SIR GEORGE GREY AT AUCKLAND

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2238, 8 March 1886, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AT AUCKLAND

■ (United Press Association.) ApcKiAND, March, 5. , gjr George Grey addrwd a' meeting I of citizens at the Theatre, Ifayal, at the request of the Chamber of Com- [ merce, on the questions of the settlement , of land and public works, A number of members of the Legislature, Chamber of Commerce, City Council, &c, were on the platform. Sir George Grey,'on appearing on the platform, was warmly received. Ho said he appeared before them in response to an invitation from the Chamber of Commerce, which for the first time hafj taken its people into its cioii)3dqncev and inylfcod an oppression of public opihiorf'qn' c Win 1 grtofr qjfesj&s; In bo'doing they deserved the'thanks, not only of the Province, but of the Colony. Coming to the land question, he wished them jtp affirm the principle that in taking land for {he pepje/ (iherp should be no plan" was' jußtipe" 'fq" all,'' ipstice jo nope'. 'Land laws should be "pimple, and should also be easily un'derßtpodi'fld prqpetj tp sweep away tljo avfaiigeipents of the past, ancj hayo $ tjew'ijjs'frjbutiq'n of temtpry on a prjpc'iple pf perfect' jus,: tice, orp\yn lands could be dealt iyjtf at once—there were no opera to consult, All jobbing m'native lands should bo abolished, Tliostate should purchase, and resell them for the benefit of all, With regard to the land given to private individuals by the State, he would sink in oblivion the past, but affirm, the principle for the future, that where the public good required it, such lands should be taken at a fair valuation, His proposal for the area of farms was 160 acres. Their tenant farmers would pay a small annual rent, which could not bo increased, leaving them the land for ever, The rents would pay the interests on the purchase-money, He proposed to pay for $8 Japds jn State theni as Jow as £2ft, and : issuable like a bank note payable "tq bearor. If the ownor objected to take bonds,they coujd be sold, and thY paid in cash. -JsTp natiionsi iieVti W(Jiil4 be lnourrep! by these measures, Re was in favor of the prosecution flf- the Jiprtji Island Trunk Railway, with ponneqtjng lines to Napier andtGlsborne and to Taranaki, The East and West Coast Railway of the Middle Island' was also a desirable •work, for he was for equal justice between- ■ North and South, He warned them 'not to go in for an eight or ten million- Joan simply for the selfish present again, but exhorted them not to let e, aingje penny more jphprn;) than qoul|] be "usefully < expended!' A vote'ofthmluwas'unam- i mously accorded to Sir George Grey amid i great cheering. '