THE PREMIER AT AUCKLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2036, 16 September 1874, Page 2

THE PREMIER AT AUCKLAND.

[Per Angh.o-Attstbai.ian Fbbss Telegraph AGENCY.! Auckland, Sept. 15. Mr Yogel addressed his constituents in the Choral Hall to-night. Mr Eussell took the chair. The hall was crammed, and there was barely standing room. In introducing the Premier, the chairman remarked that this was the most difficult colony of the empire to govern. Mr Yogel explained that the reason for his addressing them at such a short notice was in consequence, of his leaving the colony to-night, for some months. He had expected to remain there some, days longer, but the arrival of the steamer had cut his visit short, and rendered it impossible for him to speak at the length he had intended. He had always done what he could ' for local matters, but had experienced considerable difficulty in ascertaining the feeling of his constituents. He asked them to go back with him to 1869. When he took office, the North Island was in a most depressed state. It was impossible to penetrate into the interior without risk of life. It was then the general belief that war. was inevitable, and the question was, would the South consent to the necessary expenditure P He asked them to compare the present with the past, and give him some credit for the part he had. taken. Roads and telegraphs now penetrated through the whole island, and settlement was extending everywhere. • A large landed estate was being purchased, and would be available for settlement and revenue. He had no doubt but that in the future this would result in a prosperity in the North Island not surpassed by that of any other island of the same size. If he was asked what difference there was between the last five years and the preceeding years, his answer was that the present Government had endeavoured to make a peaceful conquest of the island, and show that industrial arts would provide the excitement which was supposed to be inseparable from the character of the North Island. Their policy had been a progressive one. Had the expenditure carried on during the laßt five years been proposed in 1869, it would have received very little support. It would have been a very easy matter for the Government to introduce such a policy if it had only been intended for the Middle Island. The Assembly had voted £700,000 for the purchase of a landed estate in the North, and it was unfair for the speakers at a recent meeting to have kept that fact back when urging the seizure of southern lands. Although the North had made a bad bargain in 1856, yet it might now make a worse if it secured the land fund as colonial revenue, for the reason that the lands of the North would ultimately support a larger population than those of the South, and therefore be more valuable. The Premier next alluded to the State Forests Bill, and the importance of the conservancy of forests. When this was made a political question, it was naturally asked how much longer would Provincial Governments continue to interfere with great State questions, and it was concluded that if Provincial Governments continued obstinate in this way, they must yield. The General Government had suffered many difficulties rather than make Constitutional changes, but this was thought a favourable time for making those changes. The Constitution of the colony rendered it extremely difficult for any colonial policy to be carried out, as the Provincial Governments combined could make any General Government very weak. But this was not really the cause of the proposed change. Estimates were made of the total Government expenditure of the North Island, which shewed most startling results. During the five years ending 1874, no less than £3,389,000 had been expended by the Colonial Government, while only £180,000 had been spent by the Provincial Governments. It was then thought useless to continue cumbersome machinery to do bo little work. Provincial institutions in the North Island were not satisfactory. The Government had found that while paying £88,000 as capitation grant for gaols, hospitals, &p.', in the provinces of the North Island, only £51,000 were being expended. Licenses and goldfields revenue should be expended within the districts where collected.. While recognising that the land revenue should be preserved for particular purposes, yet it was a fact that the Consolidated Revenue had been charged with things improperly. The Government had been compelled to refrain from charging on the land fund expenditure which properly belonged to it. .Referring to the abolition of provinces resolutions, he said the reason for combining the three resolutions brought down by him was that, when the Government announced their intention to abolish the northern provinces, the. Superintendents assumed a most hostile attitude, one saying, " That means the loss of our land revenue," and another saying, "It means the removal of the Seat of Govern-

menfc to Ohristchurch." As the Government could not . constantly be contradicting such mis-Btatements, they deemed it necessary to state casually what they meant. There was no probability of the Seat of Government being brought back to Auckland, and it was idle for any one to believe otherwise. At a meeting held in his house, at which fortyfive members were present, it was suggested that a vote for the Government buildings would determine the question of the Seat of Government without forcing the supporters of the resolutions into any direct expression of opinion. That was the general feeling of the meeting. With regard to the land fund he did no think Mr Wood's version of the caucus was correct. When the Government proposed the third resolution affirming the compact of 1856, they meant it. It was not possible to alter that compact or that it should ever.be ret versed. Even if no such compact existedyitb would not be desirable to mix the land revenue with the colonial revenue. He believedithe change in the Constitution of the North Island would soon be remarked by the South Island with envy 5 and the time would not be distant when the Middle Island would say, "That is what we want." Apart from the agreement of 1856, it would still have, been a statesmanlike policy for the Governmenttd propose to secure the expenditure of revenue from land upon works within defined areas.. In reference to Mr O'fiorke, he re-asserted that the Government were unaware of his intention to resign, although they knew that he did not iynipathise with the resolutions. Still he did not wish anything he said to be. taken W-^in-flection on Mr O'Rorke for the course „ha had pursued. Tha members who" voted against the resolutions were an extraordinary combination. One of them, Mr Gillies, opposed them merely because he (Mr Yogel) proposed them. Mr Gillies row bo little to support in anything he (Mr Yogel) proposed, that if he brought down % a motion staling that Mr Gillies was a most ' excellent and estimable member, and an amendment was proposed upon it, he believed Mr Gillies would vote for the amendment. It was quite oertaia either that Mr Gillies was right and Mr Yogel wrong, or he (Mr Yogel) was right. Either the whole public works and immigration and peace policy was a mistake, or Mr Gillies was wrong. Mr Gillies had repeatedly made attacks upon him, but he did not wish to make any retaliation there. It had been announced by telegraph that a caucus, at whioh twenty* eight were present who were opposed to the abolition resolutions, was held after the passing of -the resolutions. Yet, in reality only eighteen member's were there, and ten persons were picked up out of the, streets, in order to make the number appear large. No matter what was the opinion of that meeting, the country had endorsed the resolutions by an enormous majority. The meeting he was then addressing, he assumed from the demonstration made by it, ' was favourable to the abolition of all the fprovinces. It was a mere matter of prejudice to object to receive a good, because only (me part of the colony required such legislation. -In passing those resolutions the Government contemplated giving the North the • excellent institutions of the South. No one could -fail to admire the institutions and educational system of Otago, and it was to give the North excellent institutions . in , pTape of its present disgraceful institutions that the Government desired the abolition of the provinces. The out districts would never be prosperous until Teal local government was substituted for the present scheme. It was not desirable to define all tbe r .viewß\o£ 'tlie Government. He thought the land fund should be Bet apart for interest and the sinking fund of provincial loans, for educational purposes, for subsidies for roads,: and be voted by Parliament for special district worksr This, would include harbours and branoh railways. The capitation allowance would support publio institutions. He would be very much disappointed if the licenses and' goldfieldß revenue were not made local revenue. The Government was determined to make the measure satisfactory, and had employed - a -barrister of colonial reputation, who was instructed to visit every highway district m the colony, and confer with the chairmen •before framing the bill. He referred at; length: to the South Sea Island Trade 'scheme, and its importance to the whole colony, but . especially to Auckland. He considered that this was what Auckland must mainly look' to, and believed it was the great future before it. He desired to make some statement of the reason why he was now proceeding to England. He would be absent six 6rj seven months. His first object wad to arrange for a telegraph cable with Australia, which, he believed, would soon be undertaken. His next object was with reference to immigration. Although in exceptional oases there might be a case of hardship to an immigrant, yet all must have noticed the extraordinary absorption of immigrants who had arrived, which waa mainly due to distributing them over, the the country. The conduct of - the Trnmigration department was now satisfactory, but circumstances at home rendered, .-.it necessary for a Minister to confer with the Agent-General, in order to obviate the irritating correspondence: of the past. The Government had resolved to bring the Home Department more into harmony with the views entertained in the colony. , The third object was financial matters; which could not well be dealt with by correspondence. He did appear before them that night to sue for a renewal of their confidence. Perhaps they might find a representative more in accordance with their views, and he might find a constituency who would take* his part better in his absence than they had done. Circumstances had arisen which might perhaps render it undesirable that he should again represent an Auckland constituency, and he had been asked to stand for nearly every city in the colony, and he was yet undecided how to act. In New Zealaad, and out of dt, there was a growing impression that the colony was rising from its depressed condition of 1869, to be the foremost colony of Australasia, and they might yet see it take "the chief position. He desired to seejAubk. land equally as - prosperous as the > other parts of the colony, and that hope had -kept him at work when he might desire reßt from his arduous labours. The province had, however, been contending against many drawbacks, but when a railroad is made throughout Waikato, possibly connecting it with the rich lands of Taranaki, and opened up by the operation of the Public Works policy/ it would yet have great a future. He concluded by stating that he did not come, there to commence a discussion with popular orators, but would answer any reasonable questions. ■ Mr Vogel's speech, during its delivery, was frequently interrupted by demonstrations of disapprobation, which prevented the, speaker proceeding, and some times by applause. • At its close there were loud cries of " Beet, Bees." ; '■....:■ After waiting some time, the Chairman said

SB no electors came forward, he declared the meeting 'at an end. Mr Bees, barrister, here jumped on the platform and said he intended to speak. The Chairman said he was not an elector. Mr Bees, with an electoral roll in his hand, ■aid he was. There was a great tumult, the chairman and Mr Yogel, essaying to speak, being stamped down. Ultimately Mr Yogel obtained a hearing, and said he had called the meeting of Auckland City East electors to explain his views. He did not wish to hear Mr Bees speak. He wished them 'l Good night." The ' Chairman vacated the chair, and with Mr Yogel and others retired from the platform amid prolonged howling. Mr Bees then commenced to speak, and the meeting was about to elect a new chairman when rsome one extinguished one chandelier. This caused confusion. Mr Bees proceeded amid much applause to say that the action just taken was. most disgraceful. What would the people of Sydney and England say when they heard how Mr Yogel had left a public meeting in the colony ? Fancy Mr Gladstone being afraid to take an expression,, of public opinion on his actions at a meeting called to ventilate his views ! He (Mr Bees) would not detain them, but would take the sense of the meeting. Were there six electors of Auckland City East who approved of *Mr Vogel's actions, or considered him worthy of their confidence. (Loud cries of "No, no.") . .... The. meeting, after cheering Mr Bees, gradually dispersed. Nearly 2000 persons were packed in the building, and many went away unable to gain admission. -. Messrs Yogel and Russell proceeded to Sydney in the Macgregor at midnight. ABOLITION OF THE PBOVINCES. '■„'■' ' ■» . . . ME EEADEE 'WOOD AND STB VOGfBI. . The following report of Mr Beader Wood's speech to his constituents at Parnell, Auckland; on Sept. 4 is abridged from the New Zealand Herald of Sept. 5 :— After the usual preliminaries, Mr Beader Wood said : — They must be aware that the abolition of the provinces was no new thing with, him. (Cheers.) They would also remember when they pressed him to offer himself as a candidate for the Provincial Council, lie told them that he was not a friend to provincial institutions { that he was not the best Jinan "to represent them in the Provincial Council ; but as they returned him it was to be .presumed that they had some share in the opinions which he held. When it was proposed'to carry out a large policy of immigration, and when it was -understood that the provinces were still to be maintained, he then said^.thafc it was not good policy to maintain "these institutions in such an effete condition^ as- they were then described; In the last .session; tyie Premier stated that he could not 'any longer finance for these provinces; that tne time had come when they must be .abolished. .Shortly afterwards the Premier "brought* forward the resolution which had - caused' so much, discussion. He brought it forward in the manner such a resolution should have Jbeen brought forward. The Premier brought it forward as a Ministerial question, land he said if it were not carried those who opposed it should take into their "ayjn hands the reins of Government. He would read that resolution. [A voice : "Bead ( them all."] There was the mistake. It was hot brought forward as three resolutions, but -■M one .resolution. [Mr Wood read the reso"lutiori'as a whole, whioh is better known n divided into the three clauses or substantive resolutions: submitted to the House of Representatives by the Colonial Treasurer.] He { /[Mr . Wood) was willing to admit that it was a ' vague resolution, and might be read two or ..three,, different ways. Nevertheless, it was bwught forward, and the representatives were .told that they must be prepared to agree to jthem^or place the responsibility of Govern"mentfin other hands. He had. not been in .any way consulted in the preparation of these r resolutions. ; He had nothing in his own ..conduct} to. .extenuate, nothing to conceal in "^ipeet of, the part he took in connection with ..^ese^rjßaoluiioni. , What he had said elseprepared to say to that meetjhis'^copdact. He. was ready to avow done, and if , the people did not "agree" with J him, there would 'soon be an r .<^portunity -..-pi ; providing- the remedy. He " ? Ha^l . Ho^a^riere ijaense&.ot any kind. Now the .."^rst'^Bing was to, gather the/meaning of that .. clumsy as it was. The first clause fVwas the real substance of the resolution. All ;. ;^e "rest was leather and prunella, (No.) J3ut those who met at the Choral Hall had .'/ read the resolution last part first. Whatever might have been their, intention, they evi'aently spoke upon a matter of which they , : ikd yerjr little information. They seemed to wgard'only that part of ifc -which referred to the southern provinces. He agreed that it . .was.wrong to abolish provinces in the north if i ;te'ey t were to be confirmed in the south. He "throughly agreed in that opinion. But the 1 Jp^sak"erß at the Choral Hall. They all spoke ;;fcith'out 'j haying any real knowledge of the '. 'jfficik. The members of the south were fully and what did they say about it ? " -JThere was aMr Montgomery, a member of ..the .south.: — " A question was raised about r >he Middle Island land fund, and Governineritpropose, in order to calm men's minds, that this fund shall be made sacred by Act of „ Parliament. I would ask hon members to ,; consider what thing can be sacred in an.As- " where large constitutional changes can ~:,be, brought in and carried at the end of a "iseaßioji? Why could not the same power . ' wh^oh sweeps away whole provinces, and un- ' mind 8 of men throughout the "j wfiole .colony, repeal that Act almost imme- ' ■ diajely'af ter it was passed ? I say, with the - 'hon*' member for Port Chalmers, we do not want any security for the Middle Island fund, -beyond what is right and proper; that the ffirid should belong to the district within .which it is raised, to make roads and bridges, \.jind otherwise settle that part of the country ; , that, no matter what part of the country it ', comes from, it is to be a sacred thing, devoted ' to the settlement of that part. I say that to ' attempt to bring in a bill to tell the people of ,- .therjouth that this fund shall be secured to them, is to raise a question which we do not fra'nt raised. We do not want a measure brought in to make sacred that which is now 1 js9 sacred as anything in the colony can be. , c ! .Those members from the south who oppose ;! these resolutions say; 'Thiß is a promise held oafc to us which we do not want ; we have got the land fund, and will keep it; it is a thing which shall not be touched. But if we take away . the provinces of the North Inland, it must of course follow that the provinces of the Middle Island will be taken away.' Whether the provinces in the North Island and in the south should be abolished or not, there can be no doubt in the minds of members from the south that the abolition of the

North Island provinces will be very shortly" followed by the abolition of those in the south. There was the opinion of Mr Montgomery, a southern member, whose opinion was of weight. Let sleeping dogs lie. That was the policy they would recommend. They did not want this question to be raised. They bad no desire that this sacred thing — which was as sacred as it could be — should be disturbed. The gentlemen who were the speakers at the Choral Hall would allow the dog to slumber still. Mr Montgomery said this was a promise they did not want. He said they had got the land fund, and they shall keep it, but if the Government took away the provinces of the North Island they must take away the provinces of the South Island too. It appeared to him (Mr Wood) there was an amount of ignorance in this place on this subject, and if that could be removed he would be doing good in helping to remove it. He would next read an extract from a speech by Mr Macandrew. Mr Macandrew was also a member of great authority upon such a subject. The meeting should have the benefit of what he said on this subject. Mr Macandrsw said : — " Another ground on which these resolutions will be opposed is that, if given effect to, they must, of necessity, result in one inevitable conclusion — the inevitable result must be, that the territorial revenue, not only of the South Island but of the North Island, will be appropriated by this House ; and we know that the practical result of that is, that the compact of 1856 must necessarily be abolished. I have no doubt that many hon members will oppose the resolutions on some one or other of these different grounds. For my own part, I oppose them on each and all of these grounds ; and more especially do I oppose them, feeling sure, as I do, that the result must be the spoliation of the Middle Island land revenue. That is the great reason which causeß me so strongly to oppose these resolutions. No doubt, we are told the compact of 1856 will be ratified. We are told that the Act which is to sweep away the North Island provinces is to secure, beyond all doubt, the land revenue and the goldnelds revenue of both islands for local expenditure. I think hon members from the south must be very verdant, indeed, if they can be led to suppose that the land revenue of the South Island can be made one bit more secure than it is at I present. For my part, I confess I cannot lay the flattering unction to my eoul that any legislative action on the part of the House will render that any more secure. It is manifest that this House may, in its nest session, if it so pleases, sweep away the whole revenue of both islands into the maelstrom, into the vortex, of colonial finance." Such was the opinion of Mr Macandrew. What meaning was to be gathered from that ? He (Mr Wood) • would put it to the meeting whether the whole gist of the matter was not that the northern provinces being once abolished those of the south would speedily follow, and that again would be followed by the appropriation — not the spoliation — of the land fund, not of the southern provinces but of the colony. Upon the division, who were they who voted in favour of these resolutions ? There were no less than ton who were either Superintendents of provinces or the hangers-on of the provincial system, for what reasons they could best relate. Three voted upon the ground that the abolition of the northern provinces would be followed by the abolition of those of the south, bo that there were only three who could be said to have voted intelligently out of seventy-eight members. The public had had a tolerably accurate resume of what happened in the House, but he would take them to a place where reporters were not present, and whence messages along the telegraph wire did not flash. A short time, a day or two afterwards, a circular was sent by Mr Yogel to those members who had supported the resolutions, calling them ' together for the purpose of taking their opinion upon the actual position of the question involved. He said that some had supported the resolutions for one reason, some for another so that it was difficult to perceive upon what ground they were all agreed. About 46 members attended that meeting, he (Mr Wood) being among the number. There were several of the members of the province o£ Auokland present. The hon members who were burned in effigy were there. He (Mr Wood) was one of the first to speak upon that occasion. The question involved in the second clause of the resolution was the Beat of Government, and the other confirmation of the southern jprovinces with the security of their land fund. He told Mr Yogel that he would be no party to these. , The members who heard him — the Auckland members—including those who were burnt in effigy, greeted that statement of his with a cheer. : What did Mr Yogel reply? Mr Vogol told them that these were not an integral part of the resolution ; that they need not be "in the Act, and in the Act they would not be. If they should be in the Act they should not have bis support. (Cheers.) He believed this happened on the very day, during the afternoon of which he, with others, had the honour of being burnt in effigy on the Barrack Beserve in Auckland. The next act was one in which Mr Fitzherbert took a part. He said that when he became Superintendent he had only accepted the office to give them decent burial. But when it was found that a very strong feeling was being aroused, Mr Fitzherbert took up a very different position. He came down to the House, and proposed the following resolution : — " That this House, having resolved that, taking the circumstances of the colony into consideration, the provinces of the North Island should be abolished, this House further declares its opinion that an organic change in the Constitution, involving a central bureaucratic authority for the administration of the provinces of the North Island ought not to be made without testing the opinion of the people, and that in order to give effect to the foregoing resolution, a petition be presented to his Excellency the Governor praying him to dissolve the present Parliament." .When Mr Fitzherbert moved this resolution he meant not that the Parliament should be dissolved now, but in its next session. The whole object of the resolution was to give one year more. This resolution was met by an amendment from Mr Yogel, and it was strange how this amendment, which was the last expression of the Legislature, should not have met from the Press the attention it deserved. The following was the amendment : — " That, as the Provincial Governments of the North Island are to be abolished, this House declares its opinion that the Provincial system of Government in the North Island shall as soon as possible be succeeded by a less expensive and more thorough form of local government, under which the North Island shall be divided into districts and sub-districts, endowed with substantial revenues, so that the residents therein may be enabled to take a larger and more direct share in its financial affairs and the expenditure of the local revenues than is at present

. ••■ i -■- -■ f-"._ - ■ -'■ ■ --•- --.-■ '- - - -■- - 1. ■- c ;..■. • the' e'as'eV Now, gentlemen, IHaTf" ii"~an instruction to the House, and the basis upon which the bill will be prepared. (Cheers.) But they had heard a great deal about endowments, and it was askod where those endowments were to come from. He would read three sentences spoken by Mr Yogel in the House, which he did not know were yet published, but he (Mr Wood) took them down as they were spoken. They were «s follow : — "He (Mr Yogel) proposed to enlarge and make more substantial the present local Boards ; to give them funds on which they could depend, instead of the unfrequent and varying doles which they now get. He would propose that a share of the land fund should pass in aid of the local divisions of the country. He said the time was come when the land fund of the Middle Island must be a security for future loans." Such were the sentiments, such were the words, with which Mr Yogel illustrated the meaning of the amendment which he (Mr Wood) had read to the meeting. (Cheers). "What, then, was the object which he and the other members of the North Island who acted with him had in view when doing what they had done ? They had taken the first step towards the abolition of that great incubus — for it was an intolerable incubus — the system of double government. He would only refer to what was done in the last session of the Provincial Council of Auckland, with its bungling legislation, its unfair and unequal taxation, and its bogus estimates. Ho believed the members who supported these resolutions had taken the first step towards making the Parliament — not what it was now, a mere congries of Provincial Councils, but what it would become under this new system, and what it ought to have been long since— the national assembly of New Zealand. (Loud cheers.) Such was the objeot in accomplishing which be had taken a very humble part. At the risk of detaining them a few minutes longer, he would point out how it was that provincialism, , which was once an efficient institution, had now become languid and ineffective. Twenty yearo ago there was no other form of local government. There was much to be done ; to make roads, to improve harbours, and exeoute other works. They were then effective and useful. But as towns were enlarged, as population increased, as the means; of inter-communication were facilitated they ceased to be useful. , They were being now superseded by -younger institutions. What did the Provincial Government do for the towns? What did it do for Parnell ? Parnell hardly knew; it. .The time was when they might have' been useful to country places, but country places were now for the most part governed by their local boards. He had had the curiosity, to look over the rotes for the Superintendent. He found that the great majority of the votes came from country districts. They had estimates made which were received by the country members, who were told the money was there, though they scarcely knew whether it was there or not. They had had a Highway bill which was not worth the paper it was written on j they had an Education bill, and all three of them were the veriest trash that could be invented. (Cheers.) With regard to the estimates, he had taken the trouble to learn what was the true state of the case. The land revenue of this province was about £5000 a year. It was estimated at £32,000. There were a few members of the Council who saw that this amount would not be realised. Mr Carleton was one and Mr Dargaville was another, and himself, who knew that/there - wa* not the slightest chance or prospect of this estimate being realised. All those country members who believed in the Government, and thought they were ' going to get bridges and 'wharves, supported them. Since he (Mr Wood) came back to Auckland he had been at the pains to find out how much land revenue had been received up to the present time. The meeting would remember that eight months of the year had elapsed and there were only four more to come. Well, the land revenue received up to the 31st of July amounted to £2610 17s 7d, that is to-say, in the first seven months of the year. In the month of August the amount was £400, making a total of £3010 17s 7d for the eight months ; so that up to the present time they had received £3010 on account of £32,000. Were these bogus estimates or not ? The Provincial Government muet be in this dilemma— either that they were wholly incapable of making an estimate, or that this large amount was stated for the purpose of deceit. (Cheers.) As for the Highways Act, every rate under it was illegal ; and not a single sixpence could be recovered under it. As to the Education Act, they had all heard enough about that. They had had public meetings and petitions of all kinds on the subject. The improper, unfair, and unequal mode of taxation under it had been stigmatised in every direction throughout this community. There was one argument used in favour of that taxation. It was asked where else was the money to come from ? Were they to stop the existing system of education, or to get the money out of the people ? For they said, "If we don't get it that way, we cannot get it any other way.' : He would tell them of a way to get it. There was a sum of £25,000 voted far the province of Aukland out of the surplus revenne. That sum would be ample for all educational purposes until June,> 30 next. By June 30 next the Act would be introduced to abolish Provincial Governments. It would be then for the General Government to introduce some more equitable system of taxation for education. There was a good cause for agitation if they liked. (Cheers.) There was a question for the people to take up if they pleased. If this money were not expended in some such useful way, it would be wrested from their pockets, and fooled away they could never tell how. The Superintendent should be compelled to call his Council together, and to direct them to appropriate the whole of that £25,000 for the purpose of education. (Cheers.) If tho people were going in upon this question of the abolition of the provinces, for all or none, it would be simply absurd to carry such a resolution in the House of Representatives. He had taken a good deal of trouble to ascertain the feeling of members on that subject. He could tell the meeting that if the word " colony" had been inserted so as to extend the abolition to all the provinces, just 12 members would have supported the resolutions in that shape. He (Mr Wood). was oue of those who took what ho could get, and • when he could get it. He waß ready to go by gradual steps to vrork out his object, knowing well that in the end the conclusion whioh nearly all the best informed men caw would be reached. (Cheers.) Ab the Choral Hall, Mr Firth ended his Bpaeeb with a lrit« quotation from Shakespeare about tho "Mighty Julius " falling. When Mr Yogel last appeared in the House there was no cign of his falling then. He would remind the meeting of a quotation from the same author — a quotation less known, and quite as beautiful

~an&~ true; and more appropriate to the occasion — "How poor are they who have notoatience; Did ever wound heal but by degrees ? We work by wit, and not by witchcraft, And wit depends on dilatory time." (Loud cheers.) He thanked the meeting very much for the patient attention they had given him. He wished nothing else but to lay before the meeting the whole truth. If he was still to be an actor in this business, he hoped soon to see it brought to the conclusion which they all desired. Nothing further remained for him to say but to thank them for their confidence and support. [The hon gentleman resumed his seat amidst loud cheeringT] Mr George Stains moved, and Mr J. Mason seconded, a vote of confidence in Mr Reader Wood. Mr John Sheehari said he was an elector of Parnell, and would not be regarded as obtruding by saying a few words to the meet- 1 ing. He recognised the propriety of no person interfering between a member and his constituents. He would not have addressed \ them if he had not felt compelled so to do. ! He helieved that the speech they had heard from Mr Wood contained a great deal of politioal untruth. They had had a burning of members in effigy in Auckland. He believed that: was a disgrace to every man in Auckland. It was a barbarous way of showing dissatisfaction. Mr Wood had told them that there was in the first instance not three but one resolution. That was true. But Mr Wood had not giveu a complete exposition of the situation. It was considered by others that the resolution was not only clumsy but; vague, and it was because there was a general dissatisfaction it was insisted that the Government should explain their meaning. They were not indebted to Mr Wood for that. That was the true reason of the division of the resolution into three. (Cheers) . But if Mr Wood held the opinion in Wellington that he had spoken there that evening, where was the record of it in Mansard P He said what he did say at a certain .caucus, but what . was the reason for that change of front on the part of the member for Parnell ? It was the very decided tone which characterised public opinion in Auckland. That was the true reason. (Cheers). With regard to what was done in the last session of the Provincial Counoil, he could tell them that the works would be carried out ;_ that the money for them would be forthcoming. It might not come all from the source indicated, but the contributions from the Assembly were not mere doles. They were rather refunds from balances of account, to which the province had a right. As to the Highways Bill, he (Mr Sheehan) contended that was a very fair settlement of the questions connected with the subject. Mr Wood had uttered a rery dangerous doctrine. He had committed himself to a statement which might have the effect of inducing the people to disobey the law and refuse to pay their rates. Mr Wood : But it is illegal. Mr Sheehan : It was perfectly legal. He had no hesitation in saying that it was perfectly legal. Mr Wood next spoke about education. He. was misleading the meeting in what he said on this subject. He said that the. £26,000 voted by the Assembly should be devoted to that purpose. They should, he told them, agitate for that view of the case. But tho money was voted not for education ; it was voted for public works only. - Mr Wood : No, no. ; Mr Sheehan: They \rould find that was the case. His hon friend appeared upon that stage in a new character, surrounded with blue fire. The member for Parnell had quoted Mr Montgomery and Mr Macandrew, both very jhigh authorities, no doubt. Bat did he cite them, or follow their speeches in Wellington ? Mr Wood also told them that these two main questions—the seat of Government/ tbe land fund, arid the confirmation of the southern provinces — were not integral parts of the proposition. Did he not go up "to the Premier in the House and say, "If you attempt to carry these two propositions I will oppose them ?" Mr Wood then thought them very essential parts of the resolution. When Mr Wood was censuring provincial institutions he did not tell them that the Provincial Government brought down the heads of a Waste Land Bill. He did not tell them what the effect would be of having that central Government, which he so much applauded. He did not tell them how money was voted away in a manner which, while it was bringing hundreds and thousands of persons into Auckland, was forcing the most effective colonists out of it by thousands also. He did not tell them how money was voted for : district judges (£7OO a year), who had nothing, or nearly nothing, to do for it. The people went hearing strange things. The man who first? proposed, provincial borrowing would now tell them that to allow them to barrow a shilling would be guilty of something more than an error. The same man wonld be prepared to come down and propose the abolition of the Colonial Government itself. If the provinces were to go, let them go altogether. (Cheers.) It was said if the Northern provinces were abolished, the Southern provinces would follow them. But when would they go ? They would only go when they became as bankrupt ai those which had preceded them. When the provinces should be abolished, all they would ever get from the central authority would be what they could raise by local taxation. (Cheers.) They would find that they were changing King Log for King Stork. He thought that the people were misled by such speeches as they had heard. He thought it behoved the people to beware of how they followed the illusions that were set before them. If there must be a change, let them take care and and see what would come after the change took place. .Let them take care they were not changing for the worse instead of better. They should take the precaution to know, when they abandoned what they had, what they were about to get in the place of it. (Cheers.) Mr James Wrigley did not agree with the ', vote of confidence. He thought that to maintain the Southern provinces a month after those of the North would not do. For those Southern provinces would sell their lands and appropriate the land revenue, so that there would be not a shilling left. He (Mr Wrigley) was a Centralist, but Mr Wood was only half a Centralist. Mr Wood had told them what he did at a certain caucus. They did not want to know what Mr Wood did at that caucus. They wanted to know what he did in the House. [He moved an amendment that Mr Reader Wood be thanked for coming before tho electors, but that they did not approvo of hia votes on Mr Vogel's resolutions.] The amendment was not seconded. Mr Carlyle had listened with muoh attentention to the speeches. He had been disappointed with all the speeches except one.

He believed Mr Wood's speech waß pae of the most masterly speeches he had ever heard. He considered Mr Sheehan's Bpeech a very lame defence of Provincialism. He was a Centralist. What had Provincialism dpne for the province of Auckland ? He thought it would show how money was frittered away if they would calculate how much money was spent on roads, bridges, and other works, and how much was expended upon the salaries of Superintendents, Provincial Solicitors, Secretaries, and oihera. He supported the vote of confidence in Mr Wood. The rote of confidence was passed, with only two dissentients. Mr Wood, in returning thanks, said he did . not expect a meeting so enthusiastic. He hoped they would not ask him to answer the wild antics of Mr Wrigley or the prophecies of Mr Sheehan. He meved a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was carried unanimously. Three cheers were given for Mr Wood, and the meeting separated.