Sir George Grey Before the Electors of City East.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4019, 15 November 1881, Page 3

Sir George Grey Before the Electors of City East.

(Pee Pbess Association.)

Sir George Grey addressed the City East electors last evening at the Choral Hall, before a crowded audience. Mr J. T. Boylan presided. Sir George on coming forward was cheered. He said he offered himself as a candidate for City East, and desired to explain his views and answer any questions the electors desired to ask to explain his proposals, and how he would carry them out. It was not at present simply a choice of men ; it was likewise a choice of measures. It was stated in the Press there was no real differences of opinion as to measures, all parties being Liberals. He himself believed there was no similarity between the two parties into which New Zealand was divided. He hoped to make it clear to them before he had done speaking. People here were richer than those in England, in hating greater privileges, a share in the Crown lands, the railways, &c It was a short sighted policy for men to look after their own individual possessions, and secure and protect these, but allow.a set of men in power to do as they pleased with the national estate. Eeference was made to the clauses of the Public Works system by which vast estates had been immensely increased in

value by the expenditure of the loans, leaving a fair proportion of on the payiDg district in special rates, as was originally intended, whore lines ran through such properties. The people were shareholders in those rail . ways, but they might, rest assured they would never see any profits out of them. Railways should be made to develop traffic and settlement, not to aggrandiso favoured individuals. Sir George again referred to the Patetere and other land speculations, as being demoralising to the public virtue, and a flagrant wrong to the people ; also to the abuses of the pre-emptive-system in Canterbury, of which Sealey's pamphlet would give them some notion. As with the Crown lands, so with the native lands, the same jobbery was going on, end the colonists defrauded of their interest in those lands, as provided by the Treaty of Waitangi, owing to the ; initiation of a system of direct purchase. His administration had been fjectc-d from office because it would not sanction the Patetere business. The Government had no policy, and brought in measures which they said were hie, but they were not, and when these measures were criticised fhey said, " Why they are his own bills ; nothing will please that fellow." In office he was hampered by his colleagues and his party, but outof office be brought in a bill which would have given true representation, according to population, which the Government did not, as it favoured the country electorates

at the expense of the city population. His measure would have deprived the Government of manipulating matters, by representation being adjusted by results of every, census. The South with its new found accession of votes would control

everything ; and such a state of things was intolerable. If the votes of both Islands were equal he could trust the people to do common justice. As to local self govern-' ment, the funds should be largely controlled or spent bj local bodies. They would see, therefore, that on nearly all great questions he, and his party were altogether at issue; but had no community of feeling with those on the Ministerial side. As to native questions, Te Whiti should have been shut up long ago when his followers were imprisoned, and the prophet himself was willing to go to gaol. He was sorry it was done just now, before the general election. They should read the history of Borne in the time of the Caesars, to get a complete parallel to the state of things at present going on. There.was the same love of power, of office, and. of gladiatorial combats manifested in those ancient times. The rulers, before elections, got up a war or disturbance of some kind, for in the general excitement the people forgot all about their liberties, their revenues arid self-government. He warned electors not to be led away by a cry, but to return men not with a particular line of native policy to be carried out within a specified date, but on general measures of universal importance, for on native matters the people could always get their will carried out if in earnest. What was it to the citizens of Auckland if 400 native prisoners lay in Southern gaols, compared with getting local matters attended to and local interests represented? When he visited the South and saw their railway lines and stations, public buildings and public institutions, and compared them with the miserable state of things in Auckland, his blood fairly boiled. In every department it was the same : Auckland was behind. Their public school teachers were not paid on the same scale. The result would be '.he best of them would drift southwards. These and like questions were of more importance to those he addressed than whether a few Maori prisoners more or less were incarcerated.

Sir George was warmly applauded on dosing his address. In response to the invitation by\the Chairman, no questions were asked by the electors. Mr T, B. Hill proposed and Mr T. Gee seconded, a motion that the thanks of the meeting be accorded to Sir Geo. Grey for his speech, pledging the meeting to use its utmost exertions to secure his return for City East. The motion was carried unanimously. Three cheers given for Sir Geo. G*gy closed the meeting.