POLITICAL MEETING AT WELLINGTON.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1694, 25 July 1879, Page 3

POLITICAL MEETING AT WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, July 24. A great meeting for tho promotion of a Liberal Association throughout tbo colony was held in tho Arcade to-night. About a thousand persons were present, the largest proper!ion being tradesmen and laborers. Mr Crook, boatbuilder, waa chairman, and four resolutions were prepared containing all the items well known as the L beral policy. Mr Barton, M.H.R., essayed to move tho first resolution, but the wildest disorder prevailed, and the noise was deafening. After making every effort to obtain a hearing Mr Barton eat down.

On the platform were tbe Premier, Messrs Rjes, Reyans, and Eeldwiok. It was then explained to the meeting that the resolutions would not be put, but spoken to seriatim, and a meeting called at a future day to take further action.

Mr Bevans, a well-known Wairarapa settler, proposed a compromise, the exact nature of which could not be hoard owing to tho disturbance. Ilis advice not being acted on, he called the chairman a fraud, and asked the meeting to hiss him. He soon after left tho •tage. Sir George Grey rose to speak to tho first resolution amidst cheers, hisses, groans, and terrible confusion. After some timo the hostile noises gradually subsided, though interruptions were frequent throughout. Sir George commented on tho advantages of liberal associations, which concerned, the working men of tho colony, their wives and children, which would enable them to gut down tho present mode of acquiring Native lands, and building up immense landed estates, keeping the poor man out of tho land. They

would put a stop to tho formation of these big land companies, referring to one in the South and gridironing in Canterbury, all which he considered was making war upon the poor man of Now Zealand, and was calculated to grind him down to serfdom and deprive him of home and hope. He then advocated manhood suffrage, the adjustment o electoral districts, triennial Parliaments, and the abolition of a system which allowed one man forty-five votes. As to immigration, he said it was a wicked thing to spend money belonging to the people to bring out Swedes and Germans to bring down wages. These these people benefited no country they ever went to. Properties were increased in value by tho railways of the country, and should be made to contribute to the revenue proportionately. Out of the population of Now Zealand who were entitled to the franchise 65,897 were without votes, which was a worse state of things than in England in the time of pocket boroughs. Sir George then referred to tho restrictions once placed upon Homan Catholics and all other denominations unable to comply with the Test Act, and repeated a portion of the speech previously made by him at the Arcade, in which he likened removal of tho restrictions to a population breaking loose from a long beleaguered city, and sending forth groat men to every quarter of the globe. Replying to a person who asked why he should raise such a discussion when Parliament was in session, Sir George said it was the rule in England while Parliament was sitting to disones all those great questions. Upon Mr Bees rising to speak to the second resolution, more disturbance ensued. He followed in the same strain as the Premier, but was subjected to much interruption throughout. . . Mr McKenzie who manifested opposition during the Premier’s speech, got on the platform, and said Sir George Grey’s policy was very good, but he was not the man to carry it out. He instanced the lengthened and severe struggle before the people of New Zealand could get responsible Government, as Sir George, who was then Governor, would only have a nominee Government. He also allowed a few settlers to go up to Wairarapa and pick all the beat of the land, so that nothing was left for the poor people, and settlement was thus prevented. The meeting having become by this time tolerably orderly, Mr Barton managed to obtain a hearing. The gist of his remarks being that ho was a supporter of Sir Q. Grey and a liberal policy. The meeting gradually began breaking up and closed about eleven.