SIR GEORGE GREY AT THE THAMES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4888, 21 November 1876, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AT THE THAMES.

(BY TELEGRAPH.)

(PER TEE PBEB3. AGENCY.) , Gkahamstown, Monday.

Sir George Grey’s meeting on Saturday night was attended by one of the largest assemblages ever got together on the Thames. The chair was taken by Dr. Kilgour. Sir George, although evidently laboring under the disadvantage of a severe cold, spoke clearly and eloquently for an hour and a half.. He commenced by saying that he availed himself of the earliest opportunity of addressing those who had done him the honor of electing him. He would first consider the relative position of representative and electors. They were all engaged in what a great and good man had called a heroic work, that of building up a nation. In this work many difficulties presented themselves. There was a mountainous country and dense forests,, and two races which had often been- in antagonism. In the task of building up a nation they • had chosen him as their representative. He was the leader, they an army, disciplined to obey, and he must convince them that the way he was acting was right. .He. wished for an intelligent assent, and having jtold them what he had done in the past and what he intended in the future, if it did not meet with their wishes then they must choose some other leader. He supposed that they all had an ambition to leave the world better than they found it. In this work they had chosen him as a leader, without putting himself to the trouble of a personal canvas, without his being present at the election, and without extracting from him a single pledge. Such generosity had not been lost sight of by him, and he would endeavor to show what he bad done, and what he intended doing. There was full report of what he had said and done in Hansard, but there had been no fair report in the Wellington newspaper. First, as to the local measure, one object dear to his heart was the construction of a railway from the Thames to the Upper Waikato. He had brought in a Bill to attain this - end. The Government were asked to guarantee 6 per cent, on the cost, and nothing more, as a company could be formed to make the railway. He foolishly conceived that every effort would be made to assist in the work, but instead it had been met with the greatest hostility, and by use of forms of the House the Bill had been put off until he was in despair. First, the speaker had said it was a private Bill, and could only be introduced . after leave obtained. This done, he found - it at the bottom of a list of twenty-five. Then he had gone to 24 gentlemen, whose motions stood before his, and obtained their permission to put his on top. He thought it was quite safe then, but at the first step it was pointed out by a Minister that it was a money Bill, necessitating a charge on the revenue, and could ouly be introduced by a message from the Governor, which the Premier had positively refused. Next session he hoped there would be a Premier who would give the Governor’s assent. Unless, however, they got a Ministry who would not seek to acquire lands for themselves or their friends, he did not think they would get the railway next year. Those men whe were selfishly acquiring large tracts of land were enemies of the country, as they impeded settlement. Sir George then referred to the Counties Bill, devoting some time to condemnation of the principle of cumulative voting, which would tend to create two classes. He was for educating the masses in political knowledge, which was next in importance, and was in fact part of religious knowledge, and it would then be impossible for one class to injure another. Every individual in town and country should have an equal right of voting. Next he passed to the question of education. He had pointed out to the Government the inadequate provision made for the North Island, and the moment he did so a fair provision had been made. He had followed the same course with regard to gaols and lunatic asylums, and had been the means of changing the state of things in relation to these institutions. Then he made efforts to obtain lands for settlement, but in that he absolutely failed. _ There was such a strong party interested in acquiring large tracts of-land for a favored few by indirect means, that it was difficult to destroy the system. He knew of no way but an absolute sweeping away of the Native department as at present carried on. He had endeavored to have the gold duty abolished, but unsuccessfully. The speaker then condemned the system of leasing enormous tracts of land as sheep runs. He had devoted some attentiou to this matter, and he had believed it was in their power to get these leases broken up. To his consternation he found there was a conspiracy between the Government and the runholder to prevent this breaking up, butthat it was proposed on the expiry of the leases in 188 Q to renew- the leases for another fourteen years, the Government valuators to assess the runs for the renewed tenure. If the runholdera did not take the runs on these terms, then thiy were to be put up to auction. That vm ild secure occupation until 1894. It was incredible.

that any Government could introduce such a measure at the end of the session. It should have been before the country before the session commenced; in fact, before the last general election. lie and his friends had told the Government they would oppose them, and hard words were used. He observed that when the vote was taken a number oi members went with him and his friends into the lobby, but the Government said if the vote was carried against them they wouldleayeoffice, and then some of those who went into the lobby with him and his friends did go into Government lobby, and ho was certain they voted against their own conscience. But they were iu that difficulty, though not being runholders themselves, they were returned in the innholders’ interests, and could not turn out a Government by which the nmholders’ interest was upheld. Until this question was decided, there would be a great difficulty turning out the present Government until 1894. Ministers will not hesitate to support runholders’ interest. Regarding separation, he said they all knew he had tried to get separation (that was financial separation) of the two islands, with a Federal Government at Wellington to legislate and deal with customs, post office, and such like. He believed that such would he for their interest, and the interest of the colony, Until the seat of Government for the North Island wasatAuckland, they would have no chance of their grievances being redressed from Wellington. They were being governed by Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, and Marlborough. Then there was another point he had in view—the reformation of the Upper House. He did not see why men should be elevated to the Upper House at the will of Ministers, and there are seven members of that House resident in Wellington; but had they (the Thames people) one member? No ; although they were the largest constituency in the colony. He had a great regard for the members of the Upper House, who had done good service on several occasions, hut they should. not be subject to a Ministry. If separation were obtained he believed one House would be sufficient, or if a second were required let it he elective. Sir George then referred to his efforts to obtain triennial Parliaments and manhood suffrage, and said that if possible he should again meet his constituents and confer with them on other topics, one being the nomination of Governors. As regarded triennial Parliaments, he said that a large number of the leading men in England were with him on that question. Sir George was frequently applauded, and at the conclusion of his address received enthusiastic applause. Some questions were asked, and a resolution expressive of confidence in Sir George and a cordial approval of his action in the late session of Parliament was passed. An amendment thanking him, but disapproving of his action re abolition, was rejected.