ELECTION MEETING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 104, 10 February 1871, Page 3

ELECTION MEETING.

MR. J. P. ARMSTRONG

In answer to a numerously signed: requisition, Mr. Armstrong addressed A meeting of the electors at the Odd-

j fellows' Hall on Thursday evening last, j ieb. 2nd. There was a hi rge •'attendj ance. Mr. Bremner having been ©ailed \ ts> the ciiiir, jii a \ speech introduced Mr. Armstrong to the meeting. . .i.'.-: .., ' Mr, Armstrong, in coming forward, was received with cheers. He thanked I the electors for the cordial manner in which they had called upon him to represent them iu the Provincial Council, and said that, although not professing to be a public speaker, yet, if returned, |hey might raly on his using his best endeavors to further their interests "while he was their representative. He i stated that we have hot responsible , \Government, and never had, and that he was not in favor of a central Govern- | ment, but would advocate the absorbing of the Middle Island provinces into one, as it would reduce the expenses, but that the scheme-must emanate from ! the people. Would not allow himself to be ruled by individuals, but would be guided only by the requirements of the constituency. Here' Mr. Armstrong jlwelt at some length on the'water question, and stated ill effect that he would go in for a-liberal supply for' this district, and would try and make the Government understand that a sum of money, and not a small one, was necessary for such a work—(Hear,,, : hear), lie said that the district had! sadly neglected in the past, and it would not be his fault if it was "neglected in the.future ; at the same time "stating that the great .wants, here were the commonage, a water supply, and a, sludge channel. He would further" piake it his business to find out what, were the Mother.requirements'of Mount,; *lda, and use his best "endeavors to "see" that they were carried out. Here Mr. Armstrong sat down/" amidst great cheering. .; n ; The Chairman then rose and stated that any questions the electors wished to. put Mr. .Armstrong would be „and willing to answer. ... In reply to the iirst question, he was i decidedly in favqr of a sludge channel, land thought that if such work was not.constructed the miners must cease working.— A voice : What portion. of the vote was likely to come here ? He would do his best in the scramble to get all he could, and would advocate |. the getting of an extra supply of water, the purchasing of existing rights by the Government, by paying a fair compensation. —A question: What is your l .opinion of the present system of Gois too ; expensive. There is an;iteme'hse amount of trickery in the Council. He

was in favor of both a hospital and >a telegraph, but he considered the question ou#h,t to be referred to ; the Superintendent. l in answer to Mr. Ross, he said he would not stand for the bly, as he did not consider one member* v should stand for both ho.uses, the bickerings from one to the other| Ho did not consider" it advisable to sell! more allotments iu the township off! Naseby, ,it well known that the} most of the ground is , auriferous. | On being .asked whom he -would putf in as Superintendent- 'he' saitl'his motto | was " Measures, not men," but he| toould vote for Kcid in preference to Muoandrew, as he considered him the

most honest" and suitable man fop the office ; but he would be no obstructionist, and would support whoever was returned in all matters that he eonsidered were for the public good, ((rieat applause). \Th referring to hqmigration, he said he would make the country, so as to. induce, people to pay' their uwn passage. He was not in favor of free selection, as the eyes of the country would be picked out.. He was in l favor of'deferred payments', to allow of bonafide settlement;'and considered that the Hundreds .Vet ought to be repealed. He also was in favor of a Minister of Mines, 'to come to his constituents for responsible to the Government and the people, whose business it would be to inquire J into and ascertain the wants of the | mining community; and to see 1 that those wants w'ere supplied. 'He would do his best to procure a eommonao'e for Naseby, but it greatly depended on the people themselves, as the question required agitating. Mr. Millar here asked if he would vote for a Permissive Bill ? Mr. Armstrong said he would; but that was.not the way to make teeto E . toilers—(Laughter). ' He was in favo# of protective duty, but thought the country was rather young as yet for -the protection of native industry. In : -answer to a question put by Mr;" Richards, in reference to the Inspectors of Schools and Weighs and Measures, unconsidered that it' those oigcers did not attend to their duties they ought to be made/to;, He wouh* further any,measure that would have.for its object the sin king for deep and prospecting for goldiield's. Jn answer to a question,, he said he svas not going to make 3 'profession of politics. He wis not in, favor of the cerstnwtion of railways along.the seaboard, but would support the railway system into the interior A voice: Would you support dock hujlding ? He: :thouuSt the- O.imaru people very clever. They get plenty of 01 | e >" to Dlli W docks and other such useless purposes* while other places are neglected where the money might be laid out in reproductive works—(Ap-. j plafise). He would encourage bonuses l«ein<r trranted to native industry. He t>'»n!iiderwd Maraud re w did wrong in granting such preremptivse rights to

Mr. ftnss uyo>yH. »ud 7Vfr r Green seconder), that Mr. A rmatrong ift a fit ?nd proner person to represent the Mouni Ida T«»f-.piVt in the Provincial Council.- and has the entire confidence of this meeting.

Mr Millar proposed an amendment, 'hu* there heiiiij $b seconder, the motion was put and carded unanimously; with acclamation.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.