PUBLIC MEETING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1359, 30 June 1885, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting, convened by _Mr Henry Goodey, was held last Friday night in the Volunteer Hal!, Temuka. There was a very large attendance. At the appointed hour there was no one to take the chair, and several persons were proposed but they all declined to act. Ultimately, however, Mr George Bolton, after much pressure, took the chair, and said he had no knowledge of what the meeting was held for, and knew nothing whatsoever about the business intended to be transacted. He, however, hoped they would give the various speakers a fair hearing. Mr H. Goodey then ascended the platform and said that some time since some of the working men of the place had banded together to keep an eye on their member, and also on the local men. When they got relief work last year they asked for something more permanent to be done for them, and their member and the local men told them if thej wanted anything done they must agitate. He had asked Mr Rolleston would he support the Small Tenants’ Bill introduced joy the Premier, under which the necessities of a home would not be seizable by a bailiff, and Mr Rolleston promised to do so. Some said he believed in getting in debt but not in paying. That was not the object of the Bill. Its object was to secure that the necessities of a wife and family could not be seized by a bailiff, but anything e!se could. It would only prevent the hard grasping man from rendering homes destitute. They had communicated with the Premier and received the following reply : “Premier’s Office, Wellington, N.Z., June 12th, 1885, . “ Mr Henry Goodey, Temuka. “Sir,- I have to thank you for your letter of the Bth instant. In the Bill about to be introduced into Parliament it is intended to provide for small holdings such as you describe as referred to in the Echo. You must be quite aware that 1 am as anxious as anyone to promote the settlement of the country, and especially in the tnanne' - indicated. —Yours obediently, ; “ Robert St^xjt.”

The next subject which occupied their attention was the reserves in the district, which were now lei at a small rental to men who only kept a few sheep on them. These were locked up from the working men. If they were settled on blocks of

50 or 60 acres of these reserves, they would grow their own food and supply their own wants. Some of them had tried it, and put in two or three acres of crop and made £2O to £3O and £4O out of this. This was better than being idle, which was the road to every crime. He had written on this subject pointing out the number of men with families of eight, ten, and eleven souls that were idle in the district, and suggesting they should be settled on the reserves. He had received the following reply from Mr Rolleston: —

Wellington, June 14th, 1885. “Messrs Goodey, Boulter, Oharteris, and others.

“ Sir, —I have received your letter in which you and a number of other settlers ask me to use my endeavors witli the Government to induce them to bring the reserves in the Geraldine and Teinuka District into better use. The object you have in view has my entire sympathy, and I have forwarded your letter to the Government, pressing the matter on their consideration, and pointing out that there are large reserves in the Distract the leases of which will shortly fall in.—l have, etc., “W. Rolleston.”

So even their member favored the cutting up of these reserves, although some of their local men saw great difficulties in the way. There were three orders of working men : one well off, who did not care about the others ; Ihe second the well-to-do, who would assist them, and the third those who had a struggle to exist, and who got only six months’ work in the year. They did not want Charitable Aid, they wanted means of living, and if the working men united together they would make these local men respect them. They were asked why they did not go in for the scheme of the Editor of the TfiMUKA LIADEE. They had analysed that and found it would not do. It might do well for immigrants but not for them. The five or six acres would only keep one cow, and they might be far away from a school. That would not suit; they wanted 50 or 100 acres, and these reserves could not be put to better use than given to them. Their present occupiers were bringing great pressure to bear on the authorities so as to get them again. They objected to have them put up to tender, although these men would call for tenders for a few chains of gorsecutting if they wanted it done. Sauce for the goose was not sauce for the gander with them. They were afraid they would be over-reached if these were tendered for, but they were not afraid working men would over-reach aach other when tendering for every little job of work. He would tell the working men if they wanted to get these reserves cut up they must go to work at once, for their present occupiers would bring all ttie pressure they could to bear upon the subject. Some asked on what condition would they be let to them ? Ho did not see why the Government should not let them for 3 or 4 years without requiring residence on them. Residence was not required at present, and ha did not see why they should not get them on similar terms.

Mr Hope proposed—“ That it is the opinion of this meeting that the Government and Educational Reserves in the Teinuka and Geraldine districts should be made better use of than at present, by settling the working classes upon them.” Mr George Hobbs seconded this, and thought nothing could be better. Men could then make a living without asking work from any of the “ cookies.” The motion on being put was carried unanimously. Mr Goodey moved—“ That it is the opinion of this meeting that the Government should appoint a Parliamentary Committee to enquire into Mr J. M. Twomey’s National Bank scheme, with the view of giving the same a favorable trial.” He moved this resolution, he said, to bring out Mr Twomey—so that he might explain how he could settle men on 5 acres.

Mr Tworaey : That is a different scheme altogether. Mr Goodey thought it very improper for Mr Tworaey to interrupt him. He was not now at the charitable aid meeting. (Great uproar). He (Mr Goodey) would not interrupt another gentleman. [Mr Goodey then went on to make a rather personal attack, a proceeding which appeared to be highly relished.] Mr Tworaey did not think it fair of Mr Goodey to call upon him to speak without having given him any previous notice of it. It was not a good policy for Mr Goodey to attack people in the way be did. He had without cause attacked him (Mr Tworaey) also Mr Talbot and Mr Gray. It was a mistake to attack people who might help him in this way. There were two schemes : one the National Bank Scheme; and another for Settling the People on the Land, and Mr Goodey appeared to confuse one with the other. It was to set Mr Goodey right on this point that he (Mr Twomey) had spoken, and not to interrupt him. No offence was meant, and it was not necessary for Mr Goodey to have been so sharp as he had been. As regards his scheme for settling people on the land, he held it was the best. Sir Julius Yogel promised to give these homes on the deferred payment system, the payments to extend over ten or fourteen years. He objected to that, on the ground that as soon as a freehold title was given many would sell them, and they would fall back again into the bands of large landowners. It might do right enough for the present generation, but surely working men were not so selfish as to care nothing at all for those that came after them. If Sir Julius Vogel’s plan were adopted, in 50 years not a single one of these homes would be left; they would all be absorbed in the adjoining farms, and the next generation of working men would be as badly off ns the present one. His (Mr Twomey’s) scheme provided for keeping these homes for the working men of all future generations. He proposed that they should never be sold, but let under the perpetual leasing system. Under his system, the yearly rental would be about £6, while under Sir Julius Vogel's it would be about £l6, There would therefore be a great difference for the next 10 or 14 yea»s. His idea was that an industrious man would in the course of time save sufficient to enable him to take up a large farm and give up the small one to some one else requiring it. Under Sir Julius Vogel’s scheme he would be tied down there until he could sell it. In his opinion the perpetual leasing system was undoubtedly the beat, and he would suggest to them to pass a resolution to that effect. I As for the National Bank Scheme, it was

a different thing altogether. This aimed at getting cheap money ; for the heavy rate of interest they had to pay was at the root of all the depression. He was glad also to notice that a bill on that subject was before Parliament. Mr Goodey explained that lie thought Mr Twomeyhad suggested the National Bank so as to get money to buy these plots of land. He did not know how they could otherwise be bought. He then moved—- “ That this meeting, composed of the working men of Temnka and district, would urge upon our representative in Parliament to use his influence in causing the perpetual leasing system to be applied to all Crown Lands, and also to the working men’s homes suggested in Sir Julius Vogel’s Financial Statement.”

The Chairman called upon some one to second this, and on no one doing so Mr A. W. Gaze urged that some working man should second it. It was robbing themselves and their families to let any more lands be sold.

Mr J. Woodley seconded the motion, and it was curried unanimously. Mr Goodey then called attention to a petition that was there to obtain signatures of those desirous of getting relief works, and while doing so some persons in the back of the hall, wiio had frequently interrupted before, appeared disposed to create a disturbance. Swift as lightning something was thrown onto thestige, but swifter still did the Chairman fly to one side and dodge it. With a look that portended terrible consequences he warned the meeting to stop that game and resumed Ids sea'. Bugs of flour then begun to fly about, and one youngster who indulged in this pastime was collared by a man and given a good shaking. A sort of scrimmage succeeded this, and the meeting broke up in confusion, during which Mr Goodey moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman.