THE ELECTIONS.

Kumara Times, Issue 543, 24 June 1878, Page 2

THE ELECTIONS.

MR SEYMOUR THORNE GEORGE'S MEETING. Mr Seymour Thome George addressed adensly crowded meeting at the Theatre Royal, on Saturday evening, as ..a candidate for the seat in the House of Representatives for the electoral district of Hokitika vacated by Mr Button. Mr Peakn was voted to .the chair, and, after asking for a fair and impartial hearing for the speaker, introduced the candidate, who said.—

Mr-Chairman and gentlemen—lt is with the utmost diffedence I rise to address this meeting, especially after the manner in which I have been alluded to in the public Press. I lately, read an article in one of the papers, in winch I am charged with being the "nephew of my uncle."—(Laughter.)—Gentlemen, I am proud to be the nephew of such an uncle—a man who ha 3 done more for New Zealand than any man to the present time. The next point urged against me is that I am "young." Gentlemen, I hope I shall remain so. Then I am "inexperienced." Well, I have had plenty of experience this weyk, and if you return me I shall soon enlighten you on that point. - You will not return "a baby." Do I look like a baoy '-(Great laughter). Those are all the objections agahiat mo ; but they are all m my favour. Some people sav the requisition asking me to stand as a candidate, was only from the electors of Hokitika ; but, gentlemen, I consider it came' from the whole district. You are aware that the Government' called for tenders for

2i milhons, and that 9 millions were immediately subscribed. That shows how .New Zealand stands in the Home market But I consider it a pity that the Government did not take all that was offered ; it will be requn-ed, as, before the public works are finished, we shall require another 10 millions. Where are your railways ? This is a matter for yonr representatives to urge on the Government ; but, gentlemen, I think your members have been asleep on this question Twenty-four millions have been borrowed by New Zealand, about 9 millions of which have been spent in railways alone. Of this money you will have to pay the interest, and your children the principal Now, gentlemen, £4 a head for taxes presses very heavy on a poor man, with a family of half-a-dozen. Ho has to contribute to the revenue about £25 a year, while some large land owners only pay £s,' some being bachelors and others not living in New Zealand. Is thisright 1 lam in favor of a tax. being put on the land, in a classified manner, so that those who benefit the most will have to pay the most. There is-a large amount of country held as runs; on this should be put an average tax say of 2d on good land and: Id on inferior. If the land was put up m blocks of 5, 10, or 20,00 acres, it would fetch a far higher rental than it does now. lam jn favour of an income tax on amounts over £3OO, in this way, that a person who is in receipt of £350 a year should be taxed for an extra £SO. In regard to the working classeaj it is quite time the duties were taken off the necessaries of life, as the ; £1 a-head paid to Government every year on -various articles makes a material difference to a man with a large family. " Gentlemen, in i regard to the suffrage, I think' that every ; man contributing to the revenue should have a voice in its distribution, and that ; every man not a criminal, being British | by birth or naturalization, and resident i six months in the district, should Have a vote in that district. All the lands of | the Crown ought to be sold by public auci tion, in small blocks; and let us have no , more hole-and-corner business in . land : transactions. I believe.in the deferred payment system, having had a .great deal of experience in land." I have seen miners, after making hundreds of pounds in this country, go to Australia to invest it, because they could not get the land here. Gentlemen, I am in favor of a liberal land law, one by which everyone can obtain a small freehold,' if required. In regard to Education, I say the State should give the best education obtainable, which should be free and open to all, with no religious teaching .whatsoever in the schools, but with a carofil selection of all books used therein.—(Applause.) I shall now allude to your local wants..' You have an Education Reserve here, in winch gold is found ; and. I understand, to' work this you have to pay the Board 25s a year • is thisright! That, gentlemen, is, one of the matters I shall refer to the Governmeno, if returned.— (Ones' of '•** We don't I want it!" "It's no good.") Well, if you ' don't want it, I shall not try and get it ! altered. Do you want water for your town '? (Cries of " No" and " Yes.") You are a contented people. What do you ■ want ? (A voice : "We want a good member.") Well, return me, and you'll get one -(Laughter). I shall support the gold duty being abolished, as I consider this an unfair tax ; and in this matter I may say Sir George Grey is entirely with me, as he has on several occasions in the House tried to get it done ; but at that time his party was not strong enough. lam in favor of reducing miners' rights to 10s ; but in the i North Island the Government have ar- ! ranged with the Natives that anyone I mining on their lands pays £l, which goes i to the owner of the land. This I consider I fair. I may say that any person whose name is not on the roll, but who is the possessor of a. miners' right six months okl, is entitled to vote. The Warden has very kindly granted you protection of your ! claims on Tuesday and Wednesday next to enable you to vote. (A voice: "Very' kind, indeed.") I believe you had a nice : quiet sociable meeting here last Saturday ! night—a--meeting that was heard of all I over New Zealand. (A voice: "Wei spoke our minds, anyhow.") Well, gen- ' tlement, I telegraph to the Government 'l' this morning relative to that very matter, j and I will now read you the reply : j "A tender for bridge over Teremakau | in line with road has been accepted, and ': contract entered into, and Cannot now be altered." j

(Cheers, groans, and cries of "Seddon."). | Gentlemen, I thank you for the very I patient hearing you have accorded me, 1 and should you return rae as your representative,, you may rely on my. utmost endeavours being used to benefit this district.—(Loud applause.) Li reply to questions, the candieate said. lam not in favor of the GovemI ment purchasing the Okuku Water Kace.— , (Laugh'er). If immigration is on the j assisted passage system I think it is advantageous, as you cannot have too many of a population in this country.—(A voice : "No chinaman.") I am in favor of reducing the bush licenses, as it is a class tax.—l am not in favor of the compulsory clause of the Education Act as it amounts to a capitation Tax. The . business licenses here should, I thirtk, be put up by auction so as to make those paying rent on the Education Reserve equal to their neighbors on the Government reserve, who pav no Education rent. I consider the Government should take over the Ohristchurch road, and erect : bridges over the Taipo river and Waini- ' hmihi creek. The Government have voted £UOO for a Hospital here, which I have no doubt will be forwarded. lam m favor of the local bodies being empowered to levy a tax towards the support of Hospitals, which everyone should be • compelled to pay. If I can find time I shall most certainly come and see you after next session. ''

Mr Akchek, in proposing Mr Seymour Thome George as a fit and proper person to represent the constituency, said he had no doubt from what they had heard from the candidate, he was the man they wanted m the House, and as one of their representatives, they could place confi» dence in him. As Mr Croumbie-Brown another candidate intended addressing the meeting, he trusted they Would give him a fair hearing. Mr Fowjoeii seconded the resolution, tfhißll on being put by the Chairman, was declared . carried unanimously with three ringing cheers for the candidate. Mr S. Croumbee-Brown, who was well received, said : Mr Chairman and gentlemen—When Mr Ancher spoke of me as a candidate, I was no longer one, and I will give you my reasons. I have been to Hokitika, and felt the pulse of the people there, and I find that, although I should be certain of a number of votes, yet they are not sufficient in number to carry me into the House, and on these grounds I have withdrawn from .the-contest; but I shall certainly side with one of the candi* dates. (A voice: "How much did you get for it V) Gentlemen, I did not get a single penny, and I have been put to great expense. (A voice : " More fool you !") A vote of thanks .to the Chairman o Yed byMr S. T. George, and seconded by His Worship the Mayo*, terminated; the proceedings, which, notwithstanding that the Theatre was literally crammed with people," were, throughout of a most orderly character.