West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Saturday 19 May 1888, page 3


MR. HORGAN BEFORE THE ELECT-

ORS OF PERTH.

Yesterday evening, according to announce- ment, Mr. John Horgan addressed,the electors of Perth at the Town Hall. Shortly after 8 o'clock the Hall was crowded, several ladies being amongst those present. On Mr. Horgan appearing on the platform, accom-panied by his Chairman, Dr Jameson, Mr. Hensman, M.L C, and some other gentle-men, there was hearty applause.

Dr. JAMESON, having been duly voted to the chair, said that he rarely took part in public meetings of the kind, and he hoped

that they would aquit him of interested motives in being on the platform on that occasion. He had consented to take the chair for Mr. Horgan because he believed it was in the interests of the colony for him to do so ; because what they wanted was Re-sponsible Government ; because they had lost confidence in the present form of Go-vernment. (Cheers). It was more the part of the candidate to do so; but nevertheless be would put forward aa a few points to justify his last assertion. They were now suffering from the effects of a foolish and reckless ex-penditure to the extent of from £150,000 to £200,000, which should now be in the chest for the construction of the Bayswaterto Busselton Railway. The line from York to Beverley should not have been constructed out of loan, the Great Southern Syndicate having offered to construct it, which would have saved £60,000. The same might be said of the Greenough line if the Midland Railway had gone on with their work. Then there had been great waste of money on the sea-board, on jetties and wharves, one being ut-terly useless from having a sand bank in front of it. From a newspaper report of that morning, they would see that over 1000 persons had left the colony in the last quarter, and the present depression was he maintained due to an incapable Government. The Governor had said that the colony should be left to the laws of nature in order to recover from its present condition. This was a strange ex-pression, but if this was the Governor's idea, he really did not know what the Government were wanted for at all. He supposed, how-ever, that while the colony was left to the tender mercies of the laws of nature, the Governor and his Executive would eat, drink, and be merry, draw their salaries, and laugh at us. (Cheers.) We were at the present time also suffering from the effects of an unorganised scheme of immigration. (A voice : " Let's have Horgan.") From his own experience as the surgeon of an immigrant vessel to this colony he could state that there was no attempt made to select immi-grants as in the case of the other colonies, and that they were not passed by the doctor. He knew of one man being sent out here who had devoted his whole life to making the heads of pins. What use was such a man here? What they wanted was agricultural labourers to cultivate the land, but men were sent out who had never seen a blade of

grass. When they came out there was nothing for them to do, and they had either to starve here or go elsewhere. He had not the figures, but he was safe in saying the Colony had suffered a prodigious loss owing to Governor Broome's immigration policy. At the present time 400 immigrants were on their way to this colony, costing us about £4,000, and what would become of them, and what value did we get for them ? He would ask them to support Mr. Horgan, who would boldly fight against these and like abuses. (Cheers.) Now was the oppor-tunity to liberate themselves, and to show they would not return as their representa-tives men who supported the Government whether just or unjust Dr. Jameson then proceeded to compare the cards which the two candidates had sent out soliciting votes. Mr. Horgan said he would vote for Respon-sible Government without any further delay. He was no half and-half supporter, but would vote straight. Whatever were Mr. Horgan's feelings he was a straightforward man, tenacious of purpose, and an upholder of justice. (Cheers. ) Therefore all who were in favour of Responsible Government must vote for Mr. Horgan. Mr. Burt they all knew and respected as an able man (cheers) but they also knew that he had never favoured Responsible Government. In his card he states that is was in favour of the Con-stitution being amended. But they did not want it to be amended. (A voice. Then you'd better keep it as it is.) We want a new Constitution (cheers). Peo-

ple don't amend old worn out chairs-they got knew ones", and the same with a Go- vernment. Dr. Jameson then parenthetically referred to the interdiction of the Chief Jus-tice, and congratulated the colony on his restoration to the Bench, a remark which was cheered. If there was a man who should

have supported the Chief Justice, it was Mr. Burt the son of a Chief Justice, but he had not done so, and if he did not support the rights of the Bench and his own profes-sion neither would he support the rights of the public. (Cheers). Dr. Jameson then in-troduced the candidate.

Mr. Horgan who received a complete ovation, said it was two years since he ad-dressed the men of Perth, as a candidate for the representation of the City in the Legisla-tive Council. Upon that occasion he entered into a very lengthy account of the abuses which, in his opinion, existed in this colony, and drew off steam with high pressure. (Laughter.) His opponent upon that occasion fought a good fight against him and won. However, that was past, and he came out of it clean. (Cheers.) Since that time the public press had been teeming with instances of gross mismanagement on the part of the Governor,-he said the Go-vernor, because he was the Czar of Western Australia, Czar Broome. (Laughter.) He was the despot of Western Australia. They were actually nauseated with the attacks of that man. (Laughter.) He was sent here as the foreman of the colony, and a bad one he proved himself to be (hear, hear ) He drew his pay, but gave no value in return. (Cheers ) He was a bird of passage, and did not care that (snapping his fingers) for them. He feared he should tire them out if he entered into the details of the Governor's mismanage-ment. For instance, there was the Imperial Institute. (Laughter.) The Governor was very generous, and simply gave £2,600 to it. (Laughter.) This poor unfortunate colony (No, no, and uproar), the poorest of the Australian colonies (No, no) he hoped it wonld not be long so (cheers, during which the speaker's remarks were in-audible). Who brought it to this condition? They might well answer " Broome." The other colonies, who could buy us out,one squatter in the Eastern colonies could buy us out-(no, no)-sand and gold, and all. (laughter). Well, (the other colonies contributed nothing like that £2,000, and yet this bird of passage, to curry favour with the people at home, stuck his hands into the pockets of this colony, and said to the Imperial Institute, " Here's £2000" (Laughter). Then they had the Aus-tralian Naval Defence, £1300 (cheers}, which was to guard our sand. (Laughter). The Governor made up some kind of agreement, which had not the sanction of the people, and by which he paid that sum as our share. He said in the message to the Legislature, " a law will be required to give force to that agreement " Will be required ! The Czar again. (Laughter). He (the speaker) con-sidered he had a claim upon this colony. He was not an Australian man by birth, but this was his adopted country, and old as he was, he would go out any day, in order to fight for it.

(Cheers.) He said " Australia for the Aus-tralians !" (prolonged cheers.) England was only interested in the colonies for the sake of the trade of Australia, and if England was interested in it, let her protect it (hear, hear,) and not ask a poor colony (no, no,) to contribute £1300 a year for that purpose. Coming to the question of reckless expenditure, he had said on the previous occasion when he addressed them as a candidate for Perth, that it was the Government who had wasted the public moneys, if there was waste. He had spent large sums, and had a very subservient Legis-lature (hear, hear). With the exception of two or three men, they did not represent the people, and ought all to be swept away (cheers). They had a very obedient servant in the Commissioner of Works (Laughter). See what had taken place in that depart-ment, the Department of Works, and the large waste of money there. He had been informed by a very good authority, that in that little town of Wyndham a lot of private houses had been built with Government material. (Sensation.) He waa told that by an official. Upon the rail-way from Bunbury, as Dr. Jameson had told

them, thousands upon thousands had been wasted. Then again, the Busselton rail-way; what an advantage we would have derived from it, had it been carried out. But all the Governor's friends and parasites came to the conclusion that he should not have it. The West Australian newspaper-that reptile sheet (loud laughter) - had been favoured by the Governor at an expense to the colony,

of £2,000 a year for a special train to carry its newspaper to Fremantle.(Laughter.) Then, there was the immigration question. Last year immigrants were brought here at a cost of £5,820. They might come, bad, good or indifferent, and immediately upon their arrival, turn their backs upon us. Why? Because the Legislature here was plainly composed of squatters who had held, with a firm grip, of the land, and did not want any others to get hold of it, but said "Getaway, you shall not get it." (Laughter.) Well, if an immigrant came here, and got 100 acres of land upon a ten years tenure, at the ex-piration of which it would become his own, upon condition that he worked it, he would be an acquisition to the colony, and would be a useful instrument in eclonization . But

there was nothing of the kind for him. But inducement was held out to keep them here; but they were allowed to land on the sand, and shift for themselves. Upon the question of reckless expenditure he could speak with authority. He would refer them to that case of Egan v. Phillips, in which that remarkable dictum was uttered, that " the King can do n0 Wrong. (Hear, hear.) He was just then in the middle of his election, and was anxious to get something for the poor man Egan, (hear, hear). He accordingly wrote to the Governor through the Colonial Secretary, asking him to give the man something, and saying that for peace sake he would take £25. That case cost the colony £700, Why ? Because it was John Horgan, the man who opposed the Governor, who at that time asked the Governor for a settlement. That

man carried his spite everywhere ; he would carry it even up to hell's gates (loud laugh-ter). Well, there were really so many instances of reckless expenditure, he would have to cut his speech short (" No, go on", go on ! " There they were, with Czar Broome (Laughter). They were muzzled (Laughter.) They must not do this, and they must not do that. The Parliament passed a bill in con-nection with the Victoria Public Librarythat was one of the projects he mentioned in his address, which the Governor adopted What did the Governor do when the House passed a bill depriving him of the right of no-minating trustees? He rejected the bill,and ap-pointed the following trustees -Sir Malcolm Fraser, Mr. S Burt, Mr. J. W. Hackett, and Mr. F. J.Hickling : He never heard such an insult offered to justice as was offered by these appointments! There were two judges of the colony, men who were in every respect qualified to act as trustees, and they were rejected. (Shame ) Now, the Governor went to Sydney, in February last, and his suite consisted of Mr. S H Parker, Mr. Leake, and Mr. Steere, a trio, and one family (laughter), Dr. Scott and Mr. R.F. Sholl, another family (laughter), and Mr. Venn, who, unfortunately, was alone. (Laughter.) These gentlemen went to Sydney, and they inspired the Sydney Morning Herald, which afterwards published an article on the colony, inwhich it was said certain West Australian gentlemen had supplied them with information, and that all over the country districts and among the more respectable part of the community the Governor was extremely popular (Laughter.) He had been subjected to the abuse of mob oratory, and he was not regarded by the lower orders in the towns of Perth and Fremantle with favour. He noticed that that reptile sheet, the West Australian (laughter) which was the embodiment of lies, distortion, and low journalism (cheers and laughter), that production lately alluded to a meeting of citizens which was held in that hall,

and described them as mere " artizans." He though it was rather a compliment to the artisans, although evidently it was intended in a different sense. (Cheers ) He now came to the six hungry families. (Excessive merriment). He had travelled a good deal over the world and he had never, till he came to this colony, met a people such as these six hungry families. (Laughter). They were all shoddy, mean, conceited, and impe-cunious. (Prolonged laughter). These six hungry families had ruled the roost hitherto. Gentlemen of the jury-(amusement)-for they were a jury, he would ask them, would they by their verdict in this election, continue their ruin? (Cheers and laughter). He would now come to Mr. Burt. (Cheers). He waa a brother professional for whom he had the greatest respect. (Cheers). He had never found any difficulty or hitch in his dealings with him-(cheers)-but he could say as much for other firms in the city. But he spoke of him now in his political aspect. He could not deny he was the creation of the Governor. (Laughter) He could not deny he came forward as the ideal champion of the six hungry families: (Laughter). Mr. Burt had been pushed to the front-by whom? By a little man named Shenton. (Laughter ) He had often been amused by that little man. (Laughter.) He imagined he could pull all Perth by the nose. (Laugh-ter.) He was the Warwick, the King-maker. (Laughter.) Well, he thought it was about time they rebelled against   impudent dictation of that kind. When his honoured friend Mr. Hensman, (cheers) was forced by brutal treatment, in vindication of his honour as a gentle-man to give up his position, who was at once ready to jump into that position ? As the Governor said in one of his letters, "Mr. Burt unreservedly placed himself in my hands." He yielded up his body and his soul, unreservedly, to the Governor. (Laugh-ter ) Who went to London, to the Colonial Conference, as a spy on the Hon. John For-rest, the Commissioner of Crown Lands ? (Voice : That is a lie. ) He went as the agent of Governor Broome. The colony selected John Forrest to represent it, but the Broome selected Mr. Burt. (Laughter). He was not much of an artist, but he was thinking, seriously, of making a sketch of the six hungry families-(laughter)-in the shape of a genealogical tree. He wanted to show the roots, the branches, and the fruit, and how was still endeavoring to feed voraciously upon, the vitals of Western Aus-tralia! Cheers and laughter). But he could not get a piece of canvas large enough -he would want a piece the size of the floor of the hall-and the task was one of such magnitude, he gave it up. He had been informed there were a lot of questions to be put to him, and as he would again address them upon a later occasion, he would not say much more, at present. He would, how-ever, say this : That if by their verdict, they elected one who was always opposed to Responsible Government, and who in his address was undecided, and was shifty (no, no, and uproar, during which the rest was lost ) He was just like a man taking a little pill. (Laughter.) It was nauseous, and he beat about the bush before swallowing it, because it was an ugly dose. He was now prepared to answer any questions that were put to him, and expected a regular fusilade from the friends of Mr. Burt. (Laughter and cheers.)

Mr. HORGAN having concluded his speech, Mr. W. H. Neelands rose to put some ques-tions to the candidate, when he was met with a perfect uproar of cheers, laughter, orders to sit down, and to ascend the platform. After some time he managed to obtain a bearing, and proceeded to interrogate Mr. Horgan. Mr. Maley, Mr. Longson, Mr. Crowder, and Mr. Alex. Forrest also put a number of questions to him. Mr. Horgan stated himself opposed to State aid to re-ligion, in favour of manhood suffrage, of the exclusion of the Chinese, of taxing the land of absentees, and of retrenchment in the Civil Service. He also stated he would, under Responsible Government, support any Ministry which he believed rep-resented the people thoroughly.

Mr. HENSMAN, in reply to loud calls, said he was there that night to support Mr. Horgan in the strongest way he could. Two years ago Mr.Horgan come forward, and one of the main points upon which he asked the support of the electors was that he was a strong supporter of Responsible Go-vernment. (Cheers ) At that time Responsible Government was not as fashionable as it was now, and had not been carried in the Legislature by a majority of twelve to one, with two or three gentleman making their way to the refreshment room. (Laughter.) He was one of the first men to come forward, and speak in a strong and manly way in favour of sweeping away the present state of things. (Cheers.) And he would ask them if there had not been since that time a healthier tendency in the colony. Now he

would suppose he did not know either of these candidates, and had taken up the post cards they had sent to the electors. One was signed " S. Burt," and then he read "that this question of Responsible Gov-ernment has recently been forced to the front." He did not like that expression, and would say it was very probable they would have heard nothing of it had it not been forced to the front; He took up the other card, signed "John Horgan," and read that he was "an earnest advocate of the rights of the people." He should say "That is the man for me." (Cheers). What did they want to do ? They wanted to put an end to the pre-sent Government, which, had too long mismanaged the colony.(hear, hear). Observe how they had put forward their estimates one day, only to take them back the next, (Laughter.) He had heard it said that one of the best tests of good Govern-ment was the management of the finances of the country. And when they saw how the Government had mismanaged affairs, and how the representatives of the people in the

Legislative Council - to use a common phrase-never opened their mouths except they put their feet into them, it would be seen they wanted men who would put an end to this state of things at once. As an instance of the foolish extravagance of the Government he mentioned the Geraldton-Greenough railway. He had no wish to say anything against the district, the people of which he respected, for he had been among them and they had treated him most kindly, but he found there a line costing about £00,000, having four or five crossing-houses, fit for gentlemen's homes, which were so useless that they had to put people in them to take care of them. (Sensation). We did not want an expensive gentleman from Europe, who might have been a very good manager of tramways or railways; we wanted to get over the ground with our railways as quickly and as cheaply as possible. The speaker then referred to the cost to the colony the recent official

scandals had been. He would not refer to his own case, although he knew what it was to be insulted, interdicted, and to have his character presiled, and for the person who had attacked him to have his statements rejected, and cast back in his teeth; He was proud to think he had given up £600 a year rather than belong to such a body as the present Government. But he would pass his own case with the remark that it had cost the colony several hundreds of pounds, because Governor Broome had been ordered to pay to him, the speaker, the money which had been paid to Mr. Horgan's opponent, Mr. Burt. He was not going into the interdiction business, but were they going to pay two Chief Justices for eight months or one ? (Cries of " one'.") He believed the colony would only agree to pay the salary of the lawful judge, and if the person who acted as judge, and who was shuffled about like a card in a pack wanted to be paid he should go to Governor Broome for the money. (Cheers.) Whom did they want to represent them ? A man who was not prepared to stand up for the great principle of the independence of the judges,

or the one who was ? What had Mr. Justice

Stone -a man whom they all respected-said? He had said that a great principle

was involved in the interdiction of the Chief Justice-the independence of the bench. Eight months ago Mr. Burt refused to come forward and participate in an address of sym-pathy to the Chief Justice, when he was struck down by the Governor, (hisses) and a few days ago he refused to sign an address of congratulation to him on his restoration (hisses), and he did so in a manner uncalled for (Mr Longson : Was it in a private letter ?

Are you going to read it ?) His good friend, Mr. Horgan had consulted with him, and they considered that the lawyers would be glad to come forward and present an addressto the Chief Justice. Were they to ask the Attorney General to move in the matter ?

(Laughter.) However, he had taken upon him-self to send out circulars requesting the mem-bers of the bar to meet in the robing-room half

an hour before the sitting of the Court. He was not going to read the reply from Mr. Burt (here Mr. Hensman addressed himself in a marked manner to Mr. Longson), but he would simply say that he received a refusal from Mr Burt to participate in the address. When he met the members of the bar in the robing-room he read them an address he had prepared and asked for suggestions, and those present said that they would rather the address should not be altered. They then

went into the Court, and he, the speaker, had spoken to the Chief Justice the words of the address. It was not often that he referred to what appeared in the newspapers, and he had never condescended before to notice what the West Australian had said of him. Since he had been in the colony that journal had never lost an op-portunity of sneering at him, or of endeavor-ing to damn him with faint praise, but in spite of it he had the satisfaction of feeling that he had the sympathy and practical sup-port of a great number of people in the colony-(cheers)-and if he got up in the morning and found that paper praising him, he should come to the conclusion that he had been making a fool of himself. (Laughter).

That journal, speaking of his address to the Chief Justice, had referred to his un-suitableness as spokesman, but, as he had said, he did not assume the position, it was conferred upon him. It further re-ferred to the bitterness of his remarks, but if he had spoken bitterly the bitterness of his remarks was that of all the members present. He would advise the person who penned that paragraph-and he hoped he would not again have occasion to refer to him-that the next time he went to church (if ever he did go to church) to remember that passage of scripture commanding one to beware of bearing false witness against one's neighbour. (Laughter and cheers.) He would now proceed to Mr. Burt, that gentleman who had boxed all points of the political compass, and who, amongst other things,had been so very ready to step into his, Mr. Hensman's, shoes. Mr. Hensman then, by way of parenthesis, re-ferred to the Governor's action ignoring and insulting the Legislature in vetoing their bill appointing the Governor-in-Council to the conduct of the affairs of the projected Victoria Library. He asked them did they want as their member a man who would countenance this sort of thing ? Mr. Burt would have the support of the bank clerkshe begged pardon, bank managers, he hoped all the clerks would vote for Mr. Horgan -(laughter)-and of the Mayor and his brother storekeepers-(laughter)-who had waited upon His Excellency the Go-vernor. He would also have the votes of the Executive and the Government House clique-these toadies who crawled through the back door of Government House. (Laughter and cheers.) That was the sort of a man they did not want to have. They wanted a man who would oppose the class which had hitherto had every thing its own way. (Cheers) He hoped that the bank managers did not possess any power over anyone there ; no bank manager had such power over him (lucky man). But whoever had it in his power to punish them or oppress them, they should remember that the ballot protected every man who went to the poll. He looked upon this as a test election - it would prove whether the electors were really in earnest or not on the question of Responsible Govern-ment. What would the present governing class say if Mr. Burt were returned ? They would be uproarious with delight-and what would they say if John Horgan got in ? In conclusion he would answer a question put by some one in the body of the hall "What was the best way to obtain Responsible Gov-ernment ?" To this he would reply - by putting into Council men like honest John Horgan. (Uproarious cheering, during which Mr. Hensman resumed his seat.)

A vote of thanks to the chair, and some instructions from Mr. Horgan to electors how to vote, illustrated by a large illustration of a voting paper, brought the proceedings to a close.

The new lady nursing staff for India left England last month. They have been selected from the nursing staff of St. Bartholomew's and Guy's hospitals, and go out to train the orderly staff of the Indian military hospitals. On leaving Victoria Station the seven ladies under Miss Loch's charge were, like her, dressed in their gray winter uniform. Before the train steamed out of the station a royal carriage arrived with a bouquet of hothouse flowers, and the royal wish of Godspeed.