COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1597, 9 November 1881, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

MR. P. DUNGAN TO THE ELECTORS AT HILLMAN’S TOWN. On Monday evening last Mr P. Dungan, a candidate for one of the three seats in the County Council of Westland for the Arahura Riding, addressed the electors at Reynolds’ Hotel, Dillman’s Town. There must have been about, 150 persons present. Mr S. Agnew, having been voted to the chair, said it was not necessary for him to remind them of the purpose for which the meeting was called : it was that Mr Dungan might state his politics. Air Dungan was not new to local politics ; he had represented the Paroa Riding tor several years, and subsequently had been a member of the Westland Council, and he had done so with credit to himself and the district he represented. [Hear, hear, and applause.] Mr Peter Duxgan, after alluding to the flattering remarks, which had fallen from the chairman, said he thanked those present for their attendance this evening. lie had felt it his duty to announce himself as a candidate for membership of the. Westland County Council, There was a great trust and responsibility in that position. He would-state that his views were in the general-. interest. He had nothing to say on his own behalf more than that he had been associated with bodies in Kumara since its opening as a goldfield, and he had represented them recently before a committee of the House of Parliament on the pressing mining wauls of this golden district.—[Applause.] As regards the gold duty, he was in favor of its total abolition, and would giyp practical proof of his consistency in-skying so. He was not here to please fur the moment; nor would he descend to clap-trap in this respect. He was aware that gold has brought to this colony many men, with hearte of steel, who have opened up numerous goldfields. He was aware also that they were a hardy race of colonists, and an orderly and persevering class of men. A. I The other colonies have got rid of the bare gold dirty, and rid of the tax on miners’ rights. His opinion was that the removal of the gold tax was only a question of time; he should support its abolishment as Ireing a class tax. He was in the County Council when that body reduced the tax by fid an ounce, and was one who voted for its reduction.—[Hear, bear.] He would explain in two or three words his view on taxing mining property. He would take care that no local body had the power to tax raining property. Could anything appear more ridiculous than the permissive clause, which allowed this ? It is a wrong. Seine say What will we put in its place? There can be other substitutions in lieu of gold duty. Dp to the present no harm is done. Mining property was sufficiently taxed. The Hon. Mr Lahman. in the Westland County Council some years ago, had told them that mining property must be taxed. He (Mr Dungan) with others, opposed it. We said “ No ; we will resist it to the end.”—[Applause.] With regard to the miners’ right suffrage, he said they must be united. At one time three months’ residence in a place was sufficient to ensure a vote for Comity Council members ; then it was six months j but now a miner may

to 1.0 twelve months a resilient if lie Impawned to take out a miner’s right in January. This was another glariiig imposition.—[Hear, hear.] In" reference to the alienation of crown lands; This is what you should look out for. Some of you will remember that I told the miners to look out that the lands on the beach were not sold.—[Applause.] He. would now allude to the Westland County Council, and the system of dealing with the funds. The Act gives to that body the power to raise a little money, and the power to spend a portion of it; it was £13,000 last year. If returned a member of the County Council he would support the contract system of tendering for work over £2O, not day labour; Sir Dungan then quoted some figures showing the amount of money which had been pended in the various ridings during the past year in road making and maintenance, for Hospitals, Benevolent and Literary Institutions, and in travelling expenses of members; and concluded by saying that in lieu of the gold duty, he would recommend a uniform tax on all.—[Applause.] Mr Morris would like to ask Mr Dungan if he would be in favor of reducing the County Chairman’s salary £l5O or lessl • Mr Dungan : £l5O to one who devotes all his time is not a very large salary. But a guinea a day for travelling was too much. Sir Morris then proposed : “ That Mr Dungan is a fit and proper persoii to represent this district in the County Council.” He did not think they could put a better man in as one of our present administrators. He was confident Mr Dungan would fulfil all expectations.—[Applause.] This was seconded by Mr Jones, and carried unanimously. After thanking the audience for their demonstration., Sir Dungan said that Mr Barrowruan had been .consulting with him before the meeting, and thought it would be a good opportunity, whilst the miners were together of hearing a few words from him.—[Hear, hear,] MR FERGUS BARROWMAN TO THE ELECTORS. It having been proposed that Mr S. Agiif w retain the chair, Mr Fergus Barrowman said that when he left home ho did not expect to address them to-night; but he thought when lie saw so large a gathering, it would be a good opportunity, and it Wiiu'd save the miners turning out again specially, for it was not late. He did not come before them as a candidate for the County Council with the experience of Mr Dungan. A large number of miners had got up a requisition asking him to represent them, and he thought it would be cowardly if he did not go in the same as the rest.—[Applause.] As a miner he had some claims on the community. Even in the General Assembly he considered a miner ought to represent miners.— [Hear, hear.] He had ha'd some experience. Twelve years ago he was unanimously delegated in Westport to advocate the reduction of the gold duty at that time. The disadvantages miners were under' in ground-sluicing in opening out claims, in paying wages men, and other heavy expenses, dining which time no returns were coming in, were arguments why there should be no gold duty. He agreed with Mr Dungan that the system of maintaining trunk lines of road ought to bo by contract. The system of contracting now was—how much a contractor can evade the specifications.—[ Hear, hear, j Some improvements should be made in this respect. In his opinion the miner’s right was a wrong and heavy charge.Mr Barrowman concluded his address by stating that when the polling day came that he would, however, be satisfied if the votes were enough not to appear ridiculous.—[Laughter and applause.] In answer to a question as to what he would substitute for the gold duty, Mr Barrowman said: Anything that would be a direct tax to all alike. Ho did not think it was fair to tax dwellings. He had been taxed more lately because be had improved his premises by a garden. He thought the man .who does not make a garden should rather be taxed.—[Laughter and applause.] Mr M‘Glone, having heard the views of Mr F. Barrowman, said he thought as miners they ought to support him—miners ought to put in miners—men having intelligence.—[Hear, hear.] Mr Morris seconded the proposition, saying Mr Barrowman wan'd do credit to the men who put him in.—[Hear, hear.] The motion was put to the meeting, and cirried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman was carried by acclamation, and the meetings concluded.