MR RICHMOND AT WAKEFIELD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 280, 24 November 1881, Page 3

MR RICHMOND AT WAKEFIELD.

Mr Richmond addreised a crowded meeting at the Cboral Hall, Wakefield, on Tueaday evening, when the chair was taken by Mr E. Baigent. At the close of the sp»eoh the candidate was catechised as follows: —

In reply to Mr Biytli, Mr Richmon d said he should like to see the New Zealand Governmsnt relieved as far as possible from the odiam, responsibility, patronage, and, he might say, temptation of ordinary civil appointmrnts.

Iu reply to Mr Wratt. who asked if it was not an Act of the General Assembly and not the Hall Government tbat made the saTings in the management of tbe colony, Mr Richmond said: Certainly not, a raera Act of Parliament would hive dene nothing without a firm Government to carry it out, and Mr Saunders, who was a stern economist and a man not given to praise where it was not dee, gave tbe Hall Government the credit beyond all previous Ministries for tbe economy tfapy bad effected.

Mr Wratt said he had a copy of a paper with Bome remarks of Mr Saunders to the effect that the Taranaki element was too strong in the Government. — Mr Riohmond replied he was not bound to accept Mr Saunders' authority. He simply quoted him as an economist. Surely with half a million of inhabitants and a rapid growth like New Zealand possessed we should begin to give up snch narrow petty views as this question of Mr Wratt's displayed. Many times there had been no Taranaki rlement as it was called at all in the Government and at the present time there was only one Taranaki member in it.

Another questioner got ud and s»id he was not going to quarrel with Mr Richmond for being a Taranaki man, for it was quite bpbeside the question, but he wanted to ask, supposing Mr Ormond should he called to the Government, would Mr Richmond support bim ? — Mr Richmond said this was a question be could not answer absolutely, his support r.i course depending upon who waa associated with him, and oa the policy they brought forward.

In reply to other questions Mr Richmond said be bad not said that he should support Sir J. Vogel. He considered him a gambling politician, but with all bis faults be was safer in finance than Mr Macandrew. He altogether objected to promiscuous free immigration and should oppose it, but would support what was called assisted nominated im migration.

Mr Thomas : Do you think yon would have had more influence in the House than Mr Pitt aDd tbe other Nelson members ?

Mr Richmond could not possibly Bay- He had never asked anything of the Government and never got anything from them. The Representation Bill was the Bill of ths House and of Sir G. Grey, and was claimed by bim. He did not think the other Nelson members going into the lobby with Mr Ormond against tbe Hall Government would hava prevented the Representation Bill being passed at all. It was a thing that had been before tbe House for years, and the majority of the House were bent on having it.

Mb TnoiTiS: There is a New Zealand Reform League and the hsad centre is at Wakefield (immense applauße and ironical cheers). One of its objects is to prevent more borrowing. Would you oppose it ? Mr Richmond said that if it were possible he would postpone any further borrowing, in order to give repose to the colony from the over-stimulation that bad taken place. An Elector: Did not Sir W. Fox say two or three years a 2 o that the colony would have been a gainer if it had given the Richmond family a million of monev to be rid of them? Mr Richmond replied that unhappily the money had not been tendered, but his young friend bad gone to the wrong shop for his information. The speech of Sir W. Fox he referred to waa not spoken two or three, but twenty years ago, during a very hot debate, and no one would laugh more heartily at the sally to day than Sir W. Fox himself. Mr Robertson wished to know Mr Richmond's views on education in reference to the fifth standard taught.

Mr Richmond said tbat anyone who would read what he paid at Richmond would find that he was altogether in f 4vonr of retainiog these higher c'a'ses in ths schoo's, and thit, following Mr Hodgson, he recognised the importance of retaining them, not only on behalf of the scholars f*u?ht but the masters also, for it was the interest of the higher forms of our schools that relieved the drudgery oi elementtry tetahlog:,

Mr Robertson asked if Mr Richmond, if elected, would pledge himself to have the Pigeon Valley bridge erected next winter. Mr Richmond said he could hardly promise that, but be would ascertain what the wanls of the district were in respect of publio works and do his utmost to forward them. Mr Blyth then proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Richmond for his very able address and the full and very straightforward manner in which he had answered the great | number of questions put to him. He said under the altered boundaries of the district Mt Richmond had not come into Mr Shephard's district only, as it included now a very large addition to the constituency. Seconded by Mr Alexander Robertson. The vote was carried by a forest of hands being held up in its favour and by acclamamalion. A vote of thanks to the chairman also carried by acclamation, terminated the proceedings.