MR JOHN LONDON ON THE HUSTINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1131, 23 September 1879, Page 2

MR JOHN LONDON ON THE HUSTINGS.

The ' Northern Luminary ' contains the following iji the report of an address to the electors of the Bay of Islands delivered by Mr John Lundon, who has since been elected : — " There lias been a lot said about this roll-stuffing 1 business. If I was a rollstuffer I would not deny it ; but I would rather be a roll-sfcuft'or any day" than a paid officer to stuff rolls. I never put a single name on this roll I now hold m my hand, although 1 am proud to this day to say that I caused some 300 or 400 names to go on that roll. And now they are not all on that Bhould be. I hold a batch of Maori claims here, received at Russell from Mongonui too late. Bat m regard to Mr Bryce's report, that the Lundon faction was bad, and the Williams faction was bad, and everything was bad, gentlemen, I admit Aye are all bad (cheers), and perfectly agree to his decision. And what has your member being doing all this time m Wellington ? He has been defending his big brother, and trying to make out a very bad case indeed. I wish John Lundon had a big brother to defend him. Never mind, he can defend himself (cheers.) The crime laid to me was, that I stood by and witnessed the signature of papers when the parties were absent themselves, I admit it, and I would stand by and see a hundred or two hundred such papers signed by a man, or see him cut his throat either. You have got now the only genuine roll m the whole country. As to people saying lam a bad man ! that is all right, I certainly am a bad man, lam no Maori scholar. 1 cannot road or write it. I cannot say why they should have a dislike to me, but I know this much, they did. me a good turn once, and I like them for it. John Lundon never forgets a good turn, and if you return me, I will not forget you. The Maoris have a good right, a bir-thright to be on the roll, and you cannot put them off. And what goQd have the Pakaraka people eyer dono you, or wliat p^n yqu ever expect? If you do not like me, get a better man ; you have still until Saturday to fetch him out.

But what lias John Lunrlon done, thai;' ho should not represent this constituency ? I have done more for Hokianga, Mongonui or Onehunga tlian any man you can name. I never wronged a nvin m my life. But do you know what I have done ? (Here followed a long- spoooh of Mr Lunaon's former political career when the Provincial Council system prevailed. What good he had done for Unehunga when he represented it. Life on the Awanui and Thames, and crossing m triumph Maokay's boundary, amids, cries of " That was Lundon's swindle.") He then went on to say, if I can cross a goldfiolds boundary and gain my point, I can gain plenty for you. I could do a swindle for you all m Wellington. Did not lon ono occasion go to tlic Public Works office, along witfi Billy Swanaon, and overhauled the plans they showed us, which had only the tracts and lines, and figures, and no guts? Mr Swanson told me they had threatened to kick him out of the offiae ; but they did not threaten to kick me out though. After a deal of bother and noise, it was agreed to give £40,T)00 for roads and bridges m North Auckland.- I always fight hard for my rights, and never receive a penny of anybody else's money, to h<?lp me along. I know I have not much education; I was born m Limerick, and came out to this country when I was twelve years old, and ahvaya worked for myself ever since, near forty years ago, excepting once, Avhen I Avas cook at 4s a week ; but I never got any money for that. I cannot talk Latin, unless it be Irish Latin. (Here followed a word about a yard long, and sounded very much like, Hogg-stot-a-mollook d'ye-thine-I'm-deat ; but Mr Lundon fully explained the meaning afterwards.) Gentlemen, you' all know the good I have dono m the past ; that is nothing to what I could do m Wellington for you, if you returned me."