THE ELECTIONS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1168, 18 July 1884, Page 3

THE ELECTIONS.

MR PYKE AT ALEXANDRA. Mr Pyke opened his political campaign in this portion of his electorate the Dun»tan District by addressing a numerously attended meeting of the electors of the Dunstan District on Saturday evening last in the Town Hall, Alexandra. MrQ. N. M'Donald occupied the chair. Mr Pyke spoke for the space of about an hour and a-half, daring which he was re peatedly applauded, and at the finish received a perfect ovation. Mr Coleman questioned the speaker on the land question and the taxing of land, , hut we failed to grasp what the questioner ' exactly wanted to know, as indeed did Mr Pyke. He, however, said he would reiterate what he had already stated in his address, that he was in favour of direct taxation, and with respect to taxing the land he was in favour of, and would do his utmost to have inserted in future Land Acts a clause or part embodying the principles of tho Crown retaining a perpetual rent on the freehold. He was opposed to a progressiva laud tax. Therefore when a man bought land he wonld know that it would be encumbered as it were with a feu rent or charge. In replv to M r Forrest, he said the vote for the Waikaia Lush road had been on the estimates for the past six sessions, and he would see that it was replaced until such time it was expended. The action of the Government in dealing with this vote was but one of the evidences of tha past bad government. When Mr Rolleston was in Dunedin, he had interviewed him on the question, who said that he had pigeonholed it.

Mr Robert Finlay proposed, and Mr W. Theyers seconded, a vote of thanks to dr Pyke for his able and eh queue address, and a vote of confidence in him as the member of Parliament for fhe Dunstan District.

Mr Joseph Webb, of Bald Hill Flat, said he w-uld wish the proposition anpplomenteu by a voce ot thanks lor Air Fyke's past services and satisfaction in his efforts for the welfare ot this constituency. The motion as amended was carried nnanimously. Mr Pyke proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, and the meeting broke up.

MR PYKE AT BLACKS. (From a Correspondent.) Mr Pyke addressed a thoroughly represent .live meeting in the Blacks Schoolhouse oa Monday evening last, the 14th inst., Mr John Pitches occupying the •chair.

Mr Pyke made a most eloquent and telling speech, dwelling at length on what he termed the bad government of the Ministry, cl ing as examples the diversion -of the monies voted by Parliament for the Otago Central hallway and the supreme indifference of the Ministry to any appeal ho vever small for developing the mineral resources of the Country, the Dunstan District especially. With regard to the railway, he had used his every endeavour to get the work pushed on, and he would not -ceare till i' was completed. The land question, taxation, fe eration. decentralisation, an t'other su ! ji cts most affecting the public mind, Mr Fyke briefly, hut clearly, touched upon, frequently eliciting loud applause from his hearers, on the whole making an -excellent speech.

Mr' Chappie proposed, and Mr Burren seconded—“'lhat this meeiing has eveiy ■confide- ce in their member, Mr Pyke, in the past, and for the tuture consider ihey ■could not do tietier than be again repro■sented by him in the next Parliament, feeling convnced ihat he has the interest -of this > lectorato at heart, and never loses -an opportunity of advancing its interests.” —Ca tied junriniinons'y. A vote of f hanks to the chair, proposed hy Mr Pyke, terminated the meeting.

MR PYKE AT CLYDE. Mr Pyke addressed a large and highly iufliieolial meeting of the electors in the T-.wn Hall, Clyde, on the 15th inst. Mr F. -J. Wilson, who was called to the -chair, bespoke for Mr Pyke a patient heat mg. Mr Pyke on rising, said—Mr Chairman •and Gentlemen t It afforded him great pleasure to address the . lectors in that hj .11 once again. H« would not recount the number of times he had occupied a position ■similar to what he then did. He had the -satisfaction, however, of knowing that he was always treated fairly and respectfully, -and he not alone hoped that he would he so again, but that his views and remarks on the political questions of the day would he favourably received. According to present appeal ances, there would be no opposition a.ainet him. However, there was mo tel'ing whit might hiorwn at tho last moment. If rearmed Unopposed, he shj.ld take it as a great compliment and as an •evidence that hi-* conduct aud bearing as a representative in the House of Assembly for the past 12 years had been acceptable to the electors of the Dunstan 1 'istrict. He eai he was present to-night to ask the electors again for their support, because it ha i pleased a moribund Government to ■ci ave a dissolution of the House infoe id of taking the cons' Rational course of asking tin Governor to seek troui amo get the leaders of the Opposition for one who would unde'take the tormatinn of a Government, and thus carrv on the business of the country. The thing, however, was clone, end however unconstitutional, the country must put up with it. Yet while disagreeing with the Government in the course taken it pernaps was the best, as by its means the House would be remodelled, and many of the good men who had been defeated at the last general ele tion would, through the present election, again find themselves in the House to the exolus on of those who had replaced them. Of the last Parliam-nt 46 were new members, who knew nothing, and who voted not on precip e, hut for what they got, thus hr.nging the House down to what he stated from the floor of the House was a Parish Vestry or Road Board, and on which he was ashamed to sit. There were shine people who thought tin defeat of the Government was in consequence of their r,rising the tariff on the Canterbury railways. He looked upon the first mistake was in lowering them, and when it was found the rates had to he raised, then some of their warmest supporters found that with such shifting th y were unworthy of support. Then again, the action of ihe Government in bringing in the Native Land Bill, withdrew from them the Pakeha Maori, hut the very acute of confusion was brought about by Mr Whittaker, the son of the Hon. Frederick Whittaker, accusing the Government from his seit in the House of borrowing all their ideas from Sir George Grey and party. Well, the Honse is dissolved, and the question really nefore the country is—ls Major Atkinson and his five confreres the only men who can govern the country T They have had the effrontery to say they are the only six, hut it will he for the constituencies to say if such is the case. A great deal has been said ahont the honorarium. For his own part be looked upon it and treated it as payment for services rendered, and so far from the sum being too much, ha thought

it was too little. It was an agreement that so much was to be'paid for each session, >nd it mattered not now long that ses non was—six months nr six days. He had sat during one session from June till Deo jmber, and he got no more. The real pi i iciple of payment of members was that every man carried the premieiship in his waistcoat pocket. It was impossible for the poor man to go to Parliament without pay. To take awav payment of members, and thus give the government of the country into the haods of the rich, by far better ask the Queen to taka the Constitution and govern the country from London. A great deal is heard about parties —one saying f am of the great Liberal party. He thought that in the Parliament of New Zealand there was no party, the policy on all sides having been to get all they can. It is to be hoped, however, when the new House meets there will be parties with detined policies. When addressing the meeting at Blacks he had been asked what leader he intended to follow. His reply was that he did not intend to follow anyone, bat to lord. Amongst the questions affecting 4 he public mind was the depression under which the country hail been labouring for the past few years. Major Atkinson had said when in D medin that it was to be traced to had government, and he (Mr Pyke) attributed in a great measure to the bad government of the Atkinson Ministry, but it had to be remembered that these waves occur, and will during the memory of man, and are not to be traced to any particular cause. Ho yet thought one of the chief causes of the depre-sion in New Zealand had no-, been mentioned by the Ministry or any of the Parliamentary candidates. He referred to the great decrease in the yield of gold during the past few years. That decreases amounted to several hundreds i.f thousand o' pounds, and when it was considered that this enormous »ura was taken, as it were, out of circulation, the want of it must be felt; and here also came in. bad government, as what during th se three years had the (Government done towards developing the resources of the gold mines. Again, the taking away from this provincial district especially, large sums allocated by Parliament, and spending it elsewhere, had helped to‘produce the depression, as evidenced by the insignificant sum expended out of the vote for the Central Otago Railway. During the past year some L 39.000 only had been expended, and of that Ll 1,000 had been spent in keeping in repair pa ts of the lino already constructed. Mr, Mitchelson, the Minister of Public Works, when in Dunedin had had the whole history of the Central Otago Railway laid before him and fully explained, and he had expressed himself as being in favour of it being carried on, and had promised that tenders should be at once called for the tunnels and s me of the sections of the line. Well, the tenders were cal ed, yet the result was that though they were below the estimated cost, no tenders were accepted, and the deposit cheque was returned. This was another evidence of the bad government. As the question of taxation would be snre to crop up .luring next s -ssion, it would bo well to give some insight into his ideas, the real details of his scheme he would Leave for the proper place—the floor of the House He, however, was in favour of a i roperty tax, but not on the principles of the present one—to tax capital ah.-oi iied in merchandise, as the consumer had to pay it three times over in an indirect manner. He would tax all improvements such as buildings, and ho would favour an acreage tax on land, whether improved or otherwise. By that the landowner would see that it woul 1 not do to allow his land to he idle. He would favour a feu rent or charge on all lands sold. All indirect-taxation he was opposed to, excepting the Customs duties on spirits, which he w mid i aise so as to make it prohibitive. As a source of revenue, and whereby L 200,000 annually could be saved, he would be in favour of a direct Educa tion Act. With regard to the Property Tax, that had no right to o into .he Consolidated Fund ; where rai-ed there it should be expended. As to the land laws he was m favour of all lands excepting tne purely pastoral being sold, so as to create freeholders. The holding of. a freehold he sai l might he hut a sentiment, but it is a religious one, and should be fostered. He did not agree with tha perpetual leas ug system, as he could not see the onteo oe of it. Some people held to the opinion that the holders could eventually purchase, but such was not the case. He neitner agreed with the residence clause in the de ferred-payment system. It debarred many who would become good sellers from taking upland. An improvement clausa s riotly carried out would be better for the country than that of residence. The agricultural lease system was the best of all systems, but from what he could learn the very worst land was set aside for it. As to local government and decentralisation, that vas a question of more than passing no ice, an 1 .. -vLi-.-li ho won’d not enter into the details of his ideas. However, he was in favour of the County system, hue with increased powers similar to those in force in England. The Counties should he amassed into districts, of which f nr would suffice for Otago and Southland, there districts should have control of main roads an I b idgf s, gaols, police, an i land, while the counties should go on as at pre-ent, and for revenue the didnets should have the land and property tax. By this system, a local power would he established, and you would ho released from the igu .miny of having to go hat in hand to Wellington for ev.uy ti filing thing that was required. The county system has done more for the roads and bridges t ian could possibly have bean done without it, but that was not the only good it ha.l done, the great and lasting good has been the establishment of the -ystem of local self government. A great deal of nonsense is being talked about no more borrowing, there is no question but there must be further loans or one and all will have to emigiate ; hot the loans must be on productive works such os railways, and each work must have its special loan, and then the present pra 'tice of borrowing on the assumption that certain works are to ne constructed out of it, but the money cast into other channels would not e.x st. In regai d to the Otaao Central Railway. To construct that requires no loan, as ths rents of the pastoral lan.isahntting on it amounting to some LfiO,ooo per annum would soon build that Speaking on (his subject brought to his mind the real secret of taut railway not being built. It was a fact patent to everybody that all the runs from the Taieri re Lake' W.-maka are heavily mortgaged to one or other of the many loan and agency companies. Well, if the railway were built, settlement would fo’low ; the runs would ne more or less cut up, and as a consequence the securities would be much effected, there then is the power that is at work. Thus it is foreign capital that is staying the construction, and at the same time impeding the settlement of the land. Tha next and last question he had to refer to was federation, which is by fat the largest and most momentous of questions that had tnrnod up during the whole of his experience. He thought so large a question should have been brought before the people more prominently than it had. The object is the confederation and annexation of tha whole of the British* Colonies in the Pacific for the purpose - of dealing with "The Naval

Defence of the Colonies, ” " The Labour Truffle," "Offences at Sea,” |“ Intercolonial Reciprocity," and tho “ Bccidiviste Question.” The latter question is one of tne utmost importance, and demands that the Colonics should raise its voice against France or any other Nation sen ling the very senm of i's convict population into the Pacific with leave and hlierty to go anywhere , but into French territory. The Colonies have had to refuse to receive tho convicts from Britain, and they now have to say they will not be inundated with the convict scum of France, which tor fiendish brutality is unequalled. Federation as at present proposed he most heartily agreed with, but he looked foi ward to the day when there wonld be a grand and glorious confederation of all the English-speaking people; when the Union Jack, the Stars and Stripes, and tha Southern Cross would be joined side by side, and be as one.— (Cheers). Mr Pyke then said ho had finished his a (dress, and expressed the hope that he had not trespassed too much on the patience of his hearers, intimated that he was prepared to answer any questions that might he put, or deal with any subject he might have omitted,

There being no questions, Mr Benjamin Naylor roso and said - 1 beg to move that this meeting fully appreciates the g. od services rendered by Mr Vincent Pyke to tfie Dunstan District during his past political career and desires to place on recoil their full aod entire confidence in him a-the representative of the district. He said he bad known Mr Pyke a great number of years, and bad ever found him a fair, straightforward, honest man, representing every class alike, doing good service not alone to the Dunstan Constituency, but to the whole country. Mr Charles Holden seconded the proposi tion which was carried with acclamation and nnanimouly. The Chairman having congratulated Mr Pyke upon the truly hearty maimer in whch he had been received and tbe vote of c inli deuce carried, Mr Pyke briefly and feelingly returned thanks, expres-iug a wish that he and the Dunstan District will never be disassociated. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.