MR SAUNDERS BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3082, 13 May 1881, Page 4

MR SAUNDERS BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

[by telegbaph.j Chbistchdhch, May 13. MrSaunriers addressed a meeting of hip constituents at VVaikari last evening. There were about 70 persons present. Mr Saunders said that Cheviot was poorly represented, and got very little of tbe good things, yet it was called upou to pay y proportionate share of the burden of taxation to benefit too more favored districts- He was proud to say he had dove aiore than any other member, in reducing public expenditure, as witness bin action re tbe 10 per cent, reduction. Speaking in reference to the Public Works Act, he said the towns bad benefited at the expense of the country districts. He could not support Sir George Grey's Government. It bad, in two years spent £15,000,000—a fact that was alike disgraceful to the Government and the colony. Mr tsauudtjrs referred to tbe duties discharged by the Railway Commission, and remarked that be was glad to see that tbe Public Works Minister bad called for tenders for the completion of the northern railways. He lauded Major Atkinson's speech very highly,

and also praised tbe present' Government, ststinsr that, it \*as the first which had ■ii;du'.vd iixpendittire one shilling. He {

■ iii.l >vj; ;-.,;■•::■; altogether with the property t-ix. Me bad always agreed that Lin.i should he taxed, but not improvement*. It was tbe only way ot reaching tbe large land speculators He was against protection, as it benefited one class to the injury of another. He would always advocate free trade on these grounds He believed in the present system o f education, the costs of which, as well as of charitable aid, he considered ought properly to come out of tbe consolidated fund as it did now. Tbe conclusion of tbe speech was devoted to an euquiry as to the claims of the Liberals to their name, Mr Saunders saying that th> people OHght not to judge the Liberal party by what name they chose to call themselves, but by what they did. He pooh-poohed toeir claims to the title, which be said properly belonged to Mr Ormonci, Mr Reader Wood, &c.

At tbe conclusion of the address a vote of confidence in Mr Sauuders was passed.