THE CHEVIOT ELECTION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2380, 18 November 1881, Page 4

THE CHEVIOT ELECTION.

I By Telegraph.J WAIAU, November 17. Messrs Saunders, Fondall, and Mellraith last night addressed one of the largest meetings of electors seen in the Amuri for several years. Mr Saunders complained that the meeting had not been duly advertised, and was composed mainly of Mr Mcllraith’s supporters. TT -• knew the fooling of the district had changed towards hira, but he had always done it justice. Ho was greatly opposed to class legislation. Ttio runholdeie had of late greatly improved their position, and were now (tfldc-vonrm;. to n btain the government of the colony in their own hands. He should oppose this. The Amur! settlers were making a great mistake iu bringing Mr Mellraith forward, and Mr Mellraith himself was also making a great mistake in contesting the seat against him. The contest was being conducted in an exceedingly disreputable manner, and he had received the most underhand treatment from Mr Mollraith’a supporters. Ha asserted most strongly that he had everything to do with obtaining the vote for the "Waiau bridge. Ho had lately found himself in a position of considerable power, much more eo than formerly, and had used his influence to obtain money for hio district. Mr Fendall then repeated the speech reported from Aruberley, and said he wished it clearly understood that ho was not, and never had been, c, supporter of Sir George Grey, and that he would support the Hall Government as long as they brought in measures he thought were for the good of the colony. He considered that the Amuri should have had a railway and bridges long ago. Mr Mellraith said he was well acquainted with the whole of the Cheviot electorate, and bad come forward at the request of a large number c£ electors from all parts of it. He emphatically denied the statements of Mr Saundera and his oupporters that he was the nominee of the Amuri run-holders, and that he had come forward as the rquattera’ friend. All who knew him were aware that the contrary was the case. Ho came forward to represent all classes, the farming interests especially, and he would remind them that ho ■was a farmer himself. With regard to Mr Saunders’ remarks as to this meeting not having been properly advertised and being attended by one of his own supporters only, ho would explain that Mr Saunders called on him and induced him to hold his meetings in common with him, and ho understood that Mr Saunders was to make arrangements about them. This was not done, and he had, with Mr Saunders’ knowledge, sent a communication to the Waiau to have the room engaged, and had mentioned that all three candidates would speak. Ho was quite a novice in electioneering, and would not beat about the bush, but would say out just what his opinions were BO that there should be no mistake. He was aorry that the Government had no good Opposition, which he always considered a great stimulant to good legislation. The present Government had placed the colony in as good a position os any Government could possibly do, and if elected bo should support the Hall Government, at all events until a batter could be found. He considered that the scheme of public works initiated by Sir Julius Yogel should have been carried out in its integrity. Money had boon squandered, but not through any fault of Sir Julius Yogel, but through provincial log rolling, such as the construction of unproductive railways for example. The money, however, was gone, and it was no good crying over spilt milk. What the legislators had to do now was to find some method of rsmodying the evil and repairing the loss. He was averse to further borrowing, but failed to see how it could be completely avoided, as there were still some public works which it was necessary to complete. Ho ■would borrow as little as possible, and would borrow it in the colony, or if that could not bo done then in the cheapest market, and such moneys should on no account be spent on unproductive works. Ha considered that roads should bo made in districts where railways would not pay, and they would act as feeders to the railways. The Cheviot bad been greatly neglected. He thought the railway should come to the rod post, and that roads should diverge from that point to Kaikoura and Hanmer Plains. There was plenty of good land in the district which needed opening up. They had heard a deal about the bursting up of large estates. He felt strongly that were railways to come the big estates would burst up of themselves. Without a railway it would not pay to buy email holdings or to grow grain. Unfortunately this district had for the present but little interest in the settlement of Government lands, owing to the leng leases now in existence. In Canterbury it was different, and next year the Government would be able to resume all leases and cut up the land. He felt strongly that all land should be out up into blocks sufficiently largo to produce a living; but it was no good at all to put a man on a block too small to support him. He considered the present Education Act a good one. He thought it the duty of the State to provide elementary education, but elementary only. The parent must then step in and complete it. He would bo in favor of free libraries and other aids to self education, and approved of Government Schools of Art and Science. He would propose a system of scholarships, whereby a clever lad who had attained to the highest grade in the elementary state classes should be enabled to obtain a still higher course of free education, so that anyone who was sufficiently clever to rise from the ranks might have the opportunity of doing so. Ho was strongly opposed to a separation of the two islands, and failed to see any benefit to be derived from it, and on no account could provincialism in any form bo returned to. County Councils, Hoad Boards, and municipalities had always done their work well, and he was in favor of increasing their power so as to enable them to undertake parish duties. He had no objection to local option, but thought it unnecessary. It would not make much difference to any one. In any case vested interests must be regarded. A largo number of questions were then put and answered by the candidate. Mr Tinlino explained some of the reasons ■why Mr Mellraith had been asked to come forward.

Dr. Wardale stated that the meeting had as much publicity given it as was possible, and contended that Mr Saunders himself was to blame in not having it advertised in the papers. A vote of thanks was then passed to all the candidates.