MR RICHARDSON AT ADDINGTON.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1729, 4 September 1879, Page 3

MR RICHARDSON AT ADDINGTON.

The electors residing in this district assembled in-large at. Feathers' Hotel to-hear, the views of this gentleman,; the room being criwded during"- the address,' and being throughout most orderly. Mr J. G. Ruddenklau occupied the chair, and in a short neat speech introduced the speaker. Mr Richardeon, who was received with loud applause, said he thought it would bettor please those present for him to glance in a conversational way at the various subjects which had occupied the public mind for a considerable time past, and which had formed topicsfor re marks in the public journals, but before doing so-he might follow up the remarks of the chairman, that he had as stated _ served them. for nine years, and had been twice elected to .represent thenu [Cheers.] The speaker then went on to show why he had opposed the present Government, and although the Opposition had passed the Loan Bill and supplies to the end of the present month, yet they were entirely in the dark as to the indebtedness of the colony, which was most unsatisfactory. The Electoral Bill, Loan Bill, Triennial Parliaments, Licensing Bills, atd the. Thames-Waikato railway were then dwelt upon at length. With respect to the latter, he said that the subject at issue had not bean brought properly forward. The matter of fact was this, that the Government had, committed the country to an expenditure of £250,000, whioh had not been assented to by the House of Representatives, and this was really the question at issue. If- the Government were allowed to ride rough shod ovor the representatives of the people, it was no use their sending up members to represent them. The. Government persisted in saying they were right in doing what they had done, the House of Representatives differed with them, and • it' would 'be decided by the country whether their actions were right or wrong. Ho was, as he had stated, in favor of further surveys for the West Coast! Railway. He took exception to the report of Mr Blair, whioh he considered was only published for Eolitical purposes. His opinions had already een stated as to the removal of the Commissioner of Railways and the workshops at Adding ton, whioh he should strongly oppose. In reply to several questions, the speaker said it had been brought, to his notice by many persons that at the present time there was_ a species of petty tyranny going on in the railway service, but this might emanate from an excess of zeal. It had been stated that the services of many men had been dispensed with, and that anything like redress was not to be had. As he had before stated at the last session, it was proposed that a Board should be appointed to inquire into these matters, and if they eleoted him they might rest assured that their wrongs should be attended to by him. [Cheers.] He was opposed to the present system of advertising Government notices, ar>d thought they should be fairly distributed. He was opposed to the county borrowing, and should oppose promiscuous borrowing, being of opinion that the Government should be the main borrowing power. He thought that it would be better for the eolony that there should be only two Commissioners, one for the North and one for the South Islands, and that the salary was not excessive. They must have a Resident Engineer for the railways who would be responsible to the Government. It had been stated that there was a much larger staff in this department than was necessary, but this was a matter for the representatives to deal with, and inquire into when passing the estimates, and they might rest assured this would be done. With regard to the telegram to Mr Ingles, he might state that*there was an entirely new state of things taking, plana in the colony. At the present time it could be seen that Ministers were going about north and south using the Government steamer and having special trams to carry them on their stumping tour, whilst the whole of the business was left to one member in Wellington. With respect to the question asked he might say that there was such a report current as stated, to the effeot "that the Government had, through Colonel Whitmore, sent a telegram to a Mr Ingles to contest the seat of Mr Saunders at Cheviot," and no doubt before the election of that gentleman more would be lioard about it. In reply to a -question on immigration, the speaker said he thought it was a great pity the Government had decided to stop immigration, and they had sent home two highly paid officers for this work, the home office being quite sufficientfor this work. [Cheers.] No further questions being asked, Mr J. Hall rose and said he had listened with much pleasure, as he felt sure they all had, to Mr Richardson's speeoh, and the way he had replied to the questions asked him, and he lad much pleasure in proposing—" That the thanks of this meeting be given to Mr Richardson for his speech, and that the electors having had confidence in tho past, beg to record to him their renewed confidence in the future." The motion was carried unanimously, and a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.