SYDENHAM ELECTION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2348, 12 October 1881, Page 3

SYDENHAM ELECTION.

Mr Treadwell addressed a meeting of the electors on Tuesday night at the Colombo road Schoolroom, in support of his candidature for Sydenham. There was a largo attendance and the_ chair was occupied by Mr Q-. Booth, who in introducing the candidate referred to the Licensing Act, the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, and the Representation Act, as measures for the passing of which the present Government deserved credit.

Mr Treadwell began by giving a historical review of the law of mortmain, and its operation under Magna Charts. His reason for bringing this question forward was that he found so much ignorance existing on the subject on the part of leading politicians. Under an Imperial statute the whole of the waste lands of tho Crown were granted to the people of New Zealand by charter, but on the 13th November, 1849, a patent was issued under the hand of the Lord Privy Seal to u land sharking company called the Canterbury Association, convoying two-and-a-half mil Hons of acres, which became the property of a church corporation. This had entailed upon the people of New Zealand a burden of 6s per bead on the whole population. The church endowments held under the Canterbury Association were now valued at £1,800,000, and in the course of a few years they would be worth £20,000,000. And yet in respect of this property those ot the public who were not members of the particular church in question were deprived of the privilege of the franchise. So much for the subject of mortmain. There wore seven reasons for his coming before them as a candidate—(l.) Because tho finance of the country was wrong; (2.) because the taxation was wrong!; (3) because he believed the Government should bo thoroughly localised, while the policy of the present Ministry was intensely centralistio"; (4) because of a gross attempt to bribe tha House of Representatives by a proposal to appoint a Board of Works; (5) because it had been decided at the recent session that ho was entitled to a vote ; (6) because he had received from the electors a vote of entire confidence ; (7) because from his training oa a stockbroker and barker he believed he was capable of dealing with the political questions of the day. The candidate then proceeded to criticise at length the financial statement of Major Atkinson. Although it was said in the papers that he was a crazy lunatic, yet he would be very much to blame if he remained quietly in hie house and allowed the people to continue in ignorance of such a lamentable state of things as he deduced from the finan* cial accounts of the colony. The Hall Government were, in his opinion, responsible for large deficiencies, notwithstanding the Colonial Treasurer’s statement that the Government hod equalised the expenditure and the revenue. The Colonial Treasurer said there was a sum of £1,860,000 available out of the last loan for public works. This, of course, should consist of cash, but there was only £160,000 really available, the balance comprising deficiency bills and deficits. With regard to the question of local government, he condemned the scheme submitted to Parliament by the late Government, and particularly the proposal to hand all control over to an irresponsible Board. The Minister for Lands (Mr Rolleiton) in opening up the country by roads, usurped the functions of the local bodies, to whom should be relegated the duty of spending the land fund in this way. The question of taxation was one deserving their attention. The revenue contributed by the mass of the people through the Customs (£1,600,000) was very excessive compared with the small amount (£219,000) paid by the property holders. The candidate, referring to the question of loans, described incidentally the constitution of the stock exchange, its rules and regulations, and the operation of stock jobbing. Tho colony lost £200,000 on the last loan, in consequence of the depreciation of its credit and jobbery on the Stock Exchange. He advocated the establishment of a public bank, which, he thought, could bo started without injury to vested rights; in fact, private b" ■ vs could in time of necessity receive assistance from such an institution. Referring again to the subject of local government, the speaker said it would not be desirable to revert to provincial councils, under which such unjust land laws hod existed as had allowed so iniquitous a state of things to take place as was shown in the book he had prepared 'or Sir George Grey in relation to gridironing. He objected to a nominative Upper House, and regarded the House of Lords as an institution repugnant to the spirit of the English constitution and destructive of the privileges of the people. Mr Treadwell was loundly applauded at the conclusion of bis address.

In answer to questions, be said he was opposed to the introduction of the Bible in the public schools, except to the extent provided by the existing Act, and was in favor of maintaining the six standards of education at present taught in the schools. In regard to Tree Trade, such a thing was impossible where so much money had to he collected through the Customs, hut if revenue were raised from the sold and unsold lands, that system of taxation could be almost done away with, and then he would be in favor of affording a certain amount of protection to native industries. He was in favor of the East and West Coast Railway, and was the first person to propose that line. He would vote for annual Parliaments. With reference to the seat of Government question, if, as should he the case, all the power were left to the localities, the Parliament at Wellington would only be a law-making body, and consequently be less objectionable than at present. Still a great amount of log-rolling and corruption took place there, and it would perhaps be desirable to remove tho seat of Government to Christchurch. An elector here rose and complained that the reporters were not taking notes of Mr Treadwell’s remarks. After some discussion, in the course of which Mr Treadwell quoted some strictures on the Press which he had written and published, an elector, who refused to give his name, moved a vote of thanks to the candidate. An amendment, proposing a vote of confidence, was moved. The chairman took a show of hands, and declared both the original motion and the amendment carried. The meeting then terminated.