Sir George Grey before his Constituents.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3850, 2 May 1881, Page 2

Sir George Grey before his Constituents.

One of the most enthusiastic meetings ever held on the Thame3 took'place on Saturday evening last, when Sir George Grey, senior member of this electorate, addressed his constituents. There mast have been over 1000 people in the hall, the gallery containing a fair sprinkling of ladies. On the stage were a number of the leading citizens, and when Sir George Grey arrived, the applause of the assembled multitude was deafening. Mr Andrew Hart moved, and Mr J. B. Hansen seconded, that His Worship the Mayor preside. Though a large number showed their disapproval of the motion by hissing lustily, it was carried. The Chairman, after thanking the meeting for the compliment paid to him in his official capacity, said he felt sure the meeting would render him every assistance in the performance of the duties that devolved upon him as their chairman, which were of a two-fold charae.isr first to keep the speakers, and second to keep the audience iv order. As to Sir Geoi*ge Grey, hi felt he should have no difficulty in keeping- him in order, whatever trouble he may at times have given the Speaker of the House or the Chairman of Committees, and he trusted that a fair and impartial hearing would be given by. the audience to those who might address them. He had no doubt such would be the case, and that as Thames residents they would conduct themselves with tha decorum which usually characterised them. As they were all. aware, ,Sir George had come before them to deliver his post-sessional address, aa well as to enunciate those Liberal principles of which all were aware he was the champion. The visit of our member having been delayed, many had remarked that he would not appear before, Parliament again assembled, but he was present little more than a month before the ensuing session to give an account of his stewardship. He would not further occupy the meeting by any remarks of his, but at once call upon one to address them who was so well known to and so highly respected by the people of the Thames— Sir George Grey. Sir G. Grey said: Mr Chairman, ladies and.gentlemen, or rather he should say, electors of the Thames, as that was really the capacity of those he was addressing. He came to afford explanations -on many points—to speak to them on the present aspect of public affairs, to point out what they should do to secure the future welfare of the district and this colony, and to convince them that in him they had a friend willing to do anything that would be conducive to the good of themselves and their descendants. Now, firstly, he would go into a personal mattsr to himself, and of importance to them to show how the money goes; (n this country. They must not think he was joking in what he was about to read to them. He was about to read^to them an extract from the Patea Mall giving a report of the meeting of the Colonial Treasurer with his constituents. He believed the report. They would find it described a conversation that took place between the Chairman (Mr Sherwood), and the speaker (Major Atkinson). It was perfectly natural that such a conversation should take place, and it was hardly likely that it had been misreportod. If he did them any injustice surely the speaker and the reporters were responsible. The extract reported what took place on the evening of the 2nd of March. Mr Sherwood pat the question to the Colonial Treasurer: " You stated this evening that you got everything that has ever been got for Patea Harbor "—that was that he obtained fiom Government everything that was required for ihe Patea Harbor, to which Maji- Atkinson rcpli-d, "Except the £10,000." The £10,000 was a sum of this kind : in this colony there was a savings bank in which the poorer classes placed their earnings, by which means large sums accumulated in time. The money was at the disposal of the Postmaster-General, and the Premier had nothing to do with it. Well, Major Atkinson thought lie had got everything for the Patea harbor except the £10,000. Mr Sherwood then said, "But you did not say that "—that was in his address. Major Atkinson replied, "Mr Sherwood has never done a single thing, or done what has bean done'for the harbor. He has never come to Wellington without coming straight to me and getting everything done through me." A voice in the meeting then cried out, " Who else should he come to," and Mr Rhodes followed by asking, "Did you do it," to which Major Atkraaon replied, ,«< Yes, undoubtedly. About this £10,000: I gave great help in that, though not directly. Mr Sherwood came down and consulted me about this, v J».« alwV* did- I think he will tell you --I don t know: whether he will or not^ that I have beenalwayi kind to him, and given him every assistance I could in the oMttor. He came to me wh^n I was out of office with respect to this £10,000. Wehtd several conversations about it. Weaneton« day,and Isaid t "Look here, ■J^li 1 «"£■'■ **y to get ttrat is to go and tell Sir George Grey that you are going to oppose me tt the next election, if you can Ret this £10,000. I feel sure you can get it! Mr Sherwood was very indignant, and said he Certainly- could not descend to do a' thing like that. Ido not know what took place. He did oppose me, and he got tl*e £IQ,QQO/' Then Mr Sherwood got up and said: " J hear a gentleman on my left>—a capitalist—say it is capital; but I made no capital out of it. Yes, I was nouestly indignant that he should have made such a proposal to me, and I said that, rather than make such a proposal as that, J will go back to the district without the money." Sir Ge>rge stigmatised the. whole affnir us g diabolical plot to ruin him, and said that a statesman, in making the proposal made by Major Atkinson, injured the character of the colony at large. If a British Chancellor of the Exchequer did that he would be turned out, and never allowed inside the House again. Having spoken on the bad effect of money being placed so that it could be misapplied by the Ministry of the day, he proceeded : In Great Britain and other parts of the Empire poor people were allowed to ensure their l£vss in Government Offices. The amount might be £100, £200, or £300, but beyond the latter sum they ,could not go. The State was liable for that amount,, and if bad lives are taken- the loss, fell on the whole nation proportionately. In this colony the burden fell on the poorer classes, but the wealthy man might insure his life for as many thousands *s in England hp could hundreds, and the Government swept these sums of money into- the public chest, and used them in investments such as they

chose to give their friends. This was a matter of some importance. To his knowledge bad lives had been taken, and many lpsses would take place, they having to bear the burden. The speaker pointed out that the Insurance agents who went round the colony lecturing were used as agents by the party in power, and narrated an amusing example of the system of taking bad-lives, it was right they should be acquainted with those things It put one in mind of a melo-driraa. In a melo-drama they would find a dark, scheming villain, who touches a person on the arm and discloses to liim a plot whereby he may obtain possession of great wealth. Tbe individual whom he makes his confidante sees visions of wealth before his eyes, and attempts to carry out the villain's scheme, but if he fails" he is irretrievably ruined. He could conceive an innocent man thinking of the necessity of there being a harbour at Patea, and never having a conception of getting the money; but that is nothing compared with the scheme Government are interested in. The people of Patea were dreadfully put out about Major Atkinson, and there was quite a scene, and ke says this, "You have got more than your share of everything." What would they (the audience) say to him if he told them that: "If we have got more- than our share, from whom did we take it. Had any one of them asked him to get what they were not entitled to? (No, no.) Had ever he promised that (No, no) He said they had not got their share, and contended that an end must come to such things. Having noticed that, be would pass on to general questions. First, he would go to this point: The equalization of revenue and expenditure. The present Government boasted that "We very nearly equalised the revenue and expenditure." This had been done by. wrongfully taxing the people of this colony, and allowing the great proprietors. of land who reside in England to escape altogether. They would find themselves growing poorer every day, that clothing end food would become dearer, ■ that people could not afford to employ labor. That they would sink, sink, sink and generations would w.ould pass till they could rise again. There was one nobleminded man in England, who owned land in this colony, who would not avail himself of the opportunity afforded by the Property Tax to escape paying his share of the taxation. He calculated tbe amount that he ought f°3 pay,, and finding that it was about £1600 forwarded that sum to the Government of New Zealand. He was not tbe largest holder of New Zealand property resident in Great Britain, but he was the only honest New Zealand landholder in England. (Hear, hear.) If others had done the same, what a vast sum would have been i.dded to help them bear their burdens. What did the Government do when the one payment was made. A great shame struck their hearts, and Major Atkinson said "It is a trifling flaw in the bill. Don't mind it.'' (Laughter.) In the House he asked the Colonial Treasurer what was the purport of the bill. He believed the present Government were put in by these great runholders, and were unwilling to tax them. They would find that tbe Colonial Treasurer got up and said he (Sir George Grey) did not know what he was. talking about. Now, he said it was a mere flaw in the bill. (Laughter.) The whole system of taxation was favorable to the class he referred to. Look, for instance, at the civil servants who bad been reduced 10 per ceut.; the yonng cadets, who could not live on what they got, and the man whose position was a sinecure, having been put there because he could not provide for himself. But now an election was at hand, and the Government said, " Give these poor fellows the .10 per cent, back." How many had been ruined by the reduction? It was clearly an injustice, and now the Government, for policy sake, were going going to abolish it. if the revenue and expenditure was to be equalised, let them have fair taxation. Why should there be an export duty on gold and none on wool? (Hear, hear.) Why should a property tax be imposed upon the people of this colony, and none upon those men who were drawing great wealth from New Zealand and living in England ? In Great Britain every man who had property was taxed, and why should not the same thing apply here r* Why are wealthy colonists residing in England not to be taxed ? The Premier had said, " God forbid that I should tax those people in Great Britain." The burden fell upon them; the merchant couid protect himself by charging it and interest on it on the goods he sells. There is. every reason to believe that there will shortly be an influx of Chinese into the colony. 300J he had read were eu route to New Zealand. This Chinese question should not be thought lightly of, for they might rely upon it that the wages would be reduced by degrees, and their descendants would occupy a position different to that their forefathers held. „(*■ voice: No ) tfe be bad not exaggerated- The Chinese would spread leprosy as they had done in other couutries, and by vicious practices demoralise their wives and children. Let them reasou and they would fiad he had spoken words of truth. (Rear, hear.) .With regard to the land question, he might tell them that one-fifth of the United J£iugdom was. held tyy §30 persons, and if the same proportion were carried throughout the country the'number would only reach 2600. The present state of affairs at Home in regard to this land question was far from satisfactory, and articles in the newspapers declare thaf a revolutionary epoch was coming. That being the ease \ n i\\e 014 country, were they to set up a worse system th&n that? {No, no.) Would thay continue to have the public lands disposed of as they had been in the past? (No, no.) He meant such as the Piako block had been deposed of—9B,oooaeresfor 2s 6d per acre. Bad lands have been cut into small blocks and sold to poor men on the deferred payment system at high rates, whilst wealthy speculators have been allowed to select good land at low figures, and he said an end should be put to the present system. (Hear, hear ) He read some days ago, with feelings of surprise, that there was no difference in principle between the two parties in this colony. On every point they differed. Turnng to the. question of local self-government, Jie said that'- the' introduction of the gresent system robbed them of everything that gave liberty. They never had their fair share of representation, while Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, and Nelson had been favoured \yhy did not they get additional members F Because they were too proud. They sufered quietly rather than ask. Thp Legislative Council was used \n an unheard of manner. A person having failed to secure eleo-

tion for the Lower House, the Govern, ment put him into the Legislative Council, ana created him a minister. If this were done in Eughmd, the whole people would rise against it, but here no voice was raised. After speaking further on this subject, he showed that under the present system of plural voting they could never have free institutions. I n a riding of a county one man might have 5 votes, another 1, and it was possible for another to have 45. The voting power was property ; this tended to create an oppressive oligarchy. Human beings who could think and feel should rote, not property. After referring to the fact that most New Zealand laws were made by scissors and paste, and generally after statutes, the speaker referred to tne Colonial Treasurer's speech, in which it was stated that the Property lax encouraged improvements, which queer logic was cheered by the Taranaki people. He Cthe speaker) bad always advocated an equitable income tax; and a small tax on land by which the man who owned one hundred acres would have to pay a little i he who holds a thousand acres, more; the man who holds five thousand acres, much more; and the holders of ten thousand acres, a great deal more; and so on to the same extent; the large* the balding, the more considerable should be (be sum he should be liable for. But, no, the wealthy classes would not . have it, as it would mean » collapse of the system- of acquiring large blocks of land y - for speculative purposes, but tiwy took : care to maintain an export duty on gold, : - which meant a tax on the mining population. Yes ; they succeeded^ jn keeping a tax on boots, shoes, clothing, machinery and improvements, and they strenuously encourage increases, instead of reduction, in the customs'tariff of "the colony. They have put a tax on the beer; in fact, upon every article of consumption. (A voice: Even painkiller.— ' Laughter.) Yes, and they told them that the colony is in a prosperous condition. He spoke strongly against the Charitable Institutions Bill, and mentioned that the ! principal bills to be introduced .were the Representation and Licensing Bills. The first of these they would not carry, as every member likely to be injuriously affected would oppose it. He was in favor of large electorates, giving the local bodies power to apportion the legislation; but this could not be adopted until pluraity of voting was abolished and the principle of manhood "suffrage given effect to. (Cheers.) Theft there was the Licensing Bill which formerly had been utilised in the following manner By the hour it came forward he and other members were wearied, and would leaf? f the House, but as soon as the exodus had AT taken place, the Bill would be postponed * and then on with the estimates.' His idea; was to raise the people of New Zealaad to be good, educated, industrious and self-supporting, with' perfect equality of rights. He had always held these principles, and while at Home addressed large meetings at Liverpool, Manchester Derby and other towas on the subject. Every day these views were being discussed by the prominent magaaines of every shade, and are taking a firm. Jpold > upon tae public mind. The exigencies of the question would continue to command attention until there was a redresft found, for these public grievances. (Cheers.) The speaker then proceeded at length to give the history of the Patetere . block, severely castigating the Government. He likewise addressed himself at length to the land question, referring incidentally to the abolition of the Legislative Council, and concluded with the following peroration: —I ask you, the taxpayers, when in 1 solitude, to ponder 07er what I have said onthia subject, and also in respect to. the „ forecast I have made of the colony'being"''l very gloomy. If you do not intend to drift as a people into a woeful state of ; destitution, you must unite heart and soul to obviate the current of distress and wretchedness now flowing in upou> you. We started here fairly ; it is now ■■ essential for us to do all in our power to - relieve our former state, thereby raising ■ ourselves to that position of which we are capable as a great nation. (Cheers). I must again revert to .the property tax. Unless strenuous efforts are made, its abolishment will not be an easy matter; and if it is to continue, instead of being worked in a secret manner as at present I shall advocate that the property tax offices be public ones, open for the inspection of the returns by all who are interested in it* „ operations, for it is not fair to the public that some property holders should be allowed to make their own assessments, whilst others are precluded from doiug so. A general election will soon come round, and when that season arrives I call upon every elector to go to the polling booth and give his vote honestly and fearlessly. If you approve of the action of members of the present Government, then record your votes in their tavoußt [a voice: They are no good]; bujb if jro^agree with the policy which your representative and his colleagues have and intend to pursue^ let us have your votes and eonfidenoe. (Cheers.) Under all circumstances so record your votes that when you are returning from the polling bootU.you.can hold your heads erect and look your fellow men honestly in the face. In conclusion, I ask you to do your duty to yourselves, your fanrlies, and your country, at all risks.

At the conclusion of the speech the whole house rose as one man and ap. plauded the old hero to the eohtKr - ,-i, The Mayor announced that Sir George/^ woufcj be prepared to answer questions. In answer to questions, from serera^, -*- eleotqrs pu,t through the B^aypr" Sip ' ' George iaid.-»H[e did not approve of the, ' action of the Governmet.in withdrawing the Volunteer capitation.-^He believed.^ would be infinitly bettor if all Government '* lands were leased. This would make taxation of any other kind unneces* sary. Every generation was bora with a right to acquire land for its own use, for a man could only use the land during his own lifetime. He • was in favour of a national system of education, and knew no distinction be* tween rich and poor in the matter.—A. truly national system could not exist if - the Bible were re*d iq schools.-—Parlia-ment had already abolished pensions, and he thought a materialadvautage had been so gained.—lf a proper system of lamj laws were introduce i there would t)Q no neet} to raise tbe questioa. of lands for sons of old colonists!—He considered the system of giving land to. Milir«p>«9mpa.mes a bad one, preferring the' system he had introduced at the Cape, whereby the Government guaranteed the companies a certain rate of interest, ,He oertainlv wpu!(| not give land for such a purpose if it could b,e. avoided. Perhaps as to local railways, the people qf the Thames W«W

destined for better luck in the future (ban in the r past, as possibly some rich and inflaeatial person would acquire a large . slice of tad up the valley, taking up his residence therd and it would become essential to- construct a line to his property to gain "access to it. He did not like disposing of land to large companies under any pretence whatever.— The statejnents concerning the cost of Mtive meetings while he was' Premier wire 'gross exaggerations.—-He was, in favor of manhood suffrage. Mr E. N. Smith then moved "That this meeting thanks Sir George Grey for the statesman like speech just delivered, and trusts he may be long spared, not only to represent this district in Parliameat, "but to continue his noble efforts for the education of the public mind of the colony io the principles of true Liberalism and honest legislation. Mr W. Weed seconded. Mr Speight, ;M.H.E. r in response to loud calls, en me 'forward, and in a few telling remarks eulogised Sir George, and Raid there was sufficient strength in the young blood of the colony to rally together in his support, and when the time came for action they would be found should r to shoulder. (Loud and continued applause.) The resolution was then carried. Sir George Grey having thanked them and proposed a vote of thaoks to the. '(Chairman which was givi n heartily. """^ffhe meeting .closed with three ringing cheers for Sir George and another for Mr The utmost unanimity prevailed, and Sir George Grey was listened to with breathless attention.