Sir George Grey at Christchurch

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 54, 8 May 1884, Page 2

Sir George Grey at Christchurch

(PEB UNITED PBEBB ASBOCtATIOK.) Wblusotok, This Day. Sir George Grey addressed a meeting of 2500 people in Chiistcharch. The Mayor in the chair. Sir George Grey was received with prolonged cheers. Referring to his last speech there he claimed to be really the member for Chris tcharch, and predicted that the day would come when a resolution depriving; him of that honor would be expunged from the records of the House. He theni reviewed the early history of the Canterbury settlement, tracing to it most of the ills now felt by the people, saying that when Canterbury was formed^ the chief •• men said they had no slaves, and so they made laws whereby laborers were to continue laborers for a certain time in order to snpply the labor borne in Ancient Greece by slaves. He alluded to his own exertions as Governor in resisting the en- ' dowment of a Stale Church and other similar proposals, and pointed oat the monopoly of power exercised by the large land owners and the hardships inflicted on the poor by the rich. As a remedy he most strongly urged a land tax, which would reach the unearned increments , Railway rates and other things were, of minor importance but this was a primary object. They should at all hazards place . in power men who would adopt this. tax. Then they might talk about land nation-* alisation— but not before. He complained „ of the Government using Parliamentary forms to try and burke his Bills. He ridiculed the National Insurance Scheme, and condemned the action of the Government in appointing delegates to the federation conference, xnd also condemned . federation itself. Regarding Native ' Lands, he thought the Natives should , sell their land through the Government in some blocks at a fair but not exorbitant ' price. In reply to a question whether he would follow Mr Montgomery, he said he hnd resigned the leadership of the. Opposition, but was able to walk alone and do what was right and just.' He would not make terms with anyone. The following motion was carried nnanimoulys t --That this meeting having heard - v ir George Grey's opinions on the present . political crisis, heartily approve of them, and believo that the future welfare of the colony depends on the carrying out of the principles therein expressed, and recognise' in Sir George Grey the most fitting leader, for the purpose of doing so.