THE CHEVIOT ELECTION.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1285, 2 May 1878, Page 3

THE CHEVIOT ELECTION.

MR SAUNDERS AT WAIAU. On Saturday evening, April 27th, Mr Alfred Saunders, a candidate for the seat for the Cheviot district, addressed a meeting of the electors in the large room at the Waiau Hotel. There was a fair attendance. Mr J. D. Macfarlano was voted to the chair. The following report has been forwarded to us;— The Chairman briefly explained the object of the meeting, and introduced Mr Saunders, whom he knew would receive an orderly hearing to the address he was about to deliver.^ Mr Saunders said that although h's opinions on public questions had for many years been before the public of New Zealand, there were no doubt before him those who did not know them, and the new position which public affairs had lately taken would require him to refer to Sir G. Grey’s proposals in detail, and to say how far he agreed and disagreed with them. In redistribution of seats, in triennial Parliaments, and in the substitution of a residential qualification for the present property qualification, he believed he was entirely at one with Sir George, but did not go all the way with him about the abolition of Customs duties or the details of his land tax. The present^arrangements under which education was paid for by land revenue, and interest on public works paid for by Customs duties, were very bungling and unsatisfactory, and should never have been adopted. Public works, which increased the value of land, should be paid for by a tax on that land, and should never have been charged to a fund to which the land proprietors paid no more than the man who held no property. On the other hand he knew the heart of the working men of New Zealand well enough to know that they would far rather continue fo pay the Customs duties, if by so doing they saw that they were providing an ample fund for the thorough education of their own children, without being under any obligation to the large land proprietors for that education, and that at the same time they themselves supported the hospitals and charitable institutions from which nr sfortune might at any time compel them to seek assistance. Ho claimed to advocate the interest of no class in particular but simple justice to all. Hitherto there had been an injustice to the poorer portion of the community in not making the land pay for its own improvements. Both parties in the House had now agreed to alter that, and the danger really was that injustice would be done in the opposite direction, and that we should imitate Victoria in adopting class and vindictive legislation. In exempting all small properties from taxation and increasing the tax as the holdings became larger a great principle had been violated, and one portion of the community had really undertaken to tax the other portion without taxing themselves. If persons were allowed to tax other persons without at the same time taxing themselves, there was nothing whatever to compel them to bo moderate in the imposition of the tax or economical in its expenditure, and such an arrangement was sure to impede the prosperity any country, and was a violation both of justice and liberty. For this reason he would not like to see any land exempted from the tax, however small the quantity held by any individual. The land tax would not hurt the small, holders, and it was necessary that they should pay it if only to give them a constitutional right to tax their neighbours. He was surprised to find the large Und proprietors in the Cheviot district so much in favor of an income tax, as it seemed to him that no class would suffer so much from it as they would. It would bo double-banking the same burdens on the same shoulders, and render more than all the same danger of injustice, as the small incomes would certainly be exempted from that tax so that one portion ot

the community would impose the tax, and the other portion pay it. Besides _ this, whilst merchants, tradesmen, and professions would be able to represent their incomes at what they plea-ed, the income of landowners and sheepowners can be easily ascertained, and they would often be compelled to pay far more than thendue, or to make a public profession of all that they had borrowed, and other private transactions that really diminished their incomes. The Chairman asked Mr Saunders, if elected, would he endeavour to get a sum of _ money placed on the estimates to bridge the Waiau ? Mr Saunders thought that every candidate would be sure to say yes to such a question as that, as it would be his duty to get what ho fairly could for any district he represented. The Chairman—What route would you advocate for the Northern railway ? Mr Saunders was not sufficiently acquainted with the district to say that very positively. All the evidence he hid yet collected was in favor of the Weka Pass route. The Chairman —Would you support a stringent Scab Act? Mr Saunders —Yes, ho would try to find out under what authority the inspector had been instructed not to enforce the existing Act in the Nelson province, and would support a new law in the Marlborough province that would make it impossible to keep scabby sheep ; but he thought this must imply compensating those whoso property was rendered less valuable by the change. The public interests demanded this, and it would be better for every one eventually. Mr Walter McFarlane—What is your opinion of the Local Option Bill ? Mr Saunders —I agree with fhc principal of local option entirely, and hope to see it adopted with regard to future licenses, but if you alter the law so as to injure private property that has been legally erected, I can see no just or politic course but compensation. Mr McFarlane—Do you not think that the Acclimatisation Society has too much power, and have used it badly in turning out noxious animals ? Mr Saunders—l think the society has been too exclusively composed of persons interested in field sports and the preservation of game, without sufficiently consulting the interests of those who are trying to make two blades of grass grow where only one grew before. Mr S. M. Neville asked Mr Saunders if he would advocate the sale of several reserves in this electorate? The Government part of the Lottery Bush was closed to everybody, and settlers in the neighborhood were obliged to go as far as Oxford and Amborley for timber and posts and rails, as oven those leasing parts of the bush had no power to sell to anybody, and people were not allowed to lease or buy Government bush in the district. Some parties were doing their best to got the bush destroyed by fire as fast as possible. Mr Saunders said some steps should be immediately taken to preserve timber from wanton fires in districts where it was so scarce. An Elector having asked Mr Saunders’ opinion of the re-distribution of seats in Parliament, the latter said it was a necessary process in a rapidly changing colony which should often be repeated, but which members were too apt to shun, as it implied a dissolution. He also said that payment of members was rather an important question, which had lately made a great commotion in Victoria. He should have agreed with the action of the Victorian Nominee C uncil if they had reduced the sum to just what would enable any working man to go to the Assembly if elected. To try and do more than that, and to prohibit payment of members altogether, was a most unwise attempt to enforce the exclusion of working men from the House, which was sure to recoil against themselves. Both here and in Victoria the rate of payment was too high, ns there should be no temptation to poor men to seek a scat for its emolument. He had seen some poor men who were a credit to themselves and their class, and watched their interests well, and others who were quite the reverse, who were easily flattered by men in higher station, and made to do the dirtiest work against their own class. But on the whole the effect was goo 1, and a seat iu the House would wonderfully tamo fhc most rabid enthusiast who might previously have thought that poor men could all bo made rich by legislation. Mr Walter McFarlane proposed that Mr Saunders is the fit and proper person to represent the Cheviot district in the Hou-e of Representatives.

This was seconded by Mr Coaklcy, and on being put from the chair, was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meetings