MR. HUTCHISON AT THORNDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4992, 23 March 1877, Page 2

MR. HUTCHISON AT THORNDON.

Mr. Hutchison met a crowded and enthuii--astic meeting of electors at the Metropolitan Hotel yesterday evening. Mr. Hollis was called to the chair. ' "-" Mr. Hutchison then addressed the meeting He said it was very evident that by the time '.'-' the I election came off the characters of the "' candidates would be very well known. He wondered when he took up the newspapers of an evening what new fiction they would have invented about him. He did not mind what was said about him as a general rale ; but just now, if a lie gotta start of two or three days, one might not overtake it in sufficient time to neutralise its effects. Otherwise, as he was likely to live all his days in Wellington ; he had "no fear ofr living down anything . that might be said to his prejudice. He then referred to the statement, of an evening , paper contradicting his statement about the making up of the electoral roll. It " was aquestion as to whetherthe writer or he 1 kneiv best, and whether the writer or he was most entitled to belief. He had id* doubt 'o£ the answer which the public would return. In defending county government from an implied charge of large expenditure brought against it by Mr. Travers, he gave it as his opinion that the expenditure of the whole six counties in - the Wellington provincial district would not be greater than that of a" session of the defunct Provincial Council, not to mention the salaries of Superintendent, Secretary, ■ -Treasurer, and their rather prolonged ita&.'-rlir. 'I speaking of the ■' prosecution' of railway con•truction,: he referred to the-necessity of themanagement being conducted to suit the public convenience—that the' railways were intended for the people, and not the people for the railways ; and he advocated legislation to make compensation for - lo£es • ,or accidents without any harassing «r%nnec|ss*ftry delay. A nuraber_ of _ JnterCTtang__gpeßtions were asked and answered [at length, after which it was j moved by Mr. Buck and seconded by Mr. JoHWBf-? that, Mr.' Hutchison jwas a fit and prober.-person to represent .the dity,'wliieh-WHS'* l '! carried by acclamation, and- a vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.