THE ELECTIONS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2361, 27 October 1881, Page 3

THE ELECTIONS.

MR OOWLISHAW AT BINGSLAND. Thore wag a large attendance at the Bingsland schoolroom last evening to hear Mr Oowlishaw express his opinion on political subjects. Mr X. G. Motile was voted to the chair. The candidate said that as he considered the Maori question the most important at the present time he would go into that first. The relations between the Europeans and Maoris were traoed by the speaker from the proclamation of the Queen's sovereignty in January, 1810, and the circumstances detailed leading up to the present difficulty on the Waimate Plains and Parihaka. He pointed out the enormous expenditure already incurred in connection with the Maori war, involving the colony in a debt of many millions, and an annual payment of some hundreds of thousands of pounds interest on the money borrowed. He also drew attention to the fact that Parliament at its last session voted for Maori defence and wars, to be expended in the current year, the sum of £350,000. He admitted that the Maoris had some just ground for their action in removing the roadmakers and surveyors from the Waimato Plains in consequence of the Government's neglect to fulfil the promises from time to time made by the various Governments of the colony to respeot their cultivation, burial plaoes, and to make sufficient reserves for their maintenance. He also pointed out that the present Government had off ored and promised to carry out every promise, although it would entail the granting of 260,000 acres of land of an estimated value of £650,000 ; that there were only 3000 Maoris, including men, women, and children, to participate in it. The offers of the Government thus made to those Maoris would, if accepted, make them the wealthiest Natives. The Maoris wore not content with this offer, their professed platform being expulsion of the Europeans from New Zealand, and the reacquisition of all Jands sold by them. He considered the proclamation of the present Government, calling upon them within fourteen days to accept or reject the most liberal offer of the Government, an exceedingly liberal, just, and wise measure. It was impossible that the advancement and progress of the colony should be impeded, and the public oredit injured, and publio workß stopped, by thofpreposterous claims of this small section of Maoris. The question of local self government was next spoken to, and the reduction of expenditure by means of one uniform system of rating for the benefit of the different local bodies, advocated. Speaking further, he said he would support any wall considered scheme by which taxes locally raised should be locally expended. He repeated the expression of his views of manhood suffrage, taxation, and education, as previously reported. Ho said that he thought that the present Government deserved much oredit from the oolouistß for their careful and able administration of the finances and public works; that they had succeeded to office at a time when the affairs of the colony were fearfully embarrassed, owing to the reckless expenditure of moneys upon publio works of an unremunerative nature, and Native matters. He dwelt particularly upon the prodigal and wasteful expenditure of Mr Sheehan, the former Native Minister, in connection with Maori matters, pointing out that the present Maori difficulty was iu a great measure attributable to his negloct and inattention to the telegrams from the Native Commissioner, and others, urging the Government to fulfil its promises to Te Whiti and the other Maori leaders, attention to whioh would have prevented the subsequent action of Te Whiti. The present Government, by a course of prudent and careful administration, had retrieved the finances and reestablished the credit of the oolony. It had passed most liberal and progressive measures, viz., the Representation Act, the Qualification of Electors Act, tho Triennial Parliaments Act, &C, and, although tho credit was attempted to be taken from them upon the plea that they were the conception of the Opposition, yet it must be remembered that Sir George Grey and his party had been in office, with a willing majority, for a long time, and had simply contented themselves with dangling those measures before the electors as electioneering cries. There was every reason to believe that the present Government would continue to advooate a liboral and progressive policy, and bo long as they pursued this course, he would be prepared to support them. A vote of thanks and confidence was moved, : but the candidate asked them to strike out i the confidence till the day of election.

ME WILSON AT MERIVALE. Mr J. L. Wilson addressed a meeting of the electors of St.Albans on Tuesday \&t the Merivale public school, Papanui road. There was a large attendance, and the chair was occupied by Mr J. T. Smith, who briefly introduced the candidate. Mr Wilson, who was well received, said he had been urged to come forward by a number of electors, and believing that his views were in sympathy with theirs, and as ho had boon so long connected with tho electorato that he thought he knew more about their requirements than perhaps many others, ho had decided to comply with their request. His first position in a public capacity was as a member of a school committee. Ho had never been dofeited as a member of the Road Board ; and he had acted as a member of the County Council, and also as one of the Waimakariri River Conservators. In all those positions ho had tried to do his duty. It was not all Eunshine, however, and he found it a very difficult thing to please everybody. One gentleman had taken umbrage on account of a circular which bore his signature, requiring the trimming of a gorso hedge. He had also given some offence in connection with the proceedings of the Biver Board. These positions had been rather against him in a business point of view. But he had a good deal of tho John Bull in his composition, and when ho thought ho was right neither men nor devils would influence him. Although there wero some little drawbacks in connection with these public positions, he thought on the whole he had done some service to those whom he represented. Ho referred to his efforts to obtain for the suburb of St. Albans sanitary reserves similar to those enjoyed by tho town, the result being that a reserve of 200 acres near the sandhills was obtained. As soon as he became a member of the County Council ho took steps towards utilising some of the available funds, of which

there was at the time about .£20.000 for the pnrpoae of procuring recreation reserves. He claimed in the interests of the St. Albans district that the money should be allocated to the different Boards in proportion to their respective contributions in the shape of rates. Under this arrangement the St. Albans district received £2OOO as its Ehare. He then directed his efforts towards having c orne of the money expended in obtaining recreation reserves, which he regarded as necessary as breathing spaces for the people. The founders of Christchurch took a very wise view when they laid aside such large reserves for parks and recreation grounds. Ho thought the suburbs should have similar reserves, in twenty years* time the grounds which had been reserved in the district of St. Albans would be of incalculable benefit to the surrounding inhabitonts. He had assisted in introducing gas into the district, and in obtaining other minor improvements. He would now refer to the subject of local government, with which he claimed to be very well acquainted. This question was occupying the attention of most of t e leading politicians of the day. He believed the people of New Zealand were over governed. They had too many bodies, too many collectors, and too many rates. The Selwyn County included a vast area of territory, within which there Were a great number of public bodies. There were twenty Road Boards and six or seven other local bodies, apart from Borough Councils. They were spending in connection with these bodies abont .£4OOO a year for departmental expenses, and ha thought the work might be done for half the amount. The County Council should be cut np into three boards cf works, which should include all Borough and City Councils, and all ratecollecting bodies. With telephones and the telegraph, the affairs of the district could be administered from the three centres as simply tlb if the authority was on the spot. I a that way they could have their Drainage Board, their Board of Health, and their Road Boards brought into connection with lb-? Board of Public Works. There should be a paid chairman and a subordinate engineer. He believed that with such an arrange-nent as he had indicated the business of the district could be carried out for abont 100 per cent, less than the present cost. He would say a few words oa the subject of tho railway tariff. Ho had studied this question a good deal. Edward Jertiingham Wakefield once said to him, '' Wilson, if these railways are worked at a loss for the first ten years it will be the best thing that can happen to the country ; fcr railways are most valuable as a colonising agency, and as a means of opening np the country." This was exactly his own opinion. He thought the recent increase in the railway tariff was a mistake. Thousands of pounds were lost every year on account of the rates for stock being so high. While tho stock had to travel by the roads the railway had still to keep the same amount of rolling stock and plant. With regard to grain, a very small amount per bnshel represented a man's profit, and if he could not make that profit he would bo working at a loss. On what he might call the penny-postage principle, the railways would really benefit instead of losing by a reduction in the tariff. A railway was desirable wherever it opened up any of tko natural resources of the country, so long as it did not involve any direct taxation. He believed that with a judicious system of branch railways to connect with the the sea ports, New Zealand would be able to compete as a grain producing country with any other part of the world. It had been suggested that there should be local Boards of reference or management for the railways. This he thought was a good idea, as it would obviate the existence of many irregularities and do away with the necessity for such frequent reference to Wellington. It would be a relief to tho Government, and Eeoure to the localities better management. The next subject to which he would allude was that of direct steam communication with England. The proposal submitted to Parliament list session was not regarded favorably, because it involved a 15 per cent, guarantee. He thought that if the project were not scon taken in hand by private enterprise it should be undertaken by the Government, as there were many articles of produce which could be sent Home successfully and return a substantial profit to the colony. A market would be opened for our meat, baiter, potatoes, &c., all of which we could produce in unlimited quantities. He referred to other advantages which the colony would derive from a direct steam service. The subject of local industries was in a way connected with that he had just touched upon. The resources of New Zealand were practically inexhaustible, and what was wanted was to bring capital and labor to bear upon them. He referred to the Taranaki iron sand industry, to the timber industry, the woollen manufactures, leather and boot and shoe manufactures, pottery works, cement works, marble and building stone, and crystals. Every possible influence should be brought to bear towards the development of these industries. He was not a rabid protectionist, and was in favor of money bonuses rather than protective duties. This system would enable them to make a start to get things into a working shape, which was what was wanted. He would now rerer to the subject of education. The existing Act was a credit to Mr Bowen and to the present Government. In the matter of education it was impossible to please everybody, and to reconcile all contending elements. In England Parliament had said to the different denominations, "If yon teach certain standards and do certain work we will pay you for it, and that is all we require." This same principle should be adopted in New Zealand. Each denomination shoald bo required to teach the six standards, and if they did so they should get £3 12s per head—the present cost of education. They could never make everybody think alike. Religious distinctions would be kept up in spite of all they might do. The present Act was a good one, and was doing grand work. The'committees might, perhaps, put the compulsory clauses more into operation; but except to the extent he had pointed out it was, in his opinion, an admirable system, and one he would advise them to take advantage of, endeavoring at the same time to sooth any irritation that at present existed. The land question was a very important one, and on this subject he might be considered a little heterodox. It was a very irritating question. People who come out here from the old country had a natural desire to acquire a piece of land of their own. This often lead to failure and to great disappointment. In a new country like this we shinld avoid the errors of older nations. The land question had been the cause of all the trouble in Ireland, and was almost equally unsatisfactory in England. Where a man worked he ought to get paid for his labor. [Hear, hear.] He ought to get a fair share of the product of the land on which he worked. Under the present system in New Zealand this was not possible. All purchased lands should revert to the Crowo. Large areas of land being in the possession of "private individuals were a curse to the country. Let everything go back to the Crown, and then have long tenure, free sale, and easy rent. This was the basis of the present Irish Land Act. The Government should spend as many millions as were necessary in transferring the land back to tho Crown, and should then give leases for, say thirty years. The people after all were the Crown, and the land was theirs. It was intended for them to live upon, and was theirs by natural right. There were certain class interests which were maintained at the expense of others, nn! it would be better, instead of there being a s-unper class, that every one should get a fair Ehare of what ho was entitled to. The land should not be taken away from tho present owners without compensation, which should bo awarded by arbitration. If the land system ho wa3 advocating wore adopted the people wordd receive great relief 'rom taxation. Rents would bo fixed by assessment, and with the fund so created, together with the Customs, there won'.d not ba any other taxation required. His honest ondeavor should be to make wealth pay and Eot poverty. [Cheers.] He then referred to the Licensing Bill, with which, however, ho said ho was not very familiar. The elective bench might have some advantages, bat it also had disadvantages. Although the Commissioners for Christchurch had done their work well, it might not ba the same in other places, and the alteration might be au improvement elsewhore. The elections, however, would have the effect of stirring up strife amongst tbo people. The question of compensation .c-:s tha bone over which the doge kept growling. Where a man's business had been encouraged and sustained by the law it would be wrong to tike away his license without giving him couipoEsation, provided of course ho was a snfforor, which fact could he ascertained by means of arbitration. The compensation should be given to the property and not to the business. If on tha property being converted to some other use Ides ensued to the owner compensation Ehould be given. He was opposed to the granting of pensions to Civil Servants, who received fair payment for the work they did. This pension system had grown into a monstrous evil. Great men who did some signal service to their country should receive pensions, but not every twopenny halfpenny clerk in the employ of the Govern, ment who had boen already well paid for the services he had rendered. The speaker, after expressing his willingness to answer questions, resumed his Beat amidst applause. In answer to questions, Mr Wilson said he could not say whether or not there was any collusion between the Attorney General and the Native Minister in regard to tho present Native proceedings. He thought the Government acted wisely in appointing the West Coast Commission. It would be a serious thing to have a war, but at the same time ho thought tho Government had done all they could up to tho present time, and ho hoped their patience would be rewarded. Existing claims in respect to pensions should not bo repudiated, but the present pensioners ehould get all the Government engaged to give them, and then the system should be put an end to. In regard to his scheme, under which all land should revert to the Crown, his proposal was that the money to ba paid for compensation should be raised by the Government on the security of the land, and that the interest should be paid out of the rents. The

Government should pay according to results in the matter of education—according to the certificates of the inspectors. He could not see what right they had to force the Catholics to send their children to the Government schools. Tlio members of that denomination had at present to educate their own children, and at the sair.o time pay towards educating the children of other denominations. Every public institution ia [the country, including the Upper House, should be constituted on the elective principle With regard to the Drainage Board, it seemed to him that, as fur as the people of St. Albans was concerned, .£17,000 had been thrown away on drainage works. But as to incronscd rating powers, the question waß would it be advisable to discontinue works now in Tprogress or to borrow more money for the pnrposo of completing these works. The question of Bible mailing in sohoob was under the present Act in the hands cf tin School Committees, who in many cases allowed ro'igious instruction. This he t v oHi'!it was sufficient; It was rather bard that a leaseholder who had expended thousands upon a property should not have a vote, while one should be given to a man who lived on the premises and swept the rjoms out Property should have a vote, but it should be limit d It vroii'd bo very fcice to hnv ■ the peat of Government r.:inovo'l to Chris (church ; but it would cost too much money. The idea would have to be abindoned for some time. He wou'd support rocasuros, not men. As Ion? as the present Government did what he thought was for the be3* in the intero-ts of the country ho would vote for them, but not otherwise. In many respects ho approved of the past action of the Government, who had passed the liberal electoral measures, and who were deserving of credit for thsir mati!>gorr.ent of finance. Mr Hall's good qualities exceeded his bad onc3. Ho was a most industrious man, and a very shrewd little man. If he had looked after himsulf, he had also not neglected the interests of the people. In regard to gridironing, a gre*t deal of the land Mr Hall had obtained was worthless, and the bargain was a good one for the Government. Mr Exall move! a vole of thanks to Mr "Wilson, and Mr Brooker seconded. Mr Peak moved as an amendment, and Mr Bolt seconded, the words " and confidence " bo added. The amendment was carried by a largo majority. , , A vote cf thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

MB THOMSON AT THE GAIEir THEATRE. Mr Henry Thomson addressed the eleotors of Ohristchuroh North at the Gaiety Theatre on Wednesday. There was a large attendance, and the chair was occupiod by his Worship tho Mayor, who introduced the candidate in a few appropriate remarks. Mr Thomson on oorning forward was received with chaars. He aaid that, although he appeared before them as a new aspirant for Parliamentary honors, he was not a new comor. Ha had been about twenty-six years in the oolony, and seventeen years of that period he had spent in Ohristchuroh. He had served for over eight years as a member of the Oity Council, having been first elected in 1867. He had also been a member of schiol committees for over five years, and both before and after the comiDg into operation of the present Education Act. He had beon chairnan of the Hospital ar.d Charitable Aid Board einco its first establishment three years ago. He merely referred to these matters with a view to point out that the knowledge and experiencp gained in these several publio offioes would be of material advantage to him in the higher and more important position as their representative should they honor him with their confidence. It had been said that the last aeiaiov. of Parliament was a barren one—that a lar ?a sum was spent on the honorarium to memb;ra without any commensurate advantage. Such a statement was not only exaggerated, but misleading. It was, of course, uafortunato that tho oountry had to pay for the great waato of time whioh annually took place nt Wellington, but it was sot fair or reasonable that they should refuse to recognise the value of the work whioh was done, simply becauso more was not accomplished. Hitherto the representation of the colony had been very unequally distributed, and somewhat aftor the happy-go-iucky fashion, with large slices of luck in oertain quar - ters. It was also said that some small districts had representatives for no better reason than that some favored individuals resided there. Now, they at least knew that cortain parts of the colony had been exercising an undue amount ot influence in Parliament by reason of excessive representation, while other and more important districts had been greatly cridc-r-repreaented. These inequalities, however, were now remedied by the Bapresontation Act. Bspreaentation was now placed on the only true and fair basis—according to population. The towns had to allow the oountry districts 25 por cent. Boughly speaking, a oountry district; was supposed to contain 4200 persons, and a town district 6000 persons. The principal reason assigned for this conceaian was th»t in tho oountry elsctora wore so scattered that they were liable to exorcise thair electoral privileges to tho full extent, soma persons contending that they were often practically disfranchised. In the towns it was very easy to obtain an expression of opinion from tho electors on any subject, but in a country dis'ricfc Buch a thing was sometimes almo3t impossible. Therefore, tho conoeesion mado in tho Representation Act was founded o i justice. Another feature in the Act was tho oinglo electorates. The effect of this provision had been to give Ohriatchurch two additional members. There appeared to be no political importance attached to it, and or.e result would be that electors would now bo able to exercise their privileges with more facility and comfort than formerly, an<i there would be a materiel advantage to candidates themselves. Tho Corrupt Praotioes Prevention Act seemed to follow tho Representation Act a 3 a natural sequence. The measure was cot a short ore, but was exceedingly sharp ard decisive, its provisions being very stringent, and directed mEinly to tho suppression of biibery and extravagant expenditure at elections. The next subject to which he would allude was the Licencing Bill. The portion of thi3 measure which seemed to exciia moat interest was that which handed over to the people themselves tho powor of issuing new licenses. This w&a as it should be. Tho people were the most directly interested, and they ought to have the right of saying whether a new licence should be issued or not. [Cheers.] Tho elective principle was, he thought, open to question. Ho generally preferred eleotive to nominated bodies in all local mattore, but apaaking only of Ohristchuroh, the nominated bodies who had hitherto beon entrusted with tho duty of issuing now licenses had performed their functions in a manner which had pleased everybody, and when a thing was boing well done, it was perhaps prudont net to interfere with it. Therefore he would not 6xpreo3 any opinion in favor of the elective system until he had seen tho result. His position, a'a a member of the school commictoee, would almost be a guarantee that his views on the question of education weio perfectly in accord with the spirit of tho Education Act. Ho waa a strong upholder of the national system. To bo national, the education should be secular, nnd ho was also of opinion that it ought to ho free p,nd compulsory. As a member of tho School Gomiirittee ho had objected to the introduction of tho Bible into thesohools, but had signified his acquiescence in the buildings being devoted after soliool hours to religious teaching, teaching by persons outsido the Btuto teachers. The expenditure on education was increasing annually, and the question art-so, how Wiia it to ba met ? He did rot for one momo".t say that the quality of tho education should be deteriorated. But there might be something which could be dispensed with. It would be found that comparatively few scholars passed into tho higher gradss, the great bulk of the education being about up to the 4th standard. Now tho higher the education tho more expensive it was, ard wjuid it not be bettor to curtail the pretensions o£ tho primary schools, and devote ft little mare attention to secondary ones ? When tho East and West Coast Railway was projected he wag solicited to become a subscriber for tho purpose of defraying the preliminary e-pensos of survey, &.i , and ho willingly consented. Therefore it could not be said that his support to this undertaking had been in any way influenced by his present position as candidate. [Cheers.] Ho tho- | roughly approved of the Railways Construction and Land Act, whioh filled a gap created by the colony's inability to go upon the English money market. The East and West Coast Railway was on undertaking which ■would tax their u'mist energies to carry it out. Of courae it was not supposed that the colony could find tho whole of the money. It wa3 only intended that tho people of tho district should take that share in tho undertaking to convince tho large capitalists at tome that they were in earnest, and that thoeo who were most interested had ; shown their approval of the scheme j by subscribing towards it. He r o )ed the people would give their support to the '

undertaking to this extent. The next matter to whioh ho would direct their attention was local Government. Many persons wero agreed that something must bo done to increase the powers of local bodies, and thus save the work of the Central Legislature. At present a great deal of titno was wasted in tho Assembly by the discussion of matters more suited to a parish vestry, by bogus motions, and by tho introduction of subjects merely to annoy members and embarrass the Government. A considerable amount of timo was also wasted in taking divisions, when thero were only four or five on one side and fifty or sixty on the other. Whatever reform might take plaoe in looal Government, an improvement should first be effeoted in the House. Members who systematically wa3lod tho time of the country should recoive no honorarium. [Cheers.] One remedy which had boon proposed was to repeal the Abolition of Provinces Act. He was euro there wa3 scarcely ono present who would not say that to return to provincialism would be a mistako, and would only make matters ten times worse. [" No, no."] At any rate he believed a great majority of the representatives thought that a roturn to the provincial system would only aggravate the diseaßO. He wishod next to draw their attention to the question of looal industries in its relation to free trade or protection. For all practical purposes free trade did not exist. There was no such thing; and protection meant anything from 10 per cent up to absolute prohibition. He supposed they were all what might he called " fair traders," and not free traders. Mr Andrews the other evening quoted a large number of articles that were imported from other countries, and whioh if protected could be produced in New Zealand. Now the argument used by Mr Andrews would be unanswerable if all those various articles were admitted free, but they were nearly all heavily taxed. Take boots for instance. The duty and the expenses of importation would amount to a tax ot about 30 per cent, on this article, and it was very evident that the Native producer had an advantage over the foreign manufaoturor to that extent. If, therefore, they wanted to prevent tho importation of boots they must raise the duty. In Sydney, where the artiole waß admitted free, the boot industry flourished. The question they had to consider was this : If they wished to produce those artioles themselves and shut out competition it would be necessary to impose such a duty as would absolutely prohibit their importation. If they did that the public, instead of having to pay 30 per cent, more than tho English prices, would have to pay 100 per oont. more, and he did not think they would be willing to do that. He agreed with Mr Holmes that a duty of from 10 to 15 per oent. was sufficient protection for any native industry. The Customs duties should be bo arranged as to admit the raw material free, but charge the manufactured artiole. He thought it was the duty of every State to oncourage the volunteer movement, in every way they possibly could. The Volunteors, owing to a desire on tho part of the Governmcnt'to economise, had, no doubt, been treated rather shabbily. If more attention had been paid to Volunteering, the Government would not have had to ask for reoruits to proceed to tho front. The Volunteers as a body would have been sufficient to preserve order and settlo the Maori difficulty. He pretended to know something about the railway tariff and railway management, and he had no hesitation in saying that no Government in the world oould manage railways properly. It was an absolute impossibility, and for this reason : Railways were similar to a mercantile business, and yet tho person at the head of them was a political man, who only took ohargo so long as bis Government was in power. He did not possess any special knowledge, and was generally turned out before serving even an apprenticeship to tho business. How was it possible for the railways to be well managed when the head of the department knew a groat deal less than many of his subordinates. There was no doubt also that the tariff required revision, being a great deal too high, at any rate in regard to the carriage of goods, for they found that tho roads were successfully competing with the railways. Such a revision of the tariff was necessary as was indicated by Mr Richardson in his spseoh. He confessed that he was not very well qualified to give an opinion on Native affairs, nor were many people who lived in the Middle Island. It was nothing now to say that theeo disturbances wore due to pakeha Maoris. Of course, thoy know that where there was land to be had cheap, and it could be had by "doing " the Maoris, the Europeans would not be vory far off. I They could only hope that the firmness of the Government, combined with conciliatory measures, would have the effect of settling the Native difficulty. [Cheers.] Ho was sure no one would wish to have a war. It would only embitter the feelings of the two races towards each other, and it would be impossible to say where it would end. In reference to the question of direct steam communication with England, he would like to say that he thought it beyond the means of the colony to manage two steam Borvioee. The San Francisoo service had not realised anticipations in regard to increasing tho trade with America, and tho country had not reaped the advantage it Bkould have done from the annual expenditure ot £60,000 or £70,000. To vote a similar sum for another servico while the existing contract was still running would be highly inexpedient. He had taken a deep interest in the subject of charitable aid, and was chairman of tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. It was a question that would bo more difficult to solve than any that had yet come before the Assembly. It had been a difficult one at home, where their efforts had reoulted in a poor law. Ho hoped the day would never come when we would have a poor law in New Zealand ; yet the Bill which had been circulated seemed to contemplate something of the sort. When it became law, an no doubt it would, he hoped the looal bodies would never have to be called upon to mako a rate, but that tho natural generosity of tho people themselves would lead them to eubeoribe in 6uch a way as to produce sufficient revenue under tho pound for pound system as to make the obnoxious rate for the support of the poor unnecessary. [Cheers] He had boen accused of being a Conservative —of being a great supporter of the Hall Government, and thoir nominee. He was in no way connected with the Hall Government. He had never been requested in any shape or form by any member of that Government or by any of its friends to contest this election. He stood there as an independent candidate, pledged to no man or body of men, and if they returned him he would be unpledged still, or he would not go. [Cheers.] He thought that tho present Government, independently of who they wore, deserved well of the oountry for the way in which they had managed affairs lately, in tho vory trying and difficult position in which they had been placed. [Cheers and hißacs.] If the Ministry had been a company . of angels they would not have pleased some people. It was a most thankless task to have to carry out a policy of retrenchment. He would not pledge himself either to support or oppose tho present Government. The parties ia thiß country should be the Government and the Opposition. There wero no such sides as Conservatives and Liborals. Thoy were all Liberals. [Ob, oh.] Opinions could be given to satisfy the popular tasto, and therefore they must not attach too muoh importance to a particular shade, that oould be ohanged to suit all popular fancies. In saying this he wished to tako tho liberty of disagreeing with an opinion oxpressed by Mr Holmes, who, in speaking of the qualifications of a candidate, put first his opinions, second his ability, and third his his character. He {Mr Thomson) would exactly roverse that order, because opinions wero formed in an hour, and a man's character took a lifo time. If they who had heard him, and who know him, were satisfied that his character was suoh that he would act straightforwardly and honestly, and that he was not one who would vary his opinion one whit for popular applause or clamour, they would return him as their representative, and they might be perfectly satisfied if they did bo that he would represent them to tho best of his ability, and that tho opinions he was now stating wero genuine and proceeded from his heart [Loud and oontinued oheering.]

In anßWor to questions, Mr Thomson said he was favor of the Eduoation Act as at present administered. He sympathised with their brothron of a different faith, but still the country had decided that the system should be a national one, and that no grant should be Riven to sohools of a religious character. He thought there was no inconsistency in his being chairman of the Temperance Hotel and also a direotor of the Suffolk Brewery. He was in favor of the establishment of schools of art. In his opinion the Corrupt Practices Aot should also be made applicable to local elections. He would endeavor in the future as he had done in the past to place Ohriatchurch in the same

position ai other large towns in regard to reserves and reclamations. There was no reason why tho furniture and effects of a poor man should not bo proteoted from distraint. He oonsidored that every man of twenty-ono years of age should have a vote. At present freehold had a vote but leasehold had not. This did not matter so much in tho country, but was of importance in the towns, and if the law was not altered, in a short time nearly all the property in the towns would be disfranchised, as it would bo hold under leaseholds. Long leaseholds wero now becoming common. The leaseholder had to pay the rates, and was for the term of the lease virtually the owner of the property. He was in favor of property having some slight consideration. Long leasos should have some slight qualification. Tho land tax was soarcoly fair, booause it was paid by one class. The property tax on tho other hand was paid by all claßßes. If ele»ted ho would not on any account take tho portfolio of Minister for Railways. _He was of opinion that if the ratepayers deoided to oloße any publichouse that had been well conducted, and whioh would in the ordinary operation of the law have had its license continued, compensation should be given. The Lotteries Act was unworkable and an unwarrantable interference with the liberty of the subject. The Middle Island was progressing so rapidly that eventually tho seat of Government must come to Ohristcburch. If the ratepayers decided to shut up a publiohouse they should themselves provide for the payment of compensation. Wages should be paid either weekly or fortnightly, and if the working man allowed his wages to run for a month or so it should be at his own risk. The working men had the matter in their own hands by insisting on tho wages being paid regularly. If the land of the Ohuroh Property Trustees had been given to them it should not now be confiscated. He had for a long time been of opinion that the members of the Upper House should give their services gratuitously. They were more ornamental than useful, as was evidenced by the fact that so few Bills emanated from that Chamber. They were said to be an obstruction, and therefore he did not think thoy should be paid. The Upper House should not be elective like the House of Representatives, as the two would olasb. The " squatooracy " was pretty well burst up already. The squatters had all gone back to the hills. He was in favor of letting the pastoral lands by auction when the leases expired. Mr Gee moved a vote of thanks to the candidate. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Mr Thomson, in acknowledging the vote, said it was not his desire to obtain any expression of confidence. A vote of thanks to the ohair terminated I tr.« meeting.