WAVERLEY.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 441, 5 July 1879, Page 2

WAVERLEY.

(From our own Correspondent.) Mr Bryce, M.H,R.,met his constituents at Waverley on Tuesday ; Mr Bridge in the chair. Owing to the very bad weather the meeting was not well attended. Mr Bryce stated that last year he had chosen the only fine day for six weeks for his visit to Waverley, This year he had not been so fortunate. He would not detain the meeting long, but would like to touch on a few subjects. A great deal was said about the formation of parties in the House. He did not undervalue parties; they were necessary. The Government of a country could not well get on without them ; but those who never saw anything good in the opposite party, nor faults in friends would not make good party men. From the first he had called himself an independant member, and proposed to support Government only as long as his confidence in it remained. It was with pleasure he remembered that the electors of this district had never tried to shackle him with special pledges. They had trusted him, and he hoped he would not be considered

egofstical in saying that they had not had reason to regret the confidence they had placed in him. Many things in the conduct of the Government he must condemn, but at the same time must give praise \vhere it was due. Be public works, Mr Bryce considered that the district could not complain. Two years ago there was little prospect of the railway coming so tar as it bad done, but the public works prospects had much improved since that time. Government had shewn every disposition to act for the good of this district in that respect. Sir George Grey, on coming into office, asked to be given a fair trial, and it was only right that he should be allowed it, , He had had his trial, and next session would show whether the House considered he had failed to carry out bis policy or not. If the former, means would doubtless be taken to punish him. Sir George Grey’s policy might be divided into four heads—Retrenchment, Electoral Reform, Change in Taxation, and Improvement in the Management of Maori Affairs. With regard to retrenchment, he (Mr Bryce) did not think it had been a success ; at all events we did not know of ii, and had it been done, we should have known. Retrenchment had not been proved. For electoral reform he would say that he considered there was no necessity for extension of suffrage. Tile laws on suffrage doubtless needed some reform, but he considered the suffrage itself a liberal one. It was not a very difficult matter to qualify as an elector. Ho had expressed the same opinion in the House. Had the country felt that the suffrage was hard on them, petitions would certainly have been made for u change ; but not one petition had been presented. Mr Bryce condemned the action of the Government re the Land Tax, Joint Stock Companies, and Beer Bills. He supported the Land Tax Bill on the understanding that the other two were to be brought forward. It passed and was sent to the Upper House, and the next day Sir George Grey stated that it was the intention of the Government to ab mdon the other two. He could not bat Jose confidence in the Government in such a case. He was much astonished at the explanation given by bis bon colleague (Sir W. Fox', in the matter of the Beer Bill. Sir W. Fox’s defence was perfectly clear, and in its way good. Ho (Sir W.) was a staunch psSty man. The Bill was a Government one, and the Opposition determined to oppose it, and depended on Sir W. Fox’s vote. That would have been a fair explanation, but to represent as his reason for voting as he did, that he objected to revenues obtained by a tax on liquor, was untenable. To be consistant, he should have voted for a reduction in tax on spirits. Native affairs—When Sir G. Grey came into office, he had owned that he came in under very favorable anspicios; that much had been done, and be trusted to his thorough knowledge of Maori character, and his influence with them. He thought himself also fortunate in having a man so thoroughly conversant with Maoris and their ways as Mr Sheehan to assist him. Mr Bryce considered the Maori management had been a misconception all through. Tins was no new idea. He would go back lo the time the Waikatos were defeated, when they returned and remained in a sulky, inactive state. After some years they showed by many signs that they were getting tired of it. Mr McLean then went up, but did not do any good. He (Mr Bryce) had heard Sir George Grey denounce Mr McLean’s conduct in bitter terms, and had quite agreed with Sir George. If Mr McLean’s conduct was to be condemned, what could we say of Sir George Grey, when he disgraced us by forcing himself on the Maoris when he was not wanted, as was shewn by the contumely with which he was treated by them. When he (Mr B.) heard of it, he really felt almost ashamed to call himself a white man. Referring to this coast, Mr Bryce said if it had been the one object of. the Government to bring matters to their present state, no better moans could have been employed than had been. Ten years ago a grand opportunity was thrown away at the time the Stafford Government was ousted. The natives had their backs to us, and were scattered and disorganised. Two expeditions were actually ready to start, which could have completed the matter, but they were stopped, because of a political struggle going on. The Fox Ministry got in, when the policy of conciliation was commenced, and the force demilitarised. The consequences were now apparent. Nothing could be worse than the present aspect of affairs. It might be said that the colony was not in a position to fight, but we must do it if necessary. We could not stand everything from the Maoris, and must make a stand somewhere. Had a force been taken up to arrest Hiroki when he first went to Te Whiti, he would probably have been given up, and the surveyors would not have been turned off the Plains. The Maoris would have come to the conclusion that we really did think of fighting at last. Things were in a proper mess, and the question was how were we get out of it. Ho (Mr B.) would only say—get ont of it we must. The question must be settled, and that in snch a way as to stop Maori trouble for ever. If it could be done without war, well. Mr Bryce then touched on the financial state of the colony, which he considered grave. He attributed the present and probable future depression, chiefly to the large amount of interest being paid for loans. The matter was a serious one, and it would require the best eftorts to cover the defect in our financial position.

After Mr Bryces address on Tuesday, Mr Bridge requested those present to remain for the purpose of passing a resolution expressing our approval of the steps taken by the Hawera settlers. We fear here that wo are rather late in the day, and it wonld have been done sooner, but that knowlng_of Mr Bryce’s

intention of visiting ns on Tuesday la c t, it was thought that it would be the best time to insure having a large number of settlers together.

Mr Winchomb was voted totheohrir, and it was proposed by Mr Bridge, seconded by Mr Mason, and carried unanimously, “ That this meeting thanks the Hawonv settlers for the action they have taken in preventing native aggression at Hawera, and pledges itself to take the same course should there be any necessity for it here.” The Chairman was requested to forward a copy of the resolution to Capt. Livingstone.

A petition has been got up to have a sitting of the Assesmont Court for the hearing of objections to the Land Tax at Waverley.