Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 69, 28 August 1858, Page 4

iHtscellaneoug, rpOTHE ELECTORS OF THE WAIRAU. Gentlemen — Having at some personal inconvenience delayed my departure from New Zealand for several weeks, in order to devote my attention to public business, I regret that the protracted duration of the session compels me to leave before its labours are brought to a perfect close. I trust that this session, unmarked by any party struggle for place or power, will remain remarkable for the amount of useful and practical work performed. It will be a justj ust source of gratification to the country, to find that the present ministry ha 3 laid before it a complete and intelligible statement of financial policy, in which I would call attention to the sy9tem of local charges, as a new and most beneficial feature ; a system which, whilst it enables the Government to provide for the special wants of separate localities, acts as a check upon any undue preference being shown to the spot which may happen to be the seat of Government, and, moreover, puts an end to the scandal of provincial greed and inter-provincial jealousy, which in former sessions had unfortunately marked the passing of the estimates. The inauguration of a definite and well-considered scheme of native policy, is another subject of legitimate congratulation. The measures that have been passed under this head are no doubt mainly tentative or experimental ; but they are based upon a principle, and form part of a system. I, for one, am not sanguine as to the future of the native race, but I deem it a duty incumbent on us to use every possible means to elevate the natives in the social scale ; and I hold that they can never be elevated by the old system of alternate petting and bullying, a miserable vacillating no-policy, oscillating between adulation and neglect. If anything can be done for the native race, it will, in my opinion, be effected by educating them, by raising them from their communistic habits, by encouraging them to acquire individual rights and individual properties, and by swaying their present tendency to self-organiz-ation towards the direction of British law. Such is the attempt the present Ministry propose to make, gradually, steadily, and as occasion may serve ; and to my mind, it is the first time that anything has been put forth worthy of the name of a native policy. I was unable to support the Ministry on the question of secret voting by ballot. I do not attach an undue importance to tins measure, but I do not believe that it would woi'\ : and if it did, we should be importing an element of aeeresy into institutions whose very essence is publicity, free and full discussion, and responsibility to public opinion in the execution of a public trust. I also differed from Ministers on the Apportionment of Representation Bill. I think that what Burke calls the mathematical system of representation may, if persevered in, lead to great evils and dangers. In a Government which, from the nature of things, is and must be a democracy, it is my opinion that we should guard against those evils which are incidental to democracies, not by basing our representation solely and absolutely on numbers alone, but by a system of checks and counterchecks, to be found in the democracy itself. In a word, by endeavouring to enable all parties, all classes, all interests, all opinions in the community, to be as nearly as possible fairly represented and balanced. lam willing, however, to admit that the immediate effect of the bill is not likely to leave any important district or interest unrepresented, and moreover, it is made limited in its duration.* Amongst the subjects to' be dealt with by the General Assembly, the much-vexed question of the Waste Lands is undoubtedly the most prominent. I generally concur in the measure which has been introduced by Ministers, not because it is theoretically the best possible measure, but because it seems to me to be about the best tiling practicable under the present circumstances of the country. Not only the late decisive action of the Home Government, but the sense of the great majority of the thinking men of the colony, pointed to the necessity of removing the power of legislation on the Waste Lands from the hands of the Provincial Councils. Too often in the provinces the Waste Lands have been made an instrument »f political corruption, whilst the instability of our land laws has become a proverb and a reproach. For the future, it is proposed that no change shall be made without the action of the General Assembly. Had it been possible, one general system of sale and price of land throughout New Zealand would have been most desirable ; but at present there are great and obvious practical difficulties in the way, and I fear that the country is hardly ripe for such a measure. On the whole, I consider the proposed legislation on the Waste Lands to be highly beneficial. The legislative functions to be resumed by the General Assembly j the General Government again to take into its hands the reins of the administrative department, leaving, however, that latitude to the provinces that is perhaps rendered necessary by established financial arrangements, and called for by the feeling of a large portion of the public and of its representatives. There is yet, gentlemen, another subject of vital importance to the country at large, and to districts like the Wairau in particular. I allude to the want of real local self-government in purely local matters. The present provincial system excludes this. Whilst it attempts to carry on a kind of concurrent legislation with the general parliament of the country, it yet appears to me entirely to fail in giving any real local self-government to outlying districts. Now, I hold that if in any geographically distinct district, having certain natural capabilities, a certain number of inhabitants should desire to administer their own local funds for their own local purposes, to pass their own by-laws, by means of an elected board under a district mayor or warden; and if, at the same time, they should desire to be relieved from the weight and expense of contributing to the present provincial system, I say that it is the duty of the General Government and Legislature to enable such a clearly-expressed desire to be carried into effect, especially as it is consonant with the whole system of the institutions of our parent race, to which concurrent legislative powers and the present provincial system are opposed. It is the intention of Ministers to legislate upon this subject, and in accordance with these views, during the present session ; and that act alone would entitle them to my support. In conjunction with the other Nelson members, I have used my best endeavours (as far as might be, without fundamentally affecting the financial resolutions of 185U) to obtain some relief for the Nelson province from part of that share of the public burdens which has, I think, been somewhat unequally apportioned to her. When, in order to obtain certain advantages, certain liabilities are contracted, it seems to me indisputable that those parties to the contract who obtain the largest share of advantage ought, in justice, to accept a proportionate amount of the contingent liabilities. I have not allowed local feelings to sway me in this matter, for I believe that the stability of the whole financial arrangement, which I consider a most valuable one, may be affected by the apparent injustice inflicted upon one province. Gentlemen, I will not now allude to many other matters of importance ; but I must congratulate you and the country on the improved position in which this session will have left the General Government ; on the recent legislation, as regards the more efficient and independent administration of justice; and, as regards Executive matters, on the successful negotiation of the loan, and the establishment of a complete and efficient steam service, than which nothing can be more important to the country. And now, gentlemen, I bid you for a time farewell. I have left my resignation in the hands of Mr. Stafford, who will tender it to his Excellency the Governor, in case a session is held before my return to New Zealand, when, under the present law, a writ can at once be issued. Should, however, such not be the case, I trust that I shall best meet your wishes by continuing to represent you^ ) / I remain, genjulemen^. / Yourinoßt ooedaent^ervanty' ~ - "' Auckland, July 20, KJSB. / fSpfoJky Weld. * This measure has sraee-been rejectedDyTineliJegislative Council. _ / 1464 NTHRACHTE^ COALS. — About 100 TQifsTin kwg 6 or small quantities. 1405 »^^ Nabh akd Soaife, Bridge-street.