MR POSTLETHWAITE AT GERALDINE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2681, 22 October 1881, Page 2

MR POSTLETHWAITE AT GERALDINE.

Mr W. Postlethwaite addressed a meeting of the electors of Geraldine, at Geraldine last night, in the Oddfellows’ Hall. The room was crowded, about 250 persons being present. Mr Angus McDonald took the chair.

Mr Postlethwaite who was well received on rising, commenced by claiming the indulgence of his audience as he was not a practised speaker, and could not exhibit the same fluency as the gentleman who had addressed them from the same platform a few days previously. He then explained the reasons why he stood before them as a candidate. He had been pressed to come forward by a number of electors, who had always taken a prominent part in the politics of the district, naming Messrs A. Cox, Mendelson, and Hayhurst, particularly. Before giving any definite reply to them, he wrote to Mr‘Wakefield, the present member, informing him of the feeling of the district, and he would now read a portion of the correspondence that had passed between them, to show that ho had acted fairly and honorably in the matter. He wrote to him as a friend, stating that the gentlemen he had named, though they had supported him warmly on the last occasion, did not intend to do so again. During the debate on Mr Ormond’s Want of Confidence motion, when a dissolution of Parliament seemed imminent, a private meeting was held in Geraldine which he was invited to attend. The first thing he did at that meeting, was to propose that in the event of a dissolution Mr Wakefield should be asked to stand again, but the motion was not seconded. A gentleman present asked whether the Rev. Mr Barclay would stand, and finding that he would not, he proposed that he (Mr Postlethwaite) should be publicly asked, and he agreed to come forward if so asked, on the understanding that if Mr Wakefield came forward again, and had a chance of being returned be would not oppose him. He made this explanation because some misunderstanding had arisen, less through his action or Mr Wakefield’s, he believed, than through the action of some of Mr Wakefield’s friends. He thought his explanation would show that he had acted an honorable part in the matter, fie then entered into an explanation and justification of his policy as chairman of the Geraldine Road Board, in saving up the funds that accrued to the Board during the time the payment of the large subsidies was in force. Had the Board spent the money as fast as they had received it, workmen would have come from other parts of the colony to get a share of it, and then gone away again ; so that the saving policy had operated for the benefit of the working men of the district. In consequence of that policy having been adhered to the Board was now in a position to spend eight or nine times as much per annum on works as they would otherwise have been. Proceeding to the general politics he gave his views on local govorraeut. He was pleased to find that Mr Wakefield spoke strongly on the subject at the commencement of the session, and regretted extremely that the debate on Mr Ormond’s motion resulted in nothing being done to extend local government. He must confess that he would have been better pleased with Mr Wakefield had he taken the active steps in the matter which his speech on the Address in Reply seemed to promise. The Counties Act had been a failure, for proof of which they need go no further than their own county. Instead of two local bodies having similar functions in one district —for the County Council had done nothing but what was done by the Road Boards, except to issue dog and slaughtering licenses—he would propose a second body to be elected by the Road Boards over a larger area than the present counties, to form a financial and political medium of communication between the General Government and the ratepayers. These bodies should have control of the lunatic asylums, hospitals, police and gaols, these institutions being subject to General Govennent supervision to secure a certain degree of uniformity in their management. The ratepayers would then be able to take a greater interest in these institutions, as they would see that the cost of them came directly from their own pockets. The areas managed or governed by these Boards should bo larger than the present counties, because the interests they would have to look after might be concentrated with advantage. For instance there was a good hospital at Timaru, another at Waunate, where there was often but two patients, and another at Asburton, where there were sometimes but three patients, while expensive staffs had to be maintained at eg.ch whether there were patients in them op not. If there were only one hospital fop these three districts a much mope efficient staff could be afforded. He was entirely in favor of extending local Government, as the taxpayers would then have a greater voice not only in the expenditure, but in determining the extent of taxation. Concerning educa tion he was in favor of every child in the colony receiving a liberal education, and of a liberal scheme of scholarships, so that any child in the country that showed abi ity might be enabled to fit himself for any sphere. He was in favor of the Bible, or at least of the New Testament, being read in schools, but it should be read before school hours, so that no child need be compelled to be present. He held that the Homan Catholics, as one sixth of the population, and furnishing one sixth of the taxation, were entitled to the capitation grant for the children they edupate.d- He would go further, and give the capitation grant fo any school whatever that complied with the regulations prescribed for the

public schools, and taught their children sufficiently well to pass the Government examinations. All had to contribute to the taxation and all should share in the distribution of it. He was strongly impressed with the necessity for law reform, the administration of the law in the Courts not being at all satisfactory. He was opposed to the present extensive and ruinous employment of lawyers in small cases, and thought the Magistrates, who give their whole time to the work, quite capable of arriving at just decisions without their aid. At present too many cases were decided upon purely technical points, and he wished to see equity and not_ rules and precedents made the basis of the administration of justice. The bankruptcy law required amendment badly, particularly in tbe direction of reducing wasteful legal expenses, but he considered the Legislature were justified in postponing the araendmeut-of this law last session because a new bankruptcy law was under consideration in the Imperial Parliament, and it was advisable for the colony to wait and take advantage of their deliberation. The land question was a very important, and very vexed one. At present he was inclined to the opinion that the State should retain all the lands now remaining, and rather let them than sell them. The leases of the Canterbury runs were to have terminated in 1880, but in 1877 an Act was passed extending the leases to 1890, That Act provided that the runs should be valued and classified, and the valuation ranged from to lid per acre. The same Act provided for the setting apart of one or two, but not more than two, 5000-acre blocks in each run, which might be offered for sale at the upset price of £1 per acre,the payment extending over fifteen years. That deferring of the payment really reduced the price to 15s per acre, and in view of this ho was disposed to think it would be better to lease these blocks, say for terms of ten years, rather than to sell them. There was no doubt they could be let at such rentals as would largely add to the revenue of the country. The squatters as a class had been evilly spoken of, but he regarded them as the pioneers of colonisation, who had invested a large amount of capital and done good service in the country. They had had their day, however, and it was now time that the population of the colony as a whole should be considered, and not any section of it whatever. Speaking of the licensing law, be expressed himself in favor of local option, and of compensation to licensees losing their licenses by the popular vote,but he was opposed to the election of Licensing Commissioners, fearing that the elections would produce a good deal of local dissension and illfeeling. The railways being the property of the people he thought the tariff should be made as low as possible, so long as absolute loss was avoided. It appeared that at present the Middle Island railways were being made to pay for unprofitable lines in the other Island. Some incomprehensible anomalies such as the carriage of goods from Christchurch to Timaru and back to Temuka, being cheaper than the carriage from Christchurch to Temuka direct—needed looking into and correcting. He thought the Railways Construction Act would not be of any use in the colony. It was an adaptation of the American system, but there the Government had large areas of land, half of which it paid to give to railway constructors in order to get the other half sold. Here there were no such areas to deal with.. The District Railways Bill ho thought' more suited to the circumstances of the colony. He was of opinion that no more money should be borrowed for railway construction unless it was certain that the lines to be made would pay. There bad been some talk of resuming immigration. To this he would be opposed until the labor already in the country was well employed. At present, men who had been brought out at great expense were leaving for Australia, and to resume immigration would be simply spending money for the benefit of other colonies. Referring to local matters he recited conversations and referred to correspondence with Mr Rolleston to show that the credit of obtaining the vesting of the Geraldine Racecourse Reserve was due, not to Mr Wakefield, who had claimed it, but to himself. The correspondence showed that the matter was settled between himself and Mr Rolleston, and yet Mr Wakefield said the only opposition he had to combat was that of Mr Rolleston. Mr Wakefield had also taken credit for obtaining the opening of the reserves in that township for sale. That was a matter that was settled some two or three months before the opening of the session, as correspondence from Mr Rolleston in his hand would show. This concluded the address,during the delivery of which Mr Postlethwaite was frequently applauded, and also subjected to frequent noisy interruptions.

Dr Fish then ascended the platform, and, in a very excited manner wanted to know how this contest was going to be conducted, whether by fair argument or by rotten eggs. At Mr Wakefield’s meeting he and others of Mr Wakefield’s supporters had been pelted with rotten eggs. He wanted to know if he or they had deserved such treatment. (Cries of no, no.) He believed it was one of Mr Postletliwaite’s own men who threw an egg which struck him and Mr Tripp. Mr Postlethwaite expressed his surprise at Dr Fish's remarks, who evidently implied that he had been a party to, or at any rate had not disapproved of the egg throwing. He had given Dr Fish credit for more sense and a better knowledge of him than to suppose he could have countenanced sucli a thing. IE he believed any man of bis hud thrown eggs he would dismiss him at once. He certqinjy hqfl heard tfiat there would he eggs thrown at Mr Wakefield’s meeting, bnt he understood that it was Mr Wakefield’s friends who were going to throw them,

Mr Flutmurj followed Dr Fish, and in a still more excited manner condemned Mr Postlethwaite for taking alj the credit of the Road Board’s financial policy, as if the other members of the Board bad not backed him up in it. If the members qf t)ie Board were going to he Jed by the nose by the chairman they had better stay at home. Mr Postlethwaite said he had been chiefly blamed by those who took excuptipn to the Board’s policy, the responsibility qf it had been ttqqst upon him, and he thought he was entitled to take the credit of it. He intended no reflection whatever upon the other members of the Board. Mr Maflin asked how Mr Postlethwaite accounted for the absence of the names of Messrs Cox, Msodeisan, and J, Hayhurst from his requisition, if

it was true that they had urged him to come forward.

Mr Postlethwaite said in reply that the questioner or any other elector was welcome to read the letter he had received and had referred to in his personal remarks at the commencement. Ho came forward in response to a requisition, and the result of the poll would show whether or not he was right in doing so. In reply to Mr G. Taylor, Mr Postlethwaite said he would support the Hall Government, but not slavishly. He believed there were men outside their ranks quite as capable of framing good laws as they were. He would not blindly support any body of men. Replying to Mr Lawrence, he said he opposed Mr Wakefield, although holding similar views, because Mr Wakefield had not carried out his views. He could give an answer to the question which would make his questioner shudder. (Cries of “ Out with it. Out with it.”

Replying to Mr Gore, he said he advocated free trade generally, but luxuries, such as spirits and tobacco, must be taxed to provide revenue. Articles which could not be produced in the colony, but which could be used in manufactures in the colony, should certainly be admitted free of duty. In reply to Mr Larkin, Mr Postlethwaite said his men were receiving the same wages now that they did at and ever since the beginning of winter. He had seen something to the contrary in the papers. In reply to Mr G. Taylor, he said he would be in favor of an income tax should increased taxation be necessary. He thought it was wrong that professional men, some of whom made large incomes, should escape taxation so much as they did. Mr Pearpoint asked whether Mr Postlethwaite did not, on or about the 9th or 10th of August, write to Mr Wakefield promising to support him if he came forward. Mr Postlethwaite said he told Mr Wakefield he would not oppose bin. He saw that he would be brought forward, but ho told Mr Wakefield that he would rather support him, though not so warmly as before, because he had not fulfilled his promises. He would have done more ; he would have paid Mr Wakefield’s expenses, as he did the time before, till he got his honorarium. Mr FJatman moved that personalities be dispensed with for the rest of the evening.

In reply to Mr Gore, Mr Postlethwaite said he had no settled opinion about the best term of duration for Parliament’s. He thought it did not much matter. If two-thirds of the electors were to pass a vote of want of confidence in him at any time—supposing he were elected —he would resign immediately. If he lost their confidence the sooner he resigned the better.

In reply to Mr Taylor, he said he was quite opposed to the introduction of the English game laws or anything like them, but there must be laws against trespass, for farmers could not have their sheep destroyed by men crossing their fields with dogs.

In reply to a question whether he was in favor of both land and property tax, Mr Postlethwaite said that as the greater portion ot the property in the colony was land, the property tax was also a land tax, and being in favor of one he must be in favor of the other.

In reply to Mr Cook, he said he opposed the granting of rating power to the Timaru Harbor Board because that body was partly a nominated body. He thought all bodies to be possessed of rating powers should be elected. He did not anticipate, however, that the Board would require to strike a rate.

In reply to Mr Flatraan, be said the reason he proposed that the enlarged County Boards should be elected by the Road Boards was that the expense and trouble of general elections would be saved. The best men in the districts were generally elected to the Road Boards, and if the County Boards were separately elected by the ratepayers those best men would be left out. He was not wedded to the idea that they should be elected as he had proposed. In reply to Mr Pearpoint, he said he would not be in favor of reducing the property tax until the country was restored to a sound financial position. In reply to Mr Cook, he said he was of opinion that by kind and firm treatment the Maoris might be easily managed, and instanced the different results of the Canadian and United States treatment of the Indians, the former having no trouble and the latter a great deal of trouble with them. He was not well acquainted with the native question, but he gathered that the British flag did not fly over the whole of the North Island. If that were so the natives had a right to keep their property. The natives must see that the colonists were benefiting them greatly, and he supposed they would be ready to accept our systems if they were given the same privileges. But if they did so they should have similar representation. In reply to Mr Flatman, Mr Postlethwaite said he would be in favor of the Canterbury interior line of railway being proceeded with as soon as funds for any general extension of the railway system were available, but not before. In reply to Mr Taylor, he said that he had given the Chinese question scarcely any attention. The English forced themselves into China, and were the first transgressors, so it would be hard to prevent the Chinese from coming into English lands. He was not an admirer of John Chinaman; but he had not considered the question. Mr Mundell proposed, and Mr Totten seconded a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Postlethwaite.

Mr Pearppint moved, and Mr Platman seconded, ‘'That this meeting while thanking Mr Postlethwaite for his address to-night, cannot support his candidature against Mr Wakefield.” On the amendment being put, a good many hands were held up for it, but the original motion was carried by a large majority, A vote of thanks to the Chairman, proposed by Mr Postlethwaite terminated the meeting.