MR. BUNNY ON THE REPLY.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 29, 22 July 1867, Page 3

MR. BUNNY ON THE REPLY.

(from (lie Hansard.) Mr BUSXY iuic.ulcd to support Uv? reply, although there were many t hi; in it. with which he could not. agree and many which he did not understand. In aweing to The ,r'?■ dr, however, bo did not. intend to commit Lim.-wif to the policy involved In currying oid the v : v vi and measures shadowed forth in His Excellency's speech. After reading some of (ha papers on the table, ho could not understand the graph in the address which spoke of Her Majesty having no subjects more loyal (ban in the districts at the South recently visited by His K;c-

cellcncy. If the paper; on the (aide were true, at least one of the Southern Provinces was absolutely on the eve of a rebellion, and the Superintendent of that Province laid actually written a letter to the Commander of (ho Forces begging him louse his interest to.save the rights of the Province, and urging that im.-mah.-ilo

notion was necessary to avert absolute rekdi’on. And then there was the telegram to His Ksc-d----leucy alhiding to the jkj.ssibilify of ab-b.tc severance of a portion of the Colony if tin: net ion of the General Government was persisted in. Cf a Province of 50,000 people, in such a state, could be termed loyal, then the rest of the Colony must certainly be in open rebellion. Neither did ho agree with the paragraph relating to the reestablishment, of peace. He was glad that the tuna bad arrived when the Government could make that statement, but the grounds for it should be placed before the House. He agreed with the honorable member for Newton that the interference of the Government had not always tended to settle matters, and that, in many instances; the less interference there was on the part or the Government, with either the Natives or the people of the Colony the better. The Government often took action without due consideration or knowledge of the real circumstances of the case, and the result of such action was generally to do harm and cause dissatisfaction. The only time that there was a danger of an outbreak in his district was in consequence of some steps taken by the Government oi Wellington without the knowledge of the people of the district, and in utter ignorance of the real state of ailV.irs ; and the Government sometimes takes steps which involve a district in trouble whoa not ready or in a position to defend itself. He would like to see the Defence Office done away with.

It being half-past five o’clock, the Speaker left the chair.

The House resumed at seven o’clock. Mr BUNNY said that when the House adjourned he was making a few observations respecting the action of the Defence Office, and. of what he considered the unnecessary and unfortunate interference of that department In the Wairarapa. He had stated that the only time when their safety was endangered \vas throegn the unwise interference of the Government ;and rhe district had always been in a position to defendit«oif until the Government again interfered without being asked to do so—without consulting those who had a right to he consulted, and in cnlirciguorauee ofr.be stale ol'ihe district, and madeanappointment which caused the resignation of thirteen officets of Volunteers and: Militia, and virtually put an end to volunteering in that district. The Government should have remembered that the enmity was depending on the people of the Cokuy for its defence, and the people had a right, to' be considered before making such appointments. He quite agreed with that portion of the address

relative to the conversion of the General and Provincial loans into Colonial Stock, for he considered it would bo most advantageous ; and with that portion relating to the establishment of local self-government throughout the country The complaints of the outlying districts had long been made, and the time had arrived when the position, of the Provincial and General Governments should be placed on a better footing. It seemed doubtful now whether the Provincial Government could legislate,at all. The Wellington Provincial Council had passed in its recent session, scab, fencing and other Ads, but they had all been disallowed, alt bough they were purely Provincial matters, and were, absolutely necessary. He thought that increased powers should be given to the Councils, or that their existing powers should be 1 alien away altogether. The Ads passed were consolidating Acts, and the clause.? which had been disallowed had been in force for ten years. It -was therefore a serious question whether they had ary law to depend on. If the Acts where “ultra vires,"’ the mere fact of their having been put in force would not make them law. He quite agreed that a Commission should be appointed to consider the necessity of having a general Penal establishment, ami ho thought one should be also appointed to consider the advisability of having a general Lunatic Asylum ; for the present Provincial asylums were not lilted for the purpose; at least he could say that of the one in this Province, and he was glad it was out of sight behind the hills. In conclusion Mr Bunny said that he would support the address.