MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR THE ENGLISH NOVEMBER MAIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XV, Issue 669, 25 October 1871, Page 2

MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR THE ENGLISH NOVEMBER MAIL.

» Many of the parliamentary events of the month have been of a character that must fill the minds of all prudent and thinking men with anxious fears and forebodings for the future of the colony. A Government is at the head of affairs whose capacity for expenditure is only limited by the extent of their borrowing powers. To these powers English capitalists at present show no sign of placing a limit, and the bait of a large expenditure during the next few years has proved too much for a majority of the House, which votes with the Government With such persistency that there may be said to be no parliamentary control ovdr its actious. Although Mr Yogel, m his Financial Statement, said the Government wished their Budget to be known as the " Retrenchment Budget," it is evident the name was all the Government cared about, for no real retrenchment has been attempted by themselves, while most of the proposals m that direction by members outside the Government, have had to encounter their determined opposition. So far, the battle of retrenchment and prudence has been fought, by Mr Stafford, and his colleagues on the Opposition benches. But they are m such a minority that their eloquent protests and parliamentary tactics m opposition have been ineffectual, and have only tended to” procrastinate and delay the inevitable triumphs of the Government. On the 21th ultimo, Mr Gisborne, Minister of Public Works, made the promised Ministerial Statement as to the works the Government had undertaken under the authority of the Acts of last Session, and the works they proposed to ask authority of the House to undertake this year. We reprint the telegraphic summary of the speech m our supplementary sheet. Classes one and two of the Estimates have passed the House, the Government strenuously opposing all attempts at aii3 r reductions. The Government has given notice of its intention to propose import duties on cereals and timber, and there is little doubt but the proposition will receive the assent of the House. On the 11th inst, Mr Stafford made an admirable speech on the financial proposals of the Government, the proposed Board of Works refered to m Mr Gifihorne's Public Works Statement, and tho Brogden contracts entered into by Mr Yogel on behalf of the colony, he took the opportunity of stating m distinct tern.s that the general proposals of the Government were eminently unsatisfactory to him •and those acting wjth him. He viewed them witli alarm, as affecting both thu present and the future. They were now brought face to face with an onoroious excess of expenditure over revenue for maintaining the ordinary expenses of adniinistration, and tho Government seemed to view this state of things, not as an abnormal condition, but as the fit and proper one for the colony to occupy. The House was now invited to inereaso the expenditure regardless of the prospects of revenue, at a rate and manner unprecedented. The colony was systematically and persistently living beyond its means, and making no provision for the future. On the 30th June, 1809, the unfunded debt of the colony amounted m all to £27<},<i5O. On the 30th June last, the unfunded debt had increased to £660,000, and yet it was now proposed to supplement the ordinary revenue for tJie propose of ordinary exi>enditure, even after transferring to the loan the expense of defence and the grant to Road Boards. The total debt of the General and Provincial Governments, funded and unfunded, was now nearly nine millions, involving an annual charge of £541,588 or ,-tIG 15s per head for every male adult m tho colony. The Public Works proposal showed tho same spirit of reckless, unconsidered expenditure, and an indulgence m gambling transactions. No control was retained by the Legislature, and the money and land were dealt with by millions. There were proposals to deal tenderly with foreign contractors, and to give them the land which should be reserved for their children and children's children. The proposed Board of Works was an extraordinary anomaly — a most corrupt organisation and the most susceptible political influence which the ingenuity of man could conceive. It was the most extraordinary proposal ever submitted to a deliberative assembly, to propose to select six members of a Legislature to restrain the rest from pressure and political influence. The Board was not even permanent ; three were to retire annually, but were eligible for re-nomina-tion. All knew the meaning of that. Unless they had been the faithful, obedient slaves of the Government, the members would not be re-nominated. The proposal was so transparently rotten that he did not imagine the House was so lost to the semblance of propriety as to entertain it. He denied that Mr Yogel had any right or authority from the Legislature to enter into the contracts with Messrs Brogden, and he was prepared to take issue on the question of excess of powers. The proposal m the contracts, to refer the cost of railways to arbitration, set up a foreign power to exercise the proper functions of the Legislature. The power of these contractors the Government proposed to introduce would soon be greater than that of the Government and Legislature combined. The contractors kindly proposed, to relieve them of money and land, but not from the cost of governing the country. The lands of the Colony were taken oat of the control of the people, and one of the fairest lands which was ever trod by man, which shouldbe made the home of thousands, was rained m its finances, wasted m its resources, and made the spoil and prey of speculators and large contractors. Mr Brown, a Canterbury member, has obtained leave to bring m a buTto amend the Canterbury Waste Landß Regulations, by the introduction of certain clauses, enabling the small capitalist to purchase land from the. Government on a system of deferred payments. We think the squatting interest m the House is too strong for such a measure to pass into law this session, yet much depends on the action the Government may take m regard to it. If they view it as likely to increase population or the traffic returns of their railways, and they can support the Bill without offending any of their supporters, they may pernapß do so, m which case it will have, at ary -rate, some chance. On the. 4th inst., ajOommittee of Ways and Means, Mr Yogel moved an increase of the stamp duties, by making them include some classes of documents hitherto exempt ; the additional duties are estimated to yield £17,000 per annum. Mr Creigttton; an Auckland member,'- has introduced a Permissive Bill. On its second reading, our teetotal Premier, Mr Fox, made an. eloquent speech m f avox of the Bill, which.

he admitted had been prepared by himself. The Bill, which has been supported by petitions from all parts of the country passed its second reading without a dissentient voice, though many members expressed a belief that it would practically bo a dead letter : we are not aware of its exact provisions so we can express no opinion m regard to tho measure. The Government have taken a stop m the direction of universal suffrage by the introduction of a Bill to extend the franchise to all persons who havo received a salary of £100 or have been lodgers paying not less than£4o per annum for six months previous to the date of registration, and to all persons rated for municipal or other purposes. The Bill passed into second reading but is likely to be withdrawn for the present session. The Government has introduced a series of bills to carry out their policy, one of these, the Government of Provinces Bill, was withdrawn after a debate. A new Payment to Provinces Bill has been read a second time. After a brief debate, Mr Macandrcw's separation resolutions (for separation resolutions they were m effect) were thrown out on a division by 41 to 22. The Government have given, their support to a bill introduced by Mr Fitzherbert, empowering the province of Wellington to raise a loan of £100,000, and although it was pointed out that £81,000 of the amount was required to pay off old liabilities of the province, they stated they supported it as furthering their policy. An Abolition of Imprisonment for Debt Bill has passsed its second reading aud has a fair chance of becoming law. Last, but not least, we come to the Public Revenues Bill, a bill authorising the Government to issue Treasury Bills to the amount of £100,000 : the Bill though vigorously opposed by the Opposition passed its second reading ; should it become law, it will allow of their expending £100,000 outside of the appropriations of the House. Judging from the past, there is little doubt of their availing themselves of this power to the fullest extent. That the Bill will pass is almost a certainty ; the Government, to use Mr Stafford's words, ' having a majority that ■would give them half-a-inillion just as readily as £100,000, and they must be surprised at their own moderation m asking so little.' From the above it will be seen that there is a good deal of business before the House, and although much remains to be done, the session has arrived at that stage when members, being anxious to get to their homes, are willing to rush to rush the work, and to that end will allow many things to pass unchallenged that, m the earlier part of the session, they would make a fight over. The Government have pledged themselves only to bring forward those measures that must be dealt with during the present session, and among other matters the Colonial Education Bill is withdrawn, the Government promising to bring it forward again next year. Under all these circumstances the close of the session may be looked for some time m the course of next month. The following account of a native meeting which took place lately is rather interesting, and at the same time of rather a serious complexion, we therefore give it <is we received it : — " The PosVs Manawatu correspondent sends a report of a large Native meeting held at Rangitikei regarding the Manawatu case. Mr Commissioner Clarke attended on behalf of the Government. Mr M 'Donald addressed the natives at great length, detailing all his attempts to g'jt Mr fii'Lean to carry out the arrangement made m November last for the settlement of the dispute, his inability

to get any definite reply, iincl finally his total want of succuss. The whole affair was discussed for nine hours by thenatives, who reviewed Mr M 'Lean's promises, and blamed themselves for their credulity m listening to them. They decided that whether he intended to deceive them, which was contrary to their past experience of him, or whether he was only unable to fulfil his promises, the effect upon them was the same. They were being starved by the delay and uncertainty, while the Government were enjoying the fruits of Mr M 'Lean's promised settlement. Next day, after speechifying for several hours, the following resolutions were passed : — Ist. " That the survey and settlement of the Block by Europeans must be stopped at all hazards until Mr M 'Lean's promised arrangements are carried into effect." 2nd. " That the Government be asked to voluntarily suspend the survey and occupation of the block, pending a final settlement according to Mr M'Lean's promises." 3rd. " That any attempt to summarily arrest natives for acts done m pursuance of the resolutions of this meeting be resisted, but all or any natives must obey a summons to attend and answer for their conduct before a competent Court." 4th. " That notice of these resolutions be given to the Government, to all persons intending to settle on the block, to the Press, and to the people generally." Messrs M 'Donald and Clarke were requested to report the proceedings and resolutions to the Government, it being understood that no " further'' action should be taken by the natives until the report could be received at Wellington." Up to the present time the natives have taken no further steps m the matter, and it is to be hoped that the Government will so deal with it that any outbreak may be prevented from taking place.

The proposed Brogden contracts are vary unpopular ; and m all parts of the colony meetings have been held, resolutions passed, and' petitions forwarded to the House praying against the adoption of either No. 1 or No. 2. Timaru has followed the example of other places m this respect -„ a meeting was held (reported elsewhere), and a petition bearing 250 signatures was subsequently forwarded to Wellington. A Government paper says that it learns on good authority that the representative of the firm of Brogden and Sons who lately arrived m the colony, finding such an outcry against the contracts, is willing to cry quits and abandon them altogether. In the face of such strong opposition on the part of the public, we think the Government,' strong as they undoubtedly are, will scarcely think of forcing either of the contracts on the country, and that even if No! 2, the least objectionable of the two, is accepted it will only be after it has beett very considerably modified. The latest quotations m Thames gold mining : shares • are as follows :—Caledonians have fallen from £112 to £99 and £100 : Thames, £20 10s ; Central Italy, £2 10s ; Moanatairi, £3 12s. The weather' during the month has been showery and eminently favorable for the crops, which, as a consequence, are looking very healthy j and, 'judging from present appearances, promise a bountiful harvest.

On the 4th instant occulted on event perhaps the most important m the history of Timaru — the turning of the first sod of the Timaru and Temuka Railway. A full account of the ceremony m honor of that event; and the festivities attending it, will be found m bur supplementary sheet, together with reports of.' several public meetings J and other matters of interest occurring.-, since our last' summary for Suropt.