MR. GILLIES' ADDRESS.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 228, 25 October 1873, Page 2

MR. GILLIES' ADDRESS.

On Tuesday cv.-ning last Mr Gillies met his constituents in the Mechanics' Institute, Auckland. The following is a condensed report of hit speech. Ho wished the electors to cousider the position of affairs at the termination of the last session. At that time there was a large and united opposition consisting of nearly one-half of the, whole House. About the beginning of , this yearj Mr Waterhouse, who had thrown a in* tie of respectability oTer the Ministry on account of his character, seceded from the Ministry, which was dissolved in consequence. Then, during the recess, the great San Francisco service came to grief, and the peace of the North Island had been disturbed by an outrage which terminated in the murder of Sullivan. Iheie things, together with the fact, übich none could deny, that the immigration scheme htd proved itself a great failure — (hear, hear) — coupled with the distrust of the country in the capabilities of certain members of the Ministry, tended to render the position of the Ministry shortly previous to the meeting of Parliament anything but a secure one, and Ministers themselves were aware of it. Although at this time the Ministry themselves, and members generally, thought a dissolution was inevitable, nevertheless within a month or two of the commencement of last session certain events oc curred which gave them a much firmer tenure of office. First, there was two seats held by Opposition members which became vacant, and these were tilled by avowed Ministerialists. This gave strength to the Ministry. Then the appointment of Mr Mackay as Government plenipotentiary in the Waikato, gave considerable confidence to the settler* there and to the inhabitants of the North Island generally, that any further outrages on the part of the natives would be met firmly and decidedly, and without any temporising. (Applause.) Then, notwithstanding the break down of the San Francisco service, I believe that the authority given to Mr Thomas Russell to negotiate for anew service, gave cotsiderablc confidence at nny rate in this part of the colony, that any new contract entered into would be characterised by a business-like prudence. Then again, shortly before Parliament met, rumours which ultimately proved true were abroad to the effect that Mr Stafford was about to resign the leadership of the Opposition. All these things teuded to strengthen the position of the Ministry immediately before the meeting of Parliament, and left matters in a state of great doubt as to what was to be the position of affairs when Parliament met. The idea was also carefully propagated that if Ministers were beaten a dissolution was inevitable. This idea was distasteful to a number of members who would never return to their seats in the event of a dissolution. About a week after the commencement of the session the rumours with regard to Mr Stafford took definite shape, and that gentleman formally announced to his followers that he, on private and personal grounds, would cease thenceforward to be the leader of the Opposition. He said that he was not prepared to undertake the responsibilities which naturally attached themselves to a leader of the Opposition, mid lie therefore resigned bis leadership. Those members who hud previously followed Mr Stafford did not think it wise or prudent to appoint another leader to the Opposition, but it was considered that members should be left to their own judgment without being united in any party bonds. This was agreed to on two grounds ; first that in the present circumstances of the country it would not be wise to turn out the present Government, because they would by:>y •:> doing a»suine the responsibility and odium of the results of the policy of the present Government. These results the Opposition bad clearly in view, and they were not propared to make themselves responsible for them. (Applause.) The second ground was that the absence of any organised opposition removed any point of attack on the part of the Government which might tend to cover their own shortcomings, and it was thought well to let the Government answer for their own acts. When there were two party leaders, the 'party could appeal to the utterances of a few of its leading men as being the utterances of each individual in the party. Then again when there were recognised parties and leaders, these leaders were looked upon as having the good of the country at heart, however much they might differ in opinion as to how the good was to be done. They were always m such a case prepared to consult with each other as to what should be made subjects of party debate. Did they (the electors) think that, if there had been organised parties during the last session, the great question of immigration would have been passed over with the very slight notice that was taken of it ? Did they think that Sullivan's murder would have been passed over without a word, had there been any organized party who could have taken it up with a chance of having it fairly discussed, and bringing the whole mutter before Government P (Applause.) A discussion on the financial position of the colony had been attempted in the Legislative Council, and it had been said, not inappropriately, that the Upper House during the past session virtually assumed the office of her Majesty's Opposition. That fundamental question, viz., the relations between the General Government and the Provincial Government! of the colony, he considered as lying at the bottom of all progress in political institutions | Until they had these relntions defined, they should never come to any other conclusion than that they 'should have on the one hand a blind faith in Provincial institutions, or, on the other hand, a blind denunciation of them. The only subject which elicited any feeling was the Provincial Loans Bill, which, however, only interested a few to w horn it was of vital importance that the bill should bo passed. Sooa after the session commenced the Minister of Justice brought down a lot of law bills, affecting the ]>art of u legal reformer, but very soon his incapacity to enact, the part of a legal reformer was to apparent that bill after bill was throw n out, and those that were passed [out of pity were passed with the certainty that the number would be largely reduced in the Upper House. During the session 160 bills were laid before the House, and he asked them how they could expect a man to represent them honestly and fairly when ho had to read and consider, to read and consider 12 or 15 bill* a week. There was no time to read them. Orly about 80 of these bill-* passed into law, the rest being thrown out; and many of these bills bad been passed without being read and btudied by the members. Their represent a Hvc« were considered as public property, and they had much work to do over and above their actual Parliamentary duties. They had to uct as members of committees during the day, and lit night to sit in the House. A great deal tlmt they did was done at Imphnznrd, and upon inloimstion uc.>i?ed from different persons, nml upon great ami careful coiiMdcration on their own povla Thus it was that legislation w::s so defective. He would sum up the result of the session as briefly as possible. They had passed 80 laws, good, bud or indifferent. Thirty of these ho might call 1 eul huu (jeisonul Act*, belonging to particular provinces. Nj one of the laws passed was in hie opinion a subject of importance to the colony. Hut

they had done ■omething for th» colony — they had in-crra-ed its taxation. Thej had changed the tariff and so increased largely the amount that would bo levied insensibly from every ono of them, and they had increased the liabilities of the colony mid its borrowing authority to the extent of two and throe-quarter millions, and that was ■omething. Ho prop >snd Hio AuoUand Supreme Court Site Bill which was to sctt'e a difference between the City Council and Provinci il Government, and got it passsed through the House of Kepresentatives in a satisfactory shape, lie would here incidentally refer to what had often been snid as to ill feeling between himself and the General Government having resulted in injury to the province. That wai purely the idea of people who desired to propugatu fjoli3h notions, because, wherever there vai a question upon which the Government and himself agreed, they helped each other. Ho felt bound to tell them his action with regard to Mr Fox's Licensing Bill. He gave his support to that measure, not because ho thought it wts perfect, but because he believed it a step in advance, a vindication of a good idea, and that it was well they should endeavour, at least, to advance towanU one general system for the whole colony. Then there was a bill brought n, oilledthe Timber Floating Bill, in regard to which there was a considerable difference of opinion amongst the Auckland representatives. He would (ell them why ho supported that measure. Amongst tho various resources of the province he knew of none destined to be more valuable than the timber land. For a very considerable time past he had heen conscious of that, and refused to alienate those lands at the cheap rate at which they were previously alienated. He did not deny that private interests might be affected by the measure, but private interests must give way to the public good in all case* — although of course, they should be carefully protected. He would refer to the San Francisco Service. He was glad to find that Mi* Thomas .Russell had probably been successfnl m establishing a postal service, and one which was likely to prove better than the previous oue. He would here correct an error into which his colleague the member for City West-, Mr Williamson had fallen, in saying that to Mr Vogel was due the credit of giving to Auckland a branch service connecting A uckland with the Suez line. Mr Gillies then referred to the debates published on the subject in Mansard, and read the resolution proposed bj Mr Vogel for toe establishment of a service from Melbourne to Wellington, landing and receiving mails at the Bluff, Port Chalmers, and Lyttelton, which he said left out of sight altogether the requirements of Auckland and the North Island. To that resolution Mr Sheehan moved an amendment to the effect that a simultaneous arrsngeinent should be made pending the re-establishment of tho San Francisco service, for a service direct to and from Auckland and Sydney — connecting with the Suez line, at a cost not exceeding £5,000 per annum. Therefore his colleague Mr Williamson was in error in saying that they had to thank Mr Vogel for anything in reference to the mail service. A good deal had been said with reference to the half million for the purchase of land in the North Island, but he would tell them the secret of that transaction. Mr Vogel proposed that the £500,000 should be sefc apart for the purchase of lands in the North Island, but did not say how it was to be charged. But, judging from the fact taut £200,000 set aside in the previous year was to be charged' provinoially, it was understood that this' half million was to be charged in tho same way. A few members belonging to the North Island met together to consider how that portion of the colony was to be protected. They thought that the South Island had got to the windward of them in getting a Hnd fund, and that the North Island was fairly entitled to have a land fund, and to obtain Provincial estate at the expense of the colony. (Hear, bear.) He (Mr Gillies), the Superintendent of Wellington, one or two members from Auckland, including his colleague the member for City West, and one or two Wellinlon members, consulted on the subject. The matter was brought before the consideration of several members of the North Island, and they came to the conclusion that the utmost they could hope to obtain would be to make the half million a colonial charge. That was the first origination of the idea,, and it oocurred before the caucus of Southern members took place. The North Island members knew that the Southern members had the majority of votes, and that unless they could influence them to bring the proposal forward there was no h >pc of its being carried, and they set the idea to work among the Southern men, and absolutely got them themselves to go to the Government and propose it, although it was in fact the proposal of the Northern members. When the proposition was made it was suggested by the Southern members that the North should take the money in full of all demands. With regard to Jthe arrangement of 1856, he said, No, we will take this as an instalment of justice only. On hearing that the Southern members became doubtful about consenting to the proposal at all, he (Mr Gillies) said, say nothing about its being an instalment of justice ; we will take the money and discuss that question afterwards. That was the meaning of what he said. At the same time he said the Government must not consider thab the providing |of funds for the purchase of native lands meant providing a provincial estate. The whole thing depended upon the .administration of these funds when they were obtained. In 1856, £180,000 was granted for the purchase of native lands in the North Island, £90,000 of which was for this province ; and how was it squandered? Thnt was under the old native land purchase •ystem. and "the result will be the sai ~t again if this £500,000 was to be dealt with under the same system. They would not get an estate, and the money would be devoted to salaries to this and that officer. There was another mistake which he wished to correct with regard to his action. Mr Williamson, as reported in the newspapers, seemed to think that he (Mr Gillies) had not .applied to the Government for money to purchase land with; that he had failed in his duty in that respect, and that only £4,000 had been spent in the province out of the £200,000. He felt certain that Mr Williamson had been mis-reported, or had been under a misapprehension, for if if there was anything that he had persistently urged upon the General Government, it was the acquisition of native lands and the extinction of the native title wherever it could possibly be done. He was persistently refused the power to purchase native lands on behalf the Government. Mr Gillies snid he had been repaid the money, but instead of reoeiving interest he had hud to pay £1 14a to the bank for the advance. There being no other question, Mr Gillies resumed by saying that there were certain remark* which he would reserve for another occasion, as they were very well aware lift had publicly challenged Mr Dargaville to make good certain statements in regard to himself and his administration as Superintendent of the province, and he had intended to advert to them to-night. He did not think i". would be fair to them for him to waste their time in doing so, because it would take too long ; and, as Mr Dargaville had politely stated that he was prepared on lm return from the North to mr et him on the suhject, he would not do more than merely glance at one or two of the points. He desired them to understand that he did not wish to mix himself up in the slightest degree with the question of the oleotion of Superintendent.