MR. STAFFORD AT TIMARU.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 12, 13 January 1876, Page 4

MR. STAFFORD AT TIMARU.

Most of the utterances of the leadiug politicians of the colony during the elections have been telegraphed to us, but of Mr. Stafford's to the electors of Timaru we had received no report. As : his opinions are always worthy of consideration whether by his supporters or opponents, we have no hesitation in publishing the following, which appeared in the Otago Guardian :— Referring to the abolition of Provinces, he said that the leader of the Opposition had said it would be a crime against human nature, and yet, since then, he had advocated doing away with all the Provinces and forming one for each island, with an additional Federal Government at Wellington. .He was surprised at Sir George Grey's bo utterly misunderstanding the meaning of the word "federalism." The abolition, of the Provinces was an act of retributive justice against him. Sir George Grey had said that bloodshed would follow ; but the outlying districts had never Bhown any affection for the Provincial centres, and in the cases of Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, and others, they had separated as early as possible. The people had the power to eay what system of government they -would have. The people of New Zealand would never ba the slaves of any person or party. A very great wrong was done the country by frittering away their attention on Provincial Councils instead of. the real vital affairs of the colony. The Superintendents, who were composed of some of the best men in the colony, were made antagonistic to its welfare. But there was a much grayer objection than the loss of those men. If the Provinces of New Zea- ' land were Continued, they would continue to go on on unequal terms as regarded their financial positions and prosperity. Some of them were all but bankrupt, already, and were in fact in a most disgraceful position, and utterly unable to carry out the most vital subjects—one of which was education. Some pf them — notably Auckland — had been unable to give the necessary elementary education to their children, and it affected the whole political system of the country. Eleroeutary education was a national subject. There had been such continued demands on the Colonial Treasurers by the Provinces for financial assistance as to seriously embarrass the Colonial Treasurers from time to time. One of the Treasurers who had been mosl troubled, and bad objected most, was Mr Fitzherbert — one of the present champions of the provinces. They bad wasted a great deal of money over the provinces; but that was ended for ever now. He believed the colony would continue to go on prospering. He considered the abolition of the provinces necessary to understand our future finances thoroughly, and also taxation. He had fe'.t 'certain that directly the country received the Abolition Bill lhe provinces were dead. Since then, the leaders of the Provincialist party had turned their backs on the provinces, and were proposing new systems of their own. When the provinces were abolished, he trusted to see a real system of local self-government, and one that would not necessitate the districts to have to refer to Christchurch, Dunedin, or elsewhere. They should have elected local boards. He was glad to see the members of the Government giving out their intentions on tbe subject to tbeir constituents. The Abolition Bill provided that the land funds should be spent in the districts where raised, after certain colonial chargeß had been provided for; all local rates to be returned, and £1 for every £1 raised to be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue. It was a question whether it was wisest to raise money and then hand it back, or not to raise it and leave them minus the funds. He thought the method proposed was the fairest way to deal with the consolidated revenue as now raiaed. On the consolidated revenue should be placed the burden of elementary schools, as it was raised generally by all. With re.gard to the coat of constructing new schools, it ought to be made partly a charge on the present age, and partly on the future. With regard to the question of the leasing of tbe runs, he said it was one upon which a great amount of thought had been expended. If they were going to treat paetaral lands as such hereafter and get the highest rent they could for them, they must give a security of tenure; but it would be a mistake to look upon a large portion of the Canterbury lands in that light, as they were fit for carrying large families, and it would be a mistake to shut them up. There had been another proposition to cut them up into 2000 acre blocks and put them up to auction but that would be a most unproductive system. The rent they got in the first.instance from them would be entirely swallowed up in expenses. He thought the fairest way to deal with the Canterbury lands — which would really he the ones which would come under the Assembly's consideration next session— -would be to have the lands valued by an impartial tribunal, ' and he believed that there were highminded, honorable, and capable men to be found who could be relied upon to do the work. He would offer the runs at an assessed rate to the present occupiers, and if they did not accept tbem he would put them up to public auction. He thought that steps should ■have been taken to settle the immigrants in the colony. When the prefect heavy expenditure of money ceased

which must be soouer or later, a great number of the unsettled immigrants w.ould leave the Colony. Any feasible plan to settle the people permanently in the country would receive his best support. Wandering labar was always most wasteful. With regard to increased taxation, he said that if the country required it, it must be put on. The debts of the colony had got to that point that it required every care to prevent them from becoming; more tban they were able to bear He considered that an income and property tax would be the most fair one. It would tax absentees who were deriving a great benefit from the country, but there were a great many things to be considered with regard to it. With respect to oontinued immigration, he said it required a dea) of caution, and. if they went on introducing immigrants without settling them, they would be only losing money; at the same time, it was ridiculous to say that the country was fully populated already. They must have a much larger population before they could reach that stage of greatness which nature had intended for New Zealand. When their ablest men were unfettered by the present Provincial institutions and a healthy financial system was inaugurated all over the colony, the country would prosper in every part. With regard to finance, though they were carrying a heavy burden, they were equal to it, but they must use great care not to stumble under it. In conclusion, he said he believed the views he had expressed were in perfect accordance with those of his constituents.

"*-*** •*** " There nre stated to be 2500 miles of streets in London ! The metropolitan houses numher nearly half a million; they are consequently sufficient, -witb an average frontage of five yards, to form one continuous row of buildings right round the island of Great Britain, from the Land's End to Jobn O'Grroats (600 miles), from John o' Groat's to the North Foreland (540 miles), and from the North Foreland back again to the Land's End (320 miles), equal to 1400 miles altogether. At a festival recently, a gentleman said of the cure of the use of intoxicating drinks : — "I overcame the appetite by a receipt given to me by old Dr. Hatfield, one of the good old physicians who do not have a percentage with a neighboring druggist. When I called on him he said, ' Now that you have the moral courage I'll tell you the tonic which I have ÜBed with effect among my friends for 20 yearß.' I espected, of course, some nasty medioine stuff : but no, he prescribed an orange every morning, half an hour before breakfast. ' Take that, and you will want neither liquor nor medicine.' I have done so regularly, and find that liquor bas become repulsive. Tbe tsste of the orange is in the saliva of the tongue, and it would be as well to mix water and oil, as rum with my taste." At this season of the year (writes the Cooktown Herald) we have to be especially thankful that there have been some among the early Chinese settlers who have eschewed the uncertain result of gold-digging in favor of a possibly more laborious pursuit, but certainly a more profitable one as regards steady pecuniary profit. Any person who, independent of liking for the'good things of the table, has a taste for horticulture and vegetable production, should take a stroll to the various Chinese gardens located at an easy distance from town, and see the grand secret of success being pursued in all its integrity, and with an indomitable perseverance— .-irrigation. The produce of so'tne of these gardens is very prolific, both as to quantity, variety, and quality. Cabbage, lettuce, eschalots, onions, leeks, radishes, beet-root, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, French and other beans, green peas, and many other vegetables, grow in luxuriance. The bananas are just ripened, and for taste and size compare favorably with those brought from the South ; tbe pawpaw also fruits freely here, and melons in all varieties. All this speaks well for the capabilities of our soil, and it seems strange to a European, whose countrymen are celebrated all over the world as gardeners and agriculturists, a portion being in this fair land, that they should not take advantage of the magnificent soil they have at their disposal, and develop its resources to our benefit and their profit.