THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1423, 3 September 1874, Page 2

THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

MR MACFARLANE AT THE WHAU.

Mr J. S. Macfarlank met the Waitemata electors at the Whau last night. The meeting was not convened in the ordinary way by advertisement, but by posters stuck up at the Whau two or three hours before the timo appointed for the gathering. About fifty persona were present when the meeting began, but. these were increased to nearly doubl« the number before the proceedings were very far advanced. Mr Bollard was elected chairman, an office which he discharged with great firmness and impartiality. Mr Macfarlane, in commencing hia address, somewhat unnecessarily alluded to his defective speech • making powers. His principal business there' that evening was to answer any questions that might be asked him. He looked upon the political situation as a very critical one. Next session would see the bringing-forward of a measure for, the abolition of the provincial system His opinion was that a good central government was the best for the colony, aift. if returned as member for Waitemata he should devote all hia energies to that end. Mr Vogel, when he brought forward his last resolutions, undoubtedly meant to include the Southern provinces in the scheme. ' (Oh, oh.) He thought Mr Vogel waa entitled to the gratitude of every true colonist for his great exertions for the benefit of the colony, especially for his introduction of the public works scheme. Mr Macfarlane next referred to the attacks made upon him in these columns. He had been slandered most grossly, and he had been powerless to obtain redress. He had repeatedly gone to the morning paper, bat they declined to tackle the Stmr, saying that it was beneath their notice. (A laugh.) What could he do. He could not reply unless he had a paper of his ( own to do it for him. He could promise one thing, and that was that in a few weeks they should have a paper which would refute the calumnies of the Star. The latter part of Mr Macfarlane's address was devoted to deprecatory remarks on Mr Yon dor Heyde's political conduct during his few days aitting in the Assembly. That gentleman had gone to Wellington pledged to support the Government, and he had within a few days of arriving announced in a telegram that if he had voted on a question of vital importance he would have voted against them. Yon* der Heyde had been guilty of treachery and doable-dealing, and he could not urge ignorance as an excuse, for he had every opportunity of making himself acquainted with the ministerial programme. After some further hits at Mr Yon der Heyde, Mr Macfarlane indignantly repudiated the idea of his attacking his rival in his > absence, but at the same time ha considered that his opponent had shown himself quite unworthy of the confidence of the electors. He appealed fop testimony of the truth of this to the members lof the House. The great thing wanted now was a league, having as its object the total abolition of the provincial system. Such a league was being formed, and by Jits means a,n organised pfyn of a,otioa would^e devised

calculated to bring about good 'results. He would be glad to answer any questions" that might be put to him. ' _ . (At this moment Mr Yon der Heyde and a party of his supporters entered the hall, and were received with a deafening burst of cheering from the entire meeting.) To a question on the subject of the Kaipara Railway extension, Mr Macfarlane replied that all was nowsettled to carry out that extension. The money hud already been voted. A cry here arose for Mr Macfarlane to repeat in Mr Yon dcr Heyde's presence what he had said in his absence. This Mr Macfarlane at length did, though in a very lame fashion. , Mr Staines came forward to speak, ana met with a very unflattering reception. In spite of.interruptions neatly every minute, he succeeded in giving vent to a long wordy harangue in which his " experience in the old City Board," allusions to his "friends" " Swanson" "Yon der Heyde "and " Maof arlahe," the importance of abolishing provincial institutions, his own straightforwardness, hiy reasons for deserting Mr Yon der Heyde, the prominence of his own exertions in bringing out Mr Vogel, and the political urgency of settling the great barmaid question were dragged in indiscriminately, and he at last sat down, having been too much engrossed with his " experiences" to recollect what he had been put up to do, namely, to propose a vote of confidence in Mr Macfarlane. This important omission he was reminded of by a friend, amid roars of laughter. Mr Staines then read the resolution, which Mr Buchanan seconded, in a speech in which he deprecated the attempts made to hound down Mr Macfarlane. The Evening Star had attacked him he considered in an unworthy manner. He had found Mr Macfarlane upright in all his transactions. After close consideration be had come to the conclusion that Mr Yon der Heyde was the best man to represent them. (Roars of laughter.) He meant to say Mr Macfarlane. Mr Stannus Jones came forward to speak. He had just returned from Wellington Mr Macfarlane rose to order. Mr Jones had no right to address a meeting which he had called for his supporters to hear his and express their own viev/3. The Chairman ruled that Mr Jones was quit-3 in order. The placards simply convened a meeting of electors and non-elector 3, and auy one had a right to address the meeting. Mr Macfarlane sat down discomfited, and

Mr Jones continued : Mr Macfarlane had referred them to the members. He could tell them that the members of the Assembly had but one opinion, and that was disgust at the miserable quibble on which Mr Yon der Heyde had been unseated. Had they endorsed Mr Macfarlane's views they would have declared that gentleman properly elected, but they did not. The Evrning Star had certainly been very hard updn Mr Maufarlane. Considering the disparity between the two men, Mr Keed and Mr Macfarlane, the attacks had been perhaps too hard, for it was like a man whipping a kitten. (Laughter.) The quarrel between the Star and Mr Macfarlane \va3 an old one, and Mr Macfarlane had in the Harbour Board and elsewhere pitched into the Star as far as he was able. Mr Yon der Heyde had nothing to do with that quarrel. Mr Reed was, as they knew, an independent man, and if Mr Yon der Heyde had come to him with any promptings he would have been met with tho rejoinder, " I shall write as I like. You mind your business." As to Mr Rees attacking Mr Macfarlane he did not see how the latter gentleman could complain after his avowed action in the libellous Bkit circulated at the Mechanics' Institute. Mr Rees was compelled to retire in consequence of his time being taken up in Court protecting Craig and Machattie_from Macfarlane's persecutions. Major Stoney retired in Mr Yon der Heyde's favour. Mr Macfarlane : How much did he get for it ? (Cries of indignation.) Mr Jones : What did he get for it ? Major Stoney is a soldier and gentleman, and if Mr Macfarlane implies that he was bribed I give him the lie direct. (Applause.) Mr Yon der Heyde had proved his independence by not voting for the Government in the matter of the resolutions. They did not want blind adherence. If they wanted logrolling and jobbing they would 30 in for a member pledged through thick and thin to support Mr Vogel. (Loud ap~';.use.) x\lr Macfarlane said he was told that Major Stonoy had received £25 towards his expenses. Mr Carr made a few remarks, in which he magnified the importance of the question raised by Mr Macfarlano to unseat Mr Yon der Heyde. In the time of the war aliens had urged their exemption from service and had stayed at home earning their £1 a day, while British subjects had to be content with 2s Gd a day.

Mr T. Henderson, junr., said he wished to refute the statement made by Mr Lamb at the North Shore on the last nomination day that the district had suffered through their late member, Mr Henderson, not having given timely notice of his resignation. Having read Mr Lamb's remarks as reported the speaker proceeded as follows —Mr Henderson left Auckland in February, intending to return in time for the sitting of the General Assembly. He found that he could not do so, and on the 27th April wrote from San Francisco announcing his resignation of the seat. That letter was received in Auckland on the 26th May, and tho resignation was posted t» the Speaker at Wellington on the 29th May. The writ was dated July 2nd. That was nearly tiveweeks afterwards, and the election took place on the 28th July. The lapse of time between the sending in of the resignation and the signing of the new writ was owing to the Speaker being absent down South. His father had nothing to do with the delay. As to the electoral district of Waitemata being looked upon as the hereditary possession of the Hendersons that was great nonsense. His father, he was sure had done what he could for the district and he felt confideut that Mr Yon de r Heyde if elected, would do tho same. (ohe 6 rs.) '

Mr John Lamb insisted on the great interest Mr Macfarlane had shewn in the progress of the colony. He had his hand in almost every institution of . importance that had been started. A mention of Mr Maofarlane's connection with the Bank of New Zealand seemed to be regarded by the meeting as very funny, for a loud laugh was raised. Mr Lamb said that Major Stoney had made certain proposals to him on board the steamer coming from the North Shore which were inconsistent with -the estimation of his character by Mr Jones. Mr . Lamb made some further observations, after which Mr Staines' resolution was put to the meeting and a show of hands c ailed for in favor of and against it. The result was: Ayes, 6 ; noes (about) IQO, each accompanied with a groan. The Chairman pronounced the resolution lost.

Mr S. Jones moved as an amendment that a vote of confidence in Mr Yon der Heyde be recorded. This was carried with acclamation and great cheering. Mr Yon der Heyde .briefly acknowledged the compliment. A vote of thanks to the. Chairman ermianted the proceeding*. "