THE MEMBER FOR MOUNT IDA AT ST. BATHANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2045, 4 May 1893, Page 15

THE MEMBER FOR MOUNT IDA AT ST. BATHANS.

Mr Scobie Mackenzie, while on his way to Clyde, addressed a meeting of electors at St. Bathans on Monday, April 24, at Nolan's Hall. Mr John M'Combe presided, and briefly introduced the member for Mount Ida. Mr Mackenzie had, he said, represented them for many years in Parliament, and was so well known to all present that he scarcely needed an introduction from him. Though he (the chairman) had had.no personal acquaintance with their member he had followed his political life closely, and had read most of his public speeches, and had consequently made himself quite familiar with his political career. It was not necessary that he should occupy more of their time, and he merely requested an attentive hearing, and he had much pleasure in calling on Mr Mackenzie to addreS3 the meeting. The meeting had nob been advertised in any paper, but the attendance was nevertheless larger than that of other meetings of the same description. The hall, though a large one, was weU'filled up. It is unnecessary to go over what has been already published, therefore I merely propose to give Mr Mackenzie's remarks on some local questions of importance which, for pressure of time, he said he had to omit at Naseby. Mr Mackenzie received a very hearty reception, and, when once started on the business of the evening, hejtept his audience interested and in great good humour all through.

THE OTAGO CENTRAL EAILWAY.

He said he had supported this railway to the very utmost of his power. Some of them "might have thought that he had done wrong in sticking to Hyde as the place upon which the expenditure of the money available should be concentrated, but they would admit now that it was the right thing to do. The great thing was to set it actuary running to some place where the

settlers of the plain could begin to get some benefit from it, instead of; spending money over the formation of a wider area. Once, running to Hyde the next stage would be the lake, then Eweburn. He had always been hampered in the past by the notion some people held that he could not be in earnest in his advocacy of the railway because the construction of it would be opposed to his private interest, but even that low view of the matter must die of very shame now. HIS PASTORAL KUN, now almost a purely mountain one, had recently been put up by auction with an indefeasible lease of 21 years, and he had secured it. There was therefore no one in the district more largely interested in a selfish and commercial j sense in the railway than himself unless it was some leading storekeepers. He had everything to gain and nothing to lose by its rapid construction. He would do no more for it now than he did in the past, because he had honestly done his best, and these were stern facts,— (Cheers.) The speaker also dealt with SETTLEMENT, pointing out that he had striven earnestly to make the land law as liberal as possible, and had introduced many of the most liberal clauses with his own hand. He declared amid great laughter and ringing applause that we would never get a really liberal land law until we get the Scobie Mackenzie land act. The settlers of the interior had really never had justice, though the lease in perpetuity was a very easy form of settlement. The class of land in the interior was not as a rule understood, and the settler was having his best interests lost sight of in the great hunt for dummies. There was great applause when Mr Mackenzie finished his address. The meeting closed with a very amusing scene and side-splitting farce. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. v Mr Mackenzie's little encounter with Mr Ewing caused great amusement, but as mention was made of it in last issue I need not recapitulate. There being no more questions, Mr Excell proposed, and Mr Renwick seconded, a vote of thanks for Mr Mackenzie's paat services as their member, also for the very able and highly interesting address just delivered ; also approval of his action in the past, and putting full confidence in him for the future. Mr Ewing said that in moving an amendment of a vote of thanks only he wished to explain that he did not do so with any personal feeling against Mr Mackenzie. They must remember that there were two parties, and that it would be well to confine themselves to a vote^of thanks until they heard what could be said on the other side of the question. His own opinion was that the party opposed to Mr Scobie Mackenzie was the party for them. Mr T. Morgan seconded the amendment, and when put to the meeting 13 hands were held up for it. When the motion was put there appeared for it a complete forest of hands. The Chairman declared the motion to be carried by an overwhelming majority, at which vociferous cheering rent the air for a time. Mr Mackenzie then got up to return thanks, and in the course of his remarks he said Mr Ewing had told them that he had no personal feeling in the matter, and of course he believed him. He did not think that Mr Ewing was unfriendly to him, but he was bound to remind them that on every occasion he had been a very j active opponent, no matter who came forward to oppose him (Mr Mackenzie) or what his opinions might be. He supported Mr Hodge, for instance, though he was a perfect stranger to the district and came up to preach the doctrine of Protection and denominational education. Therefore though he had a right to his own vote he had no right to advise them what to do on any ground of principles. He (the speaker) acquitted Mr Ewing of personal feeling in the matter, but when he did so it left his own principles all the more difficult to understand. Mr Ewing was a man of great enterprise and energy, and a perfect prop to the district. He could understand {him supporting his future opponent at the next election because that opponent is a goodfellow, buthis line all through must be regarded as one of those instances which science will yet have to solve. — (Laughter.) Perhaps the solution will turn out very simple. When we are gone some clever doctor may discover it. He may find the remedy and look back on such a case as this, and say, "It was an extraordinary thing for such a man as Ewing to always oppose such a man as Scobie Mackenzie.— (Laughter). And yet if the poor fellow had had his head shaved and a couple of blisters put behind his ears in time he might never have done it. — (Uproarious cheers and laughter.) He (Mr Mackenzie) had to thank the electors for the kind vote just passed, and he would now move a very hearty vote of thanks to the chair." This was carried with acclamation.

After the meeting a committee was formed to use every legitimate means to secure Mr Scobie Mackenzie's return to the next Parliament, and it was resolved that this committee should co-operate with the central committee at Naseby.