EAST COAST ELECTION.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 188, 21 July 1884, Page 2

EAST COAST ELECTION.

MR. REES’ ADDRESS. Mr. Rees addressed the electors in McFarlane’s Hall on Saturday night. There were about 300 present, the rough element predominating. Mr. Carlaw Smith occupied the chair and said that he need scarcely draw attention to the fact that the present was a very important occasion. They had just had an election but it had been of no use as the Government had not been able to accomplish any thing and had to appeal to the country and to those present. He had come into Poverty Bay some ten years ago and had all along supported the Liberal side of the House, but never during that time had there been such need of support as at the present juncture. He had no wish to make a speech but he must say that never before during Jie history of the colony, had there been such an opportunity for the working men and the middle classes to assert themselves. (Applause.) If they only liked to band Themselves together the working men could govern the country. (Immense aplause.) He need only point to the Working Man’s Political Association.—(loud clapping.)—as a means whereby they could rule the whole political power of the colony, and have the matter in their own hands. (Applause.) There .were two classes in these colonies, One represented the moneyed class, such as the squatters and landowners—(hisses) —and the other the working classes—(cheers)—who toiled and worked with their hands and bore the burden of the day. The former, or Conservative class, were interested in perpetuating the present state of affairs, but the other, the Liberal class, were struggling for a change. This change, sooner or later, must come. It might be one year, or it might be twenty, but come it must—(applause). The land question was becoming the one burning question of the day. Take up any paper or any periodical and they would find that throughout the world this was the one absorbing question of the day. The working men of these colonies could have it all their own way—(hear, hear, and loud clapping.) He did not wish to see anything unfair and anyone swindled out of their lands, but something must be done before long to check the wholesale land monopoly which was taking place, and which would ultimately result in the whole of the lands getting into the hands of a few. The public debt of these colonies, taken according to the population, was the heaviest known. (Cries of Cut it short—Chuck him out. P. Maher—Go on, Mr. Smith.) The taxation bore most unequally on the working classes. That should not be and it was not fair. He did not say that it should be done all at once, but bit by bit it should be put on the land (cheers) and nut on the working men—(applause.) To effect this they must send men like Mr. Rees to the House, and when once Lie thin end of the wedge was got in all would be sure to follow. The Conservative party wanted to grasp all the land—-all the substance, but the working man was not to be allowed even the shadow. (Applause.) They had men here who were trying to get large blocks of land of upwards of 2,000 acres, which would be allowed to lay idle and unproductive until the surrounding land had been improved, roads made, and the country opened up by others’ industry, and then they would get the unearned increment by others’ toil and labor. (Applause.) The possession of money was a pure accident, and any one might have the same by good fortune; but that made no one the better. (Cries of “ Cut it short.”) He merely wished to show that there were two distinct parties in these colonies—the one which wished to obtain all the land, and the other which wished to see it equally divided amongst the people. The latter was the party to winch Mr. Rees belonged, and the other party Mr. Locke represented. (Cries of “ Boohoo, boohoo.”) He need not say anything further about Mr. Rees, as they all know him to be a plucky man who hit out straight from the shoulder. (Cheers, clapping, hisses, and much uproar.) THE LETTER. Mr. Rees (who was received with loud applause) said: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen— There were some moments in a man’s life when under certain circumstances all seemed full of failure and disappointment, but which eventually proved the turning point to success. (He was here handed a letter which he read as follows :—“ Gisborne, July 19. W. L. Rees, Esq.—Dear sir,—At a meeting of the Working Man’s Political Association, held last evening, I was instructed to forward you an expression of sympathy in connection with the recent case, “ Rees v. Locke,” heard at the R.M. Court, the meeting being convinced you were actuated not by , private feeling, but 0:. public grounds.—l am Sir. your obedient servant, W. L. File, sec., W.M.P.A.). Never in his life had such sympathy been so unexpected or so welcome. (Applause). lie had never asked for such

sympathy. Daring the last twelve years of his life he had always tried to do what was right, no matter what the difficulty or what the odds, and he had never flinched from doing his duty. (Cries of Lone Hand, and applause). He had fought many hard lights, and had experienced many disappointments but lie hud never been more richly recompensed or cheered than hy receiving such a welcome expression of sympathy and support as this one, which he had just received from

his fellow men and colonists. P was an easy thing for a man to.had in the excitement of "■' , ; ‘Ui. .■ ii rto sia ' <almly on leek and town t ha si . (Lon applause.) The papers had slated that he now stood alone, !•th-G precious Idler of synriH j.Y had made him careless what they said. What did he care now, when this letter of condolence and sympathy would be telegraphed all over the colonies,—yes, and rll over the world. If the Association had never done anything but this one act, it would be enough, and they deserved the thanks of the whole community. What did he ea.u about the Press.—(Cries of It’s no good) —while he had such expressions from public meetings. (Continuous applause and hisses). These alone showed the public feeling and not the venal press. THE PRICELESS BOON. This was a time of great interest throughout the colonies, and both Islands were now in travail. Already the writing Mene. Mene, tekel upharsin. was to be seen on the wall. It was only about thirty years since representative power had been given to these colonics to rule itself, and to lay the foundation of a future glorious empire. Atkinson and Whitaker were amongst the olde it mini stors who had exercised power and had seen the population increase, and had viewed the political struggles of the people for the exercise of their rights, but so terrified had they become at the growing power of the people that they were now moving heaven and earth to rob them of that priceless boon, which was their right and heritage. Even now they were endeavoring to bring about a measure whereby these colonies would be robbed of the right of ruling themselves by making them subservient to the rule of a distant power. It was to such things as tiiis, and to the party which was trying to bring about such a measure as this that he was opposed to. Had it not been for Sir George. Grey they would long ago have been bound in such unholy bondage. Don’t give up this priceless boon which had been obtained at such cost of labor. The working man had all the power, if they chose to exert it, and he begged them to guard their right and maintain it, let the voice of the charmer charm never so wisely—never give it up.— (Applause.) THE BRIBERY CASE.

They had all heard the case for bribery and corruption, which had been going on between himself and Mr. Locke for the last few days. He did not care who heard him, but would fearlessly state before the whole colony and the world that it had only failed by a great miscarriage of justice (loud and continued applause). He would say again that what had taken place within the last few days was a gross miscarriage of justice (renewed applause). But it was not always what seemed a failure at the time that ultimately proved so, and he felt certain that what had taken place would have a good effect on several other seats in the Colony. He had acted in this matter entirely on his own responsibility and had taken no man’s advice or help, but had acted entirely for the public good, and to teach all men that the law must be respected—that all men were on the same level (applause and hisses), and that the poor man should have a fair chance of being elected. (Deafening applause.) Look at the course of political life of these colonies. We had no great centres of wealth like the other sister colonies—no heart or centre from which all power and life radiated. Auckland was the only place where any congregation of this sort existed a short time ago. But a rivalry soon sprang up as to where the seat of Government should be, and commissioners were appointed, and they selected Wellington as the most central position, and the most accessible from all parts, and the seat of Government was taken away from Auckland, and Wellington became the centre. There were these two cities, and several other smaller ones, but they had no great centre of thought from which all other smaller towns derived their political life, and each small and isolated community like our own had to form its own political opinion. This town was cut off from all communication with the outer world, except by telegraph and steamer, and had to think and act for themselves. That they were capable of doing so had been shown that night, by giving their support to, and standing by a man when performing a public duty. (Applause.) It rested entirely with themselves as to whether they took all political power in their own hands. Sir George Grey had obtained for them this power—this great and priceless privilege, and they should all stick to him like men. (Applause.) THE ORIGIN OF PARTIES. Some years ago there was no distinction of party in these colonies—no such thing as Liberal or Conservative. This was in the days of Stafford and Fox, and all the difference then was that when Fox went up Stafford went down, or Stafford up and Fox down, (Laughter.) At this time the Provincial Council was the training school for the House. But a time came in 1870 when a fall in the price of wool caused a great depression in the country, and in 1871 Sir Julius Vogel brought down to the Honse his Public Works Act, and said the country wanted money, and the peojile employment, and he advised the borrowing of capital for the purpose of expending it on Public Works which would improve the land. His scheme was received with acclamation and carried out, and there could be little doubt that if Sir Julius had only stood by his policy New Zealand would have been far more prosperous than now. With the commencement of the Public Works first arose the necessity for taxes. The Government had to yield to pressure and to buy votes, and many thousands of pounds of this money were spent for this purpose. The money was thrown upon the floor of the House to be scrambled for, and the taxes necessary for the payment of the interest was put upon the shoulders of the people, and not as it should have been on the land, This taxation was introduced, and now New Zealand was the heaviest taxed land in the world. (Hoots.) The working nwi had to pay £3 per head for the benefit of the landed proprietors. (Great noise.) The origin of parties arose thus. There arose a party who wished to see the burden of taxation placed on the proper shoulders—upon the shoulders of the land owners, and that was the Liberal party to which he belonged (loud applause). The same stifliggle had taken place in ancient Greece, Rome, and France, and the struggle had been going on and gaining ground until it had become the great and burning question of the whole civilised world (applause). All men were equal, as God had made them (deafening applause), and no man had a right to the exclusive possession of the land any more than another (cheers). It was at the commencement of this struggle here that Sir George Grey came forward, and he, and he alone was the true Liberal leader—the substance—all others were but the shaddows. A venal and corrupt press had vilified him and rediculed him in every possible way (applause and hear hear), but it was him, and him alone, who had erected a solid foundation to their liberties, to their success, and to their happiness (loud applause). But the working men of Gisborne and the whole colony were waking up now as they had never done before, and ho yet hoped that before Sir George Grey departed from the scenes of his earthly career - and his time was getting short now—that ho would yet see a government ruled by, for, and with tho people on a basis so firm that it would never be destroyed (deafening applause). LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES.

Let them all remember that the groat struggle which was now going on was between the Conservatives and the Liberal.-;. Mr. Locke was the representative of the moneyed or Conservative class and had the assistance of all those who could bo bought. (Boohoo), L'-'ok at the last contest. Not an hotel but what had been thrown open to debase and degrade the minds of people with drink—(shame, shame). It was bad enough to degrade a man by buying him with money, but far worse to degrade and debase him by drink—(much noise). It was not mon like those present who had been or could be bought by drink, but it was poor ignorant men who had been brought out of the bush and their names placed on the rolls for the purpose of bribing them—(loud noise). It was a shame and a disgrace to the district to send such a man to Parliament to make laws far others—(great interruption.) If it was only by such disgraceful means as this that ho (the speaker) could get to Parliament then lie would never go there—(deafening applause.) His party had been striving to get homes for the working men and the people

(applause.) But what had the Government of which Mr. Locke was a sumach suppoiter donu? Who had thrown out their Harbor Bill and stopped the Native lands from being thrown open I; it the Government which Mr. rte . ~ ~ ■, l v .l toid them how ho had interviewed Ministers and what they had promised to do for this place, but what right had the Government to attempt to bribe the district in this manner by promising them a harbor and a railway. (Applause.) If we had a right to them why had they not given them before ? Why had not this generous government which now promised Mr. Locke so much —why had they not passed the Company’s Bill which he had sent to them for the purpose of opening up the land. No, they had thrown it out, and like a dog in the manger, refused to lot him do what they could not do themselves, But their time was now drawing short, and this continuous Government, which had been in office, with the exception of a short period, ever since 1868, was very near the end. (Hear, hear.) It was the duty of all men to do their duty—no matter who the candidate was—and send a man to Parliament who cared for all and had the welfare of all a heart, and not one whose whole interest was for one class. (Loud applause, hisses, and much confusion.) Poverty Bay had increased much in wealth aud population, but it was due to his party. But what was the outlook at present ? Before long the present stagnation would be much increased, and these would be great scarcity of work and no money. This was through the native land transactions having been stopped by the Government. (Great uproar and confusion here ensued, and Mr. Rees called the constable and ordered him to turn some man out. After loud uproar, shouting, and whistling, the meeting again subsided.) The present Government were responsible for the present depression, and yet there were working men and business men who would support Mr. Locke. (Cries of “Yes, yes; no, no.”) The men who do this should be ashamed of themselves. THE GREY PARTY.

The Grey Party had done all the good they could and the Government all the bad. Who wanted to put all the taxes on the working men’s shoulders—the present Government? Who wanted to put the taxes where they should be—on the land ? Sir George Grey. (Applause). They must educate themselves to politics, which was as much a science as that of watchmaking, and all must learn before they become efficient. This was not learned by chicken suppers, bribery, or by burning in effigy. (P. Maher: Should like to see it tried—Applause). The land should provide sustenance for all, and it was the heritage of all, and not that of a few. (Loud applause.) If it were made to administer to all, it would be found enough for all and to spare. If the land was equally divided there would not be a few riding about in their gilded carriages whilst others were starving. We should then have a country without any helpless sick and ailing, without any want and misery. All would bo smiling peace and happiness, and we should hand down to our posterity a priceless and glorious heritage. (Deafening applause). It was the duty of every man amongst them to assist and help those who were struggling for their liberty and rights. (Applause.) He not alone spoke to them, but he spoke to all the colony, and asked them to ’ return men to Parliament who would struggle for that which was theirs by justice and by right. Never mind if they sometimes met with defeat. No great achievement had ever yet been attained except after many struggles and defeats, but let them remember that every man they returned to his party was adding something towards the attainment of this desired object, and added one more item to the security of the country. Let them be sure that the men they returned to Parliament were not corrupt and venal men, but men whose motives were pure, and whose aims were honesty and justice. If they did this they would attain their rights, even if it took years and years. Let them not be disheartened, but look at the long and patient toil of Mr. Gladstone in England, and men like him in other parts of the world. Look at the struggles of Sir George Grey who had struggled on against all odds and against all contumely. He himself had been blamed, villified, and scoffed at, and now he heard that he was to be burnt in effigy, but he cared not. Not alone was he prepared to be burnt in effigy, but he would cheerfully submit to be burnt at the stake in the cause of justice, right and truth (deafening applause and hisses). He was sorry to detain them so long (Voice :go on all night). Some one said “ go on all night,” but he had tried that once and found it quite enough (loud laughter). He would ask them all to do what they could, and if they were energetic they might yet secure many scores of votes before the polling day. He had been told about the resolution which had been passed at the Political Association meeting, and it had greatly cheered him, and fortified him in his resolution to do what was right, regardless of all cost. This resolution would go throughout the length and breadth of the land, and would prove that a feeling of right and a determination to have justice was springing up throughout the colony (loud applause).

THE BRIBERY CASE AGAIN. The motives which had actuated him in the late case of bribery were entirely pure. They all might have noticed that throughout the entire case that he had been most careful not to indulge in any personalities or abuse. He had taken the action purely on the grounds of justice and for no personal motives. He had done it so that the wealthy should not have undue advantage over the poor man, but that all should toe the line—(applause.) He had not imputed any immoral motive to Mr. Locke other than that he had been guilty of undue influence, The law had been broken and he wished to teach them that this could not be done with impunity, and that whoever did so must be punished and made an example of. He cared not who blamed or what any one said. He had acted entirely on his own responsibility, and had taken no one’s advice, but was determined to take the action. He said the case had only failed through a gross miscarriage of justice. (Immense uproar, schreeching, whistling, and yells). Men had bec.l bought in the same manner as Bir Julius Vogel, and the Conservatives always bought support. He would ask those who were supporting him how he could stand against such corruption. When he went up the coast he was told that if he chose to spend £3O or £4O in whisky he would get elected, but he scorned to resort to such degrading and unlawful means, and would fight on against all each corruption, no matter what amount of insult and obloquy was heaped upon him. He saw tho papers said he looked unhappy, and heard several

“ Boohoos” when he came out of the Court on Friday, lie saw a number of men outside the Albion Club, and as he walked towards them, he heard several more “ boohoos,” but they gradually ceased as ho drew nigh, and when he had passed he just caught the sound of another “boo.” He would now give them a word of warning. If they did not mind, and if those corrupt practices wore continued, the place would get such a bad name that it would got disfranchised. He did not like to speak ill of the dead, but ho must remind them th.lt Captain Read had boon unseated for corruption and bribery. There wore members in th ■ House who would gladly avail themselves of tho opportunity of showing their virtue by getting this distiid disfranchised. There were plenty of members who would glady do this thin;/. He liked always to have clean hands. The WOl king Men’s Political Association’s letter would show that this colony was upright and would stand out in bold contrast to the shame cast upon it by the evidence given in the Police Court in connection with the late case for bribery—(loud and prolonged noise.) THE PRESENT CONTEST. The present contest was a struggle between the Conservatives and the Liberals. If they wanted a scarcity of work, bad times, and want, they would support Mr. Locke ; but if they wanted prosperity, plenty, and happiness they would give their support to him and Sir George. Grey. All the papers of the whole colony ha 1 la nd • I and him and his leader, Sir George Grey, and had said that if he was returned to Parliament he would become the born of the whole Australasian Colonies. Of course ho would become the pest of the Government party, and they would move Heaven and earth to keep him out. The Government did not want such men as him in the House. If the district

returned Mr. Locke again it would again bo neglected, but if they returned him there should be a great change, and it should not be long before they should have the hatbor aud breakwater, to which Sir George Grey and his party were solemnly pledged. (Cheers.) If these pledges were not fulfilled he would resign at once. (Applause.) In conclusion he would say that if they elected him, and sent him to the House, he would do all that man could do to prove himself worthy of their support, and if not then as a citizen amongst them he would always do all he could for their happiness, welfare and ad* vancement. (Continued uproar, clapping, hisses and shouts.) A Mr. Burton (an apparent stranger, and in the most adulatory terms) moved, That this meeting lias full and perfect confidence in Mr. Rees as the only Liberal candidate, and pledges itself to do all it can to secure his return. Mr. Walter Knights seconded the motion, Mr. J. Thompson (who mounted the stage amidst cries of “ Take off your hat—Soap and water—Face round!”) wished to know whether Mr. Roes would support a Harbor Bill. Mr. Rees explained that he had been struggling for years for this very thing. Mr. Thompson; Are you in favor of cut* ting through the centre of the hills and making.a road to open up the country, Mr. Rees was in favor of making all the roads they could, Mr. Thompson : Are you in favor of extending the boundaries of the Borough and then cutting it up into wards (cries of Speak up, turn round), Mr. Rees thought this more a question for the Borough Councillors, but as far as he was concerned he was in favor of wards, so that all parts could be fairly represented. The Chairman then put the motion to the meeting, which was carried unanimously. The meeting then broke up amidst much noise, confusion, and cheers. MR. LOCKE AT ORMOND. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. Mr. Locke proceeded to Ormond on Saturday afternoon, and addressed a very well attended meeting there in the evening. Mr. Skillicorn was in the chair. After the address, Mr. Cohen moved a vote of confidence in the candidate, which Mr. Clements seconded. Mr. Devery moved as an amendment, a vote of thanks only, seconded by Mr. McLeod. The amendment was put to the meeting and lost. The original motion was then carried, with only three or four dissentients.