SIR R. STOUTS ADDRESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1596, 29 June 1887, Page 4

SIR R. STOUTS ADDRESS.

*-^-The Premier has issued the following address : —

10 THE BUCTORS OF DO KBDIN EAST.

Gentlemen. —l ogam.offer myself as a candidate for your suffrages. I will take an early opportunity of meeting you, and k explaining the political position. Mean A while, I may state tho following, amongst Hf others, are the planks m my platform :— JF 1. Retrenchment m tho public service. 2. Any additional taxation required by Jaeans of the property tax' to bo so oranged as not to increase the burdens of perßohs of email moans. 8« Any increase of Customs requisite to bo bo imposed as to assist our local industries. 4. The continuance of the small settlo ID -Dt '-.hemes "Of the Crown land m auguratod by the present Government, and the general furtherance of the agricultural and pastoral interests' m every way posBible*. •'■ '■■

5. The strengthening of local goVorntnout by the decentralis.lion of all possible Government functions. 4J The maintenance at all hazards of our educational system. I am adverse to any scheme that would throw the representation of the people .n to tho hands of tbe few, of tho weolthy, end unduly reducing the, members of the House of Representatives would do so. I believe retrenchment m our Legislature oan be effected, but this can be carried T|#.t without interfering with the number •f the numbers of Parliament. Wore the cambers reduced, several outlying or thinly peopled districts would be practically unrepresented. Even now some districts are too largo. It is passing strange that many of thoso who increased the number of members m 1881, when the population of tho colony was 490,000, Bhould now advocate a reduotion of membors when we have 695,000 people. What the present Ministry has done for the colony by its legislative measures and administrative acts I shall detail to you when I address you. I may just add that our aim has teen to frame truly Liberal and democratic laws, and to carefiilly, prudently, aud economically administer the affairs of the State. Wo have succeeded m many respect*, and m the face of a strong Oppceition party m both Houses. We havo effected large Bavings m the public expenses, and more families have been placed on. the land by us than by any previous administration. With the hearty assistance and co-operation of the Liberals m the colony we can do much * more.