THE GENERAL ELECTION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2716, 2 December 1881, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

DR FISHER AT WASHDYKB. Dr Fisher addressed a meeting of the Gladstone electors in the Washdyke schoolroom on Wednesday evening. About 30 persons were present and Mr Balfour was elected Chairman, Dr Fisher put his views shortly before the meeting, which were similar to those already published of his previous meetings. He insisted that the chief difference between his views and those of Captain Sutter was that he advocated a property tax in opposition to a land and income tax. The Doctor was asked a number of questions relating to education, the railway tariff, etc., and of a humorous character, most of which he answered satisfactorily. A motion of thanks to the Doctor for his address was made and an amendment including confidence. The former was carried. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting, which was very orderly. Among the questions asked was one which was doubtless suggested by remarks made by Sutter on the previous evening regarding hospitals: that they are largely filled by patients from up country who had disease brought

on by exposure and insufficient house accommodation. The Doctor answered the question by saying that his men were well satisfied with the accommodation he gave them, in proof of which he said that 100 men whom he had employed were going to vote for him. In reply to another question he said Mr Sealy was a land shark. He had not read his pamplet “ Shall we Stay Here ?” but we should not have heard anything about bursting up &o. from him if he had been able to keep his own land.

Another question referred to a remark made the previous evening by Captain Sutter, that the brother of the late Honorable member for Geraldine had been pitch-forked into the sinecure billet of Under-Secretary for Mines,and that the latter was waiting for something similar. The Doctor said that he did not know anything about mines.

ME W. J. HEW TON AT WASHDYKE.

Mr W. J. N ewton addressed a meeting of the electors of Gladstone in the Washdyke school-room last night. There was a good attendance, the room being fairly filled, a number of electors from the suburbs of Timaru helping to swell the meeting. Mr Balfour was voted to the chair, and in introducing Mr Newton he remarked that this was the largest political meeting that had yet been held at the Washdyke. Mr Newton commenced his address by saying—Friends and farmers, you must have had these meetings till you are tired of them, so I will make my speech as short as possible. I came to this country at fourteen years of age and have been here seventeen years. I have watched the course of events and have taken great interest in them, and my course in the country has been a course of honor and goodwill to my fellow creatures, so I hope you will give me the quiet and gentlemenly hearing for which I ask. (Applause.) He then proceeded to show that the experience of the last three years proved that wheat growing would not pay, the competition of America, with her broad expanses of cheap lands as fertile as ours, being too powerful for us. Having shown this he sketched out a plan for disposing of the remaining Crown lands in 250 acre blocks, at £1 per acre payable in 20 years. Land that was not suitable for agriculture might be let in 2000 acre lots, and still worse land in 6000 acre lots, which could bo let at 6d an acre. A very good profit could be made on such blocks at that rental. The leases of the Canterbury runs ought to have terminated, but the Houses of Parliament had been filled with squatters and they had squatted themselves upon the country again. The Mackenzie Country interestedly decried by the squatters there, he spoke of as eminently suited to the kind of the treatment he sketched out. He was in favor of an income tax. and a tax of 2 per cent upon interest received from mortgages. He wonld also tax all land holdings over 100 acres in extent, say Id up to 1000, and 2d per acre for all over that. He did not believing in squashing the big fellows and knocking them into a cocked hat by taxing higher than 2d, simply because they had bought up the country. If more revenue were wanted he would put a tax on wool over 20 bales. The railways were far too high, and it was not right that a bale of wool worth £lO should be carried for the same charge as a bag and a half of wheat, worth only 245, Industries should be encouraged, as the workers were consumers of the farmers’ produce. The County Councils should be abolished and the Road Boards also altered, so that farmers could get something done about their farms and not only about the Road Board members’ doors. The bankruptcy laws needed amending, so that if at any time after filing a man got any property it could be taken to wipe off his old scores if he would not pay them. He had never been bankrupt himself and did not want to be, but if he had he would work his fingers off to pay what he owed. (Applause). Speaking on edncation he urged the justice of giving the capitation grant to any denomination who put up a school and educated 25 children.

At this point, when Mr Newton had been speaking about a quarter of an hour a number of persona from Timarn entered the room and began making rude remarks, asking : “ Who’s chairman,” and one started a canary call. After a few minutes of mingled speech and interruptions, the Chairman begged that the speaker be allowed to finish his address. This was promised, but a few minutes afterwards the noises were renewed.

Mr Newton, turning to the part of the room whence the noises came, said : “ I think your mothers ought to have taught you to behave yourselves better before they let you come out,” a remark the justice of which was acknowledged by the persona spoken to, as they joined in the general “ Hear hear.” Mr Newton then quietly said—Gentlemen I thank you for your attention this evening The Chairman—l hope you are not going, Mr Newton. I am sure the gentlemen will listen to you. They have come on purpose and will be disappointed if they do not hear all your views.

Mr Newton (determinedly)—l have said it and I will stick to it. I am sorry that you ridicule me. (Apologetically) It may be that I am too young. (Defiantly) But if you think you are going to make fun of me, by Heavens you are mistaken. You wiil find I am the wrong man. Not one of you shall poke fun at me. He then walked straight out of the room, and the applause which commended his determination not to be trifled with was suddenly hashed. The meeting acknowledged that the treatment Mr Newton had received was “ too bad,” and yet there was manifested a degree of disappointment that he would not put up with it, After the meeting had sat in a disconsolate sort of way for some minutes, Mr E. Smith proposed that a deputation should wait upon Mr Newton outside and endeavor to get him back again. He would make one. Mr Priest would also go if the Chairman would join them. Mr Balfour said he would go if they (the noisy ones) would promise to keep quiet till the close of the address, if Mr Newton came back. “Certainly, certainly,” said the larrikins, and the self constituted deputation went out. During their absence the possessor of the canary call practised upon his instrument, and another developed unusual genius in imitating a dog’s cries. Pipes and cigarette cases were brought forth, and the hiss of lighting vestas all over the room indicated that the weed was being resorted to as a

solace under the disappointment referred to by the Chairman in his appeal to the candidate, and to relieve the tedium of awaiting the result of the negotiations going on without. About five minutes having passed, the deputation returned, bringing in Mr Newton. The Chairman intimated that they had only prevailed upon him to return by giving him a solemn assurance that he would be permitted to conclude his address without further interruption. , This intimation was received with hearty “ Hear, hears,” the principal of the former offenders hear-hear-ing most prominently—as such offenders generally do. Mr Newton said he came back because Mr Balfour said he would be acting an ungentlemanly part if he went away “ like that,” but he had said he would say no more, and what he said he stuck to. He would answer any questions, but continue his address he would not.

He was urged to proceed, but he had “ put his foot down, and would not. A pause occurred, no one seemed prepared with a question, or else every one was diffident of being the first to ask one. Mr Priest commenced by asking how he would amend the bankruptcy law, and Mr Newton repeated vhat he had said in his address on this subject. Someone then asked his opinion on taxation, and another portion of his address was repeated. The next questioner, a local man, spoke with a good deal of hesitation, and was a good deal chaffed. Rightly or wrongly he pitched upon a prominent official of Timaru as the chief offender, and requested him to “keep his hair on,” adding by way of encouragement, “ It won’t be much trouble to do it ; you have'nt got much.” Mr E. Smith asked what the candidate’s views were upon education. Mr Newton —I think I gave you that before.

Mr Smith—l think you omitted it. Mr Newton—l know what.l omit, and I don’t admit that I omitted it.

Mr Miles—What is you opinion o£ the Gaming and Lotteries Act ? Mr Newton—This is a good bit of fun for the gamins that go in for gaming and lotteries. People that live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. (Hear, hear. “That’s one for you.”l Mr Dickenson—Which side would you take in the House, the Government or the Opposition ? Mr Newton—l don’t believe in the Hon. John Hall Government. I want to see the country cut up, and they won’t cut it up. Mr Dickenson—How would you cut it up ? Mr Newton said he had told them once, and proceeded to repeat his scheme for dealing with the waste lands. Mr Dickenson interrupted him with— I fear, sir, you misapprehended my question. I meant to ask how you would cut up the large freehold estates, Mr Newton repeated his former proposal to tax them Id to 2d per acre respectively under and over 1000 acres. At this’point Mr G. Cook and a few others entered the room, and Mr Cook, who remained standing at the door, immediately began a running of comments upon the speaker’s replies. The Chairman informed him of the compact that had been made, but this only had a temporary effect upon the new comer.

Mr Smith—Would you be in favor of a tax upon lawyers ond doctors. Mr Newton—Doctors are too good subjects for us to tax them out of the country. (Hear, hear.) Mr Priest—What about the Chinese, Mr Newton. Mr Newton —I never was in China.

Mr Cook—Hang the Chinese. (Cries of “ Turn him out.”) Mr Cook—“ Dry up.”

Mr Newton —You have been drying up so much that you are getting husky. You will need to call at Mcßeth’s before you go home. Mr Preist—l should like to know what you think of local option. (Cries of “ Local auction, local auction, that’s it.”) Mr Newton—l have never thought about local option and I’m not going to to please you, (Great laughter.) Mr Hamilton —How would you proceed to reform the Upper House ? Mr Newton—The Upper House is rather a mystery to me (Mr Cook — sadly, So it is), but until it is made elective it will be very little good to the country. Mr Dickenson —Will you be kind enough to give us your views upon the Native question? Mr Newton—Dr Macintyre [The Dr was sitting just ;in front of him] has just come from the front and he will be able to give you the latest information. (Uproarious applause). Mr Cook—Let’s have a song now. Mr Newton —Yes, from the donkey near the door. Mr Cook —Or a recitation. A few lines of Shakespeaw. Mr Newton—l’d like to give you a few lines of common sense. You don’t seem to have enough to carry you through the world properly. A few trifling passages of arms took place between Mr Newton and Mr Cook, and then Mr Smith asked what the candidate thought of the corrupt Practices Act. Mr Newton —You’re all too Corrupt. Let’s have some acts of integrity. Someone asked if Mr Newton was in favor of female immigration. He replied that he was. We wanted as many women as we could get. Mr Cook—More; oh more. Mr Newton You’ve got plenty already. (Applause, and a voice, “ That’s a rub for you.”) Mr Waugh then proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Newton for his address, adding, “ and we as a body ask him to retire in favor of Mr David .Anderson.” —(No, no, and hisses.) Mr Dickinson prosposed as an amendment, a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Newton. Mr Newton —Keep your confidence till it is wanted. Mr Priest proposed a further amendment, namely, a simple vote of thanks, without the addition made by Mr Waugh. The amendment being put, the Chairman declared it carried, and Mr Newton then thanked the meeting for the vote of thanks and also for their orderly behaviour during the evening. The meeting then terminated, Mr Newton forgetting to propose a vote of thanks to the Chairman, his mind being evidently occupied in debating whether or not he ought to pitch into Mr Cook fov having interrupted him so much. His better counsel prevailed and the meeting terminated quietly', having lasted about three quarters of an hour. DR FISHER AT KERRYTOWN. Dr Fisher met the electors on the

Levels Plain in the schoolbouse, Kcrrytown, last evening, Mr R. K. Parkerson in the chair. The room was well filled and the meeting was remarkable for good order, and listened most attentively to the Doctor’s address. At the conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence, proposed by Mr O’Driscoll and seconded by Mr Norton, was carried with only one disssentieUt.