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Southland Times, Issue 2236, 16 December 1875, Page 2

Sib. John Eichabdson has mado an elaborate reply to the invitation addressed to him to contest Dunedin. After warmly acknowledging the compliment", he gives a sketch of various political events and junctures since 1861, when he first represented the Dunedin constituency in Parliament. He does this with the view of showing that the causes which led him eventually to withdraw from active political ! life have now become intensified. Sir ! John's present manifesto, he explains, is due to the attempt made, as he deeribes it, to inflict a great \vron<r on the people by denying ttem a voice in the grand constitutional change created by abolition. He argues that the Constitution Act of 1852 would of itself have gradually brought about the supersession, where necessary or expedient, of Provincial legislation, and transformed the Provinces into larger municipalities- lie complains that by the new Act " the existing system is dislocated, and "we are being unclothed, aud nor clothed upon." While declaring that the scheme for partial abolition waa impossible, Sir John yet contends for an insular federal system. So long as the Maori rebellion raged, separation would have been unjust, but "now the very embers of disaffection have expired, it would be botli justifiable am. desirable." Securing the interests of the public creditor would be easy and local self-government would Le accomplished. The alternative, to b'ir John's thinking, is a remote power administering local affairs, and disaffected outlying districts combining, as provinces were said to have combined. Doubt is cast over the finality of any Government policy, however clearly and legally defiued. Sir John laments tho prospect of the surplus of Otago railway revenue being transferred to cover the liability of non paying railways " passing over unpeopled mountain ranges in remote parts of the colony." He fears the shiftiug of policy, and wishes that, in view of future loans certain to be called for, Middle Island liability could be confined to Middle Island objects. The provinces ought to be consolidated into one, or if politically expedient into two in each island, with large administrative powers and legislative powers for enactment of bye- laws. These should have an elected Superintendent, presiding over a small elected Board, all retiring at fixed periods. Subdivisional authorities should be subordinated to tbese central Boards, and a veto power in a few specified cases should rest with the Q-overnor. Sir John notices, as a pressing question, the burthen and incidence of taxation. He censures the legislation by which £200,000 was, in 1873-4, added tothe customs duties, contrasting the indirect taxation in New Zealand unfavorably with that of the Home country. He would advocate a considerable reduction in the customs duties on certain articles chiefly used by tho industrial classes, such as tea, &c, and would re3tore the equilibrium by a direct tax on the propertied classes. The constitution of the Legislative Council is discussed with mingled compliment to its ability and disinterestedness, and stricture on its want of harmony with an elected House of Representatives. To the possible collision of the two Houses, he wishes to see the whole question calmly investigated- The course of attempted but abortive legislation on the subject : is traced from ISG2 to IS 7-1. Having referred to Mr Stafford's opinion iv . favor of the Constitution of the , Council being reconsidered, Sir John expresses the desire, iv view of the ' utterances of leading men in Parliament, "to see an early and calm ' ( investigation of the question, before j these dimly discerned difficulties < actually stare us in the face-" As a ] contribution to the solution of this ' question, Sir John suggests that the , life tenure of members now constitu- j ting the Council should be undistur- t bed— lh.at ; by and by , the number should '

be limited —that all vacancies thereafter should be filled up, to the limit, by representatives from large constituenees, elected for a short period ; IC the Q-overnor to call to the chamber occasionally ;\ relatively very small number, within the limit, of men of distinguished ability or signal service." Sir John touches on the subject of the Crown lands within the Province of Otago, —as involving both legislation and administration But it is merely to ask a series of questions which he leaves unanswered. He deprecates further legislation at present, but exercises himself, perhaps unnecessarily, by inquiring who will have the power to determine what shall be done with the Ruus when existing leases fall in. The address concludes with an expression of Sir John's strong regret at his inability to accept the invitation given him to become a candidate for the representation of Dunedin. I | >