THE PREMIER AT CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7003, 28 April 1884, Page 6

THE PREMIER AT CHRISTCHURCH.

A VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE £ CARRIED. [BY TELKGBAPH.—FBKS3 ASSOCIATION,! Chbistohurch, Bunday. The meeting held in the' Tuam-street Hall to hear Major Atkinson's, address on Saturday sight was the largest political meeting haa - tftken place in Chris tchuroh since 9ir Cr- Grey's visit fire years ago. The hall holdja some : 2500 people, and was unusually packed, all classes being represepted. The Mayor, Mr, Hulburt, occupied the chair, and oaths platform were several M.H.R.'s and Hlwbers of the City Council. M»jp?r Atkinson entered the hall at seven o'cloQK, and was received with hisses and groans', piingled with a little applause. - The Chairman requested the meeting, for the honour of the city, to give the Premier a bearing, Major Atkinson's speech was mainly » recapitulation of his utterances $t Hawera and Dunsdin. -He remarked that on account of the state of public feeling in Christchurch, he had come tp explain his aocions. If the people censured him'' he could bear it. If they would not hear him he would go away, bat with a feeling that he had at all events done hiß duty in coming. Referring to the land question he said that Canterbury had received more of the proceeds -of the land than it had any right to, for the had for a long time lived upon the land fund, which was thus pjrpyirgialised, instead of being colonised. He contended that had Government called Parliament together on account of the probable deficit, instead of meeting it by restoring, the railway rates to their former position, a blow would have been inflicted on the credit of the colony which it would have taken years tp recover from, and which would have caused the Opposition to accuse Government of shirking responsibility to obtain politicai,support. Parliament would not now return to the old rates, iiven Mr. Montgomery's followers would not permit that. A'local Railway Board for each Island would be worse than the present system. The lines must bB made to pay. Members of the-Board must have large salaries, and he felt sure that an irresponsible Board dominating the public was a thing which would never, be endured. Since his Hawera speech he had found that the' deficit in the year's revenue would be about £152,000 instead of £170,000. The advances outstanding this year were £40,000 as against £70,000 last year, which meant that the actual defioit would be something over £120,000. He considered that Government had done a great deal of good by improving the position of tfce colony in the money market. When they took office the New Zealand 4 per cent, debentures were at less than SO,- and the Bank of England refused to advance £250,000. Now thq 4 per cents, were worth over 100, and the Bank of England made no difficulty about advancing money on New Zealand inspribed stock.

' The Premier received a roand of applause at the conclusion of his speech, but he was act allowed to proceed withoat much inter ruption. For the first; half hour every remark .called forth iiigns of disapprobation. When he was explaining the observations he made at Hawera about the prevailing depression, the tumult became so great that he was obliged to cease. Mr. John Matthews, well known as the leader of a former unemployed agitation, came forward to appeal for a fair hearing for the Bpeaker, buc was groaned down." After some further confusion, the Mayor managed to quiet the audience, and the speech proceeded under a running fire of interruptions, a good de«l of the disturbance bong occasioned by a half-drunken man. The climax of disorder was reached when the Premier, after a rather prolonged bout of hooting from the audience, said that he would like to talk plainly to two or three of those who were interrupting him. He could only judge of them by their looks, and his experience taught him that in every town thero was a class of men known as " loafers." This remark drew forth a perfect storm of disapprobation. The hooting and groaning were redoubled, Several voices called oat • "Apologise 1" The Chairman asked the audience, for the credit of the city, to give the Premier a hearing, but the attempt of Major Atkinson to speak caused additional uproar, which lasted for. ten minutes, when Mr. .Daniel Beese, a popular member of the CSty Council, restored order by appealing to the people riot to let it be said that the Premier of New Zealand had come to addreis a Canterbury audience, and had been refused a hearing. He also reminded them if the meeting broken up they would loße the opportunity of making a fitting expression pf disapproval of tbe Minister's acts. The Premier was then, allowed to proceed, with less interruption than before.. After the conclusion of his remarks, a number of questions were asked, and Mr.' Guinness moved " That this meeting has no confidence in Ithe'present Ministry." Mr. Daniel Reese seconded the motion. Mr. .WiKZfUU), said "he obon colonial grounds to the Govern: nwnt raißing the railway fates'to make up a geaeril deficiency in the revenue. It was a most dangerous precedent, and might be greatly abused by a wicked Government, not the present virtuous one. He also challenged the correctness of the Premier's statement that a quarter of a million waß invested in bogus mining companies. Major Atkisson replied that the deficiency which had to be made up was cansed by the falling off in the receipts from the railways, so that it was fair to make them pay for it. He had obtained his information about the investments in bogus mining companies from the best authorities in Dunedin. The want of confidence motion was then carried, about two-thirda of those present voting for it, and some dozen acainst.it. Cheers were then given for Mr. Wakefield and Sir G. Grey, and the meeting dispersed at twenty minutes to eleven. The Premier left for Wellington last night.