The Politician.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 226, 8 January 1876, Page 17

The Politician.

DECLARATION OF THE POLL AT THE HUTT. The official declaration of the Hutt poll was made on Wednesday by J. C. Crawford, Esq. The weather was wet, and there were about half-a-dozen electors present. The numbers were identical with those previously published, and Mr. Fitzherbert was declared duly elected. The member-elect returned thanks, and said he had intended to address them on several important matters, but owing to the few there were present, and the inclemency of the weather, the opportunity was not favourable to a speech. Doubtless opportunities would occur, and what he had to say would perhaps keep. However, he would just say this. It seemed his opponent was quite satisfied with the result, as he had not put in an appearance, and he should not take up time by killing the the slain ; but he woxild recommend the electors, when they desired a successor to himself as tlieir representative in the Parliament of the colony, to select a man to come forward. During Mr. Hutchison’s candidature he had thought proper to attack him (Mr. Fitzherbert) of having taken large sums of public money for himself and his family, but who was it made these assertions ? Why, in his hand he held an electoral roll, and at the bottom were the words “ William Hutchison, printei*.” Had Mi*. Hutchison been paid for that. He dared to say he had been. Then why did he pome forward and complain of others having taken public money. He did not complain of his opponent having taken their money, no doubt he had honestly earned it, but so had he (Mr. Fitzherbert) and those of his family who happened to be working for the Government ; and as for the large sums taken, no one knew what Mr. Hutchison had been paid, though he (Mr. Fitzherbert) might think it worth while some day to ask for a return showing what he actually had been paid for printing. He then again returned thanks, and assured the electors that he should endeavour to do his best for the colony under the altered circumstances, and in doing his best for the colony would best discharge his duty to the district. (Cheers.) Thanks to the returning officer closed the proceedings. DECLARATION OF THE POLL AT KAIWARRA. The official declaration of the poll in connection with the Country Districts election took place at Kaiwarra on Tuesday. The spectacle was not imposing, Most of the electors seemed to have forgotten that such an event was to take place, and if they did not forget, they considered it a matter that had no claims upon their attention, for at the appointed hour the attendance at the school-house was confined to Mr. H. Blundell, junr., two reporters, Mr. Baker (Acting Returning Officer), and a flock of geese. But just as Mr. Baker had commenced announcing, the result of the election, the heads of three persons were seen x'ising above the hill which divides the road from the school. As they came nearer Mr. Baker desisted, Mr. Blundell cheered encouragingly, the reporters looked expectant, and the geese screeched, for they recognised in the face of the gentleman in front the respected lineaments of the successful candidate. Following were two electors.

Mr. Baker then declared Mr. Brandon to be duly elected representative of the Country Districts, to serve in the ensuing Parliament. The two electors said “Hear, hear,” and Mr. Blundell (who is also an elector) “Huzzah.” Mr. Brandon then mounted the doorstep and said : Gentlemen and electors, I thank you very much for placing me in this position, and thereby giving me proof of your approval of my past conduct, and that you have confidence in me for the future. To me this is very gratifying. I will say no more, but beg leave to move a vote of thanks to the Returning Officei*. Mr. Blundell begged to return thanks in a general way to everybody, and particularly to the three-and-forty electors who took advantage of Mr. Wallace’s cabs to come to Kaiwarraaud vote for somebody else than Mr. Wallace. He recognised in this an instance of freedom and independence which shoxrld be placed on record. (Hear, hear.) Thus the proceedings terminated, neither of the defeated candidates putting in an appearance.

THE WAIRARAPA ELECTION. BY TELEGRAPH. (from our own correspondent.) On Tuesday the polling took place for two representatives for the Wairarapa District. Great interest was taken in the election, both in town and country, and it was feared from the rumors afloat that Mi*. Bunny would require all the assistance he could get to secure his return. At 7.40 a.m. about fifty electors from the city proceeded by rail to the Upper Hutt. There two conveyances were in readiness to receive them, and with the assistance of Mr. McKirdy, who placed his conveyance at the disposal of the electors, all were accommodated and taken on their journey. The day was rather gloomy, there being every indication of rain, and the Rimutaka was covered with mist. The wild and romantic scenery was much admired, and the various improvements on the road noted. Although the electors were put to some inconvenience by the overcrowding, the utmost good humor prevailed, and all expressed themselves confident that Mr. Bunny would be placed at the head of the poll. The coaches reached Shirley’s Hotel, Featherston, a little after one o’clock, when the electors proceeded at once to record their votes at the polling booth. The arrival of so many visitors from town caused no little stir at the quiet little hamlet of Featherston, and counti'y cousins were much pleased at seeing friends from the capital. A sumptuous lunch was provided by Mr. Shirley for the occasion, to which ample justice was

one by all present, their appetites having been whetted by the ride. By the way, Mr. Shirley’s -Hotel would do no discredit to the Empire City, the accommodation it afforded being of very superior class, and the kindness and attention of the host and hostess all that could be desired. There are about thirty bedrooms, private apartments for families, commercial and long room, and all the conveniences of a first-class hotel, contrasting favorably with the hotel accommodation of former years, and showing unmistakeably that the people are determined to progress with the times. A considerable number of new buildings have recently been erected, and this township bids fair to become a thriving and populous town, as was anticipated on its settlement. Mr. Wardell, R.M., presided at the pollingbooth, and everything was carried out with the utmost regularity. About half-past three o’clock the party again occupied the traps, and three cheers were given as they left Eeatherston, which were heartily responded to. The traps then proceeded on their journey. The foUowing is the result of the poll, so far as is yet known :

The returns to come cannot affect Messrs. Bunny and Andrews’ positions. They may now be regarded as returned. We learn that the party reached the train at eight o’clock, and that the trip from the Upper Hutt to Pipitea Point was done in an hour and twenty minutes. THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION. BY TELEGRAPH. (from our own correspondent.) Marton, Wednesday. The following is the result of the poll:

COUNTRY DISTRICTS ELECTION. The election for the Country Districts took place on Friday. Prom the outset it was regarded as a contest between Messrs. Brandon and Gillon, Mr. Wallace not having the slightest chance, but the presence of this latter candidate in the field led to much speculation as to what effect it would have upon the rela tive prospects of the other two. Both Brandon and Gillon worked hard. Each had secured “leading men ” in the various parts of the electorate, and a very active canvass was carried on—in fact, so importune were canvassers that weak minded electors, to get rid of them, promised anything they were asked, and in many cases the “ free and independent” agreed in one breath to vote for Brandon, and in the next to favor Gillon—the result being that Mr. Gillon was woefully deceived. As an instance of the general satisfaction Mr. Brandon has given, it is to be noticed that except at the Kaiwarrawarra booth, he had a majority at every polling place; and even here he would have led had two votes not been rejected by the returning officei\ The would-be voters were well known electors, possessing large properties in the district, but owing to some mistake in the preparation of the roll their names did not appear, and Mr. Baker had no alternative from disallowing their votes. The rough state of the poll is as follows :

The Returning Officers were as follows : Kaiwarrawarra (principal polling place), Mr. Eb. Baker ; Johnsonvifie, Mr. E. Best ; Tawa Elat, Mr. Watts ; Porirua, Mr. T. K. Williams ; Pahautanui, Mr. S. M. Baker ; Ohariu, Mr. Tyrrell; Karori, Mr. Palmer ; Makara, Mr. Blacklock ; Ohiro, Mr. Gilbert. The poll ,vlll be officially declared on Tuesday at noon, at Kaiwarrawarra. MR. STAFFORD AT TIMARU. BY TELEGRAPH Timaru, Saturday. Mr. Stafford addressed a crowded meeting of the electors this evening, and was received with great enthusiasm. He commenced by alluding to the Timaru breakwater, and said after Coodes’ report he would tell them, and the Government ought to tell him (Coode) to come and carry it out at once. It would be of the greatest advantage to the whole colony. A great many people in Christchurch objected to it, but it must be remembered there was only one good harbor on the East Coast. Lyttelton was only a second-rate harbor. The greatest mistake ever made by the Canterbury settlers was in selecting Lyttelton as their port and Christchurch as their capital. There was no reason why Timaru should not become as important as Christchurch. The plan and report of Sir John Coode’s was their bill of right, and they must work it up. He said there was one general principle that ought to be established as regards the railways of the colony, that was that they ought to be connected with the wharves and shipping. He said a great number of the members of the Legislature agreed with him on that point. He was forcibly struck with the great progress made of late years in the district and town, and believed that before the next general election they had a right to expect to see .ocean-going vessels at Timaru. It was a great

pleasure to him to know that he would have the support of the other members of South Canterbury in the harbor project. He believed the new member for Geraldine, Mr. Wakefield, was one that would work most harmoniously with him, and he hoped it would be the same with the member for Gladstone. He had had a great deal of difficulty in getting the additional member for the district. Referring to the abolition of provinces, he said that he believed 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 so utterly misunderstanding the meaning of federalism. Abolishing 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 shown any affection for the provincial centres, and—in the cases of Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, and others—had separated as early as possible. The provincial system had never endeared itself to the people. The people had the power to say what system of government they would have. The people of New Zealand would never be the slaves of any person or party. A very great wrong was done the country by frittering away attention on Provincial Councils instead of the real vital affairs of the colony. The Superintendents, who were some of the best men in the colony, were made antagonistic to its welfare, but there was a much graver objection than the loss of those men. If the provinces of New Zealand 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 of 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. Elementary education was a national subject. There had been such continued demands on the colonial treasury by provinces for financial assistance as to seriously- embarrass the Colonial Treasurer’s from time to time. One of the treasurers who had been most troubled, and had objected most, was Mr. Fitzherbert, one of the present champions of the provinces. They had 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 abolition of the provinces necessary, in order to understand our future finances thoroughly, and also taxation. He had felt certain that directly the country received the Abolition Bill the provinces were dead. Since then the leaders of the provincial 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 district 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 the subject to their constituents. The Abolition Bill provided that the land funds should be spent in the districts where raised. After certain colonial charges had been provided for, all local rates to be returned, and one pound for every one pound raised to be paid out of the consolidated revenue. It was a question whether it was wisest to raise the 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 raised. On the consolidated revenue should be placed the burden of elementary schools, as it was raised generally by all, with the cost 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 the runs, he said it was one upon which a great amount of thought had been expended. If they were going to treat pastoral 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 be 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 high minded, 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 that rate 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 present heavy expenditure of money ceased, which must be sooner or later, a great number of the unsettled immigrants would leave the colony. Any feasible plau to settle the people permanently in the country would receive his best support. Wandering labor 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 than 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 benefit from the country, but there was a great many things to be considered with regard to it. With respect to the continuance of immigration he said it required a great deal of caution, and if they went on increasing the number of immigrants without settling them

on the land they would be" only losing money. At the same time it was to say that the country was fully populated already. They must have a much larger population before they would 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 systemxvas inaugurated all over the colony, the country would prosper in every part. With regard to finance, though they were carrying ’a very heavy burden, they were equal to it, but they must use great care not to stumble under their burden. In conclusion, he said he believed the views he had expressed were in perfect accordance with those of his constituerits. Mr. Stafford concluded his address j amidst prolonged and enthusiastic cheering. l A vote expressing the fullest confidence 1 in him was then passed.

Bunny. Andrew. Pharazyn. Carter. Masterton ... 84 89 22 27 Featherston 78 22 51 25 Grey town ... Scandinavian 69 29 41 42 Camp 52 15 1 0 Carterton ... 34 21 33 45 317 176 148 139

Ballance. Bull. Marton 124 59 Bulls 34 41 Turakina 43 27 201 ' 127 Majority for Ballance, 74.

Brandon Gillon Wallace John son ville 7 5 3 Ohariu 12 1 1 Oliiro 4 1 1 Paliautanui 24 23 6 Tawa Flat 16 2 3 Porirua Ferry 17 4 0 Makara .. 18 7 1 Karori 23 11 4 Kaiwarra S7 S7 7 20S 141 26