WESTPORT LAND PURCHASE.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 985, 9 July 1872, Page 2

WESTPORT LAND PURCHASE.

MEETING at the COURT-HOUSE. In pursuance of a requisition signed by certain electors, Mr John Munro convened a meeting at the Court-house, Westport, on Saturday evening last, for the purpose, as stated in the advertisement, " of giving the public an opportunity of recording their indignation at the conduct of their member," at the last meeting of the Provincial Council.

Punctually at 8 p.m., Mr Munro commenced proceedings by reading the requisition, and explained that while holding himself and the requisitionists responsible for calling the meeting, it would be necessary for those present to first elect a chairman, before proceeding with the business of the evening. Mr R. Whyte was thereupon called to take the chair, about fifty person being then present. The Chairman briefly explained that any one present would be at liberty to express an opinion on Mr O'Conor's conduct, as member of the Provincial Council. He (the Chairman) was one of the six individuals who had signed the requisition to convene the meeting. He had done so because he considered it absolutely necessary that the people should have an opportunity of expressing an opinion on a matter of vital importance to themselves, individually, and to the community at large. Mr J. B. Fisher then rose and said an unpleasant duty had devolved upon him, in the proposing of a resolution that would embody a vote of censure against their representative in the Provincial Council and House of Representatives. Before reading the resolution, he would take the liberty of expressing his sorrow and grief at being compelled, by the peculiar circumstances of a case involving the flagrant violation of a public trust, to condemn their member. But the duty was inevitable, and he would be acting against his own honest conviction and unprejudiced judgment, confirmed by the opinion of all right-thinking men, conversant with the circumstances, if he shirked that duty. From his first acquaintance with Mr O'Conor, he (Mr Fisher) did not believe in him, either in a public or private capacity. But he had seen him, Mr O'Conor, exerting himself in public matters, osten sibly working energetically for the good of the district, and, to all outward appearance, having the public welfare at heart; and he, Mr Fisher, had at last been impelled, against his own judgment, to believe in the honesty of the man. On his, Mr O'Conor's, first return from parliamentary duties, he, Mr Fisher, had congratulated him on his success, and really at the time, and for some time thereafter, thought he had made a mistake; that he had become prejudiced against him, and that he, Mr O'Conor, deserved credit for his efforts, and really was the man for the district. But his, Mr Fisher's, opinion was now changed, or rather his first opinion was confirmed. He had given Mr O'Conor credit for honesty, when in reality he was only worthy of credit for sincerity ; and that only under one inducement—the promotion of his, Mr : O'Conor's, own interests. So long as it suited himself and tended to his own advantage, he, Mr O'Conor, worked for tho good of the district; but as soon as the two interests varied, then the Buller district was allowed to go to the wall, and Mr O'Conor emerged in his true colors as an inordinate self-seeker. Mr Fisher then referred to the circum-

stances connected with the reservation of a new area for the township, for the special benefit of sufferers by sea and river encroachment, and the alleged underhand purchase of sections thereon by Mr O'Conor. In reference to the memorial forwarded from Westport, praying that Mr Dobson's recommendations might be adopted, he said that he, Mr Fisher, had been consulted as to who would be the most proper person to entrust the petition to, whether Mr Reid or Mr O'Conor. Some had proposed Mr Reid, and expressed greater confidence in him ; but he, Mr Fisher, had contended that Mr O'Conor having some influence, and also having interests at stake in the district, would be the moat proper person. The petition was thereupon forwarded to Mr O'Conor, with a request that he would take prompt measures to support it. It was presented by Mr O'Conor, and, upon a select Committee being appointed to consider the petition, Mr O'Conor had declined to act on that Committee, probably for good and sufficient ' reasons. This action might remain unquestioned. But the meeting all knew what occurred thereafter, it was needless to repeat the details of a case with which, to their sorrow and disgrace, they were all too familiar. Mr O'Conor had tried hard to make them believe that he had not heard certain resolutions in the Committee Boom. But what did it matter to them whether he heard or not. The one question, the plain, matter of factjissue they, as his constituents, had to' consider was, simply, " did he, or did he not, deal honestly and honorably with us while the custodian of our petition." He (Mr O'Conor) had told him (Mr Fisher) that very morning, that he did not know what ivas the prayer of the petition. The meeting might take that statement of Mr O'Conor's for what it was worth; but, believing it or not, what sort of a man was Mr O'Conor to trust the interests of a constituency to, when he thus, by his own admission, so carelessly disregarded their necessities. On the other hand, giving him credit for speaking the truth in saying that he did not know the contents of a document, which he ought to have known, what did he (Mr O'Conor) do. He presented the petition, and while it was under consideration, bought behind their own backs, what he (Mr Conor) then considered the choice pick of the new site for the town ; and thus, to the full extent of his power to work evil, had frustrated the efforts of the petitioners. (Applause and Hisses.) He (Mr Fisher) was not there to abuse Mr O'Conor, nothing of the sort. He had been told that nineteen men out of twenty in "Westport would have done the same as Mr O'Conor had. (Voices —So they would. No no, ) Well if so, it was a great misfortune, a great disgrace, to the constituency; but, even supposing that nineteen men out of every twenty were so far forgetful of all honor and dignity of action, as to thus disgrace themselves, it was only right that the small minority, the few honest men in the district, should speak their minds openly, and, from amongst themselves, pick out one good man to be thoir future representative. (Hear hear.) Mr Anslow—Who is be ? Where will you find your honest men ? Mr Fisher, Well Mr Anslow I believe you are one of them, and would so express yourself, if you acted on your unbiassed judgment. In continuation. He (Mr Fisher) believed a better man could be got to represent the Buller District; and he (Mr Fisher) utterly failed to see what special claims Mr O'Conor had to the gratitude or respect of the people, or upon what grounds he based his assumption of special qualification for legislative honors. It was only by fortuitous circumstances that Mr O'Conor ever received the honor of election, at the hands of the Buller Electors ; and his conduct as their representative in either house, had reflected nothing to his own credit or their wisdom. Those present would remember that throughout the whole proceedings connected with the scandal under discussion, Mr O'Conor had attempted, by an immense amount of palaver and special pleading, to get outside of the question at issue, to blind people if possible to the true circumstances, and to import subjects for discussion that in no degree concerned the merits of the case. He, Mr O'Conor, had got up at meetings to prove, or argue, what an arrant fool he, O'Conor, would have been to have stuck to the land. What had that to do with the question of this breach of trust with his constituents ? - A ■ gentleman whose judgment and knowledge might be relied on, had told him (Mr Fisher), that morning, that the land Mr O'Conor .had purchased, in such indecent haste, was not in reality worth £5 per section. What did that prove ? Why nothing more nor less than Mr O'Conor, true to his instincts, showed his judgment for his own interest alone, as in all things—by getting rid of a bad bargain. But it was nothing in Mr O'Conor's justification. (Hear hear). He (Mr Fisher) would now read the resolution; first reiterating his expressions of regret at being compelled to perform the painful duty (A voice—Very painful! Oh dear me!) The resolution read by Mr Fisher was as follows: That this meeting is of opinion that Mr E. J. O'Conor, M.P.C., M.H.8., has merited the censure, and forfeited the confidence of this constituency, in that, while acting as our representative, and in charge of a public position, praying for certain sections to be withheld from sale for public purposes, he purchased certain of these sections for hia '

own use, to the disadvantage of hia constituency, and Ms dishonor as a public man. That the chairman be requested to present Mr O'Conor with a copy of the foregoing resolution.

It was received with mingled expressions of approval and disapprobation, also with much incoherent talk and noise, from a strong posse of individuals who had, during Mr Fisher's speech, taken up prominent positions. A good number of quietly disposed persons had, by this time, also congregated, and at least 300 persons, in all, were present Order being somewhat restored, Mr Munro rose to second the resolution. He said perhaps Mr Fisher's last remarks had not been fully understood in the spirit in which they had been uttered. To any right thinking mind, it must be ever a painful duty to pass a vote of censure, even on the most culpable transgressor, and the more especially so, when the individual held a position of high public trust and honor. It was a responsibility that most people would shrink from, in fact the'people of Westport had, up to the present moment, deferred any outspoken-expression of fooling or opinion. Not that they considered Mr O'Conor undeserving of rebuke, but simply because no one cared to accept-the onus and responsibility: of becoming the mouthpiece of public opinion. He thought Mr Fisher had, in performing the duty, shown great delicacy" and forbearance, in his very temperate expression of rebuke. In the eyes of the world, that is the little world of Westport, Mr O'Conor had .been;:guilty of gross immorality and breach af public trust; (dissent and confusion.) A breach of privilege against a constituted body, by whom he had been dealt with very justly. At this juncture, increased noise was made in the body of the hall, and some opened bottles of stinking drugs, to the annoyance of all present. ; ~. Mr Mtjstbo : Raise the window if you please gentlemen, tho subject we have to discuss has stench enough morally without your increasing it physically. The nuisance is a peculiarity thatcarries itself every where that Mr O'Conor is present at public meetings (confusion.) O'Conor's Patent Perfume is becoming well known. It was introduced at Mr O'Conor's meeting at Nelson.

Mr O'Cojs'Oß :. No! It is false. Cries of " shut up," " turn out the beasts," " close the doors," " order," " Chair" &c. The Chaibmah said he was there to keep order in the meeting. He hoped sincerely that due attention and respect would he accorded every speaker. Any one who differed in opinion with Mr Munro would have an opportunity of replying. Such a scene as the present had never before occurred in Westport, and he.hoped that, for their own credit and self-respect, they would forbear making further disturbance. During the Chairman's remarks, two or three particularly noisy individuals at the back, amused themselves by interjecting, "sit down you swine," and other elegant epithets. This they kept up throughout the evening. Mr Mttnbo said he for one would not be put down by any stench. The O'Conor puddle, the more it was stirred, the more malodorous was the perfume therefrom, and perhaps the effluvia now prevading the room was, after all, the proper accompaniment of the disagreeable subject under discussion. (Applause—hooting—crie of Chair). He, Mr Munro, was glad to see Mr O'Conor was present, as it would give him, the speaker, an opportunity of saying what he intended to say to his (Mr O'Conor's) face. He, Mr O'Conor, had been found guilty of breach of public trust, in his capacity as member of the Provincial Council. He had been condemned by the.voice of the people. They were there that night to place on formal record that condemnation, and it was well therefore that Mr O'Conor had not absented himself, (a voice : Gammon you want him here). It had been said that Mr O'Conor had not been fairly dealt with; that his opponents, within and without the Council, had been too severe. But even supposing there had been some slight grounds for such a charge, what, he asked them, had Mr O'Conor to expect but strict uncompromising dealing ? Ever since Mr O'Conor had been permitted - to represent the Buller District, had he not been a very; Ishmaeiite amonothem," stirring up strife, . sowing the seeds of bitter dissension, raising his hand against, every, man, and having their hands against him ? Was it not his, Mr O'Conor's, particular* weakness or forte, to point "out black spots in other people's characters, to judge them unmercifully ~ and carry out his designs of vengeance or retaliation with unwearying bitterness. Well, now that he, Mr O'Conor, had been caught napping, by what right or precedent did he claim the : slightest show of mercy ? He, Mr O'Conor, said he had not been treated well. He, Mr Munro, did not think that he, Mr O'Conor, had been treated kindly, but justice at least had been meted out, and, at the worst, all Mr O'Conor could complain- of was, that he had been treated as he himself had too often treated others. A great hue and cry had been raised by Mr O'Conor and his partisans about the unjust proceedings in the Provincial Council, and they had striven hard to make people believe this, altogether ignoring the fact that his breach of trust had been against the people themselves. (Applause and noise).

Referring to the subject of Mr O'Conor's presence in the Committee Boom, at the time tbe resolutions, conferring the adoption of Mr Dobson's report, were passed ; Mr Munro said there was no manner of doubt about the fact of his being there, but on that point the public here were not much interested, it was enough for them to know that, as their representative, and the appointed protector of their interests, Mr O'Conor had bought sections for his own profit, that were set apart for those suffering losses, under very peculiar and exceptional circumstances. He, Mr Munro, had publicly accused Mr O'Conor, and would again repeat the accusation, that he, M p O'Conor, had been guilty of a gross breach of privilege, a violation of his duty as a gentleman and member ot an honorable Council, (Applause, cries of no, no, and general uproar). He, Mr Munro, spoke thus plainly, thus earnestly, because he had interested himself in securing Mr O'Conor's election, and whatever his, Mr O'Conor's, pet designation was at that time, whether " Boanerges" or the " Buller Lion," he, Mr Munro, at least thought him a man of energy and " an honorable man." The resolution before the meeting must recommend itself to every one who had respect for truth or justice ; and the public expression of opinion thereon was absolutely necessary. The man held a public position, and would be soon called upon to again take his seat in the House. But with this serious charge upon him, what good could he do there for the people or himself. (A voice : Gammon you don't want to go there.) The question to decide before he, Mr O'Conor, was permitted to again act as their representative was "Is there any reason for this accusation, any need of rebuke ?" He, Mr Munro, would say there was, regretfully he said so indeed, but as a recent friend of Mr O'Conor he uttered his candid opinion. They all knew who and what Mr O'Conor was. He, Mr Munro, would ask, had Mr O'Conor any natural or acquired abilities that would cover his defects as an intern perate speaking, injudicious legislator. A very Ishmaelite in the camp. As his past friend he, Mr Munro, had again and again cautioned him to deal more temperately in the Council Chamber, and to win friends rather than stir up continual enmity j and Mr O'Conor had promised, but yet again and again transgressed. Mr Munro then referred at some length to the subject of the petition, and declared that Mr O'Conor's latest asservation, that he did not know tha contents of that petition was "all poppycock and political poetry." He, Mr O'Conor, might be able to prove that the Provincial Council had acted hurriedly in the matter, but, would it ever be the case that such action would justify or palliate Mr O'Conor's action towards them ? It was, to speak vulgarly, " all rot" for Mr O'Conor to say " he did not known what was in the petition," unless he fancied them a parcel of fools who would take in any bosh he, Mr O'Conor, choose to tell them. He, Mr did not imagine that any good practical result would follow the action of the present meeting. Mr O'Conor was not likely to acquiesce in their wishes. However, that did not matter. It was for the electors to raise the finger of scorn against their representative for his unjust and ungentlemanly conduct. (No, no I Hear, hear,) He, Mr Munro, might be speaking strongly, but they must recollect that Mr O'Conor had dared him, or any one else, to express any condemnation of his conduct. He Mr O'Conor, also had tbe effrontery, the daring effrontery, to argue that he was as much entitled to get the sections as anyone else; but he, Mr Munro, considered he had not. In the position that Mr O'Conor held, he should have restrained every prompting of self-interest, and considered alone his duty to his constituents. (Hear, hear.) The veriest scoundrel in the land would have thought twice, before prejudicing a petition from people in such sore straits as the people on the Buller. Ask Mr O'Conor to resign and he would not do it. It paid him to retain his position, although the interests of all those who elected him might grievously suffer. Still it was their duty as a community to call on him to resign, because, if the standard of public morals was to be regulated by the moral standard of their present member, it would speedily sink into utter vagabondage and scandaldom, (Applause and laughter.) He would again ask what had Mr O'Conor done for them ? They could well spare Mr O'Conor, he had neither the talent as a politician, nor the moral character as a man, to live down the present scandal. What, again he would ask, had he done for them ? Nothing but obtaining for the Towing Track Company the right to charge £1 upon every ton of goods consumed by the miners up river. (Voice: Leave out the Towing Track. Its painful to the boatmen. Don't you see they're here for O'Conor. How about the tramway.) "Well, leaving out further reference to what Mr O'Conor, had or had not done, it would be for the meeting, if the morals of the community were not, in reality, reduced to too low an ebb, to prevent Mr O'Conor indulging in any more .vagaries. If the meeting thought him unworthy of rebuke it would be merely necessary to pass a negative resolution, but, if on the contrary, the meeting believed he, Mr O'Conor, had behaved dishonorably, it would be a bounden duty to adopt the resolution he was about to second. He, Mr Munro,

hoped that Mr O'Uonor (A voice, Mr O'Conor, " gentleman,") might be able to refute the accusation. He, Mr Munro, would be only too glad to hear his arguments, or those of any one else, in his defence. The one thing for the meeting to bear always in mind was, that if an offence had been committed, and that offence was condoned, it would be to the lasting disgrace of all concerned therein. (An elector : Stop it, knock it down; It'll fetch no more. Another: How about Donne.) Never mind Donne. It was wellknown that Mr O'Conor had travelled far, denouncing Donne, doing in fact the Pecksniffian mission exceedingly well. (A voice : What did you do up at Giles for O'Conor. Cries of " shut up," " Time," calls for O'Conor and general uproar. A lively passage of words also ensued between the speaker and a person in the crowd, and compliments were freelly exchanged.) Mr Munro, in conclusion, said he considered Mr O'Conor had premeditatedly offered him' a private insult in : order that he, Mr O'Conor, might have a chance of saying Mr Munro was his enemy, and thus strengthen his own weak excuses. Mr Munro then formally seconded the resolution., The Chairman then called upon any one present to addfess the meeting or propose an amendment. Cries for " O'Conor." I Mr O'Conor came forward and was greeted with a perfect tumult of mingled applause and disapproval. Turning his back to the Chairman and addressing the meeting, Mr O'Conor said " Gentlemen, I am never afraid to face my foes " (laughter and cheers.) Before he said one word in his own defence he must tell them that he knew he had some friends present—(A voice: Bully for you old boy)— and perhaps some enemies, and he would just tell them how matters really stood. They, his-accusers, the conveners of the meeting, had come here with hypocritical tears in their eyes, saying how sorry they were to be compelled to persecute him—he meant Munro, and Fisher, and the rest. Mr Fisher he saw was at his back, the proper place too* but he, Mr O'Conor, would tell them that Mr Fisher had been his bitterest opponent, and at the last election had done all he possibly could against him. Mr Fisher : I contradict that statement most explicitly. (Cries of sit down! Go on Eugene ! Fair play ! One at a time !) ;■'■•"

Mr O'Conor, thank you gentlemen, fair play is all I want. In continuation, he repeated Mr Fisher had been his very bitter opponent because he, Mr O'Conor, had exposed the unfair dealings of lawyers with the poor working men. Now, as to Mr Munro, he, Munro, had spoken so much upon matters of private conversation between themselves that he, Mr O'Conor, felt released from any. obligation to show forbearance towards him. He, Mr O'Conor, would, to his, Munro.s, face prove him to be a rogue. Mr Munro, I empower Mr Great confusion, utterly drowning the voice of either speaker. In a temporary lull of the discord, Mr McFarlane said, " I see a good many of Mr O'Conor's friends here, who make a great noise.but pull their hats down over their faces, as if ashamed. Let them be open if they have no fear, (renewed uproar.) The Chairman said he would not allow private matters or personalities to be imported into the discussion, and, addressing Mr O'Conor, he said " It is not your place to now allude to any private affairs between yonrself and any oponent. (llear, Hear. Cries of " go on Eugene.") Mr O'Cokob, in continuation, said: Mr Munro had said that he had individually been one of his warmest supporters; he, Mr Munro, had also admitted that he, Mr O'Conor, as their representative, had done more good than all the other members put together. What then was the meaning of Mr Munro's sudden opposition. It was that he, Mr O'Conor, had insulted him. Beferring to his own conduct, Mr O'Conor said he had tried by every action of his life to prove himself a true man —true to himself and his adopted country. He had worked hard, both with body and brain for the public good; his whole thoughts, the one ruling motive of his life, had been to deserve well of those who had honored him by their confidence. He. was proud to say that he had, in his pocket, a proof of the public faith in him, the public feeling still strong in his favor, in the shape of a requisition to the General Assembly, bearing already 600 signatures, which he Would produce. Would Fisher and Munro brave that proof of public sympathy. What was Langdon's statutory declaration compared to that ? Langdon would before six weeks get his merits. He, Mr O'Conor, had evidence against him that should put Langdon on the roads. He had proof, positive proof, against him ; as also against others concerned in the conspiracy, which would be produced when the fitting moment arrived. Could Mr Fisher with his thick head, had he the moral courage even, do what he, Mr O'Conor, had done, fighting against all odds on behalf of his constituents. (Laughter and cheers.) Would he, Fisher, fight for separation. Would he, like him, O'Conor, scorn to take the dirty shilling, rather than betray his adopted constituency. (A voice: Go it Joseph!) Then as to the Towing Track, -to which Mr Munro had re. ferred. What, as the principal shareholder therein, had he, Mr O'Conor, ever gained therefrom. He had done all that he possibly could to get £ISOO

put on the estimates for a free track • but, when he found that could not be done, he had asked the people of Westport to join with him in making it for the public benefit. (A voice: The Council should have done it, but yoa thought to have made a good thing out of it. Cries of silence.) But who could now say that he had ever cleared a single shilling from it. What had Mr Fisher, or Mr Munro, or the Chairman done in the matter. (Mr Munro: Sold my share of course.) Was there any one' present who be. lieved in John Munro. (Yes, yea! No, no! Goon.) It was quite right that, on political matters, one body of men should be arraye J against another. That was essential for the preservation of political freedom; but it was not right that a body of men should take up the present cry and work a coij; spiracy against one individual for poll.tical purposes. (Cries of dissent,) Referring to the petition from Westport, Mr O'Conor said he re." ceived it at the Nelson Post-office oh 30th. The letter sent with it eivi plained the purport of the document,and contained a request that be would use all efforts to promote the object, -He, Mr O'Conor;, immediately hurried; away, first to the office, and thereafter to his private house, and there delivered it Up. He" never read it; but, whether he had or had not, it was immaterial; he did not;' even now know, of his own knowledge, the words of that petition; but as Boon as the resolution, arising from, the consideration of that petition, by the Select Committee, was passed in the Provincial Council, to give land up to sufferers at Westport, he had 1 at once, stood up in his place and said (it was on record) that he would do nothing to prevent its being so ap. propriated. (Mr Mc'Farlane—Did you not buy some of the sections. A voice—dry up Mac.) Now, whom had he, Mr O'Conor, injured? He was in absolute igrorance. (Hear, hear, and ironical laughter) of the proceed, ings in the Committee Roonv Mr Kynnersley and he, Mr O'Conor,'-had' quarrelled because he, Mr Kynner& ley, had persistently opposed every motion he, Mr O'Conor, had brought forward for the benefit of the Com He, Mr O'Conor, had asked him why; he cast such a slur on him and his' constituents at Westport, and the retort from Mr Kynnersley was a gross accusation.. He, Mr Kynnersley, said he, the speaker, was not fit to sit in the Council Chamber, among gentlemen. He, Mr O'Conor, had told him that he, Kynnersley, was the last man to have said so, considering that when Luckie had called him, Kynnersley, a thief, he, O'Conor, had protected him, and that when he, Kynnersley, came to Westport penniless, he, O'Conor, had gone round with the hat for him (Loud hisses and general confusion.) Mr Seaton : " Let not the one hand know what the other giveth." Mr O'Conor : Was very sorry the day afterwards, but the meeting must consider the aggravation. He afterwards apologised to Mr Kynnersloy, and now was ready to own that he ought not to have so acted. Mr Muneo : Mr Kynnersley apologised jto you, and you repeated the offence. Mr O* Conor : No. la continuation—After this -was over, Mr Kynnersley had made use of bis popularity here, and had sent letters and telegrams to create a sympathy for himself. Th? 'Westport Times' had been filled with scurrilous matter, that should never have been permitted to appear in print, but. that he, Mr O'Conor, treated with jiontempt. The public had been warned in one effusion not to sign the petition, he had now in circulation, for fear some thimble rigging dodge would be practiced with it, but he would produce it now, and every one might judge as to its genuineness. (Mr O'Conor then produced a formidable looking document, about twelve feet long, and said that every signature thereon was the bona fide signature of an elector. (A voice. One man put down a dozen names. •■ ( Mr O'Conor read the petition, praying the General Assembly, that a strict judicial enquiry might be made in order that justice might be accorded him. He then said all he asked for was a free, impartial hearing, that it might be proved whether his character did or did Dot deserve dragging in the dirt. This he was entitled to. He who had done so much "for your Bake;'" against your enemies, gentlemen." [The remainder of the report will appear on Friday. It is too lengthy for our present issue.]