MR. M‘DONALD’S MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1183, 24 October 1882, Page 2

MR. M‘DONALD’S MEETING.

There was a very large attendance last night at Messrs Parnell and Boylan’s new Hall, in order to hear the post sessional utterances of Mr Allan McDonald, the member of the House of Representatives for the East Coast District. At eight o’clock the hall was crowded. His Worship the Mayor, C. D. Bennett, Esquire, was unanimously voted to the chair. The Chairman then said that he was glad to see so many citizens present on the occasion of hearing the address about to be delivered by Mr McDonald the worthy member of the House of Representatives for the East Coast District. He was perfectly well aware of the fact that Mr McDonald had been most indefatigable in his endeavors to ascertain everything which was of incalculable value to the Poverty Bay District, and he would ask those present to listen to their member while he gave them an account of his stewardship, because he felt that all those at the meeting would be glad to hear all the information which their member could give them. (Cheers).

Mr. McDonald, who was received with vociferous applause, after addressing the Chairman and those present in the usual manner, thanked His Worship for the kindly remarks made by the Mayor, who, however, had been opposed to him at the last election. There was not really any party when the House met, both the Government aud the Opposition were disorganised. When the financial statement was made the Government was in the minority of five. The southern members came up pledged against Sir George Grey, and wished to have Montgomery as the leader of the Opposition. He, amongst other.-., objected, as he did not think Montgomery fit. Had the Opposition been united the present Government would have been ousted from the Ministerial benches. He was satisfied with ?vlr Bryce’s policy as set forth in the West Coast Peace Preservation Bill, as it was proved to have been the correct one. Sir George Grey could have taken office when Mr Whitaker was sent for, ■ but refused. The Public Works Statement was brought down, but as he saw the heavy taxation it entailed he refused to vote for it. The result, after the passing of the £1,000,000 for the North Island, was simply that it is left in “statu quo;” but the £3,000,000 loan for the South Island was passed. He had refused distinctly to vote for any loan seeing there was no fair play. The speaker referred to the first time the Government really came out of their nest, which was when Mr Smith, of Waipawa, moved for an increase of pay to the Government officials. The action of the Government was in a large measure simply to catch votes. The speaker said that he had applied to the Government for a vote for the breakwater, which he thought would be tendered for at less than £lOO,OOO. In the matter of the Public Works Statement the Government were in a minority, but secured votes from the Opposition side by promises—;f not bribes. A better Government could have been obtained, and he thought no one could accuse him of voting against his conscience. Montgomery’s Native policy would not suit here, nor would it suit the district. There were some things he agreed with in the present Native Minister’s policy,but there were others he was opposed to. Mr McDonald then referred to the Alienation Bill and Native Reserves Bill, the particulars of which are familiar to our readers. There were 199 Bills passed during the session and these were mostly passed during the last month of the session, as the first two months were occupied in doing nothing but talk. With reference to the Native Reserves Bill Mr McDonald said that he considered it was a very bad bill, and the only power the Native Commissioners hud was to lease the land for 21 years. He believed in Jetting the Natives do what they liked with their own land. The Native Lands Division Bill next claimed his attention, and he conscientiously believed that the bill he had proposed to introduce into Parliament last session would have fully met all the requirements of the district. The Hon. Mr Bryce had told him that it was the intention pf the Government to have the Native land question settled once and for all. He would also call attention to the fact that he had endeavored, to the best of his ability, to obtain a sitting of the Waste Lands Board for the Wairoa district.

The speaker then referred to the Roads and Bridges Bill which he thought was an excellent one. The Government by this Bill wou’d give £3 to £1 for the money raised. He thought the main line from Auckland to Napier should not be on the West Coast but should pass by Mohaka. If so a line could easily be obtained to connect Gisborne with Wairoa, He had been unable to obtain the block of land as a grant for a breakwater reserve. Mr McDonald then reverted to the letter signed “Policy,” which appeared in the “ Herald ” a few days back, and completely upset his disclaimer. The speaker stated that £39,734 had been placed on the Estimates to be "spent in the district. When the Public Works Estimates came down Mr Montgomery moved the want of confidence motion against the Government, and a nice mess he made of it. The speaker had certainly voted against the Government although some of the members were well-fitted for their offices, but he thought that as at present constituted they could not get on well. He stated that in the Upper House Colonel Sir George Whitmore had rendered every assistance, in advocating measures for the benefit of the district. Mr McDonald then gave a resumd of the business done during the session : 174 public bills were received during the session, 88 were assented to, and 86 were dropped ; in the Upper House 25 bills were received, 19 of which were assented to, and 4 dropped ; of private bills there were 9, 5 were passed ana 4 dropped; there were 406 petitions from Europeans, and 90 from Maoris; the sittings (day aud night) were 78, and the hours of sitting 609, the daily average being nearly eight hours, without counting the Committee meetings. Mr McDonald then reviewed the bills affecting this district allof. which, however, are familiar to our readers With a Registrar of deads here, a waste lands board, and a breakwater we should get on well. The Lands Bill was not a good one, and he could not support it, as it debarred intending settlers from any hope of obtaining freeholds. It was not likely that people would come from the Old Country to settle on land which they could never hope to own. He would say no more as the present meeting was not like an electioneering one as he couldn’t wire into an opponent. In speaking of Mr William Montgomery, the hon. member for Akaroa, Mr McDonald said that geutleman was not fit to be a leader of the House of Representatives because he had neither the talent or brains to be a leader of the House. It was absurd to conceive the idwa that Mr Montgomery could ever be a leader, aud he only regretted that Sir George Grey had not taken the reins of office and guided the Parliamentary ship, because he, for one, felt sure ho would have lauded the orew in safety. In answer to Mr Harris, Mr McDonald said that he considered the Gaming and Lotteries Act should be abolished, aud so ought the present Licensing Bill. Mr Brodie asked whether a bill had been passed for the liberation of Te Kooti. Mr McDonald said that as Te Kooti had never been arrested it would be quite unnecessary to pass such a bill. The bill of indemnity which had recently been passed did not iu any way apply to Te Kooti. Mf John Somervell ascended the platform, ftud said he had Ustcued with s very great

deal of pleasure to their member, Mr Allan McDonald, and he begged to move a vote of confidence in him as the member for the East Coast district. He considered that Mr McDonald knew his way round about the Treasury (laughter), and he was capable of putting the key in the chest and obtaining for the district what was requisite. He would like to see the railway come our way and he had every confidence that Mr McDonald would do all in his power to forward the interests of the district. Mr J. C. Taylor seconded the motion, which was carried with acclamation. Sir George Whitmore, C.M.G., who was received with great applause, then addressed the meeting. He said that he was not a party man, and he, as a member of the Legislative Council, had great pleasure in attending the meeting that evening. He was proud to say that Mr McDonald had j been able to fulfil the hopes of the district, and had been successful in having a Harbor Board Bill passed for Poverty Bay. He (Sir George) had always taken a very great interest in the district, and in the Volunteer Act and the force generally. He was always willing and ready to support the Volunteer question on every possible occasion. An attempt had been .made to abolish the artillery volunteers in the Poverty Bay district. It was a most unjustifiable action, and he was glad to say that it had not succeeded. He, for one, was of opinion that it was a very foolish thing to interfere with the organisation of the volunteer force as it at present existed. Mr William Montgomery, member of the House of Representatives for \karoa, had endeavored to grasp the reins of power and drive the Government coach, but he had not succeeded in obtaining office ; in fact, he was not numerically strong enough. Mr McDonald was, in his opinion, a genuine member. He was not a party man, and he was a modest one. He pointed out to the meeting that whereas this district had only been accorded the sum of £39,000, Otago had been granted an enormous sum. In this district there was a very great number of sheep, and he considered that there should be a fair allotment of the loan, in order that the Poverty Bay district should derive some benefit. The Poverty Bay district should certainly have a fair sh ire of the loan, and he was confident that the day was not far distant when the residents of the Poverty Bay district would be ab> to boast of a harbor capable of meeting the requirements of the commercial community. This district only required a very small quota in order to export its own produce in an efficient manner. Let people look at the Customs returns of Poverty Bay for the last twelve months, and they would readily see that the imports and exports were very large indeed. In the southern Island every facility appeared to have been given for the erection of public buildings and palaces for schools but very scant measures had been meted out to the North Island in this respect. With reference to the Land Bill he might state that Mr McDonald had done his best to prevent the measure passing in the House Of Representatives so far as the purchasing clause was concerned. He was glad to say that the Legislative Council had done so. He was glad to be able to give his testimony to the effect that he considered Mr Allan McDonald the hon. member for the East Coast, was not only true but thoroughly loyal to the party whom he hud the honor to represent in Parliament. He might say this that no member in the House of Representatives could be better liked or more respected by the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives than Mr Allan McDonald.

His Worship having put the resolution to the meeting it was received and passed with acclamation.

Mr McDonald returned thanks in an appropriate speech, and moved a vote of thanks to the worthy Chairman of the meeting, which was duly responded to. The meeting then terminated.