THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 460, 10 February 1871, Page 2

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

MR. MACANDREW AT CLYDE. Mr. Macandrew addressed the electors of Clyde at Hawthorne’s Clyde Hotel, at seven o’clock on Saturday evening. The time originally fixed for tho meeting was midday ; but, in consequence of the races, it was deemed advisable to postpo o it to tho hour- named, aim, despite it being inconveniently early, the room in which tho meo’iug was ha d was crowded. The Mayor, Mr. James Hazlett, was voted to the chair, and briefly introduced Mr. aw. ' \ §i*pndrew, wittj was received with k stVietl that, aAhis time was very having to address a meeting at Alexandra the same evening, he would not make a long speech, but would confine hinisolf to a few points, leaving to his audience the opportunity of questioning him on any subject upon which they desired iufurination. Ho did not base his, candidature upon any promises he ra-ght make, but upon his conduct during the last four years Those who objected to his being re-elected di 1 so less upon his conduct as Superintendent than upon his action in the General Assembly, in supporting the Vogel financial policy, which policy, if elected, he would use his beat endeavors to see carried out. Tho province was in a state of depression, and some- such scheme was needed to raise it thqrefrom. Heiwould nso every 'effort to Vet the Provincial Council to agrge with hifh, so a& tO opetfiip the country by ipeans of railways. It had licerf stated that the Middle Island wefukl be liable for public 'works’ otftVstiucs'ftfV iirthefl^ mtit Island, but thore_wae no foundation whatever for

statement, and people, if they read the Ant, would find this to be* the case. By the Public Works Act forty-five miles of railway were authorised to be constructed in Auckland on tho guarantee principle, that province to pay the interest, and no other works in tho North Island were authorised. In Otago alone fifty-one miles of railway were authorised to be constructed, besides those in other provinces of the Mid lie Island. Ho cousilered the legislation of list Session most deci ledly favorable to the Middle Island. For his part, he would not consent to any. province obtaining money for public works without security. If their members did their >uty, there was little fear of Otago having to pay for other provinces. He would, if elected, try to avail himself to the utmost of the financial scheme of the present Government, as the more Otago got the less there would be for the General Government to misapply. Mr. Macaudrew demonstrated the advisability of constructing railways instead of common roads on the score of fcconomy, and stated that the Colonial Treasurer came down, at his suggestion, to ase if the Provincial Council would agree to a; vantage of tho loan for water supply, but they metaphorically spat iu his tace. The Provincial Council desire to have railways, &c., but would not have them miles they also had the handling of tho money. He was desirous that the Provincial Council should spend the money, but he would have the work done by the General Government rather than nothave it done at all. He would advocate a comprehensive scheme of water supply for the goldfields, ami, with the view of having the matter thoroughly ventilated, would propose a conference of miners iu Dunedin. He pledged himself, if elected, that a Mining Secretary, responsible to the council and people, should be appointed, who should perambulate tho country so as to act as a sort of check on the Wardens. Mr. Macaudrew then referred to the Immigration and Lands questions. He said he was always progressive—some had accused him of being too much so, but thought that was impossible, as he had to drag behind him forty five Provincial Councillors. _ It was somewhat singular that those who had accused him of not fulfilling his promises had never come forward and stated wherein ho had failed. Several promise* he adrait’e 1 he had not fulfilled, but he had reduced the departmental expend!tnre, th -rsbyAncumrig ; the enmity of a large number ol tfie friends of the officials dispensed with. Ono-thire of the settlement during tho twenty two years’ existence of the province had taken place the first three years of his administration. He explained his action in reference tothe Hundreds Regulation Act, which he said had modified it considerably. A number of questions, of no interest whatever to the residents of the Dnns‘an district, were put by aMr Russell and a Mr Henry, aftervbioha vote of confidence move I by Mr. Fachu and seconded by Mr: Feraud, was carried unanimously amid acclamation. •

MR. REID AT CLYDE. Mr. ' Reid ■ ad resse 1 a meeting of the electors of Clyde, at two o’clock on Thursday afternoon last, at Hawthorne’s Clyde Hotel. The Mayor of Clyde, (Mr. James Hazlett) occupied the chair, and introduced Mr. Reid to the meeting. Mr. Reid said he had expressed his views in an address, published in Dunedin, which he hoped had been read by ■ np-country people. On the Vogel financial scheme, his views were, that in its present shape it was most unjust to the Middle Island. By the schedules » was construct 400 mile's of railways in the North Island which ho looked upon as a piece of great folly, and Mr. Reader Wood, one of the most prominent Northern members had stated was a most extravagant and most wasteful project. . Ho thought it was wise to construct railways only' where population was now settled, and where they were likely to be reproductive works, and not in barren unpeopled wastes, as proposed by the General Government. He was not averse to borrowing, provided the moneys raised were expended in the districts which form the security for their repayment. He thought that his arguments against the financial scheme were incontrovertible as Mr. Vogel though ho stayed ten days in Dunedin, after they were published, did not attempt to refute them. He thought the action taken by the Provincial Council was wise, for if they accepted the offers made by the General Government they would not be able to demand a modification of the scheme, and they had declined to have anything to do with it until the opinion of tho country was taken in the matter. This action had been productive of great good, not only in this Province but also,in Canterbury, whore many members had been returned pledged to a modificatiori of the scheme. Ho coul 1 not see why £400,000 should be spent for roa-s in the North Island,-while in tho Middle Island provision, was made only for railways. He could notliee why'residents in a district where «%aa impossibly to construct railways be , deprived of roads. With regard to thp Water Supply 6n this .Goldfields, he considered that out of tho £8,000.000, or L 10,000,000 proposed .to be borrowed L 300.000 was not enough to expend in developing the auriferpus resources of the colony. Ho stated that about fifteen months ago he brought foi ward a resolution in the Provincial Compil to borrow LIOOfOOO to expend 'in the construction of works for the supply * of -■ water on tho goldfields. lip was opposed to the proposed expenditure fpr immigration, and consi ered j that if L2,000j600 or L 3,000,000 was jborJ rowed' fobtße’jittrptrae of coristructifig Public Works plenty ofpaoplwwouldcome from tho ' neighboring colonies at ,th?ir own ekponsc. ■ do finf ptmost to_ facilitate.set* I tlcment, but foirod’""while 4 theHundreds

Regulation Act remained in force it would be impossible to make liberal provisions for so doing. While he would do his utmost to facilitate settlement, he woulil not do any injustice to the innholder, an I no constituency, he was .sure, would ask this to be done ; hut he woul i prevent the squatting interest from overshadowing all others. Mr. Reid then eqtored into a lengthy vindication of his Executiue, stating that more for the real advancement of the country had been done while they Were in office than under previousExecutives.andmentinned the schemes brought forward by Mr. Macandrew which he had opposed. In answer to Mr. Shepherd, Mr Reid said he was in favor of liberal commonages round townships,' but did not think permanent commonages in agricultural districts desirable ; that he 'would extend the Clyde commonage if not sufficient at present; that he would endeavor to have a line of telegraph constructed from Clyde to Naseby through Black’s; that * every district ought to have its fair expenditure raised within it ; and if Road-boards were established on goldfielis, ha wou.d be in favor of subsidising them. In answer to Mr. Barlow, Mr. Reid said he was against Hundreds on the goldfields, and was in favor of the agricultural lease system. Replying to Mr. Fache, he stated ho would place a sum on the next estimates for the erection of a gaol and court house at Clyde, so that sittings under the extended civi; and criminal jurisdiction could be heard that he did not think it advisable to have the up-country roads maintained by contract; and was in’ favor of a system of deferred ■ payments. In answer to Mr. M‘Connochie, Mr Reid said that he would be glad to see bridges constructed over the Molyneux, in which case punt owners would have to be compensated. In answer to Mr. Hughes, he expressed his opinion that, instead of the reductions of rents for agricultural ’eases, he would rather have the rent go for part of the purchase money, Mr. Marshall proposed and Mr. Hastie seconded a vote of confidence in Mr. Reid. The motion was put and carried with acclamation, and a vote of thanks was passed to the chair, after which the meeting separated. *