Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1869. THE LATE PUBLIC MELTING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 669, 1 April 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1869. THE LATE PUBLIC MELTING.

We have to apologi-.e J o our readers for the absence of onr fall report of the public meeting of Monday evening in to-day’s issue. The great length of the report, and the large quantity of other important matter which has come to hand, prevent us from giving to-day more than a bare outline of the proceedings. The meeting was held in the Oddifellows’ Hall, and was decidedly the | largest we have seen in Napier. Mr Tiffen was voted into the chair, and made a few remarks in opening the meeting. Mr Ferard mo red the first resol u tion in a tedious speech He began by professions of the utmost impartiality, and gave a long ex parte history of the events on the East Coast during the last three or four years The speech much resembled the one made by Mr Ormond at Waipuknrau, and exhibited a similar defiance of chronological sequence. His argument was that Mr MfLean was not subject to the Government, but was in the position of “ a King, an independent ally ” (!) and that it was the duty of the Government to defer to him. The speech, especially the latter portion, was listened to with marked impatience.

Mr T. K. Newton seconded the resolution, and followed with a violent tirade against the General Government, to whom he said the Colony was deeply indebted; but the debt was not one of gratitude, &c.

The motion was about to be put when Mi Buchanan rone to move an amendment. He was received with a storm of hisses, yells, groans, cotcalls, &c, from a skilfully organized party distributed in various parts of the room. Some degree of order being at length restored, he managed to obtain a hearing, though beset with continual interruptions. He criticised the speech of Mr Ferard, and stated that the power of Mr; j M'Lean had grown to a dangerous extent, ancj had been exercised in a 1 manner highly injurious and contrary 1 to the interests of the Colony. He related the offer made by Mi M'Lean to the Government to undertake tiie management of East Coast affairs, and described his quarrel with, and i subsequent opposition to the Minisjtrp. He concluded by pointing out the incalculably mischievous effect I upon the native mind of Mr TV! 'Lean's defiance of the Government.

Mr Colenso seconded the amendment. Kis appearance was the signal for a similar outburst to that which greeted the previous speaker. He said that if Mr M 'Lean's friends had been wise they would not have called a public meeting, but have ai" lowed the matter to blow over as quietly as possible. He stated that the power held by Mr M'Lean, as described by Mr Ferard, was an imperium in imperio, and contrary to all constitutional Government, and attributed the protracted troubles on the East Coast to Mr M'Lean's illadvised actions.

Mr Beyer made a rather vague speech He said he could not express himself properly in the English language, but that Mr Colenso was oue of a party who had been the curse and ruin of the Colony, and who had " led the Home Gove nment by the nose," Mr Worgan made some remarks in which he described Mr Colenso as a "mountebank," who "simulated patriotism," and Mr M'Lean as " ihe bulwark of our strength, and the rock of our defence," and spoke of the great necessity existing for the Assembly to be called together. I Mr Stuart spoke of the jioiitical 'capital which he said had been made lout of the Matawhero massacre; but found it impossible to obtain a hearing. The amendment was then put and lost, the show of hands for the negative being about double those in its i favor.

The resolution was then put and carrier!, and the hour being late, a large number of people left the buildin w .

The rest of the proceedings were comparatively unimportant, almost the whole of the discussion having been taken on the first resolution and amendment. The other resolutions were carried in a thin house by those who remained for that purpose, and the remainder of the speeches were of a highly personal and acrimonious character.

At the close of the meeting a petition was produced (bat not read) and signed by some of those who remained. The petition protested against the removal of Mr M'Lean, and prayed that the General Assembly might be called together without delay. The resolutions may be found in another column. In our next we intend publishing our full report of the speeches, some of which were of great length.