THE CITY ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3476, 14 April 1874, Page 2

THE CITY ELECTION.

At the nomination yesterday, questions were put to the candidates, and replied to as follows :

Mr Barton : Not knowing what the provisions of the Waterworks Bill are, I should be sorry to say I should oppose it, whether good or bad. But I will say this, and probably it will suit the purpose for which Mr Fish has asked me the question, if that Bill seeks any extension of the powers of the Company I shall oppose it all I can. I will tell you what I think about the Company getting further borrowing powers. It is a common thing for companies, when limited by law to a certain percentage npo'n their capital, the real purpose being that the old shareholders may take up new shares, and get interest upon them. If such be the object of the Company, or if I see anything showing the slightest suspicion of such a t« lU u g ’- most certainly oppose the Bilk If their Bill is to extend their power to laying down mains and pipes beyond the limits of the town, I shall oppose it. I shall oppose any attempt to increase their monopoly, directly or indirectly. I am aware that the Waterworks Company can rate the citizens tUI the Company’s profits are raised to 20 per cent., and that it follows if their capital were increased a greater burden would be imposed upon the citizens. I would be in favor of the Corporation erecting waterworks for itself. With respect to the extension of the borrowing powers of the Corporation, I may say that I am not acquainted with everything in creation, and this is one of the objects on which I do not feel myself sufficieutsly well up to answer a question. I don t know whether it would or would not be right to extend the Corporation powers of oorrowing, or whether the Corporation has sufficient powers already to make waterworks. But I should like to see the Corporation with the Waterworks in their hands. —1 don t think our present jury system fair or equitable. The whole system of our courts of justice requires a great deal of change and a great deal of looking into. I > *^ r * c k attention to promoting a change, f I would be in favor at present of doing away with grand juries ; my inclination is in favor of their retention. Chey serve a useful purpose, and I don’t dunk we are old enough, or have a sufficient t>ublic opinion to dispense with grand juries md place the right of trying or not trying in the hands of a private servant of the Crown, .1 am very much opposed in fact to servants

of the Government having too mnoh control over the liberties and rights of citizens,—Be* fore I was elected to the Provincial Council, more than two or three years ago, I tried to set Peter Sher Ain, my old confrere in Vic* txia in the s-rnie matter, to get up an address to the Government, to get a piece of land for a Trades Hall, but it was not found possible to do so. lam aware that each trade has formed a society of its own ; but I am not aware whether they have formed a Trades’ Union, as in Victoria.—! am aware that the Upper House here is nominated by the Government, and I highly approve of that. If ever you get a Government of the people, we can nominate our own Upper House; whereas, if elected by a small class constituency, looking upon,themselves as the upper crust of this country, you wiil have saddled upon you what has taken place in Victoria. You wiil have a deadlock whenever the interests of that class are in the least degree touched. I shall regret the day when the Upper House is made to be elected by a restricted oonstituency. I should rather say : let the constituency that elects the Lower House also elect the Upper House, the only difference between the Houses being a property qualification. —I don’t think there is the least possibility of the compulsory powers of the Water Company being taken away. What the Company already have got, 1 have no power to disturb. I don’t profess to have the power, and I don’t believe I could do it j neither do I think it would be right to do such a thing. If men * purchase shares in the Water Company on the faith'Of the public acts of your represen-

tatives, it is your fault that you elected representatives who gave these things. You have no business to rob men because you did not send in good representatives. If it were necessary to name a day when the Company’s compulsory rating powers should cease after the Corporation erected works of their own, so as to get the saddle off the shoulders of the people, the shareholders of the Company should be compensated. Anything that lowers^ the value of their property below what it is at present, is not fair without compensation. I would support a Bill to hx a time when their compulsory powers should so cease, provided a Committee or Commission was appointed to assess the depreciation in the value of the Company’s shares, and that the Company’s shareholders were paid for it. I would not do them, or the squatters, or any claes, an injustice if it could be avoided.— victoria is a much older place than this, so far as public opinion and the Press are concerned, If there is the slightest thing wrong there the Press exposes it, and public opinion is down upon it at once. But here we have no capital. What takes place in the capital of the Colony takes place in a village that nobody knows anything about. Who of us knows anything of what is going on at Wellington. I don’t. Consequently, there is no public opinion, and I woujd not abolish the Grand Jnry until public opinion can contrftl the Crown Prosecutor. Mr Wales : I am opposed to monopolies of any kind, but will not take steps to lower thb price of the Water Company's shares, X will endeavor to bring about an amicable arrangement between the Waterworks Com* pany and the Corporation. I am not the nominee of any company, and will not support any monopoly.