ABOLITION MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4298, 23 August 1875, Page 3

ABOLITION MEETINGS.

I J PUKEKOHE EAST. fc i A public meetin-o was held at Pukekohe 1 East, to consider the Abolition and Local [ Government Bills now before the Assembly, Mr. Comkie was called to the chair. He i said that he was not np in politics ; but if he | could be of any service he was quite willing, ' and he hoped that the speakers would speak to the question at issue. \ Mr. Harris said ; Mr. Chairman, had copies of the Abolition and Local Go--1 vcrnment Acts sent me by Mr. Buckland, and concluded that they were sent '. to tho intent that 1 might couvene a meeting ; of tho district, so that we might express our , I views upon the same. i* Mr. Mono ax proposed, "That the Aboli- • tion Bill be read," Mr. McDonald seconded. 'J aß l>ro P° sc d " That Mr. Morgan read the ; same, which was seconded ; after which i : Mr. Harris read a number of objection- ■ able clauses found in the Local Government r Bill. i Mr. McDonald said : Mr. Chairman, and b.-otuer electors, —1 am not afraid to say that I 1 am an out-aud-out Abolitionist, but 1 would I like to know what is to take the place of I the present system of Provincialism, and I also would like abolition to be carried out and accomplished in a legal manner. Sir, we had the Constitution from our Gracious Queen Victoria, through her Ministers, and to my tniud through no other channel and power, combined with a prayer from the people, can that Constitution be altered. Sir, the Ministry have told the House that the question of abolition has been before the people. Xow, it is well known that it was not with their mind that it was so, for they have never shewn any desire to know the people's mind, —their policy from first to last has tended towards centralism ; they have cripled the provinces on every point, aud it is only,a few days ago that we became aware of what was to till the gap that abolition would cause; and whenl look ovtr their proposed substitution, I can perceive no saving, for Government agents and other officers will swallow up the revenue. And, sir, now that wo have their programme before us, let us look at and consider the 19th clause of the Abolition Bill, and we will find it to read thus : "There shall be paid annually out of the land fund of each Provincial district to the governing bodies of the several road districts within such Provincial District, by way of endowment, the sum of £1 for every £1 of general rates received within the road district, provided always that the governing body have made or levied a rate or rates exceeding Is in the dt', on the annual value to let. Now, sir, we will suppose that your farm 13 valued at £100 per annum then you would be rated at 100s, which would make £5, and if wc do not exceed this 5 percent., we then would have no claim for aid. Xow, this £1 is to come out of the laud fund, and I would ask what, land fund have we in the .North ? A m«ce myth it is ; a mere blind, with an intent to deceive. Then, in the 20th clause of tho same Act, the same amount of aid is promised out of the consolidated fund, with the same proviso. Xow, sir, I could put more faith in this than the former, if the policy of tho Ministry in pulling tho 40s capitation down to 15s did not stare mo in the face. Xow, sir, if the Local Government Act as it now stands becomes law, |hen the ratepayers will be robbed of their just rights of having a voice in tho levying of their own local taxation, and it will also liberate the absentees from being liable to be rated. Xow, sir, this is neither more nor less than despotic local government. Our members are working for the big loaf. I would like to see the Franklin members taking side with Sir George Grey. To think that, in a new country, we in the bush should be locally rated exceeding 5 per cent. Sir, 1 have said in the past, and still I say, that we are over-governed, but I will never support such a programme, and I do hope that, if they do pass the second reading, they will go no further. Then it will be for the people to return members pledged to vote so as to secure the rights and liberties of the peonle,—seeing that no loophole is left that will free the absentees from being liable to local rates, seeing that, when they sell their land, they do not forget to ask a price according to the improvements of the district. lam glad that tho Opposition have formed themselves into a phalanx and have chosen Sir George Grey as their leader, for 1 hold that, in the past, in the want of this is to be found the true cause of all our evils, and the Ministry was not slow to take advantage of the want of unity in our ranks. Sir, the South is being now wiled into a trap, and they, when once in it, will awake to find that they (the Ministry) will lay hold of their land, thus throwing to the four winds of heaven the great compact of ISGS. Sir, I propose "That the chairman of the Board send, by telegram, a message to Sir George Grey, requesting him to lay the same before the House, praying tliat they will not press through the House the Abolition and Local Government Bills until a new Parliament." Mr. Robinson said : Mr. Chairman and gentlemen,—l second Mr. McDonald'smotion. When speaking of a loophole by which the absentees would be freed from being liable to local rates, I could at once see where the loophole was. It lies in the fact that the rate is to be struck on the annual value to let; so it is clear to me that a farm in its natural state is nil of an annual value to let. And as to our Frauklyu members, I have not much confidence in them. Mr. Morgan said that ho would move as an amendment, " That, being of opinion that the time to abolish the provinces had arrived, this meeting considers the proposed bills, if carried into law, will be fatal to tho best interests of Auckland. We therefore advise that the matter be deferred till tho next session, in order that the electors in geueral may have an opportunity of expressing their views upon the question at issue, and that the chairman of the Board telegraph the same to Messrs. Buckland and May and Sir Grey." lie said a crisis had arrived, and therefore we ought to be up and doing. Mr. A. McDonald said that if Mr. Robinson consented, be would withdraw his motion and second Mr. Morgan's amendment.— Mr. Robinson consented. Mr. Harris thought it would not be out of place to make a few remarks. He spoke on the Abolition Act, particularly the appropriation of tho land revenue, lie could not trust a Government or man who made false promises. He instanced the capitation, which was reduced from £2 to 15s. The South assisted in bringing on war and crippling thie province, and have had their laud revenue. Auckland has no revenue from land, aud would have to go into debt to pay the Road Boards, the pound out of the consolidated revenue. How long will that be granted, or is that our share '! Considering the revenue raised in this province, ho had no hesitation in saying that it was not, and some of our money will be assisting Koail Boards in the South through the consolidated fund, this province being a liberal subscriber to that fund of, say, £300,000 aunually, only £15,00 being returned, lie pitied the members of the Assembly who would be led away with art- ; ful promises ; aud would say, in addition, that many will be disappointed, as tho Superi intendent's place cau only be filled by one of I them. He characterised the haste in which ; the Abolition Bill is sought to be passed as : indecent. Mr. Morgan's motion was then put to tho meeting, when it was carried without one dissenting voice. Air. Harris then proposed "That a vote of I thanks be passed to Sir George Grey for the i independent manner in which he was standing \i\> for the people of tho province of Auckland." Mr. A. McDonald seconded the proposition, and said that it was such gentlemen as Sir George Gruy that they needed. Ho looked upon him as the right man in the place and at the right time. Where was the man that would sacrifice his own sockets as he was doing ? The Government 13d been shaking in their shoes ever since they knew ha was to become Superintendent. The proposition was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought he meeting to a close,—[Correspondent.]