LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1734, 4 September 1875, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

[per press agency.]

Friday.

Members Trafficking in Land with the Government

,> *H the motion of the Hon Dr. Menzies "| o i6 Committee was appointed to inquire 0& certain allegation which had been ~ /" le against a member of the Legislature, •"■■^7/ % *^c *erm.°f *ne present Parliament, " 1 1 interested in a certain transaction with // Government, involving the payment of t — /Aney, and granting pecuniary advantages to such members. Goldfields Ameddment Act.

The Hon. Mr Bonar moved the second reading of the Goldfields Act Amendment Bill. He said the object of the bill was to provide just and equitable law regulations as to the use of streams in goldfields ; that £100,000 had been spent by the General Government in the construction of water-races the whole of which, as well as many works constructed by private enterprise, would be perfectly useless, and the whole mining interest destroyed, if some such Act as this were not passed.

The Hon. Dr Pollen supported the second reading, but said the Government would take exception to some of the clauses.

The second reading was ultimately carried by a majority of five.

(Per Press Telegram Agency.)

FRIDAY.

The House met this afternoon at 2.30 o'clock.

Land Purchases Sir George Grey moved, without notice, for a return of all lands purchased by the Government from Europeans during the last two years. He wanted t 0 know how these lands were to be applied. The return asked for was ordered. The Contract' for Immigrants. Mr. Stout asked under whst authority Sir Julius Vogel entered nto the contract with the New Zealand Shaping Cempany for the conveyance of immigrants to New Zealand. He thought if he could make contracts by himself at home it was of no use havirjg a Cabinet.

The Hon. Major Atkinson; replied that Sir Julius Vogel entered into no contract. These contracts were always made by the Agent General. Air Stoat then gave notice to ask whether shipowners generally were given an opportunity to compete with the New Zealand Shipping Company. The Abolition Debate. The adjourned debate, "That the House go into Committee on the Abolition Bill," was resumed by Mr Thomson, who said it had been demonstrated last night that all the land fund of the colony would be exhausted in two years. The Public Works measure, given notice of, would not stand on all fours with the Abolition Bill, and the only conclusion to be drav/n from this discordant legislation was that the Government did not know their own minds. They had no guiding man and no unity. The hon. gentleman criticised at great length the Treasure!'s statement regardmg the financial results of the proposed systems of local government, and arguing that his figures were entirely fallacious. Tue Treasurer endeavoured to explain that we were not paying interest out of loans, but he (Mr Thomson) said we were not only doing that, but for the last four years the House had been affirming the principle of paying interest out of loans. Latterly the House had had no control over the expenditure of the money They were like a stockman trying to head off a bullock, but found himself only able to keep in sight of the beast. They were supposed tc expend their borrowed money only upon reproductive works, but if a Post-office, Custom - house, or Telegraph - office was ■wanted, it was erected oat of borrowed money. They had built a Museum and a new Parliament House, and they spent over £2000 on Parliamentary furniture; but surely all this could not be called "reproductive ?" The Civil Service was becoming an enormous drag upon the colony, and the Government -would soon be compelled to face the difficulty ; and would any member credit that there were 5256 persons employed in the Civil Service ?

Mr McGlashan pointed out that a very large number of the civil servants referred to received very small salaries, but if these were not wanted they would not have been on the list. The Government was accused of logrolling, but it could not come up to the Provincial Councils for that, as witness the Otago Council last year, appropriating over £400,000 more than was available, and which was the result of the sheerest log-rolling coupled with a desire to realise as much as could be done before the General Government stepped in.

Mr Wood said he never heard anything so unfair or uncalled for as the criticism of the Native Minister upon the speech of th.6 hon. member for Auckland City West, in attributing to him a desire to sever the colony from the mother country. Not a single word in the hon. gentleman's speech would bear that construction ; nor had a word in that direction proceeded from his side of the House, though he was sorry 'to say such ideas had proceeded from the member for Timaru, when he made out that the Legislature of New Zealand was superior to the Imperial Legislature. In doing so, he referred to the IStates-General of France, and their action in giving free government to people, despite the bayonets in the command of Louis XVI. If they were able to do that it was because the people were with them. It was different with the Government of this colony; because, if this bill were passed the people would rise as one man ; and even the very people supposed to be the most interested, namely, the people of Wellington, would be strongest in opposing it. The hon. gentleman said that the bill was not an Abolition bill. The principle was affirmed last session. The last resolution then passed was to the effect that in the room of the abolished provinces there should be placed a cheap and effective system of local self-government. This bill did not do that. From the Superintendent of Auckland to the chimneysweep, there was not a single one but would agree on the necessity for a change, but they were all unanimous in rejecting the machinery proposed. Why ? Because Government; was interfering with what was dear to ™em- the power to govern themselves ; and although they were offered a bribe, poor as they were, they spurned it. Not a man of them would consent to be governed from Wellington, nor consent to tax themselves and then send the money to Wellington, so tnat they might or might not perhaps get some of it back again. There had been such an expression of opinion upon that point that •«.6 T£ 8 B*tlßfied toat, pass the bill or not pass rt, tne Auckland people would not have it. •me General Government was like that Btrange fish at the Brighton aquarium that threw out its tentacles in all directions and conveyed everything to its capacious maw ; so the General Government converted everything to its great centralising maw and: stomach, in which all local revenue disapR edJ2 r ever- ,What would »c the effect ot the bill on Auckland at the next election ? a very member would come down to the Assembly pledged to vote for separation. The Government would abolish themselves la «* [TST' uhe- ti^le of the bUI B^ould be. I ABdlto abolish.the General Assembly" a' on, Pa! siQg this bill, the Superintendent of of wir ' d tfle Superintendents of Otago, ?' Wellmgtbn, and of Canterbury, said tl their Councils,." The General Assembly has set itself upmdependent of the English Parlia^ ment^and you can now set yourselves up in- &$ adQat, °f the general Assembly, i and -^»seyourselves supreme in.your own ctyj-

tricts," what was to prevent them doing it ? If the General Government asked for their assistance in enforcing their measure, they would not get it; but as the Superintendents asked the people in their provinces to rally round them, they would be supported by the people most enthusiastically. It would be better for Auckland to extend the right hand of fellowship to Wellington, and do the best they could for themselves. The member for Newton struck with dismay the Native Minister, when he asked him to constitute her a separate colony. But no, they were not prepared to cut foff the deceased limb; perhaps they were to be kept to be dragged at the chariot-wheels of their conquerors. The present system of finance pressed unfairly upon Auckland. They were told about the compact of 1856, bnt there was another compact equally important and just as binding, which had been broken. There was a compact that Auckland was to receive fiveeighths of the Customs, and that the expenditure of the colony was not to exceed £50,000 in any one year. The hon. gentleman then read an extract of his own writing, shewing that Auckland could do for herself as a separate colony, and making out that the colony of Auckland, after defraying the expenses of gaols, police, asylums &c, have £100,000 to spend m public works. Interrupted by 5 30,—adjournment hour.