MR MONTGOMERY AT AKAROA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2234, 15 May 1880, Page 2

MR MONTGOMERY AT AKAROA.

TOWN EDITION.

Mr Montgomery, M.11.1t., addressed his constituents in the Oddfellows’ Hall, at Akaroa, on Thursday evening. The inclemency of the weather, combined with the fact that the inhabitants of the Peninsula are at present suifering from an epidemic of influenza, caused the attendance to be somewhat limited. The Mayor of Akaroa occupied the chair. Mr Montgomery, who had an excellent reception, thanked the electors for the vote of confidence they had passed in him last session, when an adverse movement was made by his political adversaries. He referred to his past action, especially in connection with Hie Akaroa railway. He considered that the railway extension to Akaroa would prove benolicial to Canterbury. After alluding to local matters, Mr Montgomery went on to speak of the desperate efforts made on the assembling of parliament by the Hall party to secure votes. As an instance of the way in which support was purchased, he read a portion of Mr Master’s letter to his Grey Valley constituents, explaining why he deserted the late Government. Mr Masters wrote as follows : —“ I have the most positive assurance of support to both railways, harbor works, &c., from most of the leaders, viz., John Hall, M'Lcan, Eolleston, Oliver, Atkinson, Bowen, and others. ... I have also had many hour’s conversation with the leaders upon harbor works and railways with the view of obtaining a pledge before giving my support.” Mr Masters had deliberately negociated for money for his district before deciding upon which side he would give his vote. Before the session closed he got £40,000 for the Grey Harbour and a vote for the railway works, and though that was a large sum of money, it was considered a cheap transaction compared with some others. The present opposition had objected to thcnewMinistry upon a number of grounds. They objected because Mr Whitaker was a member of it—Mr Whitaker, of Piako Swamp notoriety— Mr Whitaker who had brought in the Native Land Court Bill, a bill which would, if it had been passed, have thrown the whole of the Native lands open to speculators. They objected because Major Atkinson was a member —Major Atkinson, who in 1877, had been tried and found wanting in his system of finance, which did not keep the expenditure of the country within its income. They objected also to the Premier and others who hitherto, and indeed during all their lives, as far as their speeches, both in the House and outside the House could indicate, had been opposed to the extension of the freedom of the people, who had for for years been opposed to the ballot to the extension of the franchise, and to the redistribution of seats upon the basis of population. He contended that reform measures should not have been entrusted to the pronounced opponents of reform. As regards the financial dilliculties of the colony, he considered they were principally due to Major Atkinson's incapacity and recklessness when in olliee before the Crey parly eame into power, and he hail no hope, while Major Atkinson was at the head of the Treasury, that things would be improved. The properly lax he denounced as oppressive, inquisitorial, unjust, ami repugnant to British ideas of political economy. The district railways vole he characterised as a job, and he congratulated (lie colony on its partial frustration. He defended Mr Macandrew against the charges of financial mismanagement made against him, and he asked the electors to contrast the public works policy of the laic Government with that of a Ministry that had bribed members right and left, voting £65,000 to Capt. Colbcck’s district, £50,000 to Taranaki, and £IO,OOO to Mr Masters’ district. The Hall Government had begun the year with a deficit of £BO,OOO and they would finish it with a deficit of £600,000, Alluding to the Waimato Plains occupation lie said the Government could not

go on spending LGOO a day on an armed force, and he maintained that with all their roadmaking the position of the land was unaltered. He would oppose any attempt to interfere with the present education system. He anticipated but little from the Royal Commissions which consisted of entirely Government supporters. In conclusion, he said be believed the present Opposition would have their innings shortly, and that in spite of the doleful whining patriots now in power, whose parrot cry was poverty and starvation, better days uuder a better Government would speedily dawn on the colony. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously.