POLITICAL MEETING AT DUNEDIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4842, 28 September 1876, Page 2

POLITICAL MEETING AT DUNEDIN

Dunedin, Wednesday. At Stout and Macandrew’s meeting the Mayor was in the chair. The theatre was crammed to overflowing. It seats 1300. Mr. Macandrew, who was received with loud and prolonged applause, said it was unusual for members of Parliament to address their constituents when the House was in session ; but there were exceptions to the rule, and he took advantage of his presence in Dunedin to address them. He was there to ascertain whether his actions had met their approval. (Cheers.) He accepted their applause as an indication that it had. Last week he had received a memorial reflecting on his action as a representative. He was there to meet the charges made against him. (Hear, hear.) He had been charged with obstructing the public business. (“ No, no,” and cries of “ Yes.”) This, however, was the charge that would always be made apainst public men. He and his colleagues had done their best to preserve local government and to preserve their local revenue. (Cheers.) Their right of determining for themselves the form of government best adapted for their requirements was one that no Government had a right to take from the people. If this was obstructing public business, he pleaded guilty, and gloried in it. (Cheers) It was those who sent that letter to Wellington who were obstructing the business of the colony; but for that his resolutions would more than likely have been carried. It was those who were seeking to pull down the Constitution, and had not the capacity to place anything in its stead, who were really the obstructors. (Cheers.) It was said the Counties Bill would put everything right; but without it they had the control of their own revenue. This Bill was simply the shell without the substance. (Hear, hear.) A Board of Works was suggested He would be content with this Board, but the thing was impossible. The Government had been waited on in reference to a Board of Works, but the thiug would not be entertained. They might as well talk to a deaf adder as talk to the Legislative Assembly in Wellington. The result of the present session so far was a cost to the country of £45,000. It was possible the session would last three months longer, and the expense involved would then be thrown away in a vain endeavor to manage the affairs of the colony. From Wellington Sir George Grey proposed the only solution of the difficulty—two separate parliaments for each island, with a federal government in the centre. This was defeated, and he (Mr. Macandrew) then proposed certain resolutions, leaving the people to determine what change of local government they desired. But for this memorial sent up to Wellington, he believed these resolutions would have been carried. As the result of abolition their railways’ receipt would be carried away to Wellington. What would become of the money ? At the present time the ordinary expenditure of the Government exceeded the revenue to the extent of £10(10 per day. To make up this deficiency the land revenue and railway revenue were required ; the Government cared nothing about local government or abolition, but they wanted the money (uproar). The land and railway revenue would not be sufficient to make up the deficit, and. unless the present system, which was a rotten one, was changed, additional taxation would be necessary. There must be retrenchment, and this could be effected by confining the Assembly to purely federal ■ functions. The only thiug for Otago was to erect it into a separate colony. (Loud cheers). This "could be done by constitutional means, as had been done in the colonies of Victoriaaud Queensland. Let them go direct to the Imperial Parliament. ' He believed if Otago was made a separate colony it could raise a revenue of £700,000 a year. It was the jealousy and prejudice of the smaller provinces which was retarding the progress of Otago. He then read an article from the New Zealand Tisies of September 23, in reference to the memorials sent to the city members, abusing the people of Otago for their selfishness, &o. Otago had been the milch cow of the colony. They should no longer remain so. It 'was time they made an attempt to become a free and independent people. (Loud applause.) Mr. Stout said he appeared in answer to the challenge conveyed by the memorial-respecting his conduct in the House of Representatives. It said they sent them as representatives to obey the wishes of the Ministry at Welling-

ton. (No, no.) The 800 memorialists might have been delighted had they done so, because the work of legislation would, have been finished speedily. But he understood they were sent there to fight for the welfare and interests of their constituents. .(Cheers.) Mr. Stout then, proceeded to review the proceedings of the Assembly in connection with the Piako Swamp question. On that occasion the Ministry had been saved from a defeat by the casting-vote of the Speaker. He contended that the Government, and not the Opposition, had caused the debate on that question ; and those who had signed the memorial challenging the members with having obstructed the business of the Assembly, could not have been acquainted with the true facts. (Hear, hear.) On the 3rd August, after the Government had made all their financial proposals, and the Financial and Abolition Bills had been brought down, the separation debate had arisen, and he thought it was his duty to do what he could in the interests of Otago to prevent the destruction of their Constitution. (Cheers.) Only eight days had been taken up in this very important discussion, and he asked if this was wasted time. (No, no, and cheers.) The disqualification discussion next ensued ; then came the struggle in which the minority tried hard to maintain the dignity of the Parliament. Yet, in the face of this, there came this lamentable memorial, telling the members who had been fightng their battle untiringly for three months that they were wrong. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The memorial was published in the Wellington papers before it reached them, and it was stated that Messrs. Gillies and Strode headed it. (Laughter and cheers.) It was alleged that because Messrs. Gillies, Strode, and Fish had signed it all the people of Otago were in opposition to their members. (Laughter and applause.) It had the effect, however, of weakening their position in the Assembly. He had the honor of representing the first constituency in New Zealand, but he would at once resign the honor if he thought for a moment he was misrepresenting the opinions of his constituents. When the Abolition Bill came down they were told they would have their land fund secured for ever by Act of Parliament. It was to the credit of Dunedin, however, that with all these promises it determined it would not be bribed. It was promised also that certain charges for education and other purposes would be made on the Consolidated Fund. But what would they lose ? They would lose under this new scheme in the province of Otago alone £150,000 per year. This was under the abolition arrangements, and it meant also of that amount for public works. The goldfields would suffer, for under this scheme if they became counties and wanted to obtain their subsidy they would have to tax themselves. This would have the effect of paralysing mining enterprise. The memorial asked them to discuss the finance and county questions. But if provincialism had its faults who but the people were responsible ? (Cheers.) He had objections to the taking away of the Legislative powers of the Provincial Councils. Last year they had asked for a Board of Works Bill, and if they had got that they Should have been satisfied, but by the Government scheme the squatters were saved from contributing their fair share towards the revenue. By abolition they were giving up the control of their land and their revenue, and in return they were given a barren Abolition Act, which would be altered and amended at the whim of the Government of the day. The Government were issuing Treasury bills, and the money to meet these would be taken ont of the funds which had.hitherto been managed by the Provincial Councils. Although he represented the first constituency in the colony, he did not wish to act without their support, and he asked them that night if they thought they were contending for their rights and striving to do their best for the colony, then he would go back and fight it out. (Prolonged applause.) Three cheers were given for Stout and Macandrew. Mr. Lawson then moved the following resolution, seconded by Mr. Hallenstein :—“ That Messrs. Macandrew and Stout are entitled to the hearty thanks of this meeting for affording their constituents this opportunity for mutually hearing and expressing opinions in reference to the past and future of New Zealand politics. That in the opinion of this meeting the Otago representatives who have acted in opposition during the present session of the Assembly have faithfully, honorably, and nobly fulfilled their trust, and deserve and have the entire sympathy of the great bulk of the inhabitants of Otago in their effort to obtain justice for and maintain the rights and privileges of the people of this province.” Mr. J. G. S. Grant attempted to speak to an amendment amidst great interruption, groans, and jeers. The Mayor then put it to the vote whether Mr. Grant should be heard, when it was decided not to hear him. The resolution was then put and carried with three cheers for the members.

It was then proposed by Mr. Maloney, and carried unanimously,—“ That in the opinion of this meeting it is hopeless to expect anything like justice to Otago from the present House of Representatives, and that the Superintendent and the Executive be strongly urged forthwith to convene a meeting of the Provincial Council with a view to the necessary legislative action being taken to obtain a plebiscitum of the public, so as to ascertain their wishes and opinion as to the form of local self-government best calculated to secure to the provinces the exclusive enjoyments of its own revenues, and the control and administration of its own affairs.” The last resolution was carried in the midst of confusion occasioned by pepper or some such substance being distributed in the pit. It was, —“That his Worship the Mayor, as Chairman of this meeting, be hereby respectfully requested and authorised to forward the resolutions to his Excellency the Governor of this colony.” A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. The Mayor protested against the scandalous conduct of the parties unknown.