The Address in Reply.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2951, 31 July 1878, Page 2

The Address in Reply.

Mr Seymour George rose to more the Address in Reply. The hon. gentleman went through the address clause by clause, commenting upon each in commendatory terms, and asking the House and the coui-tvy to re-echo the sentiments embodied in that address. Regarding the purchase of native lands, he hoped value would be obtained for their money in the future more than had been the case in the past. As to the new Electoral Bill, he hoped and believed it was the intention of the Government to extend the franchise as far as possible, and give every man in the colony a vote after a certain residence, together with improved registration. He considered it time that a certain tax should be placed upon the lands of the colony, so that those who benefited by the outlay of borrowed money should contribute and thus equalise the incidence of taxation. He would ask the House to give their best attention to the promotion of direct steam communication with Great Britain. He asked the House to express gratification at the recent telegraphic arrangements made with Australia.

The hon. member was received with applause on rising and on sitting down. Mr E. Hobbs (Franklyn) seconded. Eeferring to native matters, the hon. gentleman said he hoped an early opportunity would be" taken to devise some means to induce the natives to exchange their tribal rights for Crown grants. He paid a high compliment to the Premier and the Native Minister for the bold and successful way in which they had met and dealt with the native chiefs. He advocated the recognition of the powers of chiefs of tribes and hapus in dealing with native lands, so that if mistakes were niede, and the natives were dissatisfied, they would have at least their own people to blame. He was in favor of volunteers, provided officers properly qualified, and general efficiency were obtained. He supported communication with Home, though he hoped at the same time they would not overlcok the commerce of the Islands in their neighbourhood in the Pacific. (Applause.) Dr. Wallis (City West) said he would comment on the Address as a candid and plain spoken friend. Last session he gave the present occupants of th*. Government benches a " true and loyal" support, and promised to continue that support so long as they kept in the path they had laid down for themselves, but he had come to the conclusion that their practice did not square with the principle! they professed and preached when on the opposite side of the House. He remarked that the Address was fortunate in being moved and seconded by two such blind believers in the virtues of the Government; but they evidently had not yet cut their eye teeth —they had not discovered what a transformation getting into office sometimes effected. When the present Government acceded to office last session by certain tactics, friends (during the excitement of the struggle),called it generalship, though many people outside called it artful and awful dodgery. When Sir George Grey obtained office last year he chose to surround himself with certain gentlemen in order to carry out the various reforms he had promised, to introduce, and yet none of these gentlemen kicked in the samo paddock. Certainly some of them were thorough Badicals, but then others were something very different indeed. He was at a loss to account for the Premier selecting such a composite Cabinet. What had these gentlemen been doing during the recess P They had been told, " Oh, if our party get into office we shall do better than has been done." But what did they find ? That both were much alike. There was a great parallelism but no contrast. Caesar and Ponipey were very much alike, especially Ctesar. What had become of the departments during the recess ? Why,

Education, Justice, and Public Works Departments had been allowed to fall into a moat unsatisfactory condition. Instead of re-organising and reforming these departments the Ministers flew hither and thit her all over the colony ; and he made bold to say, the people of the colony would be astonished at the cost of these voyagings of pleasure. At last, the Hinemoa, which had been so much begrudged to their predecessors, had become a Ministerial yacht. Wherewerethe raanyreforms they had been promised? Did anyone think they were likely to obtain it in the matter of finance ? It appeared to him the best and first step to secure that, would be a general reduction of salaries of Ministers ; but they dare not do that, as they made certain professions last year in that direction, but when the qaestion came on they spoke of it with bated breath ; and if the Gorernment whip used his whip at all on that occasion, he used it to whip away, instead of whipping 1 in. They promised reduction of taxation, but it was only to reduce in one direction and increase in another. It appeared to him that their financial reform really meant increasing the burthens of taxation ; yet this was what they called just and equitable taxation. As to manhood suffrage, wbich the Premier had so eloquently and persistently advocated, had become of it ? To go by the speeches of members of the Cabinet, .he founp^ there were to be four different kinds ot franchise, which appeared to him jan. absurdity. He could not help thinking that the main object was to^ retain their seats. He -hoped the Premier would return to his early love and carry out the promises he once made. Let him settle the Maori difficulty, introduce universal suffrage, and representation on Hare's proportional system, and he would immortalise himself.

Mr Fox did not rise as an Opposition member, but as an independant one. It appeared to him that certain clauses of the speech savoured of what he called misappropriation and a want of generosity. He alluded to the remarks which were attributed to the Premier and the Native Minister as to the satisfactory position in which native affairs had been brought. There was no allusion to the celebrated man who had passed away, and to whom the real credit was due of gradually inducing the good feeling which has been brought about between both races. The hon. gentleman then proceeded to recount the rapine and murder committed by Te Kooti, Titokowaru, and others, and other difficulties which surrounded .the colony when the late Sir Donald McLean undertook the delicate and dangerous task to pacification. Land that they then could not put a foot on with safety had since been sold for £20 per acre. The Address said that "at last peaceful relation have been established between the Waikato and Ngatimaniopoto tribes." But how long was it since they had any disturbance with these tribes ? Why, these tribes never interfered when they were hunting Te Kooti. They might as well be asked, for congratulations that Noah's flood was ended. Altogether, the whole tone of these remarks on this point was misleading; it was ignoring the results of efforts of previous Ministers for years. He believed he had good cause for saying that the recognition of that remnant of the native race in Waikato did more to impede their prospect of our obtaining peaceable possession that anything which had been done for many years. The hon. gentleman referred to negotiations which had taken place between the Premier and Eewi; but as to the exact result of the negotiations who knew anything about them P The public mind was in a great state of obscurity on the matter. It appeared to him that the old secrecy which at one time distinguished dealings with the natives and of which they had thought they had rid themselves for ever, had once more been brought into the House. After all, what importance could be attached to these native meetings? The most influential chiefs, who had been identified with the native troubles in the past, were not present. Manuhiri was not present, nor Tawhiao.nor Te Whita, not even William King, the cause of all the troubles in the past. What Hewi said just eighteen years ago he asked at the Waitara. When asked by the Premier what he wanted, Eewi said, " I want Waitara back." This so stunned the Premier that he adjourned the meeting till next day. In the meantime the Premier had ascertained the views of Eewi, of which none kn«w anything. What could be gleaned by the expression; " Waitara is ours, and the matter will be settled by us two." (The hon. gentleman was still speaking when 10 o'clock came.)