PUBLIC MEETING.

North Otago Times, Volume VII, Issue 139, 21 September 1866, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

r A public meeting of the inhabitants, convened by liis Worship the Mayor, took place on Tuesday evening last in the Northern llotel Assembly Kooin. The object, as stated in the advertisement, was to consider the advisability of forming a District Committee here to act in concert with the " Otago Association for watching over and promoting the prosperity of the various interests of the Province," which has been recently formed in Dunedin. The Mayor presided, and with him on the platform, we observed Councillors Miller, Payne, Pinkerton and Clendinen, Messrs Ashcroft, and O'Meagher. The Chairman opened the proceedings by remarking that he had convened the meeting in consequence oi a communication from the Mayor of Dunedin.j This letter he read to the meeting, but as it has al-' read} appeared in our columns, it is unnecessary hero to repeat it. He then said it was for the meeting to determine what action was to be taken in regard to it. Mr Ashcroft rose and said he had had the honor of standing on that platform on various occasions, when it was necessary lo resorl to loud tailing in order to reach the ears of the very deaf individuals who watched over the interests of Otago in Dunedin ; and he was glad to say that the result of their action had been progress, fie needed only to look around him for evidences of it ; they had now a Mayor and Council; they had got as it were a "local habitation and a name ; " they had a*M/a*-now which they never enjoyed before amongst their fellow colonistB, or fellow provincials us he might them them. Some supposed that we could not combine with such an association as that mentioned, bnt he thought it quite possible for us to advance the claims of Oamaru — to assert them as we had hitherto clone, and yet contiuue on terms of friendship with Dunedin, and still co-operute w ith all the low nshipa in the province for the defence of the common weal, lie vras now going to say something which might, perhaps, lay lumself open to a charge of inconsistency. They had hitherto had much occasion to complain of the neglect the district had lcceived at tho hands of the Provincial Government ; and it was only through having urged their claims with due force, and spoken their sentiments with perfect candour, that they were now beginning to have them recognised. lie had said he wished all provincial Governments to be done away with, a central government being substituted, with as cheap and prompt administration of all'airs as was possible for a central Government to exercise, lie had spoken of tho difficulty of legislating efiiciently for small communities, where ah 1 was overruled by the General Asscmby. All these he still admitted, but ho confessed that the present ae&sion of the General Assembly had shaken liis confidence in tho General Government, in such a manner as to make him more content with his lot under the present proviucial administration. The one understood our position and wants ; the other did not, and evidently only cared to deprive provinces of as much as possible of their revenues. This was not a course which they, as an independent and, he hoped he nnyht say, intelligent class ahould recognise and, as far as he could see, they had more chance of getting something from those who knew something of them, than from those who did not. lie thought they might fairly take up the challenge and respond to it m a spirit of trubtfulness. They w ere not lo suppose that all the people of Dunedin were a set ot rogues, but men something like themselves — men and brethren — who, while having an eye to the main chance, i'eltuu interest for the prosperity of the whole province. They

should feel honored at being asked by Dunedin to join issue with her for this object ; and if they persevered in their hitherto straightforward course, ho i\.is sure that Dunedin on the other hand would also feel it a honor to act in combination with " little Oamaru." (Applause.) The resolution he had to J propose he might say was put into his hand just as lie entered the room, and he therefore had not a great deal to say. The present was a Bplendid opportunity for them of having a fair share in the representation of their claims and grievances. By joining such an association as that now forming, they did not necessarily attach themselves to cliques or parties. Mr Asheroft then went on to animadvert on the conduct of Mi- Hall respecting the repeal of the 41st clause of " Empowering Act." He could not see with what intent this was sought to be done, but it was plain that the idea of the General Government was to seize hold of all the provincial revenues they could, and then turn round and say to them, " You provincial people must do the best you can." This unstatesmanlike conduct made him jealous of the extension of the power of the General Government. They knew already the evils of provincialism, but not those of a system not yet tried. He was sure their claims would be no more recognized by the one than the other. Mr Asheroft then went on to eulogize the present Provincial Government of Utago, saying that ho thought it the best we had ever had. They were administering aifairs with economy, and they were evincing a desn'c to cari*y on public works. Should the Bill introduced by the district member, Mr Campbell, and Mr Vogel in the House of ltopresentatives bo carried, it would be a great point gained for outlying districts ; but he was afraid it would not pass this session. The speaker next made a brief reference to the struggles of tlio Colony with the Maori war as a millstone about its neck, and to the manly attitudo which sho as a young Colony had always borne. Ho then concluded by moving " That this meeting considers it desirable that a District Committco should be formed in Oamaru in connection with tlio Otago Association for watching over and promoting tho prosperity of the various interests of the province ;" and hoped that all would aid in furthering the interests of the Committee, without regard to any petty local jealousies. Mr Asheroft resumed hid seat amid applause, Councillor Miller, in rising to second the motion, said he perfectly agreed with all Mr Asheroft had advanced as to the desirability of encouraging unanimity of action throughout tho Province. He had much pleasure in seconding the proposal, believing the formation of such a Coinmittee as tho one proposed to be the best tliiug which could bo done. MrS. Gibbs now camo upon the platform, and was received with loud applause. Ho commenced by saying that he did not come to the meeting with tho intention of taking any part in it ; but ho was not then aware ol the principles which it was proposed to advocate, and he could not let the opportunity pass without protesting against the carrying out of such principles. The meeting was asked to commit political suicide, to stultify themselves — in fact, to undo all that had been done for the last eighteen months. (No, no.) He had an amendment to propose, to the eifect that tho meeting would not sanction any movement that had r<ot for its object central legislation and full local administration. The most of tho intelligence on tho subject from Dunedin came to us through the " Daily Tunes " — a paper that tried to teach Oamaru its duty, when it was agitating for the abolitiou of Provincial Governments. It pooh-poohed the movement ; but afterwards, when it found that Oamaru was right, told it to bide its time, as Provincial Governments had not yet fulfilled their destiny ; that by' and bye they would merge into ono General Government, and then full local administration would ensue. To sanction principles which were opposed to the spirit of previous action, w as, in his opinion, to commit political suicide. Mr Asheroft had told them that their troubles had arisen in consequence of the Maori war ; but the fact was, we could not help ourselves. The war Mas partly brought about by the blundering of the Colonial Office, but it is well known that they were then controlled by tho maudlin phdanthropy of Exeter Hall. Mr Gibbs here referred to the action of Lord John Russel, during Sir George Grey's first Governorsliip of twenty years ago, with regard to the Constitution Act, and the threat of tho " old wives " to let loose tho Dogs of Wai? — the Maoris* — w Inch led to the suspension of the Act for fiv e years subsequently. The war was there, and we could not get rid of the expenses ; so that we must bear it the best way we can. He now came to what Municipal, Government would have been under a sjstoni of central legislation. Supposing the General Assembly introduced a Municipal Act for the whole of the Middle Island, the decision of the House with regard to Mr Hall's proposition would have been different to what it had been. The Government is at its wit's end to find ways and means to carry on tho government of the country, aud they want the fees and fines levied in Mayors' Courts as a help. Dunedin furnishes from L2000 to L3000; Christchurch does not giye quite so much ; but it woidd not be fair were the Christchurch fees taken from it, while Dunedin did not contribute anything at all. If a General Municipal Act, such as that existing in England and Wales, had been proposed for the Middle Island, the case would have been very different ; for all would, in that event, contribute alike. The whole thing showed the absurdity of the present system of double legislation. Then, if thero were a Central Government passing such an Act, it would come into operation at once ; but now there was continual blundering, and the creation of enormous expenditure. If we had a Central Government, with fir&t-class politicians, we should have cheaper government and less blundering ; and this is tho principle we have been advocating for the past eighteen months. We should be stultifying ourselves by now departing from it. In the Dunedin proposition there was an under - current, which was not apparent, and ho would warn them not to be misled by any spoeiousness from that quarter. Mr Asheroft had said tho people of Dunedin were men and brothers — so were negroes (great laughter). At present there were not less than three staffs of surveyors on our lands ; they were selling our laud, but were they carrying on any public works ? A jetty was being put up, it was true, but that was only a L7000 aiiair, and that is the extent. To our remonstrances they reply, wait till Provincial Governments have fulfilled their destiny, and then you shall have a central government and local administration. When the ProMucial Governments are in debt, wo will bo told that they have fulfilled their destiny, and then that wemubt do as we can. Provincial loans ■will then be consolidated, but tho interest and sulking fund must still be provided for, and will these centres come forward and &ay, " We'll pay that ?" Will they submit to an Income Tax or a Land Tax to pay oil' the old debts ? and yet something like this would be inevitable. This was no overdrawn pictui-e, and all must admit its truth, l'lie district has sent a member to the General Assembly, and ho has gone pledged to do all in his power, and with his own expressed conviction, to aid the promotion of local administration. He then stated his opinion that Mr Campbell would yet be a bright star in the House, and otherwise eulogised him. If the present movement was only for the better protection of municipal interests, he (Mr Gibbs) would not object to it ; but it emanates from the ultra-provinciahsts, and from their speeches he was sure that thero was an undercurrent at work (No !). He said, Yes; and ho would beg the meeting to remember that il they shifted the power at the back of their member they would assuredly weaken his position. He would not detain the meeting longer, but m< ve, as an amendment on Mr Ashcroit's motion, " That it is the opinion of this meeting that it should not join in auy league which has not for its basis central legislation and local administration." Mr Waddell had much pleasure in secouding tlio amendment, as it was the only sensible thing which had been said that evening. Mr Ashcroft rose again to remove one or two misapprehensions on Mr Gibbs' part. All he said at present was to the clieot that there was no immediate prospect of local solf-governnient ; and that from the present action being taken at Wellington he was inclined to believe that if the Provincial Government had scourged us with whips the General Government would, it they could, scourge us with scorpions. As far aa he had seen, the tendency was to centralize all power in Wellington. He therefore considered it

palities liko men, than to stand aloof, and not take Far as they could consistently do, for the protection of provincial revenues and interests from absorption and destruction at the hands of the General Government. Were there anything in the movement which implied that they were assisting the principle of provincialism, ho would be tho last to advocate it ; but such was not the cuso. As things stood, it was far more manly, far nobler, to moot other municitheir duty to co-operate with other municipalities, as part in anything tending to promote tho general welfare of the province. Couacillox- Olendinnen supported Mr Ashcroft's views, and considered it most desirablo to have this vigilance committee appointed. They could organise nothing bettor for the Matching over and promoting their interests than such a committee. The motion and amendment were then read to the meeting, and the amendment being put first as usual, it was declared caricd by a considerable majority. The meeting was not Very numerously attended. A vote of thanks to tho chairman terminated the proceedings.