MR GARRARD AT PONSONBY

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4417, 10 July 1884, Page 4

MR GARRARD AT PONSONBY

A Disordorly Mooting,

The announcement that Mr W. O. Gnrrard would address tho electors of Newton in the Ponsonby Hall last, evening attracted an immense crowd of pooplo to the neighbourhood of tho hall long before the timo announced for commencement. When the doors were thrown open, a rush took place, and in a few minutes the room was packol, many being unablo to obtain admittance.

Immediately after half-past seven o clock, William (Icorgo appeared on the platform, clad in hit* "'Sundny-go-to-meetiritfS. and wearing on liis manly bosom tho war medals which ho IB accustomed to parade on state occasions. Ho apologised for the absence of his Chairman, who was " unwell and nick." Some of his friends wore with Mr Dai'gavillo, and ho asked for the appointment of a Chairman and a patient hearing. Mr J. B. Moki'KTUmoved that Mr I atnek Doyle take tho chair. , . A sccno of uproar followed, there being loud cries of'Doylo" and "Come on, I'nddy." , . . Mr Uoyle did not, however, make his n-.peamneo, and I>lr Lamp voluntarily assumed tho position. Jle suid lie had previously refiiHcd tho position, but was desirous that Mr Oarrard. should have a fair and pi-oper heuring. Jlo «ame to be instructed and enlightened, and not as a partisan of the candidate. .Mr CiAKKAitu oamo forward amidst loud cheers. He expressed his gratification that Mr Luing hud offered his services as chairman. Jle (the speaker) must tell them that lie hod been a working man for many years, und was not sorry for it. When he retired at the last elections, ho told them thai he would coino before them again. It grieved him to bo in the hall the other evening, and hear somo of the remarks of the other candidates Ho was astonished that a vote of confidence could bo carried in such a man. Jle would now go into some of thoso tilings " what you call politics." (Laughter.) Jle would go into this great land question which lio had " lini-ncd " at threo years ago. It was a subject that should have been brought forward years and years ago .by the greatest politicians, but it had been shirked and neglected, and by whom? (A voice : Kata.) Of course it wan rats. Jle thought that the land should be cut up into sections, and the working man placed upon it, upon rentals which would go to the revenue. Ho had been iisked his opinion on this groat " unearned iucrebolic " question. (Laughter.) He could not suy these big words. (Renewed laughter.) If the railways were sold, destitution and poverty would follow. Tho Covernment should put 11 stronger link upon them than they have at present. (Loud laughter and cliooih.) The lurid should be taxed, and the wealthy people bo mudc to keep themselves, instead of us keeping them and ramming tho "vittalu" down their throats, and likewise their servants, and Himnorling them. (Cheers.) Mr Carrard proceeded tonltnck Ibo representatives on the fact that they had never had any measures on the tnliloof I'arliiunent to pul down land monopoly. Hid the lausaboiil impii.-on incut for dob! iik.-im Chri.-'tiiui, or was it not ruin for the working class? lie :il tended Mr Moss's meeting, and that gentleman said ho asked .Mr Atkinson to bring in a bill preventing the two salaries, and he refused. (A voice at, this stage asked a question.) Mr liarmrd : This is not. tho time to ask a question, and it shows very ignorant of the mmi that asked it. (Loud laughter.) The speaker proceeded to quote from tho remarks of the "great good gviitlemai and tlie fiiend of the working man, and would be till the day of his death, when he went to his grave," in reference to the honorarium. It would not in his opinion, bo honourable for reelected members to take tho honorariums for next w.-mwi, unless they handed it over to the district which they represented, lie was in favour of more wool and cotton factories to give employment to " emmanuel labour. (Laughter.) Ho thought there should be bras- founderie* too. There were crowds of men looking through the colonies for labour, and thoy could not get it. Manufactures should not be obtained from England, but hero, and the lid profit reduced from Is (id. This was a honty Jidi thing. (The audience endeavoured to think this problem out, and then gave vent to their amusement in a loud burst of laughter.) He had been working in a(A Yoico : Gaol.) Many of those present were lads, and he was sorry for it. He had one himself (Laughter.) The papers were talking about larrikins, but if tho girls were taken out of the factories and tho boys pufcin them, there would be no larrikin?; the girls could stop at home, and would make good wi'-es. (The candidate was prevented from speaking for some time by the uproar. One man invited him to go out for a booze, nnd another recommended him to take oil' his boots and pawn his sock<.) He was sorry to see that thero was a few in tho room who were ho ignorant for the want of common sense. Ho saw thero was to be opposition to him and Mr Peacock, but he did not wish tho other man to send hi« friends there to throw slurs on him. (Kencwod uproar. A voice: Co on, carrots. Another voice : Who's got 4<l, (Jeorgo?) Ho was in company of Sir (Icorgo Uroy on Friday (laughter), and that gentleman "told him he did not know that lio was coming out against Mr Peacock until he saw tho " Telephone}-." If ho had known, he would not have sent for the othor gentleman who was to stand him. About tho Law Practitioners' Act, he thought one man had as big a right to go into Court as tho man with tho best education in tho colony. It was very hard that the young men of tho colony from 17 to 18 year? of age was not entitled to a voto for tho Licensed Victuallers and for tho Municipal Council. If he did not pay liis rates directly ho (?id so indirectly, and he was as much ontitled to a vote as tho man who had the "gulping" of the country. (Another scone of uproar ensued at this stage, one of thoaudionco requesting tho candidate to confino himself to liis political views. Tho Chairman intoifered, and peaco was evontually restored). Ho thought a resident of tho colony would bo prepared to perform tho duties of tho Covornor for much less than His Excelloncy drew. Tho Civil Sorvants should bo Bhifted from office every thrco years, instead of pocketing so much of tho country's money, and nobody else getting a chanco. (A man named Spurgeon —notarolativoof the Rev. Tommy's—caused further interruption, and the candidate could not bo heard for sovenU minutes owing to tho oxtremo uproar.) There was not work enough for tho people already hero, and no moro should bo introduced unless thoy paid their own "support," and waited till thoro wore capitalists to assist tho "popolation." Ho wanted to say a word about Federation. He belioved in a white European man (Laughter, nnd a voice: Where are the black one.* V) If thoy wore to be annexed (hoy should, in Clod's nimo, put their blioulcloim to tho wheel and form a good substantial working man's (,'overniiient, and never let tho big man rule, the same as it did with tho "monolopy" in England, Ireland, and Scotland—(Laughtor ami uproar). Ho could not sec that who was not competent of his trado should bo competent of tho same rate of wages as a man that wna competent of his trade--(Lnughtorand cheers). ".There was tho eight, hours question. If he was down thoro as their representative—(cheers)—he would voto for it. A man on a farm was just as much entitled to his eight hours as tho man with his pick and shovel, or tho shopkeeper, or tho counter-jumper, or anyone elee, ho did not caro who ho was (Ronewod laughter,) He was injtavour of a wheel tax and a livery tax, that would rnako woalthy pooplo pay for galloping about tho stroots and wearing them out. Tho Auckland peoplo paid no rates. They only raised tho rents on tho poor people, and paid the money that way. Tho tax should bo taken off toa and sugar and tobacco, and put on land. It was a shame and a sin that the wealthy man should be allowed a lot of votoa on his big blocks of land, and tho poor man only bo allowed ono voto. Tho working men had a right to have ono of their number as a member of Pnrlia- | menr, the saoio as tho Chairman or some other man. (Laughter and cheers). He had heard it Hi'id in Newton "province" and other provinces, (l What Is the uto of sending clown a poor man? They would smother him vii." But ho thought the working man would bo " too honest to bo dishonest " to his friends. Some of those who had been in the llouso for a long timo thought nothing of " anteloping " and robbing tho poor man. Ho was in favour, not as how ho picked it up from Sir (ioorgo Grey (Cries of No, No), of their putting their shoulders to the wheel and keep down "monolopy." If thoy did no stick to cliques, they would have this country buuehod up as tho mother country was bunched up. Tho electioneering Act said tho candidates wero to como out boldly, and if they had a committee it was not to clique (A voice : " Ov kick " — laughtor), but if a candidato solicited for votos this came under the "Vagrant" Act. (Laughter and uproar.) The speaker then produced one of Edward Cooper's Council electioneering circulars, and asked tho

audience to bear in mind that somo candidate, if ho were returned, would bo declared "invalid " if he wont cadging in this cowardly, mean, and contemptible manner. Tho candidate denounced Mr Poacoclc for having said at tho last election that all the " roughs and rowdies" of City North would put Garrard in. In order to make his olection sure, Mr Peacock had got up Mr Keos under a cloak, and the New Zealand B.K, had sold the Liberal interest. It had been said that he had got £fiO from Mr Roes to retire ; but ho never got a sixpence from Ins friend Rees. Tho candidate proceeded to explain the circumstances connected with hia arrest for personation. The reason ho was arrested was jealousy because he stood for City North and would not take his friend Reos's "advice to go to Nowton. This concluded Mr Garrard's address, and he_ expressed his willingness to answer questions from electors. A scene of confusion followed, but no questions were asked. ' Mr W. 0, Ai.i.kx moved, " That this meeting has no confidence in Mr C4arrard." (Cries of "Chuck him out!" hoots, and hisses.) The Ciiaikmas : Will any gentleman second the motion ? (Cries of "No.") The Chairman : Will any other gentleman move a resolution ? (Cries of " Yes,' and "Any amount.") Mr J. B. MORI'KTH asked why the lino should bo drawn at 17 in the case of persons having votes ? Why should not boys of 12 have a vote? they contributed to tho revenue. Mr (JARiunn said the Education Act told them (hat a boy of 12 did not know the meaning of these things. A youth of 17 di(L Mr Moitl'KTU retired amidst liootingß. Mr It. (irt.HMM moved a vote of thanks to Mr Garrard. Mr Luvkm. seconded. Mr J. B. Moui-hth moved as an amendment "That this mooting accords Mr (ianard a vote of thanks and confidence.' (Loud cheers ) Mr .7. Nr.rxi.v seconded. Three of the audience camo on the platform to ant as KcrutineerH. The amendment according thanks and coniidenee was put to the meoting, and a forest of hands held up for it, amidst enthusiastic cheering. Tho Chairman declared the . motion carried unanimously. Further cheering greeted the announcement. Mr n.udtAKD said he felt proud, but that did not make him happier in heart. His ideas were not their ideas, but lie was going to the poll whether or not. ' At the call of Mr Garkaud, cheers were given for the Chairman and reporters, and a disorderly but enthusiastfc meeting was brought to a close.