SIR J. C. WILSON AT WAIKARI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5319, 13 April 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

SIR J. C. WILSON AT WAIKARI.

(From the Lyttelton Times, 10th inst.)

Yesterday afternoon, in accordance with a request to that effect, several of the residents of the Waikari District met at the district schoolroom to meet Sir Craeroft Wilson, who has asked their suffrages at the forthcoming election for the Cheviot Electoral District. There wore twelve electors present. On the motion of Mr. Wills, Mr. G. H. Moore occupied the chair, who said that as Mr. Leonard Harper had resigned his seat in the General Assembly, Sir Craeroft Wilson bad come forward to represent them. H trusted they would give Sir Craeroft a patient hearing, and he would have great pleasure in answering any questions that any electors might wish to put to him. Sir J. C. Wilson; said that he had already addressed a meeting of the electors of the Cheviot District at Kaikoura, and he had taken this r opportunity of inviting them to meet, him to ascertain what their particular wishes were with regard to the several matters that would be brought before them. For his own part he did not know what subjects would be of particular interest to them, and he would leave it to them to propound subjects, on which ho would give them what information he could. He would particularly refer them to the state of the finances of New Zealand, and more particularly to the extension of the Northern railway, as he presumed they would wish to become acquainted with what was going on in reference to what affected them so materially. He had been informed on good authority that Mr. Dobson, who had been in the employ of the Hon. V'. Robinson, had been now employed by the Government to survey a line of railway via the Conway River, he (Mr. Dobson) having declared that a railway could be taken that way at a much less altitude than the proposed route via the Weka Pass. Mr. Dobson was now endeavoring to prove the truth of that declaration at the expense of the Government. He (Sir Craeroft) had no faith in the project, as he knew the country, and it was well known that a line might he taken at a less altitude but still be the more expensive route after all. It .was not likely that this survey would influence the line which the railway would take, but there was the fact that an extra survey was being made at the Government expense. He (Sir Craeroft) was a great advocate of the Weka Pass route for the railway, as he believed it to be the best and cheapest route, and anything he could do to accomplish the completion of the line by that' route he should do. (Hear, hear.) With regal'd to' himself, he had once had the great honor to be a member of the House of Assembly when it was really an honor to be so, aud when, if any member was exceeding the bounds of decorum, a look from the Speaker wonld check any rowdinesa, but he regretted to see that the tone of the House was much lowered during the last two or three years. He referred them to an extract from the Australasian, in which the editor of that journal criticised the actions of the New Zealand Assembly, and did not express surprise at Mr., Stafford resigning his seat. He (Sir J. Craeroft Wilson) could not have spoken his own feelings in a more concise manner if he had written the article himself. The electors might ask him why he was coming forward under these circumstances, and in reply he would say that he had recently seen a highly honorable politician placed in most trying circumstances ; and that as Lord Normanby bad been standing to his duty as the Queen’s representative, and bad manfully withstood any attempts to overthrow the actions of the Assembly, he felt it to be his duty, and that of any honorable gentleman, to stand by such a man, and; if necessary, he could say that he would fight for him. It was for this reason that he was coming forward. He referred to the time at which Sir David Munro was Speaker of the House when he (Sir Craeroft) acted in the capacity of policeman to the Assembly, and when, if any wrong expression was made use of, one look from him to the Speaker had the effect of checking anything offensive. He should bo glad to see a man of Sir D. Munro’s stamp in the Speaker’s chair at the present time. Several of bis friends bad urged bim not to come forward, but he felt it to be his duty to do so, as the Governor required the assistance, of men of education 1 aud family, aud these woro the mon wbo should stand by’ bim. -Ho was not aware whether Mr. Harper had given offence at not having explained his reasons for resigning, but he had heard at Kaikoura that the doctors wore angry with him for having slipped away so suddenly. As regarded the present state of New Zealand finances, though ho was not by any means an alarmist, he looked upon the present state of affairs with dread. Their annual income was about four hundred thousand pounds short of their expenditure, and, therefore, it did not require a philosopher to say that taxation was imminent. There were many things to he considered in this matter. Sir George Grey talked about taking off certain Customs duties, but lie was sure that New Zealand could not afford to take one farthing off Customs revenue. There had been a great objection raised to a property or income tax, but in his opinion this would be necessary for three or four years, and the inhabitants would have to submit to it. It, was not a pleasant fact, but it was the truth. He should, however, resist any permanent tax being imposed. The extravagance of the country during the past few .years was the subject of the speaker’* discourse for some time, showing that the railways had been pushed on under most disadvantageous circumstances, viz., when iron could not bo got under £l6 per ton, when now the price was £6 10s. Mr.

Vogel’s policy had been to spend ten millions in ten years, and the Public Works scheme had been hounded on to the Government by the people themselves clamoring fur it. The consequence of this had been that at the present time the country was without funds, and Sir George Grey proposed, to borrow two millions. Me had, however, during his late tour made promises which could not possibly be carried out under the expense of ten millions. Ministers must therefore look for economy, or ruin would follow inevitably. In conversation with Mr. Vogel, he had asked what the Canterbury representatives were after ; they were all eager to obtain otiice. He expressed himself so because he said that it had an effect on him, as he could, not ask one Canterbury representative to join the Ministry, because by doing so eight would at once become'dissatistied. All government under such circumstances was impossible, and it was time, such a state of

things was put a stop to. We have been sending men into the Home who are dying to get into office, and have no other thought. He referred to the time that he had proffered a scheme for quelling the native riots, when he was at once offered the Postmaster-General-ship, but which he had declined. His answer on that occasion had been to Mr. Fox, the then Premier, “My ways are not as your ways, therefore I cannot join you.” It was men with such a spirit of independence who should be sent to represent the country, and not those who would jump into office on any and every available opportunity. By placing such men in such a position it put Ministers in a very false position. ■He remarked that he had applied for'an extra polling place at Waikari, and that correspondence on the matter was now proceeding, which he hoped would result satisfactorily. In reply to Mr. Wills, Sir CitACKOIT said that he was opposed to manhood suffrage if it meant giving every swagger a vote, as he considered that every man who had a vote should have a stake in the country, either in the shape of land or a house. He should advocate auyoue having such a stake being entitled to the full exercise of the franchise, but he could not consent to extend it to men who spent fheir all in drink. That sort of vote might suit Sir George Grey, but it did not suit him, nor did he know wiiat to make of what Sir George was doing at the present time. He (Sir Cracroft) did not approve of a Prime Minister going about the country touting for votes preparatory to a dissolution of Parliament. He would appeal to the electors themselves, did they wish for manhood suffrage under such circumstances ? (No.) In reply to Mr. Wills, Sir Cracuoft said that he did not appi-ove of the present system of taxing improvements. He would be in favor of the assessment of property remaining unaltered for four years. His experience at Cashmere showed him that there was great injustice done to those who improved their property. This was one of the questions that would receive his early attention in the House if elected. In reference to the sale of lauds in the North Island, he said that it was necessary to offer large blocks to induce settlers to occupy the land at all, but he considered that a Government should have nothing to do with land dealing. He instanced Burmah, Assam, and Egypt as proofs of the mistakes occurring through Governments dealing in laud, but said that in this country it had been necessary to sell to induce settlement. It was equally disadvantageous not to sell land at all as to sell it in large blocks and so induce settlement.

Mr. Wade then proposed a vote of thanks to Sir J. 0. Wilson for his address, and added a rider, —That this meeting has full confidence in Sir Cracroft as a fit and proper person to represent them in the Assembly.

Mr. Cobdnee seconded this, which was carried unanimously. Sir Craokoft acknowledged the vote, and said that if elected he would never do anything dirty, and he would also pledge himself not to seek his own interests.