REPRESENTATION OF PORT CHALMERS.

Evening Star, Issue 2857, 16 April 1872, Page 2

REPRESENTATION OF PORT CHALMERS.

Mr O’Douoghue, a candidate for the vacated star, in the Provincial Council, last evening addressed a large meeting in the Royal Assembly Booms, Port Chalmers. He was listened to attentively, and his remarks elicited the approval of the meeting, after which an adjournment was made to the bonded store, when Mr William Murray was re-elected as Chairman. Air Dench, who was to have addressed the meeting, considered it prudent to postpone his address, as the night was so far advanced. He would, however, avail himself of the first opportunity of doing so. Mr M'Dermid then came forward and expressed the great satisfaction he felt at the very temperate and able manner in which Dr. O’Donghuo had that evening addressed the electors. He hoped that he should be able to merit the approval of those present by the his remarks. It was the duty of the electors to choose the man who would be willing and best able to represent them. If elected, he should not go in with theidea of getting as much money out of the public chest as could possibly be obtained. He would, however, try to get a fair share, and no more. When more was got by any constituency, hn believed it wo aid ultimately recoil to their disadvantage. It was no use for anyone to try and get a lot of useless Bills framed, which if passed would not obtain the sanction of the Governor. The highest duty of a representative was to get such Acts framed as would be beneficial. If elected, he would be all the better for past experience. The sources of public revenue were then adverted to. If the land laws were bad, little land weald be sold, and little money would accrue from this important source. He considered the laud laws were bad, and the result was that little land had been sold for the last two or three years. Large and small capitalists were prevented from coming amongst us ; they were driven away by the existing laws, and the laborer only left. If elected, he would endeavor to do away with this abominable Act. We were now greatly dependent upon our export of wool; and though he did not under-estimate this vainable product, two thousand pounds of wheat could be grown where two pounds of wool were raised. He believed tnat if railways were formed so as to bring produce shipment at a slight expense, the country would be benefited, and Port Chalmers more especially. He believed that it would be the greatest exporting port in New Zealand. If large capitalists could be induced to settle amongst us, a larger population would follow, and large imports and exports would produce a larger revenue. He then propounded a scheme for obtaining land on deferred payments, and read a resolution which he had brought before the House, but which was lost. He was in favor of purely secular education. In reply to an elector, Mr M'Dermid did not think that jetty dues should be paid twice iu one harbor, as was the case at Port Chalmers. A Voice : There is no crane on the jetty', and no place to land our coals. How had the lessees of the railway obtained power to impose the duties ?

Mr M'Dermid gaid he had objected to the manner of dealing with the jetty dues, and had divided the Provincial Council on this matter. Mr offered. Himself as a canclidate, as he believed that the representative of Port Chalmers should have a thorough practical knowledge of its wants as a seaport, and as a township. He had resided amongst them for ten years ; had been, was, and expected to be a working man to the end. He believed in the educational system of Otago, it Lad worked well, and had done much good ; immigration had been induced by it. The denominational system had been tried in Victoria and New' South Wales. It was expensive, and worked badly. He then expounded his views as to the best system that could be adopted. Several very objectionable sentences to Homan Catholics were embodied in our present school books, which should be expunged. In populous districts given time should be set apart when religious instruction might he inculcated by the ministers of the various denominations apart from the public schools. In thinly populated towns

the reading of the Bible might be left to the decision of a full committee. Roman Catholics, should have equal consideration with other sects. The Candidate having enlarged on the subject, he very strongly condemned the manner in which jetty dnes were levied. He considered it was fostering one means of carriage at the expense of the other. He would, if elected, try and "get to the bottom of how the leases of the Port Chalmers Bailway had obtained the power they had after answering several questions to the satisfaction of the electors. The meeting then terminated.