MACANDREW AT NASEBY.
Mr. Macanspew met tbe electors on the evening of Monday last .at the Masonic Hall.' The building "was crowded to excess. Mr; H. C. been called to the in a'few words introduced to the meeting i On filing/ K; /. U >. / "'. >: \, > ■.- Me. Macaitorew was greeted with | loud and continued applause. He commenced by expressing his regret that his, meeting should clash with that of bis opponent, 'Mr, Reid! ! As ■ such ; Was the case he would make.his remarks as brief as possible.' fie;' moreover, -felt tired and exhausted, having addressed three meetings -that "Rlacks, St. Batbans and Hills Creek. He thought it unnecessary to dilate upon his. politi-cal-views. His opinions were well known. He was essentially a progressive man. He was said to be too fast; that he thought impossible, when he had to drao--45 ,M.P.p. ! 's behind The . fault charged against him'was his conduct not' as Superintendent but as a member of the Hoiwe of Representatives. He was a staunch, supporter of the G-overnment 'financial scheme. If returned (as hi felt'sure'he should, be) he would' support that pdlicy, ftnd* endeavor tq induce the Provinciai' Council to 4o so water supply on tbe were essential elements of his creed. : Railways were the proper method and the cheapest means' of communication;. The present system Of road making could not be maintained—it was too costly. He had, during twelve months issued warrants for the maintenance of the Clutba road
ta the tune of £-27,000.■ The average cost of maintenance was £3OO- per mile per annum. If the financial scheme were adopted we should ere long, have a railway to Naseby—(Laughter). Railway communication was the cheap, est and the bcaK He instanced the Province of Canterbury, wherein the price of the carriage of wheat, &c, from the plains to the coast was Id. per bushel, whereas the cost of carriage from the Taieri to Dunedin was 6d. per bushel. He considered the amount contemplated to be expended out.of ..tne loan upon water supply on Goldfields (£300,000) far too small. Half a million for Otago alone was little enough. The question of water supply should be dealt with by a conference of mining delegates. Was in favor of a responsible mining minister. or secretary being in the Government, and would, |f returned, endeavor to make such appointment. Supported the General Government scheme because he felt it impossible to borrow money upon our Provincial securities. What | was to be done should be done at once. He was no''a:dvocate of delay. He believed in getting the money at once, and was surprised to find the Council refuse to take it. The proper and judicious expenditure of the loan was the true difficulty. Was in favor of spending money upon immigration. The country was going to waste from want of people. "Would bring but at the public cost 6,000 persons, the friends and relatives of people already settled in the country. "He thought such a scheme a fair one, and a legitimate 'mode of immigration. Thought that 2,000 single w,omen brought out would .be an advantage'id the Colony and a great boon to the miners. He had been charged with having fatted to fulfil his promises after election. Emphatically ; denied the charge. The present cry •was simply an electioneering attempt to damage him. Had the railway sys-1 tern been adopted, as it should have) been, long ago, the Province would j have made much greater progress than it bad done. Mr. Macandrew here entered at considerable length into detail* fimnected with the Oiutha raihvav, and the (failure of plans consequent upon the adoption of the narrow guage, &<: Hftd he btteu sent Home as asrent he would have done far mure benefit to the Pmvinre than it had been in his power to do a* Superintendent—(Hear! hear !) Was, «lad to find that sentiment approved. He considered the reduction of departmental expenditure absolutely imperative. The duty was a difficult and delicate one ; still, being a duty, it must be performed, as the Province could not exist under the present immense incubus of officialism. .Hje took credit to himself for having established the system of subsidising Road, Boards. After making many pother -.remarks Mr. Macandrew said that, as his opponent (Mr. Reid) would ; address them after him, he would bring his address to a close, though he would be happy to explain anything which he 'had failed to make clear, or to answer ' any question which the meeting might 1 4hink fit to pjitjfco him. (A number of questions were here put, whioh will appear in next issue.) It was moved by Mr. Michae Brookes, and seconded by Mr. Henry Woodhill, that Mr. James Macandrew was a fit and proper person to be elected Superintendent of tho Province of Otago. On the question being put to the meeting the Chairman declared the shpw of hands to be almost unanimous, but, in order to test fully the opinion, the question was put in the reverse, when no. single hand was raised. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.
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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 104, 10 February 1871, Page 3
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841MACANDREW AT NASEBY. Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 104, 10 February 1871, Page 3
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