ELECTION MEETINGS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 105, 17 February 1871, Page 1 (Supplement)

ELECTION MEETINGS.

Stß. ItOBERTS AT THE ODDFELLOWS' lULI,.

Mr. Roberta met the electors at the Oddfellows' Hall, on the evening of Saturday last, when there was a large attendance. Mr. O'Loughlan, being called to the chair, in a few prefatory iemarks, introduced Mr. .Roberts to the meeting, and alluded to the present period in the history of the Colony as one of the greatest importance, demanding serious attention and consideration at their hands. Mr. on rising, said that work with pick and shovel was The meeting must not, therefore, look for the same style of flowery language as had been uttered by some of the previous candidates. Neither must they expect from him flashes of wit. On one thing, however, they might depend, which was that he would not make promises which he could not fulfil. Little advantage would accrue to him by being sent to the Council, but as he had promised to come forward if well supported, and having been so supported he &lt it his duty to comply. Mr. Roberts proceeded to say that he looked upon the present political excitement as a good and healchy sign of the tftnes. • As the electors must have had a perfect surfeit of electioneering speeches this week, he would be as brief as possible. Representatives could do little of themselves. They should be kept advised and backed by their constituents. In a case like the present, petty local jealousies should be put on one side, and the electors be determined to vote for the best man. He had declined to stand for the House of Representatives, but had consented to contest the honor of a seat in the Provincial Council, when' tfife best interests of the district would be fought. Little was known of this district in Wellington. M/r. Roberts

then declared himself to be in favor of free selection of 1 md, with deferred payments, and of a repeal of the Otag<> Hundreds Regulations Act. He was also in favor ot' a gradual reduction in the gold duty, and would suggest in lieu thereof the substitution of a smalt property tax. The gold duty was a tax. upon the miners, and.on labor, and wasalike unfair audi unjust. Mr. Roberts was not in favorof Government assisted immigration, excepting for the purpose ot re-uniting families. He was in favor of cheaply constructed railways where ( thev could be made remunerative. A railway to this place would cost more to keep in repair than the traffic would recoup. If the road here were moderately good we should not require a railway. Ho knew from experience the state of the road in winter—it was simply frightful. lie had heard and read something on the subject of Thorn, son's road engine, but was not able to torin an opinion how far it would suit a hilly country like that between this place and Dunedin. Mr. Koberts-then went on to say that he was in favor of financial separation, but could not see how it was to be effected. He thought that the amalgamation of the Provinces of the Middle Island would be an economical measure. Both Governments, as well General as Provincial, had very much neglected the mining interest. Whoever you return to represent you will have to keep "tickling the Government considerably"to< ause attention.to be paid to your wants. Was in favor of the appointment of a responsible Mining Minister. Approved also of bonuses for local manufactures. Considered that prospecting should be ancouraged, especially for quartz, reels, as being of a more permanent character than sluicing. It was indispensable for the present and future welfare of the district that a good and sufficient sludge channel should he constructed. Should the Provincial Council refuse to authorise its construction he (Mr. Koberts) would return no more. "Was in favor of increased water supply, and the construction, of reservoirs by the Government. Would support the building of a local hospital for the district. Mr. Roberts then said that he should like to have questioned Mr. Macandrew as to the commonage question. He would like to know, while other Goldfield townships had their commonages, whv Nasebv should' have none. He quite believed in the runholdei's being fairly when a parts or the. whole of their runs was taken from them irom motives of public expediency. Looked upon the last report, of the Chirr' Engineer on the subject of sludge channel an electioneering dodge, and thought; nothing further would be heard of it after the election wan over. After having replied satisfactorily to numerous questions, Mr. F. lteed moved, and Mr. Arthur Simpson seconded, That Mr. C. Jb\ Roberts is a fit and proper person to represent this district in the Provincial Council."

The motion, on being put to the meeting, was declared to be carried nnanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. MR. MERVYN AT NASEBY. Mr. Mervyn met the electors at the Oddfellows' Hall, Empire Hotel, on the evening of Saturday last, immediately after the termination, of Mr. Roberts' meeting. Mr. R. Ross iu the chair. Mr Mervyn commenced by remarking how pleasiyeable it was for him to find the present excitement in politics. A moment fraught with greater importance than the present to the Colony it would be impossible to conceive. Mr Mervyn liavin : explained some features in the Government financial scheme, said that scheme was beyond the means of the Colony, and that many of the calculations were based upon false premises. In his opinion the present poriod of stagnation was not the time for indiscriminate borrowing. His reason for not opposing the scheme during the last session of the Assembly was that in a House of seventy-six members his single voice would have been of little avail. He was opposed to the immigration scheme of bringing out 10,000* people —giving them one year's work, and then casting them adrift. The time had arrived when the Government would be justified in an. ticipating the revenue, and expending it for generally reproductive works throughout the Colony. trwGoidf.elciri ahoula engage

tion of the Government. that the existing water bo respected and, if be fairly compensated. j purposes-also he was inclined j pate the revenue, and UMiiey would he well expended . struetiug roads and opening fastnesses of the North island. armed eon»U.bulary, when not in actual warfare with the Native might be profitably employed works, as might the Natives also. Mr. Mervyn considered present system of (Government; far too expensive, and should be seded by «ome more economical Of this there was no hope, ho the Provincial 'system existed. not approve of moneys being over to be spent by the entirely objected to the large of money which had Ikkmi deepening the Dunedin harbor aiJj|H beautifying the town itself. JleKuH scribed to the plan of cstablis!iing,Uoji« Boards and allowing per cent age. \jM that were done, instead of having hoiW £3.000 spent; annually in the £15,000 would be a. much more prooftj ble sum. Mr. Mervyn here, ga'-'o jifc considerable length his views on toe land question, and said that, in, him opinion, the administration of rhe'itajU laws in this Province was a disgrace to> any province.. Ho disapproved of the! granting of renewed leases, to t!.e p;.*.] toral; tenants.of the Crown. It would! bi a; gross acfc of repudiation were the rnnh'oldera to be deprived of their rune without lair, and, ju»t> compensation. \Vas i n favor of trie, repeal of the Ota go Hundreds Regulations Act,, by which 110 injustice-would be done to the runholdotv Mh Mervyn went on .to stato that he was opposed to the,- declaration j of Hundreds within- Goldfield? Tim] mining interest was in, his opinion the j mainstay of the Colony. 1 as a candidate on the "present in he expected 'support from ro ollxr class than miners. The deterred payment system for land would, in opinion, do more than anything cise.VH settle people on the land. In VictoiM 1,500,000 acres had been taken up uH der such a system, which had tound to work admirably. W lation would render the Colony attpafl tive and induce population. Mr. Mi iB vyn here explained Ins conduct in thfl Asgomblv. and quoted hovely from hi® speeches in ' Hansard.' in support >J his assertions. Tin- question of cotfl mona.ge was one for the Provinci.H Council to ileal with, not for the A™ semblv. Had we been belter represented in the Council matters wou.d not; have been as the'v are to-day* lie thought the Upper House should he elective, and gave his grounds thinking. He had ulivay* voted in" favor of Goldfields taxation being reduced. Thought that all special Gold, fields taxation should be expended on Goldfielda. On being questioned, Mr. Mervyn explained the arrangement made' by him at tlv> late election with regard to Mr. Shepherd, which was to the effect that sooner than see a runholder returned he had retired in favor of Mr. Shepherd, and had endeavored to se- 1 cure Mr. Shepherd's return by voting tor him himself, and by influencing, so far as he had been able, his own support ts to do so likewise. Mr. Mervyn further explained that ho was in favor of bonuses for local manufactures; also of the construction of railways ou the narrow guage principle. Mr. A. Simpson proposed, and Mr. A. M. Brown secojlfled, "That Mr. I). H. Mervyn is a fit and proper person to represent the Mount Ida District in the General Assembly," and upon a show of hands being taken, the resold tion was declared to be carried unanimously. With a vote of thanks to the Chairman the meeting separated.