MR BROWN AT THE CUST.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 337, 12 July 1875, Page 3

MR BROWN AT THE CUST.

On Thursday evening last„ Mr J. Evans Brown, M.H.R. for the Ashley, district, met the electors of the Cusb at the district schoolroom. There was a large and influential meeting of electors present. Mr John Ruddenklau was voted to the chair. Mr Brown, in rising, was received with applause, and gave an account of the past history, and present and future prospects of the colony, but his address was mainly a repetition of what has already appeared in our "report of his meeting at Leithfield. At the conclusion of his speech, Mr Brown said he would be most happy to answer any question from the electors present, and to give any explanation in his power, but they must remember that he appeared before them as their member in the House of Representatives, not as a member in the Provincial Council; therefore, any matter transacted in the Council at its last session, which may appear not in accordance with the wishes of the electors, could not reasonably be expected to be answered by him. After a question*irom Mr O'Farrell re the Education tax, Mt Higgins would like to ask Mr Brown if he did not say at one of his meetings that Mr Vogel had floated through Messrs Rothschild the last loan of £4,000,000 at a much less cost than the previous loan ? Mr Brown —Certainly. Mr Higgins said he would like to hear a more satisfactory answer to Mr O'FarreU's question, as he would like the meeting to know that Mr Brown on the Bth of June last did vote for the household and poll-tax for education.

Mr Brown said he did not come there to discuss provincial matters with Mr Higgins or any one else. If the electors wanted him to give them his views on these matters, he would gladly do so at some future time, and if they should wish he would " stump " the district with Mr Higgins. If their own member could not explain provincial matters to them, why he thought it was high time they should ;get Jone who could. [Laughter.] mmmm

| Mr Iliggins asked Mr Brown if the prei sent loan had not cost from 2 to 2£ per cent more than the previous loan ? Mr Brown, in reply, said that it was higher. Mr Higgins would like to ask Mr Brown why, during the debate on Mr . Swanson's motion before the House, he absented himself on two occasions 1 Mr Brown said he did not consider it of any very great importance as far as concerned this island ; bv.', in reply to Mr Higgins, he might say that he was no further than forty yards from the .House at the time. He (Mr Brown) was in iavor of the abolishment of the provinces—of having one land fund, one Government, and one people, —and he would also support a measure for localising the land revenue of each province to make railways, bridges, &c. Mr Higgins—Why did Mr Brown vote against the motion of Mr Fitzherbert's in the General Assembly, which was to this effect—That this great organic change which was proposed by the Government should not take place before the voice of the people was first obtained. Mr Brown, in reply, said he did not attend the House as a delegate, but as a representative. He must certainly protest against the question put by Mr Higgins, who had come, he could see plainly, with a lot of questions written down to try and hoodwink the electors, and baffle him (Mr Brown). Mr Higgins said he did not wish to argue with Mr Brown, but he certainly would like to have a straightforward answer to his question ; and as an elector he had a perfect right to ask him certain questions in respect to his duties as their representative. [Hear, hear.] He (Mr Higgins) was opposed to Mr Brown politically, and he would like to ask him one more question. If any Bill was brought into the House of Assembly at its next session for any of the land fund of the South Island being expended in the North Island, would he vote for it ? Mr Brown—Certainly not; I should vote for the abolition of the provinces, and have one form of Government.

Mr Hosegood would like to know if some of the common necessaries of life were not too heavily taxed ? [Laughter.] Mr Brown, in reply, said that he thought in some instances the Customs' duties on a great many articles were too high. [Hear, hear.] Mr Dixon would like to ask Mr Brown whether the proposed abolition of the provinces would be conducive to economy and the general welfare of the colony aa a whole ? From his experience of the management of colonial affairs by the General Government he thought they spent money more lavishly than any of the provincial institutions ; such, for instance, as the Brogden contracts, San Francisco mail services, &c, &c. Mr Brown thought that it would be much more economical to have the scheme as proposed by the Assembly carried out. Mr Higgins, in rising to propose the vote of thanks to Mr Brown, moved the following resolution : —" That this meeting begs to thank Mr Brown for his kindness in explaining his views to the meeting, and are of opinion'that no change should be made in the present form of Government of the islands until after the next general election." The chairman then put the resolution to the meeting, and it was declared carried unanimously. Mr Brown, in returning thanks, expressed his surprise at the novel way in which Mr Higgins had moved the usual vote of thanks, it being quite unheard of before. The meeting then terminated.