GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 127, 14 July 1870, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(Prom the " Daily Times '" Telegrams.) Wellington July sth. The House has refused to receive the petition of the Wanganui settlers against voting the. Governor's salary. Mr. M'Lean announced to the House the surrender of 12 more Uriweras, and the withdrawal of the last expedition in pursuit of the enemy in that country. The debate on the financial policy of the Government is postponed till Thursday, when it will be taken in Committee of the whole House on a motion by Mr. Yogel " That it is desirable that the House should proceed to tbe consideration of the various Bills embodying the Government financial scheme." In announcing the arrangement, Mr. Yogel said that the Government were prepared either to carry out their policy, or to take the sense of the country upon it, according as the House desired. He hoped the debate would elicit fully the- views of members on all sides, so as to enable the Government to ascertain (1) whether a sufficient- majority desired the Government to proceed with their scheme ; and (2) whether that majority was of such a nature as to afford a reasonable assurance of carrying out their .financial proposals without 1 any radical alterations, i.e., alterations which would makr he Bills to cease fairly to represent iftie Government policy. The Government believed that their proposals were so urgent that it was highly desirable that they should become law* at once ; but if the House desired first to hear the voice of the country regarding tiiem, ho hoped the Representation Bill would be disposed of as soon as possible, so as to allow the electoral rolls, which would come into operation on the Ist October to be made up for the new districts. In that case a dissolution would take place as suon as the rolls were prepared, and the new House would meet before the end of the year. To enable this to be done, the Government would not object to the House only voting supplies for six months. He hoped every member would assist either in carrying out the policy of the Government immediately, or in enabling the new House to express its opinion regarding it at the earliest, opportunity. July 6th. Mr M'Lean announced to-day the surrender at Opotiki of 34 rebels who have been hiding since 1865. He also said that the reported disturbances at Raglan were not likely to cause further the action being that of only a small section of the- natives in that neighbourhood. , Mrßeynoldsmovedhisresolutions today. The third was altered, and read as follows: — " That all moneys, from whatever source collected, be the revenue of the province in which they are raised, subject, after deducting provincial charges, to a specified capitation charge for the maintenance of the Colonial Government, and also for providing for the interest and sinking funds on the colonial debt." He said that he did not pretend to consider his resolutions as perfect, and that he was prepared to accept any amendment embodying the principle contained in them, which would satisfy him for this session. .Some alteration in the present system of government was imperative in so little a community. Cuch different interests existed in the two Islands that each required to have its own legislature ; and after a comparison of the revenue and expenditure of the two Islands for the present year, he was more than ever convinced of the necessity for a financial separation. The revenue of the North Island was £418,000, -and that of the Middle Island, £633,500. The expenditure on special objects of the North Island was £1,044,598, and of the Middle Island, £708,215. He placed no reliance on the promise of the Government to recoup to the colony the sum of £200,000 for the purchase of Native land, as the same thing had been promised in the ease of the confiscated lands and the three million loan. He considered the Treasurer's Statement one of the ablest ever made in New Zealand, and the Government scheme would dove-tail well with his own proposals, if a capitation allowance were made by the provinces to the colony, instead of by the colony to the provinces. The Native question was a domestic one, and should be settled by the North Island. The cost of Government would be. reduced £60,000 by m*B scheme. He would object to the provinces borrowing, but n,ot to the colony doing «o for immigration, railways, and similar purposes, but the' provinces would have to give security |br the expenditure. His scheme proposed freedom from interference on the part of one Island in the domestic concerns of the other. A definite finance and economy in. administration and legislation would enable the Middle Island to double its population in a few years ; and if the North were true to the self-reliant principle, it would open a prosperous career to it. j Where any object was not of a provincial character, the expenditure would be subject to simple local control. f she Customs duties should only meet the colonial expenses, the provincial expenses being met by special taxes, j M.r. M'lndoe seconded the resolu--tiojus. He said that the principle they contained was that of the financial reparation of the two Islands, and he be cQntenjril; $a.t were endorsed.

The time for it had now arrived, the system of Provincial Government having answered its purpose. Duno'din did not want to be made the seat of Government, and would view its beinsj made so as a great calamity. Mr. Rolleston advocated the unity of the colony, but admitted that a large section of the community looked forward to separation. He regarded Mr. Reynold's scheme as of equal magnitude with that of the Government, especially after the assurance of the Home Commissioners with respect to no more borrowing. He would endeavour .to secure a modification of the Government policy to meet the urgent necessity for in some way promoting colonisation. He believed that many people would prefer separation to entering on a scheme, the end of which no one could see ; but the separation must be complete. On the one hand we had the united colony struggling to overcome great difficulties, and on the other the two parts of the same colony, for selfish purposes, determining to separate, though with the certainty that they must reunite sooner or later. Mr Yogel, in moving the adjournment of debate till Wednesday next, said that the first resolution was not necessarily antagonistic to the Government proposals, and that it might ultimately be desirable to carry out the suggestion contained in it. July 7th. The consideration of Mr Macandrew's Ofcago Hundreds Regulation Act Amendment Bill is postponed until after the second reading of Mr Brown's Bill for the repeal of the same Act. The discussion on Mr M'Gillivray's motion was resumed last night. Mr Stafford, Mr Reader Wood, Mr Fitzherbert, Mr Fox, and Mr Collins spoke briefly upon it. The general opinion seemed to be that the policy of the Imperial Government was not in itself so objectionable as the harsh and sudden manner in which it was applied to the colony. The debate is further adjourned. Mr. Haughton to-day moved his resolutions regarding the extension of

the franchise. Only the first motion is as yet before the House, the opinion seems to be generally in its favour. Mr. Carleton was the only member who opposed it. Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Gillies, Mr. Creighton, and others, expressed themselves as in favour of extending the franchise to women. Mr. Fox stated that it was his. intention to vote for the first resolution. The debate is adjourned.

An imprest supply of £50,000 has been voted hy the House. Mr. Yogel proposes to raise it by Treasury bills, with currency to Ist October.

Mr. Yogel, in reply to a question, stated that the Government did not intend to introduce any special Act to legalise the mail contract with Mr. H. Hall, or to make a permanent appropriation for the sendee, but would leave the subsidy to be voted annually, and to be discussed on the vote. He claimed great credit for the initiation of the service, and said that if it were not for local jealousies regarding the port of call, the contract would meet with the unanimous approval of the colony. The delegates, while in Sydney, had agreed to recommend a subsidy of £10,000 to the Torres Straits route, if the New South Wales and Queensland Governments gave an equal sum to the San Francisco service. He thought it was quite within the power of the Postmaster-General to enter into such a contract as that with Mr. Hall, without the special authority of the Legislature. Mr. Hall protested against this idea. July Bth.

The financial debate was resumed on Friday by Mr. Carrington, who supported the Government proposals as essential to the prosperity of the colony. Mr. Jollie declared himself to be aghast at the scheme. It was an indecent and improper thing for the Government to ask a moribund Parliament to sanction the doubling of the debt of the colony, thereby placing our honour and credit in jeopardy ; and still more so to ask such a thing, knowing well that the money could not be obtained. He regretted that among the public works proposed tabe carried out, there was no mention made of penal and lunatic establishments or harbour works. He hoped that neither the House nor the country would commit itself to, the approval of such extravagant and illegitimate schemes. He would be prepared to go in for a loan of two millions, but thought that the whole subject had better be left for the consideration of the new Parliament.

Mr. Graham, who supported the Government scheme^ said that he was not at all alarmed at its magnitude. He advocated Protection, not as a princinle, but as being, under the present circumstances, absolutely essential to the existence of the agricultural interests of the South Island. It was a small boon, he thought, for the South Island to ask of the North Island, and would but be a return on the part of the latter for past assistance.

Mr. Webster supported the consideration of the Government proposals, but would not pledge himself to details.

Mr. Cracroft Wilson said he would not vote for borrowing a shilling without consulting his constituents. He thought it dishon,e,st fQr. the colony to

borrow money, which it knew it never would be able to repay. The whole thing was a second South Sea Bubble. Mr. Rolleston professed to feel great uneasiness after Mr. Vogel's explanation with regard to the pledge given by the New Zealand Commissioners to the bondholders, and feared that the present scheme would be regarded as the last desperate effort of the colony. He approved of borrowing money for reproductive works, but could not lend himself to the present scheme, as he saw no guarantee against the money borrowed, being squandered. Mr. Bunny warmly supported the proposals. He thought the country wanted roads and people, and he would not vote against getting them because the proposals came from the other side of the House.

The debate was then adjourned. The Government wish it to be continued to the exclusion of all other business next week.