THE CONTEST AT EDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8423, 26 November 1890, Page 5

THE CONTEST AT EDEN.

MESSRS. VAILE AND REES AT WAITE'S HALL.

A DISORDERLY SCENE.

Yesterday evening Messrs. S. Vaile and W.

L. Rees addressed a meeting of the electors of Eden, at Waite's Hall, Mount Eden, regarding the candidature of the Hon. E. Alitchelson. The building was crowded. Mr. H. Hirst presided. Mr. Vaile having remarked that lie had no personal ill-feeling against Mr. Mitehelson, proceeded to review the history of the agitation for the introduction of the Vaile scheme upon the New Zealand railways, from its commencement in 1882 to the present time, and expressed his thanks to Captain Daldy and the executive Committee of the Railway Reform League, who had given him most valuable help, whilst the League generally had taken upon itself the expense of conducting the agitation during the past year. _ Mr. Vaile pointed oat that the movement in favour of his system extended throughout the whole of New Zealand, and said ho considered it a hardship that whilst the system had been invented in this colony, it had already been adopted in Europe, and that we should therefore be the last to reap its benefits, simply on account of the obstinacy of the Railway Department. (Applause.) Mr. Mitchelson, when he addressed the electors of Eden at Waite's Hall, had said, in reply to a question by him (Mr. Vaile), that before the railways were handed over to the Commissioners, those assisting him (Mr. Vaile) had been written to, asking if he would lie prepared to submit a scheme for the carriage of goods, as the Government were prepared to give his system a trial, but lie (Mr. Vaile) had absolutely refused to supply the information. Air. Mitchelson was reported to have repeated that statement at Mount Albert, and had stated that the Government were willing to give a trial if he (Mr. Vaile) and those assisting him tendered the Government security against; any loss that the country might sustain in. the trial, but that he (Mr. Vaile) seemed totally ignorant of, and could give no charges tor, goods or live stock. lie (Air. Vaile) maintained that there was not one word of truth in any of these three statements— (applause)— how Mr Mitohelson could have been induced to make them was a perfect marvel to him. He had told him (Mr. Vaile) that ho did not make them ; but they had heard what ho had said there, and some of them had heard _ him at Mount Albert. He had given Mr. Mitehelson every chance to be present that evening; it would be more pleasant for him to say what he had to say if he were present. Mr. Mitehelson had written to him, however, stating that, as the published correspondence gave all the particulars, there was no necessity for him to attend the meeting, especially as meetings of his own would be held on the same night. Mr. Vaile went on to contend that 110 offer of trial of his system was ever made by the Government, Very ample security had been offered to them against loss, but they would not have it. He had offered to lay down the whole scheme, as regarded passengers, goods, and small parcels, and everything complete. (Applause.) Mr. Vaile read correspondence with a view of refuting the statement that he had refused to deal with small goods traffic. He also read a letter written to Mr. Mitehelson in 1888, in which he (Mr. Vaile) and others had offered to lease the Auckland lines for five years, for the purpose of fully testing the system ; it was then guaranteed that the net revenue paid to the Treasury should not be less than that paid during the year 1887-88, and that while the charges to the public would be reduced by 10 per cent, at the very least, there would be an increasing revenue each year, and they would then hand the railways back at anv time in working order on receipt of six months' notice. (Applause.) He pointed out that Mr. Mitchelson had said he would require the payment of i'oO.OOO, and a guarantee against loss to . the permanent way of £4/5,000, or £95,000 to secure against a possible loss of £39,000. (Laughter.) Ho asked them, in the face of this, if Mr. Mitchelson had carried out the pledge to the electors that he would secure a trial of the system ? (Voices: "No:" and applause.) Mr. Vaile, in reply to the objection that the trade was not sufficient for his system to be profitable, instanced the results which had followed its adoption upon the line at Wliangarei, where trade was collapsed when it was put into force, and said if they did so much 011 a poor little line of four stations, what would they expect on the Auckland system, with its 84 stations'! The experiences in Hungary and in Austria showed that we would reap immense benefit from the introduction of the stage system. Mr. Vaile urged that the system when introduced should apply to passenger traffic first; if thev wished to avoid financial loss, they should not commence with the goods traffic. It was impossible to have products unless they had producers, and the first problem, therefore, was to place the men 011 the ground, and thus create a goods traffic. He knew, however, what the game was ; they were trying to force him to begin with the goods traffic, that they might be able to point afterwards to the failure which he knew would result, and say, " There you are ! Vaile has made a dreadful mess of.it!" Mr. Vaile spoke of his efforts to further this cause, and said that many and many a time it had been three o'clock in the morning before he had knocked oft' work, and had worked

from six o'clock in the morning till past twelve at night. His object was to bring prosperity to the country, and he had been persistently thwarted by the Railway Department. Mr. Vaile resumed his seat amidst loud and prolonged applause. Air. Vaile replied to several questions, and in answer to one as to whether the population of the colony was numerous enough to make his scheme a profitable one, he replied that it was. _ The population here was large enough, but it was not used. The man whose income was less than £200 a-year used the railways to the most limited degree. The railways now were sustained by 215 per cent, of the population ; the other 73 per cent was not touched at all. (Applause.) Mr. Rees reminded his hearers that this would be a very important election, since it was the first time in the history of New Zealand that they would exercise the "one* man-one-vote' privilege. Mr. Mitchelson and he were personal friends—(a voice : " All you chaps are, I think."' and great laughter and applause)—-and he would not go so far as Mr. Vaile had done; he would Hay that he believed Mr. Mitchelson to be mistaken, and that lie ought to have been better informed

tore he made the statement he had made,

He was sorry that Mr. Mitchelson was not present, because, lio knew that if he (Air. Mitchelson) were really convinced that he was wrong he would lie the fir,.st to get up like a man and say ho. (Cheers.) Mr. Roes went on to urga that a land and income tax, and a tax oil bondholders should Ik: substituted for the property tax, and that those who were opposed to the latter tax should not vote for Mr. Mitchelson, since he was a member of a Government pledged to that measure. Mr. Rees was subjected to some interruption, and a sharp interchange of personalities took place at this stage. He justified the tax on bondholders, and then opposed the native policy of the Government, saying that there were 4,ooo,(XJOacresof native land in the King country which should lie oiiened for settlement, and that this could bo (lone by the passing of a simple half-dozen clauses of an Act which

the natives would readily assent. The land was now available only to capitalists. He asked how many of their young men would leave the country if this land was thrown open, and Mr. Vaile's system of communi-

cation were in force to give free access to it. He also urged that there should be further retrenchment in public expenditure, and praised the provincial institutions which formerly existed in New Zealand, opposing the Government 011 these grounds. Air. Rees then proceeded to the main point of his address, a vindication of .Sir George (hey. He said that Mr. Mitchelson, and a more exact man, Air. Bryce, and also Mr. Monk, had erred in saying that Sir George Grey, when Governor, had under his regulations, sold at nominal prices estates of the public lands, although at the present time he was seeking to burst up the large estates. Sir George Grey had never sold one solitary estate to any man when he was Governor. (Cheers, and a voice, "How do you know that?") He knew it by the returns. The Canterbury settlers had arranged with the New Zealand Company,which had colonised New Zealand, to take up an immense tract of country in Canterbury, under the auspices of the Church of England. An association was formed, called the Canterbury Association, and its members took up land in Canterbury, whilst the members of the Free Church of Scotland did the same in Otairo. The English Parliament gave the Free Church in

Otago the right to take 10s per acre from the value of the land for the Church and for education, and the same right was given to the Canterbury settlers, except that th«-v were allowed to take £1 per acre ; but to Sir George Grey s astonishment, he heard that an Act was being passed through the English Parliament to extend this right over the whole of the colony, so that every acre of land in New Zealand would have to pay £1 per acre to thy Church of England. Although he was a soil of the Church, and had drafted its constitution, lie set his face like a Hint against this giving over tne power to raise an immense revenue in this way. In 1852 a letter was received by Sir George Groy telling him to make regulations for the disposal of the waste lands of the Crown. Before that time the Hundreds Ordinance was passed, and Sir Oeorge Grey made his regulations in the interest of small holders. lie was in the colony only seven months after they came into existence, aud during that time small settlements were founded, including Greytown. Master ton, ami Carterton ; but directly •Sir George Grey's buck was turned, they began to alter things. After ho went they did not proclaim the Hundreds, and ordinances were passed under which gridironing was done in Canterbury, and it was under these provincial institutions, and the alterations made in Sir George Grey's regulations, whilst he was away lighting the battle of the empire in (South Africa, that the whole of these great estates were acquired. (Applause.) Ho was not surprised at Mr. Mitchelson making the statement of which he complained, because lie was not in politics when these things were done; but he was surprised ut Air. John Bryee, a man who knew every step of these things, and vet who had lent the solidity and weight of his name to charges which were baseless, soundless, and unworthy. (Applause.) Air. Rees compared the two candidates, and said that lie preferred Air, Mitchelson to Air. Greenwood in many respects; but the electors had to consider the principles which both men held, and to vote for the man who was pledged to reform, to economy, and to progress. He concluded amidst loud applause. Mr, F. G. Ewinoto.y moved a vote of thanks to Messrs. Rees and Vaile for their addresses. He thought the community were indebted to Mr. Vaile for his efforts in the direction of railway reform. He had spent the sum of £1100 upon that great question since the beginning of the agitation. They were also indebted to Mr. Rees for his address. He though it was their duty to assume that Mr. Rees hud a pure object in coming into that district. The old adage which said that those who lived in glass houses should not throw stones, applied to Mr. Rees. (Hear, hear, and dissent.) Mr. Rees was as well known in Auckland as he was in Gisborne. Mr. Rees had assumed that only he possessed brains (interruption), but it was a great pity that when Mr. Rees was down in Parliament he did not make that fact clear to them. There had not been a greater political failure in New Zealand than their friend, Mr. Rees. (Applause.) Mr. Reps had made a statement regarding Mr. Mitchelson; but lie ought to have known the truth of it before lie made the accusation. He had said that Air. Aiitchelson on that platform had contended for the individualisation of native lands. (Several voices: " So he did," and considerable interruption.) Mr. Ewington contended that Air. Mitchelson had not said so, and .that, when speaking at Kingsland, lie had gone so far as to say that it would he ridiculous to attempt to individualise native I lands, and that it would cost £60,000 ayear for'2o years to do so. He (Air. Ewington) therefore urged that, as a man of honour, Mr. Rees should withdraw the false accusation he had made. Mr. Ewington pointed out that Air. Mitchelson was not the only man who could not see his way to tax the English bondholders; and he went on to say that it was absurd to blame Air. Mitchelson for what the whole of the Government had done. He spoke amidst frequent interruptions. He said that Air. Rees was not a personal friend of Mr. Mitchelson. There was one question with regard to the East Coast Land Company, and as Native Minister Mr. Mitchelson had had to stand between Air. Rees and the natives. These poor creatures had quitted their laud, and had not received the money for it, and the people who had bought their land had their sheep on it, whilst the natives also had their sheep on the land, und there was continual conflict between the two parties. He hoped that Air. Rees would stand up, and tell them all these things going on there, and why lie came and ran Mr. Mitchelson down. (Applause.) The vote of thanks was carried without dissent.

Mr. Rees, in acknowledging the vote, said he had been grossly attacked by Mr. Ewington, and he intended to reply to him. This was not the first time that Mr. Ewington hud been employed to injure him. (Mr. Ewington : "It's false.) Mr. Reus ; " It's not false, sir. and yon know it." Continuing, he said that he had had to pay Mr. Ewinjjtou £*1400 at one time. (Mr. Ewington ; " That's false," and interruption.) lie was used as an instrument only. (Further interruption.) Mr. Ewington had come there to support Mr. Alitchelson. (Mr. Ewington : " I do, and am not ashamed of it")—and lie would go anywhere to support anybody who paid him properly. Mr. Ewinotox o.xcliiimed hotly to M Rees : "I dare you to say that Mr. Mitchelson pays me, and then frequently declared to to those about him, "He dare not say it." and then again speaking to Mr. Rees, he said, " You are saying what is false, and you are a coward for saying so." Mr. Rees attempted to continue speaking amidst great uproar, during which Mr. Ewington again exclaimed, " Air. Mitchelson does not pay me, and you are a coward for saying it."

Mr. Reks said lie would like to know whether Mr. Ewington was speaking with Mr. Mitchelson's authority. (Mr. Ewington : " No. I am not," and voice, " He is speaking as an elector.' ) Mr. Rees went on to say that Mr. Ewington was Mr. Mitchelson's supporter, and had come forward of his champion (Mr. Ewington: "As a defender against your accusations"), and he (Mr. Rees) would challenge Air. Mitchelson, Air. Ewington, and all the crowd of them to meet him. (Great applause and uproar.) Let Air. Ewington or Air. Mitchelson meet him, and he would undertake to show that this East

Coast land swindle was the greatest blot upon the Government of which Mr. Mitchel-

son was a member of anything they had ever done. (Great applause.) The natives, anxious to settle their lands, had assigned their lands t.o a company. The company tried to get settlers upon these lands in the interns of the natives. The Government opposed them, and when the natives were seriously involved he (Mr. Roes) went to England, not asking the Government for (id, taking with him a native chief to settle these lands

upon fair terms, and to gather together the best men to help them that they could— men who were willing to identify themselves with the scheme ; and, would they believe it, the Government of which Mr. Mitchelson was a member sent a telegram which was read in the House of Commons, and published in every newspaper in Great Britain under the heading, " Kir. Rees's scheme denounced bv his own Government." (Voices : " It's true.'*) Lord Knutsford advised him to send his correspondence and the proposal through him to the Governor of New Zealand, who would transmit it to Sir Harry Atkinson and the New Zealand Government, who would send back their oflicial answer through the same channel. The authorities at home would then be able to see what they could do to assist him, but Sir Harry Atkinson, in order still to defeat the plans and purposes of colonisation, instead of sending back a reply through the English Government, sent him (Mr, Rcos) a private letter, which was not worth that (snapping his lingers). Then men like the Marquis of Lome, Lord Aberdeen, and others, said, '* You had better go back and see your Government. We are willing to help you, but we are not going to force ourselves upon an unwilling Government. It is evident your Government does not want colonisation.' Mr. liees related an inter-

view that lie afterwords had with Sir Harry Atkinson in Wellington. When the Premier stated that it did not occur to him that it

was necesnrry to send his letter through the English Government, lie (Mr. Roes) asked him, " For what purpose, did you think Lord Knutsford sent my letters to you except to get an ollicial reply which I could make public in the House of Commons? Do you think he sent the correspondence through the Governor to save postage?" Sir Hay • Atkinson told him the Government w>-,i! help him. He (Mr. Rees) had not got 6d •■>. < -:i it. lie had had to pay £1400. (Mr, Ewington : "It's untrue.") Mr. Rkkr : "Its not untrue, and you know it. Will Mr. Ewington give £50 to the Hospital if it is true?' (Mr. Ewington: " Yes," and great cheering and hisses.)

. Mr., Ricks : " Here's a fair thing, then. I'll give £50 if I am wrong, and Mr. Ewington will give £50 if he is wrong. (Great applause and interruption.)

Mr. Rkes, continuing, explained that certain bills, endorsed by Mr. G. M. Reed to Ah'. J. B. Russell, were not paid when they matured, and Mr. Russell 'handed over these bills for collection to Mr. Ewington. (Mr. Ewington : "Its not true,"and a voice, " It's a matter of business.) Air. said a matter of business it might be, but the facts were as he said. The result of the East Coast Land

Company, of which Mr. Ewington spoke, was that he (Mr. Rees), who had ad a capital practice, was forced into the Bankruptcy Court with debts about £8000, the most of which he had paid since out of his own labour. (Cheers.) The Minister had asked him not to make a fuss, and said the Government would take the lauds over. To that ho had replied that he did not want to make any iuns. What he wanted was to see that these natives did not lose their lands, and he urged

1 the Government for goodness sake to do something. Afterwards in thy Bank of New Zealand in Auckland, Mr. Mitchelsou, Mr. Murray, and he (Mr. Rees) had sketched out the terms upon which some of these blocks were to be taken over. Ths amount, area, and the terms were fixed. Mr. Mitchelsou had then said he would go to Wellington for a Cabinet meeting and telegraph the result. Mr. Mitchelson went down to Wellington, and telegraphed back to him (Mr. Roes) that they had had a full Cabinet meeting, and that the Ministry had decided to take over the land, if the Minister of Lands thought them valuable. The Minister of Lands had since visited the district, and had said openly that he had never seen better land in the world. And then the Ministry, because they were afraid of an adverse vote, threw him (Mr. Rees) and the natives over. He was going to have the East Coast Land Company question out, they might depend upon it. Mr. Mitchelson would not thank Mr. Ewington for that night's work. As Mr. Ewington, Mr. Mitciielson's defender, had accused him, lie would put a public challenge in the newspapers to Mr. Mitchelson to meet him here in Auckland. (Great cheers, and A Voice : " He won't come.") ' Mr. Rkks: I know lie won't come; he will send some creature—(Continued disorder.) Mr. Rkkh reminded the audience that he had not provoked that scene. Mr. Lwincto.v interrupted, and said, "You accuse Mr. Mitchelson falsely." Mr. Rkks : Those people who go about in the community — (Mr. Ewtnuton' : " Like you.")—under the garb of morality and religion, poisoning the minds of the community, are a curse to this community, as they have been wherever they have gone. (Applause and interruption.) If you judge a man by the company he keeps, then don't send Mr. Mitchelson to Wellington."

Continuing, he said they would see an advertisement to-morrow—for his own part he would like the fun of it —asking Mr. Mitchelson—as Mr. Ewington had come forward as his defender—to appear before an Auckland audience, find before a New Zealand audience, and they would fight out the matter of this East Coast Land Company. (Great cheering.) Mr. Vailk briefly acknowledged the vote of thanks, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman.