THE PREMIER AT BLENHEIM.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 614, 22 April 1878, Page 2

THE PREMIER AT BLENHEIM.

[BY TELEGRAPH, PEK PKESS AOEXCY.] Bi.EXTfETjr, April 20. The Premier arrived at 1 o'clock. Mr. Henderson, a defeated candidate at tlie election, and a Committee presented an address. Sir George Grey replied, expressing thanks, and promising the extension of the railway into Blenheim at once. He hoped soon to see the district tied on to Christchnrch l>y railway, and in his time he believed they would also be connected with tho West Coast.

Sir George Grey spent tho afternoon in interviewing the Maoris and inspecting the buildings. He afterwards walked through the tinvn. At eight o'clock he addressed a crowded meeting i:i Ewart's Hotel. A. G. Fell, Esq., Mayor, was unanimously voted to the chair, and alluded to the Premier in complimentary terms as the parent of their Constitution.

Sir G. Grey was received with applause. He said his pleasure in attending the meeting was enhanced as he had. been instrumental in calling their settlement into life by quieting the difficulties of acquiring the native title to the distriefs of Queen Charlotte's Sound, Pieton, and Blenheim. He then alluded to the colonisation of the Land Fund as justified by the action of the Government with regard to Canterbury and Otago. Ho m-xt justified his conduct in advising the Governor to disallow the Land Pill, and then proceeded to the extension of the franchise, nothing new being .said. The equalisation of representation to population, and the incidence of taxation were dealt with at considerable length, hut the Premie?'our,' re-p-ated previous utterances. J l'e stated that it was the i;iti'jui«n of the (Jovernment to class tile lan.l for the purpose of of taxation into (1) bad, ('2) tolerable, and (.':) goo.l —the tax to bo an aceiv.go tax.

it would be necessary to frame a new land law In dged round with restrictions to prevent gridironing and other similar

evils. For a jriKKl Imnl law it was iumss:iry that, no persons in tho Depii'hncnt s-liimid !>o allowed to bargain for fhcnmolves or friends, and no person holding any (}■ ivernmcnf, ollice or appointment, .should bo allowed to purchase Government lands. The peroration was F.iniilar t>» that ia Christohareli, tho speaker alluding to himself as standing between the past and the future—tho past dreading tho future, as they had legislated for themselves, and not for the time to come. Ho then alluded to the establishment of an aristocracy in tho Colonies, to which end tiist slops had been taken which were absolutely illegal. Tho. giving of titles to persons iis 2\'ew Zealand, which they should hold there and nowhere else, lie could only call creating an aristocracy of a contemptible suvt. The might ;;ivc titles of honor to persons to hold throughout the Empire, but any such new forms of title as those to bo held in New Zealand alone must receive the sanction of the Assembly, lie had been called upon to proclaim one of theso title!? in tho Gazette as the then Premier, but he had refused to do so. and he would do so again until it was sanctioned by the Assembly. In his opinion the honors given to a subject in Zs'ew Zealand should be the same as those given to any British subject in any part of tho Empire. He trusted, so I long as ho was Premier such spurious titles would be rejected with scorn. JSir G. Grey was listened to with marked attention throughout, and the applause was frequent and hearty. Mr. Joseph "Ward, late M.H.Tt. for Wa.irau, proposed a vote of thanks and confidence, which was seconded by Mr. George Henderson, raid carried unanimously, with loud applause. A vote of thanks to tho chairman, proposed by Sir G. Grey, terminated the proceedi lies.

Sir (.4. Grey left for Wellington at once, via Picton,