MR. S.T. GEORGE, M.H.R., AT MAHURANGI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6820, 26 September 1883, Page 5

MR. S.T. GEORGE, M.H.R., AT MAHURANGI.

[BY TELEGRAPH.'— o\vst, CORRESPOSDTrNT.] Wa.uk worth, Tuesday. Mb. S. T. Geokrf, M. H.R. for the County of Rodney, addressed the electors of that district in the Mahurangi Public Hall this evening, at 7 o'clock. Mr. George is the first member of the House of Representatives to address his constituents after the past session. A very larg-r number of electors were present. It was the largest meeting of the kind ever held in the district. Mr. Nathaniel Wilson occupied the chair.

Mr. Geobge, in rising, said it was with great pleasure he met hia constituents tonight to explain to them what had been done, and to see whether he was in " sympathetic accord " with them. One thing had been reported, viz , that he was going to resign his seat, bow this originated was that last year he was a l? out to enter into a partnership, and if he had done so be would have* had to resign hia seat, but his partner wrote bim that on no account was he to do so. When he became a candidate he went in as an independent member. This he had carried out and was still bound to no party. He then explained the financial position of the colony. Last year the expenditure of the colony exceeded the revenue by £168,134. The whole revenue was only £3,470 350, but the Treasurer had told them they had a balance of £35,549. Last year we imported into the colony goods valued at £8,500,000, and the total exports came to six and a-half millions. There was also sent oat of the colony two and a-half millions to pay interest on public and private loans ; in fact, during 1882-83 Wo had to send away eleven millions of money, while ottr exports only amount to six and a half millions. Major Atkinson had stated that during the last 15 years onr imports had exceeded our exports to the same amount as we had borrowed 'during that period : and unless there was a good influx into the colony, this could noq continue much longer. What, he asked, are we to do to lessen this ? The only way is to get people into the colony with money. There is the frozen meat. This is drawing the attention of farmers at home to New Zealand. Ono gentleman had sent home from Dunedin 100 . sheep, which netted him over £1 per head. The direct steamers coming here are bringing out a large number of passengers with a large amount of capital. The only inducement we can offer them to come here island, but the . Minister <f Lauds says he would have the whole of the land leased. If they, passed a law to prevent any. more sale of land, and only lease it, it would put a stop to moneyed people coming to the colony. What will happen would be that they would not be able to . pay.their rents, the same as had happened . with the deferred payment :settlers down South.' He differed from the Chairman in the matter of the nationalisation of tho land.. He would. propose a land tax. . Every acreof land in the colony should be taxed. The tax should be a progressive one,; and> there , ought to be ,no .exemptions. Fie referred to the rabbit nuisance, and. stated that in the South it had become a really serious; matter, and that much of the land " had: become valueless, instancing, .the ' 'case of one run, of 30,000 acres ; which had been offered for lease at the rental of £10 per annum for the whole 'run, arid not a bid could; be got. The number of rabbi tsdestroyed, was enormous.:,. Last year 8,900,000 skins had been sent home', and this did uot include the number that were poisoned, and tlio skins of which became valueless. {He next referred to the National, Lan ment Company, .of,which, he ; declared himself .- ,to be a director, and ;. stated . that ho. did not ' care to say very much, as an action for ~ libel. . against. a paper called Facts' was pending. This paper, was started ,bj gentlemen who were purchasing . large/, blocks offered' to the company .to take over. Petitions were sent in to oppose it; also.by pakeha-Maoris in JfVaikato, to show we were landsharks. I will , tell-you (continned Mr. George) what we do. .The natives say We want to sell this land.". Thoy want money, bo we advance on the land nearly 30 per cent. .. We sell for. the natives,' and any balance .is handed to the , after 5 deducting commission.-. A company was started at home to purchase land, and offered to join the company; The reason assigned by the -Government for' opposing .the company's Bill was that the company have .too much power. Mr. Moss objected to the Bill. A new native land law .was introduced by the Government this year, ■which will alter things in this province at all, events. Now, any....dealings .with" native lands without going . through' the Native Lands. Court, become null, and .void ; but thero was one gondthirjg.all lawyers: are excluded /from.; Native. Lands - Courts,... He. referred' to- a portion of land in Waikato ; with regard to the way natives were treated. Lawyers 'attended day , after day. asking for adjournments, because their.fee was £10 per day.'..- He now came to the great .sensation of the day—the Dargaville case.;. ,He would not take his part, neither, would he take ..that of the Government. Mr. JDargaville .was an, Irishman, and, like, all Irishmen,, spoke his mind' freely. He accused, the Treasurer, of certain .charges.; But,he, made two errors— first, that the , Premier, .to further the ..in-* terests of the Bank of' New Zealand, re-, ! ceived £10,000, which wa? wrong, as Mr. . Whitaker was not a member of the .House at tho time. He also referred to the prospectus ;: - the', new. Mortgage Company. ... It .was wrong, for the. Premier to allow his. name ,to appear as a director, as Premier of tho •colony. - The third .charge, .was worse than all,, and he thought no man could stand that, but Major Atkinson let the opportunity. slip by,: not haying:the words^taken down.vlhe Treasurer asked for a Select Committee, and appointed his own committee. There were four for the Government, aud three for the Opposition. It came out that tho Government had * lent the Bank of. . New. Zealand money contrary to law. £225,000 was'placed in the- Bank.of. New Zealand for two years, at. 5.y per cent—good interest anyhow ; so: Mr. • Dargaville; ;to': a certain: ,extent,; wasright. . lie (Mr. GeOrge) could point, out •many acts of political corruption. He referred to the Canterbury members going to the. Government for reduction on gram freights. It was reduced. That was political corruption. Then a railway was made 14 miles to no place for two votts. Was that not political corruption ?: : Then . there, was another case in regard to ;the Native .Reserves Bill, last year. A vote of - wanc-of-confiHence was. . comprised in Mr -Montgomery's resolutions, the first: of which he voted for. The second amended': by Mr. Moss was in favour of a return-to, provincialism. He voted against "it; and.tbe third 1 meant 'separation.;' Separation will come from Christchurch'and Dunedin, owing to the redistribution of seats. They : have /. the power to carry it. But". Northern members must look ,out for a fair allocution of the loans'. ? He waß asked to move for the removal of the seat of Government, aud a Government man would second' ■ it. He said he would give ah answer, in the evening, but on consideration like to be like the monkey, the cat, and the chesnuts, so consequently ' gave '{it . in. -,the negative. So soon as the seat of-'Government", was removed 'from Wellington, they would go. •in for separation, but, if they got..a fair ; allocation "of tho loans,' he * thought it; would be a benefit to the North Island. The question of education would be a hard fight in a year or two. There was spent on education. £400,000," but he was of -opinion something should be "done in secondary education. He did not see why people who were able should not pay for their children's education; ' With : regard to the. proposed changes in" the Legislative Council,... by which {part of the members' were to be; elected, by, the:>:tlouse of .'jßepresentativ.es, and ..the ;.,re-. inainder by the North and South, he did not ; approve of it. Touching next on' the topics of roads atid bridges, ho taid he would not boust, but lie thought they got more than at any other time. This year they were to get £3300 .. Against that there ■ was a liability 0f.£1200.'. After a time, by Mr. Mitchelaou working the Government and himself, the Opposition got it taken off, so this year they would have £4500. So, if the .County. Councils do not spend it, it would not be his fault. During the session he received a petition, largely signed, amoDgat them by some of the County Councillors. Mr. Hurst cairia, and said " Have you got" a petition ? " —" Yesi; are you going to support it 5 " —"No." " Why your constituents .want it." "I don't care, but Ido not think they know what they want. The wharf would cost £4000, but the money would come out of the money belonging to the Rodney County." Next day he got a flaming telegram about it. Mr. Graham came to him. He told him to go to Mr. Whitaker, and ask him if he would place the sum on the supplementary estimates, and if bo, he would not oppose it. Mr. Graham went, and Mr. Whitaker said no. Mr. Claydon asked how it was that as he had got ao much money he had not got

anything for the Road :Board?, : and Mr, Moobe asked t If Road Boards want money are we to apply (o Government or County Councils ? J - Geo-ok cou'd cot say, but he believed Mr. Whisker had the allocation of the money. He thought they should fight the County Council. He thought the-* would have a lively time of it. Mr. Snell would like to ask why Mr. George was placed in such a position. Mr! George would like thera to nnswi- that. Mr. &ucu: Is there any likelihood of a railway from here to Stoke's Point. He saw they were trying to get a bri ge over the river thtre.

Mr. George : I think not; yon had better get the bridge first. In answer to other questions, Mr. George said the Bine Kibbon Army had caused a very considerable reduction in the revenue. Mr. Jordan moved, and Mr. Sxell seconded ibat a vote of thanks be accorded Mr. George for his action re Waiwera bridge. Carried unanimously. Mr. McMukdo moved, "That this meeting has entire confidence in Mr. George with regard to the manner in which he steered the affairs of this county." . Carried unanimously. M'. George thanked the meeting for the confidence shown him, and" he hoped that at next general election they would still show it more s'rorigly. Mr. George proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried by acclamation, after which the meeting terminated.