Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

MR O'CONOR'S MEETING.

On Monday evening last Mr O'Conor addressed the public at the C iiirt House, Westport. The building was filled by an attentive nud orderly audience.

Mr J. W. Humphrey occupied the chair. Tie said that since Westport had been Westport the people had never taken so much interest in the doings of the Assembly as during the session juat closed. Knowing this, Mr O'Conor had, at the earliest opportunity after his return from Wellington, decided to give a resume of proceedings iu the Assembly. He, the Chairman, considered that Mr O'Conor deserved well of his constituents for his untiring efforts on their behalf and of the district and province generally, and he trusted the meeting would give him a patient aud respectful hearing.

Mr O'Conor said that his remarks upon the proceedings in the House would be confined only to such matters as were of particular importance locally. Of these the press had made them tolerably familiar, but there were sume matters which had not been communicated to anyone outside the House, although vitally affecting the people here, and of the Province at large, and of these he would speak more particularly. The most prominent subject discussed during the session was the Gold Mining Bill, which, as his hearers knew, was

intended to consolidate the thirteen or fourteen contradictory mining laws into either one Act applicable to the Colony, or two separate Acts, one for the North and the other for the South Island.

But it was found that the proposed measure affected so many details with which few or none of the members were thoroughly conversant, and that so little opportunity had been given either the members or the country to consider and carefully digest the proposed alterations, that it was deemed better, rather than imperil large mining interests by hasty legislation, to allow the bill to be read a second time only, and then rest at that stage for the present. He and Mr Curtis had, when the Bill was under discussion in Committee, introduced provisions similar to those passed by the Nelson Provincial Council as to mining and agricultural leases, and when it was decided that the Bill should be postponed, the Nelson Superintendent had prepared and carried through all its stages a short bill, giving to holders of agricultural leases increased facilities for obtaining Crown Grants of their land. This and one other bill affecting the resumption of land for mining purposes was the only legislation of any special interest to the mining community. Mr O'Conor then referred to his unsuccessful (fforts to get a better distribution of Parliamentary Representation. He had, he said, been informed by members of the House that they were going to bring in a bill for manhood suffrage, giving power to vote at the election of a 1 members and officers of Government, Provincial or General, by a mere registration qualification, and waiting for the introduction of this Bill, which would have rendered his own measure unnecessary, but which was kept back week after week, until the end of the session, he was too late to get more than the second reading of his bill and the affirming of the principle embodied therein, and this concession he only gained by promising not to press for the third reading during that session. Still the Government had promised that next year some Act assimilated to the Victorian Electoral Act should be introduced, and if possible, carried. When the Provincial Borrowing Bills were under discussion he had introduced a bill to borrow £60,000 for construction of a road from Charleston to the Grip, connecting all the inland portions of road already made here and there and forming one continuous coach-road from Charleston to Westport, continuing to Nelson city. This amount, with the £12,000, unexpended moneys voted for road purposes, which the General Government had promised should be spent on the Lyell road would, he considered, have effected the purpose he had desired. At the instance of Mr Collins he tacked on to the bill two other items for short roads in the Golden Bay and Wairoa districts, and on waiting on the Government he found that the members were not unwilling to support the Bill He then got together the members of the Nelson settled districts to secure their co-operation, but found them unwilling ; urging as an objection that the borrowing of money for dray-roads on the security of the land through which such road would pass might shunt the scheme for a railway from Foxhill to the Brunner. He pointed out to them that the Government had waived all restrictions in that respect, but they stili adhered to their objection, showing also iD fact a little jealousy that the measure had not emanated from, or at least been entrusted to, the Superintendent. Following this came the Provincial Loan Bill, embodying the same proposal, and directly afterwards Mr Curtis also brought forward his scheme for a road from the Lyell to the Matakitaki, but proposing that security for the money needed should be given in land in the Inangahua Valley. He, Mr O'Conor, thought the scheme so petty that he would not support it, that it was in fact unworthy the consideration of the House, especially as nearly every other province in New Zealand had gone in for the means to carry out really comprehensive works. Pie was therefore determined to take a decided stand upon the matter, and his action ultimately resulted in the Superintendent extending his idea to asking for means to construct a road from the Grip to the

Nino Mile, and eventually extending to Charleston. ]3ut, as his hearers had learned, this and other similar schemes were rejected by the Upper House, the members disagreeing altogether with the principle involved therein. He would now refer to a matter in which his own action, as that of others, had been much misunderstood, namely, the support given to the subsidizing of a. boat plying between Dunedin and the Coast ports. In Nelson it had been said that the action was adverse to Nelson interests, and an attempt to deprive Nelson of her legitimate trade for the benefit of Otago. But the Superintendent of Otago had no such idea. What he had asked for first Was a subsidy for a service between Dunedin, Invercargill, and the "West Coast, but other members objected to this and a compromise was effected by proposing a service from Port Chalmers, Oamaru, Timaru, Lyttleton, Nelson, Pictou, and the West Coast ports. This it was con. sidered would be of value to th-3 whole island, and in no way detrimental to Nelson, as the boat calling there would, as a matter of course, bring there add tional trade, and also transhipments from other ports. On this view he had voted for the subsidy, but the money promised was so small that, unless supplemented by votes from the Otago and Canterbury governments, it was not likely to bring about any great results. Mr O'Conor then referred at some length to the discussions between the Upper and Lower House ; the amusement caused by his attempt to enforce penalties on the members of the former for receiving emolument for their service in contravention of the Constitution Act; the Attorney General's mystical opinion thereon ; the promise of the Government to consider during the recess the best means of placing the Upper House on a mere popular basis , the tariff and the advantages of the changed incidence of taxation ■ the ineffectual attempts made to obtain a further reduction of gold duty, and the injustice of such special class taxation ; and he then passed on to matters more specially interesting to Buller residents. Referring to the proposals for opening up the Buller coalfields by railway Mr O'Conor gave a resume of proceedings. Mr Higginson, an engineer of repute and experience, had been specially sent down by the Government to report upon some method of settling the much vexed question as to the best means of developing the coalfields. He had, as the result of his labors, published a voluminous and exhaustive report upon the capabilities and requirements of the Buller river as a port, the intervening country between that port and the Ngakawhau, its adaptability for railway formation, and the capabilities of the Ngakawhau as a harbor. Mr Higginson's visit to the district had been short, and trusting, as was necessarily compelled, to the information of others, he was to some extent misled as to matters of fact, and hence ono or two statements appearing in the ofScial report as published, Mr Higginson had since found necessary to correct. For instance, as to the utility of a breakwater or pier at the Ngakawhau, Mr Higginson had been told that there was no coastal drift, and had calculated accordingly ; but on finding out afterwards that an unceasing drift existed (of which those present at the meeting well knew), he had at once declared that such works as those he had projected would be utterly useless at the Ngakawhau, as the artificial entrance to be formed thereby would inevitably silt up again. Mr O'Conor quoted at some length the details in Mr Higginson's report referring to the relative merits of the Ngakawhau river works and a railway to Westport as means of opening up the coal trade, and said that the visit of the Westport deputation to the Government had been of considerable assistance in bring the merits of the coalfield and of Mr Higginson's railway proposals prominently before the Government and the public. He (Mr O'Conor), had worked with them, and together they had succeeded in filling the people of high and low degree with interest in the Ngakawhau mines, the papers also took the matter up, and the members of the House were all impressed with the necessity for pushing on the railway works and protective works at the Buller. But in the meantime a storm was brewing, a gentleman, known to fame and the Ngakawhau company, had turned up at Wellington with quite a different tale. This was Mr Beetham, manager of the Albion Company, the original Ngahawhau Company in a new form, and he told the people of Wellington that the idea of a railway to Westport was a great farce, that there was no possible use for it, that the Albion Company had already expended an enormous sum in river improvement at the Ngakawhau, and that a number of other companies there wore waiting until such were completed to avail themselves of its use. People in Wellington began to doubt, even the Government began to question the correctness of the information previously given. Mr Beetham, following up his tactics, volunteered to give evidence before the Colonial Industries Committee, and to give him free scope he, Mr O'Conor, had kept away, but being of course, in the interest of his constituents, anxious to fiud what was placed on record as Mr Beetham's deliberate utterances, he obtained attested copies of such evidence, and from these documents he would read to the present meeting a few choice extracts. In giving evidence on the 25th of August, he said, " There is a depth of

eight feet of water at any time in the river Ngakawbau. Tlio Albion Com pany have already speut £IO,OOO oil that river (the Ngakawhau) in clearing it, and in pontoons, and other necessary apparatus." Tli3ii again, referring to Captain Leech, the Harbor Master, Mr Beetkam said, " A few days ago I went down in the little steamer the Result, with Mr Leech, the Harbor Master at Westport, and three other gentlemen to Ngofeawhau, and on sounding the bar the harbor master found a minimum depth of nine feet of water. He was of course strongly influenced by a Westport feeling, but he admitted that there was nothing to prevent the Coomerang following us in, except a few boulders, which we are now adopting means to remove. The master of the steamer, who Was interested in having the NgakaWhaU coal exported from the Btillcr, admitted also, ott being pressed, that there was nothing to prevent the Coomerang from following. I make this statement because Mr

Higginson reports against tins river as a possible Harbor." " I may say that I am an engineer myself, perhaps one of the oldest in the Colony, and am satisfied, notwithstanding what Mr Higginson ha 9 stated, that it is possible to ship coals in large quantities from the Ngakawhau. Of course it is the interest of persons at the Buller that the coal should be sent there and then shipped. I believe it will he found expedient ultimately to make the railway to the Buller. I do not oppose it, but I say that as far as the Albion Company are concerned it will be useless." "I have not studied the subject of a railway at all except so far as affects the Albion Company, and if a line were made the Albion Company would never use it " When thii evidence was shown to Mr Beetham he struck out the item of £IO,OOO, stated as expended by the Albion Company, and reduced it to £I6OO, but he, Mr O'Conor, challenged even this' statement, and ultimately it was shown and verified by telegrams, received from responsible parties at Westport, that \ip to the date whereon Mr Beetham gave his evidence the actual amount expended in river works at the Ngakawhau had been £9l Bs, and that only by the predecessors of the Albion Company. The whole of the documen - tary evidence, Mr O'Conor remarked, had been revised by Mr Beetham, who had struck out several sentences, and substituted others qnali flying them, but the document he was then reading from bore this memo by the clerk to the committee, " All the erasures underlined are of an important character, and must be retained, the reporter having maintained the accuracy of his report." (This report, and others, Mr O'Conor' said he would hand over to the representative of the local press for use hereafter as might he found expedient). The next man who volunteered his opinion in evidence on the subject was Mr Oswald Curtis, and he told the committee that the opinions of Engineers were divided as to the merits of the Ngakawhau and Buller rivers as ports for shipping coal. Several applicants had applied for coal leases between Ngakawhau and Westport, and that one company at least had said that they would prefer constructing aud using wire tramways instead of the railway. This was for ground in Coalbrookdale, ten Miles from Westport and eight from Ngakawhau, and he imagined that many companies working the high ground near to Westport would work independently of the railway, as the. coal would most likely be brought down on small trucks, and it would not answer to shift into others for conveyance for a short distance. Such companies would thus use either a coal or a wire tramway, conveying the coal by their own lines to Westport. Apart from this and similar evidence given within the House, Messrs ' Curtis and Beetham did all they could to urge their plea that if the proposed railway was made it would not be used, and the Government asked him, Mr O'Conor, for an explanation. He got , Mr Bonar as a witness for the defence, and he said that the Waipara steamer drawing only four or five feet of water had gone up to the Ngakawhau several \ times and could never get in. Mr Higginson was next called and said that if, acccording to Mr Beetham's evidence a strong coastal drift existed the works he, Mr Higginson, had proposed at the , Ngakawhau would be of no use at all. He even went further and endorsed Mr , O'Conor's own opinion that the earth- . work of the Westport and Ngakawhau Railway could be made by 200 men in , nine months, and to the Waimangaroa, . where both stone and coal could be i obtained, in five months. He also . showed conclusively that Mr Oswald , Gurtis's mistake (to use a mild parlia- . mentary phrase") as to the method of working the Coalbrook dale and other i seams, was calculated to entirely mislead i the committee, that the whole idea of wire f tramways was a myth, and one which no • sane man would for a moment entertain. [ This opinion was also borne out by the engineers consulted on the subject, i and the result was that the Colonial Industries Committee recommended the • adoption of Mr Higginson'a proposals i for the Westport river protective works ! and railway to the Ngakawhau, and . treated Mr Beetham's voluntary , evidence as unreliable, But Mr ; Beetham did not rest here. There was another committee, called the Public i Works Committee, a body, he might tell them, organised and crammed exi pressly as a sort of ring to carry out : special purposes, and apparently acting > in many respects discreditably. This Committee consented to hear Mr f Beetham, who again argued that not f only had the. Albion Company become

entitled to compensation for the work done, but that as the company wished to make the Ngakawhau a tidal harbor they were entitled to help as other companies were waiting to make use of the works, That it woilld be a comparatively inexpensive work, the bar being formed solely by thd coastal drift, as no silt

whatever Came down the river, arid that breakwater piers rtiri out at each side of the mouth would stop tile shingle drifting on the bar, and instead of costing £IOOO pet chain ds Mr Higginson had intimated, might be made for £2OO. He said moreover that Mr Henderson, of the firm of Brogden aud Sons, had agreed with hint in this opinion. But Mr Hendersoii was afterwards examined on this particular point, and it appeared that Mr Beetham possessed something similar to what he ■wanted constructed at the Ngakawhau, a false pair of jaws. He, Mr would quote from the evidence given by Mr Henderson. The chairman, Mr Beeves, said, " We understood Mr Beetham to say he had been in conlmunication with you on the subject, and that you had expressed an opinion in regard to the nature of the works, the probable cost, and generally in regard to the effect of such works, as to whether they should be constructed or not. " In reply Mr Henderson srtid, " I only saw Mr Beetham's plans yesterday. The opinion I found is that the work could be done in a sufficiently substantial manner for £6OO or £7OO per chaindown to the low water mark, but they would have to be Carried seven or eight chains below that. Mr Beetham's estimate is much too low. The work that could be erected rtt such a cost would not stand even one gale. I have no personal knowledge of the district except that which I have gathered front the plans exhibited by Mr Beetham. In connection with the proposed harbor improvements at the Buller I remember that Mr Brogden distinctly advised the late government irt constructing harbors on the West Coast to select the most available spots for construction rather than select rivers for that purpose. That is my view. Also that harbors on the West Coast should be constructed out of (in?) the open roadsteads." In further examination Mr Henderson, while admitting that he had never visited the Buller, said that he thought the proposed expenditure of £30,000 or £40,000 " on the navigation of the Buller harbor" might be better expended in making a harbor in the open roadstead " one with a position more sheltered and with much less chance of being silted up." (The utter worthlessness of Mr Henderson's theory on this point Would be well Understood by all who had any knowledge of the Buller river or' the " open roadstead.") Mr Henderson also said that " he supposed vessels of 150 tons burthen would be able to get in to the Buller," and that the probable cost to make provision for vessels drawing eight feet of water he believed ■' it would count at from £12,000 to £15,000." The evidence on this paint was somewhat hazy, Mr Henderson and the Committee seemingly being much confused between the Bul'er and NgakawhnU rivers ; for immediately afterwards in reply to Mr Macandrew, th-j witness said that he did not think it expedient to construct the works proposed by Mr Beetham at the cost of £2OOO per chain as the government would run the risk of throwing away the money. The £12,000 or £15,000 was only an approximate estimate for one wall and did not in» elude protective works for the northern side." In connection with this evidence he, Mr O'Conor, would point out one grave discrepancy. Mr Beetham gave his evidence on the 4th of September, and therein distinctly said, " both, Mr Henderson and myself consider it (i.e. Ngakawhau pier) could be done for £2OO per chain." But Mr Henderson gave his evidence on the 6th September, and said " I only saw Mr Beetham's plans yesterday." The only inference to be drawn from this was that Mr Beetham, in his excess of zeal for the Albion Company, had made an unwarrantable use of Mr Henderson's name. In the face of the evidence given, the Public Works Committee actually recommended the expenditure of £15,000 at the Ngakawhau, with an after proviso, made by Mr Macandrew, that nothing should be done until the river was fully tested, But the resolutions were not carried, the Minister of Public Works protested against the first resolution, and when the second was proposed he walked out of the room, and said if carried the Government would cast it aside. He, Mr O'Conor, asked to be heard, but the Committee would not, thoy laid their report upon the table of the house, and he then challenged their proceedings as being unfair and one sided. He went into the case in the House, determined to show them up in their true colors, and, as he was glad to say, before he had gone very fully into the case the Committee expressed (villingness to withdraw the report and jay no more about it, but he took very jood care to say all he possibly could igainst the iniquitous transaction. Meanwhile the report of the Colonial Industries Committee was accepted; ;he House was in favor of the immeliate commencement of the works at IrVestport, and the result is that Mr EEigginson would be soon sent down, ind the work would be pushed on as )eing of the very greatest colonial im>ortance. Excepting that opposition night be raised by the Nelson Propincial authorities in the only way thai; lelay can be occasioned. The meeting vould understand that by the Public Works and Immigration Act, 1871, security for the works must bo taken

oh the coalfield, and that if the- Superintendent of Nelson, in hia anxiety to grant coal leases, should do so without making reservation to maintain the security, the General Government would be debarred by the strict provision of the Act from going on wit u the work. This was the only contingency that could possibly arise to causo delay, and he hoped fervently that in the interests of the Province Mr Curtis \vould avoid giving trouble. He (Mr O'Conor) hoped the meeting fairly understood the motives impelling him to oppose Mr Beetham. He had solely done so to protect the interests of the public, and also of the shareholders in the Albion Company. Ho believed that the company at present could not adopt a more effective "method of frittering away their capital than in continuing river works at the Ngakawhau, but apart from this Mr Beetham, to carry his point with the Government had expressed the willingness of the Albion Company not only to pay harbor dues at the Ngakawhau, but also to pay a share of interest, and become security to a certain amount for sixteen years. Which meant in face that whether the works at the Ngakawhau proved of any real service or not, the property of the Company would be mortgaged. Mr 'O'Conor next referred to the requisition that had been signed asking him to stand for election as Superintendent t)f the Province. The document he said had been sent to Nelson, and therefore he had not seen it, but upon the faith of representations nlade him he was inclined to accept it as a sincere expression of desire that he should come forward. He felt therefore that he should be Wanting in candour did he not tell the meeting how he proposed to deal with the requisition. He recognised fully the fact that whoever might be elected Superintendent would have to satisfy the not unreasonable demands for a complete change in the present system of conducting Government. In familiar phrase ie wdttld have to upset the present Provincial apple cart and ruthlessly sweep away all the barnacles now hanging around the government offices. He had often denounced the present •obstructive system, but he did not shut his eyes to the fact that any new candidate contesting the election, howsoever good his chances might seem, would have to fight a hard battle. There existed, as they all knew, in Nelson a coalition or ring interested in perpetuating the present order of things, and it would be useless for him to expect to break through that ring unless he found the electors on the Goldfields unanimous in their desire to support him. He knew that many persons had opposed him politically, and were still presumedly his opponents. It was impossible, in fact, in a small community, to get on without differences of opinion, and this feeling had run very high at times, and they had given one another hard knocks in verbal encounters, and had, perhaps ■come at times as near actual blows as possible. He had since learned to regret this, the more so because he was not sure that even now some might still oppose him. If he found this feeling really prevading he would not come forward, but if on the contrary, he saw that his political opponents Were willing to bury the hatchet, if only for the sake of initiating ft new and improved order of things in the Government of the province, he would be willing to contest the election, but without a clear and positive assurance of this it would be unwise to come forward and split votes. Many he knew in the settled districts, who were anxious to depose the present combination that held power and obstructed the progress of the province, looked forward with strong hopes to the increased number of voters on the goldfields as a power that might, in unity with them, establish a more progressive Government. Those people in the settled districts knew well and could sympathise with the troubles experienced by the goldfields residents, and of the constant drain on goldfields resources and the little given in return, and were ready to join in the effort to help them. If he contested the election it would not be solely from a West Coast point of view. His ideas of a Superintendent's duty was to work earnestly for the benefit of all classes, and of all portions of the province. It had been stated in Nelson that the object of the West Coast people was to grasp the reins of power and remove the seat of government to the West Coast. He did not think this true, but rather believed that they would agree with him that Nelson City was the natural capital of the province, and that it should be inade more powerful, and the provincial power consolidated by making that city more accessible from all pans of the province. Now upon the understanding that the people on the goldfields would give him their undivided support, and that his policy, if elected, wouldbet.be advancement of the interests of the entire province rather than any particular locality, he would be willing to throw his hat into the ring and contest the election The voters on the Coast could, if they liked, place their chosen man in the Supefintendental chair, but only by unity of action with the settled districts and an avoidance of all vote splitting among themselves. To the plain and pointed question put to him by very many friends," Will you stand for election ?" he Would for the present give no definite answer. He intended, according to his usual custom, to visit the outlying districts and give an account to the electors of what had been done during the late session, more especiallyaffecting theirinterests,

and if he found the same apparent earnestness prevailing elsewhere as in Westport that he should contest the election, he would then place himself It the service of the electors.

The CiiAtttMAN Called upon any one present to express their views, and Mr John Muuro, in a short but pointed speech, expressed his congratulations that the proposed diversion of money from Westport and Ngakawhau railway purposes had not been accomplished, and for which the Buller public were considerably indebted to their member. The details of the conflict as given by Mr O'Cohor were interesting, though not complimentary to the management of the Albion company. With reference to the proposed contest for the Superintendency he expressed his gratification at Mr O'Conor's wish to bury the hatchet and forget all past feuds and animosities.

Mr J. B. Fisher said he had been, as they all well knew, a strong and consistent opponent of Mr O'Conor in his past political career, but he must admit that Mr O'Conor had acted most faithfully in the discharge of his duties to his constituents during the session, and on the part of himself and Mr Humphrey, as delegates in the coal and railway question, he publicly tendered Mr O'Conor their thanks for the very great assistance and attention paid them in Wellington. As to the Superintendency, he believed any change would be for the better in the interests of the province, and would hence give Mr O'Conor his full and best support. He proposed a vote of thanks to Mr O'Conor for his address that evening, and for his services on behalf of his constituents. The resolution was received with applause, and on being seconded by Mr Spiers was carried with unanimous consent. After a few remarks in acknowledgment, and a vote of thanks to the chair, the meeting dispersed. [ln reference to the quotations from the official copies of evidence given above it must be mentioned that in examination on the Ist October before the Colonial Industries Committee, Mr Beetham positively denied having said that the Albion Company had expended £IO,OOO ; and he put in letters from Messrs Beeves and Curtis stating that their impression was that he said £2OOO. With regard to the corrections made in the report, wherein, as the chairman pointed out, it appeared the evidence was either taken down wrongly, or had been altered to express Mr Beetham's ideas, or else was evidence that he did not intend to give ; Mr Beetham said the reporter was at fault' and had repeatedly to be corrected. This the reporter denied, vouching fur the accuracy of his report; and in reference to the alterations made in the report by Mr Beetham the reporter said ''l neither consented to his making the alterations nor dissented from his doing so. 1 told him when he had finished that the evidence would have to go back to the Committee.—Ed. W. T.J

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18731014.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1115, 14 October 1873, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
5,247

MR O'CONOR'S MEETING. Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1115, 14 October 1873, Page 2

MR O'CONOR'S MEETING. Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1115, 14 October 1873, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert