Thames Liberal Association.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3510, 25 March 1880, Page 2

Thames Liberal Association.

The adj urned quarterly meeting of the Thames Liberal Association was held at the Haiiraki Club iioom last evening. The President, Mr Carpenter, presided. The Vice-president, Mr J. Stormont Small, the Treasurer, Mr *Denbj, the Secretary,; Mr Lee, and about a dozen members were present.

The Secretary having read the minutes, Mr Penby-took up the matter of lands for the people, explaining in full the provisions of the Homestead Act and the deferred payment system. He said that the principal block oh the.Thames available under the Homestead Act was the Waikawau, though the best of it had been cut out for Native reserves. Mr Hawkes was the accredited Government agent for the Waikawau block, and all applications would have to ba made through him. A great portion of the other lands that would be available were locked up through timber leases over them held by the Shortland Sawmill Company. 46,000 acres were held in, this -way,; and Mr Stone, who represented the company, would not permit the throwing open of the land. He v read a copy of one of the leases held by the Sawmill .Company,, showing their tenure*. The lease referred to was for the Maungakirikiri block No. 1, for which Mr Stone had paid £251 and 5s per annum rent. This block comprised over 1000 acres. From the conditions of the lease the portions of the block cot timbered could be occupied, Mr Stone j having no claim over them, and if persons !' were settled on these portions they could not be interfered with unless the Government sold the land over their heads. He offered to analyse the soil from any farm in the district to show what were its constituents and what it required. He recommended intending selectors to procure Lincoln's Farm and Selection as one of the best haad books procurable. Before concluding he remarked there wa« one provision of the v Land Act which prevented small storekeepers and tradesmen taking up land under deferred payment. In reply to Mr O'Brien Mr Denby stated that Mr Stone had refused to give | any concessions to the Waste Lands 'Board. •. ,■ ■. V;';:-/-\/v^-''.—:^ >\r.:' -^ ■

Mr Wood read the following papers which he said he had prepared not only- to '-/■■: excite discussion (by > the Association, but also through ?the Press by the public of the Thames :— "What is the foundation of a colony's prosperity P Is it gold, or is it cultivated land P 2. What has made the United States the prosperous nation it is ? Was) it Roldi or was it their land? 3» What has made France recover so speedily from the crushing disaster of the Franco-Prussian war? Was it gold, or^ was it her lands cultivated by. an industrious, frugal, and persevering people P 4. What is the difference to the colony between the practice of Mr Firth of Matamata, who bays land largely for the legitimate purpose of cultivation^and the; practice of the miserable beings who'buy it merely for speculative purposes, and to maintain high prices ■?.] 5. What makes so many people shift from the,? with gold in their pock»t»^- la it becauie_ here the land is cheap so that they earn easily settle tnd make a home fox their families P^ 6. What is the reason why :the Homestead Act shotsld not be extensively taken advantage of by Thames: people P I 7. What maintains the iiohopoly ,in ; butcher's meat that has so long existed at the Thames P Is it because the lands are all occupied with thriving.settlers, ' f ' t im(\:. th»t railwaycommunicationwith the interior is fully established P 8. What is the cause of butter being 3d per lb dearer here than in Auckland ? Is it because a large population are settled on land and hare plenty of cows to graze thereon ? 9. ; What is the cause of the enormous price of fruit at the Thames P Is it because orchards abound? 10. What makes so few people take any interest in the Liberal Association ot the Thames P Is it because they are all so well to do and. all so well satisfied with things as they are ? There is much food for reflection in the above questions, and much that calls for an united practical effort to remedy existing defects, but we must cease to be the beggars we have been, and demand what we need as our rights. We, must keep on hammering away at the nail uritU we have driven it home. It is the homey-handed sons of toil that makes a new count ry prosper. It is the laborer mob that are the backbone of a colony, not the swell mob, as Sir George Grey would call a certain class, and it is the wisdom, of any Government to see that these toilers: become bona fide settlers with the families." The first question asked on the paper was then put by Mr Wood and gave rise to considerable discussion the majority of the speakers, however, considering that both the- land and the gold were equally necessary to a country's prosperity. Mr McGfawan spoke reviewing the past business of the meeting. He criticised Mr Denby's opening remarks as unsatisfactory, and expressed surprise that Mr Wood should bring up as his quota to the general'information the list of questions he had read; He then proceeded; t» speak to the questions seriatim^ At the third question he was interrupted by. a. member rising to a point of brder. Mr Deeble moved that the questions discussed be only those having reference to this district; They should : ngt go into the laws of Fratice p.r Germany, etc.,' which they kßew nor cared nothing abOUt. ■ .•■■■■ ■' •'' ■■■'■■: ■■'■•. •:■ L: ■:- This was seconded by Mr Cumber. Mr Deaby moved the discussion of each question seriatim., Mr' R N. Smith moved a further amendment that each speaker may speak to all the questions at once if he wished.: After some dUcussion the motion and amendments were withdrawn. The President ruling that'Mr McGowan was in order in referring to all the questions. Mr McGowan then continued his remarks, giving his views on the land tenure of the colony. He approved of the clause compelling selectors to reside on their lands. He thought provisions should be made to enable selectors to sell their interests even before they had completed all the stipulations, a.B it would be an additional inducement to people to take np land under the deferred payment system; After some further remarks be

again treated the other questions propoun* '■•••■,•;■ ded by Mr Wood. Summarising them he said they would do but Jittie good as most of them could be answered by every man for himself. IV Mr Patterson spoke on the necessity ot the local bodies agitating to get the watte lands settled. He deprecated introducing discussions on France, America, and •ther.places. They ahonld confine themselves to their own district. v Mr Deeble gave his views on the deferred paymeat syitem. H# thoulht that the waste land should be open for free selection; as the increased revenue to the colony would soon/repay, the <Government the price of the land. He did not think under present conditions many people would settle at Te Aroha, they would sooner settle here and combine both the mining arid agricultural industries.. ■ * ■■.:; -,/.; *-...". f'. ;■ ?• > ;,■;>'. :IMr Denby then replied to the variom arguments used, and the Preiident deolared the discussion closed. '...'■ The President then opened the ami. tion of "had the rights of the"colony been invaded by; the aotiqn of; the Parliamentary Coiumittee re church election/ He considered «iq« matter of great and general impoitanee, and they were as much interested ia it v the electors of Christchurch. Jfe jjave^ the history of the circumstances attending^ the unseating of Sir George Grey, and read the clauses of the Act bearing apon 4 i the matter, and delivered an eloquent speech on the affirmative side of *^ the question; He ; then inpireci a resolution to the effect that the Aisociatiori disapproved; of the action d^^Bii' *- Committee. ■■.■•;. .'.■- ■■/,:.:-;'; ■ ;. y^irin^U-.pX^:'"': ;:+ This was seconded by Mr Macandww : and as the hour wa3 getting late ihV discussion was^djourned for a fortiight