STANMORE ELECTION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 256, 29 June 1882, Page 4

STANMORE ELECTION.

ME W. H, PILLIET AT PHILLIPSTOWN. Mr W. U, Pilliet addressed the electors of the Sianznore district at the schoolroom, Philliystown, yesterday evening. The attendance wss very large, tho room being densely packed. On Mr Pilliet making hia appearance, ho was greeted with quite a volley of cheers, “three cheers for Mrs Pilliet” being enthusiastically added. Mr Staples was voted to the chair, and in hia introductory remarks uaul that he felt sure the meeting would be an orderly one. Ho thought that he need say but liltlo of Mr Pilliet. They all knew wiia'r. Mr PiUiet’a views wore, tnd tho electors would recognise that he was a candidate fully deserving of their support and sympathy, Mr Pilliet, who, on rising, was met with renewed cheers, then addressed the meeting. After thanking them for the manner in which he haxl been treated at their hands some months r. go, and also during his legal troubles, tho candidate expressed hie gratitude ut seeing so many there that evening, let their views accord with his own or suit, One thing ha felt sure, and that was, that if ho was once more enabled to gain tho confidence of the electors when the polling day came, he would have cause to rammuber uoon whose shoulders ho hod been placed in Parliament. The industrial class, the working men, appeared to believe in him.

and he had an idea that their confidence was not misplaced. The ballot, he wished to impress upon the people’s mind, was absolutely secret; it was the ballot that would put him at the top of the poll—ho was quite aware of that. Ha had most powerful influonoes to contend against ; money landing institutions and those which assisted “ overdraft” men. Mr Billiot then reviewed the present political position, and gave his opinion as io what might be done to promote bettor and more healthy legislation at a much less 1 cost to the colonists. Ho criticised the financial statement at length, and complained I that with a surplus of £200,000 reported !>y | Major Atkinson to have accrued lust financial year, and an anticipated increase of £IOO,OOO during the current financial year, no signs of relieving the present state of enormous taxation had been given by the Ministry. The financial statement had it that there were three classes in the community, the “industrial," the “intermediate,” and the “property” clues. It was there said that the industrial class contributed 17a 3d per head of population, the intermediate class £2 13j, and the property class £4 10s. Yot a uniform 10 per cent, reduction on wages and salaries had been imposed upon the employes of the Civil Service, regardless of rank or emoluments. Taxation should, i ndcr the present circumstances of the colony, be us much as possible on a graduated scale. People with a very small income suffered more from the infliction of a tax than those of large means. A penny in the pound to a poor man with a family whose earnings were some £IOO a year was acutely felt; not so in the ease of a man worth over a £IOOO a-ysur. Where there was little, less could be spared. The incidence of taxation, and how to reduce it, should bo the great political question of the day. After giving his views on the loan, the railway tariff, the income and land tax to replace the properly tax, and urging that when the Government reduced the property tax from Id in the £ to £d, the | colony lost £129.000 from the “ property ” dess, those most able to boar it, Mr Billiot sat down amidst renewed cheers. A largo number of questions wero asked and appeared to bo answered to the satisfaction of the meeting, A resolution —“That Mr W. H, Pilliet was tho only fit and proper of the candidates to represent Stanmoro, and that ho possessed tho confidence of tho electors," was moved and seconded. An amendment —“ That thanks only ” be awarded him was proposed and seconded. The amendment when put didn’t receive one hand. The resolution was passed unanimously amidst great cheering. A vote of thanks, and three cheers for tho chairman, together with “ Three cheers for Mr Pilliet," “ Three cheers for Mrs Pilliet,” “ Three cheers for Mr Richardson,” which were at once nut by powerful groaning, and “Three groans for Mr Oowlishaw,” terminated a lengthy meeting, which was most orderly. Mr Pilliet, who was listened to moat attentively throughout, was frequently cheered and applauded during his speech.