THE Evening Star. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1988, 19 May 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1875.

Okb of our members-Mr Wm. .Carpen-ter-is showing a wonderful liking ior committees; He has carried a motion for a committee of investigation into the causes which operate to" deprive the Province of Auckland of »an equitable share of the land fund of the Colony. He has secured -the „ appointment of another Committee to take evidence as to whether; the Province should be held responsible for the grant to the Pumping Association. These- are not the only directions in which Mr Carpenter's weakness for committees has been displayed, bnt they serve as: examples of what 1 a man can do who is determined upon doing something. With regard to the; Committee on the land fund, most people are aware of the causes which "operate" to keep Auckland from participating in the proceeds of ;land sales in other parts of the Colony. The principal cause ia the legislation which fixed that the land fund should be expended by the Provinces in which it was received. Until that legislation has been repealed

and something else substituted, the Province of Auckland will remain in the unfortunate position, it now occupies, of ..non - participation in j any land fund except that raised within s its own borders, so that Mr Carpenter's I committee will be powerless to effect any good, and might be deemed somewhat of an impertinence as trenching upon matters j with which the Council- is powerless to-! deal. Then as to taking evidence regarding the ban to the Pumping Association, ..it ; ...i5.,.u5e1e.5.5. ;; .. !:; .T1iq.. Council, have .to do I with the A ct and tho mortgages executed. If these fix the liability on the Province it cannot be shirked ; but if the Committee go into eviderie'e'tlie course of neIgociations will point to the fact that the !loan was looked upon as an advance to tho Province. The weakness for appointing'committees may be'carried to a mischievous length if the Council are. to be led away by the exuberant feelings of young members actuated by a desire to ;do something., ;«..;..■•< j r>Ti "••■' /'" \:

The Provincial Council have affirmed the desirability of r maint.aining the.present police arrangemertts;..whicli'continues' the control in the. General Government. The , late Superintendent attempted 4ti more-' . than one occasion to resume the control of I the police, but the Council rejected all | proposals of the kind. They have done j the same to Sir George Grey, and in deciding..to allow the police to remain as they are, subject to the General Government' control, the Council have acted in accordance -with the wishes of i majority of the inhabitants. ' It may not be> very satisfactory to the Superintendent to know that the Province has to pay for the police and ,yet has no further voice in the matter, but the position is only nominal, as any representations from'the Superintendent would be attended to. The arguments so often used in ; favpr;of continuing: the^police arrangements as at present, namely,' that handing over control to the Province, would demoralise the., force, and... bring, about a repetition of "scenes formerly: witnessed on the Thames, we look upon as unnecessary. It is enough that the force as at present managed is, generally effective and b<etteri than itswalfjunder Provincial "control; and to disturb the arrangements would jeopardise/the {efficiency which has been attained. The division^ in the Council^ 18") to 12, ougiat to show that any attempt to disturb the existing i arrangements '.'•. is' useless : the Council are content to let well.alone. v If they had done otherwise it would have been equal to saying-that although they could not trust Mr Williamson with the '■ control of the police, they can Sir George Grey; for there are no circumstances existing which render the : change de? jjsirable now any more than during the [ j term of office of the 5 late Superintendent.