C0R0MANDEL ELECTORATE. MR MACKAY BEFORE THE ELECTORS AT PAEROA.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 216, 20 August 1887, Page 3

COROMANDEL ELECTORATE. MR MACKAY BEFORE THE ELECTORS AT PAEROA.

Mr James Mackay addressed a crowded meeting' of electors in the Public Hall, PaeiOti on Thuibday evening last. The chair wa& occupied by Mr C. F. Mitchell, who biiefly introduced the candid.ite. Upnn coming forward Mr Mackay, who was very warmly received, dealt first with the Representation Bill, and congratulated the elcetois upon now being 1 allied to a place with whi«h they had interests in common, and the}" could hope for better leprcsentation than lieietoforc. He went at some length into our trade and com morce, showing that in 1886 our exports exceeded our iinpoits by LBG,OOO, and that we had imported LSOO,OOO worth of ai tides which could have been producjd in the colony. This amount it: letuined here would have given employment to 6000 men, and it went a long way towards pointing that protection to a certain extent was desirable. The colonial debt was L 34,000,000, and the total indebtedi ness of the various local bodies, as well as that of private individuals, companies, etc, when added to this,- the interest on tlie whole would amount to about L 5,000,000 annually, which had to be met by a population of 600,000 or 125,000 adult males, who had to find the money. lie devoted fully one hour to the subject of retrenchment, haying that the pruning knife nhould be unsparingly applied to ever}' department, and tin owing out some very valuable suggestions, as to how the work could be canied out, withaut imparing* the efficiency of the government machinery. He would not interfeie with the present education system, bo far as pi unary schools wcie concerned, but he would abolish all the High Schools, and have one for each island, and one university in some central place like Picton, where students would be removed from the temptations existing in larger cities Our mil ways were fearfully mismanigcd, and yailes' scheme was a step in the right diiection, but he was in favour of selling the whole lot, as the amount rclised would, have the effect of vastly reducing dur colonial debt, nnd consequently the interest thereon The village "settlement scheme .wa s a very goo ' 3, one, but on the whole he objected to Ballance'a | system of dealing with the lands, At? to nationalization, he did not believe in it, for it might lead up to large landed proprietors getting rid of their estates for big figures at the public expense, A

and tax, if properly applied would ■fleet all the. mjuii'omentH,--*-*. Lot all and" be classified- as first, .second or thiul •lass land. All first VlaVs land should bo ated at three ponce per acre; second .Anna land two ppnee* j^r^jje^^ujd^tfr^ ' lass land ono penny per acre per annum. , £his}system would very soon settle the much vexed land question. lie Was not" in favour of a property tax but he would support an ineom'o ttixj which he thougK ( \vouhi seivo, the samo 'purpose without hampering progressive ' industries.' The present system of lApiil self-Government required ultoiation: There were too many J.qeal .bodies. The Counties should be hi ado larger where n co-»ir.unity 'o"f interests would admit of sUch extension 1 , ,md they should bo given greater far Cities t'orinn' king ma«n roatls special by votoafrom , .tl'io general revenue. lie then sketched , out- an admirable plan of the in inner he thought the (Juromundel electorate should be dealt with. Two main roads, one upon either side of the water shed should be constructed from end to end of the electorate, and these should bo intersected in vaiious places by other roads running at right angles to their cour.se, or wherever the natural feat urn of the j Counts (U the requiioments dounnded ] their consti notion. Ho concluded by dealing exhaustively wiih the developeinent of our mineral resources to which he con tended the (Joloay must look" for a icturn of prosperity. Mr Mickay was warmly applauded \eiy frequently thoioughoul' Luu coiu^i 1 ol lii-^ all!*.' address and <il the conclusion theriiof a hearty vote of thanks and conlidi'iice was earned uuauimouoiy.