TELEGRAMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 4616, 30 November 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

•> [Feom the Pjlbss Acenoy.l Auckland, Nor. 29. The Hero has arrived. She left Melbourne on Nov. 19, and Sydney on Nov. 23. Geahamstown, Nov. 29. A requisition has been prepared to Mr John Gibbons, sawmill proprietor, asking him to stand for the Thames. It is said to be to keep the seat warm for Mr James Mackay, until the latter has squared up with the Government. Sir George Grey is expected here tomorrow. Napies, Nov. 29. . An abstract of receipts and expenditure for the quarter ending Sept. 30 shows a balance to credit at the Bank on that date of £13,721 9a Bd. The return of land sold and rents and assessments on sums received at Crown Lands office at Napier during July last shows —£118 received from the sale of suburban lands and £621 from country lands ; and from rents and assessments, £55; total, £794. On Saturday, five crews were selected to go into training, and pull in the Napier Bowing Club’s boats for prizes amongst themselves. If all goes well, it is intended to pick out four of the best oarsmen and send them to represent this Province at Wellington. Arrived—Ship Inverness, 99 days from London, with 105 immigrants, all well. One death and one birth occurred during the voyage. The passengers are a very respectablelooking lot. They are not all for NapwVi some being for Otago and some for Auckland. All were landed. Nelson, Nov. 29. William Drager, a young man recently arrived in the Colony, is missing from his home in Waimea since Tuesday. On Saturday, ho was found hanging from a tree in the bush four miles from there. He had been in a despondent state of mind for some time. Blenheim, Nov. 29. A fire in High street, to-day, entirely destroyed the shop and premises of Messrs Smith and Lowman, cabinet-makers. There being varnish, spirits of wine, and a quantity of tow on the premises they burned very rapidly; yet the Brigade succeeded in confining the fire to the building were it broke out, although those on one side were in close proximity, and being built of light imflammable material ignited several times. Messrs Smith and Lowman lose £3OO, and are wholly uninsured. The building was insured in the New Zealand Insurance office for £l6O. Mr Alexander M'Mann addressed the electors at Waipa last night. About 400 were present. Ho met with a good reception. He disagrees with the Land Purchase Policy of the Government. Would support the Public Works Policy; is a great admirer of Sir George Grey, bat considers he goes too far on some points. He received a vote of confidence. Mr Bright also addressed the meeting, and received a vote of thanks. The new Electoral Rolls are now nearly complete. It is expected that they will bo published during the present week, when Parliament will be forthwith dissolved, and the writs issued. These will bo returnable in not later than sixty days, but it will rest with the respective Returning Officers how much sooner the several elections shall take place. The New Zealand Wesleyan Conference meets in Wellington in January next. I Public notice is given that within sixty ‘ days application will bo made for an order

empowering Mr Charles O’Neill, of Auckland, to Ist down tramways in the principal streets of Wellington. The Westport Colliery Reserve Commission commenced sitting to-day. There are over 600 claims of allottees of sections. Those by the Provincial authorities will take precedence. The Commission is likely to sit for many days, Dunedin, Nov. 29. The City Council to-day resolved to tender £21,000 for the freehold of the Otago University Buildings, provided the Council get possession by March 1. A deputation of over twenty electors waited on Sir J. C. Richardson this morning to ask if ho would receive a requisition requesting him to come forward as a candidate for the City of Dunedin at the ensuing general election. Sir J. 0. Richardson, in reply, observed that ho was extremely gratified at the honour paid him by the deputation, and to find that after a lapse of twelve years since he last represented Dunedin in Parliament, ho was still regarded as not unworthy of being elected as one of their members. Ever since 1866, when be abandoned active political life, though willing to become a Member of the Executive, he had resolved to retire entirely from all expressions of political opinion, but the organic alterations in contemplation forced him to respect his duty as a citizen, and to give expression to his sentiments at this crisis in the history of the Province and the Colony. He felt unable to reply fully at present, but would express his opinions more fully in the course of the present week. At the same time he wished it to be fully understood that much as he would bo pained to reply in the negative to any requisition that might be made to him, he felt that his failing powers, physical and mental, might prevent him from acceding to the request. The hon W. H. Reynolds and Mr Wales address the electors on Wednesday evening. The Mount Ida Chronicle says the Opposition will carry at least fifteen seats in Otago. The fire season has fully commenced. One broke out on Saturday at the Albion Soap Works, the damage is estimated at £IO7O, covered by insurance, in the Royal and South British. Another fire, the third within four days, broke out this morning in George street, on the premises of Mr Morrison, a grocer. The shop was entirely destroyed. The stock and furniturne were insured for £2OO in the New Zealand Office, and for a like sum in the South British. The stock and furniture were valued at £750. The building belonging to Mr Wilson was insured in the South British for £2OO. In both instances the Eire Brigade was quickly at the scene. Riverton, Nov. 29. On Saturday night Mr James M'lntosh addressed the electors. His speech is nearly an echo of Mr M a c an drew’s manifesto. After the address a vote of “ no confidence” was moved, and also an amendment that the other candidate be heard before they gave any support to Mr M'lntosh. On a show of hands being taken, the voting was very equal; but the Chairman declared the motion carried. The only other candidates announced are James Wilson, M.P.C., and Dr Hodgkinson, all Provincialists. It is thought that if Mr M'Gfillivray or any other Abolitionist comes forward he would stand a good chance to go in, unless some of the Provincialists retired, SIR GEORGE GREY AT AUCKLAND. Abbut a thousand persons were present at the Choral Hall, to hear Sir George Grey’s speech. On the motion of Mr Swanson, Mr Robert Graham took the chair. Nearly all the leading men of the City and many Maori Chiefs were on the platform. Sir George Grey was received with deafening cheers, all standing. Sir George Grey in his opening remarks referred to circumstances which brought him out. He said, “ at the present critical state of affairs no man should refuse to do his duty,” He thanked the constituency for placing him in a position of independence by leaving him wholly unfettered, and he said confidently that no man had ever asked him for a single favour. He said they knew that the General Assembly, in which Auckland was imperfectly represented, has resolved to change the freedom they enjoyed of electing their own administrators into a servitude, and under which the Ministry, without reference to the people, might nominate anyone they chose. They determined to do that without giving the people an opportunity of expressing their wishes. He characterised that action as a crime, a crime against the whole human race, for it was an innovation; and he was surprised, night after night, to hear one member after another get up and declare their intention to carry such a monstrous Act, an Act which was unheard of in any free community, and which, he was convinced the Assembly had no power to carry out—if a few determined men would stand by him, then the change should not take place. Through the efforts of many noble men, the people had secured to them the right of determining their future. He said he had not heard one good argument in favour of abolishing institutions which afforded the most perfect system of representation and government of the people. He spoke at some length on the slow but steady development of free institutions. It was impossible to compare the circumstances of the Colony with those of Great Britain. The Governor could not be compared to the Queen. Then what hereditary aristocracy had they here to form an Upper House. (Loud cheers and derisive laughter). Did they suppose for a moment that if it was left- to the people of England not to set up an Upper House, that they would constitute such an Upper House, and pay them as they were asked to do at present. There was a sort of equality among the people of New Zealand which he was glad to see, and if a rich man married a poor man’s daughter, neither he nor she was looked down upon; but if they were to set up an aristocracy here, the mass of the people must think, what service had any particular class of people here rendered that they should be raised above their fellow-men. He compared the amount of scrutiny to which the proceedings of Parliament in Great Britain were subjected with the way the Government was carried on here. Here, many things that were done were unknown to the people for months j even telegrams were filtered by the Government. He cited as an instance of unjustifiable procedure the Aot indemnifying Members of the Legislature from proceedings which might be brought against them for breaking the law. N 5 report of the discussion in Committee on that Bill appeared in Mansard. The Bill set out by stating that the Act was to indemnify certain Members, but the Aot actually indemnified the whole of the Assembly. Was such a thing over heard that a dying Parliament should take such steps to protect themselves from the operations of the law ? He suggested in Committee that the names of those indemnified should bo set out, but it was rejected. There were many of them, and they did not wish to hold them up to obloquy. He then induced Mr Sheehan to move that those Members who did not intend to avail themselves of the indemnity might give public notice, and their doing so would deprive fhem of the right to plead that indemnity, but the Assembly rejected that with the greatest scorn. There was no report of all this in the official reports, and the people were in ignorance of it. Such things would never be attempted in England. He entered at length into the Piako Swamp question, and the action of the Government in that sale, which was contrary to law. He also spoke of the purchase of Native lands, and said he had been accused by the Ministry with the greatest contumely of having advocated wholesale confiscation. What constituted the grounds of that charge P They had intrusted £760,000 to certain agents to purchase lands for the public under the pre-emption of the Crown, and, if that power was used to benefit private individuals, he contended that the law customary between any commission agent and his employer should bo enforced, and that those lands should be handed over to the Government Upon reimbursing agents such private expenses as they had actually incurred. He reviewed all these points, and be entered into the manner of reusing revenue, and said that Auckland was charged with being impecunious, but how were they impecunious P Only because they

wore called upon to meet enormous expenses ot that ravenous monster in Wellington. If they were erected into a Colony by themselves, and had their Customs’ revenue, they would be a wealthy community, (Loud cheers.) He quoted from Mr Macandrew’s pamphlet an assertion that the runholdera in the South supported Abolition because they would be able to get largo runs leased again on better terms than they could get them for from the Provinciol Government. If those runs were not again leased they would most probably be out into small sheep farms for the benefit of the people. Alluding to the subsidies promised to Hoad Board and Municipalities, he characterised them as bribes, but only such as might be offered by nurses to children. He proceeded to show that these subsidies must come out of taxation, the local endowment was thus directly taken out of their own pockets. These subsidies had hitherto been drawn from loans for which they would have to pay very dearly. It might bo said that a Land Tax or Property Tax might remedy this, but when he proposed to lesson individual taxation by this means, he was met by objections, to which he replied that they wanted men who would do this. He contended that there was no difficulty in reducing the Estimates by £150,000 —as Mr Header Wood would heal him out. At present it would be impolitic to attempt to scratch out any actual policy. The day after the next Session of Parliament closes the Provinces would be abolished. Before then a great many contingencies may come into force. They did not quite know how the next Farliameni would be constituted, or who would be Ministers, and did not feel certain ot all that Abolition would take place. That was yet a question in the womb of Time, and had to be determined by the constituencies of New Zealand. If the Ministry remains in office, what the future is to be is in their hands. Strictly speaking, it was the Government who should tell them what kind of Government they would set up. The Government should have gone to the Country with that, but next Session they were to be surprised with exactly what was attempted last Session. Now, under such circumstances, what was their duty? In his opinion, he spoke to the electors of Auckland City West, and he said theirduty was very plain and very simple. Their duty was this. The law of empire ordains that if federation is broken up without the consent of different bodies comprising that federation, each part of the federation shall determine whether it will enter into a new federation or not, and upon what terms it will do so. Now supposing the Government had taken this view—that they had proposed a certain form of Government, and had gone to the Provinces with it, and that each Provincial Council had passed a law. Having been returned for that purpose, they would have been bound by that, but if the Provinces were only abolished by the Assembly, they had a right, as free men, to determine themselves whether they would or would not enter into such a federation as the General Assembly might send before them. If an attempt was made to force Auckland into a confederation contrary to its interests; the wrongs they have suffered, the unjust dealing with lands which have taken place, would give an immense claim upon the sympathy of the Empire, upon the sympathy of the Queen and Parliament at Home, and would ensure their voice being heard as to what their own wishes for their future destiny might he. This was one of the cardinal points which they should keep in view. He would put various projects before them. The idea that if Auckland were an absolutely separate Colony, as Queensland is separated from New South Wales, it would be one of the greatest and most prosperous of Colonies. Here Sir George spoke of the attitude shown by Auckland in past times for Self-Government. He believed it was impossible to devise institutions in the present day which should not in some respects do Wrong; but he did think, and having that faith he bad the support of the greatest mind in Europe, that it would be possible by degrees to educate the people to be fitted for a higher state of institutions than any now enjoyed in any part of' the world. He instanced the Free State of Greece as the most perfect Government known. He asserted bis unhesitating belief that if Auckland was made a free City, with only the harbour of Auckland and Manakau, and adjacent land, they would raise up a community as great as Carthage P If within these limits the power of establishing free trade and extension of their commerce, they should, even within their small limits, ■ rise to a greatness that would astonish mankind. He might tell them that some of the greatest minds in the last Assembly believed that under existing circumstances, and in view of the shook given to Provincial Institutions, that the best solution of the difficulty would be self-separation of New Zealand into two States—(loud cheers) —and that each Island should have, in - due subordination to Great Britain, absolutely Sovereign powers within itself, and that it should yield up no portion of its powers, except strictly federal ones, to a small General Government sitting at Wellington, simply to regulate Customs’ duties, Post-office dues, and certain subjects of that kind. Like the States of America, each island should be governed within its own limits, and the General Assembly should be the servant of the two Island Governments, not able to take away any power from them, but only receiving such powers as might, by joint agreement, be given them. With such a General 1 Assembly, Government Members being small in number and meeting but for short periods of time, and dealing only on these few points, there would be but little difficulty in carrying out such a plan. Even some leading men at Wellington had signified their entire acquiescence that in the case of Auckland being made capital of the Northern Island, the Federal Government retaining its seat at Wellington, they would feel it their duty to accord with this if public sentiment were in that direction. Although he would sacrifice something of his own feelings, he would see a chance of prosperity being restored to New Zealand, and the North saving its own revenue to be spent among them. He thought that this was a scheme which the people should lend their minds to. They should have two Legislatures in the North Island, one at Wellington and the other at Auckland, sitting under the direct eye of the public, whose welfare their, actions affected. They would see again Auckland able to spend her fair share of money, and able to avail herself of all advantages. It was a melancholy thing for him to see no road to the Districts near his habitation, and to see the residents like savages in canvas waiting at points on the journey to send produce to Auckland. Therefore, in all parts of the Province his heart yearned to have a different state of things. It was for this that be recommended the plan of Separation, which found most favour with his friends, than to look further to the future. Quite recently fresh fields of industry had been opened to the human' race, such as California, Japan, China, and Australasia. Look at the position of Auckland, situated in the highway of two oceans, teeming with riches, position, resources of coal, timber, and all that the heart could desire; what a destiny lay before Auckland if the people would be true to themselves. Would they do this, and use their best efforts to arrive at a decisisn that would be for the benefit of New Zealand P He did not ask them to go with him if they disapproved of his suggestions. He could go back to his retirement if they still wore unwilling to aid him in his efforts for the good of the Colony. His services were still at their disposal. (Prolonged cheering.) A vote of confidence was passed amid great enthusiasm. On the motion of Sir George Grey, a vote of confidence was also passed in Mr Dignan. Three cheers for Sir George Grey and three cheers for Separation concluded the meeting, AUSTRALIA. (Per b.b. Hero via Auckland.) Sidney, Nov. 23. The cable is still interrupted. Treeve was convicted upon three charges of forgery and uttering, and sentenced to thirteen years’ imprisonment. In the divorce 'case, Teas v. Teas, the verdict was against the co-respondent, with £2OOO damages, A divorce was granted. It is intended to more for a Select Com-

mittee to investigate the Government banfc;» transactions, ani£ltl ß Maize is at 4s to Gs j wheat, 5s 6d to Arrived: Damascus, Duntroon. Mi.n Hall, Philomene, Paramatta, and FlemLis, all from London. * leur Memottbne, Nov 21 The convict Weechurch has been convicts of an attempt to murder the warder at p U tridge Stockade, and sentenced to death CQ ' Two children were drowned at Schnarm* Point. A man, Davis, in trying to eavo them was also drowned. m During the last few days it has been f rßP i o rumoured that the late Captain Gray, 0 f n/ Great Britain, did notjeoramit suicide, but pushed overboard, but this was not traced t any reliable foundation. At the Criminal Court the recognisances Mr Lee, publisher of the Police Neu !s \Z n been estreated, as he was not in attendance Steps are being taken to hold a teleeranhi, conference, all the Colonies to bo represent A Committee of the V.E J.C. have invest; gated Mason’s case, and decided against him On the part of Mason it was alleged that was a case of mistaken identity. A person of the same name formerly resided at Richmond but has now gone to Sydney. ' An Adelaide telegram states that Mr Gould reports that two birds have been discovered by the Lake Eyre exploring expedition quite new to science. ' Brisbane, Nov, 22 A meeting was held at Maryborough’at which it was determined to form a Working Men’s Association to prevent the Kanakas working on plantations. Capt. Brown of the Mary Mildred, barque reports the escape of five convicts from Noumea in a large boat, with a full supply 0 f stores, comprising fourteen bags of flour jams, fruits, and one barrel of water. ‘