MEETING AT FOXTON.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 13, 14 December 1878, Page 2

MEETING AT FOXTON.

A meeting of the electors of tbe Awahou Biding was held m the Public* Sail, Fcjrton, on Wednesday, for the purpose of giving expression to some feeling with regard to the I resolution proposed by Oounoillor Halcombe, and carried at the last sitting of the ManaI watu County Council. The building was fairly filled, and Mr IJlake. was. Voted {;g the chair. ! The Chaibsiajt m opening the proceedings, said that as all were aware qf the reason, it was unnecessary for him to state why the meeting was convened. The resolution proposed by Councillor Halcombe reflected m an espeoial manner upon the electors ctf .Awahou, and he thought it would be much to, tljeir. discr,e4it' \t ttyej ajlow.e.d the aspersiqns cast upon them to remain unanswered. The 'electors m dealing with Mr Loudon had resolTed to let bye-gones be bye-gones, and Councillor Halcombe had therefore no right to go forward, an d a.c.f to, fcfye detriment of their honor. The ine,e.ting was cajjed by the electors, an<j of the" electors, to deal with Mr Hal combe's action, and therefore none, bufcelectors would Le allowed to speak. He would ca^l upon Mr. Membery to move trje first resolution. Mr Mehbhby said the duty of proposing the first resolution had devolved upon him,' and he was, please^ it was not a very arduous one, A3 the. 'motion w^s likely to inee^ the] views of the, meeting. It '^as to the following e.'ffect-^'That m the qnjnion of I this meeting, the resolution propose^ by j Councillor Halcon^be, and, seconded by Councillor. Macar'thur, at the meeting of the County. Council, held on the 27th November, relative to the return of Councillor Loudon, cannot but be regarded as a deliberate insult to this, constituency, and would ask the Council to rescind the same." 1 The motion was briefly seconded by Mr Fry. '" " ' ■'•" n ' x Before it was put to the meeting, Mr Halcombe a^ke^ leave, to speak m a nqe to it, but " ' ' •■■••• The Chairman said that as it was § meeting of electors only, Mr Halcombe was not eligible to take pafcfc m, the proceedings. ■Rlr'HA'tco^B^: Sorely you w$ allo^w me. io t speak m my own defence.' The Chai^sAK :' The' eleators of Awahou, Mr IJTalcoriibe, are of opinion that you have already spoken top ijiuch. (Laughter.)' Mr. Haicombe.: Such a course is unfair and un-English. ' The CiiAißitAK: The resolutions will have to he put and carried or rejected '; afterwai'ds, if you like to address the meeting you will hare permission to do so. Mr Hai.coii;bk : What ? Pronounce a judgment, and hear tfjj defence afterwards. The Chairman : Y*s I you will be allowed; to^ address the meeting at the conclusion ; not until then. ' ' Hore Dr. Rockstrow forced his way to the platform, and with some difficulty w^ heard to say that be blushed for the meeting' m refusing to grant Mr Halcombe a hearing. ' When the resolution, was proposed m the 'Cbunty.'Cpjuncil,' lie considered it was both irregular, and illegal, as the election of a chaiiinWn, should. Save, tajcen precedence of al£ new business. ' He 'h,ad 'been attacked by 'tjhe Palm erst on paper for npt voting as he had. spoken, butj his. reason for. ' so 'doing was that had he vo)ed one way or. tho.'othjcr, he would have committed himself to the proceedings by' acknowledging '■ tiieir legality. ' He Had determined j had nof the present action been taken, to oppose, the I piisaing; of the' minutes at the next silting. I Hje considered Mr Haleoinbe had no right to propose a resolution which reflected on the electors. ' I^e (Dr. Rockstrow) hid told the elector? during the contest that he could hot defend Mr Loudon, niid he now denied that he had been elected because of : being on the. same ticket. The constituency had sent him m to, break up the clique, a,nd he thought he had succeeded, m accomplishing that ''object. Mi* Loudon had been one , of tour candidates, the elector* had chosen him as their representative, and, he speaker) denied the right of Mr Hntcombo or anyone' else to cirU his position m o«ei- ' tion. He considered the first business sh«uld have have been the election of a i chairman, and it, was ungenerous on the part of M,r Halcombe to press such a resolution with Mr Thynne— Mr London's ! enemy — m the, chair, wliile the resolution itself was illegally, piTi, andjaii insult (jO^tJjiV .constituency. I After some discussion, the Chairman al- ; lowed Mr. Halcombe to make the following i explanation. He commeiieeJ by expressing his deep regret at the. painful duty which • had devolved o,n him — lie might say the : most painful task.* of bis life. He, certainly tlidujglit to hare heard some arguments adi duced m support of the exception which had been taken to hU action, but while Dr. Rockstrow m a most faint- heartod way hid been arguing m his favor, the mover and seconder, hadj cpn.Bae^ Wxex^l^i'i^ Ijhs, merp bald, resolution. He contended that MrLaudan hud been returned without the electors having n thorough knowledge of i the ro:isoh why ' that gentleman' had resigned—(cries of "No, no!,"),. He insisted t hat aucli was the, case, and m proof,- of his words he would, quote the utt terances of Dr. Rookstrow', "wh6 k charged* the Council ; wit,h not having made the .facts public. He did not mean to say that the Cjunt-U had a rigjhr. to t dictate to a constituency who they should vat urn as their, representatives, but ; he helil the members of the Council had a perfect right to express an opinion upon with whom they were Drought into contact, and- he. considered the return of Mr Loudon was an insult to that body. He would put Mr Loudon himself m the jury-box', and out of 'his own mouth condemn him. when' he said.— : '''.ij^ I have done th^at act I am no Ip.ngej*. iU to sit m the Cpuncilj." ' Thalj'was Mr Xipudon's own verdict, and now^ h,e vras condemned for asking that t-Hat judgment' should take effect. [Mr Halcombe was' then proceeding to reiterate the offence with which Mr Loudon \vas charged, but the interruptions became so^ frequent and 'demonstrative tnat hje was forced to retire, but beJFore sitting i down^, ' ha— amidst a torrent of interrpp- ' tioiia-^strov.e, to r.ead i the fol\o.wing amendment, which, l^o.ive.vev," "^aa "not seconded, nor put 'to, thej meeting! —^'That the resolution relative to M*r Loudon's return to tfye, County Council, proposed by MrHalcom^be, was justified by thjk circumstances which led to ; Mr Loudon's former resignation^ of : hia se/it." Mr Thtnse, next mounted the platform, and referred to' the manner m which the ; meeting had been con ve'nejd. An advertise^ ment had been inserted m d, pAper at some distance so as to lea re persons m the dark as to its purport, while the placards which bad. baen ppate^ abq.u.t toym kad, ojolv tff-;

rived the day} preTiously.:. Mr ; Halcomba was to bo attacked and. he was not to b© ' allowed to defend himself, but the meeting was called m such a way that he would know nothing nboufc it. After the action of those present; he considered the constituency well worthy of its representatites. Mr Loudon had insinuations against him, and he had asked that gentleman to accept a» correct his utterances m ths Maxxxtxtp Timks, so that he might mak» him. pay the penalty of false accusations, but Mr Loudoh had shirked out of the re- - sponsibility. He (Mr Thynne) had no iw^v delioaoy.or. fear.qf.tb^e cft^sequencesj and li«. now branded Mr "LoAJdpn. 4s'.'aV'deliberaW.' liar and forger, and he' dared him to diif, pvove it m a court of law. (Here the interruption and hooting was «ueh that thov ' speaker's words were inaudible for lonit. time, the only words which could be recog- . nifjed being an asssrtion that if tho audience wished to go home that night they shoukT hear him, as he did not intend to stir until they had. Ultimately Mr Thynne thought better of it, and retiied amidit much qjamor.) * . : ' Mr DuNaXw "claimed a few moment^ m. dulgence m order to . make a personal ex-' planat;on. Ut Thynne had, 'm the moit ungenerous manner nought to inainpatdttatt by the peculiar wording of the adVerlise.' ment lgnoraqee of the object of the meeting . Wa \ij- I ! ed - ? his >^PH. ld »qo»tj flatlj confcradicfc, and . the absurdity of such au : ld^a was evjdenoed by the'feot.'of.'iliejM! JjlW,..? pw»g»P.li e^peoiallj letting Wli the. object: The.qrder'for •pl&Si.fflißi} re<Wi at >h,e R r)ntigg -6,^ fephel ' 1 with another inslriicfcion Co reset and pu&i tali a fac-simile as an^advectisni^nt m tha Times. As the^ paragraph set forth fchV qQject of the meeting it was ""not-thouiSt necessary to repeat it m the. adveVtiswiH but the liberty iv.as one for which the' : p»m^r was hab^ n.ofc i&itffrijfiWJ. Mr Micabthto sai^that-he would leave |"oxton with a very different onihibtf of the people, to >hat he. had 1 fiifcherto entertained. He thought thej would' reco» mse. some spirit of fair play, but after th» exhibition of thatz^ght, h^e s.h.buldiay'tEal' ■' r\e cpnaidei-pd, them woll represented; " Mr Lotrnoy said that'he had not intende* to take part m the p.roeeedings, as the obj ject was, to deal between Mr Halcombt aricf , nimself t howeve.r, a.ftej-. what .had' fakeo! place he had no such scruples. Mr Thyririii had challenged him to mafce good hia words' and he would do go, fo'r'liefnowpubEciy' charged; him bein» ' a'iyftematio swindler. They had been, told B.6meth iujr about falsifying documents, and he 'would tell tho mepting that Mr. Tiiynn^liad dona. a httle m that Vne, Aft a meeting of tha County Council, Mr Thynne, as, chairman,' had been instructed to wp»t€k*o-th*jtfini«,' ter of Public Works, asking for free passea. for councillors when goiiig tci' and returning from the Council, but of his own'accprd? and without ai^.>ufiUowt.y,;he. had added; "and for the chairman and secretary at alt times;'-'. w)iieh pass i had been used" on alt' occasions when Mr Thynne traVefled On his? private business. He (Mr Loudon) wouldnot reduce himself lo Mr Hiilcombe's leveK and descend to inrectir^— the gentleman? save the mark, wiio put bimseJF up a;r» paragon of immaculateness. MrHaleombe " 1 like a good many others, had very great" pretensions to being.a. gentleman,; but hedi^' not know the iu'ea'nin| of the Tirord. In. placing him at the head o,f the polj, the. . e l?PP°r? knew perfectly vvjell vfiab ihfij.^XS doing, and the^ splec^ipn -jras msde* by the* degrees of compurison— as ' not betwee^ good man and bad man, but between bad^ . man and] worse. He 'Had. taken Ij'is SandT on the hustings bacj, mag, freej.r ackn.&w? liv error, and the ejectors" hadf ? ch^_>WJ» k»n M-^Ufh and.a O rs«. ', i oo f;. . H ?. Yd.V d . B *J judgmenl spon him." self m his confession, and, he' would r'i&& that confesision [MrLoudon then fpad,'B'i» latter. the CobncilJ' ahii : that lotter wai : ; accepted, while in 'r^pi* 1 toils reception, tliat he \yai mos^ pleased* to rocejve the manly acknowledgment"* of'thi* r error. It fell to, ttie.lpt of that 'vessel of* purity, Mr Halcombe, to again" bring. 'up" ; the matter. That Clu-isf inn, gentlenian was' one. of those who dm not believe m R ness, but considered that when" a man was" down it was both manly and prtiisewor. thyl to kick, him, and, with characteristic pre-" sumption propeed^oV W "wuli the con*titu-" epcy, doing so hy a contortion of fact*" : and ( a jofpeet" for. triith ' qiute jwculiar to" ;hj[msel.f, "With regard to Mr Thynne," he. was a nice specimen of n:oAii integrityV for it wouli be. "rememberocL that Vh'enT asked before, tihe, e.bjction. If^hc i seP himself;upas a model of integrity, his reply wai' that ".he. had t no words to express his indig* c j nation at tlie'irnperiinenca of, the.questlon/ ? > ;Both tho3e gentleman might be spotless, but. i tHat was no, reason why they should paradi; ! it before tue w.o'rld,or,Mr.lta,lepjnbe flaunt' j his supposed virtue and, immaculateness m~ I the face of the' electors of Avrahou. isueh conduct waji q'ujte.iji keeping wjth tho]. i character of Mr fialcombe, who 'wai: th«f most egotistical man who^in., he, had, evert met. However, they hjjcl not yet" heard th«l last of tho mutter, as; he (Mr ioudon) r . would bring it before the Council" at iU. ! next sitting, and. »;o.uld; have no half-heartedr judgment or misconception as lotlie voting; TJiere were, a few white sepulchres, m" • the Councilj but "thpy would, be. Lijd_ bar«V m their deformity. It. was something; 'singular that beside : the local "^ress : condeinning. the. conduct . of Cpancillorl . Halc'ombe, sneli" ah." influential, p.iper as •' jtho New. Zaalkpfa'r. dp'vpted. 'a/leading. iariiuje' Co fha same end. arid -■ Verdict g;. while the Wellington Chronieli held $h6£ same, riew.aiicl bestowed a scathing.castiga.^ tion^ uppn^thp.im'm^culate.H^lcombe^.ri.': " ~ The first resolution was then put, tliirty»_ four persons voting for it and .fire against jit, of which Messrs. Halcombe, Macarthur, and, Thyrins were three." '• ■' " Mr JT. Cox then proposed^ and- Mr Qc* MfipißE^z.sepoijctedr— L ' ....... : ".That a committeo be appointed' <:onsi*t : ting of Messrs. Neylou, iFry, Perea», anil Membery, to draw up a petition *?% get it signed, requesting the County Council^ ,to rescind the motion, of Councillor Hal* combe which reflects. '. on »the. . repr^sefi,« , tative, and electors of this Siding." ■ This resol-ation. w«s carwed unanimonslj^. as Messrs. Thynne, Halcombe, & Co., taking., a hint from the reception of its predecessor' that they we're slightly m. the minor.it fi changed their trtctics, and b j 'Toting f o r ifc I strove to t Ijhrpwf. ridicuW uppo, the prowed\ jin^s. "' " ■> 'V : - '■■. .'. ; ; .-.» The next resolatio.n, to the following. effect, was proposed by Mr" H. Fierierconded by Mr W/ Rbbtes, »ud carried^ • unanimously : — ' " .*- --"That m the, -op-inion of : fchis meeting"^ Councillor Loudan is a fit and proper per-(; son to represent tlus-;Riding, anil this meet\ . ing wished to express its entire confidence m, CouncUlorLoudpn. as. repr,|asentative." Votes of thanlis to 'the r chah-and*Pr»iM ti : concluded, somewhat dlsoFdorlj? proceedings.