DUNEDIN.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2130, 1 November 1875, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

.-.'■. " Saturday. It isi said that at Mr Thomson's banquet last night at Clutha about 150 persons were present. Mr Macandrew, iareplying to his health, -remarked that looking at the extent of its territory and the magnitude and diversity of the interests with which the Superintendent of Otago had to deal, he was disposed to think perhaps that there was no other man in JSew Zealand who occupied an equally important position. For some years he and Mr Thomi son were on opposite sides, but they had come together since. Whether he had gone over to Mr Thomson or Mr Thomson to him he could not say, but here they were now fighting under the same flag, and he hoped under the leadership of Sir George Grey that they would soon be led on to victory-r-victory which i should have inscribed on its banners a very great reduction in the enormous unreproductive expenditure which was now going on, and which, if not checked, was bound to sink the colony in very seriou3 disaster—a banner that should also be inscribed, " Measures, not men.'' He was very sorry to say the very opposite was the motto iv the Assembly at the present moment. Twothirds of the present House would vote black was white to-day, and white was black to-morrow if the Government of the day said so. Then he hoped they would be led on to such a victory as he hail indicated, and as a result. they would see New Zealand a great and united federation of provinces. (Loud cheering.) Sir G. Grey replied to the toast of " The Opposition." He alluded to the evidence of the civil service, which encouraged young men to a life of idle- j ness, when they .might be engaged in active pursuits, and to the Armed Constabulary as loiterers in public-houses instead of being usefully employed. It was against such a thing that they set their faces. Had he framed the estimates last session he could have saved £l§o 000 in those directions. There had never been an argument advanced in favour of centralism ; there would be no saving from the change. If the Government

proposals were carried out, members would be paid £'100 a-year, which meant a total of £40,000 (?) a-year, while all the Provincial Councils in the colony would not cost more than £15,000 or £18,000. Speaking of the legislative Council, he had said the interests of that body wore opposed to the people. There were no moans of bringing them into;, harmony with public opinion. Sir John iiichardson, in proposing. "Visitors from a distance," said he had always been opposed to separation, but circumstances had altered. A ruthless majority had attempted to crush a noble minority, and to abolish provincialism. He was a citizen of the province, and no earthly power, no earthly emolument or consideration of position would prevent him from giving utterance to his opinion. The provinces had been abolished by the operation of a tyrannical and unjust majority. He looked upon the provinces : as they were as a bygone tale, but the provinces as. they might be as substantially realised. Possibly there would be two provinces, and the Middle Island would riso up in its virgin simplicity as a colony, with a federal Government situated at Wellington. He advised all childish considerations as to the seat of Government to be cast aside. As Speaker of the Legislative, Council it was his duty, if any man's, to speak for that body, but he said fearlessly and emphatically that a nominated Council was utterly incongruous with responsible Government. He wished to goodness he was free and unfettered. If he had been he would have stood forward in defence of popular rights. Nothing would have given him greater satisfaction than that, in the autumn and winter of his life, he could have been privileged to have given his intellect and abilities in the services of the colony in this crisis of its fate. The land question was of the greatest importance. All other questions were insignificant compared with it. From the first he had cried " The land for the people," and would never flinch from it. Reflecting for years had only impressed upon him his former conviction, that if this question v was allowed to remain ia abeyance, New Zealand might be almost wiped out. '