PUBLIC MEETING AT BINGSLAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2343, 6 October 1881, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING AT BINGSLAND.

A meeting of the elector* of the newly created electoral district of Stanmore was held on Wednesday ,in the District School, Stanmore road, Bingsland. About seventy persons were present. Sir William Kerr waa voted to the chair, and having read the advertisement convening the meeting, called upon some one to address the electors.

Mr Wm. Elesher said that he was one who had taken action in getting up the pretent meeting. It had occurred to him that although the electoral district of Stanmore had three or four centres, viz., Kuightetown, Bingsland, Avonvillo, Phillipstown, and Linwood, yet, as they chiefly comprised the working classes, and therefore their interests were identical, it was thought that the present meeting, although held iu Bingsland, would elicit a general expression of opinion as to the requirements of the member they should send to the General Assembly. He had consulted with Mr Clephanc, ai-d they determined to select a contra! spot where the electors could meet and confer as to the choice of a candidate or candidates. He wished residents in the other sub-districts of Stanmore not to think it was proposed to put this part of the district forward at the expense of the other parts. A committee could be formed, representing all the various parte of the district, and common actionfor their mutual benefit could be taken.

Mr Olephane endorsed what the previou* speaker had said, and thought it desirable to take early action to secure a good choice of representatives. He would call upon Mr Jamieson to move the first resolution.

Mr Jamieson moved, and Mr Olephane seconded—“ That, taking into consideration the character of the Stanmore district, a Liberal candidate is preferable to a Conservative candidate.” An elector here rose and asked the mover of the resolution to define the difference between a Liberal and Conservative candidate.

Mr Olephane would define the Liberal platform according to his ideas. It was Ist. Manhood suffrage, residential qualification, and no plural voting. 2cd. Alteration of land tenure, so as to prevent the aggregation of large estates. 3rd. A land and income tax in lieu of a property tax. 4th. Local discrimination as to the reduction of the railway tariff in the carriage of local prodnete. sth. Education: free, secular and compulsory. 6th. The sale of alcoholic drink to bo regulated by the votes of the people. The former speaker then said, from what he read, the members of the General Assembly with so-called Liberal ideas generally failed to carry them out.

Mr Swann thought, in the present meeting, these differences ought to be sunk. There was no such thing as Liberals and Conservatives in this colony—it was an imported term, used for a purpose. Let them look about and get the best man possible; and as regarded the professions of any one, he did not believe in any man blindly following a leader, but using hie judgment, Mr Wallace said, as they had been favored with an idea of what the term “ Liberal ” meant, he should like to hear the definition of what 11 Conservative ” meant.

The Chairman asked Mr Olephane to step forward and answer the question. Mr W. E. Mitchell protested against this. Ho believed in a moderate man, who perhaps would sometimes bo found in one lobby and sometimes in another. For his part, ha thought the so-called Liberal members had recently made a sorry show. He thought the motion premature.

Mr Olephane said the fault was that some pretended Liberals went to the Assembly and then turned their coats, like Allwright. He warned the meeting that there were gentlemen present who would throw dust in its eves it they could He hoped the motion would be put.

Mr Swann thought the object of the meeting was, not to define differences, but select candidates. As for Conservative, there was not such a thing in the country. Mr Cooper, sen., agreed with the lost speaker, and also thought the motion was premature. Mr Olephane’s remarks about Mr Allwright were quite out of place and totally uncalled for, having nothing to do with the present meeting, which must remember that Now Zealand was not like England, where parties were defined. He would move, as an amendment—“ That some gentleman be brought out as their representative." Mr Hulbert also thought the motion was premature. Mr Olephane’s fancy platform was unfair as to the basis of a member. He would suggest to Mr Cooper to alter his amendment as follows :—“ That this meeting proceed to the next business,” and he would gladly second it. Mr Cooper willingly accepted the suggestion.

Mr Olephane did not see what was to bo got by the amendment. He for one would know what a man meant to do before he would vote for him, and it was with that view he seconded the resolution, and to prevent them supporting Dick, Tom, and Harry. Ha hoped they would not pass the amendment. Mr Beatty agreed with the amendment. He regretted that many good members in the last Parliament would not be seen there next session. They could ill afford to lose Mr £. O. J. Stevens, the most liberal man in the House, and alao the beat financier. He also regretted that the Hon. E. Richardson had gone elsewhere. He agreed with Mr Hulbert, and wanted to see a member elected who would do credit to the district in the Assembly. The amendment was then put, and carried by 36 to 6.

Mr Hulbert wished to know if the conveners of the meeting had a list of probable candidates, if not, how could they go on ? Mr Swan would propose that Mr W. Flesher be selected as a candidate. He was a local man, who knew the requirements of the district. He was of high character and integrity, a credit to the colony, and would make a good representative in the Assembly, standing in favorable contrast to many members who disgraced the House of Representatives, and made it the laughing stock of neighboring colonies. In reply to Mr Hulbert, the previous speaker said that Mr Flesher had expressed his intension of contesting the district. He was ready to explain his views at any time. Mr W. B. Mitchell said that surely thi» meeting of about sixty persons did not want to bind the whole district. He had heard Mr Toomer’a name mentioned as a candidate. Did that gentleman intend coming forward ? Mr Toomer —“ Ido, sir.”

Mr George Collier then proposed Mr Toomer, sen., in a long speech, eulogistic of that gentleman’s action in the City Council, and alto as one who fought pluckily in England for the six points of the Charter. Mr Hulbert thought the selection of candidates outside the present meeting. If a committee were appointed to see who would come forward, it could report at a future meeting. Mr Jameson proposed—“ That meetings be held in the other centres of the district, and a committee be appointed by this meeting to carry out the arrangements therefor.” The motion on being put was declared lost, only one hand being held up in its favor. It was then proposed that the accentance or otherwise of Messrs Toomer and Flesher as candidates be decided by those present. Mr Hulbert objected, as the candidates had not explained their views. Mr Flesher said that ha was ready to explain his views. [A voice—Not to night.] He did not know how this meeting would be able to act. The reason why it was called was not to bias anyone, but simply to prevent the old “ hole and corner ” system of proposing candidates. He thought a committee should be appointed to find out who would oome forward, and report to a subsequent meeting, as this was only a preliminary one. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Beatty—“ That a committee, consisting of nine members, three each from the subdistricts of Bingsland, Phillipstown, and Knightstown, be chosen to get gentlemen to come forward for the Electoral District of Stanmore, five to form a quorum." The following gentlemen were elected committeemen :—Bingsland—Messrs J. S. Cooke, W. Herr, and Langford. Knightstowa Messrs G. Hawker, W. Moore, and W. Cooper, sen. Phillipstown— Messrs G. Collier, G. Beatty, and J. McCormick. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings. . The committee held a meeting immediately after when Messrs Kerr and McCormick were respectively chosen chairman and secretary, and it was agreed that their first meeting ho held on Friday evening, at the house of Mr Langford, Bingsland, at 7 o’clock.

After a Michigan farmer had [committed suicide because there was no show for his corn, a soaking shower started every kernel into life and guaranteed a big crop. Soma folks are always a day too late.