CAVERSHAM ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 2966, 21 August 1872, Page 3

CAVERSHAM ELECTION.

Thfi nomination of candidates to fill the vacancy in tho representation of Cavcraham in the House of llcpresentativc-s, created by the death of Mr Cantrell, took place to-day at noon, Mr W. P. Street, deputy returning officer, presiding. The attendance was not lar"e. The following were proposed,— James Crowe Rwh W W'J, b £ Mr John (irahaw, seconded by Mr PhiUp DunWUUwu Andrew Tolaaie, proposed by Mr

J, S. Douglass, seconded by Mr Robert Rutherford. William Henry Cutten, proposed by Mr Thomas Grainger, seconded by Mr William Lawrie John W. Feger was proposed by Mr Jas. M ‘lndoc, and duly seconded, but declined to stand. It was intimated that Mr Richmond would address the electors by telegraph. Mr Tolmie thought it would be out of place to make any lengthy remarks then, and would merely refer to one or two salient points that occurred to him. First, in reference to the condition of the Administration as at present constituted, it seemed to him that they might legislate or try to legislate a-i they chose, but trying to patch up the disagreements of the two islands would be like trying to patch np differences between man and wife who were determined to disagree. The only solution of the difficulty was separation between the two islands ; and \v hat surprised him was that our members in the Assembly, as a rule, avoided the difficulty, and seemed to fight shy of tackling the question. He thought separation was a practicable thing ; but he would not detain them by stating how it could he accomplished, as he intended treating that question fully at his meetings. But he asserted his belief that the true solution of our present difficulties was separation. He could also refer to the enormous expenditure arising from our dual form of government. We were over-governed, the result of which was that the cost to the Colony of officials was somewhere about half a million of money. He did not wish to speak disparagingly of tbe I ivil Service, for it included some good and gentlemanly men, hut at the same time there were too many officers. If separation Wire accompli'lied, a good many of the present staff of officials could be done away with by concentrating the various offices, which would enable the government of the country to be conducted more effectively and economically than it was now. He was not going to cuter into questions of class b cause he before them as an'ordmary individual; and ifthe the position he had held in the country during the last eight years warranted them in giving him a fair amount of support, he should be happy to receive that support. It had been said that if elected he would be unable to attand to his duties at Wellington. All he had to say was that some people know his business better than he did himself. Ho had conducted his own affaTs for the last 21 years ; but men when entering into public life would not submit to being kicked about from pillar to post by everybody. That was flic reason wh/ men such as he had hitherto kept aloof f v -in politic .' ; and the result had been that iiu-ii v/ho made politics a trt.de came forward to trade upon the electors. He admired and approved of the ballot, but disapproved of canvassing for vote-, and was not going to do that. He thought they knew him publicly and privately sufficiently well ; arid if they thought that knowledge warranted them in returning him, well and good ; if otherwise, he would be perfectly satisfied. But they might rest assured of one thing——if he was returned he would do all that lay iu his power to merit their confidence. He would not pledge himself to support one administration or another ; and it would be absurd to ask a man to do so. He would be very outspoken with the electors, —if he did not perform his duties to their satisfaction he would at once resign. He had himself been told that a telegram had been received from the Provincial Government in Welling, ton, that if he was returned it would be necessary for the Superintendent to come down and appoint another Deputy Superintendent. That was not necessary-for the fact was that when a Deputy Superintendent retired his place was taken by the Speaker of the Provincial Council. He therefore could not see the occasion for all the row that had been ma 'e over this matter. Mr Ou 1 ten hoped to be more fortunate on this occasion than he was on the last when before the Caversham electors. At the present moment therewas nothing to be said as to political principles ; it was a question of Mr Vogel, as representing the Government on one side, and Mr Stafford on the other ; for Mr Vogel really was the Government. The electors would, therefore, bo very much guided by personal considerations 011 this occasion. For his part lie was not prepared to say that he would support this or that Government, or assist to turn the present Government out of office, unless thought desirable under certain circumstances. lie would not give any pledge. If he had been a member of tbe Assembly at the present time he would have been disposed to support Mr Stafford’s no confidence motion, unless they gave decided guarantees of considerable improvementin their administrationof affaiis. Had he been elected two years ago ; he would have been a decided opponent of the Public Works scheme, which he looked upon as being too extravagant and gigantic for the Colony, but seeing that the Colony had gone in for it, there was nothing but to carry it out to a certain extent, because railways when commenced should the finished. The part of the policy he objected to was the initiation of works, for the completion of which it was not clear where the moans were to come from. The principle upon which the measure was based was altogether erroneous. It was an error to borrow large sums of money for the construction of works, without first settling what works were to be constructed. The result was that large sums of money were being spent for surveys all over tlxc country ; while bad there boon specific votes railways would have bceumoie advanced than they vere now. As it was, the intciest on loans would be so large as to almost eat us up He disapproved of the immigration scheme, contending that immigration should rather be allowed to grow than be forced. In lfcttiiv f the railway coutiacts to the iMcssis Brogden, the public works scheme had been entirely departed from, because there was no doubt that the scheme was made popular in the first instance, from the public being given to understand that railway construction would be given to those parties who would give employment to the labor already in the Colony. After touching ou the education and land oneaHpns, he said he was somewhat agitated ri-oui the imputation being thrown ; in his face that he was dishonest, and bad some personal object in iow in coming forward. He was much disturbed as to be scarcely able to make a speech ; it was a dreadful tiling that whenever he came before the public he was bespattered with these imputations. Ho protested against that kind of thing. Small districts like Caversham should not return a squatter, that class being already well represented in Parliament. He appealed to them tor support for past services; and said that as he \v as an idle man, his return might have the effect of making him industrious. Iu answer to questions, Mr Cutleu said he saw no objection to the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage

Bill; but bis views wore against the Smythies Compensation Bill. The show of hands was—Richmond, 3 ; Cutten, 8; Tolmie, 11. Mr Cutten demanded a poll, which will take place on the 28th.