MR. HUTCHISON’S MEETING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4984, 14 March 1877, Page 2

MR. HUTCHISON’S MEETING.

Last evening Mr. Hutchison addressed the electors of the city at Mr. Duff’s house, Cubaistreet. There was a very large attendance, although the night was dark and stormy. Punctually at eight o'clock Mr. Pilcher was voted to the chair, and briefly explained the object of the meeting. Mr. Hutchison, who was warmly received, theu, after a few preliminary remarks, addressed the meeting as follows : He was not about to repeat what he had already said —a glance at previous statements in passing would be quite sufficient. He had spoken of the sound state of cojonia.l finance ; and his statements in St. Georgsi’"' - Hall, while carped at, had not been seriously impugned by his severest newspaper critics. Aud since then he had the gratification of finding that kis views had been further borne out by the very satisfactory way in which the Wellington loan had been at once floated Oft the London market. The City Council deben» tures for £IOO each had not only gone off at £lO2 —that was to say, the English investors had such confidence in the ratepayers of the city of Wellington that they were willing at the outset to pay £lO2 instead of £IOO for every debenture they took up ; but the appreciation of Wellington stock was further shown, by the subscription amounting to £790,000 instead of £200,000, the sum which was actually wanted. There were prosperous days before Wellington if the people were only true to themselves. He hardly liked to say anything of himself in connection with this loan, but he had, along with the city members, Messrs. Pearce and Hunter, devoted many an anxious hour to having the Bill passed through the Legislature, aud afterwards to preparing the statements ” and memoranda necessary to placing the loan clearly and favorably upon the London money market. He now had an abundant reward isthe successful completion of the transaction, which would put the financial affairs of the City Council upon a very satisfactory and economical basis. It was also a grateful duty for him to state publicly that the city wa» largely indebted to the advice and assistance of Mr. Tolhurat, the manager of the Batik of New Zealand, who entered most heartily into the matter, and to whom he (the Mayor) felt a personal obligation for services rendered throughout the negotiation. Ho, however, quote the success of the Wellington loan just uow as a proof of the sound state of colonial finance, because, it it had been otherwise, a« some of our friends were pleased to represent it, the former—the Wellington loan—would not have gone off as it had done. Passing from this. He had been charged by the Post with not knowing very well what he was saying when he advocated a tax upon land per se. But the truth was that the ignorance ran all the other way. The person who says that nearly every writer of eminence on political economy makes taxation apply to every source of income equally with land, only indicates bis non-ac-quaintance with every writer or any writer of eminence on the subject. From John Stuart Mill ©awards it has been held otherwise, but as the question is as yet more a theoretical than a practical one, they would not care for its exhaustive discussion. There was another point connected with the laud to which reference should be made, namely, the right appropriation of the revenues arising from it. He would not rudely break up any compact entered into by a deliberative body, but it seemed to him a matter of the simplest justice that, as soon as possible, the land fund of the united tolony should be made the property of the whole people living in it. Although the Wellington evening papers were bitterly opposed to him, for reasons best known to their respective editors, the electors must not suppose that he had not many warm friends among newspaper people at a distance, where writers were more able to take an impartial view of the present election. He mentioned this, as ha found the Wairarapa Standard an ably-conducted up-country paper—was anxious to have certain questions answered by the Wellington candidates ; and as the ratepayers had an interest in the questions raised, he would read them. Mr. Hutchison having read and answered the questions proceeded. He had not a single word to say against Mr Travers. He was probably as clever a man as his friends represented him to be. And he (Mr. Hutchison) had not a single word to say on behalf of hie own cleverness ; but when , Mr, Travers suggested to the electors that they should-keep the Mayor where he was, and make the Gity Solicitor their representative in he thanked Mr. Travers for his suggestion, but demurred entirely to its application. What he was anxious to put before the electors was this, that the election of the Mayor as a member for the city would give him vastly increased power and influence to serve the citizens of Wellington, aud he believed where Wellington interests were concerned he would be able to stand up for them, and to command as attentive a hearing .as Mr. Travers or any one else. Of course the electors were the sole judges of this point, and it was very reluctantly and in self-defence that ho. referred to anything of the kind. Take the Loan Bill, to which he had already referred. , If he had been in the H mse he could have given explanations aud afforded information regarding it which would have materially helped to smooth its passage through the I -egislature. He would have been able to do so simply in virtue of his necessarily more intimate knowledge of municipal affaire than the city members could possess. He found his opponents were vary much inclined to mix up things which had no connection one with another. Certain gentlemen wet* going about with a number "of cock-and-bull stories as to something the Mayor had said or done regarding a Town Hall. This, they would see, was a purely municipal matter with which election- had nothing to do ; but he had no 'wish to shrink from the fullest investigation of his /conduct in any matter whatever. The stories about the Town Hall, so far m he had heard them, were a clumsy invention from beginning to end. The ratepayers, he understood, were opposed to a Town Hall, and he bowed to the decision of the ratepayers. The money was the property of the ratepayers, and they had a right to dispose of it as they pleased. But before the ratepayers had decided not to have a Town Hall, competitive designs for a building had been called for, and the Council had to receive and decide upon these, without reference to any future arrangements. The Council had decided, and it was said—or at least it was so reported to him—that, the Mayor had influenced the Council to adopt a particular one. It was a pure fiction. He used no influence—he knew no more of who the competitors wet* than any gentleman in that room—he only agreed with the other Councillors when they resolved that two particular plans were entitled to first and second prizes. Neither more nor Less. The whole thing was an election dodge f»om first to last, and he believed the electors would treat it as such. On every question affecting their interests he was desirous of ascertaining their views and acting for the public advancement, and he submitted to them, and he hoped he might do so without any offence to hi* rival, that a man who was never seen among the electors except when he wanted their votes was not so likely to prove a useful representative for them as. K man like himself, who was always moving about among them, who knew their wants and wishes, whose interests were entirely identified with theirs, and who wan one of themselves.

A gentleman, wb.o snid he was not an elector, asked Mr. Hutchison whether he would endeavor to atop the wasteful expend!' ture of the Government La the introduction of immigrants? Mr. Hutchison said he was opposed to all expenditure that was wasteful Jt'was his opinion that the expenditure for iimyg ration might be reduced, and he believed the GovVTib* ment were alive to the fact that after the immigration ships now on their way here, or about to start, no more would be sent. (Hear, hear). In reply to another question Mr. Hutchison said, no private streets would in future be made in the municipality which did not obtain the sanction, of the Council, which would not throw any unnecessary difficulties in the'way of people wishing to improve their

property by the formation of private street* ; but the plans must be approved of by the Council, and those making private streets without obtaining tho necessary authority would be liable to a penalty. Mr. Reisterer asked the Mayor his opinion of the Botanical (hardens and its management, and the Cricket Ground and reserves ? Mr. Hutchison said the Botanical Garden was not in the hands of the Corporation, as it ought to be, and it ought to be provided with plenty of seats and other accommodation for visitors. Then, as to the cricket ground, that he thought should also be under the control of the Corporation, and bo free to tho citizens. Although he would not object to •f payment being exacted on certain occasions, ,* he would object to its being exclusively ‘devoted to cricket. He would also like to see the Town B it made into a recreation ground for the people, and planted with trees, and this also he trusted would bo placed in the hands of the City Council, and not in those of trustees. He wished there were more available spaces for people, especially for nurses and children to sit down and rest. He had entertained an idea to have the space near the Martin Fountain railed off and seats placed there, and trees planted if they would grow. An Elector said there was a great want of drinking fountains. At the Martin Fountain you could not get a drop of water, and there should be places for hurses to get a drink. The Mayor said he was not aware that there was no water to be got at the Martin Fountain. There certainly was a want of more drinking fountains, and it was a question he would give attention to as being one of importance. Mr. Collins moved, and Mr. Reisterer seconded, a vote of confidence iu Mr. Hutchison as a fit and proper person to represent the j city of Wellington in the House of Kepreseu- [ tatives.

This was put and carried unanimously. In reply to Mr. K. Miller, Mr. Hutchison said he would work cordially with Mr. Hunter, the present member for the city. Mr. Miller said he was glad to hear it, as he was very sure the other candidate (Mr, Travers) would not work cordially with anybody. (Laughter.) A vote of thanks to the chairman was then put and carried. It was then resolved that a committee be formed from those present to assist in promoting the return of Mr. Hutchison as member for the City of Wellington. A large majority of those present came forward and out down their names.

The meeting, which was a most orderly and unanimous one, then separated.