Meeting at Makaraka.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 969, 13 August 1881, Page 2

Meeting at Makaraka.

Pursuant to advertisement a public meeting was held in the Makaraka Hall, on Thursday evening last, to consider certain Bills now before the House. Mr. Carlaw Smith was voted to the chair, and on ascending the platform Mr. Matthewson said it was unusual for any one but the gentleman calling the meeting to take the chair. ♦ Major Westrup said he could not see how the personality of the Chairman affected.the result of the meeting. The Chairman made a few remarks pertinent to the occasion, and called on Mr. A. Graham to explain why he called the meeting. Mr. Graham said he had been waited on by several gentlemen who stated that they were not satisfied with the action our representative had taken in the House, He was sorry that some of the more prominent electors, who asked him to call the meeting not yet shown up, but he hoped they would do so. He declined to taking the chair because having signed the advertisement as County Council Chairman, he did not wish to drag the Council into the meeting. With regard to the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill, he thought the Natives ought not to be exempted, they were well able to pay the rates, and should do so. With regard to compensation he thought it should be ..granted. If the Crown lands were rated, it would greatly increase the 'revenue of the County, which was very small. He thought Mr. McDonald’s Native Land Bill would not pass the House, and he ought to have known it, and have consulted his constituents here, who are more interested than anyone in the Colony, before he introduced it. Mr. McDonald’s -late; action seems to indicate that he would vote with his party to the prejudice of his constituents. With regard to the Harbor Bill, he (thought Mr. McDonald had acted with scant courtesy to his constituents. We certainly want a Harbor Bill, but he did not think the measure introduced by our member would meet the requirements of the port. * Mr. Poynter said he did not come to speak, -but would ask Mr. Graham for what purpose the meeting had been called. He gathered from the advertisement that the object was to discuss the Native and Crown Lands Rating Bill, the Native Lands Act, and the Representation Bill, but from Mr. Graham’s remarks it was to arraign Mr. McDonald. Such conduct he looked upon as most unfair, and he ’hoped shots were not going to be fired at our Representative behind his back. As far as he understood, Mr. McDonald did not vote against the Bating Bill. Mr. Gannon reproved Mr. Poynter i for such assertion, and said his feelings quite overcame him in expressing his surprise at the assertion made. Mr. McDonald did vote against the Bill, and was, in fact, in a minority of four. Mr. Poynter wanted to know why the meeting was called, and he (Mr. Gannon) would tell him. It was to consider a Bill providing for the subdivision of lands in the position of such as he and his friend (Mr. Poynter) held. He thought if ever a Bill was brought forward calculated to do the East Coast good, it was the Native Land Rating Bill, and Mr. McDonald voted against it, very unwisely. Mr. Poynter again asked why th< meeting was called. Was it to consider the Bills named in the advertisement, or to consider Mr. McDonald’s action ?

The Chairman said he thought so far the discussion had not taken the form the advertisement indicated. He thought the meeting was called less to censure Mr. McDonald than to discuss the measures before the House affecting the welfare of this district. Mr. Graham said he disclaimed any intention to censure Mr. McDonald, but he thought it was impossible to discuss the several Bills, without alluding to the action our Representative had taken with respect to them. Captain Porter said he heard that this meeting was got up as a political dodge, and was sorry to find that the speakers so far gave that coloring to the suspicion. He suggested that the meeting do proceed to the consideration of the Bills alluded to by Mr.1 Graham in the advertisement. Mr. Matthewson reviewed the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill, at some length, and expressed his conviction that if Mr. McDonald had voted against the Bill he would only have done his duty.

Mr. Graham explained; and corrected Mr. Matthewson’s figures with regard to rating the. various classes of land, and moved the following resolution :— “ That in the opinion of this meeting considering the large area of Native and Crown Lands in this County which contributes nothing to the revenue of this Cotmty, and which share in the expenditure of the present rates, a Bill providing for the rating of Native and Crown Lands, is essential to the interests of the community. by Mr. R. Cooper. Mr. D. McKay said the present Bill would only increase the taxation of the people, and drew analogy between the position of the lands in the North and South Islands, the rates of the latter of which he said were paid out of the public funds by the Government. He moved the following amendment:— “ That in any Bill introduced by the Government for the rating of Native Crown Lands, the rates be raised by the taxation of property, and not from the Consolidated ’'Revenue.” Mr. R. Cooper was surprised to hear Mr. McKay, who was a storekeeper and a squatter, talk in the way he did. It was well known ;that the Natives spent their money in the place, and the money went to the credit of the Colony. He was surprised to find our member voting against the Bill. Major Westrup wished to know with respect to the 13,000,000 acres of land in the South Island, alluded to by Mr. Matthewson, if those lands were not taxed. Mr. Matthewson read some of the clauses of the Bill, and explained, but, from what we could gather, he did not appear to be very conversant with the subject. A. long discussion took place with regard to clauses 6 and 7, fixing the rateable value for the rating of Crown and Native lands. Mr. Poynter moved a further amendment as follows:— “ That a committee of five be appointed to enquire into the merits of the Rating Bill, and if it meet with their approval, that they telegraph at once to the local member to .give his best endeavors to get it passed, or to get such alterations or amendments made in at that they may propose, such committee to consist of Messrs. Graham, McKay, Gannon, Matthewson, Pitt and Brassey.” Mr. McKay withdrew his amendment in favor of that moved by Mr. Poynter. Mr. Graham also withdrew his motion, and Mr. Poynter’s motion was put and carried. With regard to the Native Land Act, Mr. Graham moved : — “ That a petition be got up and forwarded, urging on the Government the necessity of introducing this Session a comprehensive Native Lands Act, and further that the Government be requested to introduce such legislation as will provide for the subdivision of the lands brought under the Poverty Bay Grants Act 1869 ; and further that a committee be appointed consisting of Messrs. Graham, Westrup, Poynter, J. W. Johnson, Gannon, Cooper and Brassey, to draw up such petition to forward to the Government urging the appointment of a special commission to settle the subdivision difficulties in Poverty Bay.” Mr. D. McKay seconded the proposition which was carried. It was proposed by Mr. R. Cooper— V That the Chairman be authorized to wire to the Premier, and also to our Member, urging that everything should be done to obtain a redistribution of seats.” Seconded by Mr. Matthewson, and " carried.