PUBLIC MEETING AT HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume IX, Issue 509, 24 August 1875, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT HAMILTON.

A public meeting was held in the Court -house, Hamilton Wesi, oa Friday evening, tj discuss th^ provisions of the Abolition of Provinces and Local Government Bills. Captain iSteele was voted to the chair. There was considerable delay wbile a me«senger was sent for a copy of the n >tioe convening the meeting. In reply to the Oh lirm.vi, M r Longbottom denied that he hid called the meeting. Mr Morris said he had cilled in, and repeated the notice from memory. The Chan man siid he had been under the impression thdt the matter w is BetUed at the ii<st meeting. The speaks s would huve to confine tuem3vjWe3 st-i-t'y to the questun. and ho was suro it would be unnecessary to ask the Hamilton people, to give a fair hearing. Mr Cox said as the expediency -of the meismes had been ainrmed at the former meeting, the present meeting would havi to eonlire itself to a discussion of the details of the biH. Mr Morris said that og the last evening he had found th u meeting d»acl against him, and therefore he had wi'hdruvn the resolution, lie came this evening in full confidence that they would not be drawn away by soft soap. Hd wished to call particular attention to the rating clauses of the Local Government Bill. He had not had time to go into the whole of the clauses. "With reference to the provis.on for rating on the aunual value to let, there was a large amount of property in tin* district that would realise nothing under that clauee. There was no power in either of the bills to rate by the acre. The Act stated that the qualification for a chairman of a board was the possession oi property of the rateable value of £25 per annum, but in order to vote it was necessary to have property worth £50. The speaker referred to clause 56, and the provisions regarding improved and unimproved property. He contended that the b'U was unjust towards those who expended capital and employed labor in increasing the annual value of their property, while owners of unimproved property, the value of which was improved at the expense of others, paid li 1 tie or nothing. Mr K. Hill rose to a point of order. He contended that Mr Morris shmld propose a resolu tion on each clause. At this stage a copy of the Waikato i imes was produced. The Chairman, after reading tho adveitisement, said it would be ridiculous to go over tho same ground as at the last meeting. It would be absurd to discuss tho 270 clauses m detail. Mr Hill hoped Mr Morris would move a resolution. Mr Morris wa^ proceeding to refer to the question raised at the last meeting, when Mr Cox s-iid ho hoped Mr 'VTorris would not rtii^e the question of abolition again. Mr Morris : I will read a few more dau3Js. Mr Leslie, 6cui'. : Why we Bhall be here all night. Mr Morris : Yo\i can get a bed at Q-Wynne'a Mr Leslie : Of course. I think you orjly called us here to send us to sleep (laughter ) Mr Morrfs did not thi'ik the discu&ion could do harm. They knew tint amendments which had been premised in the .highways Act were never made, for four or five years. (Mr Pox : was that a Provincial ordinance ?) He believed it waa (laughter.) But the G-cner*] Government was as bad The districts surrounding Han.ilron would hive the power to sn allow up t lie township. Loud cries of " move a resolution." Mr Johns h^re moun'ed the Bench, and he and Mr Morris after some consultation produced the following resolution : '' That in the opinion of this meeting rating clauses in the Local Grorernment Bill, particularly clauses 21, 27 and 28, require amendment." Mr Johus said these lrtile defects in the Bill were like the little rills in the valleys which, swelled the mountain streams. The speaker went on to criticise the provisions in the Bill regarding the Civil Servants, lie was frequeutly interrupted during his speech. MrlTammmd sad he hid listened for some excuse for calling the present meeting to decile a question which had beon settled tft the previous m eting. It was an insult to the common sense of the people to call a meeting of this character. He would move at an amendment, " That thi-« meeting has such confidence in the honesty a>id intel ligem.-e of the Parliament now assetnb'ed that they leavo the Local Government Bill in their hands." He did not think ihat the politick magnates of tho Wa.kato couU teach tbe representatives at Wellington what the latter had ben studying for years. Mr Trewheellar said he thought it was perfectly right to call the present moefinj?. Mr Leel'e said a large landed estate was being acquired m the Prjvim c. He referred to tho 56th clause where it was stated that the rate sh)uld be "or five per centum on the fair capital value on tho foe simple thereof to sell." fie did not think it possible that th-'GroT-ernmnr.t could have made such a mistake as to make tbe qualification for v he Chairman of a Board £25 and for a voW, £50. The cUuse must mean of tbe vultie of £50 to ee]l. The Bill was simply a draff, anJ wouid be amended in Committee. He charged Mr Morn* wit,h attempting to arous.« c'as* prejudices The t>rrn "rateable value" must mean the vilue t > sell. He d^fiod anyone to prove that the Bill disquil fied any man from exercising his vote. Mr Slater said he epoke us a represent ah vs of tlia working men. He waa not a p >liiiciein. bufc k-» thought there was some'hing to be got under p esent circumtancea. Ib was like the proverb which said that when certain parties fell out honest men came by their own. He would movo that tbe abolition of Provincialism is necessary for the good of the country. (The Chairman : That is out of order) A watch should bo miintain-jl overUe qualification clause*, s> thit a number of men shuuH not, be disqualified. Ho had not been b»rn wk'i a silver spoon in his mouth. "If© waa opposed to property quili fixation, aivi in faver of manhood suffrage. He revered intellect m>re thuu pr<n,ert.y. Mr Cox suggested that the r solution should be amended so as to read th*t the attention of the (jrov^nra"nt should be drawn to the r ting clauses. Mr Morris consented. He would now suppjrt the resolution. Mr Morris denied that he wished t> set class against class. He criticise I the 5 per cent valuation, and replied to some of the arguments used by Mr Leslie and otiers. The resolution wa3 carried unanimously, and a vote of thinks to the chairman, concluded the proceedings.