Mr McMinn and his Constituents.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2801, 21 April 1879, Page 2

Mr McMinn and his Constituents.

*'■'] jJM TELEGRAP.H.) Jjf j A^_Steo|f>Saturdal / fft MdMi_.i.M adclM ,ed-thb el^jgy*l lifla In tll-Te AwttifluWHall. Mmff' fcjcy wai Wkirmati.'!% *H_^#i ? n N posed that'the meeting We ;,adjot#ed to Bhaubo dr i_^milton ( (is only four pet cent, o? the Waip'a electors Wore present. Ihe teSoldtiott w_W lost. Mr McMinn thought Te Awamutu was commercially and geographically the centre tif Waipa. He went on to say in the course of his address that the Electoral Bill was Hop so,important as the Government considered. He first supported the Bill because he considered the Maoris Unfairly represented. There were 40,000 natives with four members, while the Europeans had a member for every 5,000. To encourage the natives he voted for the Bill, but when the land tax was introduced it threw a fresh completion on tho Maori dual vote, which K av6 tl-fiiri in creased power to inpose taxatioil but were tHemselves free from taxation respecting the land tax. He ripproyed of the object ol the tax, .giving the country the unearned increment represented by ttie increased value of colonial lands. Mi McMinn criticised Mr Bowcn a statement in the House that a laud tax imposed independent of improvement was calculated to cause rebellion hi the colony. Mr McMimv appro vc<J of s«.li..ad vocatwgareduction of the'limit of exemption from £500 to- £50 in consequence of the present limit 'being too much like class legislation. He vdted for tho Beer Dnty Bill as the Govern. input required money, but hewas pleased it fell through. After referring to Joint Stock Companies' Bill and Customs Duties he alluded, t,in complimcntay terms, to Mr Whitaker's Representation Bill, which he coin tended should have gone into commit'ee side by side with that of the Government in accordance with the generous offer made by Mr Whitaker. Mr Curtis's Educational Bill he had promised to support with a view to meet the wishes of many friends who solicited him. In future he should oppose the Bill as he waß opposed to any change in the present secular system, Mr McMinn approved of triennial parliaments. If the Government had made it a Ministerial measure it would have been carried. The Sheep Bill was a comprehensive measure. He represented the Northern part of the island in committee in framing the Bill, aud had sent copies to the secretaries of Waikato associations who neglocted to reply or suggest any improvement. Tho Sheep Bill was n. purgative hot a permanent measure; Mr. McMinn highly euologuised the Government for their fait and impartial conduct of Public' Works, Mr. Macandrew was i.n(-.led to the highest praise. He looked out for the interests of the colony just as in the old times, he looked out for the interests of Otugo with Mr. Whitaker. Mr Mc Minn had waited on tho Government, reI Raiding the Thames and Waikato Railway and other public matters. Ho always found the Government liberally Inclined- Mr. Mc Minn approved and supported the Deceased Wife's Sisters Hill. He and Mr. Whitaker were on the Waste Lands Committee together, and found the latter veteran Member up to everything. The South tried to filch from the Waste Lauds, twenty thousand acres for hospital reserves, forty thousand for harbour, etc. In this way the landx were jeopardised, but Mr. Whitaker put bin foot on such attempted alienation and he Mr. McMinn joined him. But for Mr Whitaker's exortions an extensive area of country would have been swamped. Mr. McMinn concluded by saying he did not know what the Government proposed doiug in future, and would not speak in the dark. In reply to Mr. John's, Mr...McMinn approved of encouraging small land owners, also observing that forty or fifty local matters of business from Waikato engaged his attention a-fl Wellington. Mr Hammond was glad Mr. McMinn had shewed himself not ho ardent a supporterof Sir George Grey. He was astonished to hear Mr. McMinn on ' Public Works expenditure, Mr. Hammond's opinion was that the Government had . treated the Not Ih disgracefully expending an immenco sum South, but in the North I letting out a fow Biriall jobs just at the tailcud of the season before the House met. i Mr. McMiuu again supported the Governi ment 1 Referring to the extensive contracts between Kaipara and-Te-Awamutu. With : reference to limiting laud purchase he felt . that the natural law of supply, 'and demand was tho best regulator disapproving of restriction of the Legislature. In reply to ! Mr. Hnngferford Roche, Mr, McMinn dis- \ approved of separation. He did not know ' whether ho should vote for tho repeal of the | Counties Act. Mr. Rocho proposed a vote of confidence : in Mr. McMinn who was returned to support 1 tho Grey Ministry, he had done so._ Mr 1 Parsons seconded the motion, aud it was 1 carried without a dissentient voice. ' About ' sixty electors woro present,