Capt. Porter at Wairoa.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1006, 1 December 1881, Page 2

Capt. Porter at Wairoa.

(BY TELEORAPH.) s . Wairoa, Nov. 30. Captain Pouter addressed the electors in the County Hall lawt night. Despite torrents of rain, about 60 elec re present. The chair was taken by Mr. Gemmell, County Chairman. Captain Porter, who was well received, announced himself a supporter of the present Ministry, as they had s owed a disposition to accord justice to the East Coast ; he was a Liberal, and would support Liberal measures, but was free to oppose the Government, if they went against his convictions. He touched at length on the Native Land question, proposing to cut the Colony up into several districts, of which Wairoa, and Cook Counties should be one, with a quarterly circuit sitting of a Court, for the.subdivision of lands, and individualization of titles, a registration Office, and Registrar to be appointed for each district in order to simplify registration, and to render the acquisition of Native Land an procedure, the Registrar should also be Frauds Commissioner. He supported the principle of Crown and Lands Rating, but was not sorry the Government measure fell through, as it placed a tax, first on the Consolidated Revenue, and then on the European purchaser. He would propose that the tribal lands, and each individual share should be ascertained, and then that one portion be set apart to meet the rate. Mr Gannon’s proposal to Jet the rates lie on the land, till taken un, was absurd, for some of the back country might not betaken up for the next hundred years • besides, it was not fair for Government to tax the funds of the Colony, for the purpose. On the subject of Waste Lands administration he favored a Board for the Cook and Wairoa Counties, each electing two members, and the Governor nominating a fifth as chairman.

Captain Porter then went into the question of assisting settlement by making monetary grants, on stringent conditions, to persons taking up Government land. He proposed that Government should borrow money for the purpose at 5 per cent., and lend it to small farmers at 10 per cent. ; 5 per cent would cover the interest for which the Colony was liable, and 5 per cent payable to Government, would administer the department, or Board, and create a sinking fund. Captain Porter then w r ent on to speak of the Property Tax, ■winch he defended as fair, in that it reached nearly everyone. He spoke of the great debt of the Colony, and said that out of thirty millions, Wairoa had got the magnificent sum of about thirty thousand in all. He alluded to Sir J. Goode’s report on the Wairoa Harbor, having arrived, and believed we had a claim to public works in the shape of a Harbor. In reply to questions Captain Porter stated that the matter of land which he purchased for himself, while in the Government service, had been fully explained in the House, by Mr Bryce who exculpated him fully. (Applause.) He said he held 5 shares in the Land Company, but was not a Director, and did not want to be. He opposed Bible reading in schools, and would maintain the free and secular system.

As previously arranged by Captain Porter’s friends, Mr G. Flint proposed a vote of thanks, which was seconded by Mr Mayo, and carried. Notwithstanding the bad weather, and small attendance Captain Porter spoke well, and created a favorable impression, which will hold good till polling day.