The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1875.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 2337, 1 September 1875, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1875.

At no period siuce the introduction of tho Constitution Act has the Genera! Assembly been called npon to consider a question of greater moment to the Colony than the one now engaging the attention of the members. On Friday last— or, rather, early on Saturday morning — the debate on the second reading of the Abolition of Provinces Bill camo to a conclusion, and terminated in favour of the Government by a very large majority — being no less than thirty-five. By this it would seem that tho principle of the bill has been acknowledged ; and, as there appears to be not more tbau twentythree members in flio Hon.se who are pnrely provincialists, there is little doubt but tbnt the measure will -bo carried with very slight alterations. Mr. Kelly, wo loam, made a long speech, in which he defended Taranaki from the unjnst aspersions cast upon it by several of the previous speakers. He supported the main provisions of tho Abolition Bill, and, with a few amendments, hoped to see it passed duriug the present session. Major Atkinson is roported to have made a vigorous speech at the termination of tho debate, and answered categorically the chief arguments of the Opposition. FiQtn the figures below, which ho quoted, it will seen that Taranaki, ua she stands at present, has under tho oil system only £2,888 to carry on thegovernment of tho Province; whilst under tho now arrangements sho will havo £23,351. The following tabular statement of tho moneys provincially available under the old and new systems will, perhaps, make

clearer to onr readers the benefits to bo experienced by the abolition of the Provinces :—: — Availnblo under Daflcit. now system. Auckland ... £21,351 ... £GG,O(i2 Avnltiblo nudor Available under old system. new system. Taranaki ... £2,888 ... £23,351 Wellington ... 99,208 ... 123,881 Hawke's Bay... 14,935 ... 19,004 Nelson ... 22,135 ... 47,867 Marlborough... 712 ... 12,711 Canterbury ... 538,485 ... 576,023 Westland ... 2,785 ... 34,443 Otago ... 163,864 ... 218,588 We publish in another column the soveral items iv the estimate which refer to this Proviuce ; and, aa will be seen from the total, they represent a vory large sum. We also notice an item of £20,000 for a penal establishment for long service men, which looks as if it was intended to have a central depot for prisoaers who have long sentences. Where it is to be established is, of course, unknown at present ; but as the men's labour no doubt will be utilised on somo public work, no better place could be fixed upon than the Sugar Loaves, aud then we might I see the harbour commenced. The House went into ' Committee on the Abolition Bill last evening, and the endeavour of the Government would be no doubt to push it through quickly, and if possible to get the third reading passed before the English mnil loaves Auckland on Friday. Wo havo not heard what the feeling of the members in the Legislative Council is with regard to this bill, but should imagine that it would be favourable to it ; for most of those honourable gentlemen are not connected in any way with Provincial Councils. However, a vory few weeks now will decide the matter, and that settled, the work of the session will be brought to a conclusion.

The Ship 'Halcione,' with over two hundred and fifty immigrants for this place, may be expected to be signalled any hour. His Honor the Deputy Superintendent has kindly handed to us the following telegram respecting her, which he received yesterday from Wellington : "The immigrant ship 'Rodney' has arrived. She spoke the ' Halcione' on the 14th August. It is probable that she will be with you in a few days." It is satisfactory to know that she is safe and so near at hand; aud if a reception is to be given to the immigrants on their arrival, it' is time some move was made in the matter.

The Superintendent op Wellington has been beaten ou his own ground on the Abolition of Provinces question. It will bo seen by a telegram we publish in another column that at the Hutt — the coustitueucy represented by Mr. Fitzhorbert — a meeting has been held, at which Mr. Stafford was present, and spoke. A resolution was moved to the effect that the question of Abolition of the Provinces be postponed till after tho election, to which- an amendment was proposed in favour of the matter being settled during the session. The result has proved a victory to the Government party, the amendment being carried by a large majority. So elated do the people seem to have been over the affair that Mr. Stafford was lighted to the railway station by torchlight. This really look as if there was a very small party indeed in Wellington who are really in favour of deferring the matter.

Commodore Goodexough has, we regret to learn, been murdered by the savages ou the island of Santa Cruz. The facts, so far as they may be gathered from tho brief official report which, we publish in another column, are, that on the 12th of August the Commodore, with some men and officers, landed on Santa Gruz Island, and encouraged by a friendly reception on five adjacent islands, entered a village, .mixed freely with tho natives, and were received with apparent friendliness. On preparation beiug- made to embark, however, a single arrow was fired which wounded the Commodore in the side. After this, several flights of arrows were discharged on the party, five of whom were wounded, the Commodore being wounded a second time in the head. Tho Commodore died from the effects of his wounds, one of the men having died the day before, and another died the day after. The suvages that have perpetrated this act are the same who murdered Bishop Patteson; thus tho Santa Cruz group has attained for itself an unenviable notoriety for the treacherousness of its natives.