(From the Daily Southern Cross). Wellington, Thursday.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 414, 9 January 1875, Page 2

(From the Daily Southern Cross). Wellington, Thursday.

_ An enquiry has he<>u held by the Native Office mi» eerl.ua clmi^s pelW-ieJ by Mr J. A. Wilson gainst Uaptam M.iir. -h- onquiiy was held at le l-i:o, r.ofo-0 Mr 11. \V. Brabant, E^i-lont At i' li'»>ni«>i'O<i.Vi .in'l!.':,teathrcoda^. Wil&on

a tSHKW lftns^SB^>uronase of which the Government was negofciajiipg for v «^ptiku denied that Captain Mair had made such an offer, or that he authorised'any one -to^nake^ slich a statement, The result is that Captain Mair is esonerafc^d from all 'charges made against ln'm>,. Wilson fcqw being satisfied that he waa misinfoi 4 i^G(J. • A / ' • . . It has been rta^lyeijat iti. inouential meeting held, last niifht at the Pier Hotet r ,to celebrate Anuiversar^^pd^ by a regatta juxti' dinner. A consideifable amouniroir money was collected in the room, and a a great success is anticipated. At a stock sale, held at the Hutt, mixed cows fetched £4 15s ; milch cows, 25 1» "JSB -"steers, 67s jCd hacks, £8 to £14. '" ' "

Dunedin, Thuaday, The Tapanui and Ttiapek^ Jpok*ejr .Clubs have decided 'to disqualify }Oaptaia HutohissQii and his mare Mabel.

(From the Echo). The Wellington Education Board have fallen out among themselves, tha.occasion being that Mr Let*, the inspector, has exceeded T his official duties, by inspecting the Kelson and ' Marlborough school^ without express permission, from; fche Wellington Education Board. . _ The New Zealand Times in an article on railway management; advocates the assumption by the Colonial Government of the control over ail lines, and instances Southern lined as examples of provincial mismanagement. The evidence given at the inquest of the child lately poisoned with strychnine at Masterton, shows culpable negligence on the part of the chemist.

Christchurch, Thursday. The Hon C. C. Bowen addressed the electors of Kaiapoi district last night. He said tie only accepted a seat in the Legislative Council on the distinct understanding that he should offer himself for the first suitable vacancy in Canterbury for the Assembly, as it was more convenient that as a member of the Government he should be in the Assembly, and not be entitled to the dignified ease of the Upper Houso when opportunity offered to face fiercer strife and bear heavier burthen and cares in Assembly. He reminded the electors that he had been identified with public matters for many years, and was a member of the Government which constructed the first railway and the first telegraph in the colony. The present was a very critical time for the colony, and it was absurd that one Government should raise money and another spend it. There was no moi\3 fruitful source of log-rolling in connection with the Public Works and Immigration scheme if they deprived provinces of their primary functions, namely, of opening up and populating the country. Owing to the great flush of land revenue many works were independent. Great public works initiated by the colony had been carried on by Canterbury. Thus, where a large legislative reconstruction had to be done it was better to begin at the end where the change was needed. The object was to secure local control of local revenues. This essentially practical question must be met as the exigencies of the case required. Lord Dufferin, Governor-General of Canada, recently congratulated the Dominion on the destruction of all local prejudices, and the first throbbing of its heart of natural existence. Still, like New Zealand, it was a great deal more to be congratulated on the gradual extinction of still narrower provincial jealousis, and the prospect of becoming a great nation rather than a, congress of parishes. The alteration could not be effected in one or two sessions. Great care would be required, and legislation should' be of a tentative character, but should no doubt in time embrace both islands. Public works had been well carried out in Cinterbury, but this was not the whole colony. The North Island provincies have come to an end ! financially, and must die of; inanition or live by suction. If they hoped to become a nation and see the public works scheme carried out to the proper end, they must put their provincial houses in order, and this cannot be done unless they get rid of the present complex duplicate form of Govt rmnent, but great care must be used to secure local control over local revenues. There would be no difficulty in dividing the islands into counties or shires, and subdividing these ngain into districts, giving powers, as in case oi Municipal instructions, to make whatever bye-laws were necessary, but the difficulty which besets the present question is one which will make any measure brought forward by the Government a subject for severe criticisms from all sides of the House, viz., the question of distribution of the land revenue. There should be an absolute distinction, si broad line drawn between Land Revenue of the North Island and Land Revenue of the South Island. The General Government, which will be administrators of funds for large arterial works must letain in both islands a fair proportion of revenue for arterial communication. Whatever sum is reserved for those purposes in either islands ought to be administered locally, that is in the different districts or subdivisions of the colony. A great part of next session will doubtless be devoted to the question of the abolitiun of the provinces, but he hoped many other social questions would be attended to. He would like to see u consolidation of the Marriage Laws and Stamp Duties Act, and an adoption of a Police Offenders' Act, applying to the whole colony. He pointed out that a groat part of the colony had no adequate provision for elucition, also that the insolvency laws required amending, and that no adequate means for classification in gaols exists, causing what may appear astonishing leniency by judges and magistrates. He hoped that next session he would see a vote passed for the control of penal establishments in the colony. Bowen was frequently ami heartily applauded, and a unanimous vote of thanks passed for his eloquent speech. His election is regarded as a dead certainty.