Dr. Wallis at St. James' Hall.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2919, 22 August 1879, Page 2

Dr. Wallis at St. James' Hall.

In accordance with the public announcement, Dr. Wallis met the electors of City West in St. James' Hall, Wellington-street, last evening.

There was an excellent attendance. A ratepayer moved that a gentleman in the hall should take the chair.

Dr. Wallis said it was a point of politeness that the person who called the meeting should nominate his own chairman. He moved that Mr Johnston take the chair. Mr Johnston accordingly took the chair. The Chairman said, although he had previously opposed the return of Dr Wallis, he was now of opinion that he had made an excellent member. He had therefore withdrawn his opposition. He asked for the representative a fair and impartial hearing. Dr. Wallis, in commencing his address, said that he had already referred to several of tho subjects of the Liberal Constitutional reform at the recent meeting iv the Young Men's Christian Association. He then went on to speak of the Triennial Parliaments' Bill, which he said would give the people full control over their representatives. Almost at the same time that he was addressing them on Monday evening Sir W. Fox was endeavouring to persuade the electors of Waugaimi that he was a Liberal in politics and a supporter of Triennial Parliaments ; while a few days subsequently Mr Whitaker at Newmarket avowed.himself i n favour of the three-years' term. Yet it was strange to note that both those men had voted against his (the speaker's) Triennial Parliaments' Bill—had assisted to strangle it—and they succeeded.. The speaker said he would divide his address into three parts—duration of Parliaments, Native laud question, aud finance. From the earliest Parliaments down to tha year 1500 they had always been annual. During the times of the Tudors tbey were of very long duration, and this was the period during which England was ruled by her greatest despots. Then came the placing of William 111. upon the throne of England. During the subsequent period of twenty years, when Parliaments were of three years' duration, the foundation of England's present Constitution was laid. Then was passed the Septennial Act, which had continued in operation till the present time, and had caused much mischief. In France, Parliaments were of five years' duration; in other countries four and three years, and in the United States they were only of one year's duration. He contended that institutions changed here more frequently than in England, and Parliament* should also change more frequently. There were throe great public educators— the pulpit, the press, and public opinion. Public life did improve a man. He thought therefore everything should be done to assist Sir George Grey to pans the Triennial Parliament Bill. He considered that the i Bill would assist the Executive. He , pointed out that a Premier could retain office for fivo years by keeping a majority of represantativei, and by playing into the hands of trimmers. If Parliaments were only of three years' duration this would ba prevented, and members would be frequently brought to account by their constituents. Ho then went on to speak on Native affairs. Fifty years ago the Maoris occupied this country, but did not possess it. By the Treaty of Waitangi, however, we promised to consider them as the possessors, aud we were bound to carry out our agreement. The treatment of the Maoris by Europeans from the beginning was fair aud just. We recognised them as the possessors and lords of the soil, and conferred tho blessings of civilisation upon them. By our public works we raised the value of their property. Every Maori, according to a computation of the population, owned 2,500 acres of land, and were therefore worth £5,000 each. The Maoris had been very ungrateful, and a number of them had isolated themselves. They had stopped surveys, harboured murderers, and ploughed lands at Waitara. Whether the Maoris would permit it or not, the lands must be opened up. There must bo a railway from Waikato to Cook's Straits. 'I'he plan of the Government was to adhere to the first treaty, by which all lands were to belong to the Government, and to bring them forward block by block. This step would baffle the land-sharks. (Cheers.) He thought the people of tho L'olony should be generous to a dying raco such as the Maoris. The speaker then went on to speak of the fiuancial state of the Colony, which he deemed to be alarming. He first referred to the adjustment of the iucidence of taxation. It had been adopted by all the politicians in Wellington. The object of all statemen was as fairly as possible to adjust tho taxation. It would be most advisable to tax absentees, but then they left large sums of money iv the Colony for investment, aud by taxing them we raised the rate of interest. He would draw their attention to the enormous indebtedness of tho Colony, aud compare it with New South Wales and Victoria. New South Wales, several years ago, had a population of 63,000, and the national debt was £12,000,000, Victoria had a population of 563.000, with a debt of £23,000,000. New Zealand, with a population of 414,000, had incurred a debt of £21,000,000, aud shortly this was to be increaed by fivo millions more. Thero was a new sytem of parallel borrowing now in force with local bodies. The amount of debt on mortgage in the colony, he was informed, amounted to £15,000,000, We had gone on borrowing, year after year, iv tho hope of gaining the top of the hill of prosperity, but mountains still kept appearing, and we wero borrowing yet. After tracing the Bystem of borrowing in New Zealand, he went on to say that out of the vast amount of borrowed money the North Island bad not obtained anything like justice, aud if this unfair treatment of one part of tho Colouy was to continue, every man was bouud to raise the cry of Separation. In June of the present year the South Island had 809 miles of railway and the North Island 336 miles. In the statement of Mr Macandrew it appeared that the amount of railway expenditure in the South Island was £5,759,000, and in the North Island £2,300,000. Mr Whitaker, at Newmarket, however, gave the figures as £6,464,000 for the South Island and £3,335,000 for tho North Island. Last year tho railway expenditure In Auckland was £53,505, Christchurch £177,314, and in Otago, Mr Macandrcw'* province, £223,607. Mr Mucandrow had too much ot his awn way. If he (tho speaker) wero again returned, there was one man wh*m he -would like to see removed from tho Cabinet. He referred to the fact that Otago and Canterbury had colleges with professors paid by tho country, while Wellington and Auckland, places of equal importance, had not a siuglo paid professor. He spoko of the inequalities of salaries to Government officials in tho North aud South Island, and the difference in tho ratos of licensing fees. Justice would have to be done the North, and it was the duty of their representatives to demand it. They should be united, aud under any leader demaud for the North Island its rights. Sir George Grey was the leader who would accomplish much of this. The speaker sat down amidst loud cheers

In reply to questions, Dr Wallis said if there was auy chance of the (.olony being over-run by Chinese he would be iv favour of imposing a tax to restrict (hem coming here. He would do his utmost to defend and maintain the present educational system. He could not see how the Government were to lessen their bori owing. He would try to induce tho Government to purchase tho whole of the Lake District, and would endeavour to have an Act passed proclaiming it a public reserve. His action would be to prevent it falling into tho hands ot private speculators. He understood the Government were now endeavouring to secure the property for the purpose of a public reserve. He was willing to assist in so modifying the tariff as to foster local industries. Although a free-trader in principle, he was willing to answer the questions of tho Working Men's Political Association at the time of tho nomination, or he would specially address them. He would not however pledge himself to answer their questions through the press. He would resign if called upon by a majority of the electors, but would not if asked by a clique. He would affix his signature to a. declaration to that effect. He considered we could not re-impose the duty on timbor without also putting a heavy duty on grain. Southern members would not allow ouo without the other, and ho was opposed to corn-laws. On the motion of Mr J. K. McNab, seconded by Mr Hunter, a vote of confidence was passed in the candidate. Three enthusiastic cheers wero then given for Sir George > roy. Dr AVallis returned thanks and the assemblage dispersed.