THE WELLINGTON MEETING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 176, 25 July 1879, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON MEETING.

Wellington, Friday. A monster meeting for the promotion of a Liberal Association throughout the colony was held in the Arcade last night. About a thousand were present, mostly artisans and laborers. Mr Crook, a boatbuilder, took the chair. The persons on the platform were Sir George Grey and Messrs Bees and Feldwick, the only Wellington citizen being Mr Barton, M.H.R The meeting was the most insolent and disorderly ever held here, and it was only with a deal of difficulty that any of the speakers obtained a hearing. At length Sir George managed to get the ear of the audience, and spoke at length on the advantages of forming Liberal Associations as a means of obtaining for the working men better representation, increased franchise and better legislation. Regarding the' lands he said it was a wicked thing to bring out Germans and Swedes with the people's money to reduce the price of labor. There were a good many cries of " bunkum,", and " What did you do when in power?" throughout the speech, but the applause which his remarks elicited seemed to preponderate Mr Rees followed in much the same strain as the Premier. Mr M'Kenzie, while believing in Sir G Grey's policy, said he was not the man to carry it out. The people of New Zealand had to fight for yeara before they could get responsible Government from Sir G. Grey who also allowed a few settlers to pick out all the eyes of the Wairarapa Valley. The resolutions were only spoken to, but not put, and the meeting dispersed without any result, expect a vote of thanks to the Chairman. Mr Barton was unable to obtain a hearing at the first part of the meeting, but did succeed at tbe latter part when things had quieted down a little.