MR. McDONALD’S MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume VIII, Issue 813, 30 August 1879, Page 2

MR. McDONALD’S MEETING.

Mr. Allan McDonald . addressed- the electors at the" Masonic which was browded—last evening. , , , i. On the motion of Mr.* Mathieso’n, Mr. {Townley took the chair. : The Chairman briefly introduced Mr. Me-? Donald to the meeting, and trusted that the candidate would be accorded a fair and impartial hearing. ; On Mr McDonald ascending the platform, he was greeted with cheers.. • He said that he had been, accused of not being a local man. Mr. Eerris was fwrong in his statement at a public meeting recently. Mr. Ferris knew that he (Mr. McDonald) * wished' to : buy a. property in jTologa Bay, but failed. Ho desired a trip to the Old Coiintry, buttlie Dissolution Altered his, plans,. ..and he gave the trip up jn the interests of the East Coast.' 1 ' " ■ ■ Mr. McDonald then went on to criticise jthe Opposition: They had been in office for years, and what had been done, for the district ? Nothing! Years ago he Jiad applied for a block of land in Napier, and could not get it. The land regulations t were bad. r Im Otago the land was £2 an pcre, anil jn Auckland’ £l. He would like to see the lands vested in the several Counties, and he would endeavor to : get this done ; otherwise there would be ho local revenue, and as he believed the Govern•ment would bd returned by a large majority ne thought there would be .no difficulty. ’ With regard to Native lands: ’Judges )qid Jieen appointed, 'but ' through - ;|h'eir endeavor’ to /settle the Native ’land-'’difficulty had been frustrated,.. He would like to see.,the’’ .Native I ,.Office7, abolished ■altogether. Tli'e Native Minister should* be (appointed by 1 ,I’and: 1 ’and : responsible’ to, the (House,rand not to any party. > If he- we'fe (elected, he would see to this. ; Referring to_the and the registration of avotes, he Would advocate, (that these departments be placed here? [He would also see to'-the- alteration of thh ' •lodger franchise, which, as at present, is junfair. j He was :in- f ayOr .of The harbor and iOrmond railway,'and he thought.be could (claim the" influence" of many Southern imembepS: 'to the£ 'attainment, of those objects.’ •He wdifld like to see the Saifie system in vogue liere as in Otago, so that it could be sold oh deferred payments j. but-the price should be reduced, and.'under all circumstances to make it . more, beneJicial te>the f occupier.. - • ?;i t . ,- r j ffi ir6piy J to t J'b , * ' fA ' Mr. McDonald Sftifl4i6 would l -support, a .Native Bill which'ainifed at placing, the' .Native titles bm the- principles of equity sand good conscience. ■ He would like to i see all passed’ the Court thfit;the ■ Govqrmhe’fit sell by ahetipn,- br giye l the (Natives a Crown grant,' ahd. let ’ what they witji.it.• ’*• Mr. Gough- asked,. “ Should .the grants by the Government ,0 the. local bpdiep, of pound.for-.poupd, bc.eleemosynary onper- , f uncteiy,;? but it was.derided -.by the ineeti ing, and remained unanswered.

I Mr. Gough, also lf the panic ; arguments of the Gbverninehty iii bppjtor.t of tlie'-preflent appeal to the -eduhtry,' tend ; to give tai th in its' administration'.”'' 1!; '“ ’ tliought* ; toa ! t i to the Soli htiy u would' teti4.TtP. stebngtobn ■ the hands of the Government .very much’. ! . Iq, rep}y itp’Gap.tain -, ,’Mr- MpDonalp ‘.said toat he woui4 sppport jin increasepn the capitation .allowance to iVolunteersin the North Island. Those : id >thb South Island- could do without itf* 1 In reply to Mr. Piesse,* I • Mr. McDonald ‘said he Would support a re-tli'steilflition'bf’seats.' . 1

.ih'rbply to\Mr. Grahabi, " : ‘ tie* would support a property,,tax, and a mortgagee’s.tax, . . ” Mr. McDonald said/iaansAyerto'a question, that he think SiivGebrge Grey and.bis Government had\ been\ detractors to the Liberal ticket. .

. Mr. McDonald, in reply- to Mr. -Arthur, said heP had' not promised to support a harbor for Tauranga. •'* . ■; , Mr. McDoNA’Lb‘said‘that' with regard to education,’ in'faVor of the 'predent system.'. ' ‘ • • ’’• .•" In reply to'paptain Porter, I’’ 1 ’’ Mip .McDonald 1 , said that, he doulhodjy, a supporter of/Sir Geo., Grpy’s Government, but he would not blindly support-,.,any . man. He .would gofor measures,; not men..!••»■ ■; A Mr. Graham said he could not see where the liberality-- of the present Government 'dinsistddr '■•. V‘ * v '• 11 1 t ,v i ■ * "Mt: McDonald* differed, and' thought its : p'blicy was-most liberal. ; In reply to Mr. Dickson, Mr. McDonald said he would be in favor , of borrowing., $20,0Q0,0D0, and thereby ; settling.t|ie country. : In replyjto Captain Porter, -j j . Mr. McDonald said that he would sup r i port..: the;; prosecution of roads ‘ and< the s formation -iof special settlements in the | Poverty Bay district. ( - InrOpty'to Mr. Arthur, - . ! The’'Candidate said he did not agree in; tjhi ! present system of emigration'. HeWould, be, id'favor of such settlements asj those q'£ the Katikati type. . He did hot, suppose that the Government wpujd’ giye • land,near, to the townships. . . ;-, ; .Mr. MqOonald, in,-reply to. ( Mr. Town-' ley, said that he would -resign-.in case of. his not. agreeing with the Grey Govern-’ ment if the 'electors wished it, andhe • thought, any honorable man Would do Ao ; •// He Was in favor of an elective Upper* House. He was in favor, bf the abolition, pf the honorarium in the Upper House, and reducing that in the Lower House to; ■£loo. He would aid in opening up the' oil-springs, and would have a scramble:fortho five million loan. He. was also im favor jof ■ abolishing the Waste Landa 800fd,.. and. ..vesting, tlie lands in the? County.

In reply to Mr. Griffin, Mr. McDonald said he would a Whip for eitner side of the House? 7 " ■

Mr. C- Smith said he begged to propose .■a ;’our representative in the House of Repre[Tlijs was followed by long b.nd continued applause];Mr. McDonald Qti the' Grey ticket, and he was known to bb favorable to the the district. Mr. Smith then supported his motion at length, durifig which, nis remarks were received with emphatie approbation. Mr. J. Cuff seconded the motion, and supported the same-in a few pertinent-re-marks, which were received with acclamation. ■ -

- Captain Porter^ was sorry to have to move an'amendment,, bnf. he did so on' thoroughly Liberal grounds. He thought that as the other candidates only had a vote of thanks accorded to them, Mr. McDonald should only have thq same. He would, therefore, propqse a vote ot thanks merely be given to Mr. 'McDonald for his Address.

i Mr. Tucker said he would oppose the 'amendment. It was tantamount to a want of confidence, but, on Captain Porter understanding'the effect of the amendment, he withdrew it.

: The Chairman then put the resolution to the meeting, which was carried by followed •by . cheers, and thanks to the Chairman. .