"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1874.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 367, 19 September 1874, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1874.

\Ve shall confine ourselves, in our notice of Mr Vogel's speech to his constituents, to tlio.se portions pf it which refer to the abolition resolutions, lie points out that the Assembly last year voted £700,000 for the purchase of a landed estate for the North Island, and that .vithout a division. lie goes on to say : — " When there are those who couie [>eforc jou and ssiy thab you should insist upon having Provincial revenue — the land revenue of the Island — are they fair when they abstain from telling you that that Southern Island has comjnitted itself to the purchase of a landed estate for this North Island 1 Are they fair in withholding £rom you the fact — or what I believe to be a fact — pnd that is that whilst you, |)erhuj)S, did make a V ery bad bargain in 1856', in renouncing the Middle Island land fund, you would, perhaps, be making an equally kul bargain now if you insisted upon yeuomieing your own land revenue for the purpose i>f oli.uiug with ihuho of the Miflclle Island { Aro you always to be ut a disadvantage { Are you to loi-fyt tli.^t the probability is that thih Island will '.-■• l jit.x^ei-y much larger amount of human life i;au. the other Island; an.d that aa a consequence

the Kinds, whether f lom climate or from whatever cause it may bo, will, taking the area against ;uv,\, bo in the long run moro iutiiusically \ aluablo ''' The question " Arc you always to be at a disadvantage ?" i-> the one tliat by legislation should be answered in the negative. The \ote for the purchase of a land fund for the North was doubllesi supported by the Southern members on the principle that it would be dangerous not to give to the North some of the .spoil taken from it by the compact of 1856. It must be remembered also that it is the North as well as the South which contributes to the taxation of the country. The .Premier points out that to insist upon .sharing the land fund of the South might prove a bad bargain for the North ; we presume on the principle that it has nearly disappeared. The argument applies equally strongly against the principle, of disfranchising the North Island, and leav ing no official in whom the land of the North should vest, to watch over it as jealously as that of the South Ims been, in order that none of the proceeds should be applied to works without the boundary of the Province in which it is situated. We might at some future time regret the bargain if we participated in the land fund of tho South ; but we ask, Would it not be better to share in the proceeds of the little that is left than to get nothing? In alluding to the State Forests Bill, the Premier said :—": — " "We were met on this forest question by the same eternal opposition — that it was inconsistent with Provincial Institutions. It caused a large number of men in the House to ask themselves the question, as many have asked themselves the question before, — How long will all the questions of a large and national nature be sacrificed by this same question — the difficulty interposed by the Provincial form of Government 1 A small portion — an extent of three per cent, of the land of the colony — is to be set apart as State forests, to be, at any rate, preserved for State forests, whilst the axe and the saw were in every direction penetrating the forests of the colony. To ask to preserv e such a small remnant of the timber of the colony, which is a correct thing, in lieu of that which was being destroyed was a simple question ; and then we are told that Provincial questions interfered. I hay that had a very large amount of effect, not only on the minds of the Government, but it had a large effect on the minds of all thinking men throughout the colony." The opposition to the Bill on the grounds that it was ieconsistent with Provincial institutions is a strong argument to abolish the Provinces altogether, but arguments to prove that which is now almost accepted as an axiom are superfluous. "Was the Bill only inconsistent with Provincial institutions in the North 1 The Premier next quoted the figures wliich have become so familiar to all politicians during the last few weeks :—": — " It has transpired that during the five years ending the 30th of June, 1874, there . was expended in this Island either by the colony or " out of moneys provided by the colony, no less an amount than £3,389,000, and that during the three years from 1870 to 1874, there was expended in this North Island either by tho General Government or out of funds provided by the General Government, no less a sum than £2,387,000. The purely Provincial revenue dining those three years amounted to £448,000. Thus there was this sum of £2,387,000 provided by the colony as against £448,000 of pin el y provincial revenue. Gentlemen, if anything can be more clear than another it is this, thut those who owe the taxpayers of the colony an explanation of the obligations consequent upon recent taxation should have the control of expenditure. That one Government should raise money and another spend it, is altogether fatal to those views of responsibility which the people should demand from those who expend public funds." If the Premier had told us how much of the large amount was expended under the direct superintendence of the Colonial Government without tho Provincial Governments being so much as consulted as to the construction of the works, we should be able to estimate the figures at their true value. We aro clear on the point that a very large proportion of the sum would bo found in the position we intimate. As regards the capitation grant, it is only the return of a portion of the Customs revenue to be expended in the improvement of the property of those who contributed it. The speech of Mr Vogel contradicts that which has been said for him by others, u It is his intention to wipe out all the Provinces immediately he has succeeded in abolishing those in tho North." So far* from this being the case, the Southern Provinces are to be more firmly established. He contrasts the public institutions in Auckland with those in the South ; he tells us that our Lunatic Asylum ia a disgrace to us, and that wo aro far behind Otngo and Canterbury in the matter of education. This cannot be wondered at when the whole burden of paying the expenses of Government is thrown upon the only revenue we possess, — that derived from Customs duties. The South, from having had large sums derived from land sales to deal with, has of course taken the lead. He tells us that all these discrepancies are to be removed when we aie brought directly under the control of the Assembly. It is self-evident that the money must come from some source, and there can be little doubt but that Southern members will record a block vote to impose .special taxation. In place of being taxed by those under our control, the s unc process will be carried on by those who have no direct interest in us ; and if we allow ourselves to be placed in the position we shall hold if Mr Vogel's resolutions are acted upon, we shall neither command nor deserve their respect, neither shall we be able to respect ourselves as a people.

Tenders, as most our readers arc awnre, havo been called for the erection of cottages m tlio different lownsliips in tlio Wuiknto. No specifications were sent to any place in the district, consequently contractors residont in this district have been prarticully debarred from making the attempt to scrum the work. A letter on the subject was written, requesting tlint specifications should bo sent cither to Hamilton or Cambridge. Tlio following reply has been received : — "A-* it is probable there would bo no ono in the places referred to prepared to ailbrd particular information, such as might bo required by parties desirous of teHtlering, 1 think it better, in order to nvoid objections nnd disputes which might aftetuuids arise, Unit nil requisite information on the subject should ho obtained at the Cenlrul Public Works OfTi.c. 11- vlvortwd. ' We have always been under the im1 " 'hat dianingj and speciOcutions were usually made iii ii - I'xplicit to be understood by any man in the i-> «inch they referred. It is unjust that our local ti.i ■■ iii should not have tlie same facilities for obtaining woik ,i s those lesidrnt in town. We trust that tlio nmllorwill bo reeomidered, the time extended, and specifications sen' up nt once. Amongst the passengers by the Macgrogor for Sydney on Wcdin'hdny moming were the Premier (the lion J. Vogel) en route /or England, and T. Riibboll, Esq. Tin- latter will niiikofimuigements with the Mow South Wales Government icspccting the Sun Francisco mail service. It will bo seen by ndvpi-l^inont in another column that Mnjor Jackson, RI.H.Ji., will address his coiHtitiient?, nt Oliiuipo, on Tliursdny, the Ist October, at 2p m. Tt i* purposed aficr the meeting (ogive tlio membura lomplniientury tiiiincr. Tickets eun be obtained in each of the townships. The Go-uheud arrived in Auckland yestuidav with -10 heud^ c%Uk anil 250 alieop.

A meeting ot creditors was held yesterday, in the estate of Jiuiioj Ounny, a stoiekeooer ut. To Awjinutu. The cir-cura.-tiinces of th s uaso weio the following. The bankrupt, m the hrst instance, finding himself unable to meet his engagements, calluil 11 meet my of Ins creditor, wl-o etpre>*ed their willingness to enter into a deed of arrangement. Tlio liabilities were set down £1115, a»snts £71 4 A deed of arrangement was submitted to the Court, and its due and complete execution declared. Under this deed the bankrupt entered into u composition with las creditors. He was to pay them 7s Gd in ll.e pound. It appears now that 03 has been paid, and the bankrupt, being unable to pny the remaining instalment is obliged to petition 'he Court for relief. Messrs Stuart and Shera were elected supervisors, and Mr Thomas MacHarlnno trust co of the estate.— Herald, Thursday. It is purposed to hold the following religions services in the Waikato to-morrow- : Church of England— Cambridge 11a.m.; Hamilton, C.30 pm. ; Nyamawahu, 11 am,; Ohaupo, 11 lV .m ;Te Awaniutu. a p.m.; Kihikihi, (5 30 pin. Catholic— Xjaiuawahia, 11 a.m.; Cambridge, 030 pm. Wealejan Alethodist — Pukerimu, 2 31) p.m.; Cambridge, 030 p.m. United Presbyterian and Congi egational — Te Awamutu, 11 a.m. Tho Poverty Bay Herald says ; -It is seldom one hears of rats attacking children, but an instance occurred at Oawa a few days since. The child was sleeping in a co f , no one being piesent injjbo loom, when its cues attracted the mother's attention f»om an adjoining chamber. She at once piocee'led to ascertain *he cause, and on approaching the cot, blic observed a rat making its escape from the bedclothes. It was found on examination that the poor little niltint'rf face and hands had been bitten by the voracious animal, one of the lingers having been gnawed rather seveiely. The Carnatie is loading with emigrants for Piclon. It is understood that these comprise the whole of the inhabitants of on.* of the Shetland Islands, 200 in all, who ship bag and baggage. We learn that it is the intention of th<* Government to remove the headquarters of the Armed Constabulary to iinmilton. His Excellency has accepted the resignation of tho commission held by Sub-Inspector' John Taylor Marshall, A.C.