SIR GEORGE GREY AT NAPIER.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 859, 18 December 1877, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AT NAPIER.

ADDRESS BY THE PREMFRR ANII NA'ITV« MIN S ER. [By Electric TELEGRAPrt.J (Press Agency.) , Wapieb, Friday. The Hinemoa, with Bir George Grey an-J Air. dheahan, arrive. I here i,O'day. Ttiey were escorted from the gpit by a large number of peo|>l<>, and were urawn in a carriage with six Greys. Qa tfce procession teaching Cl>e

square, Mr Joiiu Buchanan was uhairniauof the opeurneetiug tlie-eh«ld. Sir G. Giey, after expressing thanks for the warm reception t»iven him, said he did not oorae as the repreaentitive of the district 'certainly, hut. nevertheless? he was the repViaaejMtive ofjdfhe iwhole colony, and wheivver fu!/Now£ Zealkiid he v^enfc hej^nsidegejd; hef reprinted |i^ei i>liic||(K> fa.t^i tp|;promdfe its w|.£ire* 4b. jkhe^ttf raos%<3f thetpbwe^ of the Government.. He referred to the fact, that twenty-two yeais ami three months a#o he' was in Napier, when tne< e was only' btie E tit opdan in it. Hy cams -to i procure land from the natives for the public, aud succeeded, Kiit tiioUerate us wlis" the pric;, the colony .was too poor to pay, an. l it was a pleas ure to him th» fc he was able to contribute out of his own pocket for the purchase. I'he dreams he had then as to what the place whou d be, he was hippy to find realised. Everyman nhould be instructed in political knowledge, so that he might be able properly to exercise the power whic'.i should be in tie possession of all men of age — to have fhe'frandliise.; Having obtained a lii»er*V franchise, they should take aire that tlie CDiisdtuencies were fair in" si e,\ 'CV there we,rp uo pocket boroigtis enabling the we i hp to dominate. " Hail waya had .been constructed pat of the taxes of the whole people, and so property was e lor m >u3ly increased iu T value. Thjus the wealthy had increased their wealth at the cost of tire people at large. It was time this should be reme'diM— that the wealthy s lould be mide to <;on ributt? iu proportion to the beiirfics derived from the State, and that those who derived bub few benefits should be realeivd of some of the heavy burdens now pressing on them. There should be fair and equal iand laws, so as to enable the iudustrious to acquire homesteads. The natixea should be allowed to get f u I value for their land, and the market open t"» the Europe m people at large, su that the natives mi^ht get a iaic price for th^ir laud. That would be the' i olitjy the Nuiive Miuwter would o^v.ry out. The Premier concluded witu again ivferrinsf to the time when he came here before, almost a soiitury wanderer fr<>m thu Wairarapa, having only B shop Selwyn with ium, x and expressed a hope that afc a later period ef h s life he would be able to wi ness a iikt; progress. Mr. Sheehau very brieflyj excising himself on the grounds oi the fatiguing session. After referring to the difference between the present reception and the manner he was look d upon when he first came, he said that those plans which Sa George G»ey concived, he would energetically assist in maturing ami in carrying but. It was time we took a fresh departure, an- 1 that the people took a fair sha<e in the government of the cjuutry. When next session ommenccd, the Ministry w-.nld propose those liberal measures of which in Ji a ion had been given by^ir George Grey. ; If they found thHuseive-s beore the Jige— if the House wereiut eqiml to the req drements.of tbu time— then the House should go to tie.country. Resolutions were pasise J, witliout a dissentient voice, thanking Sir George Grey and MY. Sheehan, and p edging themselves to assist them in every way to the utmost of their power. There was an immense crowd, and all were very enthusiastic. Wellington, Sunday. MLNrSTNUUL CHANGES. Mr Billanc has b^en offered a seat iu the Ministry, and will probably join. -Nego-iations are n.iwr goinjr ou between hi to «n I S r G. Grey on the subject. Mv Btiiauce is very anxious that Mr Stout should Jso join the ., Mi nisi vy, which, however, woul I, ntfcessi ate the reiiremHnt of either Mr Larn*ch or *Rtr Fisher.— * Herald'a ' Gorrespondent. Dr L :inon received the following offical memorandum from Mr Todd td-dsy : — The Port Darwin: «nd Banjoewangi cable was rep-tired at 11.45 this irorninsr (Saturday). Mr CottPrill, weil known for his drawing -rooul entertainments, and who married one of rhe MissCarandinis, died this mornintr. ■■> <