MOUNT BENGER.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2478, 25 January 1871, Page 2

MOUNT BENGER.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

MR RED’S MEETING. I have seen the elephant, and he is a Jerusalem pony, after all. In other words, I have heard Mr Reid massacre the Queen's English for a period of over two hours. But to be systematic, and begin at the beginning. Having learned from advertisement in the local papers that Mr Donald Reid intended addressing the Teviot portion of the Waikaia district in the Assembly Rooms, Roxburgh, on Wednesday evening, Ibfch inst., I made arrangements to attend aud judge impartially the merits of the aspirant for the highest honor in the gift of the people. Mr Reid had commenced his address before I arrived, his audience being composed of from twenty-live to thirty electors, aud perhaps twice as many non-electors. To my groit astonishment, the first object that attracted my notice was the gaunt figure of our local member of the police fo’ cc, who was apparently engaged to repress any manifestation of dissent from the views supported by Mr Reid. I am an “old hand” at electioneering, and have in my time attended hundreds of political meetings, but never before did I see the hall of assembly paraded by a bluebottle in full fig, interfering with a'stem “ Soileiice ! if you plase,” when any attempt was made to prove that all present were not convinced by Mr Reid’s oratory. Surely a meeting of respectable citizens, presided ovtr by one J.P. and patronised by another, could be trusted to keep the peace without the presence of a const ible. I enlarge upon this preliminary grievance, as it shows in a marked manner the high-handed mode of electioneering adopted by Mr Reid’s supporters. I wonder what Mr Weldon’s opinion may be on this subject. When J entered the Assembly Room Mr Reid had commenced what proved a very long-winded defence of his Governm nt from the charge of obstructiveness. He repelled this charge with indignation, or in his own classic style of diction, “Whatever pro:re : s has been made we done it ” It was strange, he said, that a non-progressive Government should immediately after their entry on office propose a loan of L650.090—viz., LIOO.OM) for water supply on goldfields, L 400.000 for Southern Trunk Railway, and L 130,000 for other public works. They proposed to set aside the rental of purely pastoral lauds as security for the interest on this sum ; while the Colonial Treasurer proposed to obtain bis loan on the security of the whole waste lands of the Province. (This I may parenthetically remark was a palpable instance of Mr Reid’s want of candor and direct untruthfulness.) He contrasted the Yogcl and Reid Governments, alleging that the former had done less in their two and a-half yea-s term of office than the latter during the twenty months they were in power. He referred to Mr Carr Young’s expedition to England ending up a tissue of misrepresentation by a burst of oratory unrivalled as a specimen of unmitigated pathos. “What, asked he, on the contrary had we the obstructives, the non-progressionists done?” We -a pause, and breathless expectation on the part of the audience--“ wc,” gentlemen, prepared plans of the proposed railway ! “ Wo.” gentlemen, compiled statistics ! ! “ w c ” —and the grandeur of his climax apparently almost overpowered his feelingr—“we.” gentlemen, advertised in a large number of Australian journals !! ! So enchanted did Mr Reid appear by this flight that a charitable, though inebriated, individual among the audience volunteered to fetch him a nobbier of P.B. He continued by the gentlemanly courteous allegation that Mr Vogel had, during his term of office, taken advantage of his official position to visit Auckland on private business at the public expense. This specimen of good feel, iug and truthfulness appeared, I am glad to say, to disgust sniiu of his strongest supporters. He repudiated the assertion that the Reid Government prevented Mr Macandrew from carrying out a policy of public works. Why, he asked, if this were true, had nothing been done while the Vogel Government were in office, when Mr Macaudrew had an Exrcvtive thoroughly in harmony with him. And yet “he done nothing.” He omitted to mention, however, that Mr Reid and his “tail,” during that time formed a powerful aud obstructive opposition in the Provincial Council. He referred to the question of water supply on the goldfields, attempting to curry favor by declaring himself an advocate of a much larger expenditure than had as yet been proposed. The Vogel Government had done nothing but order a survey of the so-called Tuapeka Basin, and this Pleasure he alleged was dietated, not by any regard for the interests of the mining population, but by a desire to recompense the political services of Mr Millar at the public expense. He proceeded in his rambling style to borrow Mr Bradshaw’s' tluui(lcr° by ’ proposing that the administration of the goldfields should be entrusted to a secretary of mines. He proceeded to contradict the statement that his Government hM dishonorably cluna to office, making great capital of Mr Shand’s bogus dissolution motion of December 20, ISG9. Next came the usual twaddle about the Hundreds Regulation Act, and the injury done to settlement by the only attempt made for many years to facilitate that consummation. I shall not weary you or your readers by a repititiou of what they have so constantly heard reiterated in Mr Reid’s public addresses. He made a fierce onslaught on Mr Macandrow, alleging that the Provincial Council had boen elected on the same platform as Mr Macandrow, and they had not ab ndoned those pdnciples, although “he clone so.” Consideration for your limited space prevents me from giving you his preroration which he introduced, by expressing a fear that he was wearying his audience. This remark elicited a hearty “bear, hear” from your correspondent, anti

caused him to be honored with a portentous frown from ** the gentleman in livery. Ihe gist of the preroration in question, may he explained by reference to the old rhyme, If ifs and ands were pots and pans, &c. Mi Mervvn, whose courteous and gentlemanly mode of treating a political opponent, formed a most marked contrast in the viralent ignorance displayed by Mr Reid, commenced the torture by question ordinary and extraordinary, by asking whether Mr Keid would support a measure for levying a tax on unimproved lands. ' r Held did not approve of levying special taxation on waste lands. Ho would support a measure rendering a stated amount of expenditure on improvements within a given time, compulsory nuclei the penalty of a fine of say 2s per acre, tt e instanced the barren ranges surrounding the Taieri, as a proof of the evils likely to aiise from a general tax on unimproved waste lands. An inebriated individual attempted to make some remarks on the nature ot the soil on the Taieri, but was promptly repressed by the sergeant. In reply to further questions, Mr ■ eid stated his Government had introduced the system of cancelling the pastoral leases over blocks opened for settlement under the Vogel Government, the right of depasturage was left with the pastoral tenant until the land was actually taken. He considrcd the pastoral tenants entitled to the grazing until their compensation was paid. He was not in favour of free selection, but would support a system of deferred payments. He did not wish to shirk any responsibility in reference to, the sale of the Island Block. He considered every member of Government amenable to criticism fertile acts of that Government. Still he would say that he had demurred to the sale of the block, and had only yielded to the arguments of those whom he supposed knew more about the circumstances of the case. Mr Mervyu had observed in that organ, remarkable tor its truthfulness, the Tuaptbi Tunes, a statement that Mr Keid had secured peculiar advantages, by throwing open land under the 10th section of the Goldfields Act. lie wished to know what compensation could the. runholder demand? Mr Reid said the principle advantage over the Hundreds Regulation Act, was that t iere was no limiting clause. ihe compensation had to be decided by arbitration, but in some cases the rnnholders had accepted 2s per acre. The highest ever paid was foi the Island Block, namely, 5s an acre. In answer to further questions, he stated that the block on Teviot run, adjacent to the shingle block, would be thrown open as soon as the survey was complete. Mr Mervyn inquired why the survey had not, as was promised, been complete long a, cro ? °Mr Reid threw the blame on the Provincial Council, who insisted on reducing the survey staff. He believed Mr Adam would be shortly on the ground. Mr Beightou said the Government got the money for the survey two years ago He wished to know if Mr Reid was a party to an offer to sell the block to the runholder.

Mr Reid knew nothing about it. Mr Beigbton stated that Mr Ander.on had shown him a letter signed James Macandrew containing such an offer. Mr Reid further stated that he would, were it the wish of the people, advocate a re arrangement of the Waikaia and Dunstan Electoral Districts. He expressed himself in favor of the gradual reduction of the gold duty, but forgot to mention that when a measure was brought forward some years ago he and Captain Mackenzie were its most vehement opponents. The usual vote was proposed and as might have been expected in a meeting carefully packed and overawed lay the majestic presence of two J.P.’s and a policeman, was carried unan mously. I may remark that I do not think Mr Reid has advanced his cause by his speech here. There was no enthusiasm, displayed, at least the only persons apparently devoted to hia cause were a non elector who travels the district in charge of an entire horse and two or three half-crazy cockatoos. I confess that I myself was grievously disappointed as I was under the impression that Mr Reid was an able and llucnt speaker. No impression could be further from the truth, as Mr Reid lacks every quality an orator should possess. He evidently relies on the ignorance and prejudice of a portion of the electoral bo.ly, and counts the sweet voices of this vile rabble by the “self-made man,” “hornyhanded son of toil” line of argument. No working man of intelligence, and, thank heaven, most working men are both thinkers and workers would ever register a vote in behalf of a man who is too ignorant to regret his own ignorance—of a man who is recreant to his own class, “a mob of loafers,” as he politely terms them. No man of education could for a moment tolerate a person who cm hardly open hia month without deliberately murdering the English language. In short, sir, listening to Mr Reid’s speech has confirmed my first opinion that his supporters resemble Sir John Falstaff s ragged army more than auy other array ever assembled on this terrestrial ball. In mercy to your space I must pull up, with the remark that, as I have recently heard some remarks about anonymous journalism, yon are at perfect liberty to publish my name should you deem such a course advisable.