LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR THE COUNTRY DISTRICTS. IMPORTANT MEETING AT PORT ALBERT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3428, 11 July 1868, Page 3

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR THE COUNTRY DISTRICTS. IMPORTANT MEETING AT PORT ALBERT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

An unusually large assemblage of settlers of this district — numbering overforty gentlemen — took place on the afternoon of Monday, the 29th June, for the purpose of considering the advisability of memorialising for the total abolition of the Provincial form of Government. The subjects were brought before the meeting by the Rev. W. Wobker moving a resolution to the following effect, " lhat in the opinion of this meeting the provincial form of government should be disestablished, and that local self-government should take its place." Dr. Bell moved as an amendment, " That this meeting views with interest the general awakening of the public mind on the subject of some change of government, in order to its greater efficiency : but it considers it does not possess sufficient weight at pre» sent to induce it to take any move in that direction." Some discussion took place on the subject, the arguments used being similar to those advanced at more important meetings j I do not consider is necessary to report them here. On the resolution being put to the meeting, thirteen votes were recorded in its favour, and eleven against it. A draft copy of the following memorial was read to the meeting, and adopted ; after whioh a vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting :—: — "To the honourable the House of Representatives, in Parliament assembled. "The petition of the settlers of Port Alteit, oounty of Margden, in the province of Auckland "Humbly showeth, — That your petitioners regard trunk roads as baing essential to the progress of a new country ; yet, although this and several adjacent settlements are only about fifty miles from the capital, there is no main road by which cattle can be driven or produce conveyed to market, " Also, that the laws respecting country districts are too often made in ignorance of the real wants of such districts, and that the actual settlers, who understand besb their own ciroumstanoes and local requirements, have not sufficient influence in making such enactments. " Moreover, that large sums of money have been borrowed by the Provincial Government, which have been expended principally in and around the city of Auckland, while the necessities of the outdistricts have been almost entirely disregarded. "Also, that your petitioners view the present constitution of Proviuoial Governments as unnecessarily cumbersome and costly, and as a cause of discord and weakness rather than of unity and strength. We therefore respectfully ask you to abolish Provincial Governments throughout New Zealand, and to grant in their place, both to town and country, looal self-government. " And your petitioners, as in duty bound," &c.