REPRESENTATION BILL. INDIGNATION MEETING AT THE LORNE-STREET HALL, THE GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED. STONEWALLING TACTICS APPROVED.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 390, 3 August 1889, Page 3

REPRESENTATION BILL. INDIGNATION MEETING AT THE LORNE-STREET HALL, THE GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED. STONEWALLING TACTICS APPROVED.

Auckland, July 29. Tjuerb was no uncertain sound given forth by the public meeting held in the Lornestreet Hnli on Saturday evening, and tho action of tho Government in attempting to rush the Representation Bill through with unseemly haste against the most stienuous opposition of the city constituencies was condemned in no doubtful terms. The hall unfortunately was too small to accommodate the hundreds of indignant citizens who rolled up eagerly to enter their protest, and many had to be content with standing room. The audience included chiefly tho most influential residents of the city, and the suburbs were also well represented. His Worship the Mayor presided and there were also on the platform : — Dr Laishley, Ur Beale, Messrs? A. Bell, F. '-. Ewington, G. L. Peacockc. 0. Mays, S. Vaile, J. fl. Upton, C. l>. E. \V. Bui ton, and J. B. Graham. The Maj T or stated the object of tbemeeting, and said that it had been called in response to a numevousiy-t>igncd iequi*ition, while thousands more signatures could have been obtained had time permitted. He then proceeded to state that

A CRISIS HAD ARISEN in the House of Repre?enbatives. It had been called "Tcnwi and Country. "' The j Auckland members were opposing the ; Representation Bill, and they wore anxious | to have an expression of opinion from the electors as to their present and future action" It was a misrepresentation to apply the terra "Town and Country"! to the present crisis ; it was a colonial question, and affected every colonist. Therefore, the action of this meeting should be short, prompt, and decisive. Hies Worship also read a telegram which he had received from Sir George Grey, as lollows :— " To the Chairman of the Fubiic Meeting, Auckland. Wellington, 5.25 p.m. We are united, firm, and hopeful. Telegrams from all quarters are most assuring, and show that the country is awakening to the mischievous nature of the Bill.'' (Cheers.) THE GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED. Mr J. H. Upton, who was received wioh applause, moved the tirsfc resolution, as fol- j lows : — "That this meeting views with the ! utmost indignation the proposal of tho Government to practically largely disfranchise the four principal cities of the colony, and urges upon our repre- ; scntatives to continue using every constitutional means in their power to prevent the unjust proposal becoming law ; and, secondly, that the meeting cordially approves of tho action of those mombois, formerly supporters of the Government, who have signified their intention of withdrawing their support in consequence of the action of the Government in regard to the quota proposals." Mr Upton stated that he had moved thisiesolution in the place of Mr Boardman, who was unable to be present, and then told the audience what he thought of the present Government. He said he did not know whether the colony could be governed better than it was go\ erned by the party then in power, but io certainly could not be governed worse, and this sentiment was reechoed with cheers. Mr Upton then went on to discuss the possible aim of the Government in forcing through the Representation Bill, and giving an unfair preponderance to the country. He saw no leason why the country was deserving of more than the town in this respect, and anived at the irresistible conclusion that the object of the Governmental manoeuvre was to seer.re a continuance of oliice, with the aid of the country party, by the otter of thia bribe. (Cheers.) Speaking of the objections frequently raised against the reduction numerically of country electoral districts, he pointed out that the whole difficulty could be easily overcome by the opening of polling booths in every small place at election time. What was wanted was some diiierent method of electing members altogether, and he approved of the Hare system, in order that the Ministry of the day need not fear that on any sudden question of policy they may be turned out of othec. They were discontented with the piopeity tax (cheers), and he was convinced that, without the imposition of either a land or income tax, a strong Government could so reduce the expenditure of tho countiy that they would be able to do away with tl.e pioperty tax. (Cheers.) If the expenditure were reduced by half a million, they could do with, out the property tax to-moirow. (Cheeis. \

INJURY TO DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES. Mr W. Duncan, in seconding the resolu tion, said that, by their endeavour to fotce through the Representation Bill, Major Atkinson and hi-> party were doing that which was injurious to the democratic principles of the Government ot the ccunliy, and it was the duty ot the meeting to enter a strong protest. (Cheeis.) Sir Harry Atkinson and his party, finding their popularity waning in the towns, were now courting the suffrages of the couutry with a proposal to increase its quota, in older to enable them to Keep their seats. (Cheers.) The rank and file in the country would not benefit by the increased quota, but it was easy to see that it would be of some u&e to the large land-owneis when they wanted to work a" local job. The whole thing was absolutely wrong, and it should be resisted with as emphatic a protest as possible. (Cheers. ) Mr H. M. Shenherd moved as an amendment, "That this meeting \icwswibh regret the action of our representatives in stonewalling, as not calculated to advance the best inteicots of this colony." (His&ing and uproar. ) He attributed the action ot the stonewallers to their opposition to the property tax, and said what the AuakLind members de«ired was to have the Representation Bill entirely thrown out. (Diosent.) Messrs Fish, Ballance, and T. Thomp&on, who were now etonewaUing, had twelve months ago spoken against the reduction of members. Mr Shepherd also argued that the settlers were entitled to increased I representation, on the ground that 90 per cent, of the country settlers had a direct stake in the country, while not more than 50 per cent, of the town population had a direct stake in the country. He was in favour of manhood suffrage, and maintained that a man should be five years an the colony before he could vote. (Loud laughter.) Mr F. E. Jackson seconded the amendment. He said the difficulties under which the country settlers laboured were very great, many of them having to travel three or four miles to record their votes.

A STAKE IN THE COUNTEY. Air F. G. Ewington urged that many of the townspeople who recorded their votes had as great a stake in the country as many members of the Government. (Cheers.) He presumed when Mr Sheplierd spoke about people having a stake in the country he leferrcd to those who held their broad acres. He (Mr Ewington) thought the people

who had made this country their home and had their all in the country had 'as great an interest and stake in the land as any member of the Government or thoao who held their broad acres. He referred to the Auckland stonewallers as " patriots," and said that but for some such system as stonewalling, the Corn Laws of England | would never have been repealed. (Cheers.) He also paid a graceful compliment to the Auckland newspapers in protesting against the great injustice sought to be done by the Government, and said that if Major Atkinson and party had their way a ffravo scandal would be perpetrated. He went into tijjuros and showed thai the eft'ect of the iniquitous proposal would bo to give tho towns a member for every 6,666, and the country a member for 4,144 votes. , Mr G. Peacocko supported the resolution on the broad grounds of democracy, and protested against the idea that thore was" any real antagonism between the masses in the town and in the country. He also drew a humorous picture of the ''gallant Major," who, having; brought forward a really good measure, "dropped itlike a hot potato " on tindinsy himself in a numerical minority in tho House, and saying : " Oh, this is not what you want ; well, I'll bring you down something else directly." (Laughter ) He was something like tho Yankee politician who said : " Gentlemen, these ate my sentiments ; if you don't like them I can change them." (Loud laughter. ) It was quite evident that Sir Harry Atkinson had no political principle, or lie never would have abandoned the Bill containing the proportional sy&tcm of voting. (Applause. )

A COUNTRY SETTLER. TSlv Adam Kelly, a country settler, ab this I stage mounted the platform unsolicited, ; and made a leally capital speech. Ho attacked the Government severely on then action in ghing the country an unfair pieponderance over the town. Ho said : 4 "Have the country people asked foi it '! [ No ; the country people want no injustice, no advantage o\er the towns. (Cheers.) They recognise, and I recognise, that all gveao reforms e\er biought before farliamenb or that have been started in any way, from the Corn Law Reform onward, have been started in centres of population. (Cheers.) When they say theic is more floating population in the towns than in the country they say what is untrue ; there is as much floating population in the country as in the towns. 1 confess in the country constituencies you can make a more direct appeal to the selfishness of the electors than in a gieat many of the town constituencies, and this is something after the mode of speech you may hear from a candidate- — 'If you be atter sindin' me into I'ailymint, I'll be after geltin' you all the money 1 can for roads and bridges. I cannot make a speech, but come and have a drink.' (Uproarious laughter.) That man was pitchforked into Parliament because he piomised to get all the money hecould forroadsand bridges. (Laughter.) Webavehadquiteenough ofthafc(hear, hear), but if we give an undue proportion of representatives to the country, we will have more of it. We must not take the question under consideration from a self interest or class interest, but from a national point of view. I want no advantage over any other man, and I don't see why any other man should ha\ c an advantage 'over me. (Cheers.) Fair play's a jewel. "' The speaker also made l eference to one or two country "jobs" that bad 'been perpetiated by self-inteiested parties by Pailiamentary tactics, and lebimied his seat amidet loud applause.

SOUTH AGAINST NORTH. jSIr Whitoombe, the next speaker, said this u as not only a battle of Town and Cuuntiv. but "South against North," tho South Island having moic country districts. The Midland ]<ail\va\, the Ota»o Central, and other Southern jobs weie hanging hie. The antagonism to the San Fianci^co s>ervics "was not so strong as those interested in the diiecb service could desire, and a determined attempt was beinff made inbhe.inteiests ot the South Inland an against Llie North Island. ("Question.'"") If the present proposal could nob be carried out a compromise would be made to retain the number of members at 91, because the House could be better manipulated with that number than with the reduced number. He asked — What confklenceeould they bestow upon tho^e who betrayed tho country in this way ? (Cheers. ) How did they know at what moment some other mine would be sprung. The duty of the opponents of this scheme A\ould not be done until they had forced the Government to a dissolution, and seemed a new election under tiie Act ot 1887 before any opportunity had baen given to repeal ft. (Cheers.)

MR JOHN LUNDON. The next speaker, Mr John Lunclon, came irom Lhc body of the hall. He was recehed with apnlaiioe, and announced his intention to say something on behalf of the country. He appeared gieably distressed because there was nob a vote of " want-of-conhdence" in the Atkinson Ministry before the meeting, because he wanted to fight them, but did not know which bide to ta^ce them on. (Loud I laughter.) He was not, however, prepaied to gratify personal animosity at the expense of the country. The town, he asserted, lived and prospered at the expense ot the country, and had more representatives than it had any right to. (Laughter.) He thought it very unfair that Eden should have eight members and Waikatoonly two, and that men in town could exercise so many as sixteen votes while those in the country had only one. He also expressed his conviction that they could nob put public money to a better use than to build roads and biidges. They spent it improperly in educating their children, because that was not m the schedule. (Loud laughter.) Mr Lundon proceeded to speak of the diversion of money voted for roads and bridges north of Auckland, but had to cub hi? obsenabions thereon short by cries ot " Time." ]\lr Crowbher took Mr Shepherd to bask, for his attack on the&lonewallers. Hc&aid that when several of these gentlemen expressed their opinicnagainst a reduction in the number of members it \ra? contemplated to reduce the number to fifty, and they had never said so since the 1 educed number was seventy. He said he would have greater confidence in our l'eprerfentabives it they I had moie properby tax to pay pei'sonally. Mr J. M. McLachlan paid he was afraid the effect of the stonewalling would be to retain the present number of 91 members. He wished to move as an amendment — " That this meeting, while not expressing an opinion on the merits of the question, regrets thao both sides of the House should have wasted so much time." The Chairman ruled this out of order until the other amendment had been disposed of, and the audience having expressed disapproval of Mr McLachlan's insinuations against the boy a Jide\ of the stonewallers, he retired before he had reached the end of his argument. Mr Shepherd then rose and explained that he did not intend to convey that not 50 per cent, ot townspeople had a stake in the country, but 50 per cent of the electors of citieb.

I ' . AJR DAKOAVILLE SPEAKS. jMv .1. M. Dargavillo had by this time been espied in Che gallery, and in response to repeated calls, he curoe torward to the

platform. Ho was received with applauso and hissing, accompanied by a few gentle reminders of his connection with City West. He asked that that Hbble matter should be allowed to stand over for the present, and Mien obtained a very aUontive audience. He said in that part of the country in which ho had lived for the last tew years, the people, as a' matter of fact, did nob caro one straw about this fight that was eroing on in "Wellington. What sympathies they had were with the minority, and not with the majority (cheers), and that was his own view of the matter. Ho never heard any good reason why three men in the country wero only as good as two men in the city, and his experience was that tho rosidents of cities took a .much greater' intorest, and had greater capability in the management of colonial aflairs, than their fellows in' tho country. He assured the meeting that his ,own sympathies and tho«>e of the country peoplo were with the t>tonewallei s in the struggle, and he hoped they would ttand to their guns like men. (Cheers.) The resolution was put and carried almost unanimously, and with cheers, Only four hands being held up against it.

NO INCREASE OF MEMBERS. Dr. Laishley, who was received with ap plnuse, said he held been asked to movo "That this meeting strongly protests against any alteration of tho prcseni/ law which would tend to increase the nurabor of members abovo fchc number provided for by the Amend men b Act ot 1887." lie explained thuL the number of member b according to law was now seventy white and four Maori mcmbeis, and this was to take eficct at the dissolution or expiration of tho prcsontParliamcnt. Honotonlyopposedany mciea^c, bub felt strongly that j.he nuiiibor should bo still further reduced to 50. (Cheer?.) Ho- urged -that tho present time was peculiarly opportune lor "discussing- the subject, because nob only was' representation the subject which was especially now engaging public attention, but because even the l educed number was in .'cry great jeopardy — acompromisein favour of an increased number now being spoken of at Wellington— and, moieovor, becau&otho present) deadlock supplied a strong Argument to show that a\ isdom docs not," necessarily, he in number?. (Cheers.) In addition to tho fact that wisdom did not necessarily lie in numbers, ho pointed out the main arguments in tavour of further reduction, viz., that bo reduce the number to lifty would efiecb a further saving of mote than L"3,0()0 per annum, would decrease the ppwer of talk and obstiuctioh— the great Avea-kness of dcmociatic ae^embhesj— and reduce briberydemands. Further, he showed tliatit New Zealand had the samequooa as England and Wales she would have riot more than twehe members, and it she had tne same quota as Victoria she would have but htty membets. Therefore precedents wero entiiely against our present number of members. (Cheers. ) Referring to bis statement that the present situation supplied a srrong aigumcnt that wisdom doeb not necessairly ho in numbers, he said the pi cent issue should never havo arisen, and never could have arisen, if the membeis had been competent. The issues town v. coantry, or country v. town, were entirely false and impioper issues. They were only another phase of the policy which had been the cvr &o of New Zealand politics ever since provincialism was abolifhed — district log-iolling. Ttie only true issue was, " What is Ue*t in the interests of JVno Zealand '" not what is best for tou n as against country, or countiy as against town. What we pre-eminently need is New Zealand representatives, nob town representatives, or country representatives, or district representatives, or North or South representatives, but colonial representatives, and until we realise thai — until all such jealous, false, and irritating issues as the present are impossible, prosperity is out of the question. He therefore strongly advocated the system of Mr Thomas Hare, or some such modification ot it as was piopo«erl in a Bill recently withdrawn by the Government ; and the Government ought not to have been allowed to withdraw that.Bill. Id was idle to talk ot prosperity in the colony until the Hare system, or some suitable modification of it, was obtained, and until the number of members was reduced to at least ot), and above, all until first-class men weie sent to the House pledged to the radical and constitutional tefonns needed. The conduct of the Cover nmenb had been as bad as it could be. They were men nob only incapable but whose sole aim wa a evidently to retain ofh'ce, irrespective of all policy or principle, and therefore irrespecthc of the interests of the colony. And therefore when the proper time arrived, which, by the way, he do not think had yet arri\cd, they should oe driven from olhce and consigned, not only to obscurity — as Vogel had been —bub to political infamy. And he was only sor-iy impeachment was not available ior thorn. For instance, what could be more politically dishonest than to advocate and indecently forre through ameasure now, the principloot which was denounced by thePremrer in 1887.' Whatc'ouldbe more un principled than tosurrender the vital principle contained in the sth section ot the first Representation Bill introduced this session, dividing the colony into four electoral districts only, sim]>ly because they found a majority arrayed against them if they persisted in it ? All this showed that tho good of the colony had no place in the Premier's policy, and that his rolicy contained bub one plank, one aim — Office. (Renewed choeis.) Mr J. M. Shera seconded the resolution. He diilered with Dr. Laishley in his holding bhat in the multitude ot counsellors there was not wisdom, but he thought 74 was a large enough multitude- to govern this country. (Cheers.) Mfo O. Mrays spoke, of the County of 5\ aiue'mata, in which he resided, and said the people of that county had never asked for the unfair quota that wus sought bo be given to them. It was a mean bribe held out to them, and they repudiated it with scorn. (Cheers.) The resolution was cariied unanimously, and with cheering. It was also re&olved, ''That copies of the resolutions passed be foi warded to Sir George Grey, and that tho Auckland mombers be thanked for the determined stand they have made," and proceedings concluded with threo cheers for His Worship the Mayor.