Captain Morris at Tauranga.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 665, 1 April 1879, Page 2

Captain Morris at Tauranga.

Captain Morris addressed a crowded and influential meeting of electors on Friday night. After referring to the manner in which the Government obtained a majority, he said that the Hon. Native Minister came forward as a discoverer of corruption ; but if there were too many crimes committed by my side of the House, why were hot the offenders brought to the pillory of public justice during the time that the country was being stumped 1 Promises were made, but have they been performed ? In the South the people are satisfied, and say the promises have been more than performed, but has justice been done to Auckland and the North? I remember a meeting here presenting a vote of confidence in the Premier, and had I been present I should have voted for it. The programme was a good one, but it has not been carried out. To use a vulgar expression, the programme was bunkum and nothing else. I will now refer briefly to the work of the sessien. !It was felt that at last some sound | financial measures would be brought forward, but the first thing that appeared was the Land Tax BilL I opposed it, not because I am a land owner, but because I did not think it fair. Ido not like to see a raid made on one class. Taxation shouldf all equally on all — share and share alike. lam in favor of an income and property tax. Many fortunate colonists have gone Home. Ido not envy them — they are our best advertisement — but as they made their money out here I think they ought to aid us, and I am sure they would be willing to do so. As things now are they escape the income tax at Home and pay nothing here. The Beer and Joint Stocks Bills were also class taxes with which I had no sympathy. Why should beer be taxed more than any luxury 1 photography for instance ? The Government announced that they were determined to stand or fall by the Beer Bill. They said if this is not passed we will resign; and a pretty mess you will be in. The very next night a majority was provided against I them, and they did not resign. Yet these are the very men who accused the late occupants of the Treasury benches of keeping office for the sake of their salaries. I should be very sory to return the compliment and say such was the case with them. No ; they kept office for the sake of the Colony, aed in order that they might benefit the whole human race. (Laughter.) "What we want, sir, is less sentiment, more common sense, and no humbug." The next measure brought forward was the Electoral Bill. It was said that there were 70,000 working men without votes, and panting for the franchise, who were trodden down under the iron heel of a bloated aristocracy. I did not much believe it myself. In my opinion the working men of the community can return any member for whom they have a fancy. The Electoral Bill got on very well in Committee until the Government brought down an amendment called the Maori dual vote, which practically gave the Maoris universal suffrage, so that their votes would in many constituencies, have swamped Europeans. I can speak disinterestedly on this point. If anyone could get the Maori vote in this electorate I could. It is not where a man is known, but where he is unknown, that it is unfair. Had the Government passed the Maori vote, they would have been able to command an everlasting majority. I saw letters from the Government telling the natives to beware of that " bad man Morris." The hon. gentleman then referred to what he termed "the special wire job," pointing out that ib entailed a loss of £3000 to the country, and that only the Government papers were allowed the privilege. He wound up by stating that this was only part of the electorate, from which he could consent to take a vote of want of confidence. They had returned him to Parliament, and if ever they wished him to resign he should be willing to do bo. A vote of confidence was proposed by Mr. Yesey Stewart, seconded by Mr. J. J. Redmond, and carried amidst loud Applause.