MR SAUNDERS AT PENDARVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 662, 14 June 1882, Page 2

MR SAUNDERS AT PENDARVES.

About sixty electors met Mr Saandera last night in the new School at Pendarves, Mr Rule occupying the chair. After speaking about an hour on general public matters, he invited questions. Mr Purnell, as an elector of the district, wished to ask the candidate a question, but before doing so, would, with the permission of the meeting, explain why having determined not to contest the Wakanui seat on the present occasion, he had resolved to support Mr Saunders. They would all agree that whoever the future member for Wakanui might be, he ■ should be a man of decided views, so that they might be able to form a pretty accurate idea beforehand as to what course he was likely to follow in the Assembly. Now, Mr Ivess was a man whose views were both extreme and unsettled. When he first came before the electors he did so as an advocate of a “bursting-up tax ” —in fact, there was to be a general “ burstup ” all round if Mr Ivess were elected, ... although what was to come afterwards Mr Ivess did not condescend to say. (Laughter.) These violent views, however, seemed to tickle the unthinking portion of the community, although the sober-minded naturally saw through such nonsense Mr'lvess perceived that this cirdinal feature of his programme did not meet with the approval of thoughtful persons, and had accordingly abandoned it, and, taking a leaf out of Mr Saunders’ book, advocated a tax upon unimproved arable land, which was a very harmless measure, and radically different from the bursting-up . process. Then, too, Mr Ivess possessed faults of temper, and a want of self-command, which rendered him unfit to be a member of the House of Representatives. On the other hand, even Mr Saunders’ enemies would admit that his views were fixed and that his long political career enabled them to judge with certainty what his line of conduct would be in the Assembly. The term “ Liberal ” had been much abused during the last few months, but there could be no doubt that his actions had proved Mr Saunders to bo a genuine “ Liberal ” of the old English type. The working men of the constituency had also been freely appealed to. Now ho (Mr Purnell) thought it was a mistake for a candidate to appeal to the suffrages of any particular class, since a member ought to be sent to represent all classes of the community. Still, if the working men did want a representative of their particular interests, Mr Saunders was the man who they ought to support, since, in days gone by, when the colony was really governed by a moneyed oligarchy, and when it was not quite so safe to advocate their cause as it was now, Mr Saunders had consistently supported the rights and interests of tho working classes. Since, therefore, he had fought their battles and borne the heat and burden of the day on their behalf, it would be something approaching ingratitude on their part if tho working men of Wakanui rejected Mr Saunders in favor of a man like Mr Ivess, who had never done anything for them, and could only make promises, which every practical politician knew could never be performed. It was no figure of speech to say that the eyes of tho whole colony were directed to the present contest. Nobody s outside the district cared whether Mr Ivess was elected or not, but Mr Saunders’absence from the House had made a gap there, and if he were defeated it would seriously discourage all public men . ; who had hitherto maintained the interests

of the working classes, for each would say to himself—“ What has been Mr Saunders’ late may also be mine.” Even, however, were the two candidates equal in'other respects, he would still support Mr Saunders in preference to Mr Ivess, as being the most likely to carry weight in the House. Mr Saunders had been en-

gaged in New Zealand politics for a quarter of a century. He had been Superintendent of Nelson, and a member of the House for a long time, and had held' other important public offices. He *had made for himself a position in the House, of which the constituency would reap the benefit. He had learnt Parliamentary tactics, and “knew the ropes.” Experi ence of this kind was always valuable to a constituency, but was particularly so at the present time. Although Mr Saunders, being a practical politician, declined to make promises which he might not be able to fulfil, a man of his weight in the

House would be much more likely to get the district a share of the new loan, if such were obtainable, than a novice like Mr Ivess, who, before he could gain the position now held by Mr Saunders in the Assembly, would have to learn his experience, and he would learn it at the ex pense of his constituency. Mr Purnell concluded by asking those who had voted for him at the last election to follow his lead now and vote for Mr Saunders as a party. (Cheers.) He wished to ask Mr Saunders whether he would be in favor of removing the seat of Government to Ohristchurch, if such could be done at a moderate expense. Mr Arnold would like to ask Mr Purnell why, if they were not to elect Mr Ivess because of his political inexperience, did Mr Purnell, being himself inexperienced, oppose Mr Wason at the last election 1 Mr Purnell said there was no comparison between tho two cases. Mr Wason had only been in the House for three or four years, and he certainly did not shine there. Although he (Mr Purnell) had not occupied a seat in the House of Representatives, he was not inexperienced in New Zealand politics. He had been a journalist and a political worker for a long period, and in various ways, of which Mr Arnold probably knew nothing, had been connected with New Zealand politics. Mr Arnold said Mr Ivess’ writings had alsd been extensively read. Mr Purnell: No ; he has never written anything. Mr Arnold : Mr Ivess is a litterateur. Mr Purnell: No ;heis a printer.

Mr Saunders said that he knew as little what Mr Parnell intended to say or to ask as Mr Arnold or any other person present. He:thanked Mr Purnell for the handsome manner in which he had spoken of him, and as to Mr Ivess’s absence, no man who was a candidate for a public position could object to have his public opinions and actions criticised in his absence on a public platform in the presence of his friends. That was the proper place to ■ay.anything about an opposing candidate, and not by private tittle tattle and by anonymous articles in a man’s own newspaper. It was not merely the only manly way to criticise the opinions of an Opponent, but it was the only way that gave, the electors any opportunity to judge whether the candidate was fit for the kind of work that was required of him. _ If a man could not defend his own opinions and expose the fallacies of his opponents on a public platform, he could never take a forward or important place as a representative. That was the .special work that they required a representative to do, and not to hire persona to slander an opponent either in his own or any other answer to Mr Purnell’s question, Mr Saunders said that he had voted for every motion in the direction of removing the ■eat of Government to Christchurch, and would do so again. It would suit all the members better, except the Wellington members, as members residingintheSouth Island could get home every week, whilst even the North island members would be far'bettei off here than shut up between themountains and the sea at Wellington. Anew House of Representatives must soon be built in any case, and , ought to be built in a place where it would not be so liable to get shaken to pieces as it would be''’at Wellington with their heavy and frequent earthquakes. In reply to Mr Arnold, Mr Saunders ■aid that if borrowed money was still to be ■crumbled for, he would do what he could to get a bridge over Rakaia or any other public work that would benefit his constiiueiils, but he feared that the borrowed money was far more likely to go to the Otago central railway than to the Rakaia *”lbf o reply to Mr Lamhie, Mr Saunders ■aid that the more he thought of the Hare system of voting the more he liked it, and believed that it would remedy much,of the log-rolling and anti-colonial feeling that now degraded the House of Representatives, besides ensuring the return: of the best and most broad principled mem . ~ „ , Mr Lambie asked if Mr Saunders did not. think- that universal suffrage had tended to deteriorate the electorate bodies of tihe colony rather than to improve themj and; that: its result had proved altogetheriunaatisfaotory. . , , ' Mr Saunders said that, as one who had advocated universal suffrage for more than forty-years, he was, perhaps, a practical judge on that subject, but he was quite prepared to admit that its first result was Kbiuridns to the colony, and had, never ex■pressed otherwise. In that, as in everyKhiog eke, men must be educated up to Kheirwork, and the working men would ■don see how they were sold by flatterers Kind, unlimited promises, and take care to Kvoid them in the future. He bad no Houbt that they would soon form asauciaEons to guide their political actions, and Bit. jHfmnn to get authentic information Ki to who were their true friends, and Krhat measures would be truly beneficial ■to them. ■'' After several other questions had been ■nswered, Mr Maugham proposed—“ That Khe electors present at this meeting are of Epinion that Mr Saunders is by Etc the -best of the two candinow before the electors ofWakaKui and pledge themselves to use Kheir beat efforts to secure his return.” ■7 Jfr H. G. Parsons seconded the motion, Hjiid; in doing so, that when Mi ■Saunders first offered himself for the ■Cheviot district he promised the elector! Hjothiog though be was opposing a man Krho promised them everything. Bui the who promised everything was theii Kjjember for five years, and hardly got on« Kikpeuce for the {district; but Mr Saun who had promised nothing, gol ■justice done to the district, and L25,00l ■voted for it the last year he representec ■them. Ho would support a man whom hi Hknew to be a performer, and not a mai ■who tried to cram them with promises were only an insult to their gooi arid which no man could perform. motion was carried unanimous!; ■unanimously amid loud applause. A vote of thanks to the chair conclude ■the proceedings.