THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 864, 6 August 1867, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(JFBOM A CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, August 2, 1867. The Ashley goes this morning, and I must' try and send you a few lines, although there is not a great deal to write you upon in the way of news. ' Since I wrote last, the only matter of any consequence which has been before the House is the Representation Act. This Act was brought in by Government in performance of a pledge given last session to Mr. Moorhouse to provide additional representation to Westland. Mr. Stafford in his Bill endeavoured to give two new members also to Auckland. The iconsequence was that the South united almost to a man and threw put the Bill on the second reading. I don't know whether it appeared in the speeches, but the feeling of the South was, that it was too much to expect them to give additional representation to a province which is actually pleading in forma pauperis for money to carry on its ordinary Government functions— a plea, moreover, which the South ieels it cannot escape from. At any rate, the House threw out the Bill, and a new Bill is to be introduced giving two additional members to Westland. This may or may not be carried. There are a great number of people even representing the South, who consider that any ohange in the representation of the colony, in the middle of the Parliament's tenure, is undesirable. What is admitted on all sides is that the number of members of the House of Representatives is already too. large, and that, in place of adding additional members, the tendency should be to readjust the whole representation of the colony and reduce the number of members of the House to about fifty, in place of seventy, as at present. In connection with the question of representation, I may add that Mr. M'Lean gave notice to-day of his intention to ask leave tomorrow to introduce a Bill to give special representation of the natives. lam inclined to think that the House will consider this a question that may be dealt with on a different footing to demands for representation of other kinds. At any rate, many members are intending to give their support to this measure who. are not inclined to vote for other enlargements of the representation, and I am inclined to think that this measure, which has originated with the Hawke's Bay members, will be carried. As one great advantage accruing to the Northern Island from the adoption of the, proposal, I may instance, that districts like , the East Coast, the centre of the island, &c, which have interests which cannot be said to be represented by Auckland members representing present constituencies, will virtually then be represented,* as no one can doubt that in the election of members to represent them, the natives will act with due consideration to the advice of their European friends who may be living amongst tbsta, It will readily b§ seen that by this means important districts like the East Coast, which have, and will continue to have, separate interests to those of the other Auckland province constituencies, will be in part represented through this | means, when they would have no chance of being so otherwise. I have named these considerations as worthy of being remem* I bered ; but there are strong grounds to be adduced in favour of giving the native people, who contribute so materially to the Customs revenue of the colony, and yet who, by the force of circumstances, will for many years yet be virtually disfranchised, some share in the representation of the colony, and in that way affording them the < opportunity of having their views advocated. The proposal to be made to the House will be that three members shall be given to represent the natives. Three divisions of the island will be made, so as to apportion the representation, as nearly as may be, equally, and with a due regard to community of interests. I have given you as much information on this head as I can at present, and at some length, as from my point of view it is a matter of indirect interest to Hawke's Bay. The only other question of great importance before the House at present is the Shire Act. I believe copies of this Act have been sent to you by the Government, in common with all newspaper editors in the colony, with a view to eliciting public opinion by the Act being commented upon. It is extremely difficult to give you, at the present moment, any accurate information as to the probable action of the House in regard to this bill. One thing, however, is tolerably certain, that the bill in its present shape will not pass. Without going at length into the nature of the bill and its provisions, I may assume at once that the bill is brought in to meet the demand of the outlying districts of the colony for a measure of local self-government, and more especially in so far as the management of their public works are concerned, and securing to them a proportion of the revenues to which they so largely contribute, but which they complain they get no fair share of from the Provincial Governments and Councils. . These complaints are all proposed to be met by the Shires Act. However, my time will only permit me to give you information other than what will be open to you from other sources. I will then explain what the difficulties are, in my view, of its passing the House in its present shape. In the first place, of course all the ultraprovincial party are opposed to a measure which proposes to take away from them the administration of a portion of their present functions, and, what is more to the point, of the revenues they have hitherto held control over. The provincial party O.e M the ultras) will fight to the death this bill or any bill interfering with their present powers. Where this is all the Bill would be safe enough, as the ultra-provincial party are in a decided minority in the House of Representatives ; but, unfortunately, the Shire Bill is so drawn as tojgive property uo due weight in proportion to what it gives 1 the smaller proprietor. The largest proprietor can only have three votes under the Act, whilst a holder of rateable property of the value of £25 may hold a seat at the Board, .and three such holders would be equal with the proprietor of property of the value, say of £10,000, whilst four such holders would do what they liked with him. This is manifestly an unfair position for the owner of property, and it applies as much to the substantial fanner who farms his 100 acres of agricultural land, as to the man who owns property to a larger extent. This feature

in the Act has produced a sttong 'M^gM^s opposition.: to thejj^iu 'from aU^thirt j^e^'v =; roW class dflargß;pro|>rietors in '■jsff:'j^m^ :^J-{ em Islands whom it would affect so seriously, and who are generally to be found on the side of the party who favor the mc£ ' S derate provincialism. Unless this large' and powerful MQj^...c^^ejpo^^]fcjN|^ et : get some assurance that the Bffl;^dll^^l modified in passing through, ita etagea in respect to the point I have nanled, tiere is ;■ no chance of the Shires Bill becoming law, and I almost fear that the present strong feeling against it will not ije overcome. Should this prove the base, the chance of . obtaining any , substantial > guarantee , for justice to outlying districts will pass; and I fear that the opportunity: *wMch now offers will hot soon present zttfelf r^mßaf chance of success. It id, however, yet possible that an understanding may be come to amongst the moderate party^ "to pasa, the second reading of the JBill, and mak^lnl committee such changes a? will provide &r M due consideration and;, weight being jjpVeVf.; to all classed of society. , It ia not probable,! >.. however, that the bui will' be proceeded 1 with until after the* fibaricial statement his been made by< the TreasucerJ It-ishopeot that gentleman will be able to deliver him- ' self of his statement shortly^ and these hopes are strengthened by his absence from the House : for the past day or two— that absence, it is trusted, being caused by his ' time being occupied, jn getting up facts and figures for his statement. When once we are in possession of the financial proposals of the Government, business will be entered upon with more spirit than at present. Last night was occupied with a debate on motion to repeal the Native Land Act Amendment Act, 1866. The motion was withdrawn on the understanding thatthe . Government will itself amend the Act in question, and propose other, amendments , experience proves to be required in the Act of 1865. , ■•