MR PYKE AT OPHIR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 906, 29 August 1879, Page 3

MR PYKE AT OPHIR.

Mr Pyl.e addressed a largely attended meeting of the electors at Ophir on Tuesday evening last, the 26th inst. J. C. Jones, Esq., J .P., occupied the chair, and in introducing Mr Pyke referred to him as the old member, who was present for the purpose of giving an exposition of his past acts as their member, and would claim for him a patient hearing. Mr Pyke, on rising, said he appeared before them that evening, not that he had done anything wrong and to ask their forgiveness, but because Sir Hercules Robin •

son bail thought proper to dissolve Parliament to allow the people to say whether or no Sir George Grey’s Ministry was the best Ministry that could be got, instead of leciding the question himself. He was therefore before them to ask whether in their opinion Sir George Grey was the only fit person to carry on the business of the country. For his own part he considered it preposterous that the Governor should have taken the step he did. He then referred to the opening speech of the past Parliament, and said he agreed with it excepting the giving a double vote to the Maoris. He considered the Maori was not entitled to any greater privileges than the European, and would not again vote for giving him a dual vote. Regarding triennial Parliaments, he had hitherto voted against them, but in future that would be one of his tickets. He then said, in explanation of his vote agaiust the Ministry, that he interviewed the Government, and told them that if Sir George Grey retired the Government would be in a majority, but if not he would vote against them. It was not alone Sir George Grey that he objected to in the Ministry, but Messrs Thompson and Gisborne, both of whom he thought would be better employed shovelling gravel at 6s a day. He then referred to the land administration, and said it was the present Government which had raised the price of deferred payment lands to 60s per acre, and had attempted to raise agricultural lands to 395, but this had been frustrated by the Goldfields Committee, and the consequence is there are now no agricultural lease regulations. He then dealt with the land question generally, saying that every successive Government was alike in throwing obstacles in the way of opening land for settlement, and he would persistently vote against any Government who were not more liberal on this point. Ho then gave the history of the Earnscleugh and Moutere blocks, laying no small share of the blame on to the Waste Lands Board, which he said should be abolished, and in its stead a responsible officer appointed. On the County question, the present Government he said were ever hai ping against it, and gradually running down local self-government. That was another reason for his vote against the Ministry. Tinder the County system Vincent County had the expenditure of L 25.000 per annum against a few hundreds formerly. That fact alone was sufficient to overthrow Mr Macandrew’s idea that we should be better under the old Provincial Government system. He was in favour of imposing restrictions on Chinese immigration.

Mr J. Glass asked : What about the Otago Central Railway ? Two sections are already in progress, and the Government bad promised that other sections should be let at once.

Mr Pitches : If the country returns Sir George Grey’s party by a majority, will you go into -opposition?—! will assist to carry’ out all liberal measures.

Mr Fitzgerald : What are your views on the Education question : I am in favour of neither the secular nor denominational systems, I am in favour of the EnglishIrish system—the free ami assisted schools.

To other questions he replied - -The Local Option Bill before the house does not go far enough ; 1 would vote for one double as hot. I can see no harm iu tho Counties borrowing money. Mr J. Glass proposed as an amendment, seconded by Mr Cleary: “That the electors in this district have confidence in Mr Pyke, ami thank him for his past actions, and will support him in the future.” Only three hands wore held up against the motion. Mr Pyke thanked the meeting for the patient hearing accorded, -and also for the very flattering vote passed in his favour. He thought it more than likely that the present was the last time he should seek their votes, as he had been offered a seat in the Legislative Council ; hut ho had refused the honour until he saw the railway to Clyde and the land properly settled on. He then proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, which being carried unanimously the meeting dissolved.

MR PYKE AT TINKERS. Mr Pyke addressed tho electors here on Wednesday evening, the 27th iust, when a vote of confidence was passed in his favour.