MR J. SHEEHAN, M.H.R. Before the Electors.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3577, 14 June 1880, Page 2

MR J. SHEEHAN, M.H.R. Before the Electors.

Mr John Sheehan, member for the Thames, addressed the electors at the Theatre Royal on Saturday evening. There were about 800 present. On the motion of Mr W. S. Greenville, seconded by Mr Carpenter, His Worship the Mayor, L. Ehrenfried, Esq., was voted to the Chair.

The Chairman said it was customary, previous to or just after the session for oar Parliamentary representatives to give an account of their past actions, and discuss with us the questions to come before Parliament. It is somewhat late, but Mr Sheehan has been detained by circumstances over which he had no control. (A voice: He should be in Wellington.). Mr Sheehan, however, has come at great trouble and expense, having chartered' the Bottffoahana, to address you. I trust in his address, Mr Sheehan will speak on all important questions that are being discussed at Wellington, and if he omits to mention anything, I hope his attention will be called to it, before the clo-e. I have come in contact with Mr Sheehan frequently, and can say with all sincerity that I have always found him a true friend to the Thames ; and, indeed, even before he represented this district, we looked on him in the light of a representative. All have seen the advertisement calling this meeting, and as it is scarcely necessary to introduce Mr Sheehan, I simply ask him to address you. Mr Sheehan, on coming forward, was received with loud and prolonged applause. He said: Tbere is an old proverb and a trite one, " Better late than never," and this must be my excuse. There has been so much talk of politics lately, that if I venture on them I may be accused of telling' the old old story. In the first place I ask you to believe that my. absence has been owing to no want of courtesy to you. lam very sorry to be so late in seeing you, and so late in proceeding to Wellington. That this is not my habit, however, is proved by my action since I entered public life; indeed, while a member of the Provincial Council I never missed a single day of any session. However, rightly or wrongly here we are together, and let me take you back to the first session of 79, and to the two important questions—the Waimate Plains and the increased taxation. The present Ministry met the Ministry of the day with a vote of want of confidence, and that motion pressing us at every turn, we obtained a dissolution from the Governor. After the general election we were beaten by a small majority, and had to resign. I am therefore out of a situation, so far, not amongst the unemployed. I will now take the question of the Waimate Plains. The Government have appointed the Commissioners, Sir Francis Dillon Bell and Sir William Fox to investigate the causes, and these gentlemen have arrived at the conclusion that William Fox and F. D. Bell are two very bad men indeed. They found that many promises had been made to the natives and that was the conclusion they arrived at. I was the first to publicly proclaim in the House the existence of these unfulfilled promises. I was laughed at and this accusation denied, and accused of having given ground for claims being made. The evidence that these promises were m«jde was overwhelming though not a single record of their existence had been kept. I stated that th"c nonfulfillment of these promises would lead to a rupture, but I was laughed at and now they have found that my words came true. When we left office in 79 we left ample material for carrying out the contest. The men now on the Plains were our selection, and we were'fully determined to carry the affair to its legitimate and proper issue. The surveys we ordered were not merely intended for road making but to compell the natives to obey the law. When you are told that we were the cause of the disturbance you must mind the circumstances under which we were placed. . When we obtained the dissolution one of the conditions were that nothing should be done to bring in a disturbance. In fact our hands were tied, but I suppose it was fair enough. The Governor said, "You are on your trial, and must do nothing that may involve your successors in a war." Very well, the elections over we were met by another no-confidence motion, and nothing could be done till after the party fight. Oue of my main reasons in coming here to address you, is to tell you the true story of the four Auckland Rats. We have "te!fiFd^fre^rtOTy4roj^j9J9^ middle—and they are stories and no mistake. Well you will remember that we were beaten on the vote of one—Mr Vincent Pyko. I remember the day Mr Pyke arrived in Wellington, and if you had seen him followed by Government supporters and Oppositionists, like so many dogs, you would have laughed. For the first time he was surprised to find how well he was liked, and how many friends he had. Many were the inquiries as to whether hs had been sick on the way up. Well, Mr Pyko came, and he made short work of us. After our resignation, Mr Pyke came over to us and another member, and another and another coming over, we determined to have another fight. At this time there was a feeling that if Sir George Grey resigned, our success would be certain. This opinion was freely expressed to me, and 1 always said "If you mean to do it go and say it yourselves." Amongst, those people were Hurst and Colbeck. (Hear.) After the caucus I remember going to Grey's rooJi and finding .Reader Wood asking Sir George to withdraw in favor of Macandrew. I knew what was meant when I heard it afterwards ssid " This is the best day's work the party has done. We are now safe as houses, and can go in and win," and Reader Wood said " Dont spoil a good job." Colbeck came down to Wellington like a perishable article, labelled " This side up with care." I was told to watch him—and I did. On Sir George Grey asking me regarding their support, I said that Wood would sell us on the

first opportunity, and Hurst before the end of the session. Header Wood had changed sides so often, thai he had no shatne lef'tl He was only true to oneparty, and that party was himself. In '64 I remember him ou the steps of the Government Building almost give an oath that he would not take office in the new Ministry, and after prayers he had broken his word. You will remember when Mr Wood resigned his seat and went home to England, there happened to be some talk about the Agent-Generalship. I am not, at liberty to go into details, but I may say that when Mr Wood returned, he was a disappointed man. I was one who would not replace Julius, as I thought with all his faults he was a better man than Wood, and I do not believe in jumping on a man when he is down. I will now take Hurst. When I got up to Auckland I found that Hurst was out and Eeader Wood was opposing him. I was some time engaged settling their dispute, and when JtLurst came to j Wellington he wrote his speech in my j house—l won't say whether I helped him or not, but I will say that till Hurst went over to the Opposition he gave no indication of any change of opinion. Now, I want you to see the moral of the whole thing. It. Wood recommended Grey to retire from the leadership, and the party having lost its leader, he made an excuse for leaving himself. Hurst and Colbeck supported Wood's suggestion. The various statements made were absolutely false. They were inventions of a later date made for escaping the indignation of the Grey party, and the districts they represented. So much for three gentlemen. There was a fourth man—A voice : Swansqn—and I will say at once if it had not- been for him the whole lot would have been tarred and feathered when they got back Io Auckland. There is a respect felt for Swanson in Auckland which saved him. The others had axes to grind but he had none. We were told something about a block of land he was to get, but the charge was absolutely unfounded. The real facts of the case were: The total area of the blork was 3200 acres, but it was not for Swanson at all, but for a lot of Hauhau people to induce them to to come and settle. Mr Swanson had advanced nearly £100 out of his own pocket to procure implements for them. I don't excuse Swanson, but I am sure if you could look into the old man's heart he would admit he had made a gross mistake. It was a matter of great curiosity that hard headed and in independent circumstances as he is, he should have done such a thing and in conjunction with Header Wood to whom" he had not spoken for 9 years. When the party found they had a majority and had determined on another fight, two committees were formed—one called the Council of Ten and the other the Holy Trinity. I was a member of both. The Council of Ten met every day and went through the business, while the Council of 3 saw that the work was properly carried out, arranged pairs, etc. I now charge Mr Eeader Wood with coming to these meetings and taking part in our deliberations till the last moment. Talk of honesty 2 Eeader Wood called my administration one of jewellery and champagne, but I would sooner go in for that than act as Mr Wood has done. He cannot deny it. They way Swanson was misled was this: On the Thursday the Premier offered to the party, if they would delay the motion, to bring the matter up on Tuesday. We took time to consider. There n ere eight or nine of us present, and my advice was to go on, as if We then had a majority we were bound to win. Eeader Wood said he would not give time, but would hold on to everything. I asked how about supplies. Wood said he would bold on. Two hours after this he went to Mr Swanson and said, " Those fools inside have passed a resolution not to grant Government any supplies." Eeader Wood sat next but one to Mr Macandrew in the House, and there was some opposition to bis taking the leadership. Well, he bent over to him, asked him if it were true he had refused to take it. Mr Macandrew replied, "He did not card anything about it; " and then Wood went to Sir George Grey and told him that Macandrew; was shirking, and would not take the Premiership. No man could defend such conduct.' 'His clear duty was to go to his party, and whatever might be the rights or the wrongs of the question, no man worthy of the name could defend conduct of thin kind. They kept their secret 24 hours, until the very moment they voted. Mr John Lundon, one of the keenest men in the House, came to me and gave me a hint, asking me if I was perfectly sure of my people. I replied, "Yes, I think so." He said, " I have heard something I don't like about Hurst, Wood, Colbeck, and Swanson." I told him I wouldn't believe it of Swanson even if he would take his oath on it' That was my own impression at first. Well, anyhow, I took note of these things, and watched to see these gentlemen, as one by one they visited what was technically known as the "sweating room," and conversed with Ministers in the lobby. At last I saw Mr Swanson , gtf4[rtoWta-^iwsterjLroj»n^^ X venture to say that gentleman had never been before. Mr Swanson has been a warm and true friend to me, and even at this time is so, but if the price of my friendship is to be the abandonment of my party, I would not accept it. I went to him and asked him if he was going to leave his party, The uneasy reply was, " Perhaps—it is not settled." You see for yourselves that sq far as Mr Swanson was concerned, he was entirely misled; and thus we, with a majority of six in the House, were beaten completely. (The speaker here at some length defended his conduct in commencing the land purchase business, and reconciled it with his political sentiments) I found, on coming into office, transactions covering over 3,000,000 acres, and that in the yearly returns to Parliament there were some extraordinary items. Large tracts of land had been placed on the returns as being under negotiation, which were not under negotiation at all. In 1871 Mitchell was riding through the Waiwera, and met a native who was indebted to him for £5, but who, not having money, asked Mitchell to take the lease ot 25,000 acres for 21 years for the amount. This amount of land had been placed on the returns as being under negotiation, and it had remained so for five years during which time it had been handed down year after, year. I say that this is only one of countless cases —countless! I u*e the word advisedly. When our Parliament went into office they found that there was a large amount of borrowed money to account for. If I had have quietly taken a block of some

thousands of acres for myself, you would have thought me very unscrupulous, but I did not, as I knew my duty to the electors. A great deal has been said about the magnitude of the Native Department's expenses during ray tenure of office as Native Minister. £ think I can show that I have not been so extravagant as other Ministers. When McLean was Native Minister he had one item in his balance sheet of £99,000. Now, there is in the House a very respectable old . Scotchman named Thomson, a gentlemen who always wanted " to know you know," and who sometimes put awkward questions to Ministers, who asked the Minister "If they would give them a detailed account of the way in which the money had, been spent." The Minister then made a great fuss, and put on side, but a row being made over the matter, he came to the House one morning about a week before .the close of the session, when everybody was in a hurry to get away, and when no questions were likely to be asked, with his item of £99,000 divided into three sums of £33,000 each, and this was all the information given. Now I did not : spend nearly one-third of that amount. There were men who thought that a belief in flour and sugar was all that was necessary - to give them a seat in the House, and give them responsible positions to hold. They thought such persons were worthy of trust. One of these ministers before being put into a position of public trust was in debt to every one, and waj,^ unable to meet his liabilities, but after^ being a few years in the House he had become worth £20,000, and this was only an instance of many that had occurred. I should have been a fine fellow if I had gone on the same tack and got the better side of the treasury ? I want to make clear to you the position of Parliament at the close of last session. It was comprised of our party, the Young New Zealand party, and the party beaded by Mr Macandrew—indeed it was very much mixed up. I belong to the party, and if I were down in Wellington at the present time my vote would go with the Grey party, (hear, ' hear, and applause). I have always been actuated by principle and have never done anything in public against my conscience and principles. The Young New Zealand party wished to know to what party I should attach myself, but I thought to myself " Yon don't have me," and I told them to mind their own business. I have never by any act or deed sacrificed my principles. Some time ago, as I dare say you saw by the papers, I was in Auckland, and while there, a banquet was given at which the toast of the Native Minister (Mr Bryce) was proposed, and I was called upon to reply. This was rough on me, but I gave credit to Mr Bryce for what he had done, although I would turn him out of office on the first opportunity. His action on the native difficulty I > praised, as I believe in enforcing the natives to submit to European demands and by enforcing submission, Mr Bryce is only carrying out our policy in regard to the Waimate Plains. I don't propose to make an attack on the Government, but shall stick to the party and Sir George Grey. There is not- time to go fully into everything I should wish to, but I will briefly dwell on local questions, and will afterwards be ready to answer any questions pnt to me by the electors. Before Ido so, I will just say a word about financial matters. The Land Tax may be an iniquitious one, but the Property Tax is simply ridiculous. (Laughter.) The Government should supplement the Land Tax with an Income Tax, and then they would be satisfied. I contend that the present Government is a Conservative one, inasmuch as that they are endeavoring to make the poor man bear the burden of taxation, and are taking the expense off the rich man and those who are well able to pay. The Property Tax was never meant to- be enforced, and after a while it would be put aside, and the Customs would be the chief source of revenue—thus putting an unfair - share of the cost of maintaining the colony on the working man's shoulder. Ido not think the Property Tax will ever be brought into force, as the general feeling is against it. But, if it should not be, it is a question whether the majority who tarn it out will be strong enough to pass an act which will place a tax on all alike. An amusing feature of the policy of the present Government is what is called " Government by Eoyal Commission." These Commissions, appointed to enquire into the wants of the colony in the way of railways and other works, are comprised of well-behaved, highly respectable gentlemen who go travelling round the country in a very happy fashion, and who are generally two or three beaten candidates. This Commission came to Cambridge and took evidence, on which occasion I took an oath of a similar nature to that which I had taken fifty times in the House, and my statement will be forwarded to Wellington as a valuable record. -The head man is merely the buffer of the engine and nothing more. (Laughter.) By-and-by the report of this Commission will be brought before the House, and you will find that they will recommend certain works, but advise that they should be discontinued for the present. Other on with at once. In the latter case it wifi bV~~~ for those districts who have members not in the Opposition, and I will bet you anything yon like that for every mile of the Thames railway'that is made there will be 15 of the Waikato. Members go on ... the principle of "you scratch my back,^ and I'll scratch yours." (Laughter and applause.) Such commissions should be brought up under the Vagrant Act. (Roars of laughter) Then there was a Commission formed to enquire into local industries. This Com* mission was composed of two or three beaten candidates and two members of the Assembly. These gentlemen have very little brains when taken collectively, but when taken by themselves they have still less. (Laughter.) They work on the one-horse system. One member goes to Christchurcb, another to Auckland, a

third somewhere else, ahd?afourth comes to the Thames to take evidence ai to their local industries. These gentlemen will meet in Wellington, and will draw up a report of wjiat they have teen and heard, andthen will make their recommendations. Why, it is the greatest bunkum and rot in the world. (Laughter and cheers.) A man like Rolleston or W. A.. Murray, of the Bank of New Zealand, would be far more capable of judging the wants of the districts. The trip of this Commission will cost quite as much as I spent. These men hare no experience, are merely old buffers, and nothing will come of it. So far as the Grey Ministry were concerned they did everything to promote' the Thames Railway, and gave a practical demonstration by giving effect to their

desires by a graut of money for the construction of the Inc. If had bemi said that the Grey Ministry bad illegally pushed the line through, but he could not see the force of- that when former Go vernnients had recommended it. The Waikato line was the best paying in the colony wilh the exception of 13. miles of railway, which was not a public line, and was only used for coal traffic The position of the local bodio? is distressing —indeed they are all in the hands of " mine uncle " and the best of the joke is that they all owe each other money they cannot pay. (Laughter.) When I get down to Wellington I shall use my efforts to get some grant of money for the Thames, but I am afraid that Sir George Grey and myself will return with an empty carpet bag. However, I hope to be able to give some relief to the struggling local bodies. The Grey party are now at sixes and sevens—are broken in pieces, but when I arrive in Wellington I Bhall endeavour to knit them together again. The hon. gentleman sat down amidst loud applause. His Worship asked the electors if they had any questions to ask ? Mr Renshaw: Will Mr Sheehan tell us if Sir George Grey intends taking any steps over the Christchurch election ? Mr Sheehan: I can't say, but I hope he does. Mr Eenshaw: Will you support the Education Act? \^M.v Sheehan : I helped to pass it, and am going to stick to it. Mr A. Hart: Will you assist in the ratepayers having power to elect their own County Chairman and Council ? Mr Sheehan : Yes, I think that the Chairman and Council of the County should be elected by the ratepayers, the same bs the Borough. Mr Hawkes: Can you tell as whether the extra 6d tax could be put on anything but beer. Mr Sheehan : There will be some fun, you will see over that question. When we proposed some time ago to put a tax of lfd a gallon on beer, those very persons who wish now to impose a tax of 6d disclaimed against it. Mr Hart: Do you think it right that poor men should be obliged to take out a Miner's Right when they have not got £1 to do so, and are so precluded from working ? . Mr Sheehan: The money dnnved from the Sights does not go to the Government but to the natives. I think it would be better to cut connection with the natives entirely, and then the evil would not exist* ~ „, •»«■ Mr H. T. Rowe: How did Mr Whitaker get his splendid block of 13.000 acres in the Puringia district in place of 12,000 acres of swamp on the west bank of the Piako P , , . . Mr Sheehan : That was an old claim by which Mr Whitaker was entitled to some land in the Piako, which was owned by natives. The Government gave him the other land in exchange for this, which was returned to the natives. Mr H. T. Rowe: Was Mr Whitaker Attorney-General at the time ? Mr Sheehan: I could not say; He might have been. Two thirds of the land was crown granted to him. Question: Do you not think it a shame that a Government assayer has not been appointed for the Thames ? Mr Sheehan: Undoubtedly. Question : Would you put the proposed extra beer tax on tea and sugar ? *

Mr Sheehan : Certainly not. The answers were in each case received with loud applause. Mr Denby moved:—" That the hearty thanks be accorded to Mr Sheehan for his address to the electors of this district, and that this meeting expresses its entire confidence in him as one of its representatives." Mr Comer seconded. A miner named McGregor here became seized with a spirit of inspiration, and commenced to harangue the assemblage from the body of the building. He was somewhat at sea while talking re taxation and was repeatedly advised to go on to the platform. This he did after some difficulty, and commenced to write out an amendment. The Mayor remarked that he could not read the writing. Mr McGregor then re-commenced to address the electors, but was ignominiously shot into the hall much to the amusement of the gathering. The resolution was then put and carried amidst loud applause. Mr Sheehan returned thanks, and moved a vote of thanks to the chair, which was also carried. The meeting then broke up after three cheers had been given for Sir George Grey, Mr Sheehan, and His Worship the Mayor. -