MR. G. G. FITZGERALD AT WESTBROOK.

Kumara Times, Issue 1462, 4 June 1881, Page 2

MR. G. G. FITZGERALD AT WESTBROOK.

Ther e was a very large gathering for so small a place of the electors in and around Westbrook last evening, at Foley’s Hotel, to hear Mr G. G. FitzGerald, a candidate for the seat in the House of Representatives for the Grey Valley,,rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr Edward Masters, of Greymouth, who retites through ill-health.

Mr Keily was voted to the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker. He said—You all know, gentlemen, what we are assembled here for to-night. It is to hear Mr Fitz Gerald’s views on politics. Mr G. Q. Fitz Gerald said—Mr Chairman and Gentlemen—lt affords me great pleasure to see so many of you here to-night. I am here to ask you to return me as your representative in Parliament to fill the seat which. has become vacant by the resignation of Mr Masters, who so ably filled that seat; and I am here to ask you to express your opinions on my qualification to fill that seat. I have been asked to come forward ; and I want you to say that I am wanted. X have had a very lengthened experience on goldfields; I have worked on them both in Victoria and Otago j and as a Warden on this Coast you know I have had much experience.—[Hear, hear j and cheers.] I can assure you I should not have come forward if I had not possessed the qualification I am a miner asking the constituents to return a miner. —[Cheers.] We are now, owing to Native troubles paying away .£1,500,000 every year in interest. It is obvious to anyone who looks at and knows the whole policy of the country that you have not had your fair share of the public money. I cqutehd that this part of the country has been robbed j much that was due to the YTest Coast has gone to the East Coast, Take the Christchurch road, for instance : in dividing the cost of that road, instead of taking the whole cost and dividing the expense, Westland had to pay for the western half in measurement, all rough country, while Canterbury paid for the eastern half, which, as you know, is nearly all a plain, I contend that as the East Coast was to reap the greater benefit of that road, Canterbury should have borne two-thirds of the cost.—[Hear, hear.] What little money was expended, had to be dragged out by ropes. And yet the cry is that no more public money is to be spent. I very much doubt if the pledge not to borrow for three years from the time of receiving the last Five Million loan will .not have to be broken, although I believe two years of that time has very nearly expired. It is important, however, that you should have your fair share of what money is being spent. There was

a vote of £SOOO granted for prospecting associations ; very little of that money had come to the West Coast. If I am returned by you, I wouldn’t take “No” for an answer, if the money were there. I believe that boring rods are required—though not for this district exactly. The best men were going away to Victoria; the other side is taking all the money and leaving you with a bare blanket. I should be in favor of getting larger grants for prospecting purposes, tip to the present time, you have contributed move than your fair share of taxation. The country is largely dependent upon the gold duty, and miners are charged exorbitantly for the gold ; if returned, I should try to get it reduced, or abolished. The small reduction that was recently made in the gold duty had not benefited the miners, but the men who buy the gold; the banks made an uncommonly good profit out of it. What Want is a mint] that would be a remedy, and then the miner would get full value for his goldi The Land question was one of very great interest indeed. The Press said I am a friend of the squatter. I never had a£s note from a squatter. I would tax him up to the handle. Some say I have beCn sent here by the Government ; some say I have been sent here by the squatter; some say I have been sent here by the Catholics; and some say I have been sent here by the Good Templars—[laughter]. Yet lam not in favor of taxing wool, for where I coule from there are a very large number of—“cockatoos” if you like; and if I were to go back to Wanganui and tell them I had proposed a tax on woolj they would eat my head off. Put if it were to tax the big squatters only, then I would have the tax on wool. I am not satisfied with the way the deferred payment of land system is being carried out; there have been disastrous failures in Southland. In place of the deferred-payment system, I would vote for balloting for the land. With regard to the Railway question : Daring the first years of the Coast, I was the first to talk about connecting the East and West Coast; and now it is proposed finally that a company shall do the work which the Government should have undertaken. 1 have been specially solicited by one of the promoters who knew the interest I take in the matter to take up my pen to work out the scheme for this West Coast Railway. You are not looking to me as one who promises to do tins, that, and the other, but to one who can tell you of what has been done by him in the past—[Cheers.] I refer to this knowing that some stress will probably be laid to the efforts of a gentleman who is coming forward, because he is on the railway committee in Christchurch. During the corning session a Bill will be introduced to give grants of laud to a company to construct this fail way. The railway is badly wanted. English capitalists will not now invest their money in such undertakings unless it can be shown that there will be good returns. Considering the great interests which would accrue if this Bill came before the tlodse, I shall certainly be inclined to vote for itj and would even vote to subsidize it. Still, I wonld act in this matter by the voice of my constituents.—[Cheers.] With regard to Mining Leases, unfortunately leases were granted to persons who have failed to comply with the regulations. I should be in favor of a large reduction on miners’ rights. Some people say it is better to see the land lay idle than be destroyed by the miner. I would sooner see the land defaced by the miner than see wild pigs or a few sheep on it. In the matter of Representation on the basis of population, I do not see much to be gained by the re-distribution of seats ■ but I should vote according to the wishes of my constituency. I have not touched, gentlemen, on several great questions, which ate not likely to be entertained during the present session. Upon all these subjects that I have now addressed you, I have never deliberately broken a promise. It is for you now to say whether you will put in a man whom you all know, or whether you will put in a new man who comes and makes all sorts of promises.—[Loud cheering.] I shall be happy to answer any questions you may put.

After a pause, Mr Fitz Gerald again rose and said ; The Chairman has reminded me of one subject upon which he thinks you would like to hear me, and that is the Education question. I take an exceedingly warm interest in education. I am in favor of free, secular, and compulsory education; I am not prepared to u,sset that system, and I do not see anything better. But there are 60.000 of my fellow colonists who cannot conscientiously endorse that system ; and it is a question whether those people should not get something,

Bat I am certain nothing will be done in that matter nekt session ; the education Question will remairi as it is. I would not upset the present system 3 and, in fact, I never was asked to. Mr Maloney : If elected a member, wduld you be in favor of Chin'ese immigration 1 Mr Fitz Gerald : No, certainly riot; If I had iriy way, I would run them all into the sea to-morrow.—[Laughter,] I wduld put a poll-ta* on them if yoii can do it legal ly.^fCheers.] Mr. j. Corrigan: I move “That Mr FitaGorald is a fit and proper person to represent the Grey Valley electors iri the House of Representatives.”

Mr J. White seconded; The motion was put to the meeting, arid earned unanimously. Mr Fitz Gerald thanked the audience for the kind and attentive manner ’Vith which they had listened to his remarks j and, proposing a vote of thanks to the Chairman for the, efficient manner iri which he had conducted the busirieSs, the proceedings terminated.