MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR THE ENGLISH OCTOBER MAIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XV, Issue 661, 27 September 1871, Page 3

MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR THE ENGLISH OCTOBER MAIL.

» . The saying and doings of the Genera Assembly have afforded the principa 1 topic for news during the past month, an< » m our oommunity, where every man i f more or less a politician, the proceeding of that body have been watched with th< - keenest interest. b The principal parliamentary event ha • beon the presentation by the Hon. tht Colonial Treasurer of liis Financial State 3 ment. Of this document we give a tele 3 graphic summary elsewhere ; also oui 3 articles commenting thereon. By it we are made aware of a falling off of the revenue to the tune of £82,000 on that o: [ the previous year, and that the difference r betweon estimated revenue and the f actual receipts amounts to £16,000 de . ficit. The wholo deficiency was stated te be £76,000, to which has to be added ai unpaid bank overdraft of £60,000, whicl ; has been outstanding for the past twe , years, thus leaving the colony £136, 00( > to the bad. This deficit the Governmenl propose to meet by charging £46,000 of ii on this year's revenue, which they purpose to increase by reducing provincial grants, increasing tlie scope of the Stamp Act. and the imposition of import duties or cereals, rice, and timber; tiie remaindei to be charged m equal sums of £46, 00 C on the revenue of the two succeeding years. The Treasurer is sanguine thai by the ' retrenchment ' he indicates m hit speech, he will be able to meet the expenditure of the country next year, and also recoup the £46,000 — the first instalment towards the liquidation of the £136,000 deficit— without any extra taxation than that above mentioned, which, indeed, is very trifling. At the time we write, tiie Statement and Estimates have not been discussed, except indirectly on a motion of JMr Creighton, to the effect that the latter should be referred back to the Government for them so to re-cast as to effect a saving oi £50,000, which motion the Government oppose. Speaking to it the member for Timaru, Mr Stafford accused Mr Yogel of, m his Statement, boasting of a •■retrenchment which did not exist. Economy was not practised by the Government: they had imposed on the country by assertions made m the Financial Statement, and the present Estimates were more extravagant than they had been m any previous year ; they showing an actual increase of £16,000, although no provision was required for numerous special services provided for last year. JHe was prepared to say that a saving of £50,000 could be effeced ; for instead of paying £45,000 for the San Francisco Service, one suited to tiie requirements of the country could be had for £26,000. A large saving could ; also be made by consolidating present Provincial departments, such for instance as the Survey ; also by abolishing duplicate offices. Unless such a saving as he suggested was effected the conclusion of the Financial Statement was a mockery, delusion, and snare." A large portion of the time of the House has been taken up by the debate on the new Education Bill, an Act, with the general principles of which nearly every member of the House coincides, while, to some one or other of its details, exception is taken.. The Bill has passed its second reading ; but has now to go through the ordeal of Committee, when a large number of amendments are threatened, the result of which will possibly be, tliat the Bill will get so mutilated that its parents, the Government, will withdraw it altogether. While a temporary abandonment of a general educational scheme would be a subject for regret — and there is no doubt that it would only be a temporary withdrawal—we, m Canterbury, have the consolation of knowing that we have a provincial ordinance m force, which is likely to work quite as beneficially, if not more so, than the General Government scheme. Otago and Nelson are also satisfied with their own provincial systems. But still, these provinces are but sections of the Colony, and* although they possess fairly workable educational acts, yet the other provinces of the. Colony, either from impecuniosity or .from apathy, having failed to provide for education within their borders, show the vital necessity there exists for one general colonial measure, and assuredly it would be a misfortune if the Act now before the Assembly failed to receive the assent of the House. The only other debate of importance was that on Mr Maoandrew's resolutions, for the re-modelling of the Constitution of the Colony — a copy of whicli we gave m our last European Summary. The resolutions provide for the abolition of the present provinces and counties m the Middle Island, and its erection into : one province, with an elective LieutenantGovernor and Provincial ; that Legislature to have control over all matters of local concern — the regulation of the Customs,; '■ Postal, and Telegraph, and other federal matters, being left as at present m the hinds of the General Assembly. The proposition is m fact ari pid friend (or foe) m a new dress — separation of the two islands, with a federal- unicm for certain purposes. In; moying ; his resolirfcioris, Mr Maeandrew stated that lie did not think the North Island was ripe for such, a change, and as he did not know its exact requirements, he proposed td confine the operation of the measure to the Middle Island. At the ' present time there were 138 persons employed m the legislative; and executive offices, at a cost of £22,374. He proposed to replace these by 46 persons, and was convinced that the duties, legislative and executive, of the Middle Island, could under this scheme be performed for between £3,000 and £4,000. A large saving would alsd he effected; by having only, one, instead pf five heads of legislative departments. The saving effected by ..this, .means would' represent j a sum of money sufficient to pay the' interest on <sn'e' ahd a-half .millions, iwhich he ' would borrow to mike a trunk linei by watei and railway right, throgh,, the, Middle Island. 'In the debate wliich followed five members spoke for, abd' iieven— aihd among them the members <>f the ;GPvarn-. ment, — against the , resolutions,, aud^ti-ie debate was, on the "motion oia Canterbury member adjourned for a fortnight,' until JMr Yogel should have; told, the House what he. intended to do with the provinces. Whatever his decision may be on this point, it is' pretty certain that the resolutions will never be carried,' as they are of too sweeping a nature, and it is probable, that, if they 'we? e passed, no one would be more disappointed than Mr Maeandrew himself; • Inthe' debate one member expressed doubts as to Mr Macandrew's sincerity m bringing/ orward the resolutions, and his bona fides has also been; questioned by the leading journal m his own province, he being a strong gov* ernment supporter to whose potycy his resolutions are . decidedly antagonistic. Tlie idea that Mr Maeandrew has been 'put up' to moving these resolutions it strengthened by- the * fae**t .tha*fc ;jbhey wore* seconded by jßtrHaughtoh, the Government whip. Be this as it may, they

•-' Will probably lead to ah interesting debate, and will still further lay bare the evils and wastefulness' of the present provincial system. A motion forthe abolition of grand juries was negatived the other day, afte*** a brief debate The oth,er business transacted is of a nature only i affecting certain, localities, and conse- \ quently of no interest to the general j reader. We had almost forgotten to mention that the member for Motueka — Sir David Monro — has been unseated on charges of bribery and corruption at his election, and his seat has been taken by his opponent at the election — Mr Parker. As regards the natives, nothing has occurred to excite any uneasiness. As ~ usual, we have heard of the stopping of a mailman, and seizure of the mail ; and we have had an unusual number of stories } of Te Kooti's hair-breadth ' 'scapes,' the j following being the latest: — A Government telegram from Maketu, dated the 15th, states "that Te Kooti has again narrowly escaped capture. Captain Porter reports having come upon liim m a clearing between Maungapowhatu and Tawhana on the 3rd inst. He surrounded j the camp, and saw Te Kooti's half-caste j wife going m preparing food. He ordered l his party to fire a volley at Te Kooti if |. they saw him attempting to escape. The i plan was spoilt by the party on the left flank, who fired precipitately. A general ' rush followed, and Te Kooti escaped. [ JFive Hauhaus were killed, nine prisoners . were taken, as well as ammunition and J arms. Amongst the prisoners are Weket Kora, a notorious murderer, and two of ! Te Kooti's wives. Te Kooti escaped with ' six men and four women. Another despatch from Captain Porter of the Bth reports that the Ureweras have surrendered thirteen of Te Kooti's followers, t who took refuge with them. The force is r living wholly on potatoes, and is almost snowed up. Other parties are m pursuit." The natives have also had a large meeting i m the Auckland Province, at which be- . tween 1,500 and 2,000 were present, among whom was Tawhaio the Maori [ King, Rewi, Manuheri, and other chiefs ' of note. The meeting discussed the : opening of the country by roads and teleJ graphs, &0., but it appears to have been ! ' talk ' and nothing more. Another meeting will take place Bhortly. There has been a steady yield from the Thames during the month, and the fol- , lowing are the latest quotations of the Auckland share market ; — Caledonians, j £135 to £140 ; Thames, £26 ; Central . Italy, £2 12s ; Nonpariel, £6 ; Otago's, ' £3 155 ; Alburnia (buyers), £5 ; Tookey's, '. £33 ; Switzers (advancing), 9s. Tlie • Caledonian dividend was £4 ; Thames, : ios. In all partß of the Colony meetings , have been held, and petitions numerously signed, praying the Assembly to adopt a , Colonial Permissive Bill. Such a mea- , sure will probably be introduced during the present session of Parliament. The weather during the cropping season has been very favorable for the getting m , of a large breadth pf cereals, and m con- , sequence, a far larger acreage is under crop than has been the case m auy former , year. So far, the crops look well, but rain at the present time would largely m;- -; crease our chances of a gopd harvest. i Accounts of several meetings, ploughing matches, and other items of local m(- -( terest occurring during the month, will, j as usual, be found m our supplementary , sheet.