MR. MACKELLAR'S MEETING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 279, 11 July 1874, Page 4

MR. MACKELLAR'S MEETING.

(Fypm the ' Crom.Well Argus'' repo-t.)

According to advertisement, Mr, MacKellar addressed his constituents on Friday evening, June 2Gth, in Mr. Kidd's Concert- hall. There was a very good attendance of electors from Cromwell and its immediate vicinity, but the number from the Bannockburn, the Gorge, and other out-districts was rather small. The bitterly cold weather probably deteriSd many from coming. Mr. Dawkins, Mayor of Cromwell, occupied the Chair, and briefly introduced Mr. Maekellar. Mr. MacKellar said : —Although it.was not absolutely necessary or incumbent upon any representative, yet it was generally understood, and on the whole a desirable thing, that the member for any dis-. tiict should meet his constituents now and again. It gave the member an opportunity of giving an account of his stew • ardship, and his reasons for adopting such and such a course of conduct in the Council as he might have done ; and it gave his constituents an opportunity of criticising tle manner in which he had conducted, himself, ft certainly did any member gOf.nl to have his conduct criticised (Applause ) Last year he did not call a meeting of his constituents together: his engagements did not allow of his doing so lor some time ; and before he could have got an opportunity, a large and influential body of the electors had testified their opinions in hi 3 favor in such an unmistakeable manner as to remove the necessity of having a meeting. This year, however, there were a variety of reasons why it was desirable to call them together. Party feeling had run so high during the last session that he felt it to be his duty to clear away some of the misty and false impressions which might have been formed of the particular course he had himaelf adopted. He had no doubt n little time would be sufficient for that purpose, but ho had no wish to trust to time or the chapter of accidents to do that. He intended that night, in plain language, but in a necessarily brief manner, to indicate the reasons which had actuated hiin in doing as he had done. Mr. MacKellar made reference to paragraphs which had appeared in certain Dunedin papers (the 'Guardian' and the ' Mercury ') which insinuated that though ' parading himself ostentatiously " in the gallery during the debate, he yet purposely absented from the division upon the motion. M*\ MacKellar explained that his absence enuring the division simply arose from a miscalculation as to the time the debate would last. His presence in the gallery lasted for little more than a minute, and' tfien was only caused by a wish to show a friend of his, who was on a visit txTDunedin, the rdporter's gallery. That friend of Mb, aUo a constituent, was sitting hearing him, and he couldlaear witness to the truth of what he was/now saying ; and also to another thingf that no man knew better the real truth, o f the thing than the editor of the ' Guardian ' and the ' Mercury,' because he hiuhself was in company wish them The insinuation was a very unfair one those circumstances.: Mr. MacKelkir then briefly alluded to lucal matters. He said that everything: required by the district had been attended : to .by him, and in nearly every case what was asked for the district had been granted. No .member of the Council could say any more than that. (Applause.) In the matfer of commonage, lie asked to be excused saying further than that negotiations for procuring a common-,, age were actually being carried. on, and that these negotiations were in his own hands. (Loud and continued applause.) The speaker then called attention to the fact that he had carefully avoided adopting the tone of a member of the Govern-, ment. "He vsas only a young and untried man," (laugh) and he had thought it would be safer to adopt that course in the meantime. He then briefly referred to the reasons which, after some hesitation, had induced him to take office at all. It remained to be seen whether tlie office was such a nominal one as some members had desired to make out. He thought it would not; and for the honor of the district and his own good name, he hoped to fill it well. (Applause) He sincerely trusted his constituents would find no reason to be ashamed of the member for Kawarau in relation with it, at any rate. (Loud and continued applause.) Mr. Dawkins then intimated that Mr. MacKellar would be glad to answer any questions, whereupon Mr Barker asked Mr. MacKellar, as Gold fields Secretary, whether he was in favor of roads being taken through claims or water races without compensation. Mr. MacKellar explained that the matter was sufficiency dealt with in the Goldfields Regulations for general purposes. Mr. Colclough: Regarding the subsidy for the rebate of the gold duty, did it not (strike him (Mr. MacKellar) that the passing of the resolution in the Council by an overwhelming majority would have a good effect in the Assembly ?—The expression of opinion by the Council on the previous resolution was surely enough for that purpose. The principle of the second resolution (bearing in mind the functions of the General Assembly) was not sound, and that was sufficient reason why the Council should never have been asked to support it. Mr. Buchan asked why he did not vote against the resolution in the House ?-~»Had previously explained why he was not present at the division. ]f Mr. Buchan meant to insinuate that he was in any way afraid to record his vote, his expression of opinion on the subject that night was enough to convince any sensible person that such an insinuation could not stand for an instant. (Applause ) In reply to Mr. Taylor: Most cortainly he would have voted, and given his rea» sons, ag.iins.t the resolution, if it had not been for the mistake ho had mentioned in calculating the probable length of the debate.

Mr. liuchnn asked if it was not his duty .to stay in the Mouse during so important ft debute?— Perhaps so; but a member

could not be expected to be continually there, and he r .thought he had satisfactorily ! explained the reason of his absence. *

Mr. Buchan could rot consider his question answered." - What he wanted to get. at was,- would Mr.' MacKellar "' have voted directly against the resolution ?—- Mr. MacKellur thought he had answered Mr: Taylor oil that head. '"■ ,; Mr.'Buchan was not satisfied, -and re-: peated his question —Mr. MacKellar was • afraid Mr. ;Buchan, meant, to insult him. (The Chairman called Mr. Buchan to order ) Mr.,Buchan asked if he would address his constituents at Bannockburn ?—Fret's of private and public business in the meantime prevented him, hut his speech would reach them through the Press. Mr. Aitchison: Mr MacKellar had said that nothing in the shape of a local request had been refused. Would he particularise what had been granted ?—The best; plait of answering that question was to challenge the' mention of any single thing that had not been granted. -Mi;. Jolly: Did the petition re, Bannockburn bridge reach him, through, the Miners' Association there?—No, through the Town Cleik

The Mayor here explained that he'had received a telegram stating that the Government were not in a position to purchase the bridge.

Mr. Buchan asked if he were in. favor of selling.waste lands to provide for.,, the construction of railways,, in ■. the,event ,of the £500,000 loan being refused%-Was now giving an account of his stewardship, not of his future Hewasbut a " young and untried " member'bf the Government^' arid could "hot lightly reply to so momentous a question-regarding the. problematical policy of that Government. Mr. Jolly asked if. the office of the Goldfields Secretary was to be permanently fixed at Cromwell ?—-Mr. MacKellar hoped the question would be withdrawn. While he resided in Cromwell, and held the position, the office Would be in Cromwell. (Some amusement was created by the announcement that the office would be in one* of the at present unused rooms of the Court-house.) .-,, .-..;„.,... Mr. Buchan : Did he not consider the Goldfields should be represented at, Executive meetings ?—Yes, and : are repre-' sented. ' ''''''""''''" '"" 'V^'-'

Mr. Buchan: By whom Myself." Mr. James Stewart" proposed a vote of thanks to Vr. MacKellar for his - address/. and one Of confidence in him as the tepre-.: sentative of Kawarau. The account, they had just listened to of the action taken by, their member during the past session-was! eminently satisfactory ; and as to the fu-f ture, if he did not behave himself,' they could "comb him down " next year.''' ■' Mr. Taylor seconded the motiom ''■'■" L Mr; Buchan tabled an amendment c aa ; follows:—" That this meeting is.of opinion that Mr. MacKellar has broken" his pledge, to support any measure : which' would tend to reduce taxa im'of the Goldfields, by not supporting, either by voice or vote, the reduction lately made of the export duty on' gold ;'"and, that he has %X gl y l n S -Ms pSupjpojrt;" ari^uTtimikteJy:joining-., ; %G^rpmenliwhose|policy funjavorable to the interests of the Goldfields:" "

Mr.; Marshiseconded the; amendment jt?ro forma. -

, On 1 amendment -being put to the meeting,'' .the proposer only was'"foiirfd in ' favor of it!_" + The original motion was then put and carried, amid loud'apjilause: ;:; .'"