MB OEMOND.AT THE THEATEE ROYAL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6917, 22 July 1884, Page 3

MB OEMOND.AT THE THEATEE ROYAL.

BOWDY PROCEEDINGS. — --

Mr Ormond addressed the electors in b the Theatre Royal last night, Mr Swan S in the ohair. Daring the former part of S the proceedings the theatre was filled, ri ' and Mr Ormond "was listened to atten- cl lively. Afterwards, when Mr Sheehan's tl meeting was over, a large number of that a: andidate's supporters entered the theatre f< ! nd packed it almost to suffocation point. P The new-comers immediately commenced o with great uproar, their evident intention P being to prevent the speaker being heard. ft Mr Ormond for some time tried to obtain S a hearing, and strained his voice to the k - utmost, but at last he had to resume his & seat without finishing what he intended ft to say. f; Mr Ormond, who was received with li tremendous applause, the audience stand- a: ' ing and waving their hats, commenced his w speech by expressing regret that his h opponents had not extended to him that ci fair play which had been Bhown to Mr a< Sheehan. In his (Mr Ormonde) ad- tl dreßses he had carefully refrained from (' any attacks on Mr SLeehan, and had f< confined himself, as far as possible, to B those larger public question on which d a large town constituency had a i; right to demand the views of t ..those who sought their support. It would k have been a more ■ proper and honorable t ; thing had his opponent followed the » i same course, and endeavored to rise to c i the occasion. (Applause.l But Mr I ' Sheehan had confined himself to a criti- t cisism — not by any means an able one — £ of his (Mr Ormond's) speeches, and per- v sonal attacks on him. When he (Mr t ' Ormond) read in that morning's Hebald a ' Mr Sheehan's speech on Saturday evening a he was for the moment mastered by his c ..' feelings, and felt great indignation at the i . untruthful misrepresentations in which s Mr Sheehan had indulged. Had he (Mr i . Ormond) replied at that time he might i have expressed himself in a way he would \ afterwards have regretted. But he had 1 had time for thought, and though Mr ] Sheehan did not deserve anything like 1 consideration he (Mr Ormond) ;was hot i - going to degrade himself to Mr Sheehan's t level by replying in the same way — * ; (tremendous applause) — though of all 1 ' public men in New Zealand there was not 1 "one so open to attack as Mr Sheehan. < (Renewed applause.) At the Spit he (Mr ] '.. .Ormond) effectually and completely dis- ' '. posed of most of: the charges brought 1 ... - against him by Mr Sheehan. An ex- i perienced public speaker could always I -. tell. when he had the 'sympathies of his ... audience with him, and when they « r agreed : that he was making his i -■point good; and though many of his f -.. opponents were at' that meeting they ad- t - mitted that he had made good bis points. ' (Applause.) The firßt was that miserable i " Chinese question. (Laugh tar.) He would j • never have degraded himself by hunting ■ up any such thing against Mr Sheehan. < He would never have accused his op- : ponent of alien feelings unworthy of a '. colonist of New Zealand, yet Mr Sheehan .himself said at his first meeting at the . Spit that he wrote on behalf of the , Superintendent of, Auckland a letter in . favor of the wholesale employment of .. Ohinese on the railways. [Loud cries of "He did, he did; we heard him."] .- * Hundreds of those who were present told him bo. ~ Afterwards Mr Sheehan denied ■ it, and then again admitted he had a hand - in it. (Cries of "That's right.") He (Mr Ormond) thought Mr Sheehan was now ' sorry he had brought up this silly cry, for it had recoiled on his own head. (Loud applause.) He (Mr Ormond) felt he had. '. ~ got home on this point, when, after the .„- . meeting,. as he was walking behind some men who, it was very evident from their k loud conversation, were not friends of his, he heard one of them say, " Begorra, it's , ; Sheehan that's the Chinaman after all." ' - (Tremendous applause and laughter.) And now he would let that miserable, wretched, opntemptible question rest. | A voice : "The boot's on the right leg now." J 1 " After referring briefly to the Spit bridge . , ■ question, Mr Ormond next touched upon ■■ : ■ .the .'accusation that be had made no muni- ,.': -*' y oipal . reserves for Napier. He said he could hardly be blamed for that, seeing that Napier waß laid out and soldfour- . '''..' teen years before he entered public life. ':';;;-?::. He got for the municipality, all that were ; ■".;. left, and they were not so valueless after " , for he was told that when the present ; V -leases fell in they would bring in £3000 a '■■■■ > , year, (Applause.) Mr Ormond next re- ± ' f erred to the charge that as Superintend- ; 7 -; '"= ent:. of the province and Minister for ; v r Public Works he negleoted the district. ;- % ; V- H6eiaidhe had shown that in the three r i> - - years' before the municipality was formed , ' —t» <;!$%! V Provincial Council had spent more i '.-... ;^v.,UMin v i£e 'general' rate now produced, anc !?'■>}&; ori&yeac more than', twice as much. As ii^/> to, what he had done as Minister for E:Syv:Pnbli6 Works, he would quote what Mr I^ClXiSheelian aaid in the House on September l^.;2sth, i1877,- : .as recorded in Hansard. |^|l;jfSpeakingi on the second reading of the Works Advances Bill > Mr, It was most interesting ||i|pl^r|9P^>^l' * ny fig Drea - °£ ; tn e ; expenditure

which had taken place in the four provinces of Auckland, Hawke'a Bay, Taranaki., and Wellington. The contrast was exceedingly remarkable, whether instituted from the paint of view of population, revenue, taxation, or any of the conditions which generally influenced the House in coming to a decision respecting the distribution of public money. Honorable members might depend upon it Hawke's Bay and Taranaki did not Come out of the transactions badly. They had had a lion's share— several lions* shares, in fact. It might very well be accepted as a fact, as his honorable friend the member for Auckland City West (Dr Wallis) had the previous day remarked, that Taranaki was the " Little Benjamin " of the colony. And how had that come about? Simply because the provinces of Hawke's Bay and Taranaki had always managed to have a man in power for one of their representatives, to look out for a good share of the public expenditure, and that influence was still strong enough to see that those two sections of the colony would have their usual good luck under this bill if it became law." That was more likely to be Mr Sheehan 's real opinion than what he now said at a time when it wss his object to detractfallhecould from him (Mr Ormond). (Great applause.) Speaking on Saturday Mr Sheehan had not only in extreme terms cast doubt on biß (Mr Ormond's) sincerity on the harbor question, but had tried to get his hearers to believe that the bill was first submitted to him (Mr Sheehan) before he (the speaker) saw it. That was a miserable and contemptible position for Mr Sheehan to take up. He (Mr Ormond) was not again going to protest his sincerity, for he believed the electors would show their belief in that at the polling booth on the next day. (Loud applause and cheering.) But he would just say that that bill was drafted by him more than a year ago, when the report of the English engineers on the competitive designs was expected, so that, if it were found practicable, the bill could be introduced in the session of 1883. Yet Mr Sheehan was guilty of the contemptible meanness of trying to make it appear that he was mainly responsible for the Bhape in which the bill was drawn up, though he only saw it during the late session of Farlioment. (Applause.) But he was glad Mr Sheehan had again spoken on the subject, for it gave him (Mr Ormond) an opportunity of Betting himself right on another point. He had heard from several people that it was being set about that his property at Porangahau was exempted from the rating district under the bill. Now the faots were these. Messrs Neal, Williams, and W. C. Smith, with himself, were appointed acommittee to draw up the bill and its schedules. He produced a scheme, on which the bill was founded, but one

Iteration was made. He proposed three J ating districts, for he thought the lands v ear Napier should be liable to pay a I eavier rate than those further away, t] fhich would benefit leßs. He believed t] bat plan would have to be adopted yet, p ut the committee^ on the motion of Mr S imith, made only two districts. Mr o Imitb also proposed that the Eparaima ti Lding— in which was his (Mr Ormond's} S hief probity— should be omitted from n ac rating schedule. He opposed that, £ nd the riding was not omitted. So much v or that misrepresentation. (Loud ap- v lause.) Next Mr Sheehan accused him p f running the railway through his pro- v erty and that of his friends when he was t linisler for Public Works. Again Mr v iheehan perverted facts or spoke without p nowledge, as he generally did on such t latters. (Laughter and applause.) The n lots were that the engineers selected two B lternative lines. One was the present 1 me—t he other ran to Paki Paki in 1 n absolutely straight line, and it v 'ould have cut right bang through o is (Mr Ormond' B) Heretaunga property, f normously increasing its value. But he 1 dopted the present line, because he knew r he other would be subject to floods, i Immense applause.) He took no credit r Dr that — he simply did his duty aB a r dinister — but when he was accused of i loing something dishonorable he wasbound c n self-defence to state the true facts. All I hat Mr Sheehan seemed able to say in t lis own behalf—for he repeated it many i imes — was that he had as a Minister < lever taken a bribe. That country had i some to a sorry pass when an ex-Minister i >lumed himself on not having been i )ribed. (Applause.) If he replied as Mr 1 Sheehan would, he would say that the ] rery fact of him taking credit for Buch a i hing showed that the thought of taking i i bribe had presented itself . (Tremendous < tpplause.) Mr Ormond then referred ] igain to the ten per cent, reduction, and i lrged that, after Ministers had given him i i promise that reductions should be made 1 n the way he wished — not an all round i :ed uction — he could not in honor after- < wards vote for motions which would tie the i lands of Ministers. Having received a { sledge, he was bound in honor to give ■ Ministers an opportunity of redeeming > that pledge. (Applause.) Mr Sheehan i said he (Mr Ormond) must have been ] 11 green "to trust to that pledge. Had i the House then degenerated to this — that j those who were chosen as its leaders : could not be trusted to fulfil pledges : publioly given ? (Applause.) There were only two Ministers in whose word he found by experience he could never rely, and those men were Sir George Grey and Mr Sheeban. (Loud applause.) When he went back to the House the next session he felt very sore about the manner in which the reductions were carried out, and though he tried he had never yet got ci proper explanation. Major Atkinson was certainly blameable, but he would not go the length of saying that he wilfully broke his promise. But a cruel wrong, was done, and for that wrong, done by others in spite of his (Mr Ormond's) repeated protests, he was held liable, and he was made to suffer for it. (Applause.) But even on principle he would have objected to. all salaries under £200 being exempted from the reduction, because there were many officers receiving large pay in comparison to the services rendered — such as returning officers, sheriffs, &c, whose salaries would well bear reducing. He had heard since he left Parliament that while the higher officers had had the reduction returned to them the wages-classes had not. If that was so every member of the last Parliament failed to do his duty. He ventured to say that if he had been there it would have been done, and if returned he would see that it was done. (Applause,) Now as to the land tax. Mr Sheehan made a great deal out of the fact that he had at his (Mr Ormond's) first meeting, in reply to a question, said " He was not aware that Sir George Grey ever had a land tax." Before he got home he remembered that that answer was wrong, and he took the first opportunity of publicly stating that he made a mistake. But if he had liked to lower himself to adopt Mr Sheehan's tactics he would have said " I was right. Sir George Grey never had a land tax, for his estate at Kawau was carefully cut out from the operation of the tax." (Great applause.) Mr Sheehan said it was a wonderful thing that he (Mr Ormond) should not remember a tax imposed seven years ago, and colleoted only once, but Mr Sheehan was unable to remember, when he spoke at Napier, what he said at the Spit. (Laughter and applause.) Mr Sheehan tried to make out that he (Mr Ormond) paid less under the property tax than under the land tax* That was a ridiculous statement, for under the land tax he paid only on the unimproved value of his land, while under the property tax he paid not only on the improved, value, but on every Hoof of stock, and every building. It was .'now common for so-called Liberal candidates to advocate a land tax exempting improvements. He did so too, and the proof of his sinoerity was that it .was himself and his; frineds, and not Sir George Grey's r GoVernmenfc , ; which . pserted the clause exempting improve-

raenta in Sir George Grey's Land Tax Bill. (Applause.) He was aa anxious as anyone to get at those absentee and unimproving landlords who were the eurae of the colony. (Applause.) He had consistently spent every penny he could spare in improvements, employing a large amount of labor, jet he was now taxed for these very improvements. Mr Sheehan had said he (Mr Ormond) did not vote on the Land Tax Bill. That was not trne, as his name appeared in several divisiiii*. But he did object to the bill, because it made the land tax colonial revenue, while he rhsint&iued that it should be locally spent in maintaining hospitals, charitable aid, and other local institutions. (Applause.) He also objected to it because it was not accompanied by an income tax, which he claimed should have been coupled with it, though the money raised by the income tax should be devoted to more colonial objects. (Applause.) He voted for the property tax, not bacauße he believed in it, but because, owing to the reckless expenditure of the Grey Government, extra taxation was necessary, and that was the form in which the Government chose to raise it; The property tax realised about £280,000, or nearly double the land tax, which realised £141,000. He paid much more under the property tax, and Mr Sheehan must be going demented to say that he (Mr Ormond) voted for it to escape taxation. Mr Sheehan had twitted him because he would not promise to follow any man in the Houße. He did not expect to get all he wanted, but he would join those men who would go furthest with him. He would not objeot even to Sir George Grey, if he were in a team which would hold him steady— (laughter and applause) — but he_ was afraid Sir George would never take kindly to the collar and would jib terribly. (Laughter.) He looked to the coming eleotions to place in Parliament a set of men from whom several Btrong Ministries could be formed— he hoped never again to see a House dissolving itself because of its incapacity to find a Bet of men capable of leading it. (Applause.) Mr Sheehan had referred to the Maori dual vote. He (Mr Ormond) had not before done so, but he would now say that the proposal to give the Maoris dual representation was intended to secure North Island seats for Sir George" Grey, and it was -specially directed at his (Mr Ormondes) seat, for Sir George and Mr Sheehan hated and feared him, and would have stopped at nothing to turn him out. (Tremendous applause;) He had said that no public man was more open to attack than Mr Sheehan. If he (Mr Orrnond) told all he knew of Mr Sheehan some of those now supporting that candidate would shrink from him. (Loud applause.) At the time when the Maori dual vote was proposed Mr Sheehan was conducting what was known as the Repudiation Office, and the Maoris were then a great deal more to Mr Sheehan than his present supporters. (Great applause and cheers.) [At this point Mr Sheehan's supporters arrived, and at once commenced to create a disturbance, trying to drown Mr Ormond's voice.] Mr Sheehan's supporters might make a great noise now, but at the time he spoke of Mr Sheehan had' notr-pnt .Jjw "comether" upon them. (Laughter and' uproar.) It was to him (Mr Ormond) and otherß the present supporters of Mr Sheehan were indebted for the fact that they were not now being trampled under the heels of the Maoris. (Applause.) When Mr Sbeehan contested the Olive seat without his Maoris he was nowhere — (applause) — and without his Maoris he would be nowhere in Napier next day. (Tremendous cheering, hisses, groans, and uproar.) He could well understand the rowdyism at the back of the hall, for some of the deluded followers of Mr Sheehan did not like to hear these home truths. (Renewed uproar.) Mr Sheehan had had a fair hearing at all his meetings, but it seemed that he (Mr Ormond) was not to be allowed to reply to Mr Sheehan's misstatements and misrepresentations. Mr Sheehan had, in distinct violation of a promise given by Mr Glen, one of his committee, endeavored to interfere with' his (Mr Ormond's) meeting that night. He acquitted Mr Glen of any responsibility for what had occurred, for Mr Glen was an honorable and straight man — (applause) — but Mr Sheehan must be held responsible for a distinct breach of faith. (Great uproar.) It was a pity that Mr Sheehan had not completed the breach by keeping his supporters away until he (Mr Ormond) had finished. Had he eunk so low that he could not keep an audience interested for an hour 1 (Great applause and uproar.) Now he was going to refer to Mr Sheehan's statement that he had not promised to support a grant to Roman Catholic schools. (Uproar, which lasted some time.) This happened to him. (Renewed uproar.) He could understand why all that noise was made, but he would make himself heard. Mr Bowerman—(great uproar)— Mr Bowerman told him that Father Grogan had told him (Mr Bowerman) that Mr Sheehan had given a pledge to support a vote for denominational schools. It was Mr Bowerman's word against Mr Sheehan's, and was there one present who did cot really believe Mr Bowerman ? (Uproar and cheering.) He would not blame Mr Sheehan if he had the courage of his convictions, but he had not, and he would not have the courage to fulfil his promise. (Uproar.) Mr Ormond next, amid continual interruptions, referred to the Land Act of 1877, and described how Sir George Grey tried to burke it by meanly and dishonorably abstracting it from the bills given to the Governor to sign. But though, thanks to the U over nor, that attempt did not succeed, the benefits of the most liberal land law the colony had ever known were greatly nullified by Sir George Grey's Government increasing the price of Grown lands to double and treble, to prevent men of small means acquiring landed property. After referring to Mr Barker's assertion that capital was not required in the colohyj &nd exposing the absurdity of that statement by giving an account of the Woodville Small Farm Settlements, Mr Ormond reverted to railway management, and explained that he had been misunderstood on one point. When he advocated increase of pay according to length and faithfulness of service for the servants on the running Uses of railway — the drivers, stokers, guards, and others — he did not intend to include men employed in the workshops. They should be paid according to ability, and the best workmen should be attracted by good wages. (Applause^ and uproar.) Mr Ormond next advocated limited Protection, and gave reasons for so doing, but his remarks were at times Inaudible owing to the uproar which prevailed. He said that when Minister for Public Works he had caused the first railway waggons to be made in the colony, and though these were not a success, owing to the newness of the wood employed and other reasons, there was no reason why they should not be made now that there was plenty of seasoned material and modern machinery in the colony. He would agree to duties of from 10 to 15 per cent, for a term of years, to start industries for which the colony was specially adapted, such as tobacco culture and manufacture, sugarmailing from beet or sorghum, woollen manufactures. He made this explanation becaupe he did not want anyone to vote for him in the belief that he was an out-and-out Free Trader. [At this point the interruptions, which had been increasing in frequency, became so constant that Mr Ormond after vainly endeavoring to speak, after some: minutes resumed his seat, the large majority of those in the theatre standing up and cheering loudly to drown the rowdyism at the back of the hall.] ' J ' Mr Leonard mounted the stage, but for some minutes could not get a hearing. He handed a written paper to Ms

Ormond^ who, in & raotoentary lull, said he had great pleasure in reading it. It was from Mr Bowerinan, who wished to explain that ho had not seen the agree-: raent which Mr Sheehan had given to 4 Father Grogan. A vote of thanks was proposed, and the meeting broke up with enthusiastic cheering,- which completely drowned the groans of Mr" Sheehan's supporters.