THE ELECTIONS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2385, 24 November 1881, Page 3

THE ELECTIONS.

MR WHITE AT SYDENHAM. Mr Wa. White, jun., addressed a crowded meeting of the electors of Sydenham on Wednesday night, in the Colombo road schoolroom. The chair was occupied by Mr J. T. Brown, Mayor of Sydenham, who briefly introduced the candidate. Mr White, who was received with loud cheers, said that before entering upon general questions he might perhaps be allowed to refer to a statement of Mr Andrew, to the effect that he bad called upon him (Mr White) to ask if he intended to stand for Sydenham, and had waited for some time for his reply before announcing himself as a candidate. He received a letter from Mr Andrew requesting an interview, and was afterwards asked by Ufet gentlemen if he intended to oome forward. He replied that he had been asked to stand, but before deciding would have to consult his father. Some unavoidable delay occurred, and on receiving a communication from his father, and before again seeing Mr Andrew, he heard that that gentleman had decided to contest the seat, whereupon he told his friend that he did not think he would come forward, as he and Mr Andrew were on the same platform. His supporters, however, insisted upon his keeping his promise to contest the seat, and he had eventually consented to do so. He had worked with Mr Andrew, and had always found him most conscientious and straightforward, and if it were not for the strong solicitations of his friends he would not oppose that gentleman. He would now address himself to general questions. When Parliament met it would be found that £1,200,000 would have to be provided for by taxation. This should be borne by the people acoording to eaoh man's moans, without pressing unduly upon any particular class. He did not approve of the practice which had been pursued of issuing Treasury Bills. For the present, at all events, he would be opposed to any further immigration, either free or assisted. With regard to education, he would not interfere with the present system. Perhaps there were one or two details whioh required improvement, such for instance as the mode of electing the committees. At present about ten persons could elect any candidate they liked, for under the provisions of the Act they could exercise no less than seventy votes. The committee, he thought, should be elected in the same way that the Borough Councils were, a day being fixed for nominations. He thought the committees were too much tied up in the matter of expenditure, all small questions of repairs, and so forth, being now in the hands of the Education Boards. Under the present system the children of the working classes derived no benefit from the High Schools, which were only taken advantage of by the wealthy. [Cheers.] No child should go to a High School unless he had passed a certain standard in a common school. He disapproved of the Agricultural College with its large reserves. This also was only for the benefit of the wealthy class. The Representation Act was a very great improvement upon the previous law; but still it did not do justice to Sydenham. If I/yttelton had one member for 4000 people Sjdenham should have two members for 8000. [Cheers.] With regard to the franohise, he would allow a freehold, a leasehold, and a residential qualification, but in no case should a man have more than one vote. He should chose between the freehold and leasehold qualification. [Cheers.] There were some who said property should be represented, but he contended that the freehold qualification did not represent property, and that property did not contribute as much to the revenue in proportion as other interests. If real property was represented, why should not the same advantage be given to movable property ? Why should land only be considered ? Population alone should be represented in Parliament. The laws were made for the people, and the people alone should have the right to say who should make those laws. He was opposed to the property tux, and would favor an income tax and a land tax in preference. [Cheers.] There were a great many persons—lawyers, doctors, bankers, &i. —whom the property tax did not reach at all, acd who should contribute to the State in proportion to their incomes. The Charitable Aid Bill, if brought forward again, he would oppose to the utmost of his abilify. It proposed that a rate should be struck in Sydenham in proportion to population. Under that measure, although Sydenham would use the Hospital t) a comparatively small extont, it would be rated to the amount of 6i in the pound, a tax which, if possible, would be worse than the drainape rate. [Laughter and cheers.] The Drainage Bill was one which never should have boen passed, and it i:.dieted a great injustice upon Sydenham particularly. The portion of the district known as Clark's area was rated as high as lOd in the £, but he took credit for having reduoed the rate for the rest of the district from lljd to 2d. [Cheers.] The Drainage Board, in retaliation, had decided to spend £20,000, the balance of the loan, in letting oontracts for pipe-laying, which would bind the succeeding Board. The whole of the £200,000 would then have been expended, and the scheme would only be half * completed, and there would be an application

for further borrowing, which he hoped would not be greeted. He then referred to an article in the " Lyttelton Times," and criticised the drainage operations at Eome length. Ho thought the rale should be lowered by the Government affording assistance, as they did in the case of other local bodies. This being a work affecting the whole of the colony, inasmuch aa visitors to Christchnrch would be liable to infection in case of disease arising, the Government should subsidise the Board as they did other public bodies. With. regsrd to the land question, he thought the runs should be cut up for settlement into email [ allotments, somewhat on the principle adopted by the Board of Conservators, whohad cut up a certain quantity of land and disposed of it by public auction to the highest bidder. He would not in any way allow the issue of preemptive rights. In support of the system of lotting by auction, be might instance the osbb of the Oamaru Harbor Board, who had succeeded under that system in increasing the rental from tboir lands from £720 to £3400 a year. The Licensing Act, he thought, gave a fair amount of satisfaction to both sides. The licensed victuallers and the Good Templars were, he understood, willing to give it e. trial, and he thought it should be allowed to remain in operation, but its provisions should be strictly enforced. In his opinion, law reform was very muoh required, particularly in the direction of reducing the costs, and giving greater facilities for the settlement of disputes. There were cases at present which had to bo taken to the Supreme Court which could be well entrusted to a Resident Magistrate. He would be in favor of an Employers Liability Act, but damages Bhould only be recovered in caee of neglect baisg proved. Pensions, in his opinion, ehnuld bo abolished, and a system of insurance substituted. It was only those high in cilice, who ought to be able to save something from their exorbitant salaries, who were the recipients of pensions. He was in favor of local government, and opposed to the present centralism. The Roads Construction Bill of last session he had hoped had been finally disposed of. The constitution of the Board was open to very grave objection, and would afford facilities for bribing members of Parliament. The provision requiring local bodies, before they could obtain any money, to send up plans and specifications to Wellington and go through an elaborate and vexatious process, was also objectionable. The Bill was only meant for the North Island. He now oamo to tho railway question. The land through which a railway ran should contribute towards the cost. The profits made by the railways in Canterbury went towards making good deficiencies in the North Island. Instead of this being the case, the rates In Canterbury should be reduced, as they were at present very excessive. The charges on coal, for instance, were far too high. Then there was the question of the wages of the railway employes, in reference to whioh the Government had shown themselves deserving of blame. They had by their action lowered theprice of wages all over the colony. They returned the 10 per cent, to the holders of high ofiices, but not to the railway employes. The case of the platelayers was particularly hard. No man could live comfortably and make a home for himself on 6s a day. [Cheers ] He disagreed with the action of the Government in reference to the railway strike. The strikers made a direct charge of incompetence against the heads of the department, and asked for a commission of enquiry, whioh should have been granted. In his opinion, the railways would only be managed properly under a Board, which would be free from politioal influence. At present political influence was used to pitchfork incompetent men into lucrative positions. This would not be the case under a Board. Inquiries into grievances and other matters would also be carried out with greater expedition and impartiality than under the existing system. The Board should be purely elective. There would then be a reduotion of the rates, the railways would return a greater profit, and there would not be the same number of useless men engaged. In his opinion Sydenham: should be represented on the Harbor Board, as it had to contribute rates and taxes towards maintaining the harbor. He would abolish all nominated Boards having the expenditure of the ratepayers* money. He would encourage local industries by allowing the raw material for manufacture to come in free of duty, but otherwise wsb in favor of free trade, limiting the Customs duties to the extent required for revenue purposes. He omitted to say with regard to the land question that he would put such a rate on unoccupied land fit for cultivation as would compel the owners of large estates either to sell or work their land. If that were done evory man in New Zealand would have plenty of work to do, and in a few years there would perhaps be room for more. He would not allow large blocks to remain in the hands of capitalists and private companies. [Cheers.l He did not altogether approve of the action of the Government in regard to the Native question. There had been too much money wasted, and the Maoris had not been properly treated. He did not blame the Maoris so much as those who lived by encouraging strife between the two races. As to the West Coast Railway, if it would pay the Government should undertake it. He believed it would be reproductive, and as it was a main trunk lineGovernment should take it in hand as soon as possible. [Cheers.] He was opposed to the members of the Upper House being nominated, and also their being paid for doing nothing. If that Chamber were elected he would not object to the members being paid, as there were many capable men who perhaps would not be able to go to Wellington unless they received an honorarium. He then referred to the question of reserves for Sydenham, which he considered was entitled to the 2000 acres promised by the Government. The Government had not treated the district properly in the matter of the proposed footbridge in Madras street. It was paltry to ask tho ratepayers to contribute to such a work, which was of advantage to the colony as a whole, being in connection with the railway. The borough was (being unfairly treated both by the Drainage Board and the Government in a variety of ways. Having now referred to mostjOf the subjects which he thought of interest he would be glad to answer any questions they might think propor to put. [Loud cheers.] In answer to questions, Mr White said he would vote against the present Government on account of their past actions. It was impossible to say what they would bring forward, but at present he was dead against them, and if a vote of no-confidence were moved early in the session would support it. He opposed the Government on the Native and on the railway questions. The railways they had grossly mismanaged, sacrificing the interests of the South Island to those of the North. Ho opposed them also because they were too conservative, and because he believed that bat for the liberal party they would not have passed tho electoral laws of last session. [Cheers.] Ho did not agree with the proposal that the three liberal candidates for Sydenham Bhould arrange to take the opinion of the electors by means of requisition, and that two candidates Bhould retire in favor of the one whoße requisition received the greatest cumber of signatures. This proposal was inconsistent with tho ballot, and against the irterest of employes. Although there were three liberal candidates be thought one would be returned. [Cheers.] Ho had not been brought forward in the interest of a banking institution in Chrietchurcb. No bank, no institution,, no Government, and no person had the slightest hold or influence over him. He was brought forward by the working men and mechanics of Sydenham. [Cheers.] He was never a Conservative in politics, but had always been a Liberal. As to whether or not he would support Sir Gc-crgo Grey, if elected he would go to Parliament tosr.pport Liberal measures, and not to follow any ono man. The prisons should, as far as possible, be made self-sup-porting, bat the inmates should not be allowed to compete with outside labor. In the event of his not being able to secure the description of franchise he had described, he would vote for manhood suffrage. He would be in favor of giving the people the right which they had, but which was now denied them, of admission to the outside grounds of the Jockey Club free of payment. In regard to the Railway Board whioh he had proposed,he would be in favour of allowing the railway employes to voto at the election of members, as long ::s they were electors. It was true that the reason he did not come forward at first as a candidate was because he held certain contracts undi r tho hope of obtaining the honour of being theirrepresentative he had thrown up nine Government contracts and all the profit which might have accrued from them. After the candidate had answered several other questions, Mr Miller moved—" That this meeting thanks Mr White for his address, and, believing him to bo a fit and proper person to represent Sydenham in Parliament, pledges itself to endeavour to secure hie return,"

Mr John Shield« seconded the motion, ■which was put and carried unanimously, B nidst loud applauee. , A vote of thanks to tho chairman concluded tbe proceedings. ____ Here Keve Taiaroa addressed tho Maori ©lectors at St. Stephen's, near Kaiapoi, on Tuesday evening. Tare Tchoika presided. There was a lr.rgo attendance of both sexes and young people. After explaining the chief matters of interest that had engaged the attention of tho Assembly, ho entered into & long explanation of tho report of the Commissioners appointed to examine the claims of tho Mao Tis of tho South Mand, and expressed the opinion that the question of the ISgatihu deed would rcc-jivo full corsidoration in the next session, and it bohoved the electors to return the best man tlioy could to urge forward the olaims. No reforenca was made to the Nativo difficulf.y. A voto of confidence in Taiaroa was passed. Mr Mormaduke Dixon announces meetings at Oust, ■'&;>., when he will lay before the eleotors his views on matters of importance and explain his deferred-payment plan of settling the Manuka oountry, respecting which ho has been misrepresented. IPKBSS ASSOCIATION TBLEQHAMS. 1 AUCKLAND, November 23, Mr J. MoOosh Clarke definitely decided tonight to contest City East with Sir George '■Q-rey. Sir George Grey has announoed that he will again address the City East electors on Friday night at the Lome street hall. Mr Richard Monk announoos himself for Parnell. BLENHEIM, November 23. Mr Seymour addressed the electors last night, aßd reoeived a vote of thaukß. He announced his continued support of the present Ministry. Hia explanation of his ruling in the stonewalling debate was received with mingled applause and hisses.