ELECTION ITEMS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2693, 5 November 1881, Page 3

ELECTION ITEMS.

SECOND EDITION

Mr W. J. Steward addressed the electors of "VVaimate on He gave the present Government credit for having improved the financial position of the colony, and praised their action with regard to the Native difficulty. He disapproved of the principle of the ten per cent, reduction, and characterised the scheme as an unfair and clumsy one. He had no confidence that the Government would deal properly with the land question—the question of the day. All class interests should be ignored, and the lands dealt with as a private individual would deal with them ; the Siost should be made of them, by sale on deferred payments if necessary, or in any way that would result in their Settlement. Care should be taken that the runs were not manipulated when the leases fell in. Good agricultural land should be used for agricultural purposes, and if anyone kept such land for a, mere sheep walk, he should be specially taxed. Instead of taxing the improvements on lands it would be better to tax lands that were not improved. He did not approve of the notion that it would be better for the State to own all the land. _ The thing was so impracticable that it was not worth while to discuss it. A good deal was said about extending local government; no one seemed to have any definite idea of what was wanted. He thought the Road Board system should be retained, with larger County Boards to deal with main roads, bridges, etc. The County Boards should have a good revenue, derived from the land fund of their districts, with the whole or part of the land tax. Local bodies should contribute half the cost of maintaining hospitals and charitable institutions, and the other half should come_ out of the general revenue. He was in favor of giving the capitation grant to any school that fulfilled the Government requirements as to efficiency, and the question of Bible reading should be left to the Committees. The railway management required improvement; the general managers should have more power, and should be allowed to make special bargains to secure business that would otherwise be lost. He would go further in encouraging local industries than merely giving bonuses ; he would lend companies half the amount of their subscribed interest without interest. Land should bo taxed separately from other kinds of property, but all property should pay a fair share. He thought the Legislative Council should be elected, but as it was supposed to represent property, it should be elected by owners ol property, their term of office being 6 years. He was in favor of local option, but if a respectably-conducted house were closed the proprietor should be compensated. Mr Stewart was well received and was accorded a vote of thanks.