ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 3222, 18 June 1873, Page 2

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

MR GILLIES'S MEETING.

Mr J. L. Gillies addressed a crowded meeting at the Headquarters Drill-shed last night. Mr E. Prosser occupied the chair. Mr Gillies, who on appearing was received with loud and continued applause, said it was not his intention to occupy the time of the meeting with any personal or apologetic remarks, as there were so many points that he had to touch upon, that with them he would be fully able to occupy their time. He then proceeded to state, for the benefit of those who were not present at the nomination, the reasons which had urged him to contest the tendency. The battle which the majority of the Council had been fighting, he was still prepared to right, so long as he had breath in his body. (Cheers.) That battle was whether or not the majority was to carry on the Government of the country. The principle that the majority should do so had been established wherever British law existed ; it had been handed down to him by his forefathers ; and lie should endeavor to hand it down to his children intact as he had received it. Having determined upon the contest, he determined also to leave no stone unturned to gain it, Wherever he had been during his progress through the Province he had met with support, and be had little doubt, about the result upon the morrow. (Loud cheers, and cries of “No fear.”) Having right on his side, he feared nothing that might be brought against him. A man conscious that he was going forward to obey the call of duty had nothing to be ashamed or afraid of; and had his physical and mental labor been threefold what it had been, he (Mr Gillies) would have been there that night to maintain his cause and his principles. —(Applause.) It had been said that in applying for the dissolution, the intention was to ascertain the minds of the electors of the Province, If that was the intention, it was a miserable manner in which it was arranged that the electors should be permitted to express their views. The time allowed for persons to address the various constituencies had been so short, that there appeared to be a determination to burk the question ; more than tha.t, he asserted there never was any intention to have a contest. He could prove the assertion. During his journey he was actually placed in the position of having a gentleman who was to act as a Deputy Returning Officer, come to him at a Justice of the Peace to sign a declaresion. There were no preparations for a contest, and it was only after the nomination that measures were taken to obtain the views of the electors. Further than that he said there were no other arrangements for fairly .ascertaining the result of the electors ; and if the result of the election should be, though he did not think it would, in favor of Mr Macandrew, it would not be a reflex of the opinions of the people —{applause, and cries of “Oh, oh.”)—for theyhad not had an opportunity of having matters explained to them as they would have had, had longer time been given. There had been a great deal of misconception—more than that, a great deal of poison had been studiously laid down during the last three months. He had visited seventeen districts, and after he gave explanations, unanimous votes of confidence in him were passed in most instances. Preconceived notions against him had been formed; so ranch so, that he could scarcely get a single person to speak to him till his meetings were over. After diseasing at some length the reasons which it had been urged had led to the dissolution, Mr Gillies wept on to say that, had his Honor been inclined to sink his personal feelings to benefit the country, he would have accepted the Government formed by Mr Reid, got the business of the Council through, so as not to interrupt the construction of public works or payment for contracts, &c., and then have applied for a dissolution, and thus have given the people time to give their verdict upon the question at issue between the majority of the Council and his Honor. That would have been the constitutional course. The incidents he had mentioned showed that the whole burden of the charge of squandering recklessly the revenues of the country on what he maintained was an uncalled-for dissolution, could only be laid at the door of bis Honor and the Executive, who were his advisers. —(Cheers, followed by hisses and interruption.) To those who dissented from this view of the matter, he said he merely wished them to show him the slightest tittle of evidence where the majority interrupted business or threw any difficulties in the way, except asserting in a proper and constitutional way their proper right to have the rule and control of the Government. For himself, he made no assertion without advancing proof, and he asked others to do the same. He next came toapointmore materially connected with himself in his position of Speaker of the Provincial Council— (Oriesof “Oh”) He wished tq refeV more partichlfirty to it, be'gautfy be

saicUrr#d he tM, marf was no’ gentleman whether who reiterated the statement, as he hkd seen in the public prints, after his -(Mr Gillies) distinct denial of it, and reference to the two unprejudiced witnesses he gave, —(A pplanse.) Had the matter rested purely upon his own statement, be wonld not, for a moment, have expressed himself in snch strong language. He stood there to challenge■■any man to bring forward the two witnesses he had named (orer whom he had no authority), to contradict what he had stated, because he knew he had stated the truth. Coming to the real cause of the crisis, he said the excuse about personal feeling between Mr Reid and Mr Macandrew was so much bunkum. Personal feeling had little to do with it; but he would tell them what had. The battle for years between his Honor an dt hj e maj o rity of the Council had been on the land question—(cheers)— and _ he stood there to say that on no other question had there been differences of Opinion between his Honor and his Executive, anc(-.-the majority of the Council. That was the only question on which there had been any difference of opinion ; and he had taken tip that question more earnestly than any other, , because he believed its solution effected the interests of the Province more than any J other, as upon the wise or unwise adtninia- _ tration of our land law depended the prespe ■ ity or ruin of the Province. He appealed particularly to the citizens of Dunedin on that point; and instanced how Invercargill had a few years prosperity, and suffered many years’ los of trade and commerce, and Stagnation of business through the lands of Southland having been sacrificed under free selection. The citizens of Dunedin might depend upon it that if that most pernicious system of free selection, such as existed in Southland, were introduced into Otago, they would very soon cry out against it, just aa,;'}-* much as the people of Invercargill settlement of a bonafide population—ofwlaifgw * industrial population—was whit would moat conduce to benefit the Province; aud it was only by encouraging liberal settlement upon the land that the country could be expected to become great. If Mr • Macandrew had been thwarted in one thing more than another, it was on the question of land administration. For many years he had been ' the advocate of free selection—(Mr Sherwin ; “ Hear.”)—which simply meant giving " the land to the capitalists and speculators.— (Cries of “No ; it is false,” and confusion.)

Be repeated, and would do so ten times over, that free selection was simply pandering to the capitalists, -r (Interruption ) Mr Lillies next referred to the Moa Flat sale; and remarked that he heard a voice say that the Reid Government did not care about prosecuting public works. He wonld read a few figures on that point. Although hard pressed for money and forced to sell the Moa Fiat block in 1871-2, when they held the reins of Government, the Reid Government expended ■ L 51,000 on account of a vote of L 79.000 (\ Voice; “ Kapai, John”; to which MtGIT- > lies replied, amidst laughter and applause, “That’s Mr M‘indoe”)—while the Tolmie Government in 1872-3, though it had ample funds in hand, only expended L 55,000 out • of a vote of LUO,OOO. So much for the bare' assertion, made.without proof, that the Reid Government was never in earnest in regard to the construction of public works,, as was 1 the Tolmie Government. More, than that, he stated publicly that the greater part of the-works, initiated after, the Tolmie Government took office were actually prepared ready to be commenced, so soon as money to carry them out. found its; way into the Treasury. Hence, he said, that the charge brought against the Reid Government of not being anxious to push on public works, was totally without foundation. The Reid Government, and a majority of the Council,' bad this determination : they would dot: sacrifice the land,, which they looked upon as the patrimony of the people, to speculators or capitalists for the purpose of enjoying a little increased expenditure for the moment. They thought the wiser prinoipte was to borrow money upon the laud, and with the money so borrowed construct our reproductive works, and , on the completion of them sell the laud at the acquired additional value which those works would give it. This,, he thought, was a sensible plan; the other, he thought, would be simply pandering to the capitalist and speculator, and would be found to be the true secret of the cry that bad been got up against the Reid Goverjflgpnt and the party that had supported it—because they would not make themselves tools of a very small minority of the community, who, by the exercise of their wits, wished to deprive the great bulk of the country of their interest in the patrimony which belonged to them. After referring to the opening up of land on the deferred payments system, and condemning the delay that had taken place in bringing it into operation, Mr Gillies went on to explain what passed through bis mind—stating at the same time that he knew the majority of the Council held similar opinions to himself—as to the majority refusing to give their confidence to the Executive selected by his Honor.. He first took Mr Tolmie, as head of the Government, against whose character, as a private individual, he did not wish to say one single word; he was now dealing with him as head of the Executive. Whilst the system of deferred payments was being discussed in the Council, he was one of those who opposed it, and voted against the liberal views which the majority desired to be introduced into the Act; and at any rate, as he held, to a great extent, similar to his Honor the Superintendent with regard to the administration of the land, he could not support him as one of his Honor’s advisers. Then there was Mi Baa- : tings, whose sense of duty as a Goldfields representative should have caused him to prevent the sale of any auriferous land,

agreeing with a person to pay him L2OO for securing a title to fifty acres of auriferous land, file was not speaking against him in his private character: as a private individual he would be right in endeavoring to make the best bargain-he could; but speaking, of him as a Goldfields representative, he said when a man came forward for a public position and assured the electors that he would protect their interests, he forfeited all claim to their sympathies and confidence when he betrayed that trustj--(cheers)— and he (Mr Gillies) had no hesitation in stating that it said very little for a Superintendent who would be a party to selecting any gentlemen who woqld be guilty of such conduct.— (Confusion, and a Voice “ Why, his constituents at Tuapeka, to-day, elected him again by three to one.”) With regard to another member of the Government, he observed that that gentleman had complained that he (Mr Gillies) had made an attack upon him. The report in the papers of what he said was incorrect, and he was there to repeat exactly what he did say. He referred to My Turnbull, and he spoke of him with the greatest respect as a man of most sterling ability and honesty.—(Cheers.) He said now as he said then, that he believed Mr Turnbull’s business was of such a character that he could not honestly attend to hia business and at the - ; same time devote the time and attention which he (Mr Gillies) maintained.— (Confusion.) He (Mr Gillies) wished the meeting to understand that he was not there to speak to those who were making the noise ; he was there to speak his own mind., whether they liked it or not. He had been many years in public life, and could say that he had never spoken to please anyone but his own conscience. (Applause.) With, regard to the other members of the Executive, they were-very harmless either for good "" or for evil—(Loud laughter.) He thought he had given Very good reasons indeed why the majority of the Council refused to give their confidence to the Executive selected by his Honor.— [* * Oh, oh,” and “What about the envelope and his Honor’s Message!”)- • It might be asked what claims he had upon the sympathies of the people in the present contest He thought he had as good claims as any man in the Province. It was now seventeen years since he left Victoria. to i come h(ere,jmd hj& could say that from that time to the present he had devoted more of his time to the public ‘affairs’ und general interests of tty Province than perhftpi *uy

man in it at the present time- —( Applause and a Voice : “ Graham don’t say so. ) A cry had been got up, that the present electior was a question of progress or no progress. Un that point he could appeal to his constituents in bis own district to say, no man had ex pended more of his private means than him self to promote the progress of the district in which he was located, and the Province as a whole; in fact, be was satisfied that, were the Province canvassed, hundreds of persons would acknowledge that they were indebted to his personal exertions that land for them to settle upon had been opened np, and this in defiance of the abuse hurled upon his head by those in power ; by those who ranked themselves as the upper ten thousand, backed up by a hireling Press. In no sense of the word bad be been an obstructionist. He had heard some one boast of having been the means of joining Australia with Otago by means of steam. Well he (Mr Gillies) could boast of being the means of sailing communication being established between Australia and < itago.—( aughter.) People might laugh, but he could prove by people in the room, by Mr Logie, inspector ol sheep, and Capt. Thomson, the harbor-master, that it was through the simple fact of his (Mr Gillies’s) parents residing in Otago, he himself residing in Victoria, that Captain Wilson came down here in the little cutter Sybel for potatoes. — (Lond laughter.) If boasts like that tickled the ears of the citizensof Dunedin, and pleased them, he could give them plenty. He also claimed that it Was through the information given by him that Gabriel Read discovered Gabrieli gully: and that, while Provincial Treasurer in 1864, he had made reforms in the conduct of the business which bad been beneficial to the Province, and that there was made at that time a public acknowledgment of his fitness, and of the manner in which he discharged the duties of his office. Referring to the question of the position of the Superintendent, and the manner in which the dignity of the position could be maintained, he said that the position was simply that of chief Executive administrator of the affairs of the Province ; and the only powers the Superintendent possessed under the Constitution Act, were those of negation ; i.to refuse , his assent to any measures passed or recommended by the Council. The man who ought to be Superintendent should be a man pre-emi-nently of decision of character, who would fear no man, and act as the law required and jnstice demanded (cheers, and a voice, “ That’s Macandrew,”—he should be a man active and energetic, who would see that the detail's of the affairs of the Province were properly earned out, and with the activity and ability to manage and bring things*© a happy conclusion There were many men able to conceive ideas, but unable to put them into execution. In the Council he Would' have the man that could conceive ; as Superintendent he would place the man who could put those

ideas into operation* and bring them to a successful termination. If he had qualitica tions in anjrrespect greater than any other, it was in those respects; and on that ground he claimed support. He concluded by expressing himself confident of being elected; but if he was not, he would be satisfied with the reward he met with in his tour through the country—kindness wherever he went, and gratification at seeing his efforts to promote settlement so successful. He resumed his seat amid loud cheering. Several questions were pat to the candidate, and answered; whereupon Mr Mathews, of Great King street, got up to gay that, as a working-man, he could think for himself, and proposed a vote of confidence in Mr Gillies. Mr T. Condon then came forward as another working man who could think for himself, proposed, as an amendment, “That Mr Gillieo was not a fit and proper person, &c. n John Graham wanted to speak, but was ruled into silence by the meeting; and aMr M ‘Donald managed to create considerable laughter by referring to a variety of subjects in a style peculiarly his own: speaking, par txemple, of it being the first time that a meeting “declined to receive sense or amusement from an Irishman ”; and that the Superintendent had insulted the ratepayers by selecting six men when he saw such brilliant countenances there present. Ultimately, the motion and amendment were pat, and the former •Was, amid loud cheering, declared to have been carried by, a large majority. MOUNT. IDA. The following are the final returns: — Oliver .. ••• 254 DeLatour 189 Armstrong 152 Mervyn ... ... -• 106 tuapekZ The election for two members to represent Tnapeka in the next Council was held yesterday, and, as will be seen, resulted in the return of Messrs Bastings and Brows, its former representatives. The following is the state of the poll, as lar as is yet known Bastings 432 Brown 379 Pyke 222 Our Arrow correspondent telegraphs: —“It is thought that the Arrow has taken a false step in trying to return two members — Messrs Innes and Clarke —and that it may result in the defeat of both. lam inclined

to think that Messrs H allenstein and Innes will be again returned.” A correspondent writes:— M Mr Shepherd has been well received at numerous meetings throughout the Dunstan district. Bis election wonld be almost certain but for the Clyde committee for Mr Hazlett having arranged to bring in a large number of voters under miners' rights, from the Kawarau district, to vote for Mr Hazlett, and thus swamp the legitimate voters. The miners in tne Dunstan are indignant at the ruse. Mr Shepherd has promised to support an amendment of the law in the Assembly that will prevent such proceedings in future, ans he hopes that the legitimate voters will give him such a majority as will defeat so unprincipled a trick. ” Mr Shepherd, when addressing the electors at Alexandra, said that some of the candidates offering themselves on the Goldfields, would be better employed attending a night school, with the view of learning reading, writing, and arithmetic; and that there was every indication that the Goldfields would return the usual number of dummies. The nomination for Waihopai took place on Monday, Messrs Wood and Perkins being proposed. The show of hands was in favor pf Mr Wood. The poll takes place on Friday the 20th inst. The .Invercargill, nomination also took place yesterday, Messrs Lumsdea and'l apper being proposed. The show of hands was in Mr Lumsden’s favor. The poll takes place on Thursday. A Clyde correspondent writes:—“lt is quite probable that MrJ.Hazlettwill defeat Mr T. u Shepherd, the late member for the district, at the Dunstan. If so, it will be owing to tbe energetic manner in which he has canvassed the district, with the assistance of a strong committee, and his being a very old resident. Many of the electors express their dissatisfaction at (he small amount of money expended in the district during tbe last two years by the Government ; and, probably without cause, seem inclined to blame Mr Shepherd for it. Mr Shepherd has been extremely well received throughout the district, and his opponents have entirely failed to show that he has in any respect failed in bis duty. There is no doubt but that Mr Hazlett is tbe most powerful opponent that could have beer* brought against him. As to which is the abler man there are not two opinions.” • There has been a great manhood suffrage demonstration at Newcastle. There were SO,OOO in the procession. An original Pennsylvania editor comes ont fairly and squarely. He calls his paper “An airy old sheet, devoted te wind, whisky, wickedness, and other religions matters. Yox Popnlus, Vox Belwbob.