THE HAWKE'S BAY HERALD. Napier, Saturday, Sept. 11, 1858.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 1, Issue 51, 11 September 1858, Page 2

THE HAWKE'S BAY HERALD. Napier, Saturday, Sept. 11, 1858.

Ant analysis of the new Electoral Roll for this District shows that, out of the total numfeer (299) of registered electors, there are 263 residents, and 36 absentees. As, by a wise foresight on the part of the framers of the New Provinces Bill, resident electors only are qualified under its provisions* to memorialise the Governor for separation, — it follows that, for practical

purposes, the electors of Hawke's Bay are in number as above stated — 263. Of those, we require three-fiftlis, or 158, to give validity to a memorial under the new Act. That this number of signatures can readily be obtained we have no doubt ; for although counter influences may be, and probably are, already in operation, the advantages of separation from Wellington are so manifest, and popular feeling so unmistakably in its favour, that opposition, however well, organised, must, in the long run, utterlyfail in its object. Out of the 263, we will venture to say that, in a few hours, the requisite number of signatures could be procured. "•" But the subject is one upon which, for the future peace of the District, it is moat desirable that unanimity should prevail ; hence the necessity of a meeting and the effort that has been made to give every elector in the District intimation of the same. Should any elector be still wavering — still uncertain as to the course he shall pursue in the present crisis, we exhort him to read the speech of Mr. Richmond, in committee, in reply to the address of Mr. Clifford. Had we possessed the mechanical* means, the whole of the debate would, ere now, have been in the hands of our reader's ; but we are impelled to reserve the herculean task till a future time, when we snail re -produce it as one of the records of Hawke's Bay. Meanwhile we extract the speech referred to, as well as Capt. Curling's address in the Legislative Council, together with the. remarks in committee of Mr. Domett; and commend, the. same to the attention of such of our readers as may j not- have seen the, "New Zealander''— -a journal in : which' the proceedings iiiconriecj Jtlqii with th;e 'New Provinces Bill-, 'have, at greai labour and no inconsiderable -expense, Taeen fully reported,^ and. to .the. editor of whiqh~"whp has/- always,, taken a lively, interest in the,-, ajff airs of this. District —■the electors o£ the .hew" Province cannot be otherwise ttratf deeply-indebted::— r ''■'■ : '•:;.--'-- -■■:,%***.?■,'', i, • -■■;> '* .;.•■. V ''.''-*''.'•',•■?...,, --■•■;s.- ./■■?:<■ c :^ : b^ ;for .tfen^wi'KtS'^

and the rest' -of. the province of Wellington, he must again draw "attention to the figures cited by •the Colonial Secretary in the debate on the second reading, by which his hon. -colleague showed that in. a period of one year and .nine months, viz., from the Ist Jjjly, 1856 to 31st . March, 1858, the total proceeds -of ianct sales in cashahd scrip", received in the province of Wellington was in round numbers £64,000 ; of which sum no less than £12,466

was contributed by the Ahuviri district alone— the balance only being contributed by all the other districts of the province, including the land reclaimed within the harbour of Wellington. (Hear, hear.) Those figures, coupled with what had been spent in the district, were a sufficient answer- to the allegation, that it was to the interest of Ahuriri, to continue connected with Wellington. (Hear.) He had next to advert ( to the version given by thehon. member, for Wellington of his (Mr. It's.) negociations with reference, to the purchase of lands on the East and West coast of the province of Wellington;. 'and:;h~ere that there might be no mistake, he would cite from the correspondence marked "No 40, correspondence relative to the purchase of Native Lands," presented to the House by command of Ms Excellency, and ordered to be printed. In paragraph 6, page 47, — Dr. Featherston wrote thus : — " That the £15,000 already voted by .the General Assembly be appropriated to purchase in the Hawke's Bay district and the East coast — [Mr. Clifford : Hear,.hear, — Mr. Richmond : The hon. gentleman had better, wait a little.] — That out of the £25,000 (or 50,000) provided, the General Government shall cause to be purchased, first, the 70-mile bush and the Manawatu districts — these being regarded as the lands most essential to the future development of the province as a whole. — " [Hear, hear, from Mr. Stafford.] Secondly, these purchases being effected, the balance to be applied to extinguish the Native title over the following blocks, in such order and according to such arrangements as may be agreed to between the General and provincial Governments, — the Ahuriri plains, south Porangaliau block, and other blocks on the ea3t coast ; the Horowena, the Waitotara, and other blocks on the west coast." — He hopsd that would satisfy the hon. member that he had given a correct version of his (Mr. B's.) negociations with Dr. Featherston, and of the stipulations sought to be made by the Superintendent of Wellington as to the order of pur-' chase. (Hear, hear.) The plans of the Wellington superintendent were such as could not be carried out ; it was absurd to talk of a policy which stopped short at the 39th parallel of latitude : if Dr. Eeatherston had had the whole of the North Island to work in the case might have been different. The simple fact was that the provinces were too small for such magnificent purposes, and too large for local administration. What shifts indeed bad not the province of Wellington been put to, to. bolster up its schemes of imported iniinigratioa — witness the celebrated passport Act, to which the colonial secretary had so forcibly alluded, and which the General Government had to disallow (hear.) The provinces were too small and too weak to carry out their assumption of a national policy ; their proper sphere was that of executive and practical administration. (Hear.) Co.pt. Curling's Speech.

He was not fond of rising to speak"; but as he had taken part in the movement for the separation of Hawke's Bay from Wellington, he felt bound to thank Ministers for the introduction of this Bill, which ho believed was the most important of all they had brought forward this session, and which he believed would be productive of results most beneficial for the future welfare of the colony. It was a measure that would prove the pedestal on which the present Ministry might build their reputation as statesmen. He could not agree with those who said that they were ready to admit the claims of Hawke's Bay, but thought . that a sepai'ate Bill should have been brought in to meet that one particular case. He certainly would have gladly accepted such separate or any other measure which would do justice to the inhabitants of Hawke's Bay ; but he would far rather accept that justice when it was placed also within the reach of every other district similarly situated — when it was based on a general measure instead of being the subject of special and invidious legislation (hear). As to leaving each case to be dealt witli on its own merits, that was all very well in theory, but if that principle were acted upon, he was afraid that justice would be delayed a long time. He was glad that every rising district like Hawke's Bay would now be enabled to ask for local government ; and though some persons had said that these small provinces would be jnisinanaged, lie would observe that the people of those provinces would very Eoon get into the way of managing their own affairs, and perhaps do so quite as well as the larger provinces had done — for what could be said about the existing state of things in Wellington? (hear). Bather than be again dependent on a petty Provincial Government, which was naturally selfish in its administration of affairß, he would prefer to be dependent on the generosity of a "despot" like Sir Greorge Grey, who was actuated by an honest desire to promote the good of the whole colony (hear). While, however, he approved of the main principle of the Bill, he would like to see some alterations in the' details. Por instance, he would like, as to the new superintendents, to see them presiding at the meetings of the Provincial Councils— he would like, in fact, to see the superintendent denuded of the title "his.Honor" and. all such "bosh" (laugh_ter).. He could look forward to seeing some pbin and unpretending sheep-farmer; of Ahuriri being ' elected as the headof the new province on account .of hi& practical common sense and his sterling integrity,—and he could easily "imagine that such a 'inian -would feel rather annoyed if hie cotdd not be Addressed by; his neighbours, except aa^bur Honor" (hear), : and if hecouldnot communicate with his. council- except by from his Ho&br fthe superintendent".; (hear, and .adherence to r :titlfis-;of office might %tie Vattvery ;well Cfor^ng^ii^vwli^Vi^'/ha^^i^^pEesj^ggy^tiiafir'' ;honourei*uaage ; r^but in .a? youii| country li£e New ;#e^apa, i£^ j ~Wi:b^^i^^ogi^^^imß^u^!f^Jihe'Bi7^:- o,f the .^e^opf d'JhSlf&^ : 'mscu¥

Extract from Mr. Domett's Speech. This measure is one on which perhaps the ■whole future welfare of the country may depend. I believe firmly that upon the 'direction now given to our institutions, it will depend whether the country is to be eventually, one great prosperous and powerful state (hear, "hear) — orwhetber it is to be split up into six petty and .virtually independent states — with all the jealousies, rivalries, and mutual hatred and opposition, which all history has shewn to attend such a division of a small country — and with all the discord, weakness, and misery consequent thereupon (cheers) . For under this Bill the provinces will be reduced to their proper dimensions as counties — with powers equal to the management jof county .matters — while the General Government will keep the country one and united. I say that the general Bill may give to the state coach such a change in the direction in which it is running, as may save it from going over a precipice (hear). lam as firmly convinced of the wisdom and good policy of this measure, and of the inestimable benefit it will in the long run confer upon the country, as I can be of anything ■tfrithin the range of human conviction (hearj hear).