LATEST SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 248, 25 July 1872, Page 3

LATEST SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Per New Zealand Press Association. O ARRIVAL OF THE NEBRASKA AT WELLINGTON. - MINING ACCIDENT.—IMMENSE NATIVE GATHERING.—LATEST PARLIAMENTARY NEWS. WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Tho Nebraska has arrived, and been quarantined until inquiry has been made by the Board of Health, and its final decision given. The mails are being fumigated. A New Zealand Gazette , published today, contains an order in Council and regulations giving power to the Health Officer in any port to quarantine any vessels coming from Honolulu, whether such vessel shall have touched any port in New Zealand or not. The Health Officer is to make his report, and the Board of Health to have power to detain vessel, crew, and passengers until pronounced clean.

The proceedings in the House last night were unimportant. The Sharebrokers’ Bill passed. The Drawbacks Bill was read for the second time. A debate on the second reading of the Life Assurance Bill was postponed until to day. Gillies obtained leave to-day to introduce a bill to abolish imprisonment for debt. The Government stated that they had a bill to the same effect prepared. Creighton introduced a Permissive Bill. Gillies movod that the Government be requested to bring down at as early a date as possible a measure promised last session for the purpose of dealing comprehensively with the whole subject of Provincial Institutions, and to define the functions lo be taken by Provincial Councils. In doing so he referred to the events of last session, which culminated in a promise to brills' 1 down such a measure this session. He was surpiised that there was no indication expressed of fulfilling this promise in the opening speech. Such a measure was absolutely necessary, and it was also necessary that the powers of the General Government be defined, when it was found that four new Ministers, some with fresh titles had been appointed without the House having been consulted on the subject, when a member of the Ministry still retained the office of Superintendent, and when officers such as an Under Goldfields Secretary were appointed also without the consent of the House. No one familiar with finance would fail to see that before next session some of the Provinces would be obliged to seek assistance from the General Government to discharge their functions. The action and legislation of the General Government had so crippled the Provinces that it became a subject of grave anxiety as to how they could exist. Some in the North Island were at their last gasp, and only the existence of a Land Fund enabled those in the South Island to discharge their functions. Unless prompt step* were taken some of the provinces would be strangled for want of means. If the bill brought into the House would render existing institutions any the more efficient, he would warmly support it, but it proposed further crippling them ; or if it evaded conferring powers of local administration on all parts of the colony he would oppose it. The Hon. Julius Vogel, after a brief reference to Ministerial appointments, which he denied were of an unusual character, but which could be better discussed on a distinct issue, said he fully admitted having promised such a bill as Gillies asked for, and the Government had not overlooked the promise, but after most mature consideration they had arrived at the conclusion that under the present circumstances it was not uecessary nor desirable to introduce such a bill. After reviewing the circumstances which had led to the promise, he said that Superintendents and their Executive had worked much more harmoniously with the General Government in carrying out the policy of the provinces, and had also shown a desire on their own part to reduce their scale of expenses and one of them at East Canterbury had proposed extensive changes in the system of Provincial administration. There was therefore no pressing necessity for the Government to force any change, and they deemed it better to allow proposal of any change to emanate from the provinces themselves ; furthermore, the outlying districts were now couteuted, and were no longer clamuring tor interference from without to define the powers of the provinces, and to transfer the bulk of

Legislative powers to the Assembly, which would necessitate the Parliament sitting nearly all the year. Individually he did not think tgiat the termination of the Legislative powers of the Provinces was approaching but perhaps time would bring about the division of the colony into two provinces, with large legislative powers. This might be only an individual opinion. After careful consderation of the whole subject the Government intended to introduce a bill to enable the provinces to legislate freely on subjects regarding powers to deal fully with the present doubts now being raised. Amongst these subjects were the scale of Road Boards,appealsfrom rating,impounding ,fencing, trespass, etc. The bill would remove al Idi fficul ty regar< ling th e establish - ment of courts of jurisdiction necessary to legislation. On such subjects the Government were also preparing a bill, but he was doubtful if it would be ready this session ; also a bill to consolidate the law relating to Road Boards on a similar principle to ths Municipal Act, and like it divided into parts, the adoption of which would be optional in each case. He denied that the provinces had been really financially crippled by the action of the Oolonial Government, although their revenue had been apparently diminished by the colony paying the interest and sinking fund direct. On Sheehan’s motion the debate adjourned till Wednesday.

CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday. The Luna broke, down six miles off Port Lyttelton, on Tuesday night. The captain put her under sail. A ‘steamer will go to her assistance. Timaru, Wednesday. At a meeting held at Geraldine, tho Rangitata gift was condemned by a majority. WESTLAND. Greymouth, Wednesday. A mining accylent happened to-day, at Duffer Creek. Four men were buried. Two have been got out alive. DUNEDIN. Wednesday. The s.s. Tarartia has been examined by a diver. He discovered that the lower pintel has been broken into the keel.- It is expected that repairs can be effected while the vessel is afloat, otherwise she will have to be docked. HAWKE’S BAY. Napier, 12.50 p.m. An immense gathering of natives at Ropata’s place, Kinga Mata Ahu, is to take place. The Ngatiporou will shortly celebrate the conclusion of peace on the East Coast. At least 2000 natives are expected.