The Politician.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 319, 23 March 1878, Page 7

The Politician.

SIR GEORGE GREY AT CHRISTCHURCH. Christchurch, Sunday. The Odd Fellows’ Hall was packed last night long before tlie hour of meeting. A large number of ladies were in the gallery, aud the platform was filled with our leading citizens and representative men. The chair was occupied by the Mayor of Christchurch. Sir George Grey was received by au ovation which lasted several minutes, all the occupants of the hall standing ; and lie was frequently cheered to the echo during his speech. He commenced by stating that he felt great difficulty in addressing such a meeting, as lie had a most critical audience to deal with. Without any desire of boasting, he would state that it was within the knowledge of them all that he had obtained for them a Constitution, under which they liad happily lived for so many years. (Cheers.) In the great colony of Natal he had also introduced a Constitution under which the people lived at the present time; while a Constitution which he recommended for South Africa twenty years ago was now believed in by leading English statesmen. (Cheers.) The measures which he now proposed for adoption had been in existence in England for many years past. These measures were manhood suffrage and fair Parliamentary representation. Sir George proceeded to speak at length on both questions. He referred very strongly to the evils that had in past times existed through the people of England, Scotland, and Ireland being debarred front having a voice in the affairs of the country. The bad laws existed through want of representation in the British Parliament, and in consequence of class legislation. The next question to which he referred was the incidence of taxation, and he contended that every man should be compelled to pay to the revenue of New Zealand in exact proportion to the benefits he derived from tlie country. (Cheers. 3 He did not believe that absentees, drawing immense riches from the country without paying an equivalent would have been able to do so if the people had liad a fair aud equitable representation in the colony. (Loud Cheers.) What had given such an enormous increase to the value of projierty in the colony lately but the great public works, which had to be paid for by the people of the colony in an equal or rather most unequal ratio ? (Cheers.) With regard to the land question, large and valuable blocks were held upon far too reasonable terms by men who, in many instances, lived in the old country. The English income tax was a fair one, aud one that ought to prevail, in this country, and it was to him remarkable that New Zealaud was so apathetic on the subject. (Cheers.) If the people were content under the present state of things, they were slaves. (Cheers.) The legislation of the country should be directed to an

equalisation of taxation, one feature of which would be a great alteration in the shipping laws, which compelled vessels that called casually at a port to pay heavy charges. Free trade in this matter would be an immense advantage to the country, aud would attract a large amount of shipping. It was a duty they owed to themselves and the colony to consent to a tax upon land, and if the landowners knew their own interests they would assent to it. Men were driven out of the colony through the land laws that existed. If they let the present state of tilings go on for the next ten years they would not be able to shake it off for the next half century. (Loud cheers.) The plural system of voting was most obnoxious, and was the cause of an immense amount of evil being entailed upon the colony ; if the system was allowed to go on it would be extended to other things, and their liberties would in point of fact be gone, and would not be very easily regained. Until a change was made they would never have just land laws, or any land laws properly administered. Sir George then proceeded to speak at some length on the question of the falling in of the runs. In the course of his remarks on this subject, he referred to the gentlemen behind him as being responsible for the present state of things. The remark was received with loud and prolonged cheering. Sir George then referred to tlie condition of New Zealand in case of a war in which England would be engaged, and went over tlie same ground as that previously trodden by him at other places. He likewise gave his explanation of the reasons why he had declined to spend the money of the colony to allow Sir Wm. Jervois to visit the various ports of New Zealand. It was impossible that such works as those which would probably have been recommended by Sir Wm. Jervois could be carried out in the present state of the finances of the colony, and he had preferred that Sir John Coode should visit New Zealand to examine the various ports with a very different object. (Loud cheers.) In conclusion Sir George said the people should rise as a man and insist upon such measures as were adapted to the wants and requirements of the country, and then New Zealand must become a great and glorious nation. Sir George sat dowii amid lond and prolonged cheering. He ,-pokc for nearly two hours. Mr. E. G. J. Stevens, M.H.R., moved a vote of thanks, seconded by Mr. Montgomery, M.H.R., who proposed the words, “ That the Government has the confidence of the meeting.” Dr. Turnbull then ascended the platform, and paid a high tribute of praise to Sir George Grey as a public speaker, but afterwards proceeded to attack the Auckland people and the Government for the part they had played in the land fund question, aud stigmatised Sir George as the Alaric of the North. Mr. Saunders seconded Mr. Montgomery’s proposition. Mr. John Inglis seconded the motion of Mr. Stevens, amid loud tones of disapprobation from the audience. Air. Rolleston next arose and addressed the meeting. He was received with a storm of hisses. He said he could not allow the vote of confidence to Sir George Grey to pass without making his protest against it. He did not think the speeches were such as to command the confidence of the country. (Great confusion. The Chairman appealed for order.) The speech of Sir George Grey was remarkable for the unspoken part of it. (Loud hisses and applause.) Mr. Rolleston essayed to continue several times, but without success, there being loud cries of—“ Put the vote.” Air. Jobson here seconded Air. Alontgomery’s motion. The Chairman again asked that Air. Rolleston might be permitted to say a few words, and was met with a storm of “ noes.” Air. Rolleston again essayed to speak, but was also met with a storm of “ noes.” Ultimately the chairman was accused of not being able to conduct the meeting properly. The Chairman demanded an impartial hearing for Air. Rolleston, who, after a great deal of confusion, was allowed to proceed. He said Sir George Grey liad not enlightened the meeting with regard to the course he took in respect to the honors which her Alajesty had thought fit to bestow on the two late Judges. (Confusion.) What had been the treatment by Sir George Grey of her Alajesty’s representative since the rising of the House ? A more indecent sjiectacle . (Confusion, hissing, “ booing,” shouting, and general uproar.) Air. Rolleston continued to speak, but it was impossible for the meeting to hear a word he said. He finished by speaking to tlie reporters. He said if the Constitution was to be fairly worked they must have straight running and no secret councils. The Queen’s representative had been set at nought by the Prime /Minister. (Hisses and confusion, and cries of “ sit down,” “ don’t make it a rowdy meeting,” and other observations, combined with great uproar.) He would vote for the motion, and certainly not for the amendment. A Air. Buckley here rose and tried to address the meeting, saying he was in favor of manhood suffrage, but the audience would not listeu to him. As the amendment was about to be put, Sir George: came to the front of the platform, and was greeted with immense cheering, aud some hisses. He said he was glad Mr. Rolleston had spoken of the delay in issuing the Gazette notices of the honors that had been conferred on two late Judges in this country. There was no aristocracy, and the law distinctly said that nothing whatever should be done in New Zealand by the Crown that was not covered by tlie Constitution. In England the Queen could create no new rank whatever without the consent of the English Parliament, and that rule held with double force iu New Zealaud, where no new rank could be created without the consent of the Legislature of the country. The Queen had often to do things against her own personal feelings. A practice

had sprung up here of recommending the Queen to create a new rank in New Zealand —a most contemptible rank, in his opinion, for the bearer of the title could not carry it out of the country. Let them have equal rank with those of the other portions of the Empire, or none. (Cheers.! He would not, therefore. <dve his consent to an act which he believed to be unlawful. If this sort of thing could be done, an aristocracy might spring up in New Zealand without the consent of the people, and this was his explmation of the delay complained of by Mr. Eolleston. (Loud cheering.) He considered he had taken the legal course, and had done that of which he was now proud. (Cheers). Mr. C owlish aw asked Sir George why he had had the notices gazetted ? Sir George thanked that gentlemau for putting the question, which enabled him to clear away a little obscurity. Two despatches had arrived—the one containing the general instructions had been published, the other one, containing the names, had not. He had unwillingly allowed the despatch agreed to by his predecessors to be published. The other despatch would be dealt with by the next Parliament. It was nothing short of a bastard aristocracy, which for his own part he would have nothing at all to do with. (Immense cheering). In advising the disallowance of a certain Bill he had acted strictly within the Constitution. If they wanted to get rid of him they could do so at the next sitting of Parliament. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) Mr. Montgomery’s amendment was put and carried amid loud cheering. The meeting lasted for more than three hours. .jri —* ® SIR JAMES FERGUSSON. Our former Governor, Sir James Fergusson, who, as most of our readers are doubtless aware, sat for some time in the British Parliament as member for Ayrshire, has since his return to the old country made several unsuccessful attempts to re-enter the House. His last essay in this direction was for Greenock, but here again bad fortune has attended him. The Home Nexus of the 31st January says:— The Greenock election has gone against Sir James, although he stood second at the poll, and was not far behind Mi*. Donald Currie, the successful candidate. The result appears to have been in some measure an accident. A strong Conservative spirit was roused by Sir James Fergusson, and he was warmly supported, especially by the working men. But the morning of the polling day was that on which it was known that the Ministry intended to ask for a War Vote ; placards to that effect were posted all over the town, followed by othersdeclariugthat Lords Carnarvon and Derby had resigned office rather than endorse a war policy. Greenock is a place of peace, and its free and independent electors were called upon to vote for the peace-at-any-price candidate, Mr. Stewart. The reports of the action proposed by the Government and of the dissensions in the Cabinet could not be contradicted in time, and many Conservatives withdrew their support from Sir James, voting for Mr. Stewart, the local candidate, as they openly acknowledged, instead. Mr. Currie, however, had with him the whole of the Disestablishment party, together with the Temperance League, and he was thus strong enough to win the day. Had Sir James Fergusson, however, been earlier in the field, and but for the untoward political excitement at the very moment of election, he would probably have been returned. As it is, the House gains a good useful member in Mr. Currie ; but it loses in Sir James an experienced, practical legislator, who has more than once held office and done excellent service in his time.