MAJOR ATKINSON'S MEETING.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 74, 25 December 1875, Page 2

MAJOR ATKINSON'S MEETING.

Major Atkinson met his Carlyle constituents on Wednesday evening, at the Court lbm.se, which was no! only full but overflowing uu the occasion. The body of the building was full, and the very .sills of the windows wore taken possession ~r whilst a large number of persons crowded the verandah, where they could hear what wits passing. At the least cmiipuialion, there were ever a hundred persons present. t >n ibej’.uoliou of Mr C.mtts.Mr Sherwood took the chair, and hrieily introduced the business oi too meeting - . Major Atkinson on coining forward said that in- had asked the electors to meet him with fine double object of rendering an account of Ins stewardship, and of putting forward ids views and opinions on seeking a renewal of the confidence of the electors. He ivlcnvd to the effect that tin- Public Works and Immigration Act had had, and will have upon the future of the colony, ami also to the constitutional changes that had been decided on, during the* last s. -.s -ion. Ho drew attention to the condition in which New Zealand was in 1871 and compared that, with its position during tiie last linancial year. At the former period there was great depression throughout N---w dN-’dand, and tin; Customs rate per head was lower than it had ever readied there being a delicicncy of £2OO 000. Large sums had been spent in defence and oilier purposes, and tire.c.oii.tlirion of affairs was critical and unsatisfactory. Tim population of the colony was, in round numbers, 257.U00, and the revenue £1)35,000, ike public debt being £8,000,000. in ’which however, a sum of £750.000, not raised under the Public Works scheme, was not included. The orffinarv expenditure at that time was £ 470.000, and the Interest and sinking Hind on (ho public debt £510,00 J. . ’flu; colony -for the last five years, on the other hand, had enjoyed a .state of almost unexampled prosperity, and the relations with the natives, had been on (he whole exceedingly satisfactory, though at times they laid been interrupted by annoyances and inconveniences, though not more than had ever Itch the case between civilised and barbarous people. The revenue had now risen to £1,000,000, an increase of £(•70,000. He quoted further statistics showing the greatly improved financial state of the colony, notwithstanding that the public debt had risen from eight to seventeen millions. He dwelt at some length mi the financial matters, iu order to prow that the Ministerial policy had. been most successful, and quoted a. number of staiisties, showing how tin*, mom-}' raised had. Ir en expended, and also the results Dial it had achieved, including the cowipl-4ion of 227 miles of railway,

and 547 ehher under contract or about to be undertaken. Due million throe hundred thousand acres of land had been purchased from tiie natives. In telegraphy 3000 miics of poles and GGOO miles of wire. Thirteen hundred miles of dray roads, and six hundred miles of horse roads had been made, in addition to which public; Imi!dings, ami lighthouses on the various coasts had bee*.’ erected. After giving further figures, he stated that all interest and sinking fund on the loan had been invariably paid out of revenue and not out of the loan itself as had been alleged. Tins state of tilings, lie thought those

present would agree with him in thinking - , was exceedingly satisfactory, and the borrowing - power was not exhausted, as there remained yet two millions not raised. When the maximum had been reached and expended there would be 1027 miles of railway completed, which, at the most moderate calculation, would yield 2 per cent per annum, though likely to double it, and it was fair to expect a revenue of at least I'2UO,UUO, from railways. By that time the Government will have introduced Ion.OOO immigrants, who.se annual contributions to the Consolidated revenue, could not amount to less than ,£dSU,UOO, so for a railway charge on the colony of 1:500,000 they would receive that sum. ’ The balance of £ i50.000 would be uore than fully made up by the trade and commerce created, through the country being opened up with railways and roads. On the whole, they might reasonably conclude that the Public Works policy was .self-supporting and a prolitabic scheme for the colony. (A voice, “Not for Patea though laughter). With reference to ihi- impending constitutional changes, it was not necessary for him to say much, as ;ill appeared to be cn accord on that subject, and there were few, if any, ProVinc-iuH«t.s in tins part of the province. It had been admitted that a change was m-cessa ry and M r Macandrew nad <. xpressed the opinion <>l'. a majority of the people of the colony, when he said that they were suffering from a plethora of Government, and were the most overgoverned

country in the world. Ho had alway believed that, had always been an antiProvincialist, and had never seen tiny reason to change his opinions, lie then glanced at. the action of the Government in introducing the Abolition Bid, the course the Opposition had taken, and Hie compromise that had been ciVecled, which, though it involved a loss of revenue tor some livo or six months, was tuought better than to give the Opposition the opportunity of saying that the measure had been carried through Parliament with a high hand, and that they were afraid to meet the people. Now there Was no issue between !ho Government and tic* country, though there were some twenty or thirlv schemes set floating about by the Provincialism lie did nut think that a member should he valued by how much money lie had obtained for his district, though at the same time no man was lit to repres ‘id, a constituency, who did not. faithfully look after his dislriel (Hear, hear.) if he did not show that he had done so ho would not ask those present for their voles that night. In the first place all the roads in the district had been constructed out ol tin* North island mad fund, excepting rail ways, and a special sum for the Bay o!

islands. This fund amounted to .£4'JO,PU>h If they took as tin; basis of its distribution, the population, the area of the province, or its contribution to the general revenue, or ail combined, to put (he most, favorable estimate, they would find that the outside share the province eotdd he entitled to was £25.000. He might say, before going further, that he was then addressing himself to persons who said that ha had not obtained justice for the district, who uicn nircd bin corn by their own bushel, and lie was not then going on broader grounds. It was evident on comparing figures that the above sum was the outside that the district had a right to, and no doubt the Patk.v Mai I, could have shown it if it had had the honesty to do so (A voice, •* Hr; has gone away.”) But lie will come hack again. The total expenditure had been £75,000 in the province (A voice " Which, end.”) Well he would undertake to salisly them on tiiat head. Out of the £75,000. £OB,OOO had been spent within the electoral district of Egmont (Cries of, *’ where,” ‘■which end.”) Over iiGd.OdU bad been spent at (his end of the diAriet ; he did not make statements that ho was not able to prove, (A little interruption arose at. (his point). The speaker continued and said that he was not there to handy personalities, but to slate the truth, and be asked them, as reasonable men, to coniine themselves to facts. Some further confusion occurred at (Ids point, in which the statements of the speaker were considerably called in question, and reference was made to the Connseafcd I,and fund. Major Atkinson said that the total amount received for confiscated lands sold including the Waitara township was between £4 ( ,!,UdO and £50,000, but he would take (he latter. The .expenditure in surveys, bridges, purchasing interests, No., was £3B.OI'M, the balance being all the clear profit the province could claim, even supposing the right to these proceeds being admitted, and that the, colony..gave up all claim to the £ 12.000. As against t iiat tiie Governm ait had a'ready expended on a mad through the Band-hills, and the llawcni hush some £3OOO, so that the whole obtained from the confiscated lands did not exceed £OOOO. He went into further ligmvs to siiow that the district bad altogether had boo,ooo'more than it, was entitled to, which lie deiiod any one, present to disprove. This challenge elicited other strong expressions of doubt and incredulity, Mr Hirst remarking that the district was said to have received £50,000 mom than had been xpended.

Major Atkinson said In had shown clearly that tin money ha 1 been expended o it of tin North Island toad find, and with it had I icon cons; met ed the roa< Is and bridges in tins district, an I b'tween here and Wanganui at, a cost of .IPJti.tK):). Within the Wanganui district A'lll.Odd out <d the A lOlI,();.)!.) had been spent. He would next come to the railway question (a voice, “jit will he a long linn before we see it.’’ laughter). He was hopeful of seeing it. (a voice, “ yes we live in hopes”) and he intended to go on hoping to the end. As they knew, the total expenditure for railways was £(>,000,000. According- to any basis they liked the utmost that could come fairly to this province would he £110.000., to making; tint statement he was addressing- business men, who could not; expect the House to coniine the expenditure, on the trunk lines of railway, to the mere boundaries of a province. A railway to nm through hero hail been begun and would be continued from both ends, and for it hud been incurred or authorised £140.000 ; on the Wanganui side £OI,OOO. Tims .£,‘50,000 more has been expended than jusLiiied on any basis that may lie taken. If they were not; satisfied with anything they were likely to get, they had hotter send a belter man than him to the Assembly, (avoice, “ so we. intend to”). Ko doubt such rpiestions would be discussed in a serious spirit, and electors would not bo hoodwinked by statements not supported by facts. Ho would next refer to a personal matter, and did so with regret, for it was most undesirable that a member should blow his own trumpet. He never had occasion to do so before, for when he had made statements before, it had always been taken for granted that lie had done well. Had tl jo newspaper done its duty, and given them real information, and figures showing what had been done, there would have hoen no occasion to enter into such an explanation. The candidate then referred to the reply of Mr Maguire to the requisition asking him in contest the election, and challenged the statements contained in it. After a light passage of words between Mr Maguire and the candidate on this subject business proceeded. Major Atkinson taking credit lor procuring the bridge and other works, and Mr Maguire maintaining tiiat these were the result of the acts of Mr Carrington. tlie Superintendent of the Procince. Major Atkinson further claimed credit for taking- such steps as led to the establishment of Education Board's in the district, and obtaining for them the first grant of £I,OOO. He had also, he stated, been the first to send immigrants here, and to provide for the construction of buildings to shelter them. Mr Maguire suggested that the candidate had Mono this on a general system, and that he had not exerted, himself specially in the matter.

Major Atkinson in reply said that, whether it was a general system Or not, it was properly applied. If it were necessary, he could detail many other cases where lie had interfered successfully on the part of the district, but, as he heard that he was to be questioned very severely, lie wotdd wait till these queries came. He should not have made the personal statement, but for the gross misstatements on the part of those who did and ought to know better, or else were exceedingly to blame for the position they had taken up, It was refreshing to turn from petty questions of this kind, to the now and large questions that would bo dealt with in the now Parliament. The (Jovcrmncnl, he might say, would strenuus'y not oppose listen to no proposal for other than one central Government, would insist, on the maintenance of the unity of the Colony, and would he no party to any division, political nr financial. They would propose to divide the colony into Shires, giving endowment to Road Boards and Municipalities of one pound to mu* pound rales, out of the land fund, where such existed, and the same proportion, whore it did not, out of the Coiisolirdaed revenue. The surplus of the land fund to ha divided amongst the Councils, '['hose provinces therefore, with a considwahh- land estate, retained it. The most extended powers would be given to local bodies, rat ing powers, powers to levy rates for special works ami to borrow. With regard to carrying out the Public Works Act, the Guv-riiinent intended to carry out, the scheme, as originally devised and the}' were satisfied there would Ir* no difficulty in doing so, if the proposals were carried on wit li proper prudence. A small but regular stream of immigrants, some ten or twelve thousand annually, would be introduced, of which it was hoped a large number would be nominated, as by this syst’-m immigrants found friends at one* to intro,luce and advise them. Wilh respect to Education, the Government thought that prop rand sunieientreserves should be made in every centre of population, and, where these are not m ide, educational charges should he home by the- Consolidated fund. He thought that, by means of scholarship and otherwise, every child at free cost ■ should be open to the highest education tin colony was capable of affording. Though the Government could not pledge itself to intro luce a complete Education Act lids session, m ease of not doing so, would make provision so that education should he placed within the rest cl i of every child. Tim Government ha 1 no i lei that it would Ire necestary to increase taxation, provided that the various districts were content to carry mi public work sat a moderate rale. If, on the contrary, tlmy w to determined to carry them on at the rate of the last two years, then it was quite certain they would have to iaee enormously increased’ taxation, and a crisis would follow, such as New Zealand had never experienced. ! here had already been enormous pressure brought to b air mi the G ivcnmrmt, all parts had asked to have works carried mi. and everywhere it wai found that bridges, roads, railway lines, most important to the colony, u ere most necessary to construed This was pmf-cUy natural, but reasonable people should consider (he effect. Pressure to obtain certain works, m 'ant the imposition of 2) millions extra on the colony, and he widfel to draw the

attention of the (doctors to (he fa'-', that, tf this was carried on, they eon d not escape en r nous taxation. If, on the other hand, they earned on public works in the colony, as persons would on their private estates, year by year, accor ling to I h-ir me ui a lli-n if. would !>■> pud’cetly easy to complete lb;; whole of the trunk lim-s of railway and c irryoiit the pr iposed schem *, with be iciit to New Zedand, without further taxation. A no'her ground I’m- taxation might be, in case railways did not pay one per cent. It was a conting mey he di 1 not suppos *. pos.-ibl -. but if such were tin* case a largo part of the land fun ! w-.m'd he app'iedto p; y u -u! of iiitc cs!. wliii hj, i i such c-is-s, was chargeable to tin-, land fund. Then it might bo nee.-s.-tary (o impose incn-as-d tsxa'on, to relieve tiiat fun 1 and if such incrc us ; were necessary, (be Government weird propose a property tax. Except ion had been taken to (he subsidies being granted to Road Boards and municipalities, out of the Consolidat'd revenue. He was in favor of siu-h a eonr.se, as such way in Ids opinion, the fairest way of raising money from every class who participated in the benefit of public works, carried out by these bodies. There was one other matter, 'file Chief Engineer of the colony, Mr Carrntiicrs, had reported on the Patea river, and the report, he (the speaker) was informed, was very favorable. The river could be-very much improved for a small sum, and for a larger one, but one quite within their means, the port could be made useful to the colony. If such were the case, tins expenditure should have bis hearty support (applause). He would only say* iu conclusion tiiat, if ho were returned again, he would endeavor to give body arm shaus to the views he had expressed, hoping that, by so doing, lie would best advance the interests of New Zealand geneially, and this district in particular. (Hear, hear.) In reply to tiro usual enquiry as to questions, Mr Hirst came forward and requested an explanation as to bow the candidate made out the district had received £55,000 more than due to it, remarking - that as it had received nothing, it could not well have got tiiat sum more than was duo. This led to a further explanation from (Major Atkinson, which scemr-d however to be incomprehensible to in’s questioners, the roads in the district, the Patea bridge &c., being the works given on which the great expenditure took place. In reply to Mr Maguire, lie stated that £12,000 was spent last year, and read out a few items, but the total did not near reach lire above sum.

Mr Maguire also questioned tlio candidate in reference to the railway, to the action lie had taken on the petition on tho subject, from this district, presented to ti'C House of Representatives, and the resolution forwarded from the Taranaki Provincial Council. Major Atkinson said he had presented the petition referred to, which had been duly referred to the Petitions Coimr.ittee. lhat Committee reported upon it to the effect that the Government were not justified in commencing any work in the niiih*,e, when the railway was already commenced at both ends. It wc uh! be an enormous charge on the funds of the

district, and, though a Lev storekeepers would benefit.by tho expenditure, the advantage derived by the district .would not be commensurate. (Some dissatisfaction arising at this point, the speaker, said that lie was repeating the arguments of the Committee and not his own views.) After that • ho did not push tho matter. On being shown that it would entail actual loss, he refused to take further action, and thought, if he had done so, he would not have been lit to represent the constituency. fa reply to an emptiry, as to the candidate's sincerity in regard to tin*. Ha hj >r Works, ho said that these who knew him would believe what be stated ; (nose who did not know him could think what lit w pleased. If the jvp ut was satisfactory he would do hi.: best to carry mb' its recommendation. 11 ■wa ; not the first to take action in the matter, hut had done s > in conserjneiioe of representations from Hie .Provincial Council, and Oarivle T iwn Board. In reference to making this a port of entry, the candidate stated that the Snp'i’i n ten lent, MrC arn ng ton. M r K n i v, and him - self had urged it, hut that the Commissioner of; Custom, had absolutely I'-'fumd to entertain the matter, as it would entail certain loss, without comiiionsnrat» advantages. d'he present cost of collecting (Jnst.oms duties was 4 per cent.. There were thirty oilier places seeking to be made ports ol: entry, and, if tiers,' wen* granted, the cost of collection w add he 20 per cent. He would press nothing, where he could imt see advantage to Hi-' district. The thirty places referred loh,ad superior claims to Batea, to be ina le ports of entry. Avs to expending mon *ys obtained from land funds on public works within the district lie ha.l been favourable to Pnal principle .for years.

On being questioned ns to flic cirri! of immigrants forwarded to Paten, Mij or Atkinson slid Hint !i > <1 i. 1 not select Uiem, but. requested Mr Wmy to pick out sirjli as were suitable, an !, on the whole, he thought, a very good lot taken altogether, were chosen ( A voice, “no girls sent.” ter). in reply to .Mr I/dt, wiio, on coming forward, declared hims.?! 11 an opponent, Major Atkinson said it was not true that the (r )-|’mmcnt had declined to sell (,!:•■ I!esideiM. Magistrate's Itesorve, thron gh the advice ol: .Mr W. D:de, Jim. It was not true that. Mr Dal ; had hj -mi recomm mi m I for appointment ns a Justice of Use IVaee ; neither was he to hj • appointed representative <rf; the (J mi a’ai Govcrnm ait. i’or llie Patna district, on (he Abolition of Provinces being completed. In replying to the enquiry relative to Mr Dale’s appoint in mt as a Magistrate, Major At kin son stall'd that, Mr Maguire hail applied to lie placed on the roll of justices. Mr Maguire- explained that he had not done so. He had, together with another gent lonian oil this district, b'.-m asked Inins Honor, the Superintendent, if they would accept (lie honor, and they had i‘ -p led that they would do -so. if offered. Mr (nirriuglon hal consequently recommended them, an 1 some correspond Mice had pas cl on the subject, but that was all. Major Atkinson was snt)j"Ctocl to further questioning, relative to his travelling allowances during his canvass, to his using Government horses and to employing the s -vvices ol; ill : Armed (Jonslabiilarv, in forming an escort for him. If.-, said he drew no travelling expenses, that lie did use tfoverniii 'iil hors s and that in his pos’tion, lie conddered hims'lf justified in imdsting (lie services of am Anne,l (lonsi abnlary escort. Mr L tr. remarked that f!i > speech was in two puts, one snull .share of what: had been done, an I another large one as to what he would do.

1m reply to other qn as: ioni, Major Atkinson <'\|tressed himself favorable to n general sy-ih 1 !!! of purely secn'ar education, and would oppose grants in aid f.o any kind of ilaiiomm it Iona! system. Ho was in favor id.’ o■)*n!misery e ducat ion. when o!f av 1 free, and would support Inc appoinhn ail, of a Minister of Iviuca!ion, assisted by local 15 cards. lie would make (lie attendance of chihlrcnJat school compulsory, wnoro a cnivct tax was levied. On the siihj 'ct of reserves. he <];•;- approved oi: ahmluto sah*s, t)j a;eh: that as much mon *y wouhl he realised hy Jong leases, with valuation at their termination, lie had received (die memorandum of a resolution of the Town 15 >ard, asking- for the sale of (lie I’esi.lcnt Magistrate's Deserve, hut declined acting on it, and if the resolution were endorsed by all the ratepayers, he would not do so. Tie would ho favorable to a Dermissivo Dill, prohibiting the sale of liquor in places where two thirds of the inhabitants signed a petition to that effect. He would consider it a breach of (nisi, on the part of the Government, if the reserves were sold. He would not be in favor of selling their frontage's or any other part, and would rather not bo elected, than at the expense of committing a breach of trust. He did not know that any proposal had been made to constitute a separate electoral district, between the Waingongora and Waitotara, hut did support. Bryce’s hill for a shire, and would do all in his power to make this district a county, on the abolition of provinces. He explained that the two-thirds in the ;C payment to Bond Boards and other similar bodies was only for the period between November and July. He could give no promise to open up the hack country, there being already so great a strain on tlie revenues of the colony, but this could he undertaken by the County, when formed. When the Government Education scheme came into effect, there would he no direct tax levied.

During 1 the .above questioning, a great deal of disorder prevailed at times, and the above is a very bare epitome of what passed for some time. Confusion became worse confounded towards the end. A proposal, that gentlemen who had ridden from Manutahi and voted at other meetings in favor of Major Atkinson, should not vote here, was scouted, and some very sharp and by no means complimentary exchanges took place ,bebetween the Chairman and some of the candidate's opponents. Eventually, Mr Taplin moved, and Mr Lett seconded, li That the thanks of the meeting ho accorded to Major Atkinson for his address." As an amendment, Mr Dale moved that the following words be added, “• Andtb.it this meeting lias every confidence in Major Atkinson as their representative in the Assembly."

Tin* was seconded by Mr Symes. After further disorder L!i(,’haminn put the amendment, that the words should be added to the original resolution and declared it carried, eighteen hands being held up in its favor, lie ih m put the resolution as a whole, and declared it a’so earned, twenty live hands being shown in favor. There were, ns stated above, over a hundred presen?, so in one ease less than a fifth, and in the other less than a fourth voted at all. The result was received with mingled cheers and groans, and thus eonelnded one. of the most rowdy m lelings that t'ndyle his yet sent. Proceedings eomm ••need at ab mi iia f-past 7 o'clock, bn! it wm pool, hail'-pip In wo-n th-y earn ■ to an end with the usual Vote of t hanks to me. t liiairman.