system that gave a vote to a Z 5 property in the town, and required a country pro perty to be £io before it was entitled to a vote. Manhood suffrage was cal culated to give more license to individuals than was desirable. Mr. Wason then referred to Sir George’s remarks about the pressure of the Custom’s tariff on the working classes, but thought if it had been undue the working men would have made themselves heard on the sub ject. By an income and property tax, he thought an equal taxation would be secured, but he did not agree with Sir George’s idea of exempting properties of small value, as until every man’s pocket was affected that interest in politics could not be secured which the mass ought to take. He did not think an income which was produced by work, and died with a man, ought to be taxed like one arising from heritable property. An income and property tax, to be popular, would require to be de voted to the counties in which it was raised. Mr. Wason then criticised Sir George Grey’s conduct in re his attempt to stay the Land Bill after it had passed both Houses, but be fore it had received the Governor’s assent. That Bill had been much decried by Sir George, but its effect on the runs was simply a renewal of the leases to IS9O, with a reserva tion that Government could, after 1882, set apart blocks of 2000 to 5000 acres for purchase on deferred payments, and no doubt much of the land would be thus taken by a large class of useful settlers. In suppressing this fact Sir George had done a thing which was scarcely fair. He concluded by hoping that modera tion and conciliation would characterise both parties in the future, and though he would not support Sir George in his ideas of taxation, he would not give him a factious opposition. He hoped neither hero worship nor personal hos tility would be entertained, but that Parlia ment would legislate with a view to the well being of their fellow-colonists. He invited questions.

An elector’s question re the runs, elicited from Mr. Wason the statement that the matter had been fairly contested in the House. He had been in favour of putting the runs up to auction, and would have introduced such a measure if he had not been forestalled. Some settlement of the question was necessary, and he had to be content with what was done, as no member could have it all his own way. Mr. Saunders would make a few remarks, as no one else seemed to care about speaking. Mr. Wason had gone on too rapidly for him to catch all his points, but he would speak to those that had impressed him most. lie was startled by the statement that the Atkinson Ministry had saved half-a-million. That “saving” represented unfinished railways that ought to have been finished, and trucks that should have been here but were not. It was easy to save, when that simply meant not spending. He feared a great many savings of the late Government were of that kind, and pointed in the direction of indolence and inat tention rather than economy. But for this saving our railway would have been in a better position. As for the Land Fund—that went when the Provinces went, and whether was it Sir George or Major Atkinson that did most to relieve us of our Provinces and Superinten dents. The Land Fund had been undermined by a system of Treasury Bills that gave the Government power to hand money to the poor Provinces, and this expenditure the whole Colony had to meet. The Provinces with no money could pay none—who then had to pay but those who had money to pay with ? Mr. Wason led them to believe the land revenue was to he saved by Mr. Atkinson and lost to them by Sir George Grey. The under mining by Treasury Bills was an attempt to take it away gently, but the other plan, which swept it up to Wellington, was a bold one that said—“ You have parted with your watch dogs, now we’ll take your sheep.” After the verdict in the Jones’ trial, who would say Mr. Whitaker was the man to entrust with a . Native Land Bill ? Why were gold and coal ' miners more intelligent than other workmen that they should have votes specially provided for them. Every man who had been twelve months in the country was entitled to a vote, Irrespective of his rental ; and though there was a danger of very poor persons making merchandise of their votes, he much preferred Sir George’s method of manhood suffrage to any other he had come across, for it would make the community educate those they trusted with voting power, and it was better to raise the lower classes to a proper standard, than to ex clude them. A land tax would make men careful to hold little land—loo acres would not feel it, but it would not sit so lightly upon 100,000 acres. Land speculation was not a wrong thing if the laws permitted it, and even encouraged it, but the laws ought to be such as would prevent a man from injuring his neighbor. The difference between a land and a property tax was that by the latter a man profited by his neighbor’s cultivation, and that was unjust to the cultivator, for the two should pay an equal tax. Mr. Saunders went on to say that the poor man should not be made to pay more than the rich man—but the opposite. The poor man was able to change from place, and it was better to induce him to remain than drive him away ; but a law of compensation always existing would prevent taxation sitting heavily on the working man. It would be more politic to tax the land of the absentee than the food of the people. The present sys tem got at the Maori population through the necessaries of life, and that was something they would lose by a land tax that relieved food. Borrowing must cease some day, and a land tax would have to be imposed to re tain credit. Mr. Saunders then dealt with the run question, caustically referring to Mr. Wason and his fellow-runholders passing a Bill to ex tend the leases. It was as bad as if he (Mr. Saunders) and his sons had leased land from a working man, run out that lease’s term, gone into Court to have it extended on the plea of a fancied flaw, and sat on the Bench himself as judge. Mr. Wason replied to Mr. Saunders, de fending Mr. Whitaker by quoting the favorable

report of the Committee on the Piako Swamp affair—which committee 'included Sir George Grey himself. He repeated his explanation of the renewed leases, and felt certain Mr. Saunders would not attribute mercenary mo tives to him.

Mr. Reid of Westerfield, in a humorous speech detailing his early experiences as a colonist, moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Wason for his address.

Mr. Bullock seconded, saying that he did not believe 3000 acres of leasehold land could now be found in this district, though when Mr. Wason was elected there was a consider able extent. He hoped when the re-distribu tion came Coleridge would get another seat.

Mr. Saunders would not stand in the way of the common courtesy of a vote of thanks, but would add an amendment that the meeting, while thanking Mr. Wason for his address, could not agree with the political opinions he had expressed. After the recent warm expres sion of sympathy with Sir George Grey, such an amendment was called for.

Mr. Legget seconded. The amendment was negatived by 24 to 19, and the simple vote of thanks was carried.

A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

[By Submarine Cable.]

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

The Eastern Situation.

Russia’s Demand for the With drawal of the British Fleet— The Times Correspondent Murdered by the Turks— Fresh Blood in the Ministry —Austria DemandsaChanire O in the Treaty —Firm Tone of the Government Circular —England Actively Recruit ing.

Another Agrarian Outrage in I rel a n d—F a vora bl e Re v en u e Return.

London, April 2

To-day the Government sends a cir cular note to the Powers explaining England’s policy. It criticises the terms of the treaty, and insists on the neces sityofall the provisions being considered in relation to existing treaties. The tone is firm, but not defiant.

Recruiting is going on actively. The Royal Artillery at Halifax has been ordered home, to be replaced by the garrison at Montreal. The Home Government requests the Dominion to put the Pacific Coast of British Columbia in a state of defence.

The year’s revenue is unexpectedly favorable.

In reply to Lord Kimberley, Earl Car digan read a telegram from Sir George Bowen reporting that the Victorian crisis had happily ended, and political animosity would soon cease.

The Committee of Cardinals has re ported, advising the Italian Catholics to take part in the elections and accept seats in Parliament. ( Special to the Globe.) The Marquis of Salisbury’s circular to the Powers has caused Russia to order her army to prepare for war. [Per Press Agency.]

It is officially announced that Aus tria demands a change in the treaty by agreement of the Powers ; no prospect, therefore, of England being isolated.

The stntement that Russia demands the withdrawal of the. British fleet is not confirmed.

The Times' correspondent was vio lently murdered by Turks. The body was embalmed and sent to Athens, by order of the Greek Government.

The French and Austrian press en dorse strongly the English circular. Lord San don becomes President of the Board of Trade, Sir Charles Bow yer Adderley, late President, receiving the peerage. The Earl of Leitrim, a cab-driver, and a clerk, were all three shot dead to-day, near Milford, County Donegal. The crime is doubtless an agrarian one, but no arrests have been made.

INTERPROVINCIAL

Port Chalmers, Thursday.

The contest for the seat at Port Chalmers, vacated by the Hon. Mr. Reynolds, is likely to be very keen.

Mr. Joyce declines standing. Mr. H. Lench, ex-Mayor, has consented, and his supporters are enthusiastic as to his return.

Auckland, Wednesday.

Mrs. Warren pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing goous and money from Mrs. Lowrie. She pleaded not guilty to the charge of arson. The evi dence is concluded and the jury re tired, and had not agreed at ten o’clock.

The flag Ship Wolverine takes the Governor north this week.

Amongst the passengers per mail steamer outwards are the Australian cricketers. Marshal Wood the sculptor, and Bishop Harper are also passengers. Auckland stock, from Maclean and Co.’s farm, consisting of three bulls bred by Penrose, will be sent here per Hero to compete at the Sydney Agri cultural Show. Wanganui, Wednesday. Hart, the traveller for Guthrie and Larnach, who narrowly escaped drown ing on Monday, stabbed himself eleven times in the side with an iron skewer. The wounds are not considered mortal but dangerous. Thursday. He died this morning. W Ellington, Th ursday. At the Supreme Court to-day, Pat rick Sheen, for robbing lodgers in a hotel, was brought up for sentence. Previous convictions at Auckland were proved against him, and he was sen tenced to ten years’ penal servitude. Riverton, Wednesday. Sir John Coode arrived yesterday, and at once proceeded to take a gene ral view of the harbor. This morning he made an inspection, and tested the bottom at various distances, the direc tion of currents, &c. He left for In vercargill this afternoon. Greymouth, Wednesday. Dr. Somerville and Father llenne bery are holding services here. Dunedin, Wednesday. A number of railway employees have received an increase of salary. The Hon. W. H. Reynolds has ac cepted a seat in the Upper House. Hokitika, Wednesday.

No additional evidence of any ma terial moment was elicited to day in Ryan’s case, beyond clearly proving that the watch left by Ryan as security for horse feed was the watch of the murdered man. Inspector O’Donnell testified that prisoner before arrest de nied all knowledge of the watch.

AUSTRALIAN.

Sydney, April 3. Vessels are leaving Cooktown for New Guinea. Breadstuffs are much firmer. Great floods occurred in New South Wales. Three bridges were swept away near Young. The ship Hyderabad has been char tered to convey the railway plant re cently purchased by South Australia from the New Zealand Government. Captain Webber, of the Egmont, re ports that he passed round Barnard Island twice. He found several new logs and a small quantity of wreckage. The Family group and Brook’s Island were afterwards closely inspected and a few more logs seen, but no sign of any ship having been wrecked.

THE EVENING ECHO, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1878.



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