MR. McMINN AT TE AWAMUTU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5545, 25 August 1879, Page 5

MR. McMINN AT TE AWAMUTU.

[BY TELEQRAPH, FROM CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton, Sunday. At Mr. Mollinn's meeting about 100 persona were proscnt. .Mr. Liionel was iQ the chair. Mr. McMinn commenced with the reasons for hia defection from the Grey party on the want-of-confidence motion. He had lost all confidence in them, especially on their native policy. He stigmatised the Premier's telegram to the West Coaßt settlers as weak and cruel. If former Go. vemments by neglect had left causc of native discontent Bmouldering, they at least did not provoke resistance, as the Grey Government had done by advertising the Waimate Plaiua for Bale. He condemned the conduct of Sir George Grey in advocating the abolition of the Legislative Counoil, and at the aame time adding nine or ten memberß to it for political purposes. Ho disagreed with the attempt to resume the pre-emptive right of purchase of native land. Re could not see how a plan to sell native lands by aucI tion could be managed, but if it could be done, the best plan for their disposal would be the old provincial system—out them up into small blocks and survey before sale. The Government should only interfere in the purchase of native lands so far as insisting on good roads being made through large blocks privately purchased, alii their subdivision for sale, and seeing valid titles obtained, the Government at the same time to be able to purchase, especially where main lines and roada were required. He |had

[ another objection to the Government, that ! they tried causelessly to get the Loan Bid ru«hed through the House. He had no objection to borrowing, but. it was right that the Opposition should first know the financial position, and what money would be expended. He repudiated the idea that the Auckland Pfess and Auckland members propagated that in expenditure and public works the North wa3 unfairly treated by the South. Auckland's p pnlation was one-fifth of that of the colony, but it only contributed one-sixth of the revenue. The truth was that the Middle Island had tho real cause of complaint, when the the South Islaud railways only coat £G3,000 after deducting profits for interest ou construction, while the North Island railways cost tne colony £140,000 in annual interest. Mr. McMinn went largely into figure* to shew that the North had been unduly favour;d in public expenditure He condemned the conduct of the Government in allowing tho elections to proceed without first purging the Bay of Island electoral roll, and condemned the conduct of Sir George Grey in setting class against class, and irritating the Southern members by calling them landrobb rs in the House. He approved of the present Education Act, and would uob assist in tinkering it. In answer to questions, he stated that he had vote ! for Curtis's bill in deference to the representations of a section of his con3titueuts, but now felt he had done wrong. H i thought the WaiUato-Thames railway should be pushed through, but begun at the end legally provided. He had, with Mr. Whitaker, protested against beginning at the wrong end, but he wa3 laughed at by Mr. Macandrew. A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded.