THE VISIT OF THE PREMIER.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 38, 25 February 1878, Page 2

THE VISIT OF THE PREMIER.

Sir George Gr ( <(f , ncpdmpaniod by the Hon •^--^■^ | j|i»^ ) |i«ntA* l *'»nnfl'i'<il\ M,r. J. 0. sro^n7JSh JPraabr, and Mr W» Mjitoholl, arrived? in Koofton on Friday evening last.,, l'ljo County Chairman and members .0? tho Council proccodod to tho o'roy 1 Junction and mot tho pnrty there, whoronn addross wan presented, and tho visitors woro then escorted to town. Jp tlio evening Sir Goorgo Groy walkod round tho town, and was introduced to a number of tho lending oitjzons amongst whom lio root muny porsons curly Auokland and Wellington residents who. 'had servod undor him Jong nntooodonfc to tho Maori war, and also, in tha* campaign. A wish having boon exp'r'essiod by a largo number of tho residents that tho IVouiior should deliver an address, that wish was communicated to Sir Goorgo Grey by tho County Chairman, and met with a ready, acquiescence, and the hour for tho mftQt* hjg'wua fixed for 10 o'clock, $:; i \ ->'.'•> -'J, In tho evening a publio mooting was hold in Gilmer's J Tall. Tho room was donsoly paefcod, upwards of a thousand persons being present. 'j'lio ontfaneo' of Sir George Groy upon tho plnfcform. was hailed with tremendous cheering, which was continued for somo lime, when it bad subsided Mr Guinness, Chairman of tho Groy County Council, camo forward and moved, " That Mi* 1\ JBrennao, Chairman of tho Thaugahua Couuty Couaoil tako tho ohaiV' ■ Tho rosolulic-n having boon duly secondiod and carrier, \ Mr ftronna, i onm,o forward an 1 Raid he h,a,d the honor of introducing to tho mooting Sir'Goor#i <G.roy, tho Pren^ior of Now : Zonland, who it tho oast of gwafc personal disoonjforb^nri h»id inado ,tho journey t< Hcofton for tho purpose o* makfng fho acquaintance of tho wfinfß of tho inhnbitnn ,s, and seeing tho district. „ (Groat cheers,) Sir Goorgo said :— -Mr Chairman, and '(jcntlcmiin, I havo undertaken to say a lew words to you boonuso 1 was mformod that ib is your desire tlmt I should do so ( ; and I do so oaoauso I believe, this, that it' is in ovory way, dcs.irahlo (;h,at those who govorn, and ! those\ who, aro govornod should Icn.ow, each otl\or as intimately as. possible (hour, hoar.)i If I u,nd oo.no as I did) and merely tukon thai dri>vo round your town E should havo known very littlo of thb place. Since my arrival, howoyor, I have walkod round tho town, and so booomo personally Acquainted with many of your resident, and by that mci an lourncd more of tHo pooplo and tho dv v triot than I othorwiso shou'd. You are all probably awaro that under our modern system tho roal Governor is not tho person who holds that titlo, for tho duty of tho Governor ia to take tho advice of his responsible Ministers, and thoy practically gojrorn feho country, and tho head of th'oßo responsible Ministors is the Promior. Ho ia th,o person in whom power is prin* icipallv vested. It is very dosirublo then that tho poison who oxorta so groajt an inf|uonoo either for your wolfaro or your ovjl should take tho fullest opportunity of making himself known ta you. If ho intends to so disposo tho poww committed to him to (Ho best advantage of tho people thoro oan bo no roason v^liy thoro should bo any scorosy in his njqtipns, and to onalilohim to do this, if; is essontial that ho should poflsoss \\\o v^idosfc possib|o know* lodgo both 'of tho country nnd its pooplo. If ho d'esiros to do well' ho should also bo able to show thnlho possossca the fapilitics to oarry with him a su'ffioiont majority for that purpose So you boo that iri all thoßO rosp'oots it is my duty to booomo acquainted with, and if poHsiblo' noouro your aid and co-operation—that in, if what I ( ' ißtoiid to do is tho best for, tho goncral vftelfaro.* IsliosM fiilly and fairly, explain tnbso intentions tb you.i I ought to sliovy you tirst of nil that wp v u're justisfiod inou^ purposed oourho of action* and if I succeed in showing you all this then wo shall havo. eatabTishck'a. fair' claim upon your assis-' ' tauco und aid. (Loud choors.} 1 can only do this by coming amongst you, and con-' 1 vincirig you that what wo intend to' do is right,' and 'that 'it is" iv our pbwor to aocomplish ie; mu\ in my onso Ihoro is a peculiar reason why I should' do no, nnd ' that is ; for junny years I have oxoroiaod a very I,'i-oal, ii.fluouco over tlio colony of Ntsw Ziealund and over its destinies. Even here, during my -fihort wnlk round tlio town J. li;ivo jucfc wiU). poraonii whom 1 have known formally yearn— piM'sons who li r>c Known mo, in one insUnce for forty

and in other ipstnncos I havo mot porsons whom I havo known for poriods of from 32' to" 33 years— in some cases porsons who havo soryo'4 and fought undor mo, and. know too from their boyhood,, Now, it soldom happens that a Pjromior of a country occupios that pofli^iofl in relation to iho people', and I f«el that this ciroumstaiioo establishes a great claim upon mo, and I shall thoroforo explain to you what vvo. socle to do, so that you may all fjivo us that aid which wo dosiro to ob tqip. '^ will now refer to ono or tvvo points which tqorp diroctly intoro^t you— interest's whicfy you no doubt strongly fool in your locality. I admit this, that'tho inhabitants of Reofton havo accomplished a great work. During thejonrnoy up, and sinco my arrival hero numbors of persons havo complimcntod me upon undertaking this visit to Reofton, and reforrod to tho c^oat bodily, fatigue and discomfort I have qndorgono in order to accomplish it for the t is to bestow upon me tlio highest onconium. if the exertion w,aa groat on my part what must it have been on tho part of those hardy pioneers w, ho, when thoro woro no roads to tho district whatever fought thoir way liqro in tho faco of so many roal diffiouUios* and diaiyoverod thia new goldfield and laid its vast rcsouroes opon to tho colony at largo P "Vyhat must havo been tho difficulties ovorcomo by thoso who followed, and raised up this promising town in tho heart of so, many obBtaclos thereby ouriohina tho colony by thoir labour and their ontorpriso. (Great cheers.) Many pooplo say that tho love of gold is a curso— horo, at all ovonts, no evil has resulted. When the Spaniards ontorod South Amorica in soaroh of gold thoy robbod and enslaved too Natives. Thoy hoaltatco^ to worl^ and forcod tho unhappy Nativoo to labor for thom^ and caused thorn to perish in thousands— plundprin^ tboi unhappy wrelohe* of all they hi\d W(jniretfj tfndoilidjii draj^ machinery to'llio a\rifolrp,uß oou|j^ty of Mexico, and cai^sod. them, We perish in thousands P What has boon dono horo P., Has any one boon robbod o.r murdorod P, ilos any 1 ono b.oou plundered ojf the fruits of his labor P Has any omo boon mado a slavo or hcon mado afraid of. his money, hto life, or been mado ta drag nviolvnory over those hills P- To all thia the answer, is No Your own hardihood a.nd enterpriso has aooomplishod tho great work, and I «ay your exertions aro worthy of tho highost praiso and orodit. Horo you hnyo every thing to bo proud of not aalmmcd. All this dono, then I nay you aland in tUo poai tion of benefactors to everybody nnd onomios to none (Immonso obcoring.) You haro then fairly establiaUoil a di\im to tho sympathies of tho oxiating Govornment, and you mny roly that ao fur ns wo can wo will aoo thut justico is dono to you (renewed ehoors.) So far then for matters of your own local concern. Upon othor ma,ttoM 1 will not go into dolnils ns your County Council will do that. I havo shown how you havo established a cliiiuv to our sympathies, and wo nood only say tlvat wo will givo your wishes every encourage* mont. Now, with rogn,ird to general rant' tors, I believe and in that boliof I think I carrj( with mo tho minority, though there aro mnny oonsciontious mon who differ. I believe that ia a yojung country like this wo mi\st not allow abuses to croop in which havo pravod sv^ch a curse j in that country fron» whioh, tho mo9t of us oomo, but by the, establishment of somo of its institutions mako it impossiblo for thorn to croop in, and with that obj|Oot in viow, hnving alroady accomplished such wonderful resujta, tho way wiU ronnin still opon for yo't groator oll'orts, for wo must romembcr' that wo havo to build up a groat nation— a groat nation of liberty and ; oquality, and by so doing loavo a nnmo imporishabjo, and wherein wo and thoso who injvy qomo a,fU|: us shall onjpy a state freer and huppior than any nation of tho earth (loud nudVol OD 8 0(i ouooring,.^ All this we can do booau.B,o wo can bring to bfl^r a kriowlodgo/ftfld ex,pcrienc,o whioh our forofathers lvaid not— «a- State, in whioh cluss distinctions and roligious difforoncos w,iH not rise up» obstruotivoly,, for wo bavo no monaoing army on our frontiers to impodo our progross. Frood, thon, from those difl}oultips, how unpardooAblo would our conduct bo if we did not raise up a nation, suoh as tho world has. novor soon, (great) encoring.) As a stop, in that dirootion, tIvQU, I am of opinion ttiat ovory man ofmatuco years should havo a voice xa tho Government of the country ; that ovory man should bb taught ta tako an mtorost in its nfi'uirs ; I beliovo that noxfc to religion ovory iudn should, bo instructed in politics, for that' teaches him his d,uty to. every inhabitant, and i^boHoi^ -wo qan^ bnjy do that by r> giyli^| oy^^fljan of the; ago of 21 yoar? a.nd uuw^rds ,tlie pkht of ohosing th'omcnSvho aro'to. Tcgislatp'f'or him. Various objpotipn^ I, am dwaro, will bo mado to you' on this subject, bi|t nono of them, I contond, .aro of 'any foro<?; and of this wo havo had 'iomo ovidciico in tbp ope .of ono of England's foremost statesmon, Mr Gladstonoi Mr Gladstone at one timo was ono of tho strongest op-< poncnts England had of the principle, of Manhood Suffrage, and now wo fijid he i» d warm advocate of that vory'priiioiple. He, in 1809, after tho oxnorionoe of a long life, bocamo conviuoed that it was tho only sound ono, and ho now, advocates it. (Cheers,) That is tho result of his expert ienoe-un opinion formod after many years of e'xpcrica.so, nnd this is what I am dosiroua of cil'octiug in this country. 1 desire to noo that every man of maturp years 1 :'v>!'M. lmvo tko ri.f»ut to voto for thu

man who is to govern him. (Choors,) If you do that you will make your populnlation hotter citizous in every way, and now I ha7,o dono with that brunch of the quostjon. Upon tho question of roprcson' tntion I bavo a word or to nay. Certain reforms aro noodod, and wo must ondonyour to got ridl of what I m^y term " Poekot Boroughs l ' — tho', is constituencies with a small numbor of doctors returning two mombori, whilo larger constituencies with a far greater numbor of votps only return one raomber, fo^r undor auoh circumstances as those it is easy for tho Government to luflioueo tho small constituencies, la <ho onso of a sn^ill oonstitueticy a hum 1 I sum of monoy would suffice to satisfy, and, so it ia open to tho Government by voting thoso small sums to exorciso an unduo infi^ionco to secure supporter*. Whoroas, if tho constituonpios woro largor a bigi?cr sum of motion would bo required, and it could not bo voted without attracting attention, and raising an outcry against it. You should therefore insist that the constituencies ohould roturn morabors only upon n fixed basis so that perfect justioo might bo done to each, (Loud cheors.^ I think few of you aro awaro of tho abuses existing undor this hoad at tho prosont timo. I will givo you an iustanco of the working of tho presont system. Thoro aro at presont only 40,000 o\\t of an adult population of 150.000. who aro in possession, of the franchise in, this colony, so that tho.se 40,000. persons govern not only ihomsolves but tho remaining 110,000, udults who have no voto at all. You nay be told that you ha,vo Local Solf*Govprntnent wjrilo you will soo you have got nothing of tho kind. In every way then^ tho prosont system, is emotionable You aro all tuxod whilo 116,0000 f tho taxpayers havo no Vote. It has boon said that this I^o,ooo represents a class of men who are termed , r kloafer9,"\ W«ll, if plicae men who follow shifting pursuits, and mining a-o inoludod in this category I, should bo proud to bo numbered with them, Thoy make up a gront bulk of tho entire population and manhood of tho oountrv, (loud ohoors:) Why should thoso 40,00 D% men and their representatives legislate for tho wholo colony ? Why should tho remainder of the population accedo that so, much money should bo taken out of thoir pockets whilo thoy aro shut out from a voice in its expenditure P, Why should, they not ' havo an equal right to protest when they think that salaries nro too high, e^poudjluro is unnecessary, and money being 'thrown awayF, (Great cheoring.), If the money ia to bo ta,ken, swcly all thoso contributing have a right to know and sivy how it shall bo, expended. I any I cannot know how. any man is freo who porinits monoy to I>q tukon from him and spent whorevor those persons h\o whether ho wishes it or not. (Great cheering.) Having* then, considered thpsp two branohos. of lUo subject, there is another. I think tlvo system o^tn3;t»tion aught to bo a fair one— *that is* ovory man should pay to tlio Sknto. in. proportion to tho benefit ho derives from it. Suph absurd nonsonso upon this subject is talked to mo by llnse against mo that I can, hardly help laughing. Ono man recently mado out to mo that it aomos to this : that the rich man and the poor man pay tho sarnr; Ho admitted, however, that tho poor nun looking to tho commodities, ho ronsumod, contributed about Id per hoad extra, and ho said.who thought pooplo w,ero *o foolish as to think of so small a sum as that P' I sliould not caro how small tho amount was, I object to tho act of injustice, and upon that tako my stand. In a family of, say, 5, 5d a day is a largo iv« for tho poor man to pay over and above his rich neighbour, (loud hear, hoars.) Thoy aro both supposed to pay equal and yet these is &J a day against tho poor man, tho aum is, a large ono, and tho man who is not provident enough to think of it is n bad husband nnd a bad fathor (groat choors), 6d a day, expended in tho education of his family wight open up a p^th of renown to them, and I say that tho man who is thoughtless enough to suffer tho injustioo ia a worthless citiz.cn. (Chocrs.) say that any system producing such a rosult as. this, ia bad. And, in anothor | way, taxation has. gono to mako land taken up, for speculative purposo of groat value Large sums, of money havo been apent that have in this way only gono to ■enrich, a fow favorod. persons, in tho oonst^uction of roads to, thoir proporty. Any systom that allows taxation, to go to onrioh the fow at tbo pxpensoof tho, many, and aUqv^s tho rich man. to. pay less than tho ■pojasma9» is* a monstrous one,, and ono fwhibb wo ought ifot to'Bubnvjt to. * -mensQ^hecring,), \&y tint after fixing a wodorato valuo to th# land J, w,oujd mako every holdor abovo a cortain limit pay nn acreage i rent, and thus refund to, tho state soitao portion of tho increased valuo given to his land by tho. construction of public works. (Hoar, hear.) Tho proportion oould'bo fixod so much per aero' for land of tbV first quality, so much for that of an inforior description and a still loss aniomic for tho poorost land. It is not only by tho Publio Works Policy that groat valuo has been givon to land in somo parts of tho colony, but also by tho Immigration Polioy. In order to givo value to certain lands, largo numbers of foreigner* havo been introduced into tho colony. Thoso foroij»uers, uuablo to spook our liiDßuago, it is found luv"}:; together, and ilo not go into Iho labour mavkot, but thoy bcitjg located upoti lands near that of friends of ; the Government have onnchocl

— „ „■ ■■■i, L _jji k j j=~rzzi those favorod ou.es, u^nd wlro, pays for this?, Yourselves. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) I sr.y let thoso persons then, so enriched, pay back J& tho State somo equitable sum proportional to the. beno* fits they hav.e received from the publin. expenditure. (Kenowod oheo.rs.) Thereforo, I t^st and hope tho population of Now Zealand will assist us to devise suoh a system as will enable us to relievo tho groat mass of the pooplo from thoso burdons. (Groat choering.) burdens which weigh down tho people mow than they kno*v. There is ono other point T desire to refer to, and which to mo seems of tl\o greatest importance, and that is: do jot us have soma equal system of dealing with tho publin lauds, (Cheors.) Hitherto wo havo hml none, and tbo existing leasing regulations are to bo regarded as miking tho mnltef infinitely worao. For example, the recent Logislaturo nflirms this : that in what: tho late Government o.alled Provincial Districts, .Waste Lunds Boards were const H tutcd^ tho racn\bo,rs of those boards wore nominated by tho Government—gentlemon cliosen by the Government— not for any spooial thoy possessed for tho position, hut for rensons wide apart and to these gcotlcman was given tho almost 'absolute poworof dealing with tho. publio lands in the various provincial districts. What are callod land offices woto, established in each district with a larg<» stafF of paid oQioials and costly machi-. nory for, conducting tlio busino33, an. l, tho boards having control of the stall's, I what necessarily took placo P, Whon thoso. boards thought necessary to deal, with nny particular land certain notifications worn issued," but before they wore issued all tho 'friends and favorod individuals knew of tho intention beforehand, and, boforo. tho inhabitants situated ih a loojility 150, miles away heard anything, the very pick of tho land was monopolised by tho favored few, and so their farms passed away from the people, for over. (Immonso dicers.) I ask, is that right P.. Under «hit prinoiploof right was this system, established P, Those nominated Boards wore tho absolute rujcrs of tho land.for tho Government woro fprood to oarry out their recommendations. I cau conceive nothing more faulty nnd, unjust thau a system t suoh as that. Now, lam of opuiioo that thoro should bo no suph Boards. Why not have tho land.dealt with at tho War. den's or ltosident Magistrate's offices in, each district, wherp tho people coull go with their roady monoy in thoir \\mmU nnil, purchase as any oth^r commodity. (Loud, cheers,). By following Some such systom ns this favoritism, inigh*; bo proyonted. Tho oflloos should bo open to any mifh, who might desiro to walk in, aft^nto a storo, nnd ask whether such aiw such lauds were opon for s«le r purohaso what ho fo<. qnircd, and,got his lease, and in the course „ of a few weeks or n month obtain his crown grant, (Oueors,) , If you will tight; toobUin this, you will obtain whut will boablossing to you all. (Groat, cheering ) t Those, then are, tho points to which I dosired to diroctyour attention— it is no very groat e^tont of polioy - but directed to a fow points which every man can un« derstani}, I, havo not gona into tho question as to why I ( take theso views, but I think if men will only reflect, they will aeo that they luivo no right to be shut out of tho franchise— -no right to allow, one class of thoic ; follow mon to tako. money from, their pookots, to be speat wherever or in what, manner tha^ clas* ijiink,* propor. I say that not to protest against this, would in point of fact, bo n dishonest action. (Choors.) Tho nnswrr v given to this question at Homo is that thoro p^jpo millions of pooplo in tho colonies who are not fitj to exerciso tla, "franchise: that thoy nro so pressed by tbo necessity of obtaining thoir daily bread ; that no soonor havo they acquired ono most than they havo to turn about tWm to find the noxt, and that mon with famjlies h'avo no timo to bestow upon politics or tho affairs of the country, smd arc consequently not fitj tp hold ,tho pri-» vilcgo of tlio frimohiso. I say it is a disgrace to any country to raiso up suoh a clas« v (Cheers), and' J.say further that it is the: policy of shutting men out of tho f'rnnchiso tl\»t has reduced tho people to the state they are in. (Cheers.) I sny that this,now county will allow every man to. live abovo his nioro dnily wants, and we- ought to extend the right of voting to every map of mature ago, and not allow such a stato of misery. (Loud ami osntinucd applause.)., AH of us have had somo oxporioncp of that mipory in tho Homo Country, wq havo nil, moro or less, folt it and wo nil left to cscapb it! Because you felt that if an opening was givon to you there ia no. path to which you could not 1 honestly aspire, and becomo groat nUtes* mon or groat lawyers, and it is a grand and encouraging circumstance to findthat wo have in our own House somo eonvinc* , ing proofs of tins, for thero wo harp mon who havo worked thomsolvcs up' from tho humblest origin. to the nigiiest positionhonest aiid nble men capable of governing and guarding tho rights nnd liberties of thf) people (Great cheers.)' I' say that thoso who would ondoavor to raise up a harlot class in this young' country aro onomies to tho Slate. (Ronowed cheors.) and I say it would bo unjust, nu.l I hopo tho mass of tho couniry' will by thoir aid and support onablo tho Government to guard against v, and obtain that solid foundation wherein ovory man may taka an interest in tho Government' and' feel that ho is equal, and that his children will enjoy a like liberty. (Troniondoun cheors.) I havo now touohod upon all th<> points I desired ; I have done it frankly, kocping nothing bar.fc, aud if in what E havo raid you should sco that our intoa* lions Hre worthy of approva.l than we will look to you to aid us in giving effee* to n thorn, (Renewed cheers.; On tho motion of Mr i?a,vag« Bccoruded v