HISTORICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1672, 8 December 1883, Page 8

HISTORICAL.

OTA6 0. Part XXXIV.-Poliiical.

Before bring my sketch to a close*, I will fill up a gap by giving a short detaf.l of the proceedings of the Provincial Council and the representatives of the Province in the General Assembly. That the Provincial form of Government was highly prized by the inhabitants, and was admirably adapted for developing the hlatemj resources of the Province, are facts that cannot be gainsaid or denied. Tho requirements necessary for opening up and selling the 'country were promptly met, and the expenditure made with a great degree of fairness and impartiality. Log-rolling was not yet much in practise, and although there were a few who expressed dissatisfaction or discontent with the progress and localities of public works, still the very large majority of the community accorded a full meed of praise to the various Governments under whose management expenditure was cariied out. The work before them, vras a very great one, and wad attended by Serious difficulties. The preliminary step was to have the surveys effected, and reports made of the capabilities of the different districts surveyed. This responsible duty was carried out with remarkable speed and accuracy by Mr Thomson and his principal assistant, Mr Garvie'. The reconnaissance survey effected by them is an enduring monument to their ability and zeal. The minor urveys were prosecuted with similar vigour, so that at a very early date a sufficiency of surveyed land was open for selection, and purchasers were not iv any way hindered on this account.

> The formation of the roads did not proceed either so rapidly or so satisfactorily as the surveys. A hard and fast rule as to grades seems to have been adopted from the first, and this, combined with a desire to avoid_ heavy works, must account for the awkward windings and turnings which the main roads make along their lines both north and south. The objections made both inside the Provincial Council and out of it to the lines of road were both frequent and strong. The engineer, however, managed to get his own idea carried out in its entirety, and there is no liklihood of any deviation or changes being made now. The greatest difficulty was connected with the North road, which caused a large amount of serious consideration. Tho track by which the settlers were in the habit of coming and 'going was right over the tpp of Flagstaff. By thia route horsemen and drivers of stock could make the journey to Waikouati, but to form a dray road by the same route was not to be thought of. This track was attended with considerable danger to inexperienced travellers, and several valuable lives were lost in the earlier years of the settle aient. The bitter snow and rain storms which were experienced made the stoutest heart quail, and from them there was but little shelter to be obtained. The Clumps waa the noted resting place, and its kindly shelter was eagerly sought. Perhaps the greatest risks arose from the dense fogs which, without much warning:, came rolling down, continuing for days, to the complete bewilderment of tho traveller. To lessen the danger as much as possible, snow poles were erected by private subscription, and they proved of considerable service. To find a new line of road was a work of much difficulty, all the low-lying country was dense bush, and intersected by gullies and ravines in all directions. It was at length determined to adopt the Port Chalmers track, and circling the hill, reach the open land at Blueskin. Further north the Horse Range presented serious difficulties, so that it is not to be wondered at from these causes, as well as from the shifting beds of the northern rivers, that the North road was much longer in being opened up than that to the south. The public service was not so extensive as to need very elaborate accommodation, and the plain buildings at the top of Liverpool street were added to as ocoasion required. The gaol was the first buildiag undertaken of any importance ; shottly afterwards the Supreme Courthouse and offices were added on the adjoining site. A rather amusing episode occurred at the opening of the sixth session of the Council in October 1857. During the recess one of the members of the Executive bad left for Europe, and another, Mr PeteT Proudfoot, the chief commissioner and treasurer of the Waste Land Board, resigned his seat on account of his failing health, so that only ,one member, the solicitor, remained. To carry- en the business, it was necessary to form a new Executive, and { after a considerable amount of finessing, Mr Cutten accepted office, Mr Young filling the ; ether seat. .About a, fortnight before the meeting of the Council, Mr Proudfoot unexpectedly died, having up to within a few hours of his death been engaged in the duties of his office. The Land Oommissionership then became vacant, and it was generally expected that the "appointment, which was in the bestowal of the Executive, would be conferred on Mr Ligar, who had been Surveyor-general of the Colony, and with whom it was understood the Superintendent, while in Auckland, had communica tion in anticipation of the vacancy. However, on the morning of the day on which the Council met, the Executive carried a motion recommending his "Honor to appoint Mr Cutten to the vacant office.' The appointment took the inhabitants by surprise, and no less surprised was the Council, and this feeling in that body was increased to bewilderment when, in opening the session, his Honor instead of reading the customary speech prepared and approved by the Executive, delivered a long address of his own in the first instance, commencing by a referrence to the death of Mr Proudfoot " a man remarkable for integrity and singular truthfulness of character, whose unremitting assiduity had no doubt hastened bis decease." Then explaining the changes in the Executive, he referred to the vacant office, and the action of the Executive, leaving to the judgment of the Council whether the appointee shouldbe a professional surveyor or a local man, if the latter, then he said Mr Cutten was the man, " there was no one in the community in whose ability and righteous discharge of the duties of the office the public had greater confidence." This he said in spite of the • untruthful ribaldries circulated as . to nepotism and family cliques. He was not a man to be swayed from doing what was right in making the appointment, be the man his son-in-law or any one else. After his address, the Superintendent read' the speech prepared for him, and left the Council to its deliberations.

After considerable discussion, the Council resolved that it disapproved of his Honor the Superintendent delivering an address to the Council without the concurrence of his Executive. In the matter of the appointment, as the Ordinance enacted that it should be made by the Executive, the Council declined to interfere, and so tho appointment was made in the discussion. Mr Cutten, in reviewing the merits of tho four candidates, s-aid with .all <iuo modesty, he thought himself tha beat mmij and

if necessary, he would have appointed himself. Mr Fox did this in Wellington. Some difficulty arose afterwards in the adjustment of the accounts c£ the Board, but ultimately all was satf «f actor ily settled. As tho population increased the number of members of the Provincial Council waa also added to. In the session held in October 1859 an Enlargement Bill was intioduced and passed, by which several new districts were formed and representatives allocated to them. Under this ordinance 12 electoral districts were erected, having an aggregate representation of 25 members. In framing this measure the Committee allowed one representative for a given number of electors, th« proportion being lowest for Invercargill, where one member was allowed for 16 electors, and highest in Tokomairiro, where SI electors had only one member. The different districts then were towns of Dunedin, Port Chalmers, and Invercargill, Eastern, Western, Central Tokomairiro, Clutha, Oreti East, Oreti Wqst, Northern, and Maniototo. In opening this session of the

Council the Superintendent congratulated the Council on the substantial progress of settlement evidonced by the gratifying position of the finances, incomes from all sources showing decided improvement. The land fund especially, to" which the settlers had to look mainly as revenue, had largely exceeded the estimate, sales of town lands netting for Dunedin alone about £20,000. Although th's source of revenue was now exhausted, rural lands would make up a handsome bum. To show, however, the confidence felt iv the future of Dunedin at this early date, its boundaries were proposed to be extended, and a survey was proposed to be made of the mud flats opposite Dunedin from Goat Hill (Anderson's Bay) northward, with the view of obtaining a large piece of land to be recoveied from tho sea. Proposals were also made

for supplying Dunedin with water, a correspondence having takon place between the Government and the Town Board on the matter, and Silverstream was then consideied the moot favourable source from wvich to obtain a plentiful iind continuous supply of pure water. At this session of the Council, the old veteran

Captain Cargill took a sort of official leave taking of the Council. He had for some time previously expressed his intention to the public of withdrawing from the care of office. His old independent spirit had in no way failed hi n,, and having tho courage of his opinions he did not hesitate to affirm, that in drafting a bill embodying the views of the Council on tho subject of education, as set forth in their resolution forwarded to he had beeu thwarted and opposed* in a nio.it uuseemly manner; but nevertheless ho had the bill drawn, and it would, be laid on the Council table. A somewhat public life had been followed by 16 years' uninterrupted service in the cause of Otago — namely, four years at Home, not as the principal, but iv concert with the New Zealand Company, and in communicating between them and parties in Scotland on the subject of this settlement as projected by the Company, and twelve yeara in the Colony, having brought out, with plenary powers from tho Company, tho pioneers of the undertaking; and having continued until that day, by the successive authority of the Company, the Crown, and the election of the settlers as the official and responsible head of the business. The settlement had now swelled into the dimensions of a province inferior to uone^ in New Zealand as to surface and capability, and, with the exception perhaps of Canterbury, superior to all as to the foundation laid, and the absence of hindrance to progress. Still there was a mighty task laid upon them — viz., that of working out self-government, a task which had cost England the labour and vicissitudes of a thousand years. Otago was only of yesterday, but they had the advantage of England's experiences, and with a new constitution thrown into their laps, they had also the advantage of a select population. Cautioning them that human nature being always the same, fulness of bread and brightness' of earthly hope wrought their own etfils ; consequently the tendency was that those who came here to better their circumstances might be injured in their principles, and if this proved the case their children would fare worse, the tendency being strong to trifle with their education owing to the value of every little pair of hands and the wages they could earn. Leaving party strife and contentious oratory to those who had a taste for them, if they simply did their duty their constitution would be honoured, and the solid interests of the community made safe. The Council expressed deep regret at the state of his Honor's health and their hearty acknowledgments of his past services in the cause of the province for a long series of years, and the hope" that for many years to come he would be spared to rejoice in the advancement and prosperity of the province, which had so far progressed under his fostering cire. Such was, however, not to be, for on the Bth August IS6O the old Captain died, in the full unimpaired possession of the confidence and esteem of all classes of the community.

In forming an estimate of Captain Cargill's fitness for-the responsible position he occupied, his actions bear ample testimony to his peculiar ability as the right man in the right place. Connected with the Otago Association trom its initiation — indeed it may be said that he was its promoter, and that on his shoulders the main burden of carrying it to success lay — he laboured unflinchingly against great opposition raised by powerful opponents, and heartily, notwithstanding the apathy and indifference of many from whom he was justified in expecting zealous support. The principles of the Association embodied in the articles were well defined, and regarding them there could be no doubt. In carrying these out he was resolute and unbending — some may say unnecessarily so, but with him duty was law, and he would submit to no compromise. Even although he should stand alone, he would maintain in their integrity the fundamental principles on which tho settlement was projected. To many the idea appeared Utopian ; to him it was practicable, and worth the fighting for, and strenuously he carried on tho warfare against internal discontent, external jealousy, and the taunts and opposition of officialism. Well did he merit the monument a grateful community erected to his memory. The insiduous attempt to destroy the Provinces by the multiplying process of splitting up those declarod in the Constitution Act into separate provinces received from him, in hte place in the Assembly, most determined opposition. To him it was a needless increase of expensos, breaking up the unity of design, and frittering away the funds by abortive attempts at public works which required the whole power of tho original provinces to carry out with thoroughness and alacrity by moans of competent officials, and which tho small provinces could not 'adequately provide. His deliberate opinion was that the whole affair was a hasty grasping .on the part of tho Ministry at a species of centralisation, prejudicial to, and in arrest of the progress of, the whole Colony. If misapplication of the land fund by Otago, or any other province, to tho dotriment of the outlying districts were alleged, Parliament itself bhould decide the matter.