MR. KELLY AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4604, 22 December 1875, Page 2

MR. KELLY AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

BY TELEGRAPH. (PER PRESS AGENCY.) New Plymouth, Tuesday. Mr. Kelly, member for New Plymouth, addressed a large meeting of electors in the Institute last evening. Mr. Northcroft was voted to the chair. , . Mr. Kelly said he would have called a meeting earlier had he thought writs would have been issued so soon. Ho then proceeded to review the work of last session and the progress made during the past five years, under Sir Julius Vogel’s Immigration and Public Works scheme, and also referred to the effect it had on this province. It was anticipated at the commencement of the railway that any loss accruing would be made a local charge. It had not, [however, been so. If any loss occurred it would be charged on the land fund. He spoke of the benefit the colony would derive from the railways, in opening up the country for settlement. He referred to the debt of the colony, and the large amount of interest and sluicing fund annually to be paid ; and although he did not anticipate that any alteration in the taxation would be made next session, there would lie in the following session. It bad been widely circulated that this province had not had a fair share of the loan, but on going into the question he thought we had no reason to complain. He congratulated the electors on the probable early construction of the harbor, aud firmly believed that if the proposition of sending the prisoners here was carried out, they would be able to ship goods from it into vessels in less than four years. He said the credit of it was due to Mr. Carrington, though he himself had assisted all he could. Harbor works were intimately connected with railways, and if ever they lived to see the railways completed, there was no reason to doubt but there must ultimately be a flourishing and thriving district. He then spoke on the abolition of the provinces, and said that to carry out a colonial system of public works it was necessary that provincial form'of government should be done away with. He opposed the Shire Bill introduced last session, because it was a temporising measure, aud such euaetments ho had always found failed to work. He voted in favor of Provincial Councils meeting, bec.ause he thought they had many necessary works to perform before they were abolished. He then pointed out the kind of government that would be most suitable to the colony, which should be large shire councils or largo road boards, which should be started into life in a respectable manner, and to which it would be an honor to be returned as a member. These shires should be divided into wards, and the members representing wards should meet periodically, when all local work could be considered and carried out to suit the wants of the districts. lie objected to the proposal made by the leaders of the Opposition to divide the colony into two provinces under a Federal Government, because the power would be centralised, VYhilst the Federal Government would be weak, and thus financially ruin the colony by preventing further loans being raised to complete the works already begun. Again, referring to taxation, he did not consider the working man was so unfairly dealt with as might at first seem, and if any addition should be made it must be a tax of easy collection, and not a class one. He had endeavored when in Wellington to got the amount realised by the confiscated lands sold by the General Government taken off our future liabilities, but did not succeed. Ho should never try again next session, if elected, to obtain territory for settlement. He concluded by thanking the electors for their attention, and if returned would attend to the increasing wants of this promising district. A vote of confidence was moved, and carried unanimously.