PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1204, 21 August 1874, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

ABOLITION OF PROVINCES EESOLUTIONS. [By Electric Telegraph.] WELLINGTON. August 18. Mr Thompson resumed the debate last night, and defended tho Provinces, saying the expenditure on North Island had been for the benefit of tho whole Colony. Tho measure was premature and to abolish the Northern Provinces to-day would be to abolish tho Southern Provinces tomorrow. That was inevitable. The Provinces were better fitted to carry out colonisation than the General Government, for on tho first financial pinch the General Government would tako

their lands, saying that the need of the Colony was greater than the need of the Provinces. Takamoana opposed and Kateno supported. Mr D. Reid, in a long speech, defended the Provinces as the beat, most indispensable, and economical machinery of Government. He looked on the constitution as sacred, and to be . preserved at any cost. The motiou he said, was inopportune, ill considered, and uncalled for. If carried it must result in failure. Mr Macandrew moved adjournment of debate at 11.30 p.m. August 19. Mr Macandrew opened the debate yesterday on abolition resolutions and spoke very forcibly for half an hour from provincialists point of view, as to haste and ill advisedness of measure. He considered it an attempt to sweep the landed revenue and estate of the Middle Island into the maelstorm and vortex of General Government finance, and any one who voted for it would be a traitor to his constituents and would be teaching the North a lesson how to sponge upon the Colony. Mr Reynolds replied, and quoted Hansard a good deal to show that the proposals were often before the House for many years and that Mr Macandrew and many others had expressed the same views as embodied in the resolutions. If they were afraid of their Land Fund, and that appeared to be their only argument, the Government were prepared to pass an act providing that the compact could not be annulled without application to her Majesty in Council. Mr Steward supported the resolutions in an ingenious speech, though he admitted that he might not support the Bill when brought down, if the details did not suit him. Mr Montgomery opposed. Mr Sheehan was addressing the House against the resolution when the House adjourned. Mr Sheehan resumed debate last night. He said the country should be proud of Mr O'Rorke acting as he did. Not the manner but the principle should be looked at. He regretted Mr Reynolds was no longer the watchdog of the House, if ho was he was muzzled. He blamed the Premier for having crippled the usefulness of Provinces in diminishing the Capitation Tax and compared the Premier to a boa-constrictor who puts spittle of praise on those managing the Northern Provinces that he might swallow them the more easily. He disputed the figures of the Premier and denounced extravagance of General Government which spent more in hangings of the Council chamber than would pay cost ofAucklaud Executive for one year. He warned the Middle Island that their abolitiou must speedily follow that of the Northern. Mr Tribe supported the resolution and enlarged upon the evils of double government especially to gold mining communities. He instanced Canterbury as an example of Provincial mismanagement. Her prosperity he said was alone clue to fortuitous circumstances. He was glad to have seen that the press of "Westland unanimously favored the resolution. Mr Gibbs also supported ' the resolution. Mr Murray opposed Provincialism but also opposed the resolution because he disbelieved in the principles of the Premier. Mr Wood had intended to propose a similar change himself and felt bound cordially to support the resolution. The Provincial idea was played out and the time had come to abolish it. He- made a long and eloquent speech. Mr Williamson expressed esteem for the Government but could not support the proposal. He made a long speech in controversion of arguments of Mr Wood, and was loudly applauded. House adjourned at 12.25 p.mAugust 20. MrM'Glashan continued the debate on the Abolition Resolutions, yesterday. He dwelt chiefly on the fact that the main opposition came from the Superintendents and Provincial Secretaries, many of whom had previously expressed themselves favorable to the substitution of counties and shires instead of provinces. Mr Cuthbertson also supported the resolutions in a strong speech, in which he dwelt upon the woes Southland experienced at the hands of Otago, and maintained that the efficiency of the General Government would be greater. Mr Hunter strongly opposed the resolutions, though he would regard displacement of the present Government as a great calamity at the pressnt time. Mr Webb supported the resolutions standing as provincialism was not long in discovering provincialism weak clement in colonial legislation. —[Staling as a provincialist he was not long in discovering provincialism a weak element in colonial legislation ?] Mr Swanson, in a long speech, condemned the inefficiency of the General Government, and eloquently lauded provincial government. He blamed the Assembly for all trouble and poverty in the North Island. Mr Bryce supported resolutions in au argumentative speech. Mr White coudemned the resolutions, and asked why not carry out to a legitimate conclusion such resolutions by abolishing the General Assembly and appointing a dictator. Mr Reeves explained he was not a contractor for provincial printing. Mr J. Kelly supported resolutions,'

and Baid Auckland paper seven years (?) Mr Harrison opposed, and blamed the General Government for the impecuniosity of Wesland and Nelson. Mr Richardson defended the Governmentfrom charges of extravagance, and said the departmental expenditure upon £196,000 was not 2£ per cent. Mr Jackson said the General Government managed his district satisfactorily, and better than any Provincial Government was likely to*do. Mr J. E. Brown moved au adjournment of the debate. 9 p.m. In reply to Mr Curtis, the Premier said that before finally deciding to run the fourth telegraph line from Blenheim to Canterbury, the Department would try to secure a line from Nelson to Lyell by way of Richmond, and if it could be safely and permanently constructed, it would establish a direct communication between Nelson and the West Coast, and relieve the existing line considerably.