THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 153, 12 January 1871, Page 5

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

public/ meeting.

On Tuesday, the 13th inst, immediately at the close of a meeting held to establish a branch of the Southern League in Lawrence, a meeting was held of those gentleman favourable to the return of Mr. Donald Reid as Superintendent. The meeting, although meant to be one of Reid's friends only, turned out to bo more of a public character, and the merits of the one candidate, and the demerits of the other, ireely discussed. Mr, M'Swiney was unanimously voted to the chair.

Mr. Bastings said that it was not his intention to say anything either' for or against Mr. Reid. He would ask those gentlemen who were favourable to Mr. Reid's candidature to step forward and sign the requisition which had been drawn up in favour of Mr. Reid. He believed, however, if Mr. Macandrew were again returned, it would be equal to putting the country back another four years. He had already inflicted a wound upon it which it would take a long time to get rid of.

Mr. Duncan Campbell then asked the chairman if he would be allowed to speak. Permission having been granted, Mr. Campbell said that he had a requisition for Mr. Macandrew, and would be glad to receive signatures for it. Pie believed that Macandrew was the " right man in the right place." He had known him for 18 years.

A Voice : " The more shame to you." — (Great laughter.) Mr. Ferguson then addressed the meeting. He was surprised that Mr. Campbell should be so ignorant of the misdeeds of Mr. Macandrew as to interest himself in any way_ to^reEurn that gentleman to jhs' ' position .in which he had already done so much Injury to tljg-uistriet and to the country."" "Pour years ago he (Mr. Ferguson), in common with many others, was one of Mr. Macandrew's admirers. He believed him to be an ill-used man. He was present at the meeting held in the Caledonian Society's Grounds a short time before the election, when Mr. Macandrew electrified that monster meeting and carried everything his own way. His address contained many promises, most of which were within his power to carry into eiFect. So much was be in favour of the settlement of the country, according to his own account, that he declared he would drive the pastoral tenants into the Pacific Oi'ean. In reply to a letter from Mr. Frank Fulton, which appeared in the " Daily Times " of that mormng, he explained to his admiring audience that the reason for Mr. Fulton's bitterness against him was this, that he (Mr. Fulton) knew as soon as soon as he was elected Superintendent his run would be declared into a Hundred. Some months after Mr. Macandrew's election, and on the strength of his tall talk, the Provincial Council recommended that a Hundred be at once declared at the West Taieri. What he would ask, was the Superintendent's action in the matter ? Why he refused to recommend the Governor to declare the Hundred? Such were the means Mr. Macandrew adopted to drive the squatters into the Pacific Ocean. Such was the plan adopted by him to carry out the settlement of the country. — (Applause.) By this time, Macandrew had become a bosom friend of Mr. Yogel and Mr. Driver; and it was a most significant fact, and one that required explanation, that Mr. Driver and his party, who at the time of the List election would have considered it an honour to have lit the fagots to consume Macandrew to ashes, are now his strongest supporters; in fact, his only supporters. The Tuapeka district had green in its memory a wrong, which Mr. Macandrew inflicted upon it a few months after he assumed the rights of office, in signing the lease for the neighbouring run, occupied by Mr. Maclean, thereby giving the pastoral tenant a hold upon it for an additional ten, years, and a claim for a far larger compensation than would otherwise have been the case. Had that run been thrown open years ago, the meeting well knew that Tuapeka would have now been in a much more prosperous condition than it was at the present time. — (Applause.) That act too was committed by the Superintendent in face of repeated demands by the residents for an extension of commonage and land for settlement to meet the requirements of the district. Then Mr. Macandrew's conduct in the Assembly was just in keeping with his action in regard to the West Taieri Hundred, He introduced the Hundreds Act, as had been stated that evening, without the consent of his Executive ; in fact, entirely in opposition to their wishes — an act which had no other object in view than to grant still further concessions to the runholdors. He supported the 3s 6d com' pensation clause in opposition to the Is 6d one, and gave a pre-emptive right ofGlO'susre* to the runholders in opposition to a 330 acre one proposed by Mr. Bradshaw, Then as regards the financial scheme of Mr. Yogel, we find Mr, Macandrew an ardent supporter of that scheme— r a scheme which, to ssv the least of it, if carried out in its present shape, will be the ruination of the South Island. By it, 400 miles of railway are proposed io be constructed in the North Island, sa against 200 in tl:e

South Island ; the latter having to " pay the piper." In the face of these facts, it was surprising to find any man who had the welfare of the country at heart prepared to support such a turncoat as Macandrew had proved himself to be. Men who would do such a thing, he considered should be excommunicated from society. — (Grreat applause.) With regard to Mr. Reid, he (Mr. Ferguson) said he knew very little about that gentleman further than from his reported speeches during some years past, and he had found him to be an honest and consistent politician, which could not be said of Macandrew. — (Cheers.)

Mr. Bastings, seeing the meeting had become a public one, in an excellent speech, moved " That this meeting is of opinion that Mr. Donald Reid is the most desirable of the two candidates for the office of Superintendent."

Mr. Tolcher, in seconding the resolution, said he was not unacquainted with Mr. Reid. He had read his speeches, and while he would not say he was the man they should have as Superintendent, he at the same time considered him better than Macandrew. Mr. Reid was a man who had worked himself up into his present "position, and deserved all credit for it, and he believed he wished to see the country progress. At the last election he (Mr. T.) opposed Air. Macandrew, but when that gentleman was returned, he thought it right to give him a fair opportunity of doing his best to carry out his ideas. Mr. Macandrew, he said, was a man of great promises, but he had miserably failed, aud had been to the province its worst enemy. He had a tine opportunity to retrieve his character, but unfortunately;, foi- him self, and for +£ie~ country, he made the \y.Gi i sffof it. With regard to Mr. Reid, he (Mr. Tolcher) believed that if he had not been able to carry out his ideas, it was because he always had Macandrew and others to contend against. He had much pleasure in seconding the motion. — (Applause.)

The Chairman asked if any gentleman present had any amendment to propose, or he would be glad to hear any one speak to the motion.

Repeated calls for Mr. Brown were made, when

Mr. Brown rose and said that it was due to the meeting that he should give his reasons for supporting Mr. Reid. He might at the outset claim this much, that whatever side he took in politics he gave no uncertain sound. It was now five years since the electors of Tuapeka appointed him as their member. Mr. Macandrew was at that time in the Council, and he (Mr. Brown) had the idea that he was a progressive man. When that gentleman was canvassing for the Superindency, a great deal of interest was excited in the election. He (Mr. Brown) thought it would be acceded to him that when he voted for Macandrew, he did so believing it was for the best interests of the province. At that time it was not his intention to again stand for +he Council, and it was chiefly at his (Mr. Macandrew's) request that he came forward. Some short time after the election, he waited upon Mr. Macandrew, and pointed out the necessity for him to cany out his pledges, but the Superintendent laid the blame of everything upon Mr. VogcS ; he said he was quite willing to bring into force the measures he had advocated, but Mr. "Vogp.l would not give his consent. The meeting would remember when petitions were presented pi'aying for certain commonages to be thrown open. The appointment of a commission or committee was insisted upon by Mr. Yogel to consider the merits of those petitions, and take evidence on both sides. To this Mr. Reid and the Council demurred, as the usual method of proclaiming hundreds and commonages was upon the expressed desire of the people in any particular district, altogether irrespective of commissions ; and they further declared that the Grovernment had only to recommend the matter to the Governor, and the hundreds or commonages were there and then proclaimed open for the purpose specified. That state of things had lasted for nearly two years when the Council at last gave way, and appointed a committee who agreed to recommend several Hundreds to be thrown open. At that juncture the Council got rid of Mr. Yogel ; but, to their surprise, when the petitions came before the General Assembly that gentleman was then the ruling spirit of the General Government. Then the battle, whether land should or should not be thrown open for settlement, had again to be fought by the people. The Hundreds Bill was then introduced by Mr, Dillon Bel), a member of the Yogel Government, and a representative of a class of absentees who were endeavouring to hold possession of a large portion of the public estate at a nominal rental. But that question was so well known, that it was unnecessary for him to en. large upon it. When the Hundreds Act was introduced, they found Mac ahdrew voting for the higher compensation of 3s. 6d. an acre as against three years rental at a little over 2jd. an acre per year, which the pastoral tenants were only entitled to under the 1866 Act, upon which they accepted their leases. With regard to Mr. Reid, he was one of the oldest settlers in the country. He commenced with a ten-acre section, and has worked his way up to his present position. He was, in every sense of

the expression, a self-made man. The question as to who should be Superintendent was not a new one. Six months ago the matter was brought under consideration, and certain gentlemen were appointed as a deputation to wait upon Mr. Wilson Grey. He (Mr. Brown) formed one of that deputation, and the reply that gentleman gave was to the effect that although he felt highly pleased with the honour they wished to confer upon him, he did not intend taking any active part in politics again. Major Richardson was then communicated with, and expressed himself favourable to the liberal party in the Council, but said he could not at present accept the honour. The matter was then left over for some time, when, in reply to a numerously signed requisition, Mr. Donald Reid consented to stand. That gentleman would be with them in about ten days, and would answer for himself. He thought they would all give him (Mr. Brown) credit that he had done his best. Although he did not shine as a speaker, yet he found as much, and even more, could be done, both in the Council and in the Assembly, by good working members than by those who were possessed of the gift of speech. He had much, pleasure in supporting the motion. — (Applause.) Several calls were then made for Mr. Mouat.

Mr. Mouat said that he was not then in the position to say anything, being a member of the G-overnment. He thought the meeting would agree with him that his lips wei'e sealed on that occasion. He had previously oppospn^^^ila^andrew's' election, that gentleman not being then in office. The Chairman then called for a show of hands, whan every hand, with one exception, was held up in favour of Mr. Reid.

With a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting closed.