MR. STAFFORD, M.H.R., AT TIMARU.

Southland Times, Issue 1246, 3 May 1870, Page 2

MR. STAFFORD, M.H.R., AT TIMARU.

(From the Otago Daily Times, April 22.) Mr Stafford, M.H.R, for Timaru, addressed his constitutents last evening, at the Royal Assembly Rooms, Timaru. The hall was very well filled, and the Mayor of Timaru, Mr Hewlings, occupied the chair. , Mir Stafford, who was received with loud and prolonged cheers, said : Mr Chairman and gentlemen — I am deeply .grateful to you for the very kind reception you have given me this evening. I regret that the hoarseness under which you doubttess will notice I labor, will not admit of' my being quite* io audible, and, perhaps, not so distinct, as I myself would wish to be. But although grateful

for the very cordial reception which you have accorded to me, I am still more desirous of expressing my high appreciation of the manner in which you requested me to become your representative. I had no personal claims, and indeed, I until within the last forty-eight hours, I only knew about three of my Timaru constituents, and therefore by returning me you showed the highest confidence in me. G-entlemen, these are no idle words. Certainly they are often used by persons in addressing other constituencies, but it is not an idle saying when a man seventeen years either in the capacity of Superintendent of a neighboring province, or as holding another important public position with regard' to the affairs of the colony, uses it. In such a case it is no unmeaning expression to say that he does feel grateful when he finds that his services are recognised by gentlemen whom he previously could only regard as total strangers. While I feel grateful for the past, I trust that any services I may be able to render in the future as the representative of the district of Timaru, whether they may or may not be such as will meet with the accord of all those with whom I should desire to be in accord — because universal agreement in opinion on political matters is a thing absolutely impossible — may be appreciated as being the result of conscientious conviction, after the careful consideration I may give to the different subjects on which I may take action. When you did me the honor of request-^ ing me to represent you, I .was aware, although I had no -personal knowledge of the district, of the general circumstances ; and I must deprecate to a certain extent, the remarks of my respected friend the Chairman that you are under any compli-: ment to me for coming here. I hold a totally different opinion with respect t6 the mutual relation of representative and constituents. I. hold that it.is the duty, it ought to be the pleasant duty, of a representative to put himself in communication with his constituents from time to time, so that he may learn their opinions, and give them an opportunity of learning and criticising the opinions which hej the representative, holds with regard to public matters. In the constituency I had the honor to represent for many years, I took occasion to meet my constituents,, and tP give them an explanation regarding the past, and my opinion as to the course of policy most desirable to be pursued in the future ; and so long as I am connected with this district I trust to have opportunities like the present of meeting yqu, and telling you face to face what I think on all large questions of the day. I was aware, at the time of my election by you, that you had for some time past labored under what I believe to have been a most natural; cause of discontent and dissatisfaction with the working of the political system of New Zealand affairs as it regarded yourselves. You held these opinions, not for a short time, they have been maturing for years. You, in common with other districts referred to as the outlying districts,, were laboring under a feeling of discontent, and I do not wonder at it. I sympathise strongly with it, and it was an additional one to the special reason you alleged' for inviting me to represent you, that I had been an advocate for the continued unity of the colony and its progress to one great State. That was the second strong cause that influenced me in acceding to your request. I wished to be in a position I had not the opportunity of holding before, for I had hitherto represented a provincial capital town. I wished to be in a position to study as a duty, what were the present wants and grievances of the outlying districts, and to be in a position tOj as far as I could, alleviate the feeling of dissatisfaction with the existing system. When it went to the length of presenting a petition for separation from the other portion of the province, I think you were justified in doing so, so long as the provincial system was to exist at all. You had all the requirements ' considered necessary, and more than all considered necessary, when the Constitution Act was passed in 1852. You had ten times the amount of export produce. I have never been able to reconcile the inconsistency of the older provinces in objecting to the district lying between the Bangitata and the Waitangi having the power to administrate its own local affairs, although they claim that the provinces are not to be interfered with by any other legislature than the Provincial Council — when we found that the provinces were established by rule and compass— when • the whole colony was carved into six provinces which, with the exception of three, did not present so much industry in the interchange of commodities as you have done, I failed to see the logic or right that the administration of your own local affairs should be refused by the ultraPro vincialists. It was therefore with great pleasure that I had the .honor to present last session a measure which would have had the effect of giving you powers similar to those possessed by the existing provinces, although I knew beforehand that that measure would not, under the special circumstances of last session, have any chance of being passed, by_ both Houses.; With' a Government coming into office with a strong working majority who were opposed to derogating from the existing powers of Superintendents, I thought it was a good occasion to place on record your determined protest against the existing state of things. It has been by continual agitation that all important reforms have been obtained. I have found that to be the case throughout the world ever since I have given attention to public affairs ; but I am sorry to say that I have never known an important reformation or social amelioration which was not the result of long and continued agitation. — I have never known one spontaneously and freely accorded by existing authorities. The existing system, whatever it may be, creates necessarily a number of vested interests, and those vested interests do not like , to , be ; disturbed, whether they call themselves i Conservatives, Whigs, or In fact the

most determined Radical is generally Conservative to the extent of not liking to see his own system disturbed, or any of his privileges taken away. The existing system in New Zealand has created a great- miny interests. There are a great many men who depend upon the maintenance of the existing state of affairs^ in, the i provinces, and they will therefore fight, almost to the death to maintain it. Even if three- fourths" of the constituencies desired to abolish the provinces to-morrow., the provinces would not be abolished until after a long and bitter struggle. In the new position I occupied last session as your representative I had to consider, not what was most desirable to be got, but what was practicable, to be got, on two or three questions ini^wKich you were intimately interested, and- which came up in the progress of the,- session. I There was that to which I have just rej ferred, viz., that of separate entity,- -which would have given you the administration J of your own affdrs without interference ' from the inhabitants north of the Raugitata. There was also a local question, ' that of bridging the Rangitata and the Waitangi. With regard to that question I had telegrams, without referring to any names, which were, I may say, of a somewhat contradictory character, but I believed that I was able to effect really the best result that was practicable under the circumstances, viz., an arrangement with the Superintendent of Canterbury, under certain conditions, that he would press the matter with all his influence, backed ' by that of his Executive G-overnment. The latter I got to send up the resolution expressing their assent, with the Superintendent's promise that they would supplement any balance that might be left from the Rangitata to the J extent of £5000 towards building the Waitan»i bridge, and if no balance remained that they would propose that there should be £5000 voted bf the Provincial Council towards building 'the latter bridge. That was to my mind as satisfactory as possible. It went' towards 1 bridging two very large and dangerous rivers that impeded communication north and south between this portion of the colony and other important districts on the other sides. There were many other engagements and other undertakings not definitely specified ; but, gentlemen, although it was too much to expect him i to decipitate himself, I am bound to say that the promise made by Mr Rolleston as to his desire to meet as far as possible ' the wishes- of the people south of the Rangitata, never went to the extent of i saying that they should be separated. All short of that has been promised ; and, as i far as I am able to make out, he has i faithfully carried out all the engagements he made with reference to the delegation of powers to local bodies, and financial separation between this portion of the province and the other. — (Applause.) ; I am happy to be able to say thus much of Mr Rolleston, because, although I am not a friend to Superintendents in their official capacities, I think you must know the valueof beingable to rely on the promises of public men, when they are able to carry those promises out.— (Applause.) Although as. l said, that' was : satisfactory to me, Ido not wish you ; to -believe- that I consider ife altogether, satisfactory. I do not think it should be that ;the development of this country and the means of obtaining a safe and ranid mode of communication between ' aIV parts of the colony should depend upon the caprice of one or two individuals.-:^ Applause.) I should like to., see such, a system established as part of the ' policy of the colony, as would insure that every dangerous river between Southland and ' Auckland should be bridged, and jthat every road necessary should ,be made across wet ground or any ground that impeded transit. I want to see the country brought together, and it is not the least matter to me, looking at it fronva national point of view, from which our children will look at it — I say it is no satisfaction to me to know -that one particular, partflf the country may have a few good bridges, when, passing over an arbitrary line made in the Survey. Office by a stroke of the pen, I come to a road that is absolutely impassable, and rivers that are every day dangerous to life. That is not a pleasant reflection to me. "We have isolated ourselves from the home community, and jt would seem that we are determined ,to isolate ourselves more from each other here. In this country- — a country which I have no hesitation in saying nature and God intended should carry five and twenty millions of people in health, wealth, and a contented state of life, being a country two million, acres larger than Great Britain and Ireland, and having r a climate much superior,.. and_a_soil_ejju_aUy_ ifjspt more productive — there is only a population of a quarter of a million. In the old country, they have thirty millions with great pressure and want amongst them. The smallriesa of the population here is not owing to the lack of fertility in the soil, but to the form Jof the constitution growing- up. ~ When -we-knew we have two millions acres greater area here, and a climate where human beings can live at a greater altitude than in .Great Britain, I do not see why we should stop at a quarter of a million of people, but should endeavor to build up in the South Seas the home ~ofa~nation,-'happyppraß--perous, and contented. It 1 appears /to me that we are determined to"sit down under a system that resembles a man having to cross a dangerous river, and first binding his hands and feet.- We have bound our hands and feefcr-determined to live in a small, petty isolated manner, with the petty aims an& the pfetty eiiaVof petty states.- I—(Applause1 — (Applause and Slighter.) The policy I should like to, se« North and South is the policy, rl have stated, namely, to open and people all parts of the country simultaneously— -to" open up the country for settlement and increase its population. We have. heard a good many speeches and allusions ta-the question of immigration. Nowi a great addition to tbSpppulatibn- of the -country:- j is - abfeoliftely necessary, 4n order that it may achieve

the position nature intended for it in our generation. But I shall never be a party to shovel people within our borders and then abandon them, or to vote sums oi money by way of loan, to be expended for those purposes by the provinces. 1 want to see a well-considered system _lajjd_down, which will involve the completion of a chain of public works from Auckland to the Bluff, and contempor' aneously involve the introduction oi persons who, by means of such works, may obtain engagements for at least from six to twelve months, leaving them free at the same time to leave in order to adopt permanent industries. I do not want to make slaves of them. That is foreign to ourselves, and would only recoil on the heads of those who attempted it. But I desire to see the honest, hardworking people of the old country, who ask nothing more than "a fair day's wages for a fair day's work," coming out here, and us saying to them, " we will employ you for a specified time and give you the means of settling yourselves." I would employ them on the great arterial works of the colony, at least the bulk of them, but not them exclusively, because I would not refuse labor to any man who wanted it. I have said that while I believe a system of that sort is essential if the country would prosper, I should not be a party to immigration or public works being carried out by provincial loans for that purpose, because many of the provinces are absolutely incapable of giving security for loans. After the sacrifices the colony has made to consolidate loans and place them on a proper footing on the London Exchange, it is absurd to think that provinces will be allowed to borrow unless security be given for the loans they propose. The majority of the provinces are unable to give that, and therefore to adopt such a. system as I have indicated, by the agency of the provinces, is simply to say that a large portion of New Zealand is not- to be peopled or opened up for settlement. There is another reason why lam opposed to the sanctioning of any such loans to the provinces. It would lead to the-system known by the American term, imported into bur language (I only wish "that we could adopt some of their good measures, as well as their slang), and ..known as "log rolling." There would be such log rolling as to which province should get a loan, and to what amount, .that it would be impossible for a fair and impartial Government to exist. There is .still another reason, and perhaps the most important of all, why I should entertain the. objection I have mentioned — : , it would be perpetuating the vicious 'system of having one party to lay taxes —upon the people, and another irresponsible body to spend them, r<: ; There, has been much said about taxation^ and for the last three or four years ,we have, no doubt, been very heavily taxed. We are now very heavily taxed. Perhaps, excepting the United States, . fahich, owing to the late civil war under which they have languished, have had a great burden of taxation imposed upon them.. We; are about the most heavily regularly taxed people. Gentlemen, I am not hereto say that I see any immediate pro.lape.cfcjjjf.reducing the taxation. I have no doubt it would make things pleasant if I _were to say so, but 1 cannot conscientiously do it. I have never been able to see my way to an immediate reduction of our taxation, consistently with the meeting of those liabilities which, were we not to meet —them, would bring ruin and discredit upon us for the existing generation. But ,1 am equally convinced of this, that you will never have an economical system of Government, so long as you do not bring the taxpayers face to face with the man • jwho spends the money. — (Applause.) ;We have never had that system, and ~ under the system of allowing provinces to incur further debts we shall never have it. lam aware there are parties who - come up to the Assembly with large tails behind them — and some of the Superintendents did have large tails — complaining to the Government of the day that •"-■ money must be found for them. They .do not say they are fond of taxation — that would be an unpopular cry — but they say, " You must find us a certain amount of money to spend ; we don't say how you are find it, that is your affair." So long as there are two treasuries, in the Country, that system will increase — increase until it strangles us. I know some people may say, as they have said, that to talk of increasing the public works of the colony is absurd, that it can only be done by using the legitimate credit of the colony, and that making posterity pay for works that will benefit posterity is ah unwise step while the Native difficulty exists. Why, gentlemen, I think that is just the very reason why this should be done. You in the South who contribute a large portion of the expenditure feel it in that wy, but you must remember that our friends in the North pay their quota just as well as you do in regard to the rate of population, and they feel it still further in the uncertainty, anxiety, and loss both in life and pocket which the war has entailed for many years in some of the districts in the North Island. I was very sorry to see it ascribed to a gentleman in a newspaper report,- a gentleman for whom I entertain a very high respect, and who, I believe, is as conscientious a man as any in New Zealand, that he (I mean Mr Bolleston) had said that the North Island _Jhad_ been for some^past trading in war. 1 can only say that I never heard a more Unjust calumny. The inhabitants, or at least many of the inhabitants of the North Island, -have, been ruined and .mutilated j their children have been ''" slaughtered; they have been driven from "•■'... them -homesteads, the result of many ■;. • yeara-of toil ; they have been robbed oi their property and utterly ruined ; and ? jnotwitiffltanding all the misfortune, pain, " iand^'misery "which they have, endured, ■ they, aretnow accused of having traded in war for some time past. If that be the ' ■•' icaseyX can only say that they have been the greatest fools that ever went into r™irade; and that they could not ,have found i ajnoreiinremuneratiive trade. l aui sure

that Mr Bolleston, if he was conversant with all that has occurred in the North I Island, if he had seen the helpless women F and children looking for protection, afraid L to lie down in the street because of the L ruthless enemy behind them — would not i use such an unjust epithet in regard to . our fellow-colonists. I know what they i suffered at Taranaki, "Wellington, Auck- • land, and Hawke's Bay. In every one of F those provinces there has been suffering;, „ not of a temporary character, but of a long ; and protracted nature, and sufferinsr t which has been attended with large and > appreciable loss of life. Their efforts ; have been paralyzed and their feelings > have been crushed with a feeling of reek- • lessness and despair. Under alt these L unfortunate circumstances, I think they • are to be commiserated, and should not be : accused of trading in war. This has been • a war of the most dreadful kind : not only i ; a civil war, which in itself is of the most ■ I fearful and distressing character ; but the ('settlers have also had to deal with an i j enemy that is known not to have adopted i the usages of modern warfare, and to be guilty of atrocities of the most re- ; volting character. Gentlemen, I could I harrow your feelings, were Ito tell you of some of the scenes I have witnessed. _ If ? you, as fathers of families, could imagine ; what these unfortunate people have had to endure, you would see the injustice of ■ such an assertion. It is because this Native difficulty exists, and because the ; resources of New Zealand as a whole are ', paralyzed, that I would do all I could to strengthen the country, in order that it , might head the difficulty. In addition to ; other things I would increase the means i of adding to the exports of the colony, so . as to bring greater wealth into the couni try. A sum taken from a small heap of i gold might seem large, whereas if it were taken from a large heap it would seem small. This, colony can be made to produce £1000 for every shilling it has produced. The stagnation we are feeling, and each district fancies itself feeling it more than another, is perhaps not without its advantages. It will probably not be without its advantages if it leads to the recognition of the absurdity of the system we have hitherto laboured under, and to a thorough change. " Sweet are the uses of adversity." The young man who has had his knuckles skinned two or three times will have been taught lessons, after which he will be better able to conduct his own affairs and regulate his own conduct. What benefits the individual, is not very far from benefiting the people as a whole, for communities are but aggregates of individuals. lam not without hope that we are on the eve of better things ; that we only want to turn the stone, and we shall turn the tide of retrogression. At the present time, this country is not less fertile in regard to soil, than ( when we arrived in it. It has not a worse climate. Then it contributed nothing to the wealth of the world, nor the maintenance of man. The quarter of a million people have made themselves felt all over the world. Coming: from an energetic race (it is said the Anglo-Saxon, although I think it would puzzle physiologists t:> tell what they are, but what historians have agreed to call AngloSaxon), they would not fail to make their presence strongly felt. Gentlemen, this pressure has not only been felt here, but in the entire world. We have had some unintentional compliments paid us, and perhapsthey were the more compliraentarv because they were unintentional. We had a whole budget in the House of Commons reconstructed because half a ■ million of money was sent home from New Zealand. This was during the Premiership of Lord Derby, when Mr Disraeli held office, the half-million being seat home by Mr Weld. This is one instance which shows that our presence has been made known in the outside world, and will be still better known in the next generation. When we have a number of people in the country, not those whose sole end and aim is to make a pile and leave it, but people who will feel at home, and will make it their home, then will our presence be still more felt. We have i at present a petty isolated feeling, but when we form domestic ties and gain a footing in the country by acquiring land, these are the two great distinctive forms of human sentiment which are never to be eradicated ; for although slavery may be tried, no sooner is the slave set free than he will try to give effect to those sentiments, and then we shall feel that New Zealand is our home. We have been doing that and rearing up what will ultimately make a nation. When in another twenty-five years those who live on the soil will be the sons and daughters of the soil, then we shall be governed as i a nation ; and the man who brings about, or helps to bring about, such a happy i consummation, will be worthy the title of ; a benefactor to his race, and will, in my ■ mind, be deserving of the recognition of ; his fellow inhabitants of New Zealand. — ' (Applause.) Q-entlemen, I will make a few remarks . on the present position of Native affairs, so far as I can understand them. Being . out in the cold like yourselves, I have, i also like yourselves, no other than ordi- > nary channels of information. It ap- '. pears to me that the Government is '. doing its best to arrive at a question of peace. I have never for a moment 1 doubted that it wished to do so. While . lam a set opponent of the Ministry, and . of many of the fundamental principles > which govern their actions, I have never ; for a moment allowed myself to join > those who considered that the present 1 G-overnment had any other desire than i that of restoring peace in the North l Island. It is impossible that it can be ' otherwise. No man who has been a • Minister could come to any other conl elusion than that they would endeavor to , put an end to such an unhappy state of , affairs. But if the Government are l doing that, they have by certain acts laid > themselves open to animadversion. I refer l to the difference between their profesi sions and their practice. They promised [ to give us ,£150,000 of war] or peace as it was indifferently called. A cardinal

feature of their policy was to act on the defensive, or in other words, to eschew all aggressive operations. It has been the habit of people on getting hold of a phrase to ride it to death,,. There is one which has been applied to the late Government, namely, the "conquest of peace." It is held as a great reproach ! against them, but I would ask what the I present Government have been doiug with regard to the conquest of peace ? They gent a large expedition to Wanganui and Taupo under Major Kemp and Topia. At Opotiki they took some prisoners and followed Te Kooti. That was an aggressive measure, but it was, I think, a proper one. Bub to say that their policy differs from that of the late Government,: while each was determined to hunt down Te Kooti, dead or alive, is scarcely correct. j Let us call things by their plain proper names, and say that it is the conquest of peace which the present Government are. following. Gentlemen, they profess a defensive policy, and yet they send out the largest body of men which has ever been sent. I honor them for being bolder than their professions. But do not let us suppose that the professions they made are in accordance with the course they are pursuing. There was another cardinal point in connection with their policy. They were to be supported bp the presence of Imperial troops. That is a cardinal point that has disappeared, not altogether by their own' acts, but by that authority outside, which I took leave to predicate last year would turn a deaf ear to their appeal; and I should not be surprised if another cardinal point did not also disappear, namely, the local force attempted to be raised for £70,000 a year to the country for five years. If I thought the Government was likely to change their opinions upon provincial matters as they have done, with regard to Native affairs, I should be one of their strongest supporters, but I believe they dare not do it. They are supported by the majority of the Superintendents and Provincial . Executives who come up at the rate of three and four at a time, and they are bound to govern as the strings are pulled by their friends. The present Constitution is that you will not have from the Government any change. If you do not wish to have any change, of course your purpose should be directed to maintain them in office. There is one question relating to the l)£iniatry . that is -capable of more comprehensive Views. If it had not been for their associates, they would have adopted a somewhat different policy, and I should not be surprised at finding that next session they will advocate a line of policy which, although some of their colleagues may approve of it, they will not give effect to. They are, I think, strongly inclined to kick over the traces, as being favourable to a wider and more liberal policy than the present. Gentlemen, I have put before you what I think, is probable ; what is possible depends upon yourselves and the rest of the constituencies in New Zealand. Not upon you alone, because you are only a part of the country, and have only a comparative iofluenbe in its legislature. Many constituencies fall into the error of thinking that what they are unanimous upon amongst themselves they have only to wish and their; wishes will be given effect to. But you must not forget that your representative has to encounter a number of men who hold different views and advocate different interests to those you would like carried out. You must therefore be patient. You may try unsuccessfully half a dozen times — nor do I believe there ever was a . man who made his mark in the world but was beaten several times before he succeeded. My opinion is that success cannot be achieved until defeat has been experienced. It is absolutely necessary-to train the mind to success. Gentlemen, you certainly must not expect too much. You must not expect to see any change even if; you are absolutely in earnest,' without, a prolonged struggle, and without doing your best to enlist the sympathies of people outside your own district. It is one of the results, of provincial legislation to produce jealousy and discord, and this in consequence of the different interests involved — even as between communities themselves there must almost necessarily bediffering interests. I told you with what gratification I introduced a Bill last year, that was unfortunately not carried, as a protest of your determination not to be content with the political system so far as it affected you. Ido not wish to be placed in the position of being afterwards accused of changing my mind when I tell you that Ido not think that the system which it would have initiated would have been the best for New Zealand, and that unless the Provincial system is to be maintained, I am not prepared to be a strong advocate in. future of such a measure. I want to . see a wider and much more general system. I want to see the General Legislature and Government of the colony take possession of the arterial works, and local affairs, such as branch roads, where local infor. mation is required, managed without going to any provincial centre or to the General Government. That would be perferable to having an additional number of provinces created in the country ; but, if the Provincial system is to be maintained, I shall be found raising my voice as far as I can raise it in support of the wishes of the people of Timaru, in the direction in which they may desire to go, as I did last session. — (Applause.) I am not aware that there is any other subject of large importance that you would wish me to advert to, and I am, really suffering from such hoarseness that I do not address you with that pleasure that I otherwise should do. I ; shall, how-; ever, be very happy to answer any' questions you may submit to me. I have again to express toy deep sense of the honor you have conferred on me, arid trust- that, so long as lam permitted tjo hold the position I now do with relation to this important district of the Middle Island, you will giv.e me credit for acting honestly and conscientiously upon any

subject that may come before the House of Representatives.— (Prolonged cheering.) Mr Thomas Hall observed, in reference to what Mr Stafford had remarked, that their wish was for tbe unity of the colony, and not for the dismemberment of the provinces. On this point he said Mr Stafford seemed hardly to have understood them. Mr Stafford said he did not think that any words he had used were intended to convey the idea that he thought the electors wished anything against the unity of the, colony. The unity of the colony was one question ; the maintenance of the existing boundaries of the province was another. He did not say that the people of Timaru wished dismemberment. Mr Hall explained that he had used the -word " dismemberment " inadvertently, and that he had intended to use the word " multiplication." Mr Perry said that as he had understood Mr Stafford to say that all public works, such as main roads, and also immigration, should be under the control of the Government, and branch roads, &c., under that of local Boards, he wished to ask . whether the land fund for general works should be under the control of the Government. Mr Stafford replied that there was practically no land fund. In Auckland there was only a very small quantity of land/to be sold. Taranaki had much very fine land, but it was known as confiscated, and belonged to the colony. From Wellington no land fund could be expected. When land funds were mentioned, therefore, it practically meant Canterbury and Otago. Nelson and Marlborough had very little land; and although Southland had a large quantity, it was deeply involved in debt, for which the land would have to pay. He thought that the land fund should be applicable to places where it had arisen, and that what was called a land fund was not a land revenue, but a contribution from a number of persons to be devoted to the improvement of the Common Estate in the district " where that Land Fund accrued— (applauses-otherwise it would be neither fair nor equitable. When he said that the General Government should have the control of Public Works, he referred to: arterial communication, and such works as Harbors, also to Immigration and Police, the latter of which he had previously omitted ? to mention. These should be carried out by a Colonial Loan. The work should not bo limited to one spot, ■..but' should go all over the country, to open iip the land wherever it was worth opening up, and the Land Fund should be left alone.— (Applause.) A vote of .thanks was then passed to Mr Stafford.