MR MCDONALD’S ADDRESS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 41, 15 September 1887, Page 2

MR MCDONALD’S ADDRESS.

ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. VOTE OF THANKS AND CONFIDENCE AT MAKARAKA. On Tuesday night Mr McDonald address* 1 * a large 2nd enthusiastic meeting of the Makerake electors; On the proposition of Mr Pritchard, Mr Walsh took the chair. On rising to speak Mr McDtnslcl was loudly applauded, He apologised for not having been able to attend on the previous Tuesday evening, but his absence had been caused by illness. Ths rsndidate then took up the same line! as he has dolls on previous ooca alone, and expressed his views With tho same consistency. Referring to tho statements regarding his nomination to the Hstboj Board, if he had had the power attributed to him, that of Governor-in-Council, he would have made tho East Coast. (Applause.) The Board of which Mr Graham was chairman for three years had got their accounts into such a state that they received a letter from the Auditor-General; giving them till the end of the session to get a Bill passed to indemnify them for what they had doneotherwise they were liable to criminal proceedings. (“ Good shot,” aud appflhise.) When he was on ths Board he had got the Chairman (Graham), BieVwtight, and himself appointed a Committee id go down to Wellington, but he was told there was no reason to go down there. Now, when £60,000 or £70,000 had b?en spent, Graham goes down with * Bill which they tried to pass without consulting the ratepayers. However, the crisis was coming. Some of the cement that was purehtsed from McEwan and Co. was not worth that (snapping his fingers), and all the men were kept Waiting. (Ap* plause). The speller then referred to the letter re the Blair Drummond consignment. He did not say there was Anything wrong that he knew of personally, but it appeared to him there was something very crooked, (Voice :It looks black,) Yeli very black, it appeared to him. The speaker was referring to bow he bad been attacked in a cer tain paper, when he was interrupted by shouts of “ Don't take any notice of the Herald,” and “ the Herald is not a paper.” In reply tn his statement that the labor and every, ihing for the harbor works hud been imported a list of the employees had been but he asked were these people here before the works were started and how long would they bo iiere after completion 7 The oandi date then referred to B-Hance’s nativ. policy ski) the]village settlement scheme—h would have held out for a share of the latter expenditure : thirty or forty thousand pounds of it would be better spent, here than to the North of Auckland. (Voice: A jolly sight belter.) He would have had a big scramble for it. (Voice : “ And a big fistful at that.’’. The sooner we had free trade in native lands, with ample reserves to the native owners, the better it would be for the country. (Ap plause.) After a man had honestly bought land, let him have an indisputable title, (Applause.) Speaking of the land tax he went on to say that he was not like tho]other two candidates—he did not propose going down to the House without knowing any thing ot its procedure. It would take a man three sessions to get into tho run of things, and to get a knowledge of the members. Before Loi*te went down to the House, he was one of the loudest against Grey, bu when he got down there with the H&rbor Bill he was so much M_seu that he had to rush into Sir George Grey’s arms. [Voice : And now he would hang Grey 1] Yes, he believed he would for a trifle. (Laughter and cheers.) He did not care who they returned ,Voice: We'll return you. (Cheers.)] He believed they would, but whoever it was they should insist on his supporting a land and income tax. There was no country in th, world which for climate and soil could bea: Naw Zealand, And the East Coast land was as good as any in New Zealand: the land q icstion was a most important one for this district. He repeated his views on the education system, and on the railway question. Mr Graham had said the speaker hid never got anything for the district. [Voice; He said you got some rusty rails.] Well, hr thought (hey would give him credit for get. tmg a good road to Ormond, previous to which people had to tie their horses up to the fences and walk through the paddocks because the road wm so had ih «etMi».|plaws. He defied them to say they had got that (-napping his fingers) since he left them. What had they got 7 [Voice: Got into debt. (Laughter.)’ Roads and everything had been got by him, Mr Reea doing his best to assist him, and he would have been much bettei able to work for the distrlot;had ho not been h avily handicapped by the Tauranga district* (Applause.) Referring to the Civil Service, it could only be cut down in Wellington, and he was told they could only save from five to ten thousand pounds even there, One of the other candidates accused the speaker of having made certain statements about him, but he (the speaker) denied having done so—he never carried politics beyond politics, and he did nut want to " sling mud ” in any shape or form. They should beware of Mi Graham, for when they knew what class ol men were working for him they would know what would be the result. If Ormond ano that crowd got power, the workmen's wages would feel it. Did any of them know that Ormond and James Williams had nearly half a million acres of land on the East Coast ? [Voice : Seventeen-and-six a week. (Laughter and applause.)] Did they ever see these men in Gisborne ? No; they got a steamer of their own, and took up all theii goods and labor from Napier, passing up about once every fortnight. [Voice; That’s a fact.] First we had been wedded to that party by our late member, and now they try to get Graham in his place. Let us cut the painter between this place and Napier and Auckland, and not be like children. [Voice : They’d have a tough child in you, Mao.j He believed he could hold his own against any of them. (Cheers.) Before concluding Mr McDonald referred to the “ slandering’, Herald—he would not care it they kept to politics. [Cries of “ Oh, it don't hurt you,” etc.] He did not think it did. The speaker then sat down amidst loud applause.

Mr J. Price said that when the Patutahi land was sold a large sum bad been promised to drain the land, but had not been spent. Would Mr McDonald try and get the £4,000 or whatever it was spent on the work ? Mr McDonald remembered a pledge being given to have the flat land drained, and he would certainly try and get it fulfilled. Mr Price said that some years ago, when the sheep were infected with scab, the Government had decided to remit she fines of £5O or over imposed. Some had received their fines back, but the speaker had not. Would Mr McDonald advocate the re payment ol of such unrefunded fines. Mr McDonald said he would enquire into it. Sir John Hall had promised him that the fines would be returned. In reply to a question as to whether he would support the present Government, M McDonald said he would not support thei r native policy, though he most certainly

would have fUllanm in ptafaliinM to Bryce he,eiid4 .g returned he would go fam ft independent, etriight as an arrow. (Cheers). In reply to Mr F. Parker, the candidate said there was no land and income tax before the House when he voted for the Property tax. An income tax alone would he ■ mere flea-bite in New Zealand, In reply to Mr Swainson, the candidate ■aid he Had never aeked then to work uBrii than eight houra a day, and he conriderod that auflicient. In reply to ,Mr Hurrey, jie did tiol epprovd of J.P.’a, R.M.’s, and Supreme Court Judgte being elected by the people, excepting M et present] through the representatives of the people. He would not Iqtejfere with the Judges, because some nf ih< persona who elected them might be th>- first Io eome before them as criminals. (Laughter and cheers), Mr Hurrey said thia would only be fa keeping with tho American system. (A voice I " There is • lot of roguery going on there," Laughter, and It’ll never do, you know. 1 ’) In reply to a further question from Mr Hurrey, tho candidate said there was nd particular sum promised for ths Patuiahi drain—the Government simply guaranteed tu have the lend drained. In reply to Mr Malone he said he had ways votod against Bible reading in schools. He believed they could retrench on the educe, cion expenses, by making those who could afford to pay for their children do loi ' ’ He thought the school kge should not fad altered.

Mr 0. Porker asked would he support thg amendment of the bankruptoy laws, as at present they only encouraged roguery. Mr McDonald would like to see all debts mads debts of honor, as in America where they looked upon the man who gave credit as the fool. People generally gave credit in the hope of ultimate gain, and not front love. Mr Judd then rose to move a vote of thankl and confidence in Mr McDonald, Mr J. Price seconded, and the motion wal unanimously carried, amidst cheers. The meeting broke up with three cheer! for McDonald, and three grOaus for the Herald.