COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION MEETINGS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2554, 11 November 1884, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION MEETINGS.

MR, D. HANNAN AT DILLMAN'S TOWN. Mr Denis Hannan, a caudidate for the representation of the Arahura Riding in the County Council of Westland, addressed a large meeting of the electors at the Empire Hotel, Dillman's, on Friday evening last, after MiByrne. Mr M. Barrowman occupied the chair. Mr Hannan, on coming forward, said it was unnecessary for him to exhaust their patience by travelling over the same ground as Mr Byrne, who had just addressed them. He (Mr Hannan) had nothing to say to the present representatives; they were full able to represent them in the Council; but like all other bodies of a like nature, he thought, a long lease of office tended to make them indifferent to the responsibilities of their position. He considered that he was as competent as either of the present representatives to take his part in administering to the wants and requirements of this district, as far as the revenue of the County would admit; and he was just as ambitious to be elected to such a position as either of them, and to perform the functions of County Chairman to

which (apart from the honor) was attached a prize, and judging from past experience the Chairmanship was possible to any member of the Council. As the electors well knew it was now proposed for the public good to have a periodical shifting of Wardens and other officials every three years. How much more was it necessary to have a periodical shifting of Councillors once in six or ten years. Moreover, when it becomes a by-word that some councillors' private business becomes almost amalgamated with that of the County, he (Mr Hannan) could assure them that he has been taught from mature experience (although it may run for a time) that no man has a right to seek a public position and eudeavour to be recouped for his services indirectly at the public expense; and from rumours afloat he suspected that there were some members of the present Council who represent other ridings so unscrupulous if they had support enough as to try and devote a portion of the County funds in assisting a private company to open up (or in other words to float) a company into shares for their own private ends. If elected he would discountenance any log-rolling of that sort. If the Council wish to develop such resources either for coal, gold, or other minerals, the better way would be for the Council to expend the money directly, and offer a fair reward under stringent regulations for such discoveries. He, if elected, would advocate the extension of suitable roads to the back country and the offering of fair rewards for fresh discoveries of the nature he just now referred to. He charged the present council with a culpable neglect of duty in its apathy towards the suffering miners of this district in respect to the reduction in the price of water. He (Mr Hannan) could assure them that had the Borough Cuncil of Kumara any credit balance at the bank during the present session of Parliament the feeling of the numbers was (although not 9trictly legal to expend money for purposes outside the borough) to send a delegate to Wellington where it could be personally explained by a special representation that there is not a community in existence so badly treated as this; and all in consequence of the moustrous high price charged for water. What had the County Council done ? why nothing. With a balance of several thousand pounds at the bankers, not one member of them proposed even to send a delegate. Ha could say without fear of contradiction that they had not the cause at heart; if so, their Chairman would have been in Wellington this last month advocating a just cause before a new Government, which was not interviewed on behalf of the miners here by any specially appointed delegate since taking office. He (Mr Hannan) could partly excuse the County Chairman. He may not have deemed it prudent to ask the Council to vote funds for the purpose of sending himself to Wellington ; but on the whole the Council has not given practical proof of their sympathy with the miners of Kumara in this dire affliction. He might point out that out of a total of 1553 miners' rights issued in the whole county during the year 1883, 955 of those were issued within the Arahura Riding. Yet this riding was only represented by three members out of nine. The Totara had two members representing 23 holders of miners' rights. This state of affairs could not continue, and he for one, if elected, would take steps to have the representation altered to something like an equitable basis, and he wondered much how the members of this district suffered such injustice to exist; it was not to be wondered at that Mr Grimniond in his address to the Totara electors could boast of having obtaiued for his district £SOO per year more than be was entitled to on the basis of receipts. In respect to the system of maintaining county roads by day-labour he was totally against it, as his action in the Borough Council during the past twelve months has proved. Letting all works that can possibly be estimated by public tender gives more general satisfaction and exculpates the members of the Council from suspicion. As regards the present system cf licensing vehicles he contended it was perfectly intolerable. He (Mr Hannan) would, if elected, advocate the immediate reduction of those license fees to one half in the county, aud compel all those, exclusive of farmers and market gardeners, who use the roads to contribute to the liceuses an equitable proportion aud would initiate a movement having for its object the amendment of existing laws in order that the holder of a license, (wherever issued in the County or Boroughs of Westland) could use his vehicle in either couuty or borough without having to take out a second license. He would now impress upon the miods of the electors

that an infusion of new blood was highly necessary in the Council for the next three years, and if they thought that he, while a resident among them, had acted his part as a man ought to, both in his private and public capacity, and that he was capable of fulfilling the duties appertaining to the office of councillor, he had no doubt of the result, that is, that they would place him as one of the three at the bead of the list on the polling day.—[Anplause.] Mr Reynolds moved that Mr Hanuan is a fit and proper person to represent the Arahura Riding in the County Council of Westland. The motion was seconded by Mr Thompson, and carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. ♦ MR. M'WHIRTER AT DILLMAN'S TOWN. There was a very large meeting gathered at the Empire Hotel, Dillman's last evening, to hear Mr J. M'Whirter, an old member of the County Council, and a candidate again for membership. Mr Charles Harris was voted to the chair. Mr M'Whirter commeuced by referring to his past services in the Council, and hoped that his actions were of such a naure as would warrant a continuance of the support of the electors. He dwelt for some time on the lar«e amount of gold duty and goldfields I revenue raised by miners in this county, and which had gone to swell the revenue of the colony, yet no other industry had suffered so much gross injustice. It was the duty of a Government to assist this industry, but it seemed as if their efforts were to break it down. Had it not been for the mining industry that led to the discovery of goldfields in this colony New Zealand would not be occupying the important position she now does among the colonies ; the present population would not have been here for the next twenty years. Me had always supported the abolition of the gold duty. He was in hopes when the new Parliament met that they had seen the last of the gold duty; but the Lords threw out the bill again. He believed the Upper House was very near to its death.—[Applause.] It had retarded the legislation of the Lower House in a most unfounded manner. He hoped its constitution would be short.—[Hear, and applause.] However Mr Stout (the present Premier) had stated his intention next session of bringing in a bill to reduce the gold duty.—[Applause.] With regard to handing over the Kumara Water-race to the county, he thought it would be a very bad day if such a thing took place. In his place iu the Council he had moved that the matter was premature and required more information. The Government had constructed it, and it was their duty to carry it out and assist the miners to its successful working. [Hear, hear.] He wondered men °had stood the grievance so long; it was a gross injustice the little facility that was given to miners. If railway tariff was too high, it was reduced. The last two washings from certain claims were sufficient proof that the present high price of water would not enable the claimholders to continue working their claims except at a loss; and the price of water ought therefore to be lowered. He should be wanting in his duty if he did not continue to do all he could to remedy that grievance. Other candidates had been stating that maintenance of roads would be one-third less if let by contract in preference to the present system of day labour. It would be entirely wrong to let main road maintenance by contract. It is true it cost .£I9OO let by contract as against £2IOO j by labour. The Engineer was requested to report to the Council on this subject, and the contract system tended to reduce the price of men's labour. He believed in men getting fair wages of 10s per day as by the present system. With district roads it was different. The overseer was in a better poaition to know than councillors or the public were. He approved of surplus revenue being applied to cutting tracks into back country for piospecting. Mr M'Whirter next quoted some of the works in this district he had been successful in the late Council in getting pushed forward. His views and past actions were always to assist this part of the county; the miners' interests were identical with his, and their success would be his. He would readily subpublic opinion his past actions before the promises of new candidates. Some talked about new blood—[laughter]; he thought the present stock was very good.—[Hear, hear.] Their experience of past actions of the "new blood" did not augur very well.—[Applause.] The Chairman remarked that, he did not think could put in a better man than Mr M'Whirter—in fact, the three old membois. ile had known

Mr M'Whirter as a gentleman for tlie last seventeen years, and he believed he was as straight as a gun-barrel.—[Loud applause.] In reply to Mr Morris, Mr M'Whirter stated it was when the Council contemplated the abolition of the gold duty that they sought for another means of revenue by taxing vehicles. But under the Counties Act, which gave the Council the power to tux vehicles, the Act would not allow them to tax private vehicles not plying for hire. He did not believe the Ux would be continued, and he would try to modify it. With regard to unproportional representation of Totara, the Council had the power, under the Counties Act, to define and fix the representation, but this could only be done during the month before the triennial election, and it was now too late. In view of the present prospects, he did not thing it advisable to alter or reduce the present representation of ridings. In reply to Mr White, Mr M'Whirter stated that by the Counties Act" no miDer having a miner's right could vote uole3s his name was on the Roll. Mr W. Morris said Mr M'Whirter had handled all matters very ably, and and he had much pleasure in proposing him as a fit and proper person to represent the Arahura Riding in the County Council of Westland. Mr John White had much pleasure in seconding the resolution. On a previous occasion he had advocated one representative for the southern part of the riding and two from this end. The three men had done their duty well, and he hoped they would put them in again.—[Loud applause.] The motion was put, and carried unanimously. _ Mr M'Whirter thanked the audience kindly for their unanimous vote. There was one matter he wished to refer to. One of the candidates had stated that Councillors had put men on the roads for working a system of jobbery. He defied any man to say he had used his public position to perpetrate a system of jobbery.—[Applause.] A vote of thanks to the Chairman was carried by acclamation, which, in acknowledging, Mr Harris said he hoped and trusted they would roll round their old servants, and put them in.—[Loud applause.]