CHEVIOT ELECTION.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1267, 10 April 1878, Page 3

CHEVIOT ELECTION.

SIR J. CRACROFT WILSON AT 1 WAIKARI. ; On Tuesday afternoon Sir J. Cracroffc Wilson, ] as a candidate for the seat for the Cheviot dis- , trict, addressed the electors at the schoolroom, , Waikarl. There was a fair attendance. On the motion of Mr W. A, Wills, Mr G. H. Moore was voted to the chair _ The Chairman briefly introduced Sir Cra- ( croft, pointing' out that he was a candidate for j the seat in the General Assembly, vacant by the , resignation of Mr Leonard Harper. _ As Sir Cracroft Wilson’s interests were identic.il with . theirs, the electors, he believed, con-idered him ' a very fit and proper gentleman to represent them, and he would now explain his views on the • matters of interest relating to the election. j Sir John Cracroft "Wilson, who was very well ' received, stated he had wished to meet the ' electors of this portion of the district as early as possible, having already met those in the ( Kaikoura portion, so _ that they might } know his views on different matters re- ( lating to polities, and question him, or indicate in what manner their interests , could be best represented. The two principal 1 subjects to which he could refer were those of , the finances of the colony, which just now , formed a highly-important subject, and the local natter of the extension of the Northern railway line to that district. [Hear, hear.] With re- , ferencc to the latter, he was informed that Mr , Dobson, who had been in the private employ of Mr Robinson, was now put on the Government surveying staff to ascertain the most practicable route for a railway line over the Conway, and at a lower altitude than that previously reported upon. In fact, Mr Dobson was actually set on to find, if possible, a contradiction to the report of Mr Foy, with which those who had taken an intent in this railway extension were already i fully acquainted. 'I hose present could believe this version of the story or not.' He, however, « considered it was quite to bo believed. Further, with respect to Mr Dobson’s survey for a in ore 1 practicable route for the West Coast railway 1 than that via the Weka Pass, and, as indicated at a previous public meeting in that room, he j thought it would not he a success. The attempt, - they'must bear in mind, was still being made to 1 prove the lino via Weka Pass the worst route, and the party who was opposed to it was still using his best efforts against it. He might remind the electors that it did not matter, however, whether the line was carried at a low or a ; high altitude as to whether the engineering or construction would be more easy or difficult. The fact of getting a line through the country at any particular altitude affected in no wise its cost of construction. This cost depended on the extent of the formation, anda lower line might be formed cheaper than a higher one. It was still to be borne in mind that the survey was being made pf the, Weka Pass route, and the surveyors- were at present on the route—[cheers] — and that Mr Dobson was on the Conway. With regard to himself he was greatly interested in this line, and was prepared to do his utmost to forward it and the interests of this important district. Alluding to the requirements to be expected from the representative in the General Assembly, he proceeded to read the article referring to the Hon. E. W. Stafford’s connexion, career, tind departure from New Zealand, printed 1 in the Australasian” (which was rdprlntcd' in our columns of Tuesday). The electors knew that things-in the management of parliamentary affairs had greatly charged in recent times. Thtre was a period when the House was so well conducted that a glance from Mr Speaker was sufficient to bring order and check any attempt at rowdyism, and if he had written the article in the “ Australasian” he could not have better spoken the truth from his heart than that editor had done. Now he might proceed to tell the electors that one of the reasons which brought him forward into the contest —if there was to be a contest—for this election, was the fact that there was a gentleman—the Governor —the Queen’s representative—whose position ought to bo maintained against tl.o qcmewhat -pnucrupmons of Mipfetors; and even at risk of being befouled with abuse, fqr bp expepted that, He name forward in the earnest endeavour to bring about a better state of affairs; indeed to bring about that good feeling and honourable conduct which had been characteristic of their Parliaments of by-gono days. The ppuntry would ever be thankful to Sir D.Munrofor ths manner in which Le maintained the order and dignity of the Assembly, gently restraining the heated expressions ot membei’s, and facilitating the dispatch of public business by the admirable tact which ho possessed. It was greatly to be regretted that parliamentary proceedings had come to such a level that a gentleman in the Governor’s position should not be free from personal attack, and it behoved persons of position and influence to assist in upholding the honor of Her Majesty’s representai'vo Hear, he»,r.l This he was -prepared tp: insist "in doing tf fpr tfiis seat-. He feasted tKe electors had taken 1 no offence at the jno.de in which Mr Harper had resigned which he explained in a manner that appeared to He quite satisfactory to those ip the room, doming %o the question of the colony’s financial position, it was patent that the deficit would reach jfMOO.OOO, and no one could keep out of sight the fact that taxation to nay the interest on loans was imminent. They had heard a deal about taxing absentees, and the proposition of Sir G. Grey to reduce the Customs tariff. Now let any independent person examine that tariff and point out where such a reduction could be made. It was not reasonable to talk about reducing the Customs tariff in the present oiJc of tie finances; a*d furthermore, he (fonl)ted very much if even the propose].* of the yeductjop would firing any part of his proposition into force. There was then no way of re? during the Customs tariff, and they mpst look to an increase in taxation. The income tax was objectionable, yet nevertheless he was prepared even to support such a tax as that for a period of only three or four years. Ho should not be in favor of collecting such tax a longer period. Sir J. Vogel proposed by his scheme to snend a mllfion a ye r in extending the raif»7dys, vyas afraid Sir G. Grey Had 7 promised to spend several millions more, 'which' vyas injudicious, unlggS yeasts pOUIU be adduced j hat such lines would pay Interest on the capital. One day, speaking to Sir J. Vogel, he was struck by a remark which he made in reference to the Canterbury members. He said all the Canterbury men were either making safe of getting in office, or were dying to get there. The fact was their public men pro inclined to jump at bait of this hind. This

was not, .however, a proper spirit. When he proffered to settle the Maori war be recollected that Mr Fox’s Ministry feeling indebted to him for some service, Mr Fox offered him a PostmasterGeneralship, which, however, ho refused, as he was too scrupulous to take any such offer, buch men as those who could decline these tempting baits, which might trammel their position, were the men they wanted. As Sir J. Vogel said to him during the conversation alluded to, the electors put Ministers in a false position by sending men up to Wellington who were looking for office. If there were any matters which tho s e pres nt wanted any information upon ho would be happy to give it, and might say he should have been prepared to address them at greater length but for a severe cold and indisposition. With regard to poking places, he had advised that a booth should be made at Watkari, and Mr Mcßae had recommended that a booth should be at the Hurunui. Mr Willis asked what were his opinions on manhood suffrage. Sir Cracroffc Wilson replied that ho was astonished at the liberality of the British Government in granting the franchise to men who could not even write their own name. He was a great stickler that a man should not he placed on the franchise till he had sufficient education to accomplish this. He did not believe in giving persons who were roaming the . country as swaggers, or who were guilty of crime and intemperance, votes. The other day an i dneation Board was elected, and he did not see why some should be placed on tbit Board who were hardly able to read or write. He should vo e against manhood suffrage. If a man had a house, and no matter however humble his house was, in the count y he, no doubt, had apeg down, and was entitled to a vote. The manhood suffrage question might suit Sir George Grey at the present. Sir George was greatly changed of late. He knew Sir George very well, and had lived six weeks in the same house with him. He could not understand why a man who used to hold Sir George’s view should come touting for votes for a coming election in the way in which he was stamping the colony. Was there any in the meeting who wanted the swagger, whether highly educated or poorly educated, to have a vote P Receiving no reply to his question, Sir Cracroft Wilson said he considered that his remarks met with their approval. Mr Wills wished to know if ha was in favor of a land tax being imposed on those who improved their land and those who did not improve it, as in the former case, to Mr Wills’ mind, it was taxing industry. Sir Cracroft Wilson replied that on his estate at Cashmere, whenever he made any extended cultivation, the Road Board, who were always watching like a spider from a not, called on him to pay taxes nt an assessment of £2 per acre. Now, as offering some encouragement, and bringing about an improvement in assessed taxes, he would support a proposal to fix the assessments for four years. An elector asked his opinion of selling Government lands in the North Island privately? Sir Cracroft Wilson said the question was a larger one than could be answered in a short sentence. The land in the North was not auriferous, but they might have heard that it abounded in lead —leaden bullets—[laughter]— and that even at a cheap price it was not always cheap to those who undertook to settle thereon. He alluded to the fact that the British Government was unable to see that persons could cultivate the Himalayas, but on the recommendations of some doctors, went to the expense of planting tea and importing Ch'nesc labor to manage the gardens. In this case the Government thereby undertook a work that no private company or men of enterprise could accomplish, and haying after a few years established tea gardens, sold them by auction to private persons. In the same way the Government here was obliged to sell land. -Although it was highly improper for the Government to act as a trader, there were certain duties of this kind which perforce it must undertake. Again he might say if elected he would do his duty. He should do nothing dirty, and would notlook after his own interests but those of the colony. On the motion of Mr Wade, seconded by Mr Cordner, it was resolved— “ That this meeting thanks Sir Cracroft Wilson for his address, and having confidence 5 in him, pledges itself to assist in securing his return.” Sir Cracroft Wilson briefly returned thanks. With a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting terminated.