EAST COAST SEAT.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 132, 15 May 1884, Page 2

EAST COAST SEAT.

PUBLIC MEETING AT MAKARAKA.

A public meeting, convened by the Chairman of the Cook County Council, was held last night at Makaraka, to consider the question of Representation in Parliament this session. There was a very fair attendance, the hall being filled. Mr. Chambers, who occupied the chair, opened the proceedings by explaining the object of the meeting, and stating that the question they had to decide was, whether the present candidates should retire, or not, in favor of Sir Julius Vogel, for a seat in the House of Representatives this session. Mr. Fletcher—Gentlemen, Sir Julius Vogel, this big bug, is going to do wonders for us, he only wants to get his little finger in, that’s all I say let us have a local man, one who knows who’s who, and what’s what, (Hear, Hear). Let us have a general election, we have waited long enough for it. (Laughter.) I have been in the Colony twenty three years. (Voice: It’s time you left it.) Still I uphold myself. I say let us have a local man. (Disturbance.) Mr. Streeter—l would ask you to look at the position of the Colony generally, in connection with Sir Julius Vogel’s proposition especially. (Hear, Hear and applause). I want you to look at Sir Julius Vogel from a business point of view. The place has suffered from neglect, and here we are in an isolated position, and it behoves us, one and all to look at our individual interests. Sir Julius Vogel has made his position as a financier (great disorder), and has great ability ; but with all that if he gets three months’ representation what can he do ? (Voice: Get a Harbor Bill.) Can he do it in three months? (Voice: Yes, he can.) I ask you to be especially cautious in the manner in which you return your man, because that man will be looked upon as a pledge to your future votes. 1 believe our late member did his best for the district. (Applause. Voice : For his own interest. Hisses and hoots.) After further remarks the speaker sat down. (Loud cries for Dawson.) Mr. Kenny—Gentlemen, I don’t know why it is that I always find myself leading the charge, whether it is because I am the son of an old soldier or what not, but it is the case. A colony like this is like a man’s body, because when there is depression in one part of it there is depression in the other. We have this choice now before us, to elect a man who is able to serve us from the moment he is nominated, and who can take his seat on the first day of the session, or to elect a local man. If you do the latter, what is the result ? There will be a fight because there are three local men in the field (Hear, hear), and the successful candidate cannot possibly sit in the House until a fortnight or three weeks after the session begins. There are several things we want done. Above all we want a railway to connect the town and country, and ultimately Opotiki and other places. We also require a harbor, and if we are to get these requirements we must return a member who can take his seat at the beginning of the session, if we do not, then we can consider the session as a lost one to us, and we cannot afford that. What we propose is, to put Vogel in this session, who can be there at its commencement, and let the local candidates contest the following session. We only want him for this one sitting of Parliament. I say let us sink our differences, let us pull together and take advantage of his offer of our representation. If a man will not sink party differences for the sake of the whole community, he is then sacrificing the interests of the whole district. I can well understand the feeling of having a local man, and it is the only single argument against the course which we have proposed. You can have your local man but don’t have two elections. (Voice: We will have a local man). Put a local man in and you will be disfranchised. Sir Julius is a man who has influence and power, and who will be listened to, and backed up in the House. (Voice : They will not back his bills). Won’t they, I should be very glad to back them. Let us look at the matter seriously, because it is an important crisis this place is in. We are all suffering from this depression. The Government are going to stop the free sale of native land, and that will stop settlement. As to the harbor Sir Julius Vogel has pledged himself (Voice: We don’t care about his pledge.) he will do all he can for it, heart and soul, and I think here is a gleam of light through the gloom. Sir Julius, in that masterly address of his, has pointed out to us the way out of our immediate wants. Do not reject the opportunity offered you, for which you must sink your private differences. (Much applause.)

Mr. G. Johnstone — Sir Julius Vogel has been a most successful politician in New Zealand up to the present time (applause), and there are very few of his quality now. The constituency that returns him will have their interests furthered, and it will be an honor to the place. I say that if we do not return Sir Julius Vogel, some other place will, for he is bound to enter Parliament. (Yes, yes; no, no.) I look upon it as a matter of honor to be the first in New Zealand to return him. (Disorder.) Mr. Gannon—amidst claps and lengthened applause—l can pretty well see that you all agree to the one decision in this matter, but all that you want is this : reasons for coming to the decision, this is perfectly natural, and now I will give you the reasons, and you will give me the decision. There are several matters in connection with elections that require to be explained, especially to people living away from large centres of population, who can hardly be expected to be conversant with all matters. We all know that Mr. McDonald’s resignation has caused a vacancy, and the question is how that vacancy is to be filled. I will leave this subject for a minute and go to another. One of the greatest priviliges of the Liberal Government under Sir George Grey is as good as what practically amounts to public suffrage, that is that every man can have a vote. Now comes the question, “Do you want to be represented in Parliament this session or not (We do! No, no I) I want the man who says he does not, to come here and give his reason.

At this, Mr. C. Black came forward, amidst hisses, and gave his reason for saying they did not want to be represented, because a representative could do nothing for them in the space of time that he would be in the house. (Hear, hear). Mr. Gannon—Well, Mr. Black is evidently not Grey. Gentlemen, —You have got a right franchise, do you want to be represented or do you not ? The matter rests with you. As has been pointed out already, if you have a contested election you will not have a representative in Parliament this year at all. A contested election will take about forty days, as there are between four and five hundred miles of this district, and the people must be informed of the election, which will take time. You cannot say the election will take place tomorrow, because how will the people know of it ? (Voice —Arc we not within six days’ communication in the district ?) I think we are, and I think there are times when it only takes six seconds, now, for instance, as I speak to you. (Bursts of laughter.) If you will only question this matter to yourselves there can be no doubt as to the result, it only requires inquiring into. It is only those people who have no brains and will not reflect, that are in opposition. (Applause). I consider that any man who desires to see this district progress, if he can waive his personal feelings for a time, he will agree that we can have a man whose name is known throughout the British dominions, and that man is Sir Julius Vogel. 1 am one of the local candidates. (Applause.) I assure you gentlemen that in the event of a general election taking place, it will be extremely sultry for my opponents, when the result appears. (Loud and deafening applause.) If anything occurs to prevent Sir Julius being returned, I intend to contest the election with Messrs. Locke and Rees. (Groat, applause and claps.) I have two reasons for mentioning this. It is due to those gentlemen who worked so hard for me at the last contest, and who expended their own money on my behalf, and who travelled through to the Wairoa and other places for my interest. It is due to them to explain why I take this position now, and I consider I am in honor bound to contest a general election, but there are times when one’s personal feelings should be given way to, and that time has arrived now. (Voice : Do you think so ?) I say it has. A number of circumstances have eventuated that could not be foreseen. By some coincidence Sir Julius Vogel is here, and an I

opportunity is given us of allowing him to represent us in Parliament. You, gentlemen, will remember the state of depression in ’67, ’6B, ’69. It was great indeed, and it was admitted all over the Australian colonies that he was the man who did great good for us at that time. (Voice: He did not finish his policy). He did not, sir, but now you have a chance of allowing him to finish it. (Hear, hear, and great laughter. Voice: He ran away from it.) He ran away from it. If that gentleman has read Sir Julius Vogel’s address, he will see that he condemns the policy of the Atkinson Government. Their little management is wrong. One of his great points is that their railway management and their railway charges are not conducted on the proper principle. There is his address, in which he says, to use a vulgar expression, “them’s my sentiments.” In it he says he is opposed to the Property Tax, but we will take two views of the thing. The great point between the Grey administration and the Atkinson Government is, that one goes for the Property Tax, and one for the Land Tax. The present Government are the Property Tax people, the people who tax Mr. Malone’s leather for instance. (Laughter). Sir Julius is opposed to that. He says “ I dislike it,” and he gives reasons for so doing, he says tliat taxes raised in a district on land should be spent locally in the district. (Hear, hear). There are several I can point to who have to pay taxes amounting to £l,OOO in this place, and, where does that money go to? Why to Wellington, it will help to build a post office there, or to Dunedin for the construction of a jail. (Hear, hear). By begging and praying, and using a lot of efforts, we simply manage to get a £l,OOO as we did last year. All we get is the “ widows’ mite.” Now, Sir Julius says he will favor local revenue raised in a district being spent in that district. (Hear, hear). Is that a point worth considering? (Yes). Now I have touched on the main points of the address, the Property Tax and local government. (Voice: Pre-emptive right). The pre-emp-tive right is a qestion that suits districts very well that have got no land to sell. The present Government have indicated that they are going to bring in a bill next session that will prevent —prevent what ? It will prevent people in this country from selling their land, except to the Government, and that the natives will not be allowed to sell their land, except to the Government. Taat will effect this district to such an extent that hundreds of thousands of acres of land will be shut up, and no one can get them, only the Government. The question of Pre-emptive Right is not understood in such places as Taranaki or Wanganui, because their lands are confiscated. Will any man say that the land in this district ought to be tied up and be only open for Government purchase. We now see that on the question of Native land, of giving further powers to local bodies, and of the Land and Property Tax, that Sir Julius Vogel is against the Government. But the singular thing is this, I compared Sir George Grey’s speech down south, with that of Sir Julius, and I find, on the point of federation they agree, they are both against it. On the question of Land Tax, Grey is for it, and Vogel against, and the same with Property Tax. With regard to giving extended powers to local governing bodies, they are both in favor of that. Then we find that on the Public Works Policy, Grey condemns that of the Atkinson Government, and so does Sir Julius. Gentleman we are on the eve of a great political crisis, and we have a chance of taking a part in that crisis, a part that will redound honor and credit to the district for many a year to come. (Loud applause.) Gentlemen, you talk about local candidates. I have not the slightest hesitation in saying I am the best of the local candidates. (Much applause.) But I don’t expect the other candidates will say that. I say this distinctly, that the man who will oppose Sir Julius, and’ contest an election, is not worthy of the name of a man. (Great stamping, and applause generally.) We are told in Roman history that a certain great place was saved by the cackling of geese. Then, gentlemen, I say if there is a contest among the local candidates, this place will be lost by the braying of asses. (Immense laughter.) lam not appealing to your sentiments, or the passing impulse of the moment. I have given you clear and distinct reasons. I have not come up here in the character of a gas pipe. I don’t want any man to go away and say I was gasing. Let him say so now. (Applause.) When Sir Julius heard of the result of Monday night’s meeting he telegraphed to get full particulars of the harbors work for this district. He goes to business at once, like a business man, because he knows he is going in. He is getting all the information so that he can take the bill into the House on the sth of June. Somebody said that nobody would back Vogel’s bills. That is not what we want; we want Vogel to back our bills. (Hear, hear.) If we return Sir Julius, and he goes home, he will most probably get us the “ spondoolux,” to use a vulgar term, and do us good there in other ways. I say if we return Vogel we will not regret it. (Voice — What about our late member ?) I say nothing about him, only that it was not right that what he said privately should be telegraphed through the Colony. (Voice —Why ?) I say it is unfair. I propose, gentlemen, the same resolution as that which was carried in town. It is this, “ That, in the opinion of this meeting, Sir Julius Vogel should be asked to represent this district in Parliament for the ensuing session only, and that intending local candidates be asked to consent to withdraw in favor of Sir Julius Vogel, so as to avoid a contest, which would practically leave the district unrepresented.” (Applause.—Voice: What about stonewalling?) If you want stone-walling you will have a contest. Those people who run their heads against stone walls, is that what you call stonewalling, I say such people are fools. (Hear, hear.) No, no ; I don’t mean there—(Great laughter.) (Voice: Dont speak so feelingly.) You evidently fesl it. (Laughter.) I will finish by adding that if we refuse to have Sir Julius it will go forth to the world that we have sacrificed the best opportunity we ever had Mr. Weston —I have much pleasure in seconding the proposition. I think Sir Julius Vogel is the man we want. Mr. T. Roberts, (amidst hoots and hisses) — I wish to propose an amendment, that we have a local candidate. (Hoots and hisses). My reason for doing so is this, I believe a local candidate knows more of what we want than an outsider, (Hoots, cheers, claps, and hisses.) The Chairman said there was no necessity for an amendment, all that was required was yes or no to the proposition. Mr. J. B. Dawson —Nobody can say a word against Sir Julius Vogel, as he is so well known. If he was to represent us not only for a month or two, but all his lifetime, then I say the question is settled, we would have him ; but that is not so, and we ought to have an election. I ask what benefit have we derived from the last sessions, and what will we derive from a few months’ representation ? (The speaker then went into the question of a Harbor Bill and of the necessity for a railway, and wound up by scco iding the amendment.) Mr. Gannon—l come up to read a telegram received from Sir Julius Vogel to this effect: “ Many thanks for telegram. Ask Mayor to send me all papers relating to breakwater and proposed railways, Gisborne.” So, gentlemen, you will see he is going for business at once, because he has heard of the result of Monday night’s meeting.

A long disturbance here ensued. After it had slightly subsided, the Chairman put the proposition of Mr. Gannon, as the amendment was not required. It was carried, about 10 being for it, and nearly 30 against. The meeting then broke up, after a good deal of cheering.