UNKNOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1730, 3 September 1875, Page 3

UNKNOWN.

Attet Major Atkinson's statement last OMprt, Mr Stout said that after the admission °i fee Qovemwent, its would be better to re-

consider their position, and let the Abolition Bill stand over till the new bills were brought down. ,

Mr Reader Wood concurred. It appeared that the Government were going now to abandon the chief provisions of the bill,

The Treasurer dona nothing

The Government aban-

On the /notion for fcbo Hohsq going into Committee, Sir Gsorgo Grey said there ought to be p/u lesaft one law ofEccr of the Crown to advise and instruct on the legality of the measures brought before them, attached to the opinion of the late Attorney-General, as several lawyers on his side of the House held opposite opinions on the point. The hon. gentleman travelled over much ground in former speeches and letters about the illeI gality of changing the constitution of the country without appealing to the people. He said, pass that bill aud each province had a right to begin ab initio, and decide what future form of Government it should have. Auckland had a special right to do this because she had been robbed of her land fund and her seat of Government taken away. He for one would assist the people in such a course as that taken in the United States. The purport of the bill was to give up your liberties under the constitution, and live under this bill and get more money. He (the hon. gentleman), expatiated upon the excellency of the constitution, and how a road was open for any citizen to pass from the Town Council to the Provincial Council, the General Assembly, and finally Governor of the Colony. The Bill ought to be called an act to take away representative institutions, as it created a governing class. Why were the titles of honorable given to certain classes. That was illegal. Be dared them to go before the country. If they did and the country endorsed the measure, he -.vould offer no further opposition. He denounced the bill as evidently favouring the governing class in taxation, and grinding down the mass of the people. He hoped the House would refuse the detestable measure. He declared he would resort to every means the rules of the House afforded to retard the bill at every stage. £ir Donald McLean said the whole tenor of the speech of the hon. gentleman who had just sat down was tfcut he wanted to sever this eolrny from the great country to wlach he iow belonged, and es;ablish a republic. Cc retried to what Sir George Ch«>y h&n said ahout the BiJl taking away the rights of the people. The object of the Bill really was to extend the rights and privileges, and the question of delay and appeal to the country w*s quite unnecessary. It had been before the country for years, and had been, decided that abolition was abaoluteiy necessary. What did the hon. gentleman (Sir George Grey) do for the rights of the people when he had power. The most arbitrary acts of the present Government were light aa a feather compared to Sir George Grey's. The House believed it had the power to pass the Bill now. He believed it had decided to do so, and the country had spoken unmistakeably in accordance ■with ths" opinion of the majority of the Houie. The Government would therefore retract nothing.

Mr Carrington and Mr Takamoana spoke in the same direction. Mr Montgomery against.

Messrs W, Kelly and May also spoke in favour of going on with the Bill, and at midnight Mr Thomson moved the adjournment of the debate.