THE PREMIER AT HAMILTON.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2093, 12 April 1898, Page 2

THE PREMIER AT HAMILTON.

ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. A FLYING TRIP TO OTOROHANGA. VISIT TE AROHA. TE AROHA TO BE MADE A BOROUGH. The Right Hon. Richard Seddon, Premier of the Colony, addressed a magnificient and enthusiastic meeting at the Volunteer Hall. Hamilton, on Thursday evening VVefindit impossible in this issue to do more than mention the very gratifying character of the Premier's reception at the commercial capital of the Waikato. The Premier confessed that he had not anticipated so epthusiastie a reception in the heart of such a stronghold of fine old crusted Torydom. THE PREMIER VISITS; QTOROHANGA. The early hours of Good Friday morning at Hamilton gave promise of a fair- day and the weather-wise, from the heavy mists enshrouding the Waikato river, would probably have been able to foretell the exceptional heat awaiting holiday-makers at a later hour with a return to more seasonable weather at nightfall* After-an all too hasty visit to Hamilton’s splendid 7 Hospital, through which the writer was kindly shown by the matron, and a brief conversation with genial Dr Kenny at his cl a-mingly situated residence within the hospital grounds, your representative arrived at the , Premier’s hotel, where a buggy and pair awaited the Right Hon Gentleman’s party for conveyance to Frankton. It turned out, however, that ’ there was no necessity to make the journey to the Junction as the special i train had been brought up co the Hamilton Station, where a large crowd was assembled to bid the distinguished : visitor farewell. Amid hearty cheers the Premier, after transacting yet a : little more business in the station- , master’s office, took his seat in the , carriage after bowing his acknowledgements. The Premier was accompanied by his two secretaries, Messrs Hamer and Cro we, Mr Sheridan,, of the Lands Purchase Department* Gapt. Mair, and the Te Aroha News reporter. Arriving at Oiorohanga the party was met : by Mr ‘W ilkinson, of the Native Lands Office, and a crowd of' natives. Very cordial were the- greetings exchanged. : After dinner an adjournment was made to the Public Hall, which is ’ also used apparently ns a Lands. Office. The Hall was crowded with natives, among whom were a number of'chiefs ;and wahires of high rank The Premier, with the assurance of a man well used to meeting assemblies of the kind, touk his seat at a long table furnishing the platfbrm, Ohptain Mair acting as interpreter. That gallant officer, who rendered such distinguished services in the-native wars, is an ideal interpreter, translating into earily understandable English and with extreme lucidity the sonorous periods of the Maori rhetoricians. The Premier, in response to a request to pay him the customary gree'ing, expressed the pleasure it gave him to assent* t Ct>me hither,’ the greetings ran, ‘•the friend of the people of the island from the north and south, east and west* Despite the fact that no formal invitation was extended to him, he was none the less . welcome as the friend of their departed chiefs All the old friends had passed away and they who -were before him were all that were left* His .coming was a proof of goodwill in the laud. Some years ago it would not have been so. They then called upon him to explain to them why he had come. They knew he would keep nothing back from them. They welcomed him all the more as coming from England, where he had listened to the words of the Queen Victoria. They reminded him that a premise he made at the last visit he paid them, had not been fulfilled by Parliament. TiVould he not now tell them plainly- what he proposed . to do for them, They begged him jaot to leave Stem in doubt, they urged him to reiiiove the restrictions burthening their lands. They had no objection to the restrictions against selling and leasing remaining in force in country to which they could not show clear titles. They desired authority to lease their lands to others than Europeans. The proposed Act of 18113, to their bitter regret, had been withheld. What the natives desired of Parliament was power to lease or sell their lands to whomsoever they willed, whether the lands were held jointly or separately. The Government had not had time to deal with the matter* They recognised the reasonableness of the excuse. Now, however, their was ample time to consider their proposals. Mrßeddon, in reply, told them that they were quite up to date in allowing the wahines to speak at their meetings, and then touched upon the solemnity of the events which ttie day Good Friday—served to commemorate. He knew of the burthens upon their lands of which they complained, and if they could, with advantage, be removed, then they ought to be removed. As for visiting them unasked, surely it was not necessary to ask the father to visit his children. He was Minister for the Native Race as well as Premier. It was his duty ! to visit ♦ben.:. .V * were right when'

they said he must have something to say to them. As he had unfolded a scheme at Hastings and again at Huntly, why should he refrain from doing so there ? They wished for freetrade in their lands ; to be able to sell them as they willed. One of their speakers had said that many of the natives before him were landless through foolishness, and the temptations offered by the Pakehas. He would say that if the restrictions were entirely removed from their lands for one that-was now landless there would be 50. It was only a question of time. The Europeans would never stop until they had every inch of their lands, through temptations and pressure. Maoris should remember, .that the lands were there for their children as well as themselves. Most :of them were children in the hands of Europeans. Some means; must be devised by whieh the weak might be l protected. He cautioned them earnestly not to listen to Pakeha-Maoris or i native agents whohadso longcounselled ithem to Iheir destruction. Between them, the-lawyers and native agents had swallowed up nearly all their lands. It was for the-older e!r ©- p s, and the Maoris with European blood in . their veins to give them counsel. The that were- being submitted to them by the Government were the best and fairest that had ever been ! submitted to the- Maori race. A large number of copies of the proposals would be distributed among them, but Ihe would read them over ands explain them, one by one, as he had done to the Natives at Hastings and Huntly, so that all present might Thoroughly understand them. The principle alteration in the law empowered natives to lease their lands without revaluation.. In conclusion the Premier pointed out that the large number ©f ; native land ag-entsliviDg on the Maoris would be done away with, as the Lands Court, which had been devouring theirlands, would also be.

At this point the engine attached toj the special train sounded a warning! whistle, and after a hasty interchange of courtesies the Premier and his party departed for Frankton, leaving the natives highly .delighted with the success of what had resolvedj itself, through a misunderstanding as to the hour of the arrival, into an impromptu gathering. •

TE AROHA. On receiving intimation on Thurs day morning of the probable arrival of the Premier on Good. Friday, an extra special was printed at this -'ffice announcing the intelligence. The neatly printed slip was further embellished with a gratuitous announcement to the effect that the ; Premier would probably arrive by the train reaching Te Aroha at 12.5.5. :It was otherwise ordained, however, and on the principle that it is always the unexpected that happens, the Right Honorable Gentleman at the hour memioned was speeding on his way to Qfcorohanga as fast as a special could carry him. All unconscious of the fact a large crowd, not forgetting, the local band, assembled at' the Te Aroha station prepared to give him a royal welcome. Profound was the disappointment that fell upon the ex pectant throng when the truth becamp known. When the special late in the evening did arrive it was met by a small but eager crowd—.the bulk of the residents and visitors were present at the Lenten Services being held in the various churches. Mr James Mills, an old acquaintance of the Premier’s, was the first to welcome the distinguished visitor, who was then driven to Mr O’Meagher’s Family Hotel in one Mr Gallagher’s carriages. After dinner our indefatigable guest, taking advantage of the nnonlight, made a tour of inspection round the ; township, and how keenly observant 'he is was shown next day while addressing the deputation which waited on him on the Borough question. A large number of residents and supporters of tho Government visited his private room during the evening, and it was not until a late hour he was allowed to retire* On Saturday morning he received a couple of deputations —Town and Domain Boards and the Freemasons, and also paid a visit of inspection to the Domain. Mr Seddon , was favourably impressed with what he saw, but painted oat where improvements might with advantage be introduced. The Chairman of the Board, while acknowledging the liberality of the Government in the past, indicated as delicately as the circumstances permitted, that improvements required funds* In reply the Premier reiterated his opinion that he regarded Te Aroha and its wonderful healing springs as national property to assist in the development of which the Government would refuse no. reasonable request. At half-past ten the Premier and his party, after being photographed by Mr Crombie, left in one of Gallagher’s carriages to connect with the Rotorua train at Morrinsville, followed by three hearty cheers.

THE BOROUGH QUESTION. On Saturday morning a deputation, consisting of the members of the Town and Domain Boards and Mr James Mills waited upon the Hon. the Premier. The Chairman of the joint Boards (Mr Thomas Gavin), who acted as speaker, briefly explained the situation, and the wants and desires of the ratepayers ou the subject of converting the Township District of Te Aroha into a Borough. In the course of his remarks the speaker said that the Boards were fully alive to the necessity of keeping pace with the growing popularity of Te Aroha. as a

health resort and place of resrle'v h. The curative properties of the thermal springs had acquired such celebrity throughout the colonies that increased bath accommodation was imperatively necessary to meet public requirements. Another difficulty they had to contend with was the absence of a water supply. They had had three hotels burnt, and the accommodation for visitors, was at times strained to the uttermost, as at the present time. Just now they were unable to do anything to cope with fire, and, moreover, it was becoming more and' more apparent every day, that if the reputation of Te Aroha, as an exceptionally healthy place of residence- was to be maintained, in view of numbers coming here to make their- homes, spend a vacation, or undergo treatment at the baths, the introduction of a water supply was an imperative necessity* With residents crowding into the place it was veiy obvious that some scheme for flushing waterchannels was required. No one enquiring into the matter could fail to be impressed with the urgency of the want. However, as- they were at present situated—nothing could be done. They could do nothing under the Township Districts Act, and tho only thing left to them was to become a borough. Former to effect this reform had failed through insufficient valuation the recent valuation, as it happened, although satisfactorily overcoming the obstacle mentioned, had proved a disappoint ment. It was full of errors, and mistakes.

Mr Seddon : : Due care had not been taken in making it, he presumed. The speaker concluded by saying, that as he, the Premier, was here, he thought it a good opportunity to laytheir wants before him.

The Premier, in reply, said, that : ordinarily speaking, he was opposed to sub divisions and the creation of local bodies. A great many people: seemed to think that when they had a* -eouple of public-houses and a-post; office' they had sufficient grounds for- : severing themselves from the county, and leaving the responsibility of main--taining all the approaching roadways ■to. the - Council. For his part* hewould hesitate before becoming a party to separation-in anordinary but in the matter of thermal springs districts he held other views. They ought 'to be under the full control of local bodies. A walk- through Te Aroha had not given him a favourable impression. Opposite the Do main, for- ’ instance, there was erected a raw of buildings of the lean-to t)rder of' architecture. Local bodies ought to. have power to determine the class- and style of building to be-erected, in themain streets, and they must either- ! have these powers conferred upon, them under the Thermal Springs Act. or become a bor >ugh. He would recommend that. Te Ar6ha should become a municipality. With an-, fmcreased influx of visitor? it wa-s Inecessary to increase the facilities f for their pmper reception and safe- | accommodation. He did not care so- | much for the qualifications so far as. | rates wont* It was a special case, aD<l thjsy ought to become a borough. «=» /The Chairman of the local Boards thanked the Premier for the liberal •manner in which the Government hall supported them in the past*. The Premier replied that he would look back to his visit to T'e Aroha with .pleasure* He looked upon thethermal springs of Te. Aroha as. national property, and any reasonablerequest they might make in the future* would receive attention. He hoped 1 that next time he visited Te Aroha hewould be received by the Mayoriand Corporation. He regretted not havingtime to visit the Rev* Mr Campbell’s, hyperphoric works. A number of the officers and Brethren of Lodge Te Aroha No. 52 N.Z.C. waited upon Bro. Seddon to congratu-*-late him on his being elected Grand Master for New Zealand. Mr Seddon cordially received the deputation and delivered an address thanking them for their felicitations, and, dwelling on the advantages of a connection with the order. Having expressed a desire: to see the local lodge room, an emergency meeting was hastily convened to, welcome the Right Hon. J. Seddon P. M. and grand masterY-Aeotv The Lodge waa duly opened, and g* m. elect received in proper forslf The W.M. (Bro J. M. Bell) exfcended i a hearty welcome to their distinguishedvisitor, and regretted' that owing to theshort notice a larger number of the brethren were unable- to be present. The Hon* Brother gave a short arid interesting address, in which, he thanked the Brethren for their welcome, and congratulated them upon possessing, such a well appointed lodge. The Lodgewas then closed, and an adjournment, made to the supper room, where the health of the visitor was duly honored. Mr Seddon was in excellent form, and admitted having derived much benefit from the short rest.. A pleasing* feature was his cordial recognition of two or three of the residents here, who knew Mr Seddon in his early West Coast days.