THE ELECTIONS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 459, 3 December 1875, Page 2

THE ELECTIONS.

MR FISHER AT WOOLSTON. Mr J. T. Fisher, one of the candidates for the representation of the Heathcote district in the General Assembly, addressed the electors at the Oddfellows' Hall, Woolston, on Thursday. There was only a moderate attendance. On the motion of Mr Fisher, Mr Dunlop took the chair, and briefly introduced the candidate. Mr Fisher, who was warmly received on coming forward, said the first subject he should touch upon was his reasons for coming forward. First, he had, as all men doubtlessknew, an ambition to gain the confidence of his fellow-colonists, and to do what he could to further their interests. He had also received a requisition from his neighbors and fellow-colonists. [Hear, hear. | H< was one of the oldest colonists in Canterbury, having been here some twenty-five years iu the province, and he said that the old colonists deserved every credit for the way in which they had carried out the work of colonisation, and had made Canterbury what it was. They had some twelvi years back elected him on the Road Board, and had, after this promoted him to the Provincial Council. The Provincial Council having been done away with he was like a servant who had received warning, and he thought he could not do better than come back to his old masters and ask|j them to give him a place again. [Cheers.' First, then, as regarded the abolition of the provinces. It seemed to him that the question was what was going to be put in the place of provincial institutions, because on the decision of that rested the future weal or woe of the province. In 1872 he had supported a motion of the Hon Mr Buckley for the modification of provincial institutions, and this he was in favor of now to a great extent. [Hear, hear.J Provincial institutions might have had their day, but still he could not see that it was necessary for Ihem to go to the General Government and say, "We can't get on, let us throw ourselves iuto your arms and allow you to dole out what you like." [Hear."] The promises of the Government were very plausible and very well, but he knew very well that they could not depend on Government promises. Besides this, the Government kindly allowed them the privilege of taxing themselves through their Road Boardf, or other machinery, to the extent of 5s in the £. [Hear, hear, and laughter.] He might also point out that the Government told them that they would give them certain endowments, but if the money was not ' forthcoming, they would have to do as many speculators had, fly kites, or, in other words, issue Treasury bills. [Cheers.] Now, he could not at all agree to the idea that they were in such a state of bankruptcy as to warrant this being done. His platform on this subject was this, that they should have the means by Provincial Councils, or some other machinery, of controlling the legislation, and seeing that their wants were attended to. [Hear, hear.] Rather than go in with the abolition proposals in the whole he would agree to the financial separation of the islands—[cheers]—as then they would be able well to take care of themselves in the South Island, only having their brokendown establishments of Nelson and Westland to provide for. [Hear, hear.J The money of the country had been he considered needlessly spent in native matters; the troops had been marched hither and thither like sheep, and he only wondered that they had not mutinied. It had been said that he could not serve them, but he said this that no one had dune more for the Heathcote district than he had d.onc in the Provincial

Council, and that too without any logrolling. [Cheers.J Now as to education, which was a most important subject. He said that education should be national, free, secular, and compulsory. [Cheers.J He looked on education as a great power in the State, and one which should be most carefully and jealously watched. It had been said that the proposition was an interference with the liberty of the subject, but he said that there was no interference whatever, as it was only right if a certain amount of taxation was paid that the people should see that the whole of the children were educated. Therefore his opinion on education was that it should be free, compulsory, and secular. [Cheers] It might be said where was the money to come from, and he said that it should come on the consolidated revenue, [Cheers. | Now, as regarded the question of the Crown lands. The leases of the runs expired in 1880, and he thought that the fairest way would be to have the runs assessed, and put up at a fair price. There could be no doubt that the province should get a fair price for it, and further than this, he believed that the runholders felt that they had done with the runs in 1880. So far as regarded the size of the runs to be put up, whether in 50,000 or 100,000 acre blocks, that was a question upon which much might be said, and he should ask them to allow him, if they elected him, to do the best he could in this matter. [Cheers.] There was no doubt of one thing, that the present rent was by far too low. [Cheers.J Another question was as to the qualification of electors. Now the present state of things in his opinion required alteration. There were a number of districts, and no one of them were coterminous. He therefore said that the proper mode of arranging this was to make every man who appeared on the rate roll of any district an elector of that district. [Cheers.] He would not vote for manhood suffrage. Tbis would, he believed, be a step in the direction of mobocracy, and as such he should oppose it. Another subject was whether the Upper House was to be elective or not. Now in England, where the aristocracy traced their descent from the Conqueror or princes, it might be well to nominate members, but here they had nothing of the kind. The almighty dollar was the aristocracy here, he was therefore of opinion that the Upper House should be elective. Another question which must be referred to was the honorarium. Now he said this, that he would not go up to Wellington without his legitimate expenses were paid. He said this right at once ; he did not want to make a pile over it, but he said he would not go up to Wellington unless his fair expenses were paid. [Cheers.] He had now told them his views on the various subjects. He had served them for years both as a member of the Road Board and also as a member of the Provincial Council. In both of these capacities he had endeavored to do his duty by the electors of the Heathcote. If they returned him to the Assembly he would do his duty like a man. [Cheers.] He had no wish nor intention of going up there for a billet. What he wanted to do was to help as far as possible in the Government of the colony, and he asked them now to return him as their representative in the Assembly. He should now be very happy to answer any questions which might be asked of him. [Loud cheers.] In reply to questions,

Mr Fisher said that what he meant by compulsory education was that all children should be compelled to attend school certain days of the week to ieceive instruction. He had no scheme of his own on the matter, but he had no doubt that the authorities would work out the scheme. If children were found knocking about not going to school, he thought that the authorities should be empowered to take steps to get them sent to school. If they were not so sent, the parents of such children should be made responsible for it, either by fine or some other moans. When he said thp children should be sent to school, he meant to the school of the district, or some other school. All he wanted to see was, that all the children ;in the province should be educated [Cheers,] If returned, he would come to the electors after the end of each session to give an account of his stewardship wherever he might be asked to atteud. He should of course feel it his duty to come to the district proper, or where the greatest number of electors resided. Of course there were a number of electors residing in Christchurch, but he would always attend wherever requested. Abolition, he might say, was an accomplished fact, and he might say that Provincial institutions were far too much like playing at Kings, Queens, and Parliaments. • [Hear, hear.] Besides this, the representation was bad. They had men who represented a cow shed, a stockyard or two, and twenty-five electors coming down to do battle with men who represented thousands. [Cheers.] He did not think that an income tax would be necessary, but if it were necessary to introduce fresh taxation the absentee proprietors should be made to pay, as they took large sums of money out of the place, and paid nothing back. Therefore he was in favor of an income and property tax, if taxation was necessary, but not under £3OO a year. He would be in favor of reserves being made for the support of hospitals, gaols, and lunatic asylums. Referring to the question of the Crown lands in he would be in favor of the. pre-emptive rightsbeingbought or relinquished. [Cheers.] He was not a pre-emptive right holder him self. As regarded Boards of Education, he was in favor of an elective Board. [Hear, hear.] He should be in favor of a lodger franchise in the case of lodgers having a lengthened term of residence, as they then became householders to all intents and purposes. He did not think that any political matters should be decided by plurality of votes. The Road Board system was very good as regarded their powers, because it was a property tax, hence property should be represented; but he might say again that he was not in favour of plurality of votes being exercised on political questions. He would, if requested, come forward for nomination as a member of the Drainage Board for that district. As he had before said, any man that was on the rate roll of the district should have a vote for that district. Unfortunately for him he had no interest whatever in pastoral leases of the province. [Cheers.J He would like to see the runs valued in 1880 by independent persons free from all bias. He did not speak as a representative of a class but simply desiring to see justice done. He had always looked upon the action of the Provincial Council of Canterbury in regard to these runs as instaucing what was only human nature, viz, that persons would look after their own interests if they had the power. [Cheers. | Had the farmers been in

a majority, and anything affectiDg their interests had come up, they would very likely have done the same thing. No further being asked of Mr Fisher. The chairman called on Sir Cracrof t Wilson to speak. bir C. Wilson said that Mr Fisher's speech had been so moderate and had so compktelj coincided with his (Sir C. Wilson's) views that he did not think it was necessary for him to make a speech. If anything had been said that in his opinion required explanation or refutation,,he should have been happy to address them, but such was not the case. Therefore he did not think it necessary to address them, but would be happy to answer any questions. Several questions were asked of Sir Cracroft similar in effect to those at Colombo road, to which he replied. Mr Staples moved—" That in the opinion of this meeting Mr J. T. Fisher is a fit and proper person to represent the district in the General Assembly." Mr Attwood seconded the motion. Mr S. S. Noall proposed as an amendment —" That this meeting thanks Mr Fisher for his address this evening." Mr John Lee seconded the amendment. The amendment was negatived on a show of hands, as follows : For the resolution 18 For the amendment 14 Majority for resolution ... 4 The original motion was therefore carried, and a vote ol thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.