MEETING AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 407, 27 September 1856, Page 7

MEETING AT CHRISTCHURCH.

THE ELECTION OP _ MEMBER FOB THE DISTEICT

On Monday evening last, a meeting Avas held at the White Hart for the purpose of enabling Mr. Olliviei', one of the Candidates for election to the General Assembly, to lay his views before the electors.

Mr. Packer, who was called to the chair, read the advertisement calling the ineeting,and adverted to the fact of the importance of the occasion. He was sorry that the practice seemed to have fallen into disuse of the members on their return from the Assembly,appearing before their constituents, and giving, an account of their proceed-. ings during the session. Mr. Ward, the other candidate for / their vote's, was present, arid lie hoped would obtain an impartial hearing.

Mr. Ollivier said that, since he appeared before the electorsninemonths ago several of the topics he then had to express an opinion on had been disposed of. Still he would say that, had he been returned as their member, he thought he should have supported Mr. Seweli's administration; for though there were some points upon which he could not agree with him, he considered his policy and his financial scheme worthy of support. Of Mr. Pox's policy be knew but little, as he had seen but. few papers, which only: gave a met* outline of it. He was glad to see that the administration of justice in the province had been taken up, and that a bill would be brought into operation which-'would give jurisdiction to the Resident Magistrates' Court- to the amount of £100. This w Tould be a great advantage to us, if we could secure as judge a gentlemen learned in the law, and not private individuals chosen from other avocations, and with no previous acquaintance with the elements of the law, as required to be administered in the various commercial cases likely to occur. Mr. Ollivier did not approve of the new" tariff,- ho considered it in' direct opposition to the policy which had been of lftio years earned out in England, that of Free Trade. The Tariff was a return to the old syrstem of restriction. It taxed to an enormous degree the necessary articles of \ consumption -to the poor man, sugar, tea, coffee, salt, woollen goods, blankets, Sec, while silks, satins, clocks,, jewelry, &c, were admitted at" an equal duty. It was expected that this alte'ratioii would raise the the Customs receipts from £112,000 to £120,000 per annum, but the fair inference-would be that by stopping the importation of some articles-altogether, and by putting-undue restrictions on the necessaries of life, it would tend to lower the income. He would denounce the indecent haste with which the tariff had been hurried through the legislature in a single day, and commented upon the practical inconveniences that would attend its working. Mr. Ollivier adverted to an article in the TjyttcltoriTimes which .^he said, advocated the appointment of the Superintendent as a nominee officer of the General Government. He thought that the evil in our system was that the Superintendent had been surrounded with too much dignity and state, and drew comparison between this province and an English parish which was governed' without so'much1 form. He was in 'IkvouV of strengthening 'the • pcWr of • a ccii trill government.;--and: 'was'1- an- advocate 'for '"stric'j; cschioihy ;'•' for inktahce, 1 he- did-hoticonsider 'tu^,

present a well chosen time to increase the salary of the Governor by an additional ;£I,OOO. Mr. Ward expressed the obligations he was under to Mr. Ollivier for the opportunity then afforded to him of addressing the electors. The choice between them would not be made from the difference of opinions of each candidate, for those expressed by Mr. Ollivier were very similar.' to his own. lii remarking upon the Tariff", Mr. Ward pointed out some-.considerations which made it less acceptable in the Southern than in the Northern settlements, instancing the duties upon1 timber. He also remarked upon the rapidity with which the Act was passed, not only that it was objectionable as regarded its consideration by members, but that- its object was an-unworthy one on the part of the Government, to steal, as it were, a revenue from importers having goods in bond, who, he thought, might have been permitted to* take out all such goods under the old. Tariff. The question of our improved Customs Acfc^with the consideration of the English Loan, and changes in the Constitution Act, were subjects likely to come before the Assembly at its next meeting; but at that distance of time, there might arise many subjectsriow not thought of, and it became, therefore, the duty of the electors to choose a representative, not for the opinions he now held, somuch as for his capability of rightly'considering any question^ that might come before him, and the trust which they could place in his judgment and consistency.- In reference to part of* Mr. Ollivier's speech, he stated his opinions to be the same as those quoted from the article in the Lyttelton Times; and was glad of the opportiiity of explaining them. Mr. Ward here gave a' short exposition of his views on the question of elective Superintendencies, and regretted that the subject was too lengthy and important to be fully developed in an extempore speech, at a meeting like the present. He- concluded by remarking" that he" was' glad that Mr. OUlivier declined canvassing, as- it was a duty which he himself very much disliked, though he tiled to do all that time permitted. After some- questions had been put by Mr. Hart to Mr. Ward, relative to his views on the Superiritendency question, Mr. Ollivier proposed a vote-of'thanks'to Mr.'Packer .for his impartial conduct in the chair during the evening,-which was carried by acclamation, and the meeting separated.

-Another meeting of the electors was held at Riccarton, on Thursday evening last, at which both candidates attended. -The same opinions were expressed and similar -arguments used by each as oh the" previous occasion. We understand that a third meeting will be held in Lyttelton, on Monday evening next, at the Mitre' Hotel. The meeting is called by Mr. Ollivier, but we believe that Mr. War 4 willattend, by arrangement.