PUBLIC MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 122, 3 October 1868, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

— « — A public meeting, convened, on requisition, by the Mayor, was held in the Town Hall, last night, for the purpose of considering the very serious aspect of political affairs, and pissing resolutions urging a dissolution of the General Assembly after the termination of the present session, nnd the formation of an association for the protection of Middle Islnnd interests. The hall was so crowded that there could not have b*.en less than 800 or 900 persons present. Amongst those on the platform we observed the following gentle-

• ■ ■ ■ ' ■ ***■ ' • . I . ■ == men : — HiB Worship the Mayor (chairmau), Mr W. Montgomery, Deputy-Superinten-dent, C. R. Blakiston, J.P., Joseph Palmer, J.P., William Beeves, J.P., Major Hornbrook, M.P.C., W. H. Wynn Williams, Provincial Solicitor, R. H. Rhodes, M.P.C., J. S. Williams, M.P.C., W. S. Moorhouse, J.P., J. G. Hawkes, M.P.C.Dr Foster, Dr Turnbull, Messrs Prins, John Anderson, J. G. Ruddenklau, L. Harper, T. M. Hassal, J. C. Veel, J. A. Bird, G. Gordon, J. C. St Quentin, H. Sawtell, G. H. Wilson. J. C. Helmore, &c. The Mayor, after a few prefatory observations, read a letter from Mr R. J. S. Harman, explaining the causes of his unavoidable absence from the meeting, and called upon Mr Reeves to propose the first resolution. Mr Reeves said he had undertaken the task of proposing the first resolution at a couple of hours' notice, and he therefore craved the indulgence of the meeting while he endeavoured, as well as he could, to state the reasons why the meeting should pas 9 what was in fact a vote of want of confidence in the present Ministry. Mr Reeves proceeded to refer to Mr Weld's proposal foV the enrolment of an armed force, and to che fate which befel it when brought before the House ; to the formation of the Stafford Ministry, to its acts up to the present moment, and the attempts which' it waa making to introduce radical reforms in the CoMtitution. These he condemned; and coming to tbo subject of the warm the North,asserted that the Ministry had shewn itself to be totally ignorant of the feeling which per vided the Native mind, and altogether unfit to meet the present emergency in a manner which the present and future prospects of the colony demanded. (Loud cheers.) He had therefore to move the following resolution: — " That this meeting has no confidence in the Ministry, and is of opinion that the present Parliament should be dissolved immediately after the session." Mr 0. G. Hawkes seconded the resolution, He agreed that a dissolution should take place immediately on the termination of the present session; stated it as his conviction that the House had become thoroughly demoralised, that the people of Canterbury, instead I of being represented, were most thoroughly misrepresented; and that he had no confidence

whatever in the Ministry. The Mayor put the resolution to the meeting, and it was carried amid loud cheers, not a single hand in the large assemblage being held up against it. Mr Wynn Williams proposed the next resolution as follows : — " That it is necessary that an Association should be formed for the purpose of protecting the interests of the Middle Island against injurious legislation." He alluded at considerable length to Mr Hall's connection with the present Ministry, and to the continued attempts made by him to take the power from the people ; expressed his astonishment that a man who had abused Mr Stafford as he had done in that very hall, could now occupy a seat beside him, and aid him in pro-iecutintf schemes which, if carried out, would lead to the ruin of the province which returned him to the Assembly. He also urged upon the people the necessity of political agitation, and concluded by asking Mr Moorhouse to have the kindness to explain his views on the present crisis. There were loud cries for Mr Moorhouse, but the Mayor said that the resolution had first of all to be seconded by Mr J. S. Williams. Mr Williams, in seconding the resolution, said it was absolutely necessary that the Middle Island should obtain a complete financial separation from the North Island — (Loud cheers)— that the people of the South should have a separate legislature, and that the union between the two islands should be of the very slightest character — for the purposes merely o' having the same Customs' duties, for external defence, and postal purposes. Mr Moorhouse was received with cheers. He stated that he had no confidence in the Ministry ; that the men of the North should be left to depend on their own resources to conciliate the Natives ; and that there should be a financial separation of the two islands. The meeting appeared to be perfectly unanimous on the question of separation. The Mayor put the resolution, and it was carried, like the first, unanimously, and amid prolonged cheers. On the motion of Mr W. Montgomery, a vote of thanks was returned to the Chairman, and the proceedings closed shortly before ten o'clock.