THE ASHBURTON SEAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1637, 16 August 1887, Page 3

THE ASHBURTON SEAT.

MB WALKER AT MOUNT SOMERS.

P Mr Walker met the electors at Mount Somers last evening There was a very large attendance, and the meeting was of a most orderly character. Mr W. Edson was voted to the chair, and after a few prefatory remarks by him, Mr Walker commenced his speech with a compliment paid to the fair and open way m which Mr Purnell, his political adversary, had thus far met him. He said that as m tho past he had supported the present Government when his opinions coincided with theirs, but had voted m other cases against them, so he would m the future preserve the liberty of his political independence. He pointed out that Canterbury owed gratitude to the fctout- Vogel Government for many reaEons ; at present especially for the construction of tbe Midland Railway, while .he Atkinson and •ther Governments had been essentially North Island' advocates. The present Government had also passed measures to Improve the West Coast coal mines and harbours, opening thus for the future a way to an enormous coal export, even, it night be, with South America Mining •chools had been started m various centres, thus furthering ar.d exciting mining rentures. In regard to encouragement to local industries, many large contracts which would at former timeß have gone ont of the country, were, after keen competition, given to New Zealand firms. Mr Walker next dealt with the Bubject of retrenchment, spealiDg m the terms of his recent speech m Asffour ton. Iv education we onght to be dateful how we tried to economise, for, as true education Ib of the gieatest importance to a State, we ought to be very anxious to preserve the exoellent system we now had. But we certainly should discourage extravagance The management of our railways should be carefully looked into, because if they were made to pay better muoh relief would be cansed m the matter of taxation, aud non-political Boards were most likely to attain such a result. The proposed increase m the Customs duties and the graduated Property Tax proposal were dealt with. He then said a few words about his Opponent, Mr Purnell. That gentleman was coming forward avowing; his conviction that the present Ministry was no longer wanted, and therefore we should get rid of them. How were we going to do sot When the ancients wanted to hoist a leader out of his place they ballotted him by means of parti-coloured beans out of tbe country. We could not treat onr legislative veterans m that way. He also differed entirely from Mr Purnell on the question of education. That gentleman wanted to break the whole system to pieces, and build an entirely new one. Here he (Mr Walker) would observe that he thought the cry of "godless education," sometimes of late applied to. our educational system, most unjust It was not godless by any means. He approved of Mr Ballanco'a land settlements, of which he had heard very good reports ; but he disapproved of the way m which the Minister discountenanced freehold tenure. He thought it foolish that Mr Ballance attempted to force upon people a -system of leasing that they did sot like, the more so that he admitted he knew how averse people were to the lease system as long as freehold could be got. A vote of thanks and confidence was, on the motion of Mr Price, seconded by Mr Harrison, unanimously passed, and the customary compliment to the chair brought tbe proceedings to a close. •