THE ABOLITION QUESTION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 339, 3 September 1875, Page 3

THE ABOLITION QUESTION.

. meeting- -jwrra'titntt. f ■ •; A cc^ihg t meeting of the Hultt electors was:i.held -on Saturday evening at the" Masonic-Hall; Lower Ilutt The railway, authorities hajS!-arranged for a specil .train .to, pnd' .Hutt; and the down tram started Vbout seven oVlujk, Sir Grey, K C:B Jt iVI 1t.1J., and ftlr< J; Sheehari'/ M H'R., being amongst,the spassengars.-iAt tjje'Hutt ter-> 1 'minus 'Sir was received by* Mr Fitzherbert, Mr. Buckley, and other gentlemen of standing in the district (pin thw |.ilatiuriu liiertj wan aUb a large crowd'

of Maoris and Europeans who, so soon as Sir George alighted, commenced cheering lustily. All/were provided with torches, tor the' purpose of.forming a torchlight' procession; A parent!y llfcse had either been filled with water, or the Maoris, despising the welt ar-F'anged'' Kiiropean. plans, preferred brandishing ■■- ihe : unligliied . torches, war T injury of the skulls of those- ; unfortunates who ventured too close. . Sir George .was escorted' . to. th§ residence,of the Hon.: Mr. Fitzhetbert, ahd'aft'e]r_a shJi't rest, during which tjjne the torches were lighted,. proceeded in a torchlight procession to the hall. The room was. immediately filled to excess, and the proceedings were commenced by Mr Beetham being voted to the chair. The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting, arid also the requisition to Sir .George Grey, and then suggested ttiat the latter gentleman should address the meeting, remarking that it must be a source, of pleasure not only to Sir George but to all people in the district to see that; so cordial a reception had been accorded, him,.lor.whatever differences of opinon might exist, every one must respect hi'hv- " : '" "'"' " '-.•'• *'"

Mr. Rush wanted ; to know why Sir George ..GreyVpnd.; Mr.■:, -£itzherbert had come to give opinions on abolition 1 : 5 Every what'their opinons were without" thefi''sneaking. The electors wanted to hear'-someone else, (cheers and hisses.) '"The Chairman: A requisition' was sent. . ; ._..,, ... -. • Mr Push : I'd like to hear some cross-fire. It's no good asking for what we already know. At least I know it. '' '" " - "•■ The«.Ghaif man: You are riot the audience.- -(Cheers?) ; Mr:'" Rush : .'.#o, T am only one humble individual.' (So you are Jack. Hoorah !);. But that,is my reason for asking you. (Uproar.) *".*..''.'': ' The Chaimian: I think! the audience isentitled to 'hear,'.the;..gentlemen.. •■■■lt-. i& merely, a. question., of -precedence, -1 which, shall address the >neeting first,"as Mr/ ij'kzherbertwas^first asked. 5 . .Mr, ..any .-.jrijght ;he ;fti^hate:had,.J.^;^%'- T s; ,>=x ■ ..-. " "A'i'id the Chairman called upon i Sir •GeorgaGreyK' (cheers.) ' ''; ■•• Mr: Everist: I think we ought to allow a certain, time for each speaker. What do you say, chairman?' ~" "" \ ; ; .' Thft Chairman,: ..J am,riot,. i sure .rthat : it. is'rhy province to decide that matter, ilt' is for the meeting tfrdeeide whether it shall' be so. If the meeting generally approves of it we will have-it:'""*'--'"---'--"-'"- 5 "" ■'""'' '"" -.-■•; Mulliris: ~1. think that to ask gentlemen down here and tell them they shan't 1 speak" aftervyards is insulting them (Oheers.) Mr. Rush: At .the same time we know what, our Superintendent is. He will keep us "for twenty-four hours if we let him go on. No, lam for allowing them ; a fixedtime to speak... ;. ■..,_■■■..- • --, : "The meeting had" "treated each of the speakers'to a largerheasure of cheers and hisses., but now several of the more prominent .ejectors began to exhibit unusual exuberance of spirits, and the noise became deafening. . .' The Chairman (after being pulled by the cojatrtails several times), now rose, and in a tremulous voice said : We must have order.. - ■.'■;,•;■.■•;;■■..-...-. -■ .--••■-.'•..•. •;> Mr; Rush : Quite right, but—— The Chairman :; r We-are Miot going to have the meeting occupied by,you all .the evening. (Cheers.) -- •— J "- Mr Bush-: Oh-no, of course not. -, But I want to know h'pw long these geritiemen are gdirig to'"..speak there's that Superinltendent,;yon know he'lLgo oivfoi- amonth, ialw:l.f;;vve.:keep.:it up. ; after-tw'elv6 it-willbe wicked: (Loud'laugliterl):' '.pflie speaker could not get any further,. and when the confusion ;; had somewhat subi sided,] The Chairman called upon Sir George Grey.- •■'' - ''" '""".?' : ''' V !\ir George Grey then.rose amid cheers, which were continued for four or five minutes.