The Abolition Bill.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2054, 4 August 1875, Page 2

The Abolition Bill.

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting, convened by the Mayor on requisition of a number of inhabitants, was held;' at the Theatre Eoyallast night at half-past seven o'clock, to consider the Abolition of Provinces Bill submitted to the Assembly by the Government.

His Worship the Mayor took the chair, and read the advertisement convening the meeting, after which he said—They were aware of the question which had brought them together. The Abolition scheme had been b3fore them for a year, and now the details" of the measure were before the public. For himself lie had always been in favor of abolition, but, had it been otherwise, the liberality of the provisions of the Bill would have made a convert of him. If they had had the forming of the measure they could not have asked more than was proposed to be granted. Before sitting down he would read a telegram from Sir George Grey :—"Pray pause before adopting any sudden conclusions. Measures will be proposed in every way more liberal and advantageous than those now before you. It would be well to look afc the proposals of both sides beforo deciding. Will you please read this- to the meeting ? —G. Gbey." He (the Mayor) would call their attention to this telegram. It was a caution from one they well knew, and as the question before them was one of the most important which had arisen since they had a responsible Government, he hoped they would well consider it. He called upon Mr Eowc to move the first resolution.

Mr Eowe. said " ho" did not think it necessary to detain them long ; the question they were met to consider commended itself to them, and there was little room for argument. While they did not want tocavil at Provincial Governments, which had done their work effectively, the nature of the system proposed to be substituted for Provincialism would necessarily be favorably received. Under the old system local institutions were "retrograding—there was no improvement, aud ■ no ■ hope of improvement under the existing system. It was evident that unless they got some source of revenue, outside the present they would still further go backwards towards barbarism (Mr Eowe paid a high compliment to the energy and private and public worth of the Mayor, and then he referred to, the .advantages which the Abolition Bill of the Government proposed to confer upon the community). He said Sir George Grey evidently intended when he framed the Constitution that Provincialism should give them real local self-government. But it had not done so. Provincial Governments had been merely little hotbeds of centralism. The measure proposed by the Government was extremely liberal and proposed to remedy this grievance. They had no wish to run counter to the members of the Assembly. Sir George Grey said more liberal measures would be submitted.' If so,; they would accept their. liberality. But he would not trust Sir George Grey and the Provincial party to do anything of the kind so as to reject the proposals of the General Government. They were too true to their own interests. He would move the following resolution:— " That this meeting cordially and heartily approves of the principles contained in -the Abolition and Local Government measures now^bgfore Parliament, and BBJ^^flHHHpNH&cd on the qucj^flMj

and the tenor of the resolution, urging the early passing of the Abolition Bill. Mr L. J. Baguall, M.P.C., had much pleasure in seconding the resolution. He took it that the purport of the resolution was the abolition of the Provinces, the substitution of a measure of local self government, and liberal endowments.- If the Provincial party could give them more liberal endowments they would be glad to have them. He understood that the Provincial party proposed to divide New Zealand into, four separate Colonies, but they did not want that. They wanted, a full measure of" local government, and plenty of endowments. (Mr Bagnall referred to some clauses of the Local Government Bill regarding the powers to be conferred on Shire Councils, and the amount of endowments to be given to the local governing bodies. Pie also referred to the exclusion of the land fund from the consolidated revenue, and the reasons which actuated the Government in so dealing with it.) He felt confident if the measure became law the ad* vantages to this district would be unprecedented. The Chairman then proceeded to put the resolution, which was carried unanimously.

Mr Carpenter, M.P.C., said a resolution had been placed in his hands, and, in proposing, it, he should take the opportunity of showing that what he had previously said was consistent with his convictions now. He had been convinced that abolition should be general and not partial, and his opposition to Mr Vogel's resolution had arisen from a desire to see Abolition general, not from the convictions of an ultra Provincialist. It had been intimated that something more liberal would be proposed. He (the Speaker) had imagined that the land fund could have been differently dealt with, and he did. not see that the House was committed so much to the measure proposed as to bind themselves to it in every detail. There would be further opportunities perhaps of doing something in this matter, and. the resolution he had to propose would provide for "this. It was as follows:— " That a local committee be appointed to watch the progress of the measures through the Assembly, such committee to consist of the members of the Borough Council, the members of the several Highway Boards, and the members of the Provincial Council for the Thames."

Mr John Gibbons said he had intended to speak at length on the question before them, 'but as there were other calls on their time he would content himself with seconding fhe resolution.

(Thcie were loud cries for Mr Gibbons, and he again came forward and said he considered the last days of Provincialism had come. The measures submitted by the Government to replace Provincialism were worthy of a Pitt. Henceforth he hoped they would be known as the Magna Charta of New Zealand (cheers). The resolution was then pub and carried, but with a number of dissentients, the Chairman being in doubt as to its being carried. It was put a second time and declared.to be carried.

Mr E. W. Hollis said the last resolution would be as follows :—" That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be telegraphed to the Speakers of both Houses and the Premier by the Chairman of this meeting." He (Mr IIoHis) said he hid no doubt the Government would feel highly flattered that the measures submitted by them had mot with tbe approval of such a largo and influential constituency as the Thames.

Mr Cowell seconded the resolution, which was carried.

A A Tote.of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.. Mr Eowe remarked that their duty would not end there. : They should support the Committee in their work, as no. doubt there would be intense opposition in the progress of the measure through the House, and it would be (or^ the Committee appointed to watch the course of events, and if possible strengthen the hands of Government.

The meetiug, which was well attended, then dissolved.