THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 156, 5 July 1887, Page 2

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

BSr ©oimcSl Before the Eden Electors.

A Very Lively BlcctinjJ.

Me J. Aitken Connejj, opened the contest for Eden last nighb by addressing the electors of that constituency in St Sepulchre's schoolroom, Upper Symonds-st. The building was quite full by half-past seven, a few ladies being noticeable in the front seat?. There were also a number of ladies seated upon tho platform, and likewise tho Rev. Mr Scott, and Messrs John McElwain, John Lamb, 11. J. Duncan, Douglas (Vaile and Douglas), C. E. Button, Major Wilson (of Cambridge), and others. Mr McElwain moved that Sir John Lamb tako the chair. This was received with loud hooting, hisses, and applause. Mr Lamb came forward amidst cries of "No ! no !" " Yes ! yes !" and immense uproar. . Mr Lamb assumed the chair and attempted to speak, but the uproar was too much. An excitable individual in front sprang bo his feet and cried oub, "Tell us why you came from the old country!" This renewed the uproar. Mr Lamb then said : Ladies and gentlemen,—l am pleased tonight to see a lob of ladies here. It is a •good thing to see ladies present ab these political meetings. '„ At this stage Mr Hodge rose in the body of tho hall and proposed that Mr Douglas should occupy the chair. This was seconded by Mr J? Jenkins, and was received with loud cheers. Mr Lamb again attempted to speak, but was compelled to sit down amidst cries of •' Douglas ! Douglas !" " Put the motion !" Mr j. Aitken Connell then came forward, and when order had been restored he said, " You know, lads, thab Wiis is my meeting, and I shorild like to have it a little orderly. But this is a public meeting, and a public meeting has a perfect right bo choose its own chairman. Which do you want V Cries of " Lamb ! Lamb ! " and " Douglas ! " *' Well, I'll put it to the meeting." ' • The question was then pub bo tho meobing, when Mr Douglas was returned by a large majority. Mr Lamb then retired, saying, " Oh, very well, he's quite welcome to tho chair." ' Mr Douglas came forward amidst renewed cheers. Mr Connell said, "Well,genblemen,l may 'tell you jusb in one word that although I value Mr Lamb as a new friend, still I am very well pleased in the selection that you have made, for Mr Douglas is one of the oldest friends that I have here." This announcement was received with loud applause. Mr Douglas then said that he did not expect to occupy that position, but as they had elected him he supposed that ho must submit. He expected tho meeting to givo Mr Connell a fair hearing. They merely wanted information, for by ••ttending they did not pledge themselves to support Mr Connell. They simply wanted to hear his views upon the matter. He therefore hoped that the meeting would listen quietly, and allow Mr Connell to enlighten them regarding his views upon political matters. "(Applause.)

: Mr Connell, in opening his address, said that there was one thing respecting which ■he was a little disappointed. There were scarcely so many of the fair sex present as Tie thought he could have managed to draw out. (Laughter.) With that exception he thanked them most heartily for the very ■fine audience they had given him. He might tell them that he was not altogether a fraud. (Laughter.) He hoped to make an interesting speech, and the audience themselves would be the judges of its ability. In order that they might have a good speech it was absolutely necessary to impose certain conditions. (" Give us the speech.") Unless he had the minds of every man and woman in that building consenting to something he could not say that which would really interest and amuse tftem. /Laughter.) He knew that there was always a superabundance of buoyancy at electioneering meetings, and he was prepared to meet the audience in a good-natured way. He had always taken a great deal of interest in New Zealand, had a great deal to say about it, and he wanted to get rid of it, and to engage something like sympathy with the audience. (Laughter.) There were three ways of delivering a speech. One way was to write the speech out and read it; another way was to speak from notes. It was not in either way that he intended to touch and interest them to-night. (Laughter.) The third was to speak absolutely extempore, and this was the system he intended to adopt. It had many great advantages. It was simply and reaily thinking aloud. If, however, there was anything like prejudice amongst the audience, or a desire to interrupt and cause confusion, he would be placed at a disadvantage. (Interruption.) If they got no speech from him that night they would have themselves to thank, and not him. (Cries of " Speech.") He was there with a speech, and if they would listen to him he thought they Avonld say it was a good speech. (Laughter.) Yes, when they left 'the building they would say it was the very best speech they had ever heard. {Laughter.) In order that the speech should have that effect, they must pay careful attention to the conditions he was about to lay down. (A voice: " Speak plain then.") He was speaking as plain as he could (stamping his foot). They could depend upon it that he would speak as .plainly as he could. (Laughter.) He was about to say his conditions were that each one of them, in order to hear the speech, must contract with him for one or 'two things. First, he desired that whatever thoughts they had respecting himself when they c .tercel the building should be put on one si ••, find that they should allow a full and fair ■-■jighfc to everything that he said, in order 'Mint it might reach their minds and perhaps con,- ciences. (Interruption). He hoped they would not say they " didn't believe the fellow," and that they would give him a fair hearing, and then follow their consciences. (A voice : " There is no conscience in politics.") In _ the second place, he was going to say things to them that would appeal to their emotions (laughter), because, he repeated, he was ■going to say something about that 'which would move them. (A voice: v Take a drink," and laughter.) Mr Connell observed that this was very good advice, and partook of a draught of water, and resumed his observations as f0ll0WS: - who is He 7 He was going to occupy their time for something like fifteen minutes in speaking about himself. (A voice : ■ " Leave out the personal.") They had aright to hear who John Aitken Connell was, and he could be got rid of in fifteen minutes. (Applause.) It was impossible for him to deal with the important subjects which he intended to bring forward unless he first told them something about himsell. (Hear, hear, and laughter, and a voice : " We know all about yourself.) No, they did not ■know all about him. (Interruption.) W ell, if they were quite ready he would go- on (interruption), or if they wanted ten minute/ to ■ a bit of a blow hewasquik-, o. He was inclined to think thay 1 id not come there that night tolieuv- ' * ix , m f en , JftJ " 800 ! 800 '" m: back of the hall, and it this was to the ■..-io.s he would sit down for five minute ' let them have it to themselves. .(i~... ■-»■)• About himself, first of all he waniu- ■ ficm to endeavour to iudsre of his speeches!, urn this point of view. (Cries of "Speech!") Ho was a colonial nand—that was what he was—and he professed that if they put him into Parliament ho would not. only represent Eden

well, but also the genius of New Zealand. Hβ had been in the colony for something nearly approaching thirty years. (A voice : " An Otago man.") During that time he had followed many occupations as a colonial hand. He had been a farm hand, a contract; ditcher, and indeed he had followed various positions of great trust, and also very low positions indeed ; that was what most colonial hands prided themselves upon. He came before them in a new light. Ho was an aspiring politician. (Interruption.) A more aspiring politician probably than any whom they knew. Anyone that read his speech should read it as the speech of a colonial hand. He did not profess to be a working-man, and they should not imagine that he wanted to get the working man vote by making any lickspittle or handshaking to anybody. (Disorder), He was going to have the working-man's vote nevertheless, and he knew the way to win him (Question), and it was not inconsistent in order to do this that he claimed to be a Christian and a gentleman. (Cries of " Oil !" and laughter). He was the son of a highly respectable gentleman—James Conncll, LL.D., of the High School, Glasgow—a gentleman whom he was not afraid to own as his father. (Laughter.) And he trusted before God that his father would never be ashamed of him. (Hear, hear, and applause). That was " who he was." Now for what he (the speaker) had done. Ho was not going to blow a whole lot of nonsense. (Laughter). There wa?, however, one thing in his colonial life of which he would tell them later on. (A voice : " The speech.") Electoral Tactics. Now ho would say a few words about electoral tactics if the audience would give a little attention. What was a tactician ? (Interruption.) Now, if they would keep quiet they would learn something. (Laughter.) It was this : A skilful mind and farm hand, dealing with tactics. And he would tell them what were not tactics : A trembling, weak hand, with no skill in it and with the schemer behind it; men who schemed about, who lived behind the scenes, and bafllcd tho mind. That man was "a dodger," of whom they saw too much at these election times. He hoped every man in their community would shrink from him, and if necessary, throw a rotten cgfr in his face. (Laughter and applause.) If they saw tho right man with the right stuff in him, working skilfully and beautifully, they should appreciate him (applause), and when they saw him successful they should givo him a good ringing cheer. (Laughter and cheers.) No, they need not cheer just yet. (Laughter.) In looking for a tactician in politics they should look about for force, just as did the tactician in the field. Tho political tactician saw tho position, whore were his forces, and, if ho was a man of ability, ho discerned that that thing lay in tho minds and hearts of tho people. As for himself, ho would never descend to tho position of a schemer in order to get their support. (Laughter.) If they found J. Aitken Council scheming and dodging for tho Eden seat, he hoped they would kick him out. He intended to gei it, though. But a tactician like he was saw his end, looked about for his forces, and recognised them. Then he had to gather them to himself and move them in tho direction ho wanted them to go. Now, if lie prided himself on his capacity in one respect more than another, he prided himself upon his tactics. The mere fact that, although a stranger in Auckland, lie had that magnificent audience to hoar his Speech he claimed as a very good assurance of his success. (A voice : " Oh, we've only come out of curiosity.") They had come there that night simply from the fact that he was a tactician. (A laugh.) Oh, they might laugh if they liked, but it was true. (Mr Hodge: " We came to get some fun.") Well, perhaps they might get some fun before tho meeting was over. Still he should have thought that they had Had enough from out of that recent correspondence m the papers. He asked them' above all during this election to have their eyes open for the political dodgeayandif they found him they should shun him. What Mr Connoll Has Done. Now he had promised to tell them something he had done, and of which he was very°proud. He would only mention one thing that ho had done in New Zealand. (A voice: "Tell us what you intend to do.") No; he might tell them that he would jump over the moon, and that would be a lie. He preferred to tell them what he had done. They had in Otago—because the greatest part of his life was spent in that province—a system of land settlement known as tho i Deferred Payment system. It was brought in by one of the ablest and most honest men this colony had ever known—and this colony had known many able and honest men — he referred to Donald Reid. Under that system men gob land at £1 per acre, and they had the price to pay by 20 half-yearly instalments. It worked very well for a time, but under the pressiire of low crops and bad times a large number of the selectors under that system gob into difficulties and could nob pay their instalments. There was not one farmer in Otago that he believed from the bottom of his soul did not love him, and he loved them. He saw these men in the hands of the Government. Mr Rolleston commenced by putting these men out of their holdings and forfeiting their licenses. At that time he himself used to appear before the. Otago Crown • Lands Board, and he was thought so skilful an agent that not one member of the 'Board could plead so well for the farmers as no (the speaker) could. -That being the position, he said to himself—he was only one man—" This is not right; this thing must be shown up." Then, having made up his mind upon that point, he looked about for forces. He addressed the public mind. He made one or two very firm and decisive speeches ab the meetings of the Chamber of Commerce with regard to the incompetency of the Government that wanted to turn out those farmers. The effect of his speeches was that the hand engaged in turning these men out was paralysed. He then eaid to himself, " It is not sufficient to paralyse the hand of the Executive Government in turning those men out, but I must devise some practical commonsense way whereby these men's case shall be met." He drafted an amendment of the Land Act. No lawyer did that sort of work for him. He printed his draft amendment and sent a copy to every district in Otago, to every member for the province, to the Ministers of the Crown, and to every member of the House of Representatives. He did all that as a tactician. The effect was that the Government said that if a single man outside of the House could outdo them in printing a bill, they must take up the matter without question. (A voice : " Good shot.") They did take tho matter up, but they did not see that his measure was the one bhab was needed. On the contrary,they devised another, and a wretched sham. Then he sent petitions all through the agricultural districts of Otago, and along with them he sent insbrucbions bhab no man should dare bo sign them unless he were a hona fide. agriculturist. Thousands signed the petition, and its purport was that the bill of J. Aitken Connell was the right one, and that the proposal of J. Aitken Connell was the proper proposal for them. (Laughter.) That petition and that bill went to Wellington, and of coarse he determined to go too. He got one of the Waste Lands Committee of the House to summon him as a -witness. Ho went to Wellington, however, ab his own expense, and he received a ii.essage to appear before the Committee. He did so. The Minister of Lands was there boo with all the information that could be furnished by his department at his back, and

when he went there the Minister said he would not have his systen. The Waste Lands Commitbee gob him before them and examined him ; Mr Rolleston also examined him. (Laughter.) What was the result? It was this: That the Waste Lands Committee saw bhab bhis individual scheme was right. And more than that, hunting about for for force he knew where it lay. He saw various members of the House, and kept it before them. He influenced various members of the House, who influenced others. Amongsb others he influenced the late Mr Macandrew—one of the finest men this colony had seen. He did one thing which went to his (the speaker's) heart, and which he would never forgeb. When badgered by hosbile opinions, and by bhe efforts of the Minister of Lands to break down his arguments, he gob dry and excibed. (A voice : "You had a nip.") No, he did nob send for any brandy. Mr Macandrew got up and brought him a glass of water with his own hand. (A voice : " Oh, did he ?" and loud laughter.) Hβ did indeed, and that was just the kind of man Mr Macandrew was, and tho kind of man that won their hearts in Otago, notwithstanding his faults. The Minister "at last said, " I find that you are very powerful, Mr Conncll, with the House, and I am resolved to tako your proposals." He did a very noble and a very beautiful tiling in the end. Although he had opposed him (Mr Connell) all along , , he took up his proposals and put them in the Government Bill. They were in tho present Land Act, and the colony had had the Commissioner of Crown Lands' opinion thab if bhese capitalisation proposals had not been adopted a large number of farmers would have succumbed and broken up their homes. That was only a part of the work of his life, and the only part of which ho would say anything, because it was public. Still, bhoy need not be afraid bhab there was anything in this life to be ashamed of. He had done many wrong things, but he was not aware that he ever did any living man a wrong consciously and not confessed it when it had been brought under his notice. A Members Relation to His Constituents. He had now a few words to say to them upon the true nature of the relations which should obtain between a member and his constituents, and on the functions and responsibilities of each. Now, the true relation which should exist between a member and his constituents could only be properly exhibited when they came to consider what a consbibuoncy really meant, and wliab a member of a con3bibuency really meant. A constituency was made up of a large number of units. (A voice: "We know all aboub it.") They would be none the worse, however, for being reminded of it. And each one of ■ these individual intelligences exercised and bore a certain amount of moral responsibility of one kind or another. And when two or three men came before them, and asked to be sent to Parliament, if the man were of a proper sort and a colonial hand, he thought about it. He refused to be made a mere chessman to bo moved at will by a dodger. He said to himself: "I will consider this thing." What he wanted every member of bhe Eden constituency to do was that he should realise the power that he possessed. It was a great power that they possessed, and if they did not uso it rightly, then they sinned previously againsb God. (Cries of "Oh, oh!") Ib was bhab power that he wanted them to pass over to him. (Hodge: "Thank you.") Mr Connell: All right, my lad, you can give me your vote by-and-bye. (Loud laughtor.) He meant to say to them that if they exercised that power wrongly—if they voted improperly—then they would commit one of the most tremendous sins that they could commit, and if they transferred that power to him and he used it wrongly, then he would commit a sin not only against them bub also against his God. Cries of " Hear, hear!" and " Oh, oh!" A. man-at tho -front-hctCr called out, "Give us politics!' I ?'"This; warmed up Mr Connell's blood, and fixing the interrupter he said, "-Politics, I sir, politics, why you know nothing about politics." This caused immense uproar. When order was restored Mr Connell resumed his speech, lie said ho was a student and a thinker. A voice : " And a Shylock." (Laughter.) Mr Connell: "Well a Shylock if you like." (Loud laughter.) Mr Connell continued that if he was anything at all he claimed to be a thinker. He was also ambitious, and he had studied politics in order to prepare himself for a political life for the last 20 years. (Applause.) And he meant to get there. (Applause. ) He had always tried to get at the bottom of things and when he got there.— (A voice: "You stopped there." Loud laughter.) Mr Hodge then came forward amidst great applause, and asked Mr Connell to tell the aiidienoe that there was still room ab the front. Mr Connell at once shouted out, " Come along, Hodge ! come along, Hodge !" At the same time considerable laughter was occasioned by some hoodlum giving an excellent imitation of the crowing of a chanticleer. A few minutes were then devoted to allowing more people to crowd to the front.

Mr Connell then resumed his speech. He said that he feared that they had missed that last sentence, therefore he would repeat, it as it was most important. And he could tell them thab in every subjecb which he had sbudied he had found God. (Hear, hear.) Yes !He had sbudied politics and other matters, and had no fear in saying thab he had found God in everything. (A voice : "That's right, you're a Godfearing man.") Mr Connell: Yes, lam; and lam not afraid to say it. This announcement was received with applause. Constituencies. Well, he would tell them what he wanted from his constituentcy. (A voice : "You have nob got oneyet." Mr Connell: "No ; but I will have it." Loud applause.") Mr Connell then resumed : He said that there was no man in New Zealand who would take it from him, and he would win it fairly. (Applause.) A man here cried out, " We'll run in Grey."

This also caused uproar, during which a voice cried out some questions. Mr Connell again resumed: He mighb tell them that it was characteristic of old colonial hands that they did not like their hands forced, and he would answer questions at the close of his address, and not one minute before, for he meant to have his say. (Laughter.) At this stage Mr John Lamb made a move for the door, and the unruly members of the audience commenced to cry out, "John's going, good-night, John." Mr Connell continued by saying bhat they were there thab nighb in answer to his adverbisemenb, and ib sbabed bhab he intended to talk about constituencies, and if they did not like to hear about constituencies then they should nob have come. In fact, he intended to speak about it, andif they did not intend to listen then they had no right there.for he would speakon each subjecbas he inbended, and would only answer quesbions when bhe right time arrived—that was at the close of his speech. He would give them his promise that he would tell them about t some things that were well worth hearing, if they would only listen. (A voice: "Why don't you try Dunedin, where your'e so well-known ?") If they did not like it they need not have come (laughter). He was about bo say that •what he desired to win himself was, with bhe consent of the electors of Eden, the complete confidence of his constituents. Otherwise he certainly would not sit in the Eden seat. (A voice : " You won'b have ft, and we do nob know you from a crow.")

An Electioneering Agent. There were two ways in which a seat could be obbained. You might win your seat, or you might buy ib. You need not buy it with sovereigns, but you could buy it in another way. (A voice : " How ?" and laughter.) A very old lady and a lady whom he esteemed highly, and loved very much (laughter) - a lady that he had known for a very long time (great laughter.) He said again—an old lady that he loved very much and thab loved him (laughter and a voice : "Is it your wife , '") said to him, " You must go round about and ask bhe electors for their votes." Well, to that he replied that he would never do so, and that if his election depended on that he would never sib in Eden. (Hear, hear, and a voice, " That's true.") lie just said to her "No," if there was an elector in Eden that wanted his vote purchased (a voice : " You'll buy it"), he gave his word of honour that he would never ask for it. He would never say to any man, "Will you please, Mr So-and-so, vote for me ? and he would regard the man who gave his vote when thus solicited as utterly debased (cries of " Oh " and general interruption). Yes, as debased as was tho man who put the sovereigns in his right-hand pocket. He told them fairly thab he would never buy a vote to attain any end. A few days since a scoundrel came'into his office and said to him, " I'm a very powerful elector in Eden, and I have a lot of votes that I can influence " (uproar and cries of " Name !") He said to this scoundrel in order to draw him out, "How do you like my political principles ?" (cries of " name !" and a voice : " It's a lie and a libel!") He could not give the man's name (Oh, oh !) He never saw him before he came to his office, and never wished to see him again. (A voice :"I do not believe it," and cries of " Name!") They should have patience. (A voice : " You are libelling the very seat you want to sit in," and uproar.) He repeated that this man came into his oflice. (" Name, name !" and a voice : " Can you recognise him in the crowd ?") Mr Connell, after closely inspecting the audience, replied that ho could not see tho individual (a voice : " Would you know him if you saw him ?" and another voice : "Is it Billy Hodge ?" and great laughter.) He knew Mr Hodge as a very decent fellow (hear, hear), and he placed great confidence in Mr Hodgo. Mr Hodge : " You know the man and call him a scoundrel, and yet will not give him a name. You should tell us his name." Mr Hodgo was greeted with cries of " Platform," and mounted the rostrum amidst a great deal of good-natured chaff. He attempted to obtain a hearing, but completely failed, and after vainly attempting to stem a torrent of hooting and hissing for a few seconds, gracefully retired. The Chairman asked the audience to give Mr Connell a hearing, and that gentleman was about to resume his speech when he was met with renewed uproar, and one of the audience insisted that he should name the scoundrel to show that he (Mr Connell) was a truthful man. Mr Connell said he would certainly give the man's name if he knew it. How, in the name of peace, could lie give the man's name when he didn't even know him ? (Further interruption.) In the name of goodness he, asked tho party interrupting to shut up. (Laughber.) Now, just to show how ho might knowamanandnotrecollect his name, ho would relate a very curious thing. There was a gentleman on tho platform thab he engaged as his political secretary, and he did not know his name. (Laughter.) Take this gentleman (bringing the " secretary " forward) as an instance. He gave his name and was with him for five minutes,and he decided to employ him,but he did not recollect his name. (A voice :' : You are very soft," and laughter.) Was he? They would find out soon onough. (A voice: "You have no right to call a man a scoundrel without being able to give his name.") If a man behaved as a scoundrel he did not care two straws about his name, bub would denounce him. (Interruption.) Mr Edwin Wood at this stage stepped on the platform with the object of settling the matter in dispute. He said that a statement had been made ivith inference to an elector of Eden. (Uproar and cries of "Sit down.") They had hold of the wrong party if they thought they would force him (Mr Wood) to sit down. (Cries of " Get down," and uproar). Mr Wood, after holding a consultation with the chairman, again attempted to obtain a hearing. He said that "lie had simply said that Mr Connell had referred to an elector of Eden," but having got so far the uproar became so great that he was compelled to retire amidst applause. What Mr Council Wants. Mr Connell, who had taken a seat during this discussion, a£ain came forward. He suggested that they should forgeb the scoundrel who had caused all this interruption. (Hear, hear.) What he wanted to impress upon them was that if he could obtain the Eden seat by offering a man half-a-crown for his vote, he would not do it. (A voice: "More fool you.") He was very glad that all these interruptions had taken place, because it was under such circumstances that a man was really tried, and by testing him in this way they would be able to get some idea of what sort of a man he was himself. (Intejruption). He would now give bhem bhe terms upon which he wanted the Eden seat. He wanted every woman. (Interruption and cries of " Lady.") Oh, yes ;he would call them ladies if they liked, but he preferred the nobler term woman, and his 'terms were these: He wanted cerbain things very badly. Firsb, he did not care for the seat unless bhey put him inbo ib wibh honour and power (inberupbion) and bhe Eden elecbors could rely upon it thab if ever he said anything pleasant of them they deserved it. (Laughter.) He did intend to say some very pleasanb things, too, notwithstanding tho bit of a shindy that had baken place, especially to the ■ women. He wanted the Eden scab, wibh force behind him, and he Could nob have force behind him unless he had it with their full consent— the full and powerful consent of an overwhelming majority. ("No! No!") He wanted to seat himself in Eden (a voice: " In the'mud ") as deep down as their very affections. (Laughter.) He aspired to the affections of his constituents. (A voice: " You have got none yet," and laughter.) Well, it was only loosing forward. He assured them thab he was going to succeed, and that he would win the working man to his side. (Laughter.) He was an old fisherman himself. (A voice :" You were a farmer a few minutes ago.") Yes, an old trout fisherman (A voice: " You're not fly yet," and laughter), and trout-fishing was the sport that he liked above all things. He was not only a fisher, but an angler and a catcher, and he would get them all into his basket yet, and take his seat in the House. (Laughter.) That's what he would do, and they would be queer folk if he didn'b succeed. (A voice: " Oh, go back bo Obago.") One word wibh regard to this point-that their friend had raised. There was the feeling in the minds of some people, "Oh, this is an Otago man; we are nob going to have an Otago man—a Scotchman, an Obago fellow. We want an Aucklander." He would pub his own claim to a very practical test. He would nob claim to be specially an Aucklander nor an Otago man either. Now, he asked them to mind this, and to act upon it as fair and honourable men. He would sit down in that chair(here MrConnell suited the word to the action by sitting down) and ask every man who was in Auckland in March, 1859, to stand up. (A few persons responded to the invitation). Now, there were just eight men in that audience, including himself, who had stood up. He was here in March, 1859,

**°f% Otago, m b o 7" And when IBlil j| he had sow «*?, f n by it ?He felled with a So t P enD He dWhave a breeze with 6 iUpe« on - X across the road but love fo^^es- 1 he believed they bad laughter.) J es ' there two years, and * had - n he spent two years made four to all, and in Auckland, so tm he had s wherever, he Th t was the only;rf n t a "S D thev were there that capacity in ? ni . «< O h give us a rest.") fbt. ( A . voIC H; em the very best that he to The' Female Franchise. "' mi ffoincto conclude without a HC Sof he influence of women in feffffordsaboiu } Aud fov good. eleCtlO te aid £ Courtesy's sake he asked BeS3S t S this part of his speech them .v §no other. (A voice: '.No {air play. «T- », (Another voice: fc,nale ftSether " and uproar.) They must take tnesj rio-htto be there. f^ B^ f SnS in politics was very Th 7 fl ßw s nonnous. (Heav, hear, and Every able man that he had i?V lT to-for he spoke to a bigger Sp sr fi than the one before him-knew "fSeto women in politics to be tb V?£e Now, that influence he wanted f'lSe He wanted to deepen it if 40 fh! He wanted to have it recognised ?1 tceofSvorld. And therefore he It»X tol those shallow She ist say that he did not believe in I female franchise just because he til to see the beautiful mfluence Srcation ensued at the end oi the platfaoStwen Mr Connell and _a man named Ehe, who had been making interrupS What would these men do who ! S to give woman the franchise ? J ffJoS dltroy her influe.ice-nttevly 2oy it-instead of increasing it, as ne SSdtodo. (Prolonged uproar.) He Just say that' they were treating him wry unfairly that night. He told them before he started the-work he had to do and as a young speaker and a stranger, they were showing him but scant courtesy. He wanted them to listen to the things he had to say, and they were worth listening to if only they had the brains to listen with. iLoiid laughter and cries of " Order." Another voice:" Take your carpet bag and drarout, old cock.") Mr Connell resumed : « AlLrfcht, oldnwn." He did not think they wonld treat an old colonial hand like that. (Cries of "Otago.") "I am a New Zea■lander.ar." He had lived two years m Eden here, and he was amongst his fellow Siloklandmen. He was not going back to Otaffo'"He"intended to stay,here. (A VdcV: "tike Vogel, you're slippery.") They would not allow him to speak his own words. He did intend to speak about Sir ■Julius Vogel, but he could not do so if they tried much longer that unfortunate voice of his. ?Now, let him pick them up at the old track where they left off. (A toice: "Let it rip.") It was about the woman' 3 suffrage. (Disturbance.) He would take them for two minutes behind tie scenes—into the mind of a tactician— and they would then see what woman suffrage was. He would take them inside his Drains. (A voice .: '.' Oh don't," and laughter.) He asked them, just to keep quiet, for ib was well worth looking into, (langhter and renewed disorder.) Avoice(to the chairman): "Now then, oldfollmoon."

I The Chairman appealed for order. Mr ConnelThad told them he was a young speaker (A voice: "He looks old enough"), and if they were not patient they would not get through till morning. (A voice : " His time'sjis own." Another voice: "We want that little story about Sir Julius Vogel." Loud uproar.) . Mi , Hay suggested that the, candidate should go on in spite of interruptions. ,'Mr.Coimell said he was obliged for the .suggestion,. but found it a very difficult thing to do. (Laughter.) He just wanted to.take them into the mind of a tactician. (Uproar). He knew one thing. The 'colony, of New , Zealand had Bet her heart upon absolute retrenchment of public expenditure. (Hear, hear, and applause). It had made a deep impression upon his mind. He knew ■it.was the "mind of the people, and he knew; that if he was to be a practical politician, this was the subject of: all subjects to which he must devote hia attention. When ho came to look at the question he asked himself, " What is the.cause of all this?" He went into it. Hesawit in agreat many ways. He would M them one way, and the moment he saw it-he sat down with his pen in lila hand jo attack it and get it righted. While other menweremoaningaboutitand talking about it he determined to set to work. He said, - Ekttnyill,you get effective legislation or effective Government ? ,: .vnd his answer was lou can't have it unless you have order in tueHouse." When they looked at that Miament what did they find ? Absolute confusion! It was an absolute disgrace ;«ptm their public men. They put there 91 or 92 men who did not know one another— ■who did'- not know what parties they belonged to, and each of whom ora not. know what the others had promised their constituents. It was a complete mass of utter confusion. What took c? . One or two strong men got upon *He Ministerial benches and set to work » ZealancL .-.■( interruption, amid winch Mr Connell threatened ;~ nave a malcontent turned out.) J-ne result were that the Government was Win their position, and after wasting tte money of the colonists in a most diegraceful way, then they came forward with a question like that. It was simply a SfV at >tt whab was worse, Sir Robert Wμ* and Sir Julius Vogel, although ™*ny opposed in politics and solely «gsei % wished to keep in-power, Si ab m at °minable, that most j£f ° r oof tion. (This strong ex--5& el,Cl^ d h ™se applause), Which SBSf w ie , n the s P eaker said with a ■'Sl&?i c ° nt >n«ed to say that it was that gajnn that made him decide to do what ■SffiSt > c That coalifcion (LauSrf H ?°A h , 1S h f rb and his soul - ana W' i ?? N ad token his Position now, Shful onV tel ? hem «<>Had done S -tS T M ser ™ e for New- Zea"Pon tv ' $% would not near him ieaH^Tr 8 or «Pon. women tte toS- m en brou - hfc fonra «l •Btaente whmTH amusetheircon--8 when the y came back, and lie

C( jnld tell them plainly that if he vent x 0 Wellington he would have no women -ufrag e at all. (Applause and laughter, ■also .cries of "But you won't go, : and n\VJiat about Bellamy's ?") Our Leading Mon. would like to make a few remarks ahorA one or wo " ovu ' l eac^n ß men." (Heat*) hear, and voices, " What about Mr Lyington to-night?") j[ r Connell: "Never you mind." iTJ lXi obter.) Mr Connell then attempted to read some extracts from a book, and as ,| ie light was not'sufficient Mr Lindsay (of the Gordon Football Club) set to work to throw more light upon the subiecfc by turning , on some burners above the nlatforin- His appearance called forth mnre applause and cries of " Well done, old man " Off skle > off side> " When thin ß s had' fettled down a bit, Mr Connell said that he proposed first to say a few remarks a^out ii Sir Julius Vogel. jje wanted to be very careful about this and he also wanted the reporters to 1)0 Y er y care^ll l about what they took ■ down. (Laughter.) Sir Julius Vo^el '■■ins a man about whom he had very' stvpng opinion?. He had watched him very carefully in his public career. He had watched him like a cat watched a the greatest care. (Voice : "And 'ifhab have you made of him?") They nuKt come to the consideration of Sir Julias Vogel, of all men. They should fry an "- sco what was good in him lf> s well as his other acts. (Hear, Dp-) Well, lie had seen in Sir Julius Vogel a capacity for unlimited work—a? capacity for work that he had never seei equalled, and whatever his faults were Sir Julius Vogel had introduced into'the'colony of New Zealand an amount ol honest labour. (Uproar and hoots.) Sir Julius Vogel had also abilities that were equalled by no other man in New ZeaUnd. (Hoots and hisses.) Yes, he had, ; and ho had done most magnificent service for New Zealand. (Hoots.) But for all that, he himself had watched him most »refully, and had decided that notwithstanding Sir Julius Vogel'e many abilities and P as t services, it would bo a pity if b' were returned to Parliament again fortiiey could do nothing with him. Sir Jiilinsjfogol W * lS a man that, if he got into Parliament, they could not rout him out. He admiief Sir Julius Vogel from the bottom of'Ms heart. (Uproar.) But at the same time, although, as he had already said, he admired him greatly, still, he would not lite to see him in the new Parliament. (Applause.) But Mas he to turn round upoi Sir Julius Vogel now that he ffl&S down, and forget all that he haddone in the past ? No ! lie was not eowardeiough for that, but he feared that lots of cowards about. (Laughter aid applause.) Donald Reed was one of tie finest men that ever lived. Donald Reed had suffered unmercifully from Sir Jnlus Vogel, and yet when Sir Julius Togel was going to England he saidot him that while lie did not mean to% that Sir Julius Vogel had always done fie best for the colony, still he knew of no T nan who had done so much for the colopr as Sir Julius Vogel, and he did riot 'mink it fair for those who had been witt him when his power to desert him thenJi He, for one, was not that style of man l(| turn upon Sir Julius Vogel when he was d«wn. He hoped that he had not the dastardcoward heart to desert a man when (Applause) and that, too, simply tetause Sir Julius Vogel was hounded dowtt,|y a lot of men who were iiot fit to'tiehis''libes. (Applause and laughter.) :| Sir Robert Stout. He also knew' Sir Robert Stout. There was not a matin New Zealand that knew him better. Hedid not think it advisable that Sir Roberbßtout should be out of the Parliament (apj&iuse), because he was undoubtedly thekjider of the Extreme Radicals, thereforelfmust stand in the House as the leader of that party. Sir Robert Stout had great|ialities, but they did not command his tjflmiration. Sir Robert Stout had great'siilities for work, but his work was notofaisid that hadhis sympathy. He could tell tiim plainly that he was going into Parliament with the intention of putting a very big spoke into Sir Robert Stout's wheel. (laughter and applause.) A voice: You're mt there yet. Slr>dorge Grey. "With regard|jx> Sir George Grey (applause) he, : tell them that his mind .was not quite made up about him; (Laughter.) They need not fear, thtiqjjij that when it was they would find hinrrfeidy to speak about him with the same greqtfinnness and fairness as he had done aboufc|hers. (Laughter.) He told them franklyp plainly that his mind was not made upaboit Sir George Grey yet. He would tell thej§ this about him : He looked forward :| Sir George Grey being in a new parliament with feelings of the veryv'p-eatest distrust. (A voice: " Why? ,, ||d marks of dissent and approval). Sirjjeorge Grey was a distinguished elemehtyf disorder in Parliament, and hewouldfeverygladif Sir George could see hi 3 way npo go into Parliament again. (Interruptioiand "800-boo " from the back of the hM. The reason why Sir George Grey Mould not be in our colonial Parliaments this: He (the speaker) believed in,tf e government of the people, for the peoplgby the people. Sir George Grey had ;lffl them into a great many Ifc «- as true that he had done a great iMf noble and beautiful things for us,-|| ] le was no t with us ; he was ratherfoitside of us. Our representative andfcolonial statesmen should be men thai had the absolute confidence of the peoj| o f the colony, and he asserted most eto|haticaHy that Sir George Grey was uttß* unfit to represent the people in an d a vo ice : "You're not fit to# can his boots.") Sir George Grey, .ifjjjjj were a w ; se manj could fill a good j n jf ew Zealand, but that place vwM in the House of Representatives. (Ifijeylon . "You are unworthy to loose the. Wees of his shoes, sir." General uproar M cri es of '' Tole.") Now, he would tell aboufc Ml . Tole . He had never had th&ijL Bure of speaking to that gentleman, buth believed him to bo a fine little follow, anj was prepared to fight the election with hm Uke a man and a gentleman. (InterruM n \ Who Was Hlgi, eadcr? Ho had an ardent desirito tell them who his leader was. (A tbfe : "Garrard.") There was only Zealand that could unloose his this int and that man was Mr MiWftfo,. '(Laughter and interruption.) HeajjL if Mr Mitchelson was present. (A yfc. « No he has more ] sense, and laushi) Well, aU he could say was that he .U done h ; levd best and had fai ed■ m oßifcion betweO n himself and < Mr MiteU Qn M this . He would give the,w<>s to hig leader, and _he would WLud to do so, •„ New Z? al a, nd \ v (,yP[ oar ' ai \€es of "Name him.") Well, he wouldj ye the name . (Renewed uproar, and a^ ce . «Arevou quite sure about £»^ t aughter and cries -foj fe Fe hoped the reporters J| ld tk > this carefully down. Alf.; • . « O i. they've got it all dowf oi £j fee he could tell them his njiond «snv whit he could say about first, it was absolutely i. b n ~ \' n should put himself rightffey th ±}l G At the present time theffc the co " nfcry / ism going on, which haft a, \ a " fca S°' ' able .. disorder in Ede% n f hoped to be able to rSF™- ie , tta " There were certain l| n lf . end , fco f lb : him which Mr Mitch& lfcies , , b ? °™ been able to have swept ay ! "What has Mr MiteheWr Beforehe spoke the hi

must tell Mr Mitchelson and t,\vo other persons that tlie desire was one which he must comply with. Ho was compelled, in honour to himself, to make this statement in case it should be thought that he intended to influence certain arbitrators who were dealing with matterspolitical. Well, his leader was the best man Now Zealand ever producedfintemiptionand cries of "Name.") lie (Mr Conneli) had quietly walked along and noticed the political men, and this man lie believed was the finest man and the best man in New Zealand, and that man was Major Atkinson. (Applause and dissent.) He would toll thorn why he Mas attracted to him. (Hisses.) He was never introduced to him (a voice : "I suppose not," and laughter), but had seen him down and had seen him up (laughter), and had given him his hearty approval for more than ten years. (Interruption.) When the whole colony was running after Sir George Grey and Sir Robt. Stout, Major Atkinson was down, and nobody would say a good word for him. He (Mr Conneli) saw that there was no palaver about him and that he was a man of works, and he stuck to him. (Applause.) He saw him work, during the mess caused by Grey and Stout night after night and week after week and he found that he always worked straight. ("Oil! oh!") Major Atkinson was the finest man that ho knew for the colony of New Zealand ; he declared him as his leader, and intended to make him a very effective follower. There was an attempt made last session to rub Major Atkinson out, but like Sir Julius Vogel (interruption) lie could not be rubbed out. He told candidates that if they wanted truly to support the Liberal cause they must take for their leader Major Atkinson. (Applause and hissing.) Ho would never follow a man who had less capacity than himself. (A voice: "Now what about Hall?") Sir John Hall was not a man for power, Major Atkinson was the man for power. Ho (the speaker) would n.evov follow a meaner man than himselfandthathadnopowcrinhim (Laughter.) Ho did not want a man that he could not follow, but a man he could esteem. He believed there could bo ft deep and sincere sympathy between himself and Major Atkinson, and he intended fco support him. (Applause.) These were his sentiments, and ho intended to stick to thorn. Mr Conneli resumed his seat amidst applause and general merriment. The Chairman said as this was merely a preliminary canter on Mr Council's part, he did not propose to submit any questions to him. (Crius of " Oh," and strong dissent.) However, if any gentleman wished to address any questions to Mr Conneli relative to the points raised that night, lie should be very glad to put them. (A voice :" He never raised any points, sir." Another voice: "He has stuck to chad.") Questions. In answer to a question, Mr Conneli said (1) That all the Ministers of the Crown, and every member of the Civil Service should submit to a 10 per cent, reduction of salary as a temporary expedient, and that the Governor should be approached and asked to consent likewise to a reduction of his own salary. A person here asked the candidate if he would support a Lund and income Tax in preference to a Property Tax. Mr Conneli : Well, gentlemen, my feelings are these— Mr J. J. Hunter : Say " yea " or "no." Mr Conneli; I won't say " yes "or " no." Mr Hunter : Well, you can go and hang yourself. (Laughter and applause.) Mr Conneli : I positively refuse to answer, " yea. or "nay" to any trap questions set for me by individual electors or by electoral cliques. 1 positively refuse to answer them. All , Hunter : Then we positively decline to return you as our member. (Loud applause.) Mr Conneli: Well, you can go and vote forTole until you are sick of it. Here ensued an indescribable hubbub, during which Mr Conneli wanted Mr Hunter to come forward and shake hands with him. Mr Council went on to say that he would jiot be bullied by any ignorant elector or any member of a political organisation. Mr T. 11. White - : Will you vote for a railway down to the cemetery? (Laughter. ) The question about the Land and Incomo Tax having been repeated. Mr Conneli said that his idea was this : Tho Property Tax at the present moment was in force, and tho whole machinery for its collection had been erected, so that for the present session at least it would, be inexpedient to do away with it on the score of economy. Therefore his answer would be that lie was not in favour of doing away with it at the present time. (" A voice : " That will do ; that will put you out.") Question : If elected, would you be in favour of a protection duty on articles coming into the colony ? Mr Conneli (with great emphasis) : Certainly not! He would fight his very best so that the agriculturists of New Zealand should not have such a stone put round their necks. (A voice : " You wait till you go in, old man." Another voice, " You'll never see the inside of Parliament.") Mr Conneli : " Won't I though,? An old colonial hand can stand any amount of that. (A voice : " Oh, we're all old colonial hands, but you've mistook us for new chums. , ') Question : " Are you a free trader?" Mr Conneli, in re2jly, said that he would never sanction an increase on any protective duty. But still, if tho leaders of his party were of opinion that a small increase of particular duties was desirable, he would bo prepared to give way, In answer to other questions Mr Conneli said (1) that he was not in favour of reducing the members' honorarium to LIOO per annum, but he would subject these to the 10 per cent, reduction. (2) That ho could not say whether he would vote for the abolition of Bellamy's, as he knew nothing about it, but he could tell them that he was a total abstainer and a bluo ribbon man, and therefore Bellamy's could hold out no attractions for him. The next question was " What are your views upon the Education Act ? (Hear ! Hear ! and a voice, " that's what's the matter.") Mr Conneli said that his views were these: First, that the school nge should be raised toseven years. (Cries of "No! no.") Secondly, That the Education Boards, which he thought were a piece of nonsense, should be swept away. (Hear, hear.) Thirdly, that he declared with Sir Robert Stout, that if there was one thing in his life which he ardently supported it was our system of primary education, our secondary education and our University education most of all. (A voice : " That's not the question, Conneli.") Well put it more plainly. Mr W. Hodge in thundering tones: "Are you in favour of the Bible being read in the schools ?" (Loud applause.) Mr Conneli: "I am most emphatically (determined uproar, hooting and yelling Mr Conneli: " I tell you that we shall have the Bible in the schools." Cries of "No ! No !" and a voice : " We'll keep it free and secular." Mr Conneli: " I have never yet made up my mind, and known God to be with me, and then given in. I am determined to have the Bible in the schools. (Tremendous uproar.) A voice : Are you in favour of reducing the number of members to 50 ? Mr Conneli : Certainly not. A voice : That'll do. Sit down. Don't say any more. Mr Conneli: What's the use of an ignorant man like you talking about tilings you don't understand? This caused considerable uproar. When order was again restored, Mr Conneli answered tho foliowins; questions : —

A voice: What about village settlements ? Mr Connell: With regard to village settlement he held it to be unconstitional, and therefore wrong. But he intended to take up the question fully at another time ; also dealing with the unemployed, and that was what he meant in his letter to Sir George Grey, which no doubt they had seen but could not understand. He hoped yet to address a crowded meeting upon this important question. He was totally opposed to the unauthorised expenditure of public money for the purposes of putting a lot of sham settlers on the land. Still he believed in settling the land. Hs might tell them that he had done more for the agricultural community of New Zealand than any man living in it, with the exception of Mr Donald. Reid. (This announcement was received with roars of laughtor.) Are you in favour of Chinese immigration ? Certainly not. Are yon in favour of reducing the number of members ? Not below eighty. Would you favour an elective Upper HOIIHO ? His views had already been published ; they could read them for themselves. . (Laughtor and cries of'" Stand still." " Answer tho questions." " Have you had enough of the Eden electorato yet?") Mr Connell said that if they did not like his answer, ho could not help it, that was all they would get. What about imperial Federation ? I have not thought about it enough to say anything at present. Aro you in favour of granting pensions to retired civil servants. " No." (Loud and prolonged applause.) As there wore no moro questions, Mr F. G. Ewington then came forward amidst loud cheers and some few hisses. He proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Council for his interesting and instructive address, ile thought that under very unfavourable circumstances Mr Connell had told them somo things that were well worth remembering. Ho had come there that evening certainly not prejudiced in favour of Mr Council, but ho thought that they would all do well to think of what lie had said. Jle had told thorn about tin; sacred trust which they had in their vote. It meant that if they exercised their powers aright they would bo better. They were too apt to treat this electioneering as a good joke. Ml , Connull hud also pointed out the necessity for sending down their best men to Wellington. (A voice : " Why don't you come out '!") Mr Connell had also pointed out the necessity of sending men to Wellington with force at their back. Thoy had seen the evil of not doing that in tho past, for had tho Auckland lnombers not been divided in past years things would not now have been in such a bad condition at present. They must see to it that the men they returned to Parliament now were men of worth who would do what was right. Were ho to go to Parliament ho would be prepared to act like the Homo Rulers in the old country, and stonewall tho Government, until they got retrenchment. (Applause). He would like to point out to them that tho Government had got into such a condition that they had been compelled to help themselves from tho Savings Bank by using the hard-earned money of the people, and replacing it by deficiency bills. He had much pleasure in moving the vote of thanks. A gentleman on the platform here asked Mr Ewington to add "and confidence" to his motion, but ho declined, saying that he would not care to do so until he knew more about Mr Connell. Mr Neylan then attempted to address the meeting when tho uproar re-commenced, and he could not get a hearing. Mr Cherry seconded the motion, which was then carried with applause. Three cheers were called for tho Chairman, also threo for Sir George Grey, both of which were enthusiastically responded to, after which Mr Connell simply returned thanks, and the meeting concluded.