MR M'INDOE AND MR BARR AT MORNINGTON.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2110, 9 February 1870, Page 2

MR M'INDOE AND MR BARR AT MORNINGTON.

Last evening Messrs James M‘lndoe, M.P.C., and A. Barr, M.P.C., addressed a public meeting of the electors of Mornington. The chair was taken by Mr W. H. Peynolds, M.P.C. Mr MTndoe stated that he had been requested to meet his constituents to give an account of the proceedings at the late session of the Provincial Council, which had been convened for consideration of the Hundreds Regulation Act, the railway question, immigration, and re-union with Southland. Commenting on the latter subjects first, he was in favor of re-union with Southland on account of the increased political influence it would give to the Province, as he presumed that the members for Southland, being interested in those measures that would benefit Otago, would generally support the same views. The necessity for the introduction of a large number of immigrants was shown by the high rate of wages that farmers had had to pay during harvest, as much as two to three pounds a week, with rations, having been paid. He did not consider skilled artisans were so much required as agricultural laborers, and with regard to machinery, he was of opinion that, like the Americans, the Colonists should strike out something for themselves, adapted to the peculiarity of their requirements. He supported the view put forth by his Honor the Superintendent on the railway question rather than that of the Executive, who had abandoned the principle they laid down as applicable to the Clutha Railway by handing over the construction of the Port Chalmers Railway to a private contractor without calling for tenders. They had thus been guilty of gross inconsistency. With regard to the Hundreds Regulation Act, the Executive laid down two propositions —Ist. That the Act was an encroachment on the the Brovin-

cial Council with which all legislation on the Waste Lands should initiate. 2nd, that if brought into operation it would obstruct settlement and interfere with the working of Provincial institutions. The Executive, therefore, asked the support of the Council in refusing to bring it into operation, and in seeking to obtain signatures to a petition to be presented to his Excellency the Governor, and the two Houses of Parliament to amend it. Mr Ashcroft proposed as an amendment that the Act should be brought into operation, and, if found defective, should be sought to be amended. In consequence of the'strong support Mr Ashcroft’s proposition received, the Executive abandoned all their propositions but one, and through Mr Clarke and Mr Brown other amendments were proposed, and ultimately, in lieu of the compensation for English grasses provided by the Act, it was resolved to grant to the ruuholdcrs a pre-emptive right to G4O acres. He supported the amendment, as it was a step towards free selection. The time for Hundreds was gone by, and the amendments carried were a step towards their abolition. Ho believed the Government were ashamed of the stand they took in opposition to the Act, and the more its provisions were known, the more it would commend itself to the people of the Province. Mr MTndoe was questioned at some length by Mr Bathgate and others. He expressed himself morally certain that his Honor the Superintendent would be again returned. Mr Barr afterwards addressed the meeting. He went much over the same ground, but objected to the 'Hundreds Regulations Act repeating the current arguments against it. Mr Bathgate, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr Barr, condemned the misgovernment that led the Clutha settlers to petition against the Waste Laud Administration of the Province. A vote of thanks to Mr Barr was passed. Mr Sievewright then moved a resolution, to the effect that Mr M Tndoe had ceased to retrin the confidence of his constituency, and that he be requested to resign his seat, which was negatived by 12 to 10.