POST-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

Kumara Times, Issue 1593, 4 November 1881, Page 2

POST-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

MR. R\ J. SBDDON, M.H.R., TO THE ELECTORS. Continuing our report of his address to the electors of Knmara at the A delphi Theatre on Tuesday evening, MrSeddon, in referring to the Corrupt Pract.ioes Act, said that under this Act no person will be safe to have a flrink on the day of election: tilait.se G provided that " Every candidate at any election who shall by himself, or by or with any person, or bv any other ways* or means on his behalf, on the polling day of election, directly or indirectly, give or provide, or cause to be given or provided, or !<hall be accessory to the giving or providing, or shall pay wholly or in part any expenses incurred for any meat, drink, euterthiument, or provision to for any person in order to bo elected or for beais elected, or for the purpose of influencing such person or any other person to give or refrain from giving his vote at such election, or on account of such j erson having voted or refrained from voting, or bein<* about to vote or refrain from voting, at such election, sdnll be deemed guilty of the otfem-e of treating." And on conviction of committing a corrupt, practice will be li.ible to be fined £4OO or get six months' imprisonment. Who was it that forcod the bill ? Was it the poor members, like myself? No; it was the rich ; and he had no hesitation in saying it was one of the meanest bills that ever passed a Parliament. His motto was —Win or lose, let us meet as jolly good friends. Private carriages being allowed to be used during an election he iogarded as handicapping the poorer candidate. With regard to Colonial Finance, the taxation was now .£8 per head per annum. The taxation of last session was very ingenious. To prevent hams and bacon being imported, 2d a pound had been imposed to stop the importation from America, to benefit Canterbury ; and one half-penny per pound had been put. on jams to lie efit Nelson and Auckland. Everything to his (the speaker's) mind had been taxed injudiciously. Moleskin and calico in the piece were exempted. This would give employment to females and children. Local industries did not receive that attention, which they deseived. Good practical mechanics were becoming sea ice. It behoved every man in the colony to do justice to the rising generation. It' you wi.-h a countiy to prosper, you must foster local industry. Concerning the question of Bible Reading in Schools, Mr Seddon said he believed in secular education. A few months ago, ce.-tain charges were brought against the Local School Committee, of imposing a polltax on the childien. Thn fact was that Parliament had taken off 10s capitation allowance ; and, to bring the expenditure within the income, either there was to be no fires in the schools or the committee were to pay the expenses out of their own pockets. Local matters (Mr Seddon observed) had not sufl'erel during his term of representation. We

have (lie said) as nice a little goldfields town as there is in the c >lony. We are now our own landlords. There is a good road to the bridge. The road to the Chrislchurch road "would soon be opened, and he hoped ere long to see a road to the bi'ach. As regards water supply, tlieie Was a meeting in D'illmau'rt Town last ni«ht, and a resolution passed urging on the Government the construction oF the second dam, for which a sum of £3OOO had been voted last session. If we get an increased water supply I believe Kumara wid b 3 one of the most'flourishing towns in New Zealand. You have heard so often about the gold duty that all seem convinced that it is a gross injustice td miners, It seemed as if the Custoni flottse officer always had his hand in the miner's pocket; The gold duty alone received from the West Coast amounted to one million sterling. Sir Julius Vogel had said that if a Dr. and Cr. accouutJiad been kept, it would be found that £350,000 would be due to the West Coast from the colony. The West Coast had enriched Canterbury. She has left us poor, and now we have not her sympathy. He (Mi- Seddon) was in favor of an income and land tax. We have now 12G miles of roads, maintained solely at the miners' expense. Although Chairman of the County Council, he would do away, with th.it body to-morrow, rather than it should exist on such terms. The sooner it was done away with and some miore comprehensive system of locil government introduced the better. [The speaker here <lwe.lt very fully on the Cold Dutv Abolition Bill. Pit's remarks on this subject being very important, we shall to-morrow give a verbatim report of the same.] In conclusion, gentlemen, I am now here, as I said before, as your managed I have done to the best of my ability. L hope my reward will be that you still have confidence in your humble servant.—[Loud and continued applause.] The Chairman (J. O'Hagan, Esq., Mayor of Kumara) said if any gentleman had any question to ask, Mr Seddon would be most happy to reply td it. Mr J. S. Peatn came forward and, after thanking Mr Seddon for his most able address, said ho would now pvr.pose a void of confidence and thanks f r Mr Seddon's past services.—[Hear, hear, and applause.] The motion was unanimously carried; Mr Seddon briefly thanked the elec tors present; and the meeting concluded by liU nicving a vote of thanks to the worthy Mayor for presiding. Mr Seddon addressed crowded meetings on Wednesday night at Callaghan'a Literary Institute, and last night at Goldsborottghj giving a resume of what transpired in Parliament last session and the part he took in same. Also as 1 to what his intent'ons word if re-elected. He was frequently applauded during" his addresses, and votes of thanks and confidence we're unanimously carried at both places.