KAIAPOI ELECTION.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 189, 16 January 1875, Page 3

KAIAPOI ELECTION.

On Thursday evening Mr Beswick, one of the candidates for the General Assembly for this district, met the electors at the Kaiapoi Institute. Sixty-five persons were present. On the motion of Mr Isaac Wilson, Mr Edward Revell was voted to the chair. The candidate explained his views at length, a full report of which has already been published, Mr Edwards inquired if Mr Beswick would find medical comforts for the whites as well as the Maoris, to which no reply was made. Mr J. W. Ellen asked Mr Beswick to explain about the five shillings a day cry. The candidate said he was glad to explain. The circumstances, so far as he could remember, was, that during an interview with the manager of railways he suggested to the manager, in regard to the question of wages, that some of the men might be permanently engaged at 5s a day, and which they would accept in preference to only getting occasional work at higher wages. As an instance he (Mr Beswick) said a man whom he had employed the previous year had again offered his services on the same terms. More than one man had offered to work for him on similar terms, and at the end of the season would make more at the regular wage of ss. a day than others who only earned 7s a day now and then. No man stood better in regard to his employees than h -1 (Mr Beswick) did, and he was told he usually paid one shilling more than was paid at the stores over the river. Mr W. McDonald asked if the question came before the Assembly would Mr Beswick be in favor of cleaning out the river. The candidate replied that in reference to any matter of public works, and the river was a national highway, be would be willing to support a scheme for improving or carrying out the same. It was lamentable that the navigation of the river had not been improved before, If it had been dredged grain could be sent to Auckland, and they might have been doing a roaring trade, a saving of 2d or 3d per bushel for carriage being effected. Mr 0. Young proposed a vote of confidence iu M t Beswick, whom he had known for twenty-one years, during which time he had been a member of Road Board, Provincial and General Governments, several local committees, afld at present the school committee. Mr W. McDonald had very great pleasure in seconding the motion, hoping they would pledge themselves to do their utmost to secure his return. The motion was carried without a dissentient voice. Mr Beswick, thanking the meeting, stated that if defeated at this election, and all went well, he should come forward at the next general election, so that none of the electors need be misled as to that. A vote of thanks to the chairman, and three good cheers for the candidate, terminated the proceedings.