EGMONT ELECTION.

Patea Mail, 2 December 1881, Page 3

EGMONT ELECTION.

NOMINATION DAY. Hawera, Friday. The nomination of candidates for Egmont district took place here to-day. Major Atkinson was proposed by Mr Furlong, and seconded by Mr J. Milroy, of Patea. Mr Hutchison was proposed by Mr Livingstone. Mr Sherwood, of Patea, was unable to be present to second him. Poll demanded, and the election takes place next Friday, Mr HUTCHISON AT PATEA. In continuation of the report of Mr Hutchison’s address at Patea on Monday, he referred to NEGLECT OF LOCAL WORKS. He said Major Atkinson bad put forth two sets of figures by way of showing that the Egmont district has bad more than its share in proportion to the colony generally, and much more than its share in proportion to the New Plymouth district. The Major had said there been expended £106,000 on roads and bridges in Egmont district, and that the total expenditure in Taranaki was £46,000. Taking that as the total in Taranaki, the figures were utterly absurd, because be found in the public accounts that £604,000 have been spent out of loan in the Taranaki district, and it cannot be presumed that all this sum, save £46,000, has been spent in Egmont. Then taking it that the £106,000 was for roads and bridges, the Major’s figures are still wrong, for in the same published return it is shown that for roads and bridges in the whole district of Taranaki there was £134,000 spent out of loan ; so that it is impossible the Major can be right on either ground. Mr Hutchison claimed to have shown that the Major’s figures are wrong and delusive. RAILWAYS. The Major had claimed credit for the large ratio spent on railways in his district ; but he bad to admit now that not a penny was spent in Egmont up to ’74 ; and if the Major claimed credit for the high ratio spent out of the votes for railways, he was proving the case against himself, because that high ratio had been spent outside of Egmont prior to ’75, so that he was really looking after the interests of those parts which were outside his electoral district. Then with reference to the last six years, the Major claimed that 54 8 per cent, had been spent out of votes in Egmont ; but it is quite clear that it is only within the last few years that the railway works have entered into the Egmont district at all, and that they did not begin in Egmont until they were finished in Taranaki. (Hear, hear.) LAPSED VOTES. I come to a special matter, and bring the Major to book. He says that if the last year be taken, £82,000 was voted, and there was expended £71,000, and there was also a liability for £21,000, so that the authority has been rather exceeded. I say, upon the authority of the public accounts, that Major Atkinson’s figures are wrong. He is right in saying that £82,000 was voted for the Carlyle-to-Waitara railway; but £71,000 was not spent only £56,908 ; and the credits included in that were £155 ; so that the net expenditure was clearly only £56,753, or he was out by something- like £14,000. Therefore, taking the Major’s own challenge, which was that if any one showed his figures to be wrong, he was no more worthy to be the representative of the district, then I say that here is proof positive be is wrong, from the official accounts of the colony. As to roads and bridges, although sums voted for railways may not admit of being all spent within the current year, by reason of the votes being taken for large sections, there is no such excuse for not spending sums voted for roads and bridges. I find that £48,816 was voted for roads and bridges, Patea and Taranaki, but the net expenditure was only £25,370 ; and the amount allowed to lapse was £22,198. In a large rural territory it was his duty to see that the money voted for roads and bridges was actually expended.

TREACHERY. Referring to Mr Bryce and the Major’s alleged desertion of him when the Native Minister resigned, Mr Hutchison said he did not accuse Major Atkinson of treachery to a colleague, but of treachery to a policy which they had jointly advocated, but which one insisted on carrying through as a matter of principle, and the other did not.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Major Atkinson claimed great credit for his bill to rate Native and Crown lands, and indicated that it will be reintroducedThe speaker ridiculed it as clumsy and unworkable ; (he main objection being that it placed a nominal value on Native lands even where they might be largely enhanced in value by the contiguity of white settlers ; so that reserves adjoining the Waimate Plains would be rated at the nominal value fixed in the bill, while in fact they might be as valuable as the ands held by white settlers on the Plains, rated at £5 to £8 an acre. Until the reserves were leased, they would stand in the exceptional and unfair position of benefiting by Government roads while contributing only a nominal rate, that rale also being actually paid by Government until the reserves happened to be leased. The rate so accumulating against Native lands might in time equal or exceed the fee-simple value ; so that Government would be buying the land without possessing it. The simpler plan would be to classify lands under three heads : first, local blocks to be opened with roads in advance of settlement or concurrently, out of the proceeds of sale or advances with a view to sale, made through local bodies ; secondly, lands already sold, through which roads should be made out of general land fund, to complete a bargain impliedly made when the blocks were sold for settlement ; and thirdly, the older settled districts, which might be left to the operation of local rating. Greater powers of administration should also be given to local bodies, to decentralise the present machinery. EDUCATION. I am impressed with the claims of conscience. No claims lam sure are higher. We have a system of education set up with great trouble and great expenseIt has worked tolerably well, and I do not see that any improvement can at present be made. It may be that in the larger centres some distinction can be made ; but I cannot venture to say what those distinctions would be. I am in favor of enquiiy, and my sympathies are in the direction of liberality and latitude for the maintenance of opinions, however diversified. If there be any reform which would meet the requirements of any section of the community, acting upon corr scientious grounds, that reform would find in me a sympathiser and a friend. I will not stultify myself in the future by giving promises which I cannot honestly carry out. CHARGE OF INSINCERITY. I am sorry to think that Major Atkinson has given promises which he cannot expect to carry out. I challenge the man who makes them ; and I say in the words of the pastoral of the Bishop of Wellington : “ How and to whom are these promises addressed ? Consider whether or not the man who makes them has been your friend or your opponent in the past.” I ask you to consider, at the time when not pressed as he is now by an election contest, that he then saw no means of doing what he now sees the means of doing ; and I ask you to consider that he is a member of a Ministry which every session lias been asked if they were going to introduce an amending education bill, and every session they have replied that they had no such intention. Major Atkinson was the Premier of the Ministry which introduced the very bill that ho now calls oppressive ; and he has since introduced no such measure as that which he now hints at. (Applause.) I ask you also to consider what excuse he would have if returned to Parliament. He would have to say it was a Ministerial matter, to be dealt with on their responsibility ; and we know that no such measure will be introduced by the Ministry of the.present. I say the first step to be taken is that of a commission of inquiry, and I am in favor of that. I cannot go further. I cannot give pledges which would be dishonest ; and I will not, even for the sake of this or any other election, do what I cannot conscientiously see my way to cany out. (Great applause.) After other remarks, already reported, the Chairman invited QUESTIONS. Mr W. Williams : What about Atkinson’s promise to Nicholson ? Did he not break it ? Mr Taplin : He has over-looked one important matter : the question of the Patea harbor. I would like to hear whether he would be in favor of getting an endowment, and whether he is of opinion that ours is a likely port, and so on.

Mr Hutchison said, if elected, he would try to get an endowment, and the present success of the work bad demonstrated that it ought to be prosecuted to completion. He added ; I was gratified to see that your new Mayor had undertaken, within a certain time, without the assistance of Government, to obtain what is necessary for the work ; and I should be glad, if returned, to do anything in my power to forward such work.

Mr E. A. Adams : Would you be in favor of amending the constitution of the Harbor Board. At present there are 5 country members and only 2 in the town.

Mr Hutchison considered the town should have a larger representation on the Board as being more immediately interested in the harbor. Mr Sherwood : Allow me to correct what was said just now, I did not promise to carry out the whole of the works without the assistance of GovernmentBut if I am hacked up I will have the works re-commenced within three months. I do hope that we shall yet have the ploasure'of asking Mr Hutchison to assist us in getting further endowments from Government to complete the work.

Mr Aitchison. asked where and when Major Atkinson had denounced the present Education Act as oppressive, and what promises he has made.

Mr Hutchison : Ho has done so at some of his meetings on the Waimate Plains. As to the prmises, they are notorious. They' are that ho is in favor of State aid to denominational schools.

Mr Aitchison asked whether Major Atkinson had not stated that the ratepayers south of Opunaki would object to the harbor rate, and that he would be in favor of those districts being left out. Mr Hutchison said that was so, but the Major knew there is no means of releasing them from that rate unless Parliament interfere to take over the assets and liabilities ; ar.d it was Major Atkinson who really prevented that interference, and destroyed that prospect of relief. Ratepayers at Oakura and that district had repudiated the idea of bearing an increased rate in order to relieve those south of Opunaki. Mr W. Gower : Would yon be in favor of doing away with the honorarium to members ?

Mr Hutchison considered it necessay, in a new country.

Mr Dale put several questions with the ob-ject of showing that other districts had lapsed votes for railway and other works.

Mr Hutchison said this was so, but contended that other lapsed votes were not proportionately so large as in this district. Mr Dale put questions to show that if Native and Crown lands were rated under Major Atkinson’s scheme, the subsidies returned to local bodies would be spent for the benefit of lands settled or being opened for settlement. Mr Hutchison said his main objection was that lands would not be valued at their real market value, but arbitrarily. Mr Dale also put questions tending to defend Major Atkinson’s action re New Plymouth harbor, and asked ; Are the Board not carrying on the work now out of a portion of the land fund voted to them by the Assembly ? Mr Hutchison’s answers reaffirmed what he had said in his speech in condemnation of the scheme as affecting this district. CONFIDENCE. After the questions, Mr 11. A. Adams said : After the able manner in which Mr Hutchison has answered Mr Dale, I expected he would have proposed the motion I am going to propose —that is a vote of confidence in Mr Hutchison as our representative. I voted against Major Atkinson at the last election, and since then I have greater cause to vote against him. The way he has boxed up our Harbor Board constitution is a disgrace to any member of the Assembly. (Applause.) And I say the same of the way he brought forward in the last session a sham bill which ho knew beforehand would have no effect, and could not even be admitted into the Assembly ; that was a bill to endow this harbor with 20,000 acres. That is what our member has done, just to hoodwink us. (Applause.) You see the way he is doing. He has bought up all the press in the district. He has got the squatter interest, which has been the means of influencing the whole of the press of this district ; and if Mr Hutchison wins it, he wins it against great odds. (Laughter.) Major Atkinson is too much of a party man. If any supporter can prove that he has fulfilled any of the promises made I will vote for Major Atkinson. He has not even given our worthy

Mayor the credit of what has been done to the Patea harbor. If we return Mr Hutchison, he can’t be worse than Major Atkinson, any bow. We have tried Major Atkinson for three sessions, and be lias done nothing whatever. Lot us try a new man, (Laughter, and a shrill cock-crow ) Mr Nicholson junior, Whenuakura, seconded the motion. Vote taken. Chairman counted 46 hands for, and 7 against. (Loud applause.) Mr Hutchison thanked the electors for this encouraging token ; and a compliment to the Chairman closed the meeting. 4 — MR HUTCHISON AT MANUTAHI. Mr Hutchison addressed a moderately numerous meeting of electors at Manutahi last night, Mr R. B. Hamilton in the chair. His address was substantially the same as that delivered at Patea. QUESTIONS. Mr G. W. Gane : In the event of the Taranaki harbor works being stopped next session, would you be in favor of having the money voted for that work spent on the Manawapou river ? (Laughter.) Mr Hutchison : The scheme is not feasible. If it were feasible I would have no objection. Gane ; Just so. But it is being thrown away up there. If it has to go into the water, why not throw it into the Manawapou ? (Laughter.)

Hutchison : If the Taranaki harbor works were stopped, there are plenty of feasible works the money could be spent

Gane : Would you be in favor of increasing the duty on sugar, which would prevent the brewers from using so much ? They would then have to use more malt, which would give ns better beer, and and would also give the fanners a chance of growing more barley ?

Mr Hutchison : I would be in favor of any measure to improve the welfare of the district.

Gane : Would you be in favor of having High Schools abolished ?

Hutchison : I would be in favor of restricting to primary education. Gane : Are you in favor of the Upper House being elected ? Hutchison : Mainly. But I would he in favor of allowing Government to nominate one-fourth of the members.

Gane : Don’t you think £3OO is too much to pay members for a session ? Hutchison : They 7 do not get £3OO ; it is £220. I don’t think that is too much.

Gane : But don’t they have travelling expenses added ? If the honorarium was reduced, don’t you think they would attend more to their business ?

Hutchison : The question of reducing the honorarium of members was under discussion in the House, and £220 was arrived at as a compromise. I think if Hansard was abolished there would not be so much inducement held out to members to talk.

Mr W. Balmforth ; Would you be in favor of having large reserves cut up into small areas : say 2,000 acres ? Mr Hutchison : I would certainly be in favor of cutting up large areas so as to promote settlement. Mr Gane : Are you in favor of subsidising local bodies ? Mr Hutchison : It has been tried, and failed. Roads should be made before or immediately- after lands are opened up, and roads that are not finished should be finished with despatch. When the roads are finished, the rates should be sufficient. Many boards get a large subsidy, which they are unable to use, while others are granted subsidies which are totally inadequate. Gane : Have you an} 7 idea what pay the Volunteers are to get, and whether they will get full pay ? Hutchison : I cannot speak generally. The Wanganui men get full pay. There may have been different rates agreed upon. I daresay the Government will pay what they promised. Gane : I see by the papers that the Thames contingent got full pay for the first month, half for the second, and the third month the} 7 got their kit. (Voice : “Is that the sack;?” Laughter.) Mr Hutchison : If the Thames Volunteers .agi-eed for that, it is all right. The Government should keep faith. Gane : If the agreements are not fulfilled, and you are returned, will you try and get them fulfilled ?

Hutchison ; Yes. Gane : Are you in favor of Government work being contracted for ? Hutchison : Any expenditure over £2O should be contracted for.

Gane : In the event of your being

returned, would you do your best to have the railway constructed inland ? Voice: Through Whakamara ? (Laughter.) Gane : Ves. Hutchison : I think that is rather a question for the engineers. The idea of taking the railway inland is an electioneering dodge. Gane : If it came before the House, I suppose you would see there was »o shenaniking ? (Laughter.) Hutchison ; I would see that the best line was adopted. Mr W. Bahnforth : Where do you want it ? Gane : Whakamara. (Laughter.) Mr H. S. Peacock : Could you tell me the best mode to arrive at the facts and figures in connection with the New Plymouth harbor ? Mr Hutchison : The whole evidence of the enquiry is in print. There are 51 pages of matter. I will be happj’ to leave it with you. Peacock : Major Atkinson gives one lot of figures, and you give another. Mr Hutchison : Gentlemen, I don’t think Mr Peacock heard the figures(Laughter.) He was not here most of the time I was giving them. If you will permit me, I will go over the figures again, (Voices : No.) Peacock : But if Major Atkinson’s figures are printed, they must be facts. Mr Hutchison : I have adopted Major Atkinson’s figures. There is no contest about the figures as regards the harbor. It is on the matter of roads and bridges we disagree. Mr G. W. Gane ; You slated once before, did you not, that you would try and get assistance for Patea harbor ? Mr Hutchison : Yes ; I said I would do what I could. There are difficulties nowadays in getting endowments. Opunaki harbor is an exception. There raaj r be an endowment got for that harbor, as there is plenty of native land around Opunaki. By making a harbor there it would enhance the value of that land. (Gane : “Just so.”) No such endowment could be got for Patea. There is plenty of land in the interior that might be got, but it would be of as much benefit to Kawau or to Auckland as to Patea. Gane : But the money expended up to the present time shows that Patea harbor is capable of improvement. They are fooling away money on Wanganui and Taranaki harbors ; why not spend some on Patea, where it would be profitable ? Hutchison : I am much opposed to misapplication at Wanganui and Taranaki, Wanganui has been wiser in its age than Taranaki. They have got land of their own ; New Plymouth has not. Gane : If returned, would you be in favor of getting Government to take over harbors that were likely to be failures, and throw the money saved into the (Voice : (“ Cheese ”) general expenditure. Hutchison : Every case should be judged on its merits. If the Government thought there was proof of wasteful expenditure, they ought to stop any work. Gane : They get proof that Patea harbor is good. I thought that as Wanganui on one side and Taranaki on the other were fooling away money, Patea being between the two ought to get some of it. (Laughter.) Mr Peacock : There was a petition before the House asking for an endowment for Wanganui harbor and foreshore.

Mr Hutchison : Wanganui had a right to compensation, as some of their foreshore had been taken. If the same happened to Patea, I would do my best to get compensation.

No more questions being asked, Mr W. Balmforth said : I feel happy to propose a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Hutchison. He has answered the questions put to him in a straightforward manner. Mr Campbell seconded.

Mr Peacock: I wish to propose an amendment. Our present member is the best man, and has tried to represent us in the best way he could. I propose that all the words after thanks be erased.

Seconded by Mr Wallace. The amendment was put, 10 being in favor of it.

The proposition was then put, 18 voting for it. The chairman declared the vote of thanks and confidence carried, amid applause. Mr Hutchison : Gentlemen, I thank you for your vote and confidence. It will be a hard battle, and I expect the numbers will not be far different from to-night. I request you to rally and assist me on the polling-daj'. (Applause.) Mr Hutchison proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, and the meeting dispersed.