SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2122, 16 August 1875, Page 3

SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

(PEE PBESS AOENCf.) — oOheistchuboit, Saturday. A largely-attended meeting was held at Uaiapoi last night. It was moved " That ; this meeting approved of the Abolition Bill, and trust it will shortly bccomo law," Mr Beswick, who was defeated by Mr Bowen at.tho last election, moved an amendment, "'J hat, in the opinion of this. meeting, considering tho yery t short time the Abolition and Local Government Bills havo been beforo the public, and tho fact that in a few months a now Parliament will bo elected, it isitho,wisest, and most constitutional course to allow tho electors to givo their opinion upon questions of such vital importance in tho usual constitutional way, by their votos at tho approaching general election." After soveral speeches, thenmendment was said to be carried by 77 to 69.—The Press this morning has a most severe loader on tho Local Boards finance tables,'recently published in tho Lyltelton'■•Tmes, ' It states tbcm as deliberate falsifications, and uses most strong langiiago of a liko kind. It points out first, that credit is given to road boards under tho present flystom, under tho Goiteral Purposes Loan Act, 1873, as ordinary revenuo to bo continued so long as provincia'ism lasts, whereas the timo •for whioh the' Act was passed has expired, and only £2,600 remains for tho current year. It seemed that credit is given the boards under tho present system for special grants for roads, bridges, &0., while no allowance is made for suoh grants under the Abolition Bill, though the latter specially provides for tho continuance of such grants over and above tho ordinary pound for pound endowment, and third, that their special grants are made to appear in tho table as annual revenuo, whiio somo of them'were revotes from the previous year, and all were for special purposes. Tho Press sums up as follows:—"Wo repeat that tho statement published by tho Lyttleton Times is tho most dishonest production wo ever read. It assumes that if the provinces aro abolished, no funds will any longer be available for ,local works, deliberately ignoring ,tho fact,,that by the Abolition Bill largo provisions aro mado for those very purposes. It is a pity that last faint effort of an ancient and honourable, however mistaken, cause should havo been discredited by so unscrupulous an advocacy." Several more meeting's are summoned in different parts of the provinco lo consider the. Abolition Bill.

• t ßoas,Saturday, At a meeting last night, tho following resolution was passed i—" That this mooting strongly approves of the Abolition! of tho Provinces throughout New Zealand, and trusts that the bill giving effect to tho same may becomo law. this session. That, in the opinion of this meeting, tho local Government Bill should provide that a miner's right should bo a qualification for. exercising tho franchiso at a road board election."