THE DOMAIN BILL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 45, 22 July 1874, Page 3

THE DOMAIN BILL.

PUBLIC MEETING,

A meeting took place last evening in the Music Hall, to consider the action taken by the promoters of the Bill now before the Legislative Council. The Hall was filled notwithstanding the unfavorable weather.

Captain G. H. Wilson was voted to the chair, and briefly introduced the business of the meeting and called upon Mr Wynn Williams to address the meeting.

Mr Wynn Williams said that it was unfortunate that the weather was so unpropitious, as it had been on the former occasion. However, he might say that though they had had to trouble people to the extent of 1000 signatures to a petition to the House of Representatives, they had now obtained over 800 signatures to a new petition to the Upper House. [Cheers.J Before going into the question, he took this opportunity of replying to attacks which had been made on him. It had been said that he had attacked a gentleman who was not there to defend himself; but he would point out that it was not his (Mr Williams) fault that that gentleman had gone away the evening the meeting was to be held, but all he had said was fully reported in the papers. [Cheers.] It could not, however, be said that he had not asked the Superintendent certain questions to his face, which had not been replied to, either by the Superintendent or Mr Fraser. [Cheers.] He would now refer to the manner in which the Bill had been hurried through the House. The Bill was read a first time early in the session, a second time on Tuesday last, and a third time on Thursday. He would read them from the public papers what Mr Reeves, who had the Bill in charge for his Honor the Superintendent, had said regarding the petitions coming up from Canterbury, and the expression of public opinion upon the Bill, It appeared in Mr Reeves’ own paper, so he supposed it was true, but he could hardly believe it. It was reported as follows : “ On the motion that the Canterbury Domains Act Amendment Bill be committed, “ Mr Buckland said his information led him to believe that as soon as certain parties in Canterbury heard of this measure being

introduced, they immediately got up petitions to the House against it, and ho, therefore, wished the committal postponed till Wednesday next. He would move an amendment to that effect. “ Mr Reeves said that having taken charge of the Bill for the hon member for Avon, who was detained in Canterbury attending to his provincial duties, he could not assent to the amendment, although he knew that the petitions referred to were being signed in Christchurch. The Bill had been brought in after the concurrence of the Provincial Council by a large majority, and he saw no just reason for delaying the progress of the Bill for any expression of public opinion in the form of a petition from Christchurch. He had presented a most extensively signed petition himself, and the hon member was quite wrong in saying that any hastiness had been evident in the matter, for a week had been given to print and circulate a Bill of three clauses only.” The extensively signed petition referred to comprised twenty-five names. ["Laughter.] They would thus see that it was an Auckland member—Mr Buckland —who moved an amendment, “ That the committal should be postponed until the petitions on their way from Canterbury could arrive.” But what were their Canterbury members doing ? Mr Montgomery had sat still there, knowing that the opinion of the people was being sought on it, leaving it to a stranger to ask for justice. He trusted that this would go forth, so that Mr Montgomery might hear what he had said about him, as he wished to be perfectly fair and open —so that no one could say that he had said a word behind their back. They would recollect that up to Saturday last telegraphic communication could not be got with Wellington, and he had the authority of several gentlemen in Wellington, who were opposed to the Bill, that the promoters of this Bill were industriously going about ear-wigging the members of the Upper House, 'saying that the opposition to this Bill was a factious one, got up by himself (Mr Williams.) However, the tables were now turned, and the Upper House would now see that the petition came up signed by over 1000 persons, and they had so far respected the expression of public opinion as to postpone t v e second reading of the Bill to allow of the expression of public opinion to come up from Canterbury. [Cheers.] The petitions were signed by a large number of persons, and by two gentlemen whose names would be towers of strength, and who were entitled to the best thanks of the citizens generally for their action. Those names were Mr Charles 0. Bowen, and Mr George Gould. [Cheers.] Now Mr Reeves had said that this matter had been decided by the Provincial Council, at least he Avas reported to have said so but he hoped it was not true, because it Avas not a fact, as the Bill had never been before the Provincial Council —[cheers]—and the Bill had never been seen by anyone until the “ Lyttelton Times ” that morning published it—[hisses] —and further than this, the Bill did not carry out the resolution of Dr Turnbull, Avhich was as follows“ That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that an appropriate site be found for the Canterbury College, in the Domain grounds near Antigua street, and fronting the site of the museum.” Now his Honor had told them at the recent public meeting that he had considered it his duty to draw this Bill as carrying out the wishes of the people, but he would like to ask his Honor through the Press this question: was it his duty to prepare a Bill which Ava? opposed to the resolution passed by the Provincial Council ? The Bill read as follows The Superintendent of Canterbury may. by proclamation to bo published in the Provincial Government “ Gazette,” set apart any portion not exceeding live acres of the land firstly described in the schedule to the Canterbury Public Domains Act, 1872, as asitc for a College, and the land so set apart shall thereupon cease to be subject to the provisions of the said Act. The Superintendent may convey the land so set apart to the Canterbury College, incorporated by Ordinance of the Superintendent and Provincial Council of Canterbury, session XXXIX., No i; and such land, when so conveyed, shall be held by the Canterbury College and their successors for ever, upon trust, as a site for a College, and for buildings and enclosures connected therewith, and for no other purpose. “Any portion”—they would see not the place indicated in the resolution—and “ buildings and enclosures What did that mean 1 [A Voice : “ Why twenty-five acres or more of course.”] Now it seemed to him that the Superintendent had by drafting this Bill totally opposed to the resolution of the Provincial Council done that which had degraded the office he held, f Cheers and hisses,] He did not cloke the matter at all ; but put it plainly to them as it appeared to him, that the conduct of his'Honor was not worthy of him as a high provincial officer, or as a gentleman. [Cheers.] Mr Rolleston had told them at the late meeting that the College would be open to all, but he denied it; the working man could never afford to allow his sons to go to that College and maintain them there. Sons of the age to go to College Averc obliged to go out to work and help the parents to maintain the family. It was therefore perfect nonsense to talk about this College being open to all, and it was useless to nrdee use of Avhat Avas a perfectly fallacious argument. The opponents of the movement to keep the Domain clear, of building stated that this Avas a setting of class against class, but those who eloked facts and stated what was not were the parties who set class against class. At the recent meeting he had stated that then: were two gentlemen who wished to have their houses in the Domain, viz, Dr Haast and the Rev Hr Fraser, Since that meeting he had ascertained from a gentleman that Dr Haast had made application to the trustees to have his house erected in the Domain near the Museum. [OLeers hisses, and groans,] , Dr Haast then came forward, and said that he Avished to deny what had been stated by Mr Wynn Williams. The trustees he believed had made application to the Government that the director’s house should be built near the Museum, as so valuable a property should not be left alone, but he (Dr Haast) had nothing to do with it. [Cheers and uproar.] Mr Wynn Williams would publish his authority in the “ Press ” the next morning, so that Dr Haast would be able to refute the matter publicly. He had been told this by one of the trustees, and Dr Haast had half admitted it by what he had said, [Cheers.] This it seemed to him was very much borne out by the clause in the Bill, drafted, it would be recollected by Mr Rolleston, at the suggestion of Dr Haast and Mr Fraser. That portion of the clause was as follows : “And for buildings and enclosures connected therewith,” Now, he staked his existence

that if this Bill passed, the Domain would soon be dotted over with residences of the professors. [Cheers.] As regarded this, he might say that he had been told that the Professor of Chemistry, who, Mr Fraser said he had got out from England, had taken his house, on the condition that he should give it ; up Avhcn his house avus built in the Domain. [Cheers.] Now, as regarded the letters which had appeared in the papers. First, he might say that, it the College authorities offered him _ four times the amount for bis (Mr Williams) property they would not get it. [Cheers.] Again he asked who Avas “An old Colonist” The Rev Charles Fraser ? [Laughter.] Who was “ Onlooker ?” The Rev Charles Fraser. [Cheers.] Who was “Enquirer?” The Rev Charles Fraser. [Laughter.] And finally, Avho Avas “ The young man from the country 1” The Rev Charles Fraser. [Loud laughter.] Noav ho felt sure that these parties who were so sore about this matter felt thus because their little game Avas threatened Avith failure. [Cheers. | He had taken care that a plan of the Domain should be sent up to the Assembly, showing the attempts being made 1o take away parts of it, so that those members Avho did not personally know Christchurch would have a good idea of Avhat Avas proposed to be done. Mr Fraser had said in a letter to the “ Star,” that the people had no business at all with the Domain, But he (Mr Williams) contended that they had ns much, if not more, than Mr Rolleston, Mr Fraser, and Dr Haast. [Cheers.] He felt sure that the prime mover in this affair was thoroughly ashamed of the part taken by him, as he had been the scapegoat of others to forward their own little games ; and he trusted now that he would retrace his steps somewhat, and allow of a clause being placed in the Bill giving the Provincial Council power to consider the matter —and he felt perfectly certain that the Provincial Council, after the expression of public opinion, Avould never pass such a Bill as this. [Cheers.] When the result of these meetings went up to Wellington, he felt that the Legislative Council would at once throw out the Bill.— [cheers]— or at least insert the clause he had referred to. He Avas surprised to see that the leading journal—or the socalled leading journal—had strenuously opposed this movement, and had sneered at public opinion. The peculiarity of this was, that the same paper had been one of the bitterest opponents of the Superintendent—[cheers]— and had not only done this, but had accused the Superintendent of writing his own articles in the “Press.” Now they had this curious result, that the paper avlio had been bitterest against the Superintendent now came out as his champion ; while the other, avlio had been his friend, had taken the opposite vicav. Well, the solution of this enigma Avas this, that the man who sat behind the little desk and expended the midnight oil to produce those leaders in the “ Times” was in the seventh heaven of delight at having got his Honor into this fix. [Loud and continued cheering.] So soon, as this little campaign was over, they Avould find that paper would return to its abuse of its quondam pet, chuckling at having placed him in so undignified a position. [Cheers,] He would now move the following resolution :—“ That this meeting protests agaiust the manner in which the Domain Amendment Bill was brought into Parliament, and passed the third reading, in the face of the fact that petitions were being signed against it, and without an opportunity being given for these petitions to be presented. That a petition to the Legislative Council, embodying the above resolution, be signed on behalf of the meeting by the chairman, and imimdiately forwarded to Wellington.” He Avould only say one last word, and that Avas this, that he felt deep regret and sorrow that Mr Montgomery should have sat in that House knowing what he did, and knowing that a public meeting was being held, and that communication Avas interrupted with Canterbury, and allowed Mr Bucklaud’s amendment to be negatived, when all it asked was simple justice. [Cheers.] However, if this Bill was carried the campaign would not be over, but he and those with him would fight until the last against a single inch of the Domain being alienated. [Loud cheers,]

Mr Andrews seconded the motion. He might say that he had voted and spoken against this Bill, because on one hand the Government had never consulted the Domain Board, and also because they were going on session after session undoing the work of the preceding one. He thought that an expression of opinion from that meeting would have the effect of influencing the Legislative Council to throw out this Bill, [Cheers.) It had been said that this question would drive class against class, but this Avas not the fact. What would do this was the way in which those Avho seemed to take upon themselves the work of legislating for the people, instead of letting them express their opinion and will upon the matter, [Cheers.] He denied that this Avas exclusively a working man’s question. It was as much concerning one class as the other—all were interested in resisting an attempt to take away from them what they had learnt to enjoy and to consider as their oavu. Ho remembered that when he was seeking the suffrages of the electors, Dr Turnbull stated concerning the higher branches of education and colleges, that they would bo framed in such a way that only certain classes could take advantage of them. And this was the fact as regarded this college. He looked at it from this point of view; supposing the people had wished to put their Normal School in the Domain would they have got it. [Criesof “No.”] that would bo the people’s school in the people’s park ; but would they have got it ? No ; emphatically no. [Loud cheering.] He contended that there Avas a growing tendency to override the rights and privileges of the public, [A Voice : “ No,” and loud cries of “ Yes.”] Well, he (Mr Andrews) felt sure of it, and they had been by far too easy in the matter, and allow things to slip past them without taking that amount of interest in matters which they ought to do. [Cheers.] He would now let the resolution be put to the meeting. [Loud cheers.] The motion was then put and carried by an overwhelming majority, only two hands being held up againsi^it. The result as declared by the chairman was received with loud cheers.

Mr Andrews then moved, “ That this meeting is of opinion that the thanks of the community are due to Mr Wynn Williams for the energetic manner in which he has taken steps to prevent any further buildings being erected in the public Domain.” [Cheers.] Mr F. 0, Hall seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

A vote of thanks to the chair brought the proceedings to a close,