PUBLIC MEETING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 271, 15 November 1877, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A well attended public meeting for the purpose of taking into consideration the present political situation was held at the Provincial Hall last night. On the motion of Mr T. Harley, the chair was taken by his Worship the Mayor, who said that he had convened the meeting on the receipt of a requisition signed by over 100 citizens. He was pleased to see so many present and hoped that a fair and impartial hearing would be accorded to all who desired to speak. Mr Levestam said that the existing state of affairs was considered highly unsatisfactory throughout the colony, so that no excuse was necessary for their meeting to discuss the present situation as they had a perfect right to grumble, and if they thought that matters were not progressing satisfactorily it was their duty to make their voices heard. Discontent was growing apace with aParliameut, the members of which wasted their time for their own aggrandisement, and in a war for place and power regardless of their constituents and even of common decency. An ominous cloud was gathering on the horizon on which was written in fiery characters the words "Degradation, ruiu, and taxation," for these were sure to follow where politics were set aside for mere factious strife. Everybody had their sympathies enlisted on one side or the other, the majority, he believed, siding with the weakest, because fair play was denied to them. The resolution he had to move was;— „ .. " That in the opinion of this meeting the interests both of the colony and district would be best served by Parliament giving Sir George Grey's Government a fair trial."" The Government that had administered the affairs of the colony for so long had become known as the continuous Government, and they really seemed to imagine that they had a vested right to the Treasury Benches, but their time had come at last, a vote of no confidence in them had beea passed, and Sir G: Grey came into power. The reason why they had been in office so long was not that they had displayed any great administrative ability, or prepared any clever policy, but because their forefathers, as he might call them, had been the originators of the Public. Works Policy, and although the Ministry had been reconstructed from time to time they had never entirely given up the reins. Immediately after the Grey Government had' been formed an Opposition was formed under Major Atkinson. It seemed strange that the rejected one should be selected as the leader of a party wbfch many of those who had voted to turq himout, but so it was, comprised and his opponents of a few days before rallied under his standard iv the hopes of finding solace for their disappointment in the sweet 3 of revenge. The new Opposition agreed to give the Government time to make their financial statement, and yet the very next day Major Atkinson gave notice of his noconfldenee mption. The only intelligible reason for such a change of tactics was that in the meantime certain charges had been made against Major Atkinson and his party. These had taken a strong hold on the public mmd, and, from the indecent haste displayed to eject the Ministry, tbey had come to be re--1 garded ad facts. It. went againat his graiu

to refer to our members in their absence, bufe he felt bonnd to quote from Mr Sharp's speech (which has already appeared in our columns) to show the reason he gave for turning the Atkinson Ministry oat. It was urged that Major Atkinson had no policy to which he replied " look at my Bills," but the principal one of "thoae had been abandoned because the House did not like it, and many of the others only passed by the aid of the Opposition, a fact that was of importance as showing that the Opposition to the then Government was not a factious one. Mr Sharp had said that Major Atkinson had no policy, if that was the case it showed that the present fight was merely one for office. Sir George Grey now appealed to the people to be allowed fair play, and it was for them to see that the appeal wa3 not made in vain. Mr Acton Adams was glad to meet the electors once more, as it appeared to him that the abolition of the provinces had led to the abolition of public meetings, which was to be regretted, The resolution which he seconded asked our representatives to < give a fair trial to Sir George Grey. It did not bind them to support either one or the other party, but merely expressed their opinion that they objected to see the present Ministry hustled out of office before they had an opportunity of looking into the finance. The new Government had not only to audit the accounts of their predecessors, who represented a Ministry of eight years standing, but they had to plan out a financial scheme for the future, andfor this only nine days had been allowed them. The Yogel policy continued by the Atkinson Government had been one of extravagance, the i ew one must be in exactly the opposite direction, and consequently must take some time to prepare. In 1872 Mr Gillies was allowed twenty days, last year Major Atkinson took thirty-five days, and then merely reproduced a copy of hia predecessor's financial state- ! me^t, asking until the next session to prepare a new one, a task which Mr larnach was expected to perform in nine days. The : Parliamentary usage in this respect had been clearly shown by Mr Ballance, who had quoted-precedents from the English proceedings. The attempt to turn out the present j Government appeared to be entirely owing I to party purposes, for in his speech Major Atkinson had not shadowed forth a single reason beyond saying that Sir George Grey , was not placed in power by a majority of the House. The present opposition wa3 not only premature but obstructive, as imprest supplies were refused, whereas Major Atkin--1 son had had three granted to him of a quarter lof a million each. Such conduct was most ungenerous, and placed the Government in a humiliating position, as they could not meet the demands for salaries or for contracts (entered into by their predecessors. The cry raised againat the Government was fchafc they had no policy, but they had already made a partial statement showing that an additional loan of £4,699,000 would be required and further that there was a floating debt of 2£ millions. This showed that they had not been idle, but had discovered these debts which had not been mentioned by the oreyious Government. The system of finance which left us in a position to have an immediate demand mado upon ua for 2£ million^ was as ruinous as it was unbusinesslike, j.be ho confidence motion appeared to have been accelerated by these discoveries, since fche Opposition had agreed to allow a reasonable time, and the very next day when these discoveries were announced notice was given of the motion, apparently with the view o" stifling enquiry. What the Opposition should have done was to give the Government time to verify their statements, and then, if they | failed to do so, to have come down with a no-confidence motion. The late Treasurer had shown himself quite incapable of grasping the financial position as a whole, but carried ou in a hand to mouth style that was the reverse of statesmanlike. It was said that Sir G. Grey had no policy, and so he was opposed. Mr Sharp had opposed Major Atkinson on precisely the same ground, and yet he was now supporting him. (A Voice —He's a weathercock). Mr Gisborne, a man of large experience in these matters had c^racterised Major Atkinson's finance as improvident and shifty, and. that was just what it was. His attempt fo regain office after being turned out by a majority of the House was an act of unparalleled audacity, lhe Government which had been in office so many years was a Governmeut of compromise, merely existiug by taking in tlrir opponents and surrendering principles

to place, and yet they seemed to think that they bad a divine right to remain on the Treasury Bao.cb.eß, and regarded all opponents as interlopers. Mr Larnach was a man of considerable financial knowledge;. Major Atkinson had been a farmer, and then developed into a soldier, but he doubted hia being afioancier. To liken small things to great he was-like Osman Pasha, who, whon he lost the Gravitza redoubt immediately set to work to recover it. ' The Turkish General, however, was fighting for nationality, religion, and \ honor, Major Atkinson for the sake of j power auppplack. ' Mr Oliver opposed the resolution. The House of Representatives had got into a difficulty, and he did not see that tha country was cailed tspon to step in and get them oat of it. He did not think that SirG. Grey had acted honorably to the late Government. He should have brought forward a no confidence motion early in the session, instead of which he adopted the unmanly trick of waiting until the end (A Voice: When is the end to be?), when the members were compelled to leave to attend to their private businasa. He thought Sir G. Grey had no claim for that fair play which he had refused to the other side. Mi? Atkinson moved the addition of ihe words "so that the charges made against the late Government may be proved or disproved during the present session." He certainly was surprised to hear Mr' Adams come out as a financier, as it was ridiculous for any man there to talk about the finance of the colony unlesß he had made it his special study. (A Voice: Take a drink old nban, and speak up.) To him the charges that had been made were a matter of personal grief, and he would not remain in the eoiony if he believed (hem to be true. (A Voice: I believe them.) That was all right. It was a matter of opinion, but let those who made the charges prove them. Mr Everett seconded the amendment. Mr Graham did not think it fair to Sir George Grey to bind him down to bring forward his financial statement this session, especially when it was remembered how long it took Major Atkinson to prepare his last year. Some years ago Mr Stafford had told them in that Hall that ha had been endeavoring to understand the financial position of the colony, but! he could not do it in nine or ten j days, bat during the recess made tha head of the Treasury Department hump the books up to hie bouse every day for several weeks. Eventually, by sheer hard work, he mastered it, bat he nearly killed Mr Batkin over it. If it then took Mr Stafford so long when there was no factious Opposition worrying him, bow I much more difficult must it be with nine years additional complications, and having to fight the Opposition every day. He hoped the amendment would be rejected by an unanimous vote. Mr Adams said that Mr Atkinson had stated that it was ridiculous for him or any man, unless they had made it a study, to talk about the finance of. the colony; but that was just like the Atkinsons. It was on the same principle that the monks of old prevented the people from learning to read and wrile in order that they might retain the sole control over literature. In his humble way he found that there was a floating debt of two and a half millions, which • ha stated was a ruinous system of finance. It really was not difficult to understand that. Mr Leveetam, in replying, stated that ha scarcely thought it worth while to reply £0 anything that had fallen from Mr Oliver, nor was there much that Mr Atkinson bad said that required, remark. He objected to the amendment. All be wanted was fair ploy, aad that the Government should be allowed time to investigate the accounts. The amendment was then put and negatived, only six hands being hold up for it. The resolution was carried, the sole dissentient being Mr Oliver. Mr Graham thought so much had been said about the Government, and parties on both sides, ttitit it would be unnecessary for him to add anything in favor of the resolution he was about to propose, which he was sure would be carried, as they bad already expressed their desire to give Sir George Grey a fair trial. An Opposition was a good thing if it was not too strong, but if parties were evenly divided all Government must stop. If it was only like w"bat they had experienced that night, it was useful as it became the means of bring out more brightly the truth on the other Bide. He would move " That in the opinion of this meeting, in the present disorganised state of Che House of Representatives, owing €0 parties.being so eveoly balanced, an appeal to the people is the only satisfactory and constitutional course." He would warn them, however, that aveo if they got a dissolution, their duties had only just commenced, as it would be for thorn shen to say whether they would return another Parliament Hkethe present one. If they did not wish that, then they would have to bestir themselves. If there was a dissolution and Sir George Grey remained in office, ii wouid be bis duty to propound a policy, and theirs to pronounce upon it at the polling booth. Mr Roweli seconded the resolution. Mr Keateven said that he was only a new chum, but he might say that the resolution was one thai he thought ought to be supported by both sides. It waa (h@ boast of New Zealand that

Constitutional Government was so well carried out here, where there was not the sharp definition of ranks that there was at home, nor the same extreme democracy that prevailed in the United States. It waa for the country to say whether it would be governed by the people or by the Governor. The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Mr Everett proposed " That the Chairman be requested to forward copies of the foregoing resolutions to our, representatives and to Sir George Grey." This was seconded by Mr Osley and carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding terminated the proceedings.