very carefully' suppress them in the old established newspapers. Fair and honest criticism is a thing to be dreaded by them. The system Avhich they support, corrupt and corrupting as it is, can only be continued by keeping the public ignorant. And the Auckland neAvspapers have succeed in this line to a very considerable extent. lloavever, the facts are becoming too glaring to be much longer concealed.