SIR GEORGE GREY AT CHRIST CHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 256, 20 May 1880, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AT CHRIST CHURCH.

Chrlstchtjk~ii, M»yl8 This evening Sir George Grey addressed a j'ublic in 'eting of electors nt ChristChurch, in the Oddfellows' Hall, which was crowded to overflowing. The gallery had been set apart for ladies, and was well filled.

On Sir G-'orge Grey appearing on the pL.tfurm, he was greeted with a burst of cheering. The chair was taken by Dr Turnbull, President of the Liberal Reform Association, who briefly introduced Sir George.

Sir George Grey, who was again enthusiastically cbeered, said he was still their representative, although another person had been put in his place by a method which was a deadly stab at the liberties of the people of New Zealand. (Hear, hear.) tie had been ousted as representative of Christchur :h contrary to all president, contrary to the law and the decision of the Judges, by a decision of the House. The votes of 1,300 of the electors of Christchnrch had been thrown away. (Cheers.) He then alluded to the exposure of private telegrams which hud oeen made by the present Premier, in order to damage his predecessors in office. Every let er and telegram he had received he left in his office, and therefore for the present Premier to send and starch the telegraph office was an unwarranted act, merely to damage those who had preceded him in office. (Cheers, and cries of "That is Johnny Hall.") He d nied that ho was a stump' orator. Ho said, they were nil working men There were only two classes one consisting of thosv who, surrounded bs parasites, did all they could to benefit themselves and their followers, and the other cl/iss was those people whom lie was endeavoring to educate, to teach them what were their rights. Against th former he was at war, bt. cause he believed that it was for Ihe good of the common wealth that such men should not enrich tl emselvi'S and tl eir parasites nt the public expense. (Cheers.) With regard to the Aucidnnd com pact, which had been signed by the Premier, h" chara -teased it. it as iniqu tous, and one which would not bear the light.

Sir George said he gave up office because he would not consent to a most disgraceful series of jobs—such as voting L 590,000 for railways to benefit private persons He defended the course he had adopted re ihe nomination of the Governor by the people foi appointment by the people, rather than that the nomination should be in the hands <'f the S -cretary of Stale Wi'h regard to federation, he contended that the federation tney ought to seek was the federation of all the Englishspeaking communities in the world ; that, if carried out, would put a stop towirs Alluding to the necessity of economising the expenditure, lie contended that a very considerable saving might be affected with regard to the honoraiiums paid to Legisla tive Councilors He would refer to the s re subject of 'axn ion, one on which ho fell part-ciil rly a- re be'ause lie had 1>- en ac used of naving toiough uis lavish expenditfire brought this about The necessity for taxation arose from tho vast sums that had been given to individuals whose land-* b;jd been bem-fittd by the construction of r U a ays. to p-y for which those |;inii» ought to have been ta. e.d —(cheers) —b.iu instead "f -\li.cli they had been paid out of the public purse The bench.ted persons meanly shrunk from bearing the bur lens of the state themselves, and en deavored by Cus'oms duti s to throw them on the poor, rather than tax the laud Referring to the Property Tax, he characterised it as most unjust. He did not believe the people would submit to it What he advocated was an increased land tax and an income tax, so that taxation might fail on all classes. Rather than fax the land, these men would stop education for the next four or five years in a similar manner as had been done in England for some time

He contended that the institutions for higher education should he common to every young man in New Zealand who was worthy tD receive it. The cardinal points of those now in power were to take the taxes from the land and tax the necessaries of life ; and further they would stunt the tree of knntr ledge, but the peep o would not allow of that (Cheers) Then, too, they talked of stopping tho suosidif.s, instead < f giving the substantial endowments promised by the Treasurer when ho advocated doing away with the provinces Instead of doing this, they would take away their charitable aid, and then hospitals, for they would not help the sick and the suffering, the aged and the indigent They might save in education by doing away with Education Boards, and allowing the School Committees to correspond direct with the Miuister of Education, and ab-'o by helping teachers to bo economical and provide fvr their old age. He denounced the jobbery which was going on at present with regard to the native lands, and that with the eojnivance of Government.

Sir George Grey then a: hided to the | various CoiiJ ,v ns&ions which had . been rouming over the country, and said he trusted ih.it tliey would make the respon sible Ministers Keep within the limirs of the law, and not ;dlow them to break the 1m w, ;in I then shield themselves, by mean* of nn Act of Indemnity Suc'.i a state of things must be put an end to at once (Cheers) .Referring to the subject of denling with native lands, he mentioned that his mouth had been shut in Committee because he wished to expose the manlier in wi.ich these lands wer>; being dealt with He then proceeded to relate tlie steps which lie had taken to prevent plural voting, by means of which the votes of the resident in a distrct were swamped by outsiders In conclusion no would s'ate that it was their bounder* du'y to.su; that t!ie public lands of th; colony were not tampered with by speculators. He concluded by announcing his determination to persevere in the course he had taken untill his life's end. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) A resolution proposed by Mr Andrews, MHR„ expressing regret at tho circum-sta-ui's which had deprived them of tho services of Sir George Grey,, their thanks for his address, their renewed confidence, and that they still regarded him ns their representative, was carried unanimously amidst loud appbuise. Sir George Gkey having returned thanks, a vote of thanks to the Chairman, and a brief speech \>y Mr Montgomery, member for Akaroa, terminated the proceedings