THE STANMORE ELECTION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2558, 20 June 1882, Page 4

THE STANMORE ELECTION.

ME COWLI3HAW AT PHILLIP3TOWN,

Mr Cowliehaw addressed the electors of Star.moro at tho Phillipstown school last night. There was a good attendance, the room being well filled.

Bjho gentleman in tho body of tho room proposed Mr John Lee as chairman, which v/aa received with loud applause.

Mr Leo took tho chair.

Mr Lae said that ho thanked them for tho honor they had conferred on him. He would do his duty fairly and impartially, without fear or favor, and he would aak them to Suspend their judgment until tho time for ■declaring their choice of a member for Stanmoro. Ho would, therefore, ask them to hear the grntlsman who was to address them, pa’ienuy and quietly. Mr Oowliahaw, who was received with marks of disapprobation on rising, said he had no idea that Mr Lee was so well suited for tho position of chairman, or he would not have proposed an amendment. Ho had done bo because be feared he should not have fair play, but tho words which had fallen from Mr Lee bad shown himohathe was admirably fitted for tho office, and he welcomed him to tho chair. [Oheers] Ho then went on to aay that having dealt with many of the public questions of the day, ho intended to speak on the future. Mr Cowlishaw then proceeded to comment on the Licensing Act, oud gave a resume of it. He should oppose any attempt to interfere with tho principle of local option, but he did not think it fair that it ehould be extended to houses now in existence, os it was unfair that these businesses should be destroyed without compensation. Any amendment which would tend to improve the working of the Act he should be prepared to support and none other. [lnterruption.] They would have observed that the Premier —[interruption]—had stated ia his speech—[interruption] that tho Government felt themselves justified in submitting proposals to Parliament for tho extension of railways and other public works, [lnterruption.] Ho heartily approved of this, and ehoald ba prepared to support a policy of extension of iho railways on certain conditions. [Here tho interruption reached such a height that Mr Oowlishaw was perfectly inaudible, the majority of the audience joining in a song and chorus.] Mr Lee claimed a fair hearing for Mr

Oowliahaw. He would aak the meeting to decide whether or not they were determined to hear Mr Oowlishaw or not. [Criea of " No, jno.”j Well, he would ask them to show their bands.

The show of hands was in favor of hearing Mr Oo »lishaw.

Mr Lao said he asked them, after the decision, to give Mr Ootrllahaw fair play and to hear him. [Applause.] He was no friend of Mr Oowlishaw, but he was of fair play, and ho wanted them to act fairly. Mr Oowlishaw then went on to speak on the indeb.adneaa of the colony and the taxation, pointing out that the latter was raised almost exclusively on the necessaries of life. He then went on to say that whilst the taxation was borne largely by one class, the advantages s were reaped almost exclusively by another. [Mr Oowlishaw then, amidst interruptions, quoted figures to show that his proposition was oorreot.] He then went on to speak of the intention of the Government to prosecute the Hurunui extension to the West Coast, whioh would largely increase the value of estates saoh as those of the Hoa. William Bobinaon, Mr Moore, of Glenmark, and others, and it was unfair that the community should be taxed to add largely to the price par acre of theoe ejtates. Ho therefore wa& of opinion that the interest on the cost of a railway such as that beyond the Hurunui should be charged on the proper ies benefited, and a tax imposed on them to recoup tfce colony for the expenditure. The whole colony should be divided into railway digtriots, and a special land tax imposed where necessary to meet the deficiency as between interest and the returns. [Applause.] It was not too late to do this now, because there was still a large quantity of land to be opened up. The land tax had bean called an unrighteous tax by Mr Richardson at Biagsland, but he oauld well understand a gentleman possessing 15,000 or 16,000 acres saying this. Another question coming before Parliament wax a Bill for the alteration of practice in the Courts of Judicature, according to the

report of the Judicature Oommisrion. This would, if carried out, result in a very great alteration for the benefit of tbe public, as it would assimilate the Supreme Court to the District Court and raise the jurisdiction of the inferior Courts. [lnterruption.] Mr Oowlishaw then proceeded to give instances ol the working of the present system, by which many persons were unable, except at large expense, to settle their disputes. It was a most imp riant question—one dealing with the interests of the whole community. He should be prepared to support the proposals of the Commission as included in the Bills proposed to be submitted. Mr Oowli■haw then went on to say that he desired to state that he was not a nominee of the Bank of New Zealand.

[lnterruption.] There could not be a stronger proof of this than in the last election, when Messrs Sawtoll and Jamieson worked against him. [lnterruption ] He believed the poll would show tbat he bad the confidence of the electors. He had fought the battle of parity of election, and be believed the electors would not forget it. [lnterrnption.] He had no fear of the issue, though his opponents were adopting the tactics pursued at the last meeting in preventing his views being heard, but he felt sure when the polling day came the electors would show tbat they were not managed by a small minority. [lnterruption.] He was not afraid to tell them his opinions as regarded the two parties in Parliament. [Cheers and interruption.] Sir George Gray had been returned to Parliament with an overwhelming majority, sufficient to enable him to carry the groat measures on which he had stumped the country. But during the three years of his office not one of these measures were carried. [Mr Oowiiahaw then amid great interrnption proceeded to criticise the actions of the Grey Government, bat was inaudible.] Sir John Hall had come into office, and had passed the measures Sir George Grey had talked abont, and bad placed the credit of the colony higher than it ever bad been before. The Hall Government bad also grappled with the Native difficulty, and had practically settled the question which had disturbed the peace of the colony for so long. [Applause and interruption.] Ho thought that, they come there at his invitation to listen to him. If they did not, then they ought to hare stopped at homo. [lnterruption.] Ho believed the Stanmore electors wore men of sound sense, who would on the polling day show their appreciation of a man who fought manfully and to the last, never saying die. [Loud cries, mingled with applause. | The Chairman said any one could ask Mr Cowlishaw any questions. Mr Toomor, senr., asked several questions cf a personal nature between himself and Mr Cowlishaw, to which the latter replied. A number of questions were asked by those present, and answered by Mr Cowlishaw. A resolution was moved—“ That a vote of thanks bo pawed to Mr Cowlishaw.” This was seconded by Mr Ryan. Mr Toomor, sonr., moved as an amendment —“ That this meeting repudiates Mr OowIwhaw’s conduct at the last election, and does not oonidder him a fit and proper person to represent Stanmore.” This was seconded, and on being put to the ■meeting, the chairman declared the amendment lost. The resolution was then put amid loud uproar and declared to be lost. The Chairman then declared the meeting at an end. Three cheers were given for Mr Pilliat, and the proceedings concluded. MB PILLIET AT BINGSLAND. Last evening about 200 persons attended to hear Mr W. H. Pilliet deliver an address in the Bingsland Sohoolroom. Mr W. H. Hubbard, who was voted to the chair, referred to the fairplay which had been accorded by the Government, and denounced the gross and diabolical imputations which, as he alleged, had been oast by opponents on the private and political character of the candidate. Mr Pilliet, who was greeted with loud applause, prefaced hie remarks by expressing gratification at the reception given him, and by apologising for the discomfort of the room, which, however, was the only one available. He professed no knowledge of electioneering

taolios, and, after the ordeal through woioh ho had recently passed, he had no wish to acquire knowledge of them. Neither directly nor indirectly would ho seek to insnb ary man by influencing his vote. Hehad not gone from door to door, anc not a man could say he (Mr Pilliet) had atkod him for a vote. Ho had, at the previous election, used reasonable measures of success, but had not been exceptionally noxious. Now he wm anxious. (Ohoero.) Want had occurnd in the Supreme Court showed that his friends, hand* and his own had been clean; and, i' dirt or filth were again thrown by opponents with questionable taste, he would not return it. It was for the electors to say if his friends or he had been guilty of anything improper. He was not going to condemn 010 of his political opponents. Public opinion had already done so from one end of Now Zialand to another —(cheers) —and bo had Parliament. He had not been this time a-ked to ccntost the scat, but bad come forward of his own accord, and ho was anxious that any objections entertained against him might be sfated. He had no new political ground to break. His views had been written with his pen in years gone by, and no one could accuse him of putting words into his mouth which had no place in his mind. He had been the only candidate in Canterbury who had planted his foot down unmistakably as a Radical member, using that term in its proper sente. Unhappily, JNew Zealand had been utilised as a field for a game at football by a certain class for many years, [Cheers.]] An independent candidate was needed, who would not grind axes for any Bank or moneylending firm. In spite of these days of the ballot, and so forth, he found men who would stop at nothing in their opposition. He would not try to gain the votes of men who, he knew, dared not vote for him. Ho would win through tho votes of men neither coerced nor bribed. His opponents at their meetings had out their work short, I making one or two points as elastic as they could,"but not treading on dangerous ground. For his part, he wished to tread on dangerous ground, that every man on hearing his views on political subjects might, if he desirod, bs afforded a chance of voting adversely. He bad received generous treatment at the bonds of the members at Wellington. Ho went thither partly to remove his own disqualification, and partly to show the hundreds of meu who had voted for him that he was not such a fool after all that he could not do any good for himself —[cheers]—and fclle man who could do good for himself could generally do good for his constituents. Tho members had been actuated simply by a British feeling of fair play. They were, he could assure his audience, no friends of his who had whispered behind his back that when at Wellington he had made a bargain with Government. When tho story of his wrongs was being recounted there, the members cried "Wo know all about Mr Pilliet’s case, and all about that dreadful man Mr Oowliahaw.” [Cheers and laughter.] He (Mr Pilliet) had received the unanimous sympathy of every man in both Housee. [A. voice—" You deserve it.”] He bad no wish to foul the nest in which he hoped to bo placed shortly, but he could not overlook tho fact that one of the curses of the country was that tho leaders of the people looked out for the loaves and fishes, and the sweets of office. That the various sections of the representatives were disorganised was evidenced by Bir George's and Mr Sheehan's views on the Native question being opposed to those of Messrs Maoandrow and Montgomery. The House was divided on the question of loans, and, also, of the settlement of the land. Ambition was the cause. Those who were "in ” were ready to do tho dirtiest things in tho world to remain in ; those who were “out” wore anxious to get in. The Gaming and Lotteries Act, alio sing the totalizator and preventing friends from betting a pair of gloves, had to bo amended. The Licensing Act was an egg hatched in a hurry, and cursed from one end of New Zealand to the other, after costing the country £IO,OOO to pass it. On all sides that Act was regarded as unworkable, premature, and, in fact, no law at all. After referring to the franchise, and the intention to resuscitate leasehold qualification, Mr Pilliet stated that the colony was now forty-two years old, and the older they got tho more stupidly did they legislate. Faction fights, prompted by ambition, exhausted the strength of members, and legislation was deferred to tho end of sessions. Laws thus made naturally required amending each successive session. An income tax, reaching wealthy architects, lawyers, and professional men, it was desirable should be made to run concurrently with a progressive tax on freehold land according to value. While the financial statement showed a surplus and an improvement in the income of the country, there yet seemed no prospect of that taxation from which they all were suffering being diminished. A man who had £IO,OOO a year was at liberty to leave the colony when he pleased, and such a man should fairly be called on to contribute, because this was a young country, in which abnormally high taxation prevailed, and where distance prevented her resources from being placed in the larger markets. After touching on tho question of nnoultured lands, and the lack of assistance in Canterbury to local bodies, the land fund having been taken away, the candidate pointed out, that, in their financial statement, Government were prepared to advocate the issuing of debentures for £3,000,000, the indebtedness of the country being already some £38,000,000. Whilst it was desirable that roads and railways should _ be advanced, and public works maintained, he would decidedly oppose any loans that would bo likely to be frittered away, or gambled on the floor of the House by partisans. Mr Bichardson, in the body of his speech, had said that some loans had been well spent; but, in answer to a question, he had, as reported, admitted that a very large proportion of the loans had been spent in a direction totally opposed to that for which they had been obtained. He (Mr Pilliet) was in favor of further borrowing, provided a proper, well-defined schedule were annexed to the Loan Bill. Despite the abolition of provincialism, provincial jealousy was as plentiful as ever. The House was out up into money-grabbing sections, irrespective of parties. A series of private meetings had lately been held by members. The Otago men wanted an Otago central railway at the cost of the rest of the country ; the Auckland, New Plymouth, and Taranaki men wanted a line from Auckland to Taranaki; Hawke’s Bay and Wellington members wanted a line from Wellington to Napier; end Canterbury men wished for a line to the West Ooast. A careful schedule was essential to prevent a loan from being squandered by a system of log-rolling, which might prove saoceeeful with any one section of the members. After a brief allusion to waste Crown lands, Mr Pilliet passed on to the management of railways, where a reduction of the tariff was necessary according to the respective earnings of the various lines. The atmosphere for some months had been rife with polities. Ho would, therefore, not tire them further, but conclude with an intimation that the ballot, as at present in vogue, was inviolable for every practical purpose. Were he not fully aware of that fact, it might be a question whether or cot he should be a candidate before them that night. [Prolonged applause.] In reply to questions, the candidate said he was prepared, if elected, to vote against the present Ministry in tho event of a no-confi-dence motion being brought forward.—The action of his friends and himself had been pure to a degree; that of his opponents blackguardly to a degree, [Boisterous cheeriog.J—At the trial he had stated that he had been previously ignorant of the provisions of tho Act, notwithstanding an article which he was challenged with having written in a newspaper. A private confession was now being extorted from him, and he would make it. One evening, after a meeting of electors, he had gone homo tired and with a bad headache. “ Copy ” was wanted for the paper, and without actually reading the article in question, he had cut it out as it had already appeared in another paper, merely adding three lines at the top and three lines at the bottom. —The law of New Zealand said that no man in Parliament could absolutely accept a Government billet.

The gentleman who put the query which called forth the last answer being a lawyer, who handed his questions on paper to the chairman to read, Mr Pilliet remarked, en passant, that the questioner must be either a very bad lawyer or a very wicked man [Loud laughter, and voices—“ He’s a young Cowlishaw ; “ He’s a lickspittle for the lawyers.”] The Chairman said the concluding questions by the same gentleman were personal and insulting, nor would he (the chairman) read them unless the meeting desired. It was decided not to allow them to be put.

Mr Pilliet said he was in favor of the present national system of education. He deprecated the introduction of religions dissension into political or private life. He should like to see technical schools established, but objected to ecclesiastical endowments. Free education was absolutely necessary to, eay, the sixth standard. Ha was himself a selfman, having gone to sea at fourteen, ■incl ho considered the money spent on the education of the youth to ba spent admirably. three hearty cheers wore giren for Mr Piiliet. Mr E. Clcphane proposed—" That a vote of thanks be recorded to Mr Pilliet for his address, and that he is the only fit candidate to represent the Stanmore electors.” This wai seconded by Mr A. Maclean, and carried unanimously. Mr 8. P. Andrews stepped on the platform amid applause, and said he retired from the contest in Mr Pilliet’s favor, the latter having pledged allegiance to his party. The proceedings ended with a vote of thanks passed to the chairman, on Mr Pilliet’s proposal.