The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 344, 7 September 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1868.

The threatened attack ou Provincialism waa commenced on Thursday last, when Mr Hall brought forward in the Assembly the following resolutions. " 1. That in order to simplify the relations between the Colonial and Provincial Governments, and to remove uncertainty from Provincial Finance and facilitate the reduction of taxation, it is expedient that the system of Provincial charges on General revenue be abolished; that the Consolidated Fund be at the disposal of the General Assembly and be charged generally with the interest and Sinking Fund on the Colonial and Provincial Loans, and also with the expenses of the Colonial Government, including the maintenance of Harbor establishments." — " That, in order to equalise the effect of the above change as between the several Provinces, £90,000 out of the proceeds of the accrued Sinking Fund, realised by operation of the Consolidated Loan Act, be paid to the Province of Nelaon, and £15,000 to the Province of Wellington; and that £12,000 be annually deducted from the Territorial Revenue of the Province of ShortlanJ, in aid of the Consolidated Fund, uutil repayment of the Consolidated [Southland ?] Loan be effected." —" 3. That an annual apportionment in proport ion to population be made to the several Provinces and other divisions of the Colony for the maintenance of Gaols and Police." —"4. That the above arrangements be brought into force on Ist January next, and leave given to bring in a bill for giving effect to these resolutions." By this means the present division of the Customs revenue will cease. And in fact the bill that will follow, in ca e of the resolutions being adopted, will practically put an end to Provincialism altogether. That this will be the case, is, however, doubtful rather, inasmuch as there is a very strong body in opposition to the provinces being in any way meddled with. Some no doubt are sincere in their convictions that Provincialism, as at present existing, is best adapted to the condition of the Colony, but these are only a small section of the whole, for there are a great many who depend largely for their incomes on Provincial pay, in some way or other, and self-in terest incites them to the conservation of matters as they stand at present. If an analysis of the Assembly was taken, it wonld be found that an extraordinary proportion of those holding seats are deriving emolument from Government offices of some kind or other, General or Provincial, but chiefly from the latter. In order to put a stop to this system, whether Provincialism is preserved or not, a bill has been introduced into the House of Representatives and passed its second reading about ten days ago, entitled The Disqualification Bill, which if it becomes law, as it has every chance of doing, will effectually shut out this class from future legislation. We subjoin an abstract of the provisions " The long title of the bill is " " ' an Act for the better securing the Freedom and Independence of Parliament.'" "Its short title is" "'The Disqualification Act, 1868.'"—" Section 2 provides that the act shall come into operation from and after the termination of the present Parliament, by dissolution or otherwise."—By section 3 the Disqualification Act of 1858, so far as it relates to members of the House of Eepresentatives Bhall be re-

pealed on the present act coming into operation." —4. Members of the Upper House shall not be capable of being elected to the Lower." —" 5. No person, except as is hereinafter specially provided, accepting or holding any office, commission, or employment permanent, or temporary, under, or from, or by, or at the appointment or nomination of the Crown, or the Governor of New Zealand, or by virtue of his office as Governor, or at, or by the nomination or appointment of any officer of the Government of New Zealand, by virtue of his office, or under, or from, or by, or at the appointment or nomination of the Superintendent of any province, by virtue of his office, or at, or by ihe nomination or appointment of any officer of any Provincial Government by virtue of his office, to which any salary, fees, wages, allowance, emolument, or profit of auy kind is attached, shall be capable of being summoned to, or of holding a seat in the Legislative Council, or of being elected to serve as a member of the House of Representatives, or of sitting, or of voting as a member either of the said Council or the said House during the time he holds such office, occupation, or employment" —" Section G excepts responsible Ministers and members of the Executive Council, and provides for the Secretary of Crown Lands sitting in the Upper House."" 7 Superintendents of Provinces are not disqualified from being members of either House, being specially excepted from he operation of clause 5."—" 8. Contractors with the Government for work for the execution of which monies of the colony shall be paid are disqualified."—" 9. The election of any disqualified person is null and void " —" 10. Any member of either House becoming disqualified by the acceptance of any office, or being a party to any contract, such as those referred to, shall vacate his seat." —" 11. Any disqualified person who shall presume to sit or vote in either House shall forfeit a penalty of £IOO for each day he so sits or votes.