MR INGLES AT KAIKOURA.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1289, 7 May 1878, Page 3

MR INGLES AT KAIKOURA.

[By Telegraph.] Kaikouea, May 6. The following is a precis of Mr Ingles’ speech on Saturday. There was a large attendance, Mr Gooch in the chair. Mr Ingles said he came forward at so late an hour entirely in consequence of the opinions expressed by Mr Saunders. He did not consider it possible for Mr Saunders to represent the views of Cheviot. He thought there were many more arguments against than in favor of triennial parliaments. At any rate we had English history to go by. It was well known that during the twentytwo years triennial parliaments existed the very greatest corruption existed. In fact the greatest constitutional authorities agreed that from the era of septennial parliaments dated the emancipation of the House of Commons from the thraldom of,the House of P< era and the Crown. He did not know there was any desire in the country for manhood suffrage. The franchise at present was quite low enough, so low that any man could almost gain the suffrage by the savings of one year. If Parliament decided for manhood suffrage, he should prefer it pure and simple, instead of with a residential clause, as the unenfranchised people in the country were a moving population, and in towns stationary ; so the electorate of the towns would be increased out of proportion to that of the country districts. This, taken in connection with the redistribution of seats on the basis of population, would practically disfranchise Cheviot. He objected to all this as class legislation. It really meant that those who at present possessed the franchise, should be ruled by the class that at present did not, and also that the towns should entirely rule the country. This was class legislation, and he objected to it. He had never heard of a large measure of reform being given without being asked for. This reform had never been asked for. He thought that Pa’liament would spend their time much more profitably if they gave a little more fo the reform of the administration and finance. As to the incidence of taxation, ho thought the time had come for direct taxation. Indeed if we had had it ten years ago, the people would have looked steer the public purse more, and both our income and our borrowed monies would have gone further. He held that all incomes came either directly or indirectly from land. Therefore he was in favor of an income tax, that would lax all incomes alike. He did not agiee with Mr Saunders that people would send in false returns, tending to diminish their incomes. He di I agree there with Mr Trollope, that the trumpet of New Zealand was blown pretty loud, and therefore he thought the tendency would rather be for people to exaggerate their incomes. He was rather amused when he heard Mr Saunders was coming forward, as he considered him to be about the worst enemy Cheviot ever had. When he came to New Zealand Mr Robinson was Superintendent, and Mr Saunders was his right hand man. After Mr Robinson’s death Mr Saunders became Superintendent, and it. was during that period that almost the whole of the district was sold at a nominal value, and nothing whatever done to promote settlement and open up the district. All the money that came from the district went to Blind Bay and the West Coast. Mr Kinnersley had told him once that he spent £90,000 in one year out of the Nelson treasury and had never sent in any accounts. He (Mr Kinnersley) said Mr Saunders was an excellent man to work under. If he (Mrlngles) bad not belonged to Cheviot, where the money came from, he might have thought so too. After the Arauri people had ceased to purchase, having acquired what they considered enough, the Nelson Government put up the laud illegally and shoved it down their throats. This can be proved by reference to a case brought in the Supreme Court by Sir D. Monro against the Nelson Government, in which the latter were forced to refund with a large percentage added. Who is the man who comes forward! and says “It is our duty to discourage the acquisition of large estates f” Why, he is the very man who made them 1 Mr Saunders may cry, “No, no,” and say that he always expostulated with Superintendent Robinson on the subject. The fact remains that he stuck to Superintendent Robinson to the day of his death, and endorsed his actions and is responsible for them. When he (Mr Ingles) last had the honour to 'be the member for Cheviot it was his misfortune to be in opposition to reckless expenditure, aud therefore to the Government, during almost the whole Parliament. Of course, therefore, he was unable to obtain very much for the district. But to show them the will was t here, he would refer them to Mr Donald Reid’s speech in 1872 on public works. They would find there that ho had succeeded in getting on the estimates large sums of money for the district. However, Mr Stafford’s Government went out of office, and the incoming Government, for personal reasons against himself—and they made no secret of it—struck off every penny. In conclusion, he would tell them that he had come forward because he considered almost every i one of Mr Saunders’ views antagonistic to the , district. In fact, Mr Saunders never had,

did not, and never would understand them, lie therefore —at what to him would be considerable expense and at great personal family inconvenience—offered himself to prevent (he district being misrepresented, Mr Smith asked what were his views on education ? Mr Ingles said secular education was the only possible kind of education they could have in a small district like Kaikourn, from reasons of economy. Mr Harnett asked if ho approved of a nominated Land Board ? Mr Ingles said it was his misfortune to be a nominee. He would resign to morrow if they asked, but they should recollect that it was owing to his being elected to the Provincial Council by them that he was one. Mr Saunders then addressed the meeting, but confined himself almost entirely to the history of his life, bearing on his imprisonment, in answer to an article which appeared in the “ Rangiora Standard.” Mr Gibson proposed, and Mr Parsons seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr Ingles for his speech, and regretted that he had come forward so late, after the electors had pledged themselves to Mr Saunders. Mr Davidson moved as an amendment, and Captain Keene seconded, a vote of confidence in Mr Ingles’ political career, pa t, present, and future. On a show of hands very few were held up, the room having emptied very much. However, the chairman decided for the original motion. After a vote of thanks to the chairmm the meeting separated.