ELECTORAL NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 3974, 19 November 1875, Page 2

ELECTORAL NOTES.

On dit, that a requisition is likely to be presented to Mr William Hooper asking him to contest the representation of Dunedin at the coming election.

Tbe * Bruce Herald ’ says Mr Bastings for Waikaia, and Mr William Eraser, of Earnscleugh, for the Dunstan, are to be classed among tbe declared candidates. A requisition, asking Mr W. H. Watt to stand for Wanganui, is being circulated in that town. It is stated by those in charge of it that Mr Pharazyn retires in his favor. It would appear that Mr Watt has abandoned ll.ingitik i.

Sir F. D. Bell addressed a large meeting of the Waikouaiti electors at Hawksbmy last night. In his opening remarks he intimated that he had at one time intended to have efrom political life, but he had abuudone 1 that idea because, in the present position o affairs, it was the duty of constituencies to reelect members of skill, experience, and patriotism. Be came forward for Waikou ili because he thought it a pity the district should be re, reseated by a non resident in it, and that by one who had not t.keupart In previous contests standing, the antagonism between Palmerston and Hawks bury would be teirai nated. Then addressing himself to the question _ of the nour, be said there was nothing to prevent Otago and Canterbury retaining Provincial Governments, and any part of the Colony retaining t >em where the people would pay for that Government, but those who had studied the financial position could not but turn a deaf e..r to the request to continue the piesen siateofaff drs. The great question now was, what shall be done in the future? The l ocal Government Bill would not be accepted by the Assembly, as it was not sufficient. What was wanted was to maintain the expenditure in the Pro vinces and administration in the same way as hitherto, without the expense and worry of the political part of the PiMvb.ci; system. Very few, certainly none with brains, believed that the old Provincial system coulu be maintained* There wa« net a gboat of a

chance of the Colony being divided into two n four Provinces, with a federal Government. The theory was impracticable. First, there was the public creditor to be provided for, and then interest and sinking fund, and, after ab* solutely necessary departments were provided for. there would scarcely be anything left. With two Provinces for the Middle Island tie same difficulty would arise. If the Provincial system was abolished the representatives would be sent to the new Parliament pledged to get the greatest possible amount of lotal self government and local expenditure, and the electors should not banker after new constitutions, which would O’dy end in failure. It was not necessary to entirely abolish the Pr ovincial Councils, but they should bo stripped of legislative functions and converted into Boards of Works, If returned he would try to unit the ntavo interest in the Assembly, and he had hopes that such a union could be effected. to the land question, he had been opposed to the deferred payment system, but seeing that settlement had been sue esslully effected under the system in Otago since its introduction, he would withdraw all opposition to it. He would be in favor of a Bill proposing to cut up the runs when the leases fell in, and to give fixit» of tenure. The «y tern of balloting hitherto existing in connection with deferred pay men 1 s had done a great deal of harm, I'easonable runho d<-rs > ever jobjected to lau being taken for 6ona fide s Ulement, but they did object to their runs being broken up to allow capitalists to buy large blocks. There was no class in the country more interested in settlement on agricultural land than the runbolders. To mn of property, it was thei* inter est to see the number of taxable oolouists increased, as future taxation must full on property. Ho did not think it would pay to cut up the runs into smaller holdings of 2,000 or 5,000 acres. n answer to questions he said he would pot support a measure for the better observance of tne Sabbath, as he did not think such a question —which was of a religious character—should be dealt wi hj by the State. He was in favor of a property tax, but there was the difficulty of getting the people to submit, to the tax-gatherer calling at their doors, v vote of confidence in Sir Francis was propose l, and was met by a simple vote of thanks, which was car<-'e ! bv a large rm.joity.