MR MACKELLAR’S MEETING.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 242, 30 June 1874, Page 6

MR MACKELLAR’S MEETING.

According to advertisement, Mr MacKellar ■addressed his constituents on Friday evening last in Mr Kidd’s Concert-hall, There was a very good attendance of electors from Cromwell and its immediate vicinity, but the number from "the Bannockburn, the Gorge, and other out-dis-tricts was rather small. The bitterly cold wea- ( *ther probably deterred many from coming. Mr Hawkins, Mayor of Cromwell, occupied the •chair, and briefly introduced Mr MacKellar. Mr MacKellar said ;—Although it was not ■absolutely necessary or incumbent upon any ■representative, yet it was generally understood, =and on the whole a desirable thing, that the member for any district should meet his constituents now and again. It gave the member an opportunity eff giving an account of his stewardship, and his reasons for adopting such and such a course of conduct in the Council as he might have done g Mid it gave his constituents an op’portunity df criticising the manner in which he anight have conducted himself. It certainly •diof any -member good to have his conduct •criticised. (Applause.) Last year he did not ■call a meeting of his constituents together : his •engagements did not allow of his doing so for •some time ; and before he could have got an opportunity, a large and influential body of the •electors had expressed their opinions in his favour in such an unmiiatakeable manner as to "remove the necessity of having a meeting. This year, however, there were a variety of reasons why it was desirable to call them together. Party feeling had run so high during the last session that he felt it to be his duty to clear away some of the niisty and false impressions which might have been formed of the particular course he himself had adopted. He had no doubt alittle time would be sufficient for that purpose, but he had no wish to trust to time or the chapter of accidents to do that. He intended to-night, in plain language, but in a necessarily brief manner, to indicate the reasons which had actuated him in doing as he had done. He would only deal with, so far as the people in this district were concerned, the leading events •of the session, but these present could, when he was finished, complement his speech by asking as many questions as they pleased. Mr MacKellar then said the best way to give them an Idea of the state of things was to describe how things were when he reached Dunedin, which he •did the day after the session opened. He described how the Executive had resigned ; how the most extraordinary rumours were floating about Dunedin relative to the reasons which had caused such resignation. He would merely refer to the existence of these rumours, but not at length, as many of them had proved to be without foundation, especially those relating to Mr Bastings. He (Mr MacKellar) then went on to comment upon the efforts which were made to unite the goldfields members together in support of a Government of which Mr Bastings should he a member ; but not being in possession •of all the circumstances of the case, he had declined to support such a proposition. Dr Websfcer was at this time trying to form aii Executive ; and certainly if he (Mr MacKellar) supported such a Government, it would have been because Mr Bastings would have been an important member of it. He believed other goldfields members took the same view of it. Dr Webster was unable, however, to form a Government, and Mr Reid undertook the task, which he succeeded in doing on Wednesday, the 6th of May, though without a goldfields member. Mr Reid had done him the honour of asking him to take the office, but private reasons prevented him at the time from doing so. The absence of a goldfields member from the benches during the session was made a strong point against Mr Reid. It was not correct that such an omission was made because Mr Reid did not want a goldfields member to occupy any position in the Government. Mr MacKellar then referred to the reason why Mr Reid had allied himself with Mr Turnbull and Dr Webster, and said it showed the unreasonable nature of the opposition which was afterwards shown to the Government. The feeling he asserted was almost universal amongst the members of the Council in favour of a coalition Government. So strong was this feelirjg that he felt quite assured either Mr Bastings or Mr Fish would have joined Mr Reid’s Government if they had been asked to do so, although they afterwards acted in opposition. Mr MacKellar then referred to the vote of no confidence which was moved by Mr Bastings. He thought the goldfields members had acted unwisely in that matter. He could not resist the impression that they had banded themselves together on that occasion ; at least he was sure that one or two goldfields members (amongst whom he did not include Mr Bastings, however,) industriously canvassed for that purpose. It was a foolish position to take up, and one which only tended to perpetuate the notion that goldfields members formed a distinct class, —a class of members who should attend to goldfields matters, and to nothing else. The banding together of any number of members raised up a spirit of opposition amongst others, and if a spirit of this kind was once shown by goldfields members, it would only weaken their position and influence in the Council. So far as he (Mr MacKellar) could see, the position taken up was, that the Secretary for the Goldfields must be the Secretary also for Public Works. It was argued that the position of Secretary for the Goldfields was quite a useless one unless it was accompanied by the position of Secretary for Public Works. Mr MacKellar then pointed out that there was no member (outside of Mr Bastings) whose age or experience in the Council would justify him in demanding to fill the joint offices, and goldfields members were thus put in the queer position of saving that either Mr Bastings or nobody should fill the position of Goldfields Secretary. He certainly could not insist on such a state of things, as he thought there were more capable men in the House than Mr Bastings ; and some quite as capable amongst the goldfields members. Mr MacKellar then referred at some length to the vote of no confidence in the Executive as formed, and to the strange tacking-on referring to the land policy. In his opinion the whole question resolved itself into a personal one, as to who should occupy seats on the Government benches. In concluding his remarks on the land policy, Mr MacKellar expressed an opinion that it was only necessary for any man of common sense to compare Mr Bastings’ speech with the address delivered by His Honor the Superintendent at the

beginning of the session, to see the inconsistency with which he could be charged. With His Honor’s address Mr Bastings must have largely agreed, and yet his speech was almost directly opposite in its meaning. Mr MacKellar then referred to the Cromwell Commonage question, which he had been reported as having made a reason for opposing Mr Bastings’ motion. (Mr MacKellar here explained that he was obliged to mention Mr Bastings’ name so often in consequence of his having been such a prominent member of the late Government, and also from his having been the leader of the opposition. Although opposed to Mr Bastings in matters political, he trusted his hearers would understand that personally he was entitled to and would receive at his hands the greatest respect.) Mr MacKellar’s remarks on this subject conveyed the impression that he had not been treated ingenuously by the late Government, and that he was entitled to assume in consequence a position of antagonism to them, and consequently to Mr Bastings, who was, so far as he (the speaker) in this particular matter was concerned, really the Government himself. Some remarks were then made as to the reason why the railway from Lawrence to Teviot had not been pushed forward during the year in accordance with the resolution of the Council during its last session, Mr MacKellar explained that first he had been inclined to blame Mr Bastings for the passive opposition which had been shown to that work, but towards the end of the session he had discovered that it was at the instance of the Government that his Honor the Superintendent had introduced a Bill into the Assembly for the purpose of carrying out the work, and he therefore had withdrawn any charge of that kind he might have made. Mr MacKellar then said, as his remarks were getting rather lengthy, he would pass over the other matters which had engaged the attention of the Council, and come at once to a matter which had attracted much attention upon the goldfields, viz.. the proposed refund of 6d an ounce of the gold export duty. This plan of reducing the gold duty was not by any means a new one ; it was a crotchet, in fact, which was always brought to the front by a certain member of the General Assembly, who he had a shrewd suspicion wished simply to get rid of an onerous duty in the place where such a reduction ought legitimately to be argued, viz., the House of Representatives. The plan which was adopted to carry the motion was certainly a cunning one. First, the motion that “it was desirable to reduce the gold export duty” was carried, and then was put on the list of motions for the Supplementary Estimates this one of devoting a sum of £SOOO for the purpose. The first motion, which was an expression of opinion on a subject with which the General Assembly could alone properly deal, was carried unanimously. No division of opinion existed as to the desirability*of a reduction in this to a large extent unjust tax. This tax was one, however, imposed by the General Assembly, and it was only necessary for persons resident for any length of time upon the goldfields, to recall to their memorv the confusion which reigned upon the goldfields some seven or eight years ago, in consequence of the attempts on the part of the Provincial Council to legislate on General Assembly matters, to be convinced that that body would he extremely jealous of any interference with their functions. At the time he spoke of, the result was very nearly the withdrawal of the goldfields from Provincial control altogether. He believed now that the proposal would not be assented to; he could not see how the Governor, advised by his Executive, could agree to an Ordinance which .practically set the Assembly at defiance. He (Mr MacKellar) did not believe in things which merely sounded well, but had no real meaning in them. He was, for instance, greatly in favour of the construction of the railway line to the Teviot, and had used every effort to have it carried through during the session a year ago. This session the same line was in question again, and he had asked and recommended that it be struck out altogether,—not that his opinion on the subject had changed, but because he thought the Council was not in earnest in the matter. For the same reason he thought it would have been better to have struck out this £SOOO. It was a question which ought never to have been raised in the Council at all, and he thoroughly believed many of its supporters never expected it to become law. There were several arguments which could be urged against it, although the main one in his (Mr MacKellar’s) opinion was that it was based on an unsound principle. There was, for instance, the danger of having the Appropriation Ordinance thrown out on account of its containing such a doubtful item upon it. He made this assertion notwithstanding the opinion held by that great and shining light on goldfields matters, the Southern Mercury. The danger was avoided by the plan which the Provincial Solicitor adopted, by providing for the proposed repayment by a special ordinance ; but he (Mr MacKellar) did not think any one had thought of this way to avoid the danger till the Provincial Solicitor had solved the difficulty. Again, the object which was intended to be reached by the motion—the raising of the price of gold to the working miner—was not attained, except to a very small extent, even if the motion was passed into law. Mr MacKellar here went on to shew that if the whole question was examined carefully, it could be very easily seen that it was not only possible, but highly probable, for the whole sum to be expended in repayment to the exporters, (who really were the bankers,) without an additional sixpence being paid to the minerwho produced the gold. There was nothing to compel an additional price, and there was nothing to prevent gold from other provinces than Otago being exported and getting the benefit of the repayment. In concluding his remarks, Mr MacKellar said it was a question which should not have been introduced to the Council at all; it was one which should be debated in its proper place, the Assembly, and members of that body should not shirk their responsibilities in the matter. He might remind his hearers that he had argued the question strongly on behalf of the miners through *he columns of the Argus, W’eeks before the Southern Mercury or any other paper had mentioned it, when the Bankers made a combination to reduce the price of gold ; and it was hardly likely, if there was any chance of the motion doing any good to miners, that he would oppose a favourable scheme to their interests in the Provincial Council. So long as he was in the Council it would require more than the mere name of a goldfields question to induce him to support it. Mr MacKellar here made reference to para-

graphs which had appeared in certain Dunedin papers, (the Guardian and the Mercury, j which insinuated that though “ parading himself ostentatiously” in the gallery during the debate, he yet purposely absented himself from the division upon the motion. Mr MacKellar explained that his absence during the division simply arose from a miscalculation as to the time the debate would last. His presence in the gallery lasted for little more than a miuute, and then was only caused by a wish to show a friend of his, who was on a visit to Dunedin, the reporter’s gallery. That friend of his, also a constituent, was now sitting hearing him, and he could bear witness to the truth of what he was now saying ; and also to another thing, that no man knew better the real truth of the thing than the editor of the Guardian and the Mercury, because he himself was in company with them. The insinuation was a very unfair one under these circumstances. Mr MacKellar then briefly referred to local matters. He said that everything required by the district had been attended to by him, and in nearly every case what was asked for the district had been granted. No member of the Council could say any more than that. (Applause.) In the matter of commonage, he asked to be excused saying further than that negotiations for pro curing a commonage were actually being carried on, and that those negotiations were in his own hands. (Loud and continued applause.) The speaker then called attention to the fact that he had carefully avoided adopting the tone of a member of the Government. “He was only a young and untried man,” —(laugh)—and he had thought it would be safer to adopt that course in the meantime. He then briefly referred to the reasons which, after some hesitation, had induced him to take office at all. It remained to be seen whether the office were such a nominal one as some members had desired to make out. He thought it would not; and for the honour of the district and for his own good name, he hoped to fill it well. (Applause.) He sincerely trusted his constituents would find no reason to be ashamed of the member for Kawarau in relation with it at any rate. (Loud and continued applause. ) Mr Dawkins then intimated that Mr MacKellar would be glad to answer any questions, whereupon Mr Barker asked Mr MacKellar, as Goldfields Secretary, whether he was in favour of roads being taken through claims or water-races without compensation.—Mr MacKellar explained that the matter was sufficiently dealt with in the Goldfields Regulations for general purposes. Mr Colclough : Regarding the subsidy for the rebate of the gold duty, did it not strike him (Mr MacKellar) that the passing of the resolution in the Council by an overwhelming majority would have a good effect in the Assembly ? The expression of opinion by the Council on the previous resolution was surely enough for that purpose. The principle of the second resolution (bearing in mind the functions of the General Assembly) was not sound, and that was sufficient reason why the Council should never have been asked to support it. Mr Buchan asked why he did not vote against the resolution in the House?— Had previously explained why he was not present at the division. _ If Mr Buchan meant to insinuate that Iffi was in any way afraid to record his vote, his expression of opinion on the subject that night was enough to convince any sensible person that such an insinuation could not stand for an instant. (Applause.) In reply to Mr Taylor: Most certainly he would have voted, and given his reasons, against the resolution if it had not been for the mistake he had mentioned in calculating the probable length of the debate. Mr Buchan asked if it was not his duty to stay in the House during so important a debate ? —Perhaps so ; but a member could not be expected to be continually there, and he thought he had satisfactorily explained the reason of his absence. Mr Buchan could not consider his question answered. What he wanted to get at was, would Mr MacKellar have voted directly against the resolution ?—Mr MacKellar thought he had answered Mr Taylor on that head. Mr Buchan was not satisfied, and repeated his question.—Mr MacKellar was afraid Mr Buchan meant to insult him. (The chairman called Mr Buchan to order.) Mr Buchan asked if he would address his constituents at Bannockburn ?—Press of private and public business in the meantime prevented him, but his speech would reach them through the Press. Mr Aitchison ; Mr MacKellar had said that nothing in the shape of a local request had been refused. Would he particularise what had been granted ?—The best plan of answering that question was to challenge the mention of any single thing that had not been granted. Mr Jolly : Did the petition re Bannockburn Bridge reach him through the Miners’ Association there ?—No, through the Town Clerk. The Mayor here explained that he had received a telegram stating that the Government were not in a position to purchase the Bridge. Mr Buchan asked if he were in favour of selling waste lands to provide for the construction of railways, in the event of the £500,000 loan being refused ?—Was now giving an account of his stewardship, not of his future intentions. He was but a “ young and untried” member of the Government, and could not lightly reply to so momentous a question regarding the problematical policy of that Government. Mr Jolly asked if the office of the Gold-fields Secretary was to be permanently fixed at Cromwell ?—Mr MacKellar hoped the question would be withdrawn. While he resided in Cromwell, and held the position, the office would be in Cromwell. (Some amusement was created by the announcement that the office would be in one of the at present unused rooms of the Courthouse. ) Mr Buchan : Did he not consider the Goldfields should be represented at Executive meetings?— Yes, and are represented. Mr Buchan : By whom?— Myself. Mr James Stuart proposed a vote of thanks to Mr MacKellar for his address, and of confidence in him as the representative of Kawarau. The account they had just listened to of the action taken by their member during the past session was eminently satisfactory ; and as to the future, if he did not behave himself, they could “comb him down” next year. Mr Taylor seconded the motion.

Mr Buchan tabled an amendment aa follows s —“That this meeting is of opinion that Mr MaoKellar has broken his pledge to support any measure which would tend to reduce taxation of the goldfields, by not supporting, either by voice or vote, the reduction lately made of the export duty on gold ; and further, that ho has misrepresented his constituents by giving his support, and ultimately joining, a Government whose policy is unfavourable to the interests of the goldfields. ” Mr M arsh seconded the amendment, proforma. On the amendment being put to the meeting, the proposer Only was found in favour of it. The original motion was then put and carried amid loud applause. Mr MacKellar, in returning thanks for the vote which had been passed in his favour, said ho had confidently relied upon such an expression of their opinion. He took it as a general expression of approval of the line of conduct which he had pursued. He did not expect his four hundred constituents to adopt and approve all his opinions, any more than they would expect him to homologate their four hundred different sets of opinions. He concluded by moving a rote of thanks to his Worship the Mayor for the able and impartial manner in which he had occupied the chair. The meeting then.came to a conclusion.