The Auokland Defection.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 935, 28 October 1879, Page 2

The Auokland Defection.

MR. READER WOOD IN DEFENCE.

In replying to Sir George Greg's upbraiding for the defection of the four Auckland members who left; the Opposition and went over to the Government, Mr. Reader Wood Said he was one. of the four Auckland members alluded to, and was not in the least ashamed of the position. He had violated no engagement. On the contrary, he submitted that he had remained perfectly true to all, engagements he, had made. When he canvassed the Waitemata district he was particularly cautious in the pledges he gave, and those pledges were to be found in his printed address. They, were that he would support the liberal measures set forth in the Governor's speech, and that he would accept Sir George Grey as leader of the party. When he came down to the House he did support Sir George Grey up to the point when Sir George himself went in opposition to those pledges. He did so both in public and in private, attending Sir George Grey's caucus meetings, and otherwise^ He (Mr. Wood) opposed the step that was taken in Sir George Grey retiring from the leadership of the party. He said at the time it was not right policy, and urged that Sir George Grey should be forced back again to the leadership of the House, and that was the course he advocated immediately after the caucus. That fact must be in the memory of hon. members, 'if they had any any memory at all. He advocated the necessity of Sir George being forced back again upon a rehiotant House. Sir George himself and Mr. Lundon would bear him out in that point. He also supported another resolution brought forward at the caucus in question — a resolution which was moved and carried. That resolution was that there should be no coalition. The charge made against him was that he had broken his pledge. The pledge he had given was given under one set of circumstances, and how could it be called breaking his pledge when' the circumstances became quite different 1 Surely it would not for a moment be contended that they were to be bound as a party together under all circumstances and for all eternity! They were told that Sir George's retirement from the leadership of the party would be followed by a large accession of members to its ranks. The fact, however, was that nearly three weeks had elapsed, and they found themselves in the same position in which they were at first. It was that which caused him to do what he did not, when he came to the House, intended doing. Then, again, supplies had been stopped, and. such being the case, he would like to know how the public service was to be provided for ? He for one was not prepared to accept the responsibility that was entailed by the course. He repeated that all these facts brought together created quite different circumstances, and he found there was no sympathy amongst the Opposition party with his views. He had the courage of his own opinions, and he would say that he had acted perfectly right. He knew that he would be branded as a traitor on the one hand, and he might expect to be lauded as a benefactor on the other. For his own part, he was alike indifferent to both expressions oi opinion. There were not now in the House two parties. There was no real differerence between members, as both sides of the House had accepted a Liberal programme. Both parties were agreed that the financial affairs of the country were in a sad condition, and that those affairs required the immediate consideration of all sections of the House, and yet, through mere personal feeling, the work could not be gone on with, because a deadlock had been come to, and if he could be the means of unlocking that deadlock he cared nothing for the abuse that might be showered upon him, confident as he was that in doing what he had done he consulted the welfare of the country. If they were to be dictated to by one man, and the wills of thirteen or fifteen members were to be subordinate to that one man, then those fourteen or fifteen members might go home, leaving the one or two men to do as they chose. He (Mr. Wood) was not responsible for anything he did to any man in the House. He was entirely free to act for himself. He was only responsible to his constituency and to his own feeling of what was right. He said it was not right that the whole business of the country should be stopped, and that people should^hot be paid the money that was fairly due to them. They had heard a good deal about arrangements made or proposed

to be made. He thought one side had very, little to say to the other on that subject. He would appeal tohishon. friend Sir George Grey as to whether he did not want to make arrangements witbi him (Mr. Wood). Sir George Grey wimld remember the occasion. It was when Sir George sent for him to his office and said that he had made up his mind to give up the leadership of the Opposition 'party, "and had arranged with Mr. Macandrew that he (Mr. Wood) should be Colonial Treasurer. Now "what was the reply he made ? He said that if Sir George Grey retired it would be contrary to his (Mr Wood's) views, adding that Sir George must make no such bargains of the kind with him. If the House desired it he would go further. Mr. Macandrew had told him that he thought he had made a mistake to force the Premiership upon him, and proposed that Jie (Mr. Wood) should take that office: He turned these different circumstances over in his own mind, and the result was that he did not feel at all satisfied; He felt that he would be occupying a false position, and that he oould not expect to have any control over the House or the Government. Subsequently he went to the member for Port Chalmers and told him so. He then repeated that he felt as I if he was placed in a false position, and it came to this that at last he did not know whom he really was following. He felt he was like a wandering sheep without a shepherd. Even if they succeeded in carrying the norcoiifidence vote, he did not see how a Government could be formed — a Government at all events that would command the confidence of the House. ' fie might be mistaken, but that was his' absolute conviction. In those circumstances he went to Mr. Swanson, knowing him to 'be an honest and independent man} a man who had not only the confidence of his own constituency, but likewise, of the whole of the provincial district of Auckland. On broaching his opinions to Mr. Swanson, that member at once endorsed them. They then put their heads together, and along with Mr. Hurst and Mr. Colbeck, made up their minds to .inform the Government that were ready to open negotiations with themT They saw one of the Ministers, who told them that if they went over the Government would undertake to db; certain things. The first was. that there should be no change in the present educational system, the second that the Liberal measures should be carried out, and the third that an account should be made put showing the expenditure on publio works in the different parts of the Colony, and another account showing the expenditure on publio works in Auckland ; and that if those accounts showed that Auckland had not received a share equivalent to what had been given to other districts, then in sotne way Auckland should receive the balance .shown due to it. There was no specific sum stipulated. They thought Auckland had been unfairly dealt by, and had not received a fair share as oompared with the South. When it became known that those negotiations were going on he was asked why he had sought to make terms with the Government when he could make as good terms with the Opposition.* Now, he would ask, whether or not under these circumstances he trad the other members he hed mentioned, had done right or wrong? So far then as he was concerned that was the position he had taken up in the business. If he was to be called a traitor and many other horrible things said of him, he had at least the satisfaction of feeling in his own mind that he had acted honestly and straightforwardly. Under all that reproach, he had made up his mind to keep quiet, and to feel satisfied with the thought that he had been instrumental in some small degree in opening the deadlock, and thereby enabling Parliament to consider the affairs of the Colony.