ME FOX AT DUNEDIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 603, 28 April 1870, Page 2

ME FOX AT DUNEDIN.

Dunedik, April 27, 11.14 p.m. Mr 3?ox addressed a crowded meeting this evening, at the Theatre. He said it was with feelings of diffidence that he assented to the request to address the Otago constituency, because he was not their representative, and because it might seem presumptuous on his part; to come before them personally, unknown as he was, and give his views on the political questions of the day. But he felt that to a certain extent he was the representative of all the constituencies in New Zealand. He had, however, a special feeling of satisfaction in addressing an Ofcago audience, because his recollections of the province, and of the City of Dunedin dated back to a period antecedent to what most of them could remember. Twenty years since be first visited Dunedin, when it was but a bare tract of land, in company with Captain Cargill, and then discussed with him the prospects of Otago, which at that time seemed dreary and remote enough. They discussed the best means by which they could expend the small sums of money entrusted to them for the advancement of the country, i Then there was a little community of 2000 souls, engaged in making houses, none of whom he thought had gone beyond Green Island bush, and one who had gone beyond Taieri, was looked on as a madman. Twenty-one years after he returned, amazed at what he saw, and astounded at the progress of the city, with its streets extending two or three miles, magnificent roads, stretching two or three hundred miles into the country

distric ; the spread of agriculture, goldfieids, and public works and institutions ; and he felt proud at having been connected years ago with a people who had attained such prosperity. Regarding the present position of the General Government, in reference to one or two great political problems, he wished to say that the proprietors of the leading Otago journal had not presented a clear and cheerful picture of the past year in reference to war. Perhaps he had no right to complain of the course taken by that journal, if it found pecuniary advantage in making it a mere party organ, instead of holding an even balance between the two sides, and conveying truthful information. If such a course were consistent with the sentiments of those who conduct the Press here, he had no right to, and did not, complain. But he had a right to state the facts of the case to correct false impressions created by perusal of the articles he alluded to. From that journal, which he was informed, was practically the only one having a large general circulation in the province, they received information of what was going on in the North island regarding war, and he was sorry to say the articles did not convey correct information. Many of its special correspondents were men opposed to the present Government. Some of them had held high offices under the present Government, and were now its most malignant opponents > and did not hesitate to make statements regarding war that totally misled the community to which they were addressed. There was not much difficulty in small places like Wellington and Hawke's Bay in knowing who these correspondents were. Most of them had been dismissed by the present Government, and they left no stone unturned to pay them off. He would give them a short account of the war, during the present twelve months. He hero reviewed shortly, the origin and cause of the war, and went on to say that after hostilities under General Cameron ceased, the Government of that day stood in the position of being able to settle for ever all difficulties of the Native question, and of putting an end by friendly means, to all hostile inclinations ; but they did not do so, but drove from them Mr McLean, and drifted into a new war, and the escape of the Chatham Island prisoners was followed by a war on the East Coast. Mr Stafford had said in a speech containing nothing, at Timaru, that they had only followed the policy of the late Government with respect to war. There was a great difference betweenMr Stafford's course and theirs, which was indicated by an article published in a Northern newspaper, known to be written by a member of the Ministry, which said i " thank God we are in for a great war," and in 1868 Mr Jtichmond said at Taranaki that the "proper mode of dealing with the insurrection was to |go on to its head, meaning to provoke ! a general war in the North Island." That was the idea of the Stafford Ministry, and a devastating war was the effect. That was the state of affairs when the Fox Ministry took ; their administration. Their policy bad been on the contrary, as far, as possible defensive, and they had taken up arms only when attacked, or in deI fence of allies whom they were bound jto protect. When they took, office, I Col. Whitmore was nearly involving the whole country in war. The forces I were mutinous and demoralised, and yet he was about to attack the whole King party, and thus plunge the whole country into disaster. They, however, thought best to avoid such a catastrophe, and fall back on the defensive. The effect was, that in a short time they had overtures from the King party, showing that if they abstained from aggressive measures there was every hope that peace could be settled in the country, and that hope bad to a large extent been realised. They had made no blow of aggression, all their operations having been directed to the capture of Te Kooti, whom they were obliged to attack in defence of their allies at Taupo. From the commencement of the war they had not had a single disaster, and Te Kooti had been driven into the wilds, where it was impossible to follow without the risk of provoking the King party. An important chief

of a Wanganui tribe, Topia, had offered to follow up Te Eooti until destroyed, and they had closed with the offer, and he had since proved himself one of their staunchest allies. That event could not have taken place under the Stafford administration and Colonel Whitmore, who constantly depreciated Native services. From this time Topia, Kemp, and Eopata had driven Te Kooti headlong from his pab, and utterly broken up, not only his party, but the whole of the Uriwera savages, and he believed they would not see the sword drawn again in New Zealand in connection with a war of any magnitude. The statements by the Hawke's Bay and Wellington correspondents of the paper he had alluded to, that the prisoners taken were only old women and cripples, were absolutely untrue. Only one hour since he had received a telegram from Mr Gisborne stating that all the prisoners were fighting men, mostly young and stalwart. It was admitted that many women were taken, but he contended that that was advantageous. He believed that the loss of 150 women was a blow from which Te EZooti would never recover, and that his prestige was thereby gone for ever. He claimed great success for the present Government. If they had not captured Te Eooti, they had killed and captured men of equal rank and equally dangerous, and they had done more in allaying the irritation of the natives and making friends of those who had fought against them. During Mr Stafford's Ministry, and under Colonel Whitmore, the whole country between Patea and Waitotara was denuded of its inhabitants, who were now to a great extent reinstated. He complained that many of the incidents in connection with the conduct of the war had been kept back by the public journals. They had not been given publicity to like many of the things calculated to injure the present Government. This waa a fact not to be denied. It might have occurred through their not having a trumpeter, as the Stafford Government had in Colonel Whitmore. Their man was M'Donnell, an officer who, if he could not use his pen, could use his sword ; who had fought more than twenty battles, and had been only once beaten. It was impossible in the short time allowed him to go into a detail of the war, but he had mentioned two or three of its chief points. No one regretted more the expenses of the war, or would be more willing to see the Middle Island relieved of the burden it entailed, and, as a northern member, he might express bis gratitude for the forbearance exhibited, and for the money they might nave expended on railways and other purposes. It wbb right — politically — fox them to pay a share of the expenses, for all were members of one community ; but he was grateful ior their generosity, as to expenditure, which might have been spent amongst them. He was glad to tell them that the stories which had been told lately in reference to military expenditure were falsehoods. He had seen an article stating that the Government were spending at the rate of £54sQ,QQQ per annum on war, and that they were going to add a million to the national debt. Now the real expenditure amounted to £193,630 only. In fact, up to 30fch June, they might calculate £250,000 as the expenditure for war and police, were these misstatements fair? When they took office the expenditure was £45,000 or £46,000 a month, and increasing. At that time Mr Stafford spoke as if the war were just beginning, and stated that he tended to raise a general war loan of £500,000 on revenue to enable him to carry on operations. Now they had no war loan, and did npt intend to have. He trusted they were satisfied that the Government had been avoiding useless expenditures, and that the expenditure was little, if any, in excess of the sums voted. £30,000 had been voted for roads, of which £10,000 only had been Bpent, leaving £20,000 to the good. They had made a large amount of roads through troubled districts, and a dangerous road between Wanganui and Taranaki was now safe, and Cobb's Coaches ran regularly through it. He was glad to say, the £20,000 was not expended, and hoped that at least £15,000 would be unexpended at the close

of the year. He could not, however, pledge himself to figures, and there might he small sums which Government was not acquainted with, but he did not expect more than a few thousands in excess of the sum mentioned. With regard to the constabulary, he said Otago had lent them a man through whom they were able to effect a great saving. At the time when he took over the force it consisted of 1457 men, a large number of whom he had to dismiss, leaving only 574. [Bead Branigan'a report showing that the Government had reorganised the Armed Constabulary on the | basis of the Royal Irish Constabulary system. A depot had been established at "Wellington whence recruits were sent to serve a period of probation, and after careful training and drilling they Jwere sent to their respective districts. The North Island was formed into police districts under competent officers. The present force consists of steady, reli- | able, fairly intelligent men, to whom the force, as remodelled, holds out a career of permanent employment, and the hope of raising themselves by merit to the highest rank in the service. In the meantime the force were employed in ordinary duties, and in making roads, building and repairing redoubts, bridges, and telegraphs. A main line of road and k telegraph line from Napier to Taupo had been going on during the last eight months, and were approaching completion, and Taupo and a chain of posts along the XJriwera country were permanent stations.] Centralism and provincialism had been the great questions for the last two years, causing great division between the General and Provincial Governments, the one acting as a federal, and the other as Local Governments. When Mr Stafford came into office, he was an out-and-out provincialist, as shown by his going in with Dr Featheraton. Then be took unto himself Messrs Hall and Eichmond, both centralists. He was glad to see from Mr Stafford's address at Timaru that he was so moderate in his views on thematter. He (Mr Fox) had always been an advocate of Provincialism, and all be wanted was good government, but before he threw over Provincialism he wanted to see something better. He had been told by the man who inaugurated the Westland County that he was sick of the system of counties. Let those, therefore, who opposed Provincialism show something better. They had not yet done so, although they had tried. Three years ago Auckland was down on its luck, as a province, but since gold had been found, Provincial Institutions became popular, and the greater the prosperity the more they would become attached to the institutions under which they were placed. The mind of the present Ministry was not engrossed with topics of that sort. If they had at the head of affairs an arrogant man who was opposed to Provincial Governments there would be no peace ; but if otherwise the colony. lif colony it were, which he doubted,

would go ahead like the "United Stateß had done, and become Queen of tbe j Southern Seas. The desire of the Government was to promote the prosperity of all provinces, and he believed that as they got rid of their miserable war, they would be able to create railways and roads throughout tbe country, and he trusted that Provincial Governments would not hesitate to go ahead with them, and that provinces not having land revenues would be able to do the same by means of loans. Immigration would do much good ; and if Otago were better now than when she had only 2000 inhabi- j tants, she would be still better with a million. He begged to thank them for their patient hearing, and hoped they would be able before they died to guide the affairs of the country so as to see it flourishing and prosperous to their utmost desires. Mr moved a vote of thanks, which was carried with cheers.