ELECTION NEWS Mr, J. B. Whyte at Waihou.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 212, 23 July 1887, Page 2

ELECTION NEWS Mr, J. B. Whyte at Waihou.

On Man lay evening last, Mr J. B. Whyte, having invitod the electois to meet him at Waihou, addressed thorn in the Public ilaU at that place. Tne i night was very dark aivl stormy, which [no doubt dtfrred some from coming who would otherwise have dono so. Neveitheless the audience was a thoroughly representative one, to the number ol about forty. 010 1 the motion of Mr John Wood, seconded by Mr Reuben Parr, Mr Thos. Taylor was voted to the chair. The main portions of Mr Whyte'j address was very similar to that delivered at, Morrinsville on the previous Thursday evening, the^rsfc part specially referring to the extravagance and recklessness of the present Government, and the increase of taxation, that had resulted from their being in office. At the outset Mr. Whyte stated he only wished to meet the electors on the present occasion in an informal way, for a quiet talk over things in general in relation to the present political crisis, hoping later on to speak at greater length, and go more into details. Mr. Whyte said : The real question now before the country was, Shall the present Government have another lease of office, or not ? It was all nonsense to j try and make people believe it was a question of Protection versus Free Trade. To make such a statement was mere clap trap, and done for i the purpose of diverting attention

from the real point of impoitance It, was staled tho Opposition were to Maine taut there was a second session this year. This was tint mo, because there was no reason why the present Government should not have resigned, and then the Opposition would have hud to form a Government to carry on the business of the country ; but instead of that, nil through l\irii;unent when tho position of tue present Government appeared shaky, t >ey threatened a dissolution, the expense of which so many members strongly objected to. The present Government had done more to degrade representative institutions by the manner in which they had allowed their Bills to he torn in pieces than all previous Governments, put together ; and if it had not been for the Opposition, the annual deficit would this year have amounted to not less than £800,000. (Having at some length in our last issue reported Mr W byte's statements made against the present Government, we now, as then piomised, will proceed to refer generally to Mr Whyle's utterances, re retrenchment, etc., as delivered during his addresses at Morrinsville ami Waihou). Mr "Whyto said with respect to protection : If any one would point out to him any one local industry that could be nourished and pat o.i its legs by a little assistance, he would be in favor of giving that assistance by means of a direct vote, rather than by means of increased taxation •, which would probably not bo aftei wards got rid of. Indeed, : if they carefully considered the matter they would see that the present tariff was virtually a protective taiift', seeing that it ranged as high as 15, or in reality 16V per cent., and anything that could be manufactured in the colony was already taxed to (ho full. Two-thirds of the pioposed tariff, (£ll l,OOO out of a proposed increased taxation to the extent of £1300,000), lefi-rred to calico?, cotton goods, rice, corn-flour, patent m jdicinos, and other goods much used by the working classes, an 1 not likely to be manufactured in the Colony for years to come. Hy tho proposed now tariff a duty of twenty percent, would be imposed on boots and shoo*, in order that shoemakers should be provided with still higher wages ; and by the adoption of such a com so the country settlers would ha\e to suffer. Look an America as an instance of the icsults of protection to day. Why eleven per cent of die w!iob> population were in receipt of charitable aid, with over 250,000 paupois i \ the city of Kew York alone. Did they desire fiat such a s-tate of aTaiis as that should comu about v\ Now Zealan I ? Railway llefo.m —With respect to tho question of railw.iy refomi, Mr Whyte said : He felt greatly a.^iieve.l at the manner h which tnis aigu dlmil had been u-ed a^aiu^t. him. So ne people luil in 'ustrioii-ly ciieulatetl a n-port to t ie effect that lie had been opp'>»cd to railway reform, an 1 to a^i&tanee being given to the countiy districts, and thatliK s\mpathio-> were with the Depaitnu'iil. As a m itter ol fact, he had been continually trying to got things attende I to witii respect to railway niana^einenf ; unJ ha I never obstructed Veile's scheme at all. lie would have them boar in mind that Veile's scheme only referred to passenger traffic, whilst the question of fneglit was of far more importance to country settleis and to the colony generally. When Mr Veile came up to Waikato and started agitating this mutter, he (tho speaker) was so nrich impressed with his earnestness that he proposed to start a subsciiption list, offering to hw 1 the list himself, to pay Mr \eiles expenses down South and generally thovoughout the Colony, iii older tha.t he might have every oppoitunity to ventilate his ideas on railway management. But wtiilst desirous that Veiles scheme should have every fair play, he nevertheless (ILI not then, or now, sec that it could possibly be a success linancially. He willingly took charge of and presented to Pailiament the various petitions got up on the subject, and entrusted to him for presentation ; and also kept bringing the matter up ; and Mr Veile himself wrote thanking him for his persistance in these matters during that first session after the agitation first started. He doubted if the committee of enquiry would have been held at all wore it not him, as it was by dint of worry that it was appointed. When on that committee he invariably voted with the friends of the scheme, and the repoit which resulted was the most Favourable that could be obtained from that committee. More than this, he tried hard to get the enquiry turned into one on the whologencral management of the railways and not as relating to Veile's scheme only, which referred to passenger traffic. He was aware Mr Veile had an idea, (owing to tho faulty manner in which some of the evidence was reported), that on one occasion ho had voted against him ; but he assured them such was not tho case. It was quite true he had stated lie really failed to see how Veile's scheme could be a success financially, proposing as it did to go so far as to actually convey passengers fifty miles for four, pence. **nd because he could not advocate such extreme fares as that proposed, which would in his opinion involve a heavy loss on the country, he was charged by some people with being opposed to railway reform, and as being in sympathy with the Department. This Veile's scheme was the only point upon which he disagreed with any section of his constituents, and that was o>>ly to a very limited extent ; and if the country were determined to adopt Veiles scheme, he should not oppose it ; but he could 'not advocate what ho did not believe in.

No one could value more highly than lio did the confidence thai had . com reposed in him by the electors of Waikato ior so many yours, and allhough. no doubt had ho consented to advocate Velio's scheme, he would he believed have boon again returned without opposiiinn, ho never intended to allow hit. politic.ii life to ba the grave of his sol!:' respect; by advocating as a matur of policy what he did nut believe in Jit heart It was quitepossible, to those looking on, it might appear little had been uone in the direction of obtaining any concessions from the railway department, but he held in his hand a list of reductions, etc., the result of agitation, which when looked upon as a whole were not to be despised. But there yet remained a \ny great deal to be done, and no doubt by persistence they w.nil 1 ultimately succeed in obtaining q eatly improved management. In ali matters such as that now being refened to, the p-upJe themselves must practically assist. He had hoard many grave charges made against thedepartment, an I yet when he desired to have something specific to deal with and get put right, he had always found a. great difficulty in obtaining the required information, hi fact he had twice actually advertised for complaints, expecting to be flooded with them, an I would, it be believed he never received a singleone ; and yet people would talk and agitate amongst themselves and cite case after case, i'tiis was not fair ; as> their represe itative, to whom they looked to do everything possible to set" things right, he should surely receive all possible assistance from those aggrieved. He could not conscientiously advocateVeile's scheme as it now stood, and stated so last April in public print, offoiiug to resign, if shown it was the wish ot the electors, -and that they consideied this scheme a matter of such vital impoitance ; but had received no intimation whatever that it was the wish of the electors that he should resign, and theiefoie lie was again in the Held, lie certainly should not think asoit in the Hou a c good enough if it was only to be obtained, or held, by a sacrifice ot his principles, and by hia advocating that which he did not b-'lieve in. It was haidly necessaiy to mtor.u them tiuit he had considerable expenence of farming himself, could thoioughly smypathise with the settlers and otheis living in the country district!?, was fully alive to the great need of railway relorm, and would ask— Could anypei sun say with respect to any giievaneelhat lial been iv-feire I to J. 13. Whyte, that ib had not receive I his attention I He (juite agree I with Mr Voile that settlement a\\A not revenue should be themain object kept in vie v with respect to tiiij laihvay-, mil tn.it I. ires -should not be so li I _j 111 1 as to debar travelling ; .in I that with i expect to both faies and li iMgni-) giv.a concession-* s.ioakl be ma le tor long distauce-s. Especially in t.ie charges levied tor conveyance of small consignments was theie nee I of great lelorm ; as at pivseut the r.tt"S was almost prohibitive for the conveyance of small lots, Miich as buiter,l'iuit etc, Lorn country districts to Auckland. T.io Victorian railway was often held up as being so well m in ig>'d and a-> paying so w\'ll, that onewoul I imagine Iroin the way the thing is put that t.ie rates t.iere were lower thin in New Zealand, wheieasas a matter of fact, they were leally higher on the average ; and tneu again it should be renumbered that the population was was greater, and aKo that in Victoria the railways all radiate fiom one centre j, whereas in Ne.v Zealand the railwayswere not connected, but, in little sections liei-j and there, necessitating each section maintaining a surplus rolling stock and I many other expenses that would not be present if the railways were connected : Also in New Zealand several of the lailways had to compete against carriage by the s-a and navigable rivers. Theie was much rjom for reduction in freights on the New Zealand lints ; but he did not think first cLiss faies need be reduced at all, let those who wished to be so select and have cushions and the other comforts of first class carri«cs pay for it by all means. With respect to second I class fares, he did not say that any re- \ duction from existing fares was needed for the first 10 miles, but second class fares should be reduced considerably for long distances, for instance, say so that the second class fares woull work out i about Id. per mile for distances over 100 miles. The fact however should ever be kept in mind it was with respect to freight for cai rying of their goods infinitely more then with respect to passenger, fares, that the present charges bore so heavily on settleis. He had not been engaged in, farming for about twenty years, without knowing the difficulties farmers had to. contend with ; his interests and those of country settlers were identical. Hethought it decidedly unfair the manner in which some opposed to him had picked out particular sentences in his utterances re railway matters, without giving the context ; by adopting such a course as that a man might be made to mean anything. Education — Mr. Whyte with respect to the Education vote expressed the opinion that it could be reduced very materially ; he would be in favour of raising the school age to seven as sending 1 children to school before 'Jiey were seven years old practically meant the maintenance of state nurseries so far as children under that age were concerned. Bat to reduce the age as proposed might mean the closing of a number of country schools unless so ne course were devise I to meet the altered ciivumstmces, which would have to be done. There was too. a far greater amount of secondary and higher education provided for by the state than the country could afford^ aM

4 cur > r .w'n - r ' " ho " l>w 1^ U(l|i;k ; l! ,luv-, rtl .v.;^'.».M onof pai-nlsnl»lc to i.-.'i t.iv.- expense themselves. Uut V.,,U thoiv wiv- room foi great reducf,on* under this Load nlso, befoie n thai jur/i-on U'* s A^° ni:ulo^lu'ioby the (-];•; Jicu i i poor paints, ifshov.u to have tlv.rmty, would not be debu rod from n-uiniuo' to the top of the* tree through lack of edueatioinl opportunities : I >u> torld pos&ibly be arranged for b> .1 MMom of ships or othoiwiso, and the c luoiioiud uuc u.u?t not be cv«, clou • too mtiilcssly. llenomhmoMt Generally— J hespenko, next punvfuod to speak ot rrhxndu.i-nt qnui«>i!\ „nd*ud«i.Mtroduc(ionhO<iiud i.omadoby t!>e alolitkn ol tho min.i'i oflßco and ilher .'op.rlnu-its, and by lh«v arnal^.uualion of \.iMOilsoilloes ; it won.d be fai pivfo.abio io Jo H', s than t<» ho aluius J^pplu^ ALiuen'.. sAui.'S. Jho GosJrno.. vJ.ry should eorlamly not ox-ceed i'.'M.O. nc nunh-r of nuMiilnM^ in buth tlu* nppor «.'il !(^! (^^ >l ' J - olIv!i ; shouM '"c I- 1 l.'ivd \i»ry con^idof.\hl\ . ->\\u\ 1,0 Toicd i.»r loduotmn l'oiiii? undo last session. The l.onornm sliouM al^o be reduced. His C'on^Uuents— lie wonld wish before concluding to refer to another mutter, viz., A cbavso ha-1 luvn made ::t?:iinst him by -uaio person? tuu ho Ud 1.0 -hvfed in the p^t luldie^m-- Ms. .0.1-1 iu-,,1- In „p!\ to thai hewould v.: l% i ii-.eH/; '\ v.'.a mo. p .»i;d of uoii <r 1, Ml.d.P, i kCUIIUU to... -COM "UH'hlN.I h. t'".i.o v.1.0 know not l'ii^ t-f .ml do 1 no isii. „ -t 'ii p"nta'«. neither \v.< he *o !.i:iii ,- iu'." i»l,u lii» ."'»'. n Nr>lC(l uc; Sl)ine ot'.i. .- ;,.!-iit ne, bur ho chalicnued siiiy . 1 ■■ .-how that on ni'V one oceasiv>n he u 1 ! ni-loct • ! to go and addiess tlu- elector Sn'nny district, when mvilod to do so, or uf ever uoulootingto atteivl to any inatU-i-vrrciml to linn M r Whyte nt the conclusion of his address ai VTa'hou, as nt \\^| warra jM.pl.uMod Connnin«r our ujmaiU. ik.v. to ibc Wiiliou niMi\\,Mo ].i,l '.. Ml V'l»\k\ ISll'i ..'ls..i'U'd j 'MMM' 1 ' t< I'- -l'^"'"'' 1 (l 1 .',.. , lM ;', :,,>( ' f .b^ - I'- 1 lOi- > -, „ - •> «. '^ ''" I I' 1 ' I i()l1i ()l1 i , , ', > \. ii *n, Mould J -„ t ) have woik •■ „ ;, >n 1 ? Also won! ! , , |!i,' C'M'WHVtIOU , . , 1 , . ai~w try to have ( „ _ t '< h 1 \Mlli at the To Aroha ]„ „ i|i ..? t'.csc qn.>timis Mr , (i! ] {'„„ \i, ct iin^we' ho could , „ ' 1 Im- 1) id endeavoured to do • v ,- .notion of Mr il. Wood, „„ , „. „[ uuiii! • .'.»»' l continued confi<i«»K.- i'» iir ' ] - X - was [.imposed, r.,H-..nded b) Mr R I'^'i l Mlfc to t . hr met'tin- bv tiio chainnau, and rimed un.inii'ior.sl7 vilh fiPpl.»u-o : Mr Pair 1 .i.i:iir tc^'nnony tofe pmnipt in iiiii'M m'uii'?! Mr Wintehad jl«:«^- .lttnuled l 0 4 T,...ii-. na'i.-r- leferr- ' to him -„,tl,M' in th" Wiiilo.v di-tnev. Mi a\*. j,. „ , ,!. - *'..-. id ivt tho- • u-- unble 1 r,,. }'« „ ; i „ \ v .10 or L'niiidence acooid-'d Ip..i t ■ 10 t: .L r "•:'- bion-ht 10 .1 elo-e [y, N , L of thai. 1 • 1«» tie jhaiunan. I", roilnv.incr u;we con >en'.ed toaef as i(lc:n>vr,i (1 c:n>vr, of co:i..i)itt.- to v.ovU iv ihe in'-o^t <•" Mi -• i'» Whyto :—Momufc\dl- : M.*- I- Coulr", Chojimell H irri;oii ilor '!, Bolton, Uockhffe, Buttle, In-,'., an.l Turn'oull. W-iiioA : Messrs V »iur. So.ldon, J. Woo.), Stiv.im<>, St?>n -v, "sViU'is, Mellon, Boiler, (J. B. E."...mds Abbey, Bowler, Farmer, 1J f .;•«*, i'M Ttu lor.