ABOLITION OF THE PROVINCES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2037, 17 September 1874, Page 3

ABOLITION OF THE PROVINCES.

Commenting on Mr Header Wood's speech to his constituents, republished in yesterday's issue, the New Zealand Herald (Auckland) says:— Mr Beader Wood, in his addreßS to his constituents at Parnell on Friday evening, has either done himself or Mr Yogel a great deal of wrong. We would like to be informed by Mr Wood which .it is. Mr Yogel in hiß resolution insitfced, without reservation, that the compact of 1856 should be preserved in all its integrity, and that the seat of Government must be at Wellington. Mr Wood says in effect that the resolutions may have been so worded, but they were never intended to be acted upon. If Mr Vogel's words conveyed to his hearers one meaning while under a mental reservation he intended something altogether different, all we can say is that there is a want of common honesfcy about pur Premier, we have never charged him with, nor are we aware that by any other than Mr Beader Wood has any such grave accusation be made against; him. We will take it for granted that the report of Mr Beader Wood's speech on Friday evening, as reported in the local journals, is substantially correct. We Will likewise take it for granted that Mr Vogel's speech upon fche now famous resolutions is correctly given in Hansard, from the columns of whioh we propose to quote. We draw from Mr Beader Wood'a addreas, on Friday evening, premising that the italics are our own. "He would put it to the meeting whether the whole gist of the matter waa not that the northern provinces being once abolished, those of the South would speedily, follow, and that again would be followed by the appropriation— mot the spoliation— of tha land fund, not qf the Southern provinces but of the colony. .'. . . . The public had had a tolerably aoourate resume of what had happened in the House. Bufc he would take them to a place where reporters were not present, and where mesi ssges along the telegraph wire did - not ; flash. A short time, a day or two after- - wards, a circular was sent by Mr Vegel to : fcbpae members who had supported fche resolutions, calling fchem together for the purpose of taking their opinion upon the actual position of fche question involved. He said that some had supported the resolutions for one reason, some for another, so that ifc was difficult to perceive upon what ground they were all- agreed. About 46 members attended that meeting, he (Mr Wood) being among tho number. - There were several of the members from the province of Auckland present. 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 teat qf Government, and the other, confirmation of the Southern provinces 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 wifch a cheer. What did Mr Yogel reply ? Mr Yogel told, them that these were not an integral i part qf the resolutions (referring to tbe seat of Government and the compact of 1856) ; that they need not be in tne Act, and in the Act they would not be. , If they should be in the Act they should nofc hare his support." We ask, is Mr Wood corresfc in putting these words into Mr Vogel's mouth ? If so, what must we think of* our Premier when we, read the following fooqi his speeoh upon the 'resolutions from the pages of Hansard : — " Some honourable members may ask, ' Why need, the seat of Govern' ment question b$ raissd)by the resolutions?' I reply, simply because it is desirable ihe question should, be definitely decided. We hay* to ask for a very large expenditure in Wellington for publio buildings. I believe that £30,000 to £40,000 will be the smallest sum required for tbe erection of suitable public buildings in wood, and a very . much larger sum would be required if it should be determined to use concrete. I Ifc should be properly settled before* suoh an expenditure is incurred, that Welling, ton ia to continue fco be the seat of Go- j vernment ; and when we contemplate to* make changes of the kind proposed, is" * . very suitable time for asking from the House suoh a declaration as to ihe ieai of Government. Again, it may be aSked, Why refer to the compaot of .18*56?' I may be fcold, upon the principle Qui s'exouse s' accuse, that the very fact of proposing to , deal with the question is equivalent to an admisaion that difficulty and doubt surround it. But that is nofc what; is meant; by fche reference to the compact. What is meant, and what ib was desired to show, is, that the changes proposed, and which can only be broadly pointed in the resolutions, should be

111 ■ ll ''^**gg!gTg^ya^iA > .. | -.Lj_.i^ J ._k TT^...^aiJii-ii»iiM made without infringiug that compact, and fchafc fchey are nofc in any sense inconsistent with ita maintenance. Therefore, it is proposed not only to recognise, hut to ratify the compact. Any attempt to depart from it would be airaply dishonest ; and, besidea, would be to the last degree impolitic. I have been asked whether we would consent to provide by the Act that any future alteration of the compact should not be posaible, without tho meaaure by which the alteration is to be made being sent home for the assent of Her Majeafcykk I reply, that" We ; are." "willing to accept any provision the Middle Island may think necessary to make it most clearly understood that the land revenue of the Middle Island shall be applicable to Middle Island purposes ; and that the land revenue of each province of the Middle Island shall be applicable to the purposes of that province." Thus speaks our Premier in language which cannot be mistaken, aud in words whioh will not admit of misinterpretation. Yet Mr Wood told his hearers at Friday's meeting, that " the Northern provinces once abolished, the South would speedily follow, and that again would be followed by the appropriation of the land fund." Mr Yogel did nofc say so —did not; even hint; afc ao much in his speech to the House, and it was upon the resolutions and the speech which followed that Mr Reader Wood voted. What may hare transpired at the caucus convened by, Mr Yogel haa nothing to do wifch the question, because that was not until after the resolutions had been submitted to the House and met wifch ifca sanction by a large majority. Mr Wood again fcold his audience that be informed Mr Yogel at the caucus that be would be no party to the locale of the seat of Government as proposed in the resolutions, nor would he confirm that portion of them which gave fco the South Island fche land fund. He would agree to neither one proposal nor fche ether. Then, we say, ifc is passing strange, with suoh a atrong predetermination, he should have voted in favour of fchem. There is some great misunderstanding ox tergiversation, either "on the part of Mr Reader Wood or Mr Julius Yogel, and we would be glad te learn on whose side it is. One being innocent, it is certain that the offence or misunderstanding must lie at the feet of the other.