MONSTER MEETING.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 55, 9 July 1879, Page 2

MONSTER MEETING.

DEMONSTRATION OF SYMPATHY WITH MR. SNELSOX, .....,' . V ">By far" the largest meeting that has cxcv been held m Palinerstbn took plwa. on ■ Monday night, when the'tbwn and district' turned cut almost to a, man to testify thY hearty sympathy that is felt for Mr. Suelr son m the prosecution to which he has rev* eently beeii'siibjtfcted.: "VVjhen tu e inclement state of the: weather," and the wellknown' J rep.ugnarice of Prtlmerstoniaus. for meetings, are taken into' consideration, tke • gathering of Monday evening ig-a most; flattering^inde^'of the" estimation m which 'Mr? irielsott is held' in the district;,' jFrdni ■ j -:&3 i hnrst, i bri-tha'ione lide, ticrKarers ion the: other, settlere came whose sympathies were_ such a nafure »3-not to bo deterred h£ an eigbieeii miles? ; journey ; ■ , wjtile Snot a few ■lived at such a.djistiiiiea «3, necessi tated tt«jr remaining m Paimereto,n all night. Mi\ .Henry M^eil wa» . Voted to;the'.6hair, and "then rend4ettei'3 of apology, ;f» ; oui' the<E,eVv My. iNi wth, and MesSr^. Dairy mple . ,and Dearcls. ' tit- DAngan 1 ' intiaiatbd, to iiie meeting -tha;t . he had" 'been; ; reajtieifced "by Messrs. Jainb&Sly, : of^Karew, and; . JSlhgoli, Fitzherbert, to' tender- their apolbgj'ei > f or • ; btemg iirifvbidably'abient, but both " ge.ntiemenin%»t; cordially sympathised .with, and. endbvsed the ot»]'ec^ -of, theHme*tmgi ah' annouhc«ment .which was receirefi nith '■■ loud ; ' vi.v .1 .-. The Qhaieman said, Sn: opening jbh.e-pro- 1 ' ceedings; that fea.Bupposed , the jeasoa-'why ho had been called upon the " preside was,:; tha^fo/herhad beenipne; of $o._ .sitting m»--gis'trateß;.when Mr. ."Snjjli-Dn 1 : h¥d, v been co"ir'i initfed, the J meeting wjm : determined to put him a* it wtri upon liis trials and cdn^idcß-i ing" the' '■.yeryV^fprnoldaWe, army of ;. weapons and w^rriOM bristled m front of him,' the position wiiVnbfi baicuiate'd to;- put Mnx ■lit his ease." However notwithstanding that, drawback', h'eiwas Very-; p,foiidto v take; ih'e chair' on such ah,;p.ccaßipn : . ; A»- h« na,d' sitated He was on the Bench when th» charge.wa's 1 investigated- at? the Police Oourtj and when the I^sident Magistrate state.d that the step ; b> was called upQii to take was onejof the inos.t.pairiful..it.had ever b^en his duty to perform,- he (the chairmiui)^ heartily; shared, his feelings. However when men undertook public duties they were yeryo£t &n- caljled upon; to ' da .very graat yiolence fco r th>ir private feelings, and although noidoubt the offence for^whieh Mr Snelaoa . hafl beesrcommitt^d ihight befritjlous and .trifling of itself, ;still it was an infringements of one of chejStataV, which as British buSlects.they were Bound^to : obe^ r and respect.; In 'Mr.'Siiielsbii's; casf.a '~priiri& faeiexcuse hnd beotf made" 6T>tj -aTitl 1 consequently the Bench had , no - courso^open to it than t.o place his offence before a jury of his country which waa^tyvjustilyconsidjol not only one, of the hTghest, but t]hie>^i^st just tribuntSlsJ" before^hich;a"man«buid be arraigned: In the c»se" undei?""ciiscußsion, however, it was njofc not;!ne^espary"ndV :rras it probable that it would oven proceed to that extreme length, as by the 58feh- -clause of the Ao£ -under ' whioh the charge had been laid, .power was given the Attorn,ey-Qeneral to withdraw the proceedinga at any Btage,. a.n<l so quash the committal. With t ie.-c.few introductory i*eraark3, he. would b? happy to hear Trb ate ver opinions might bs Gipretscc].., Mr.' Bbttob said— Mr-. :Ghairmii)i and have been chosen to move the ; i fii-st resolution—^alfchbugh I can^ hot reslly see why I should hay« been-— and. when, I , -.read it I: am sure it will find rt an -*c!io and Vreaponse frprri every, person dreseh.t. ;It is ■to thefpUowing.eflLect-— . '; . . v That tliis meeting wishes ltp : . reqord its ljejStttiesfc iyiasa.tfiz^ with -Mr^. (3^prfe Sa^

son m tiie trying position m -which he.hsxs beempTScea^and considers the prosecution 'tojffhich h* na» been subjected tvxatioui and frivplous m the •xtrame." I dare say j'it is necessary to^say very littl* m adrot»;y of such* resolution. The night, is v«y eoidjtstad I assure you it required xv* small pressure to bring me from my fireside*. ' on such an evening ; but I f?lt th»t I had ■■dfflfcy^tb perform, and 4 w«s' called upon, to stand by a fellow settler m the hour of need. I have read something of the facts of the case, and I have heard it said that ,ther.« 1 i* no .ignq^nj > „atj^hißd > to*.jAut.,p6iiitionin whichTsirTSnelson was placed 5 but I am not quite sure that such a > view ia atriolly correct., it is quite true that the> absence of all criminal intention is imflk-iflnfc. to exculpate him : m the mii?ds of all to whom he is.. known. Looking at it. from, that point of n9w the^natterappearedlight, .but there is also a serious aspect which mu?t, riot b» lo^t sight of. People are obritinualiy changing rin ihe.coloiues j strangers ma»; come to 'Palmerston who m ; ght leaxn. ithai .he had^- been ■committed for trial, J. withoutkapwjng the facts of ? ths case, , and; the.rebf a stigma or stain rnignt ;. be placed 'upon h i» : character. Th<»n again; m eotiiNt of time, Mr. Suelson might; go to another part of the> colony, and when m the witness box s*mt : rascally 'lawyer -might ask him. if > he ever , ■had a criminal con rictibri: recorded against him.' ■.'There-iWouidbe, no, u^e In trying tp explain,] but .hie would bo immcdi*,tely|m9t with the command to answer "y*spf"no!'* This is how the pre3enteß[arfe— tiwjial w it now appears— might militate against Him, and he would beinadeto.bear th» atigraai ;. of criminality .*T ; myß«|l£:nave been a criminal, and' lean say from oxpcrieDce the feeling is neither enviable nor pleasant.; I. to?* "have placed iriyself ..-^itliin the pale of .the v law, and notwithstanding' I see Mr. Q-ille*-pie at the end. of the hall, Ido not mind making; ja clean breast of, itk About fiftesn years ago I "wa« m tae bush pigeon shooting and it happened 'ther* . were ft party of • Maoris close by bent- upon the eanie missioiu. .fJKfti/gaijae-.'triaft/pJ^ntUur.-.and- niy du.*.ky ' neighbors did such exooution^ that their aia-> munition gave out: " In the strait they applied to me for some, eapa and I uuthinkingly . gavft them the. requirta quaniity, and m return veceivai .a , shillingi • . Opon refle ;*tion I -found that t haibrbken ihe Uw, that I had been guilty of a criminal action and I took, the jviaelt c'dufsS . nnder the circumstnnoe* tjie:, sgjortsioan frpm I ' jeceiyed 1 the shilling,, and' to his-T»rr great surprise* insi'stfid upon returning itj therby, no doubt losing caste. in his estimation. I gm;,by>np inea'ni ! what is called an intimates friend of llv. SneTson. • I krioir Him, 4rid it is because I know Him, to be an honorable, honest man, that ,1; arii hwe jbo^night to en* dorse with my , presence- the-, sympathy-; expressed for hi^ aris the/ *ctionjpr6pbsed to. taken on hi* behalf:: (Prolonged -ap«. plausfe) '-;• ' ", -. ':'. V v" ■■; ' "*MV; ~ PoqiJB t ! (Bouf las settlement} ;«aid> that he i^acVat tended the; meetirig :becaus»._ He considered that it yftt^i'tlie duty wof^ eteiy ~ aetcler m- the Maniw^^u ;^ com> fprwarO; at such, a time and, :bear, .testimony io the worth of Mr. .Snelaon, - Injus" opinion, not t'only PalmeHtpn but the whble district oVred "to debt of gratitude to .that geaUeman, and ;was\sr6ud | *ft \*B»,*u6 Qi a gatnerinj aseembied to giv^a *übsiantial probf of it. A, bligblt had been pujb upon his character, and "it was a duty, incuribeat upon them to take immediate steps _tp have it ijemoyed - H». had therefore .much-, 'pleasure- m seconding tbe- resolution,, •' - ; \ ■■ ,-: '-.- .■■_.'■ . . "- ; , ■ ; "There being>nc>;> amendment, the motion* was put to thevmeeiting,^when>,a^peit'Cfe forest- of hand* were, held up, and, aiaidst :-f.^cif erous^ applause, it'/wJ!is^dec}ar.ed unanimously carrfed;^' ■•_ -.. ; '£■-■■'- ~^'-^ ■■■ ' . /"Mr,.. C6ißMM?!Hcfhf co^Sng forward to .pro-. i^pbsei^lie^secona i raSslafion .stated ...that !»•-_. : ;tHQ.-e?«B^B^6f : a ; T«rt »e---•v^re vb^. ' Howeyer, that might prevent, 'him' ffoin-'speakingi but h^.;had;p>ierinuied it wbuldnot keep :him from, the. meeting, at-wbioh he would hare he&n present , even, : had he. to orawl to.it on, crutches. He felt, as he kriew ; all;pre3«n,t f.elfc-r-He felt as; one of thepeople-^rid Be felt grateful to Mr., Snelson fo^his.saerificing efforts on-' behalf * of the district. The very appearance of •the" meeting wae a. substantial, proof of the. '.-worth of the ma.n : oni whose j account they, i had come together. He was not possessed, lof [ißuch, eloquence, bjit fortunately the'oc^. heasibn. >v.aß;pna which did. riot need it-—tUe-object vraa q'n\itW.'aQffil%9)b.-ttf''s^eal'£o.»Tevy one. lndeperidenfly of -liis o^ial pbeitiott, as Mayor, : Afr. Snepoi^^as a riian who had deseiTedly'won'^ 9^* every reiid^nt m? the^-district; He- begged tp"raove-^- ; ;; ' ; •'.•■• ' •• k ■ ■■: ;-u-y ■■■_•:■;,■■■■•> ' '" That iiiasmujjli r -as ' >vrl»ilr the -oharg*, upon ' which TytnVSneison has been cem--mitted for trijd; rem'aias; Ve,corded, a groja, iujiisHce i» beingdohe, and Jfche district de--privedof the services r p£ one,; of its moit. u-efiil magistrates'; immediate 'application 'be made 1 tb'^he'Law'Offlcer of the Crown to put th>Sßth "elaiwo pi the Armß;i.ct into force, Solas to quaib. the committal ot the inferior coiirfe;' 1 x ' ■'■-.- ; ; . Mrl tHrsajus j*kl ' ; 't Q at gon»j. to the meeting he bad done sp-in^tiis pro-. fessionftl-cipacitj^ apd; did jot expect to rtakS^ pariiij^ the proceedings.. r vHoweyer an opportunity had boen^ offered to second th» resolution ', and ie need not 6ay he had em*. braced it moat* willingly. ■' Generally fpeak"jrigil^ iraa k his. task to -chronicle, the; utter-. auces of others, looking on. as a silent spec-, but the present he felt to be?an becasion upon which He was called upon to learev the bjeaten, .trackv He perhaps, the>newest settlfr m fcbif rpQxrij^anfl as Ur as time was concerned had lessracquaintanc*. with Mr,^ Snejs6n:than ippst present. But Ihe had k,npv?n him, suiticiently Long to estimate him at hisfcrae worthy to esteem him, for his" bpnorable, upright, "principle?, and : tabe ab> £0, speak witlvan a«: of. authority 'with regaisT'tci b!is latfors for the district.. From hif^psition "as journalist- and Mr.. Suelson's" 6JH?:e rthey if.ere ; brought together perhaps more' than people were. aware-, and'he. rnsf p^nsequ^ntly m a posij tion to state that' early arid!: late that gentleman was aiway«,.«u : the-. . watoh for the in*. terei^ts of the; district;' ; While others— with,, commendable: prudence, ;it should be ad-. njitfeed,— >v.ere.. at lending, id their privatemtorests, Mr. Siislson'tvpas guarding th«public gOoa,-to. the. .detriment' of hiß private interests. ' " HUd devoted the «am». amoiintof^fetention-to-hia l o<wjn,.as he had tot the public wants, it was more, than, probable, ihe >vbuidnbtf be placed: m -hiß jpresent position, on:nere3*itsted to Bce^gnnß. m an auo-. tion room. Hel (the Bpea,kor) had been, present at'the length^ t inTestiga^ioi}, of the, casefn th.c Police, Courty and" co^d|Bafely. ! assert that nofr a particle of evidence; had been pr.odused r tpfprove that an ifl^gnlj'sale. had been effected. The prosecution, diet not even attempt to prove such" a charge.-. The 'sale was; perf ffctly legal, biit there, were, , certain form^itiesvwhich had to be gone, through before "the delivery of the gum Mr. BrucelhaTi .'told itlrem how* his' good? native hadvgot him intb4rouble, because, he felt anxious' to give, soin'f -Vduskj ' sports'nieri a little pigeow thooting f and could; they \ronder.at Mx, SneUori riot refusirigBrandon a "lonri of the rifle "for the '. same) -purpose. It iiad. been proved m opnrfc that ' tie had repeatedly told B.randpri that the, gun vras ncithis, •until ; th> receipt, of the ii<-enße from the (Sistbrnsj a^d* flttit -Bran-^ .lon was w!?H awar.vth>t the v ha«| . been given is a loan w«jS shown by. the fact h that lit <Koledtp%b

rited, and whether the weapon still a : loan or had hecome his own proprrty. " These were the true facts of . the ■ case, from irhich'it wonld be apparent that the offence - committed by Mr,' Snelson Wflsin"' allowing the rifle to leave his possession without ■ tW person, to whom it was l«nf having been T^-fthit:;approyed ; , of by, the. 'authorities.'. He did not blame the police. ..for doing. their ; ; ctuty witkoiit'fear dt -favor, arid tli» ■ only; matter which 'appeared- shady was that ;: it was sworn m evidence that the law jb'ad: been Terj lpbs'ely: admini»4ered, Mr. Shelson should havfr been Suddenly selected *:ior punishment. However, that' was aj v matter outside the question. The letter oF "the ilair^^^had s :beei* broken^ the police had' clpne their duty; the Bench reluctantly ; *»iTied put the disagreeable office imposed vtpon then, and it but remained for tho'so ; ; ireseht ,to dp theirs. , As the Chairman * tod wfbrmed theni, the JLot -srasbne of the most; stringent- upon fcjie Statute Book, J|ut r . when it Was framed it "'■ was foreseen t&at its provisions were calculated to perpeJ tratc gross injuslioe,. and the 53tlr Clause attached as a kind of set-off or safety■''■falye. The resolution which he had risen • ■ t'p second was calling; upon the "'Attorney--Ch»n^»ral L t6 :put, that saving power" into force, a course of procedure to which ,he' would giv«,his hearbv support. • . ■"-v 1 ; The mot'ron-was' then put, and if pos- : iible, carried with greater enthusiasm than its predecessor! '^ v. ■ Mr.- Fbbousoit "said it gave him very great pleasnre not only to be present^ but to move the next resolution, which had been ■; ' placed- m his hands. Mr. Bruce had stated ' ?J tihat he did not know why he had been J called upon 'to take part -in^fiie proceed ings; ; (the speaker) happsned to 7know tlV^ ; reason; why he (himself) had- been selected; / -'iKd he would^teir them farther on. Thero ■ v were few perhaps" m the district, and pos''•iblj nciie present^ who could, and did, si ; heartily sympathise with Mr. Snelson as be ' : did. ' He had considerable- experience— not S'rery pleasant experience he* regretLed to ;" r iify-^-6f the working of the Arms' Act, and he could safely say it was almost impossible under its stringent provisions to keep out : v'df: the clufcehtta i ef the law. Hitherto mat-- .-■'•' ■ ttrt '^had- : been, quite easy enough,; but the S ;; iotodu6t of 'their dusky friends m the North : -iadput a different complexion upon tKe ' aspeot 6t affairs, and more stringent tiiper- ; yisioTi was .. exercised. The police had reCoived certain orders, and -in' carrying out those instructions it was a matter of course that some one should -fall a victim, and it k&ppened that the lot had fallen upon Mr. ySnelspn, but. he did npt believe for a mpment that that gentleman had been singled - but for example or-persecution. As far aa '-/ "lie was individually concerned he admitted hiving broken the Act, and whjvt was more— : _ p.nd that was what troubled him so much — ■ lie "(did"'' npi at the present time know how .comply with the -required ' provisions '.- * There were .always sp many new things crop- > >J iptng.up'j that, riff-- would take a man half a lifetime to perfect himcelf m the knowledge ■ofjiihe Various- clauses, and wbreit not for. r: • the -stock that he had on hand," he would'KaVe nothing more to do with guns, ammu-; : ' Tfutionj oranything.of the sort. Now., the--jr;s -fe«soht why b© jhad been selected to take, /■• j»rt m the proceedings .of :that evening was •-■• *o give him the opportunity of publicly denyiug a most unfounded rumor that, he had. ~ r acted as the, informer to the police." It was needless for him to give the statement a' ;"' 4 -|^iut-tlank- denial, for those to whom he; was. known were- quite aware,that he. was net the man to say bohind'a person's buck "''■'-; #uatl»e would not; *ay before his -face. he.htd^ heard the rumor, lie had gone "i tb Mr.;Snelsoii and asked him ,if he" bs- ] lieved it.tp. be true. That.^ gentleman re--) Cplied th/it at first he did believe it, but'since : ■•- ■' then-he ha 3 ijof only ; cause to -changecv his opinion, but. was aware. of the true facts of ■th the case. .Had .Jlr, Snelson. been preient•t tbe"meeting,,he felt' obnyinced that his . weU-knpwnjie|we ,crf. honor would have im-.--"ipalled to state^publicly, what' he had said privately— tliat he entirely exonerated kirn tom ; any .complicity • m girinf "; -f thi' informaeion; ' For p^fsohal as Well an ; reasons he, was pleased to be pre3ent. : \»t the meeting, and it gave him much .plea- - iure rfoi'- move ph+ resolution. (Cfceera.) ;,=, lt was as follows :— - ,„■ - :&;, <€ NTliat the memorial- just read, after hay- ■■;/ |ng obtained the' signatures of those ihth'e. -\ -town. of Paimerston, and County of ■ M ana-' "t ? iratu, be.ifprwarded by the Chairman, -'to thejAttorney-General.'' ;: -'.., :^ ■•."', =" ' :] ir- .'.- '■ ,=iA jMr.JBNBSiN said he had been asked to ; •econdthe resolution just read, an,d he did «i\j»?wj|t;h sinoere pleasure... It was a mover ment which he knew* would be heartily ehv tdorspd by every settler between the Eangitikei and Otaki Riveri, and although some -|nighfc.no^ be there to give ufcfcemnce to exr : preMisdejwpathy, he felt convinojed that : „i«f»^ap;in-thi rdistHct" would^id" if by .■ •übsbribing their|namee tp the mentorial.' ? .--.;-.; .: ; ,","Tht- Chairman Having asked if fi any gentleman wisjied to speak, before the molion was put, and no Response being offered, ;t]i'«'T«Mlt|tfeio^--^'-;ofti^dt'.amidft vocifer- .- #«■ ehfmng; '* -'^ ""■'■'.,"- ;• '■'• -.'.■, 1 >Mf/pt[NOANsajid that as-he presumed the \ A nejtt, business of ttie Boseeting wo^ld be . thei •ig>iing J of the memorial, before thai pro- .. Medinc commenced he would take occasion Vto apologise .for. Mr. Lintoij. That gentlejDan had been jbonflned tpKis house for the -.. put' week through severe illnssi, nevertheless it had been his intention, if he cjouid :;i«^y^ej»Tejhpme fo b> present at'thf ..ineetiag. He (Mr. Dungan) had been spanlc- ' 'mg J toJ^r.,Linton. about; that night's proceedings, and he had "been assured that ne- *. "ftoj* ?f TQgv&vi* inabjiity: should pre-; ■ "l-i Tent his attendance, as If r. Linton had forward*d tn apology >o thY County Odunoil, spthat he would be m town on.' the occa■ion, as the objecfc had his .warmest .and •nd heartiest sympathy. . aijounoemen^ Was receiyed wth, loud • fpplauie, and a vote oif tbi»nks to the chair- : man conclud«d thfimost su.ccessf ul meeting thaVhij ever fieealield in'the distriefc. The country settlers. %h' / rpHed up to. : attach their signaturas, so that they, take their departurej and before, the meeting ieparat<Hi OT«r one? hundred names ' were attached. : - :..; •"'•■' - ■ :." " ;'•