DINNER TO SIR DONALD McLEAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4264, 19 November 1874, Page 5

DINNER TO SIR DONALD McLEAN.

(From the Uawhcs Bay %'hnes, Nov. 13.) On Tuesday evening a complimentary dinner was given at the Criterion Hotel, Napier, to Sir Donald McLean, Native Minister, and representative of the Napier district in the General Assembly. Over eighty gentlemen were present, many of whom had come in from the country. Among them we noticed the native chiefs Te Hapuku, Ihaka Whanga, and Haurangi. The chair was taken by Joseph Rhodes, Esq. ; on his right was the guest of the evening, and on the right of Sir Donald was His Honor J. D. Ormond, Superintendent of the province. Sir Donald wore the badge of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. The hoard having been cleared, the chairman gave the usual loyal toasts of “ The Queen” and “ The Governor.” Sir D. McLean rose in acknowledgment of the latter toast. He had much pleasure, as one of His Excellency’s Ministers, in returning thanks for the way in which the toast had been received. He could bear his own testimony to the z«al and ability which His Excellency had displayed in administering the Government daring his term of office. After the toast of “The Army and IjTavy,” The Chairman proposed the toast the evening. The present company were all friends—some of them very old friends—of the gentleman they had met that evening to honor. The meeting, he was pleased to see, was a large and influential one. It was nothing new to Sir Donald McLean to make friends. Many of his warmest friends had never seen him or known him personally. Sir Donald was one of those who had fairly achieved greatness—not had it thrust upon him. Thirty-five years ago he had begun at the very lowest round of the ladder, and had now reached almost the top. Little need be said of the success of Sir Donald’s native policy —it might, he thought, be summed up in the words of ThakomUau, late King of Fiji, on abdicating his throne : —“Peace and rest are what we want. These are our riches. Let strife and turmoil cease for ever.” These were wise words ; and old Thakombau was either a very clever fellow, or had a clever man to prepare his speech for him. He called upon them to drink to “The Guest of the evening—Sir Donald McLean.” Sir Donald McLean, on rising to respond, was received with great enthusiasm. PERSONAL. He expressed his deep gratification at the kind reception accorded him that night. Looking round, as he did then, on the faces of so many old friends, he felt a species of regret that he had been so long separated from them. Nothing but the exigencies of the public service had impelled him to follow the career he had pursued ; and which he trusted had been for the benefit of the colony at large. The terms in which his friend the chairman had referred to his services were altogether too flattering. He could say, for his own part, that during the thirty years he had been in the service of the colony lie had done his best to restore and maintain that peace which now prevailed from one end of the colony to the other. Regarding the honor her Majesty had been pleased to bestow upon him, he might say it was entirely unsolicited on his part ; and he was proud that it had fallen to him while still a representative of Hawke’s Bay. IN OFFICE.—THE POLfCV OF THE MINISTRY. In referring to Ids recent political career, it was necessary that he should take them hack to the time when he first assumed his present office. The circumstances of the colony were then such, and the difficulties so great, that they required to be grappled with in no ordinary manner—in fact, he believed that nothing but measures of a very strong and decided character could have saved the country from ruin. This being the case, the Government of which he was a member decided to enter upon a policy of colonisation and of immigration and public works, assured that the large resources of the colony, still undeveloped, and in many cases hidden, were sufficient to justify them in incurring extensive liabilities in order to develope these resources, satisfied that the results in the end would well repay the country. And their anticipations had so far been fully realised. The rate at which the country had progressed was unexampled—and as for its resources, we were as yet but upon the outside or surface crust of them. RAILWAYS VERSUS ROADS. An essential of the scheme was road-making. During the brief period it had been in operation they had pierced the interior and run lines east and west to the extent of 1700 miles of road and tramway in this island, and 300 in the other. In this great work the aboriginal inhabitants who had originally offered such opposition to the opening of the country, were now heartily assisting—in fact, taking road contracts, and vigorously carrying them out. Another and still more important feature of the scheme was railway communication. This system was found more economical than that of roads in the long run, as when once established, the large annual expense of keeping roads in repair was done away with. Over one hundred miles were now open for traffic, and another hundred nearly completed. The whole system of railways, chiefly trunk lines, when completed, would not be less than one thousand miles. The colony would have been quite justified in incurring this heavy expenditure, if only from the great results wliich had followed railway extension in the other Australian colonies. In New South Wales the original lines had coat £40,000 per mile, and in Victoria £34,000. They now cost only about one-fourth of this amount; but even the early lines, with all their disadvantage from the enormous cost of construction, were a success. In New South Wales one year’s traffic amounted to 80,000 tons ; there were 1,200,000 passengers ; and a saving of £2,000,000 a year in transit alone, besides other advantages. In Victoria also they were a great success ; the Treasurer’s receipts last year showing a balance of £200,000 above the estimate, arising from the increased railway traffic. It was found that the farther the lines were extended the better they paid ; and in Victoria alone nearly a quarter of the revenue was derived from railway receipts. Therefore we need not despair of the colony deriving profit from a general system of railways. EXPERIENCE IN CANTERBURY. In Canterbury a railway system was inaugurated some years ago, and traffic with the plains in the interior was opened up by moans of the Moorhouse tunnel. The result had surpassed all expectation. The extensive plains had been settled from one end to the other by a large and industrious population. Already this year the railway receipts had mounted up to £77,ooo*for nine months, and would probably reach £IOO,OOO by the close of the yeai - . Yet when the work in that province was first undertaken, the forebodings of croakers were of the most dismal kind. Similar success, he believed, would attend the Government scheme, when fully developed. COLONIAL AND INTERCOLONIAL TELEGRAPHS. Another means of communication which had not been lost sight of was the electric telegraph, which they had pushed forward, and which had proved a great success—the revenue of the department having been found to be much increased since the reduction of rates. We might now shortly expect not only to have the fullest telegraphic communication within the colony, but to be placed in immediate communication with the mother country. The chief object of hia visit to New South "Wales had been to assist in the arrangement between the colonies of New Zealand, New South Wales, and Queensland in this matter. Some delay had taken place by New South Wales not at once ratifying the arrangements made at the Colonial Conference, but this was at length completed, and he had the pleasure of seeing the necessary resolutions passed through the Assembly before leaving Sydney. Nothing now remained to ho done beyond arrangements in England, which would be attended to by the delegates who were going home for that purpose. But for unexpected delays, we should possibly ere now have been in direct communication with Loudon. COLD MINING AND IMMIGRATION. The important interest of gold-mining had not been overlooked by the Ministry. They had realised the fact that the gold diggers

as a class who had raised an export amounting to twenty-nine millions sterling, were entitled to attention and encouragement. In connection with the subject of public works was the important question of immigration. Much vigor had been shown in this department, and though the selections in all instances had not been quite what was desired, each successive shipment had shown an improvement in this respect, so as to give every hope of getting a steady influx of the better class from country districts to our shores. The accession to our population from this source had already been very considerable, and it was calculated that by the end of the year it would have reached fifty thousand souls. PROVINCIALISM. He now came to a subject which had excited much discussion—the abolition of the provinces. He was a firm believer in it, and so was his friend Mr. Ormond. The framers of the Constitution, with the exception of Sir George Grey, had not regarded provincial institutions as being of a permanent character. Their views were well set forth in a passage he would take the liberty of quoting from Earl Grey, in a despatch written to Sir G. Grey in February, 1852 With respect to the powers to be entrusted to the provincial Councils, I am disposed for my part to be-lieve—-notwithstanding the alteration which you state to have taken place in your own views on this point—that, in the progress of events, as colonisation extends and the several settlements are drawn nearer to each • other in boundaries and interests, they will very soon assume more and more of a municipal character, while the functions of the General Legislature will increase. But I do not think it would be advisable to introduce any special provision cither to accelerate or retard such a gradual change. Anticipations as to the course which political affairs may hereafter take, are everywhere liable to be disturbed by many unfovseen events, and most of all in new and advancing societies. Hence it seems to be the wisest course to rest satisfied with adapting the institutions which are to be established, as well as may be practicable, to the existing state of things, leaving their future development and the alterations which a change of circumstances may hereafter require, to be effected by the local authorities thus created. A truer prediction could not have been made. In the debates in the Imperial Parliament on the subject of the Constitution peat doubt was expressed as to whether legislative powers should be given to the Provincial Council?, and whether the Superintendent should or should not be elected. This would be shown by hia next quotation, from Sir John Pakingtou, who succeeded Earl Grey on a change of Ministry taking place : It has [been thought advisable that the Provincial Councils should consist of a single chamber, _ They (Her Majesty’s Government) have been led to this conclusion by the comparatively unimportant nature of the functions of these councils, which will be limited to locals objects, such as would be considered here to be of a municipal character, rather than partaking of tiio higher attributes of legislation. For the same reason Her Majesty's Government determined on submitting to Parliament another suggestion originated by yourself, though not actually reduced by you to practice : that of rendering the Superintendents of provinces elective. . . . Nor have provisions been inserted giving executive authority of any kind to the Superintendents. It is, however, my wish that any such executive powers as may be found necessary, in order to carry on the functions of Government in the respective settlements, may bo entrusted to these officers. This may he done by your authority as representing the Crown, or by Act of the Central Legislature, as the case may require, but they should at all events, be always included in the Commission of the Peace for their respective localities. . . . The provisions of section 70' (authorising the formation of municipalities) have been introduced into the statute in order that its enactment may not clash with any, measures which you arc taking, or may be advised to take, respecting the establishment of municipalities. At the same time I wish to convey my own opinion that, considering the character and functions of Provincial Councils, which must be eminently of a municipal character, it seems doubtful whether there will he any necessity for the creation of other local authorities subordinate to these until New Zealand has attained a greater amount of population than is likely to bo the ease for some time. We had now an opportunity of realising the correctness of the views here expressed. In many parts of the colony the provincial system had done good service ; but the time had arrived when change became necessary. It would be an easy one, and scarcely felt. SUBSTITUTE TOR PROVINCIALISM. In Kapier they would soon have the Municipal Corporations Act in operation—a measure so flexible as to apply to almost any circumstances likely to arise ; and in the country ‘ districts the highway boards now established in every part of the country, with increased powers, and shire councils, would he found quite as efficient as the present system. Perhaps, too, in Hawke’s Bay, they might find gentlemen sufficiently public-spirited to serve the colony as presidents or chairmen of such councils without salary. -At all events, he had indicated a cheap and. easy method of government, more simple and practicable than existed under the present system. As for those people who said, “ Let us see what you intend to substitute before you abolish the provinces”—• depend upon it, they did so for a purpose —from some interested motive—not from any genuine desire for the public welfare. Under provincialism the outlying districts had been scandalously neglected. In the northern districts of Auckland, for instance, scarcely a shilling had been expended until the General Government stepped in and made roads and bridges. Poverty Bay was treated with similar neglect; modest as the requests of the inhabitants of the districts were, they failed to receive consideration. He remembered one instance of a request being made for a copy of the Provincial Government Gazette, but was not aware whether even this small boon had ever been granted. The aim of the Government was to localise the revenue as far as it was possible to do so. The powers desired by the neglected and outlying districts were of administration rather than legislation ; and the proposed change would at once do away with the large expense of maintenance of the provincial legislative establishments, It was intended to establish local selfgovernment to the fullest extent ; to place the control of the revenues in the hands of the people, so that those who raised the funds might have the direction of their expeudituro_ HAWKE’S BAY IN THE OLDEN TIMES. He would, as an instance of the operation of provincialism, revert to the condition of Hawke’s Bay before separation from Wellington. A petition of Hawke’s Bay settlers for separation, presented to the House of Itopresentatives on the 27th of April, 1858, sets forth that the proceeds of land sales up to the end of 1857 were £-10,000; Customs up to the same date, £4960; total, £50,960. Then, from January, 1858, to tho 31st of October, 1858, land sales in Hawke’s Bay realised £24,525, while those in Wellington proper were not half that, viz,, £12,138. Tho large sums then drawn from this district and Wairarapa were spent in Wellington and Wanganui. In 1856, the Provincial Council placed on the estimates the sura of £2OO for public buildings in Hawke’s Bay, and £IOOO for roads. The £2OO was spent, but not the £IOOO. In response to tlie loud complaints of the settlers, £SOOO was afterwards placed on the estimates to be spent in this district; hut very little of that amount found its way hero. This would give some idea of the beneficent results of jirovincialism. More than this, the province had been saddled with a large share of tho Wellington debt, of £IOO,OOO, involving an annual payment of £2500. In 1869, by the exertions of himself and of his friend the Superintendent, a Bill was earned through tho Assembly, under which tho matter was referred to arbitration, and the annual payment by this province reduced to £7OO per annum. The object of the Government in the proposed change was to do away with the centralising influence and tyrannical powers of the Provincial Governments, and bestow upon tho outlying districts increased powers to manage their own affairs. MR. VOGEL’S VISIT TO ENGLAND. It had been alleged that the object of tho Premier’s visit to England was to get an Act passed by the Imperial Parliament, by wliich ho would be empowered to abolish the provinces. As they had no doubt road in a local journal—tho Herald —tiro Imperial Act of 1868, entitled “ An Act to declare the powers of tho General Assembly of New Zealand to abolish any proviacc in that colony, or to withdraw from any such province any part of the territory thereof,” gave ample power to the Assembly to carry out any such changes if it thought tit ; and the Premier was not so unintelligent as to go homo to undertake a work already acconqilishod. NO UNION OF HAWKE’S BAY AND WELLINGTON. He had heard it asserted that it would he ({Josirahlo to re-annex Hawke’s Bay to Wellington. It would not he impossible to do this—a similar tiling had already been done in tho case of Southland and Otago—and the per-

sonal and political feelings of certain politicians were decidedly in its favor. For himself, he would never be a party to such a project, nor did he think it would find much favor in this province. On the principle that “a burnt child hates the fire,” they would oppose it. They had had enough of Wellington, and no one among them would be willing to throw away their birthright in the manner suggested. Of course, in carrying out a system of immigration and public works of such magnitude as the one now inaugurated, very great expenses were necessarily incurred. THE INDEBTEDNESS OP NEW ZEALAND. As there seemed to be much uncertainty prevalent as to the precise amount of the expenditure and indebtedness of the country, he would now place a few facts before them which might make the subject clear, and show them what the position of the country really was. At the end of December, 1860, a general and provincial debt of over seven millions had been incurred. At the present time the total indebtedness amounted to £12,509,546, reduced by the redemption of Treasury Bills on November Ist by the amount of £IOO,OOO, which would leave a balance of £12,409,546. There still remained to be raised for immigration and public works £5,327,900 ; for defence, £192,000; and for general purposes, £230,900 ; bringing the total debt up to £18,160,346, the annual interest on which would be £921,447. It would be seen, however, that the colony had still a spending power of upwards of £6,000,000 before the whole of this annual sum became due. REPRODUCTIVE WORKS. This would be all devoted to reproductive purposes, and his colleague the Minister for Public Works would see that it was dispensed with a due regard to the interests of the colony. Another subject of which the Government had recognised the importance was the necessity of providing a colonial estate. Under the old land purchase system they had acquired six millions and a-half of acres, and under the new four millions, besides being in treaty for the lease or purchase of about altogether seven millions of acres. This would open up an enormous field for settlement, and materially add to the progress of the colony. THE NATIVE RACE. He felt that he ought now to advert to the native question. It had been his earliest desire, in his dealings with the Maori race, to establish a reign of peace. He saw no possible object in carrying on a contest with a fine race possessed of many noble qualities, and had endeavored, in the interests of humanity, to put a stop to it. The chief sufferers by war, he had noticed, were generally the weak and helpless—those removed far from the cause of quarrel, and out of the reach of ready assistance—and though often provoked by taunts that his policy was not sufficiently stringent, he had gone on his own way, convinced that it was the best for the interests of all classes. In quenching the embers of rebellion, he had received much cordial support from the friendly native chiefs, without whose aid and co-operation it would have taken a much longer time to bring about the results that had accrued. He had heard many complaints of the heavy expenditure in the native department. Native affairs had cost the Imperial Government twelve millions, and the colony over four —a great deal more altogether than the whole present debt of the colony, and the results had not at all corresponded with the outlay. Years ago, when he had much to do with native affairs, and the colony was in peace, the expenditure in this direction varied from £II,OOO to £14,000 per annum. From this, after he ceased to have control, it had risen up in a few years to £60,000, but had now been reduced to much narrower limits ; and £9500 of the present annual expenditure was devoted to teaching the native children English—the only way, he was convinced, in which the difference between the two races could be bridged over—by which they could grow up together as one people. Macaulay had protested against the preservation of the old languages of India, and though in this respect he was outvoted by the commissioners of education, events had since proved him correct, and his recommendation had now been carried out—the results being highly favorable to the advance of Western civilisation in the Hindu world, MINOR MEASURES OF GOOD. While attending to the wider interest of the colony the Government had not been unmindful of measures of a social nature. He referred to the Government scheme of annuities and life insurance; which, being guaranteed by the revenue of the colony, was free from the ri»k which attended private institutions, the failure of some of which in the Home country had led to wide-spread distress among the provident classes. The Public Trustees Act was also a very beneficial measure in a country where the private avocations of people otherwise qualified so often precluded them from accepting tho duties of trustees. This Act had been highly thought of by tho neighboring colony of Victoria, and would no doubt be adopted there. Then there was the Laud Transfer Act, for which the colony was greatly indebted to the member for Rangitikei, the Hon. Mr. .Fox—a measure commending itself so strongly to a large portion of the community as to require no recommendation from him. In conclusion, he must acknowledge with gratitude the most able co-operation and efficient support he had received from the officers of his department. To them ho was indebted in a very great measure for tho success —if he might call it so—which had attended his administration of native affairs, Sir Donald resumed Ins seat amidst loud cheers, his whole address having been listened to with the greatest attention and frequently applauded. The meeting shortly afterwards broke 1141.