SIR GEORGE GREY AT AUCKLAND.

Evening Post, Volume XIX, Issue 109, 12 May 1880, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AT AUCKLAND.

deavoring to arrange a BVBtem of land purohase, had stopped the progreis of the country for years to come. A number ot persons had got the be9t portionß of the colony in their hands wrongfully, and irreparably as he believed. Take Canterbury, for instance, with which Borne of the present Ministers were connected, whore unsold lands had been declared open to all, and where a man might select and go to Christohuroh and pay his £2 on acre and get his selection. a A system of gridironing had obtained, whioh effectually closed the country against small selectors. He denounced the < holding of large areas by single individuals. It was a noteworthy fact that in a new oountry the most idle and most cunning wonld acquire lands of the State unless watched. It was done by intrigue and without labor, while the tradesman was absorbed in his business, and the artizan in his toil. If they did not see to equal rights for all in purchasing public estate, they would be Berfs to those who held the land. Look at the Legislative Council, nominated by the Crown, and representing landed interests, and those only. Though the people had no voice in their election, yet no law could be made or altered without their consent. While he was in England he heard of laws being altered in the Council and Bent down to tho Lower House in form which had proved injurious to tho interests of the colony as a whole. A Legislative Councillor could re« sign his seat, get elected for a small constituency, and take his seat in tho Assembly, and even if they rejected tho man as a representative the Governor could call that man to the Upper House, and put him in the Ministry, in spite of the people. They had no ehanco of gotting good laws while such a state of thing oxistecl. Large blocks of land were now boing purchased by private parties, over whioh tlio public had valid rights. In one case they were going to allow some English gentlemen to acquire 250,000 to 300,000 acroß conditionally on advances being refunded to the extent of £5000. He saw by the journals that it was proposed to sacrifice the odncation system, and impose fresh taxation through the Customs to meet financial difficulty, but such a scheme would greatly injure the oountry. Under the countios property had an immenso preponderance of voting power, and would not soruplc to use it for class purposes and interests. He looked forward to suoh a state of things with apprehension. It was said the Constitution was 27 years old, the Legislative Counoil a venerable body, and that reforms must bo made cautiously in the Constitution . It would take centuries to get their rights if they allowed the present state of affairs to go on. Tho people had a right to a convention to prepare their own constitution, and to choose their own destiny. If they were in favor of the American system, that was tho way to do it. If such remedy were not forthcoming, gross abuses would continue to exist. It could not bo done by a compact with Ministers, a compact whioh you might never sco, a compact which conld not be taken to a public meeting and held up to public gaze. That Government was cowardly which did not produoo that compact and proclaim it on tho house-tops. Unless tho people roused themselves from the spirit of apathy, they would nevor obtain f nil measuro of national greatness. Tho Chinese wonld pour in on them, and they would be insulted, for ho called it an insult by having oast upon their shores the dregs of Frenoh Communism. He hoped tho people would rise to a sonse of their doty to themsolves and to the colony. Sir George Groy concluded amid loud oheers. Mr. SamuelLukc proposed andMr.J.C. Boylan seconded the following resolution : — "That the thanks of tho meeting bo accorded to Sir Georgo Groy for his ablo address juat delivered, and that tho meeting beg to reassure him of their unabated confidence in him, both as representative and loader." Carried by acclamation. Messrs. Tolo, Wallia, Harris, Hainlin, Speight, and Swanßon being called upon, r,ddrossed tho mooting. Wallis and Swanson got an indifferent hearing.