THE WAIKOUAITI ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 2891, 25 May 1872, Page 2

THE WAIKOUAITI ELECTION.

The campaign has fairly commenced. Mr Joseph Preston has been aiddressing meetings in various parts of the district, and on the whole has beeu exceedingly well received. In his speeches he says he is in favor of a purely secular system of education as being the only way in which the Government could give satisfaction, and would support such a scheme. He did not think that one class should be called upon to contribute towards a system of education in which they did not believe. He did not consider the education of a child was completed unless it was taught religion, but he thought this was a matter that should he left to the parents themselves, rather than in the suhooL He objected to an injustice being done towards one class to benefit any other, but the present educational system of the Province had

worked so weU that it would be introduce one that would give the ratisfactory results, and be was very upset an arrangement winch, until they had heard spoken o' in high terms all. The Public Works and Immigration ' scheme, it properly carried out, would prove beneficial to the Colony at large; but care should be taken to construct railways only where they were likely to prove payable. He would not go in to sanction -the construction of any line of railway unless it could be shown that it would pay. The present Ministers had not in this respect fulfilled their duties, and he should very much like to see a change to some extent, either by the formation .of a coalition or otherwise, so as to place a check on the probable iuju» dicious and reckless expenditure of the loan sanctioned by the General Assembly. He considered that Mr Vogel, who was ambitious, required some one to keep him in check. But he was not adverse to borrowing money at a low rate of interest, say 5 per cent, to carry out reproductive works. He was in favor of railways, aud would advocate the construction of main lines before commencing branch ones. The present scheme was a good one, and if sent up to the House he was not prepared to pledge himself to vote against the Government in ever}’ point, though he was an opponent. He was desirous of seeiug the railway scheme carried out in such a manner that one portion of the Colony should nob be made to suffer to benefit another, but that population and other claims should be taken into consideration, and the Act fairly and justly administered. He would support any Ministry prepared to carry out the present public works scheme on a modified scale, but would be no party to sanctioning the expenditure of large sums of money on visionary schemes or donbtful results, nor was be prepared to oast the present Ministry unless he found there were better men who were likely to exercise that caution and due consideration in the carrying out of the Public Works and Immigration schemes their great importance demanded. He was in favor of constructing railways on the narrow gauge principle, as he considered they could be constructed much cheaper and worked more economically. He was opposed to the constant tinkering of our laud laws, and would oppose the proposed reduction of land to 12s 6d an acre as being unfair to those who bad purchased at higher prices, iI e should like to see them administered in such a manner that greater facilities would be offered to laboring men to settle, and was in favor of laying out blocks of from 1000 to 2000 aares in various districts, which be would sub-divide into 10-acre sections. He was in favor of compulsory education ; was opposed to a large influx of Chinese immigrants ; considered the Norwegians a useful class of.immigrants, but preferred our own countrymen; was in favor of free trade j did not believe in a protective tariff on cereals—it was making one man pay for another ; would encourage industries, and was in favor of giving bonuses. The San Frauciseo mail service was a great expense to the country for very little advantage, so far as iis postal arrangements were concerned ; but it had opened up commercial relations with America and New Zealand, and bad done some good in this way, aud he would scarcely like to see it done away with.