MESSRS. MERVYN AND ARMSTRONG AT NASEBY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 165, 3 May 1872, Page 6

MESSRS. MERVYN AND ARMSTRONG AT NASEBY.

Messrs. Mervyn and Armstrong met their constituents in the Masonic Hall on the evening of Eriday last. Mr. John Creighton in the chair. The attendance

was large. With a few prefatory remarks, the chairman introduced Mr. Armstrong to the .meeting. -

Mr. Armstrong expressed the pleasure he felt at meeting the gentlemen who had placed him in his present honorable position. He admitted that he possessed no powers as a speaker. Still, he was prepared to maintain that since his election he had done all in his power, and to the best of his ability, to advance the interests of the district. Upon all matters affecting his constituents he had waited upon -his Honor, more especially upon the subject of the Sludge Channel, which had always had his hearty and strenuous support. As to his votes on the various matters which had come before the Council, he must refer them to the Votes and Proceedings of the House. If, upon reflection and examination of his conduct, the constituency was of opinion that he had failed to do his duty, and had forfeited their confidence, he was quite willing to resign in favor of an abler man. Want of union among the electors themselves was that of which he most complained. They should be united, and thus prove to the powers that be that they were in earnest, and really meant that for which they were agitating. He would only repeat that he had discharged his duty faithfully and to the best of Ids ability. He would be happy to answer any questions.

Mr. Mervjn said, in accordance with Lis promise he came that evening before them, to give an account of his stewardship. Upon assuming their duties as representatives, his colleague and himself found their, efforts utterly paralysed, from the fact that there was a heavy over-draft at the bank, and no money obtainable by an effort for any purpose. With regard to the Land Question, after lengthened comment, Mr. Mervyn said that the Council was divided into two parties—the squatters, who desired to keep the land locked up, and those who were anxious that the land should be thrown open for occupation settlement. The annexation of Southland to Otago had, in reality, let Otago in for a debt of fully half a million, and had much contributed to crippling the money power of the Council. The policy of the General Government had also operated prejudicially upon the Provinces. Still, he was of opinion that by the discontinuance or modification of Provincial institutions much of the present extravagance and expense would be avoided. His colleague and himself had raised their voices in favor of retrenchment, and in conjunction with others had succeeded in accomplishing a reduction in departmental expenditure to the tune of £15,000. The duty was a disagreeable one, but one which required to be done, and which, disagreeable as it was, he and his colleague had not only supported, but succeeded in carrying outThe extreme impecuniosity of the Provincial Government compelled them to resort to the sale of land in large blocks, to get out of their difficulties. Both his colleague and himself objected to this action, and more particularly to the selling of the Moa Plat; run to Clarke. The Land Act and its operation were again referred to at some length, the hon. member stating that, if free selection were granted, the entire auriferous ground of the Province would speedily fall into the hands of speculators. The glory of Provincialism was departed, and the sooner, therefore, that the entire system be abolished the better. His colleague and himself supported the Great Southern Bailway Scheme, as also another j

great work of more immediate advantage to this district. He meant; the Sludge Channel, about which so much has been both said and written, and upon the car. rying out of which depends in a very great degree the future weal or woe of Mount Ida. He took credit to himself and colleague for what action had been taken in the matter, as also in the matter of flushing water. The district must assist their members if they wished or hoped to see them successful. When last before the electors he promised his efforts in support of female immigration. An Act in that direction had now become a law of the land. He, had recommended to the Government that the late school house in its old position should be converted into an hospital, and that a sum of £SOO should be voted for the erection of a new school house upon a more eligible site. He (Mr. Mervyn) regretted that his efforts had been unsuccessful. It was not without considerable difficulty, and then only by a very small majority, that the meagre sum of £250 was voted by the Council for the establishment of the institution. He (Mr. Mervyn) was glad to say that, so far as the outlying portions of the district were concerned, he had been successful in ob" taming small grants of money in-aid of local improvements. Had the Government been better in funds, he and his colleague would, he believed, have been still more successful. Mr. Mervyn next alluded to the payment in land system, having more particular reference to the track from Maerewhenua to the Kyeburn. The action he believed to be one in the right direction, and he asked for the moral support and sympathy of the district in carrying the system more fully and effectually out. Since here he had received a telegram to the effect that a tender for the road to the Eyeburn coal pit had been accepted. He might further say that inconsequence of the efforts of a deputation which lately waited upon his Honor, the sum of £l5O had been placed upon the Estimates for increased mail accommodation. With respect to the Houndburn Hill deviation he fully concurred, and would put himself in communication with the Superintendent, so as to have that line carried out which should have the effect of bringing the whole North-Western traffic through this town. He had seen his Honor upon: the subject not only of a Sludge Channel for this place, but also for a similar work at St. Bathans, at a place called Muddy Creek, which he believed to be a very necessary work. Alluding to the necessity for the establishment of an Athenseum, Mr Mervyn said that he had used his best efforts in the cause, but in the financially difficult position under which the Province labored he was unable to effect anything. He might say that he had no desire to have a better colleague than: Mr. Armstrong, who had always been of the same opinion as himself, and who, jointly with himself, had devoted his ability and much of his time to the interest of his consti" tuents.

In reply to questions, Mr. Meryyn said that he simply addressed them as a member of the Provincial Council, and that the gold duty should, in his opinion, be gradually, but he could not say immediately or at once, reduced. He did not vote for the reduction of the honorarium. The present sum barely kept a member in his proper position as a»representative of a district; in fact, he might say that each representative suffered a loss, inasmuch that his wages were little above that of a common laborer, while his aspirations and expenses were necessarily much higher. Mr. Mervyn said that the question of Sludge Channels was altogether foreign to the powers of the Provincial Council—was, in fact, a matter appertaining to the General Government and that Government only. He never voted for thereduc-

tion of the salaries of hardworking and overtaxed officials.

Proposed by Mr. A. Moloney, seconded by Mr. Joseph Creighton—" That the satisfactory way in which Mr. Mervyn has acted in the Provincial Council entitles him to our vote of thanks." Carried.

Mr. Mervyn then thanked the meeting for their vote, and trusted that the various questions which so materially affected the interests of the district would be brought to a successful issue ere his period of office expired. Proposed by Mr. M'Donald, seconded by Mr. Hodgins—"That Mr., Armstrong is entitled to our vote of confidence for the honest manner in which he has acted towards the district." Carried.

Mr. Armstrong, in returning thanks, promised that he would in time to come do what he had hitherto done —namely, use his best efforts to forward the interest of the district.

Mr. Mervyn again addressed the meeting, and said that he had, since the vote lately passed, more confidence than he i otherwise would have had in addressing ! them as the M.H.E-. The position of the Colony was anything but satisfactory, and he thought it would have been better had Ministers remained at home attending to their legitimate duties, rather than be running over half the. world with the idea of airing their lungs and increasing their importance.. By the last election a number of new members were introduced into the House, and it necessarily took time to feel, as it were, its pulse—or, in other words, ascertain by their acts and votes which side they were disposed to take. For the first eight or ten weeks after the meeting of the Assembly little or nothing was done from the reason above stated, each party resting on its oars. The financial scheme was not, he was sorry to say popular. The whole burden of the existing taxation will have to be borne by the present population of the country, instead of being divided among a larger one by an extended immigration system. He had opposed the reckless manner in which the Government had effected loans and borrowed large sums of money wherever and whenever they could obtaiD it. The duties of the' Assembly we're to ascertain the natural resources of the country, develope them to their fullest extent, and then see the revenue wisely and judiciously expended. He saw with regret the Govern" ment rushing madly into the financiaj scheme. He had been elected to oppose it and had done so. The introdtiction Of further labor he looked upon as in no way desirable until' there were further and greater facilities for settlement. In ob. tainihg immigrants from Norway and Sweden, the Mother Country and he r claim upon us had been entirely ignored, and an unfair and an unwise act had been ; performed. It had been also hinted, .or, perhaps, he should more properly say that the Government had put forth a feeler as to the" introduction of Chinese labor also. This was certainly a most novel and farfetched method of settling a country, and if .put into effect would settle it effectually. The wisest and best policy was to make the country attractive by offering the inducement of cheap land and light taxation. Though large sums of money have been borrowed, the expenditure has been unfair and injudicious—the Goldfields being greatly, if not entirely, ignored. Out | of the £300,000 Water Supply Loan not one penny, so far as he had been able to learn, had been spent in the Province. We should go in and demand a fair share* though he feared it was so hemmed in with quirks and quibbles as to render it unworkable. During the last session a sum of £50,000 was passed for the building of bridges and the construction of roads. As usual. Otago has been ignored and the money expended by the Govern-

ment-on the. West Coast, lor. such,other place or places ,as best suited the opinions, feelings, or leanings of the Government. He should feel it his duty to call for a precise return of the'manner in which this vote had been expended, and, should demand to know why, in the allocation iof the rote, this Province had been so-com-pletely and utterly ignored, and to endeavor if possible to : procure some portion of it to be expended upon the . G-oldfields of the Province.., Mr. Mervyn proceeded, to state the action already taken by himself in this matter. He held that the sum should have been expended on the various districts upon some defined system taking, for instance, population as the basis. , He felt that though he might stand alone upon this subject, the principle was a sound one. The time had arrived when a system of Government should be devised which would enable us to spend our own money in our own way. He was a strong advocate. of the establishment of Local Boards, Municipalities, or local government of some kind. Money spent by the Provincial Government was of little use, but if spent by Local Boards the same sums would effect an immensity of benefit. Local supervision in the expenditure of public money was absolutely indispensable. The hon. member proceeded to speak upon the Sludge Channel question, and said that when the matter was submitted to the House, it was agreed that a certain portion of the £300,000 Loan should be expended upon such works. He had himself, in company with Mr. Superintendent Macandrew, waited upon the Ministers to get £20,000 set apart for the purpose of constructing the Sludge Channels at Naseby and at Muddy Creek, St. Bathans. Mr. Whitaker drew up a clause to the above effect, which was approved by the Government. It was, however, opposed by the Auckland and Westland members, who stated their determination to give it their most strenuous opposition. At this time the session was nearly at an end, when Vogel stated that he claimed that the small residue of time should be devoted to Government business. The matter therefore, dropped. He subsequently saw Mr. Macandrew, who said that no further action could be taken in the matter until the next meeting of tne Assembly, He felt, however, justified in asserting that, if the constituency hung well together, what they desired would be' accomplished. Union was necessary to strengthen his hands as their representa-' tive, and give him not only moral support but an incentive to exertion. There would to a certainty be a new Goldfields Act passed in the forthcoming session, when the various Acts would be consolidated, <- and very many necessary alterations and additional provisions introduced. He hoped the JJill would be a good dne, and he earnestly asked suggestions from his constituents upon the subject. In .alluding to the subject of education, the horn member said that a number of children were brought up in ignorance; in. fact, that was the mainspring of crime, and to a great extent caused the filling of our gaols —a heavy tax' upon the respectable members of society. He would support a J secular system of education in preference to that which was generally termed the denominational. He would like, however,' 1 to see that the system was purely secular. Had seen Mr. Petchell, the sehoolmaster," and considered many of the books at-pre-sent in use in the school to be, to say the least of them, highly objectionable'. Mr. ' Mervyn then proceeded to expatiate instrong terms upon the-unfair expenditure' of public moneys in the North to the in-'-jury and at the expense of the South from which a major part of the revenue is derived. He alluded further to the great favoritism which had been exhibited in.' the construction of the Wairarapa railway" —a work which never could and never would pay. ...This work was undertaken ' from the simple tact that the members for that district supported the Government; and the Government possessed no other means of expressing alike their thanks and their gratitude. It was hard indeed, however, that the country should have to pay for votes given in support of the Government.

Mr. A. Simpson proposed that a vote ot confidence be accorded to Mr. Mervyn In seconding the resolution, Mr. John Bremner. said that he felt that Mr. Mervyn liad fulfilled his election promises, and had done his work.well and.served them faithfully. He hoped that the electors would give him their full confidence and support, and that, putting aside all small spleens and jealousies, the constituency would act with one spirit and with one mind. The motion was then carried. Mr. Mervyn having briefly replied, a vote o± thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.