Manawatu Election

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 35, 10 September 1887, Page 3

Manawatu Election

WRWEBT &? PALMIEESTON. Mr Wesi «idcesse4 * Jarge meeting of Ilieeteetors atthe Theaf re Royal, Pulnv' «rstoa. on Thursday evening last. : Afr Si Grace "was voted to the chair, » ad bespoke a fair hearing for the can ». didate. Mr We*b, on coming forward, was received oriifchiapplau'se, and, said lie; ap^. penred be Fore them as a candidate for the Manawata at the solicitation of a large H«mber of -eleetojw.: Af er a laudatory reference to the late, member, Mr Macar ftlnu". Air West expressed a hope that the «ombat would be conduct d in a fair and honorable manner on both sides. The candidate tliea proceeded to deal with Ahe. tariff- and retrenchment questions, And said there was, as they all knew, a considerable deficit in"the public ac counts of *he colony, and how, in popular phraseology, to make two ends meet, w as the burning question, of the day. The <Governi»enjt proposed; large additions to the Customs revenue, and the Opposition wished to bring in various proposals for -retrenchment. Thje deficiency B«id been variously estimated at from L 250 OftO to jbwo.ooo, and it' had been 'detcribbd at jess than that amount, though he himself Relieved that it was nearly that amount. Jn his opinion the first thing that was necessary was serere retrenchment. He would deal in the first place with the fiigher oncers of the colony. The annual .expense if? the" Governor was something flifce XIGgOOCK In this instance' 'some JL3GOO could be saved. He also thought ihe salaries paid to Ministers too large. He objected also to Ministerial residen,ceß, and thought • Ministers were well *ble to pay house rent. He objected to tthe, payment of 200 guineas each to some 48 members of the Legislative Council, representing an annual sxpense of some L9OOO, which was more than the. colony .could afford. With regard to the House x>f EepresentatiTes, hg spoke feelingly, as 3ie aspired to a seat in that b:>dy. It jnust ;be remembered that' members of Parliament had to devote a considerable iportion of each year to the ser rice of the •country* hesides traTelliag exp mses,- and <the cost of elections. Though not in tfavor of jcedueifig the honor •rium, he thought the number of representatives anight very well be reduced, aly to 45j iby which a saving of L 9.090 or LIO.OOO -iwould b^jefEected, H« believed that one jmu ■could ; represent say Eahgitikei, 3f anaw«tu, and Fojton. If returned he <!woulc endeavor to assist in effecting rejtrenchineAt in the Civil Service where firaetieajblel With regard to education, (he would faror r«i4«g tfce school age from 6to 7 y*aj» It took young chjj«dren 2 to 3 y«ars to pass the Ist standjird, whereas at 7 years eldlthe necessary , frndwljtdge could be ac^uiijed in J3 months. ] Thus % liars' .capitation w»uld be saved. ■Turmog io the. question of Freetrade :and Protection he «aad jtba* any article -wbich w««ould munufactuce, ox product •which we<cou4d gcow. should be produced &n ourowai shoces, and impose s«ch tariffs jas wouU -tend to fostej focal indusitries. ' j&r West went «n to sbosr tjiat aarery dnillion of imported goods represents &he [labour «i 20X300 labourers^ representing a,-. F total pop«lation of 75,000 «oul^ If ar« 9iad these goods maaufaetuiei i* the colony w»,sbo«3d fcwre these7s^OOp«r--««ns*o*i»ate cnaHcets for *vi prbd-acts. freetrade sras pert * .policy available lor ihis «6ionjr7 'Ee'was ia lavor of feiiher iborrowißg in «rder to uaajke those wx>rks : which b»rrow«d money tad been *U»ady spe»t. H>e ijastnneed ! <tbe Main Tiwrik, jmilway to Auckland, And Uw» Jine from P^merstoa to Wood* vvillc, as -cases in/poi^t, tjte latter «a*e imor« particularly evidencing gxeat »egle<ct ajthowgih §U his OJ»l»io» iit r»«]ce4 *s .colowaj Worfe. JJe now .expressed his wiHingaess to &»- *wer aiy^|«e»tic«B put jto hiw by any .of S^Ke eleelpM preae»t. /' After *»umber of questions had been answered, Mr Partridge proposed^ a»d jUr Piram seconded a vote of thanks and «#*Me##fi m Mf W&t *s afit and proper

■person to represent, the Manawatu ia Parliament. " " On being put to the vote about 150 hands wer-ehald up for it and two against. The motion was carried by acclamation and the meeting dispersed with; three eueert for Mr, West,— Abbyidged from Standard; ,