MR. STUART AT WAIKIVI.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 53, 1 October 1864, Page 3

MR. STUART AT WAIKIVI.

"Mr. Stuart met the electors of the Waikivi District in. Freeman's "Waikivi Bush. Hotel, on Thursday evening. About twenty electors were present, and Mr. Robert Preston was voted to the chair. The Chairman having introduced Mr. Stuart, and expressed himself gratified that the district possessed one so able to represent it properly in the Provincial Council, ; Mr. Stttabt rose and addressed the meeting. He said he did himself the honor to seek the suffrages of the electors of the Waikivi District, at the forthcoming elections, and he had convened the present meeting in order that they might have an opportunity of questioning him as to his fitness, and of hearing his opinion on the various topics of the day. He also desired a meeting with the electors in order that he might become ac- ♦ quainted with their own views on the various jnatters which were now uppermost in the public mind. For himself he might say that his sole object in seeking a seat in the new Council was that Ti6 might do his utmost to extricate the Province from its present embarrassed position, and to render inhabitable, .and la I; .placer. of attraction, for intending emigrants fromihe home country. By ' an inoreise of population he was certain that the ' Province- would f gradually, though £ perhaps only slowly* be freed from, its difficulties. He would not occupy them at any length with his speech, • «Xihough lie mighfc .speak: as rlong- ;as,:a -Tarlton, tut would, be. glad to, answer r^any , quesjions^which - r feew.'an^i'd^wVto/-jput"!'i^Vl?iinv - His Conduct

might take credit for bringing about the new elections, caused by the passing of the new Representation Ordinance, which had passed through the House in almost the very words in /which lie framed it. ' ■„ Mr. M'ltor was of opinion that no old member of Council should again have a seat. " They had doneenough mischief already. Sir. Stuabt — But I was not a member of last Council, and I only went in before with the full intention of bringing about a dissolution, and the present general elections ore the fruits of my endeavora. _ : \ ; The Chairman thought the electors were under great' obligations to Mir. Stuart for effecting the change in ; the electoral, system. \ Mr. Stuart now explained to the meeting the changes which had been effected in the electoral districts, and pointed out the. boundaries both under the old system and in the new. He then referred to the conduct of the Superintendent and Executive, and especially to the appointment of the Roads-Engineer without the knowledge or .consent of the Executive, which, fully convinced him that it was useless to . attempt co-operating with the Superintendent' on these matters.: iWith l'egard to the Representation Ordinance he said he had had wished it passed by the House as it stood, fully seeing how 4 urgently it was re-, quired. Dr. Menzies,: however, , sent down an amendment, part of which was endorsed, namely, that the new elections were not to take place till the Ist October. After great opposition on the part of the Superintendent, that gentleman at last consented to send the Bill on to Auckland, and as he (Mr. Stuart) wished ■to have the Bill passed at all hazards, he took no great exception to the postponement of the general elections till Ist October. His one object was so to conduct the affairs of the Province as that it should become an attractive spot for settlement in the eyes of people in the home country. However, now that the new Lands Act has come into operation, and the price of land has been raised to £2 per acre, he scarcely knew what would be the best plan to adopt. He was of opinion that either a modification of the Free Grant system, or, as had been suggested to him by an elector, by offering inducements to agricultural settlers with capital to come amongst us (who should obtain lands on lease at a nominal rate, with pre-emptive right at a certain date) would be advisable. Mr. M'lvoe — Do you think the price of land can be reduced ? Mr. Stuart replied that the General Government would not likely consent to a reduction in the price of land, after it had been once raised. The reason of this was that loans had been contracted, and that if a reduction was made in the price of land, it would bo looked upon as equivalent to a lessening of the security. He, (Mr. Stuart) might say, however, that whatever could be done in this matter would be done. It was just possible that no objection would be offered ; and really it was difficult to understand how the raising of the price of land should raise the value of the security. In reply to a question, J*"r. Stuart expressed himself an opponent of the Education Ordinance. He was also opposed to the Roads Act. He was sure, however, that the completion of the Northern and Bluff .Railways would enable them to construct roads on more favorable terms, and he also thought that if government would lay down metal at the junction of Cross Roails, the settlers would make these roads themselves. What they want is the metal, and the railway would enable them to convey that from the Mokomoko or elsewhere at a trilling expense. Several electors expressed themselves strongly against the railway system on Mr. Davies' principle. The question of a toll on the Wallacetown road was mooted. It was considered that the revenue to be derived from such a toll would be sufficient to maintain the road in an efficient state of repair. In reply to another question, Mr. Stuart said he was opposed to the railways being managed by Government. If such were the case, he had no doubt but the expense of management would exceed the revenue. He instanced the Invercargill Jetty as an example. Mr. M'lvor wished to ask Air. Stuart whether he would vote for Mr. Holmes or Drl Menzies as Superintendent ? Mr. Stuart replied that he would deckledly vote for Mr. Holmes. It was almost impossible they could get a worse Superintendent than Dr. Menzies had proved himself; and he said Mr. Holmes was a gentleman who possessed great influence, not only in New Zealand, but also in Australia and Great Britain, and he was a man of great energy and business qualifications. The meeting was protracted till a late hour, and the proceedings were generally of a desultory and rather unreportable character. The feeling of the meeting was decidedly in favor of Mr. Stuart, with whose straight forward and freely-spoken sentiments they expressed themselves perfectly satisfied. The chairman remarked at the close that he believed a great deal of the present, depression of the Province might fairly be laid to the charge of the electors themselves. A great amount of apathy appeared to prevail in the country districts, and it was his opinion that if they would meet oftener and discuss the questions affecting their interests, in meetings Like the present, it would be for the permanent benefit of the Province at large. After some further unimportant discussion, the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.