MR. LEARTS MEETING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 303, 18 December 1874, Page 3

MR. LEARTS MEETING.

Saturday, Decembeb 12th

Mr. de being called to the chair, briefly alluding to the independent and straightforward canvass initiated by Mr. Leary, called upon that gentlemau to address the meeting. Mr. Leary said:. He had come forward, not as a nominee of anyone, but out of a desire to sit in the Council, and to reprenent a district where he had many friends. Some of them might think, after what hud been said about him, he might hare a difficulty in meeting them—but he \rai not. the sort of man to be put down in that way.- He had always made it a rule to express his own opinions—not to discredit those who were opposed to him. He thought if a man had no merits of his own, he should be silent on the demerits of others. He would take up a few of the questions which it might be thought the Provincial Council would be called upon to express an opinion, and first, the abolition of the Provinces. He supposed that very few, outside those interested, would disapprove of the action taken by the Assembly in its last session. Probably at the first the Provincial system was the best—but the time was come it should be put aside. He objected to it on account of its uselessness and its expense. He had listened often to the useless discussions in the Council. He had even heard a question debated for twelve hours as to the abolition of the Legislative Council. In lieu of Provincialism, we shall have local Government; and, as a consequence of local Government, you will have Mining Boards. At, the present time, we have certain bodies of miiir ers, who have done good; but, from not having a legal status, they .have not the usefulness of properly incorporated bodies. He-;, trusted one'great feature of any new measure would be' a securing the expenditure of our revenue. A Mining Board, as a superseding power for Goldfields Government," must have a pie-emi-nonce over '.''an '.'Executive' composed of agriculturalists, merchants and lawyers _

TTo would say a very few words in reference to the land laws./-He was a/Vaid any alteration would not be for the better. We must bide our time. He would urge, however, that the land laws be carried out. If he had a voice in a new land measure, he would base it upon free selection over any man's run—that a man might choose'where he liked, instead of being confined to blocks. He thought a man should be able to get a farm whereever he chooses. It hadalways occurred to iiivn n* most, extraordinary-that, considering the indirect advantages the country 2aini from mining enterprises, the industry should be so heavily taxed. It is unjust and impolitic because levied on no other class, and deters many from engaging. He did not speak simply to please them. (Hear, hear.) He had left off digging many years ago, but it/had always appeared to him extraordinary such taxation should be imposed. Suppose it was necessary to supply a deficiency from a relievement of the Goldfields taxation—which he did not think would be the case, as the number of people and their general taxing capabilities, would be increased by the removal of special imposts. A very just substitutive impost would be a tax on unimproved; lands. Capitalists send their money, and buy the lands. Every person living in the neighborhood of sold lands increases the value of the absentee's property, as does every shilling spent. We can say, Improve your lands, or pay the amount of our industry. It had been reported that he was coming forward in the interests of the squatters. He was not identified with them at all. He was free, and open to vote on any question as he liked. No doubt the pastoral tenants had a right to be considered. They are quite entitled to occupy, and the Government to let lands that are not wanted. When the land is wanted they must, as in America, go back. It is part of the risk they run as investors. It is no injustice to be asked to give up the land when it is needed. So far from opposing settlement, he should urge the Government, where there were any people at all, to throw open land when needed. A representative has, .however, other duties than particularly affecting his own district. Road Boards' 'subsidies he considered a most important measure, and the first step towards a localisation of revenue. The clause that limits the borrowing powers of such Boards needed amending. Every Road Board alike is limited to £3ooo—a Board that only raises £IOO in rates, the same as one raising £IOOO. Where practicable, Road Boards should have the control and maintenance of the main roads within their districts. He was in favor of all the hospitals being placed on the samo footing. Figures were dull things—he would, however, refer to a few. Provincial accounts were pretty to look at, but very few Councillors knew anything at all about them.' Taking the accounts for 1874, it would be seen mat the revenue was mado up of the proceeds of the land— the capital of the country —the rest being totally inadequate to pay for the permanent charges. Deducting then the proceeds of land and the capitation grant, which was not permanently to be depended on, the heads of ordinary revenue amount to £127,499, while the expenditure in salaries, interest on loans, &c, amounted to £157,613 15s. 9d., or a deficit of £30,119. We are going into the Bankruptcy Court to the tune of £30,000 a-year ! In the Council do you s"ee figures stated like these. Do electorates return men because they are stupid? (A Voice: Yes they do sometimes.) Well, he would think so. Votes are proposed, and arguments raised about all sorts of matters, while you never hear or see in any of the papers that write about the constitution plain statements of figures such as he had given them. While referring to those figures, it would be seen what the Goldfields return £30,000 or more in revenue, and get only £8,179. Seeing that the Goldfields were getting iu return for this burden, he would not linker at all with 6d. an ounce, but strike it off altogether. He regarded tolls, as a remnant of barbarism. The charge for freight on carriage 13 raised by them ; for, if the carrier if the carrier is charged 10s. for tolls, he will stick it more on to the bills. A man cannot drive his wife out without being stuck up for tolls. As a remedial measure, a tax on land should take the place of tolls and gold duty. A grtat deal is said about the interest of. Dunedin against the country. It is very easy to prove what you will if people will admit your premises. I am,quite willing to be corrected, but (outside the harbor) not a shilling has been expended on public works in Dunedin. The people themselves contribute the road maintenance. I keep a house in a small way, and am made to pay £l6 a-year to the city rates of Dunedin, and it is in this way all the money requisite is raised. It is utter bosh to say that Dimedin is swallowing up the revenue. Hitherto the money on harbor expenditure has been literally thrown into the sea. I found that for all the expenditure there was.nothingfco show for it. In order to keep a channel open, it must be cut in comformity with the current: There was a clamor for improvement, and the Government said, All right! wire in ! go on ! Well, this was. done, and with no result; for, the currents being disregarded, the channel filled in. He was very glad to say that the Harbor Board was appointed, so that the Province may be relieved of the annual burden. [Mr. Leary here read from his Honor's remarks when lie met the Harbor deputation, to support his views.]- The result will be. that therevenue of the Province will be saved, that if personally he could get such a conference of powers upon himself, as one of others, his fortune would be made. We shall have a fine harbor without having to pay for it. He would oppose .any expenditure out of revenue for such improvement. He had now exhausted all the subjects he thought would be dealt with in the Provincial Council. He was ordinarily modest and diffident, but he was called upon to say a few words on the personal subject: Ho would refer to an article in the ' Daily Times' at the last election as to choice w representatives, which gave advice to the electors to the effect that, when choosing a representative, they should choose one they would select for their own private business. If you get a stoadj', honest, persevering man, it is better than the talking man, who represents himself.". He had been in the.-Colonies since he was fourteen. He had educated himself, and brought himself'up. From his., mother he bad receiv d the advice—"Always be honest, be s! nughtforward, always be industrious, and you cannot go far wrong. He hnd acted up to this principle. People came to liiiii for adviee. He >vus continually entrusi'.-d with large sums of money. The fact of his being there, that night was a

cei 1 ificate of bis position to represent them. They had-been 1 counselled to elect a local man. There must be. som'e particular charm about a local man. He would; say that he must be as much a local man as one living at Dunstan Creek. What was the difference ? The local man, like their Chairman, would go to Dunedin and represent the district for three or four weeks, while a man like Mr. Oliver represented the district all the year round. If a vote that has been passed in the Council was not being expanded, he could look in : ".Now, Mr. Secretary, how is it this work is not going on ?" .Another day he calls in again, and so he keeps on, if he is a good man, till the Government is worried into dobag the work. What is the reason, he woulcLa.sk, why Goldfields representatives are so disregarded ? Because, for various reasons, they have sent men who have appealed to them, "If you send me down, I will drive the squatters into the sea! " Now, what did that mean P A good representative would" endeavor to make friends among his fellow councillors. He, if returned, would ally himself to the Goldfields party. He would'nt gas about the matter, as Mr. Shepherd, with his arms abroad, and his eyes on the gallery. They need not look into the papers for what he said: they would hear of him though dodging about the lobbies, looking after their interests. He would not, in this contest, to catch a vote. Let no one there that night vote for him because he might have asked him to have a glass of beer. (A Voice -. Will you shout now ?) He had had some experience—he knew pretty well what was wanted. He did not come before them simply as a counter-jumper from town. He felt and knew, all their real requirements, and what he did not know he could be instructed upon. If any were influenced by the letters that had been written and published, in the ' Chronicle,' he perhaps should refer to them. (He briefly sketched the history of the Caversham election, as in letter' published by us last week.) He intended, if successful at this election, to ask another favor at their hands. He hoped'then they would be able to answer the question put, "Who is Mr. LearyP" by "The very best member we ever had." He felt sure, if once elected for any district, he should be easily elected again. The second time he contested the Caversham election, he had disadvantage of opposing the elective member, whose gifts of speech would have floored him. He was proud of the result. He would rather cut off his right hand than do a dirty action. He would say what he had written-'of the writer he had referred to if he would come up on that platform, that he was a liar and a villain. He did not intend to refer to the other candidates during this election unless aught turned up low or dishonorable. He did not intend to resort to the dodges usual at elections. He did not even wish them to vote for him as fc ! ;e least of two evils, but because he was the right man. He felt confident in his ability to fulfil his duties in' the Council; After every session he would visit the district, and give an account of himself. The matter he would leave in their hands. (Applause.) The Chaibman said they must all have experienced, as he had, much pleasure at the able rijddress they had listened to. As Acting Mayor, of course the district member was not there, and at his hands, Mr. Leary was entitled to every courtesy. He might be allowed to say, however, ou behalf of the district member, that if it became necessary, in order to arrive at a clear understanding on matters of importance to the district, he might ask the electors to meet him before the election day. Mr. Leary was in the hands of the meeting, and was willing to satisfy any questions put to him. .. In answer to Mr. Woodhill, the candidate said that the time was not far distant when the education system would become a Colonial one. He held that in small communities, as in this Province, it is absurd to suppose we can have a denominational system. Suppose at .Naseby the Church of England predominates, under the denominational system, the school would be a Church of England school. He did not think the system at all practicable, and would be against supporting them with the public purse,, although called upon to contribute privately. He sympathised very heartily with the denominationalists : —He would accelerate the. district public works.

Mr. James Hobe proposed, and Mr. Woodhili, seconded, a vote of confidence in Mr. Leary, as a fit and suitable person to represent the district in the Council, coupled -with a vote of thanks to him for his address.

This was declared carried by acclamation, and the meeting broke up.