TELEGRAMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 4618, 2 December 1875, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

[From the Pees a Agbnot.l Auckland, Deo. 1. The harbour endowments sold to-day realised much higher rates than in previous years. A question has been raised as to whether Mr Henderson’s tender by telegraph for the construction of the dock was not informal. If rejected on that ground, Messrs Owen, Jones, and Co, the local tenderers, are the .next lowest. Napier, Dec. 1. A public meeting, convened by the Mayor, agreed to a special rate not exceeding sixpence in the £, for filling in the swamp. An accident ooeurrrd here yesterday, A man fell over a cliff a hundred feet high. His fall was fortunately broken, He was much bruised, but is likely to recover, Wellington, Deo. 1, -Arrived—Taupo, from Lyttelton, at 10.15 a.m. Bluff, Dec. 1. Tho barque Adamant, from London, which has been long looked fer, is signalled. She brings immigrants. Dunedin, Dee. 1. A trial of the locally-built steamer Tui took s>laee yesterday. She steamed, on an average, mine knots. She is built by Messrs Kincaid, >M‘Queen,and Co, for Mr Seagerof Wellington, ffor the Lyttelton and Wellington trade. She -will carry 110 tons cargo on a draught of six feet of water. The trial ia considered satisfactory.

THE HON W. H. REYNOLDS AT DUNEDIN. 'The hen W. H. Beynolds addressed the ■electors in the drill-shed this evening. The hall was well Mod. His Worship the Mayor was in the chair. Mr Ebxkobds, who was received with applause, said he had taken the earliest opportunity to give a« account of his stewardship. He was sure they would grant him a quiet hearing. The present aissaion of Parliament had been highly progressive, He trusted that when ho had finished his address they would admit that the electors had lost nothing at his hands. He would confine his remarks to questions affecting the Province of Otago. He considered Nelson and Auckland as prosperous as Otago at the (present time. After giving a statement as to railways and telegraphs in progress, he stated that the connection of New Zealand with Australia by cable was one of the most important undertakings of the .present Parliament, He alluded to telegraphs, and immigration matters; but they ’Were merely a repetition of his former statements made iu the House. He said ho could point, with no little satisfaction, to the fact that no fewer than thirteen lighthouses were constructed, or were under construction, in the Colony, Ho had also the 'satisfaction of being able to establish a system of storm warnings, and he had also initiated a system by which masters of vessels could ascertain the state of the weather at open roadsteads. He had been able to establish a Naval School atKohimarama, from which he anticipated that the Colony would he able to turn out from fifty to sixty trained young seamen. He hoped soon to see a traming ship established ftfc Porto hello. He looked upon the Marine Department as second to no other injthe Colony, and though no prophet, be thought it would take the lead ot any Department in the Colony. He felt proud that, with the aid of his colleagues, ho had carried out this Department so successfully. The Government though given to muon talking still were a working Government. (Hear, /hear.) The Opposition had left no stone nn- , tinned to find some cause of complaint against . the'Government, hut his hearers would see how lamentably they had failed. He wm now going to tread on dangerous ground, and have a turn at the Press. Ho thought that a por* , tion of the Press had not acted fairly towards

' the Government. (Groans, and oh, oh.) Ho 1 said “ had not acted fairly towards the Government/’ and particularly towards himself. Ho would give an instance. In the Otago Daily Times he was charged with making some ridiculous statements in Committee on the Abolition Bill, when he never spoke on the matter. [A voice : “ Good job, too.”] He would not have minded this had there not been a leader next day commenting on some absurd reference ho was alleged to have made to the Bill. He should be sorry to think these mistakes wore purposely made, but ho felt bound to clear himself before his constituents. The late Session had been an arduous one for the Government. It had been attacked from all points, but had withstood the siege. He should be very explicit in speaking on the Abolition Act, as ho had been charged by the Press with breaking pledges he had made, and done something very awful. Ho totally denied doing such a thing. (Oh, oh.) Ho had nothing to hide, and intended to state the matter clearly. He had never pledged himself to oppose the Abolition of the North Island Provinces, Ho frankly admitted that he still had a hankering for Provincialism. Ho admitted that all that was claimed for Provincialism in the past was fully justified. He was certain from what he had now seen that Provincialism must break down. He had endeavoured for ten years to secure a Federal Government for these two Islands, with Separation. He admitted that from what he had said at his last meeting it might be inferred that he was opposed to the Abolition of the Provinces of the Middle Island when ho last addressed them j but after he had seen Jiow the Members from other Provisoes were in favour of Abolition, ho thought it advisable to do the best for his constituents, and he voted for Abolition. He thought that Canterbury and Otago would stand a poor chance of obtaining justice if they retained their Provincial Governments after the others were abolished. He had been a resident in the Province for twenty-five years, and it was not at all likely he would do anything to sacrifice their interests, or that of his constituents, in any way whatever. Fault had been found with the Government because they sought to carry the Abolition measure before the matter was relegated to the constituencies. It was the Provincial Governments they were afraid of. The danger was, if Provincial Councils were allowed to meet again, that unprincipled Executives—and there were some —(cheers) —might have got Estimates pass far in excess of their revenue, contracts passed, and the Colony would - have found itself involved in some millions of indebtedness,which would entail ruin upon the credit of the Colony. Had it not been for these fears, he, for one, would have been in favour of placing the question before the electors. He had no hesitation in saying that the Government and its supporters were justified in the action they took. (Hear, hear, and “ No, ”) Ho referred to the principles of the Abolition Act, and he was astonished to find since he had left Wellington how little was known of the Act. He then explained the principles and provisions of the Abolition Act. No such liberality had ever been manifested by the Otago Provincial Council towards Dunedin, as had been manifested in the provisions of the Abolition Bill, with reference to the endowment of municipalities. The question was often asked, what ore we to get from the Abolition of the Provinces P His answer was the provisions of the Abolition Act, by which they would get Local Government and local control of expenditure. The Government had to prepare a mere tentative measure, which would harmonise with the Bead Boards’ machinery. They thought it advisable to prepare a simple measure, and calculated to carry out a complete system of Local Self-Government, and he denied that the Government had any idea of centralising the administration of the affairs of the Colony in Wellington. The Provinces were abolished, and would never be rescuscitated, therefore it was useless their voting for a man who was in favour of Provincialism. There were those who believed in two Provinces for each Island. (Loud cheers). This, he thought, was not feasible, as the Provinces - of Nelson and Marlborough would not agree to it. He thought that a Province for each island was most reasonable but not possible. He had made this scheme his study for ten years. He quoted resolutions that he nad brought forward on that subject from Mansard for the session of 1870. In 1872 he introduced a resolution that the Provinces should be abolished and one Province for each island substituted, bat when he went into the details of the matter he found there was no unanimity among his party. He therefore gave the scheme up in disgust, as he had been so thoroughly sold by those who bad asked him to bring the subject forward. Here Mr Reynolds referred to Sir George Grey’s speech of March 2, in which he (Sir George Grey) stated that he was in favour of upsetting the Compact of 1856. [Three cheors for Sir George Grey were called for, which were given.] All the Auckland people had been tutored to follow Sir George Grey, and all the Members would be returned pledged to break the Compact of 1856. He was confident the Auckland members would never vote for two Provinces for the Colony unless they obtained a share of the Middle Island Land Revenue. His advice to the electors was, to secure honest representatives— (deriaiye eheers]i— independent men. woula see justice none to all parts of the Colony. They should secure men who Would see to the administration of the land, not only of the Province, but of the Colony. He announced that be intended to offer himself as a candidate—(cheer;) —and if they returned him, he would be foufiu watching their interests, and, as a consequence, bis OWn, (Cheers.) In answer to questions, Mr Reynolds stated that as Otago was the largest Province, and had the largest population, the benefits that would ensue would be proportionately greater. The Land Fund of Otago would not go out of Otago. The Land Revenue would be expended in the Province, and localised, The revenues would be more fairly distributed if they had cot Provincial combinations. H the Provinces were not abolished, the Consolidated Revenue would go towards the hungry Provinces, and the rich ones would not get a fair ehare. He thought it beet to have a pure and simple Financial Separation, but it was not attainable. They, would not get twenty Members to support it, no matter whom Otago or Christchurch might send as representatives. He considered it his duty to protect the Colonial credit, and that was why he thought it best to support the Abolition of the Provinces before relegating the matter to the constituencies. He did not think that they would have to keep up the same number of officials under the new system of Government as under the old. He thought the Government would be to blame if they allowed it. (Cheers.) Bethought it possible to govern the three Islands in Wellington with local self-government, and he was certain it would be done. He would not like to see the Upper House an elected body. If so, it would continually be at a dead-lock with the House of Representatives. The Members should be nominated from the Lower House. A motion to the following effect was carried by a large majority—“ While thanking Mr Reynolds for his address, we regret that ho supported the Government in the passing of the Abolition Bill before consulting his constituents.” ~ „ ~ ~ An amendment, thanking him for his address only, was lost. The proceedings terminated at 11 o clock.