Occasional Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 74, 9 December 1875, Page 6

Occasional Notes.

. - » 4~r-»y .., , By Colontjs. THE REID BA.NQTJET? . The banquet, given at,, the Taieri in' honor of Mr Donald Reid, M/HTR^ and *•' Provincial Secretary, [ offers an oppdr"tunity for making a fewsfurt^rremarks; -, oh the AboHtipn";jques*tion;..7.Mr_..^e£4.-. pbsseses doubtless a ;tery considerable amount of ability, aiid his serviMi'bbth in the General Assembly arid -Provincial Council has been valuable. Hig action ?■ with^ regard~to^:the~tend questaoniliaa? v usually been satisfactory to the people of QtagOi, .Hissyrifpatluesare witK;,the--people, and he has been a vigorous" op- 7 ponent of land monopoly, and His being a, member of ' both* the Provincial Government and; Land Board has- aided * "much the work of opening, up land, for settlement under the deferred .payment . "System and otherwise. Probably, -also, we owe, Mr ; Keid a debt of gratitude for bringing 'back pur Superintendent to Y the right track, frbm : whicH : at'pne f time, - tinder the influence; bf a. forinerm amber

«f his Governffient,yhe: exhibited some . slight disposition to ' stray.' This was fortunate, : for: his* Honor |s; [gifte^Twith* a large^amount of adMinistrative ability. '• The rpeople'WiH; regard '.with' .ripprpbar tion, the independehty gtr&ig*htipswl-*JJj '. and patriotib 1 course ''Ms : - Honor-'- has • adopted on the Abolition"' question:? , Well might Mr A? : 3. Burns: express . astonishment at the rapid, manner in which the abolition of the Pr'ovirfceiß . has, been effected.. During _ his stay! in Britain; he, Mr Burns, does- not seem • to have gained a very, favorable opiriibri of the manner in, whicli' the general '! Government is. conducting* the Work of ; immigration? \Reyerting7 to' the tion pf,Abolitiori, I db,riot:seeythatthe General- Assembly kas power to'tnake this chan ge in the. .CbristitutiOn'.; ' 1316 w; can our Legislative 'Assemblies.! abbiish or; alter the Imperial Act, under wfiich they have power to .sit'!'?'' ; il#'W#4t;re- ■; spect can; the mother' Country hate any hold pri us,, if^ we'can e£e^y ; su6h a.'l^ge extent of independentyppwer'.as is com-? -..' prised in the abolition oif a. Constitution !'!: granted : by the J-top^ial^rlia^erit;;? If we can do this much witbdut. leave? fro m home; we : may' ; cPnsidery'burs6lyes! pretty well indepPndenj. r 'altogether of : Imperial authprity.7 j[lf . New' Zealand is still a portion- of the' British 1 'EmpW it- would . appear, ;thatx .aichange : in?the J :C,bn,stitutiPh should baye'-lfeen" 'done' under anlimperial; Act?, 'uTHereiigb^tha . work would y^rPhably have been^done'r |in a delittera^ - jnot in the hasty $^ 'has been done or attempted;*^ Asto the* j yaripus . schemes brought ; fori»rSrdVlitettß^ : ; Abolitionists, ! .1 _ -have? not '"'reryil much, jfaith mthem? G With : onljr' fou^ipro-' iyinces, disunited than itvis ratr present^andr with only .tso>!t|ie'iffor^ ; them mbreidwunitl cC-^lf-^S' " should like/ tpysee'- the Geheral G^vefAi ! ; it is sufficiently -strong^ sefity •GbiSti^ptt.j , w*TKßf fact'-'pfN-he matter : !'is, ''.T?s6 "npf 1 was vipe. for tiie: abolition, 'of: Provincial ! c otf n ?W; ■ !- *$&£ 9pnsid€ir«d aslcdlbtfigftig I agencies,y;the:: : p t pim^ hav^till valuable :! fhn;c,tioris'ito performi *94WC*-fi%i-^n^ ture.and uncalled /fori 1 J At JanyrataJ-it :W: $$& : abstitdityHo^ais:^hiV^^ tio^Acj*; until ;^ > vreih -and! Vikl^^matttisd schego' M«i;|cpris;tnm^ toi. dtft-the .work of i^fri^pn^anp^ -the work .of reformation. 5 tp ;repeakthe.4bblitionvAct,^ai^vtak6 cti %e -to^ ; cpastderJw^t;^|any,;.coiisiaM- : i&pnd^hangeS;^sH^Ulßjb^rmaae^'-.'THat • the-- measure .afpr-. tiie^ vaboiition^of-thft iProyinces^isyn^re^fth^ . ;£«iicirf£jsa^ : Gonerat 'Government r -tb^reiieVe'ritsetf #r9ffl'£°> n s^ irkbyr ;|*te ? t^nd,:pbtpl^ there>r6%ot--funds^sufficient''for?^otti Goverhm'emijome^^ J a^d s a^ounce •?ft c i& ot .M , $ ■: areKflnly:{tbre:e?*cduri.e^ 1 jworks^or additaonaktaxati^.BttHa fß^iaai^ia 4 for local works, r and-ii under f tlietneces- "{ j^t^o^stiljkfether^rainin^hfeprbi 1 .or another, r l^i4m^^^m i \ : 4