MR. GILL ATTEAROHA.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 217, 27 August 1887, Page 2

MR. GILL ATT EAROHA.

ON" M >nd vy evening last, Mr Richard John Gill, who, aa stated in our last issue, hud been at To Aroha sini'u the previous Wednesday, addressed the electors in the To \rolu Public Hull. Tho attendance was very large, the hall being well filled Mr h\ P-tvitt was voted to tho chair, and biieilv introduced tho speaker of tho ovening to hi* audi -nee, and requested that he receive an impaitial and uttentivo hearin*. Mr Gill on coming forward said : Mr Chairman and gentlemen : lam hero tonight, a utr.inger to most of you, as a candidate t«» be your representative in the coining House of Assembly. 1 would lirst 3\'pl«iin briefly tho cause o£ the present vacancy which was this. — Tho present Government proposed to increase the taxation to tho extent of £180,000 per annum, in winch attempt they weio dfte.ited, and I hold they were entitled to ,«^k f«ir a dissolution. But, at thin time a bill w.is before tho House for readjusting representation, which eventually passed, although the i'.sct leinains that tho Hill, introduced as a Goveiumont moasuro, only i\3< oi veil <i partial .support from them, three .Uiuistets voted in one lobby, and tbtee in the other, i'l fact the Bill had a good eh. nice of. not passing" at all from the shiikv in.innc! in which it wis treated. By this new Hill tho south island now Ind ;>2 membeis, tho noith 39. On the passing of tin. Hill >i dissolution was g! anted, hence a second session oi parliament in oik 1 year Although a stiangoi to must of those \\ htmi I <un now addies-<ing, L ,un not a '-tiaugor to tho colony and its chcuiustancL's and requirements, hiving been an ottiuei of the Government in tho i'i\il svmvuc for twenty tluee years, f |.-lt the seivice a year ago, i'or the le.ison that 1h id attained the age of GO ye. us, and a i'l ins" in the Ci\ il Serv'x c Act provides Ciil (.'nil yeivants attaining that age t-h 'iild setho fioin the seivice. It hdti l>v't"i said that my inteic^ts are not idi-n-tii il with the inteiests of this dishict, and tint I am likely to remember Tanr.mga in i'<» tlpiu To Aroha — such ib not the case It is tine that i resided in Tauranga i'l.u, 1 t*G t to 1870, and only then Jolt ■ lint p'aee because my duties called me | ! > V\ . I'ington, but I own no piopeity in j I'mii ngu. What Ido hold is situate at K'ltiLtti, and w ithin twt niy miles from l\* \iuha. In speaking- at Tauranga I qu ilid vciy fully irum parlwnnontan j>ip i showing- the revenue, tho expendi j mi •*. and tho indebtedness of the colony o\ei . i sent s of ycai's,<intl th tt address Lba>l pMttt."la'id circulated geneially thiough tiii- fhetei.tte. .My interests 1 assure you iiK a miii'h with To Aroha us with T.iur.iiu i. I do not intend this e\ening to foil ,\. r li" miiiio line of add less I adopted il r iiii,ui a, but, m v lemuks will be of . a 4 !'t !.i! ( Ihcictci. With ii'^[) i it to tlif present position of t'l iiMinh}, tueio could bo no doubt a gi»-at r.ufiamentaiy battle would be toilful next session, and the result would h * i'ith"i inei eased tixation oi a chang'iMjt \liiii>lcis. L do tut <ij,u:o with the iiu'.hiiiis pr tpo^ec' by the pi esent Minishy. --Tueii l)ill foi theNatioiiali--ation of Land--tho s\ stem of peipetual leases against fieeholdsj.md the ie valuing of ! u\il*o\oi> tw^nt>-oiie yoais tor leasehold lents riicir Hill passed last year, tho Nati\e Laud liestiieiio?i Bill — a better name foi it would have been, a Bill to prevent any sottlwinenl on land. The natives them selves aie opposed to this Bill, the proof being that the native member for the Western Distiict introduced a Bill that the Act .should not npply in that chstnot. •Seveiul Bills have dining" the last three or four years been drafted for dealing- with the se tleinont of landg ; but none have ever been intiodiu-ed that I so fully appune of fis th it introduced lastHCSsion by SiiGeorgo Oioy ; il did not however pass, although I bcliose it v»ill ue\t session. Iv the bill referred to Sir Goo. Giey proposes that all Government Itmda shall be leased, but provides full power for the occupier to exchange the lease for a freehold title if he 80 choose. Ifc propones as a basis for the piico of the land, that it bo valued at so much per aero, to this shall bo added the cost of survey and cost of roads, and tho tot tl per acio shall be the price of tho land, and it shall bo leased at a rent il of 5 per cent, on tho value ascertained as above, and after occupation for five years the o< cupier may, if he so desires, obtain th'» fieeiiold by paying up the oiiginal vain.-; or, if so proL'ered, can go on leading &j before from the Crown Should ho wish at any time to sell out, he shall be at perfect liboity to do so, and cm sell his improvements also, the purchaser taking- up the original selector's position in i elation to tho Crown. TheBill als-o piovidos for small advances of inoiiev being mule at 5 per cent, interest, to enable selectors to build houses, etc., such advances to bo a lirst charge on the 1 md. Wheiever any land is held in the \ieinityof any town, and is required ! for hcUlcme.'it purposes, provision is made for Government to purchase such land and 'tioat it n4 Crown land. Tho limit laid down by Sir Geo. Grey's Bill for occupation b\ ( any ono man is 320 upren. The Bill is u 'very liberal one, and will commend itself to ull who carefully study it. Hetionchmeiit. — I am not ono of those who w ni lat the debt of New Zealand. It I in true the Colony has to carry a great load of debt, and find interest for a vast amount ■ of money, still its resources wero truly enormous. Look back upon tho past Uvctity years in tho history of New Zealand, what advances hid'bften made, what a cbango ''wrought ; and during" the next twenty years tho change would be far greateu' .. Nevcitholess I must, say the extuivagance that has been goin& bh is a shame. and a disgrace 'to the legisla'tois-of the. Colony. Lot us look at'soine of these extravagancies : His Excellency the Governor is' paid a salary of £5000 a yoar, und; in addition receives for general expenses £2500 ; besides this, for Government houses and grounds a further expenditure of £2993 was made duiing" the past year— in all £10,493. lam aware that during tho prosont term of the Governor's office no change can be made, but I do think that Pailiament, by a resolution, should determine that such monies cannot 1 be paid to our next Governor Then Iho salaries of Ministers £9250, with tuivclling expenses ; house allowances and lcsidonces £3786, ,is a sum be3'ond what the Colony in its present depressed condition can afford to pay. In my opinion fiveMihistors could woll do tho , work, and with less salaries than are paid

i,o thorn 'at pre/umi. A '.u\*o saving co ild lio uindc in the N.ilivo f>«|> ji tun nc. There was a time when this office w.is nee^visary, but now owing ti) elianuo of Lv.s tvn«l administntion, I think tUo who*c uffico should bo dispensed with. The sum required for its maintenance this year is set down on the estimates as £3,245, of this £1,920 is required for the Minister's offiec at Wellington, leaving for salaries for the rest of the Colony £I, 825. Besides this sum thero is annually voted £7,000 known as Civil List No. 2, and expended on native pensions, native salaries, medicines, &c. In mv opinion the entire coat should not exceed the £7000. In breaking up this olliep, I would remove the Native Land Court to the Justice Department, and the purchase of native landa to the Lands Department. Mr Bryce while Native i Minister, worked in this direction, and had he remained in office another yoar, in all probability his vvoik would have been I completed. lj or external defonce there is required a sum of £77.724, and for other purposes, police, stores,' «c, £105,<)77,in all £183,701. This external defence moans keeping up fortifications, torpodo boats, electric lights, &c., at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttleton, I and Dunedin. This is ,i heavy chaise on taxation, and I think could be well reduced. Education : Last year over £500,000 wus j spent on education including Universities and Secondary Schools. I think this sum tuhoyond what the colony should be taxed for. The abolition of all central Boards ; would effect a saving. Surely the dealing I with a .school Mich as you have at TeArolia, could be easily looked after without jofeienoo to Auckland, roinembeting lh.it the Auckland cCntial Board is in a J ll' o way dealt with fiom Wellington. Thou the expellee of higher education. I consiiloi th.it ihose who want this should piy foi it, and that it should not be made a charge on the oouutiy. The only boss who should have this hit. 1 hoi edu< alion at the expense of the oountiy should be those who have earned schol.it ships or other similai prizes at the primal y schools. L have no, doubt that ft om lA'M),i)QI) to LI 50,000 could be s.ived fio'ii the seveial deputments I hwe alluded to, and so save the extra taKition proposed by the Culonial Tieasuicr. Boi rowing, — Wilh respect to fuithor l)oiiowiti£, 1 should bo ver,) glad weie tiieie no ucosS'ty for fiulher boirou ing, but t lear we cannot .ibinptly cease borrowing just yet ; as it would be a giavc mistake to leave the laige public woiks now in lvii-, 1 of being eop<4iuoted, in an uuftnisbcd such as foi in^t nice the 'I 1) mi' v s-Te Al oh I lallw.iV. J>nt L shoilul be niOijt d- 1 I'tedi^ opposed to hoi lowing Jur an. piuposetl new public woiks. \\ r o uiiiit do as Sir Juliu-s Vog<Jiad\ i->es with 1 expect to boirou ing, vi/, tapu off. .Mining Industry. —l should like to talk a little lcspecting the mining industiy, .1 matter of special interest to 3011 all, and of vast imp ntanee to the colony generally . I know but lit tie of practical mining, theiofore can only doil in gencial terms with the subjoot. It app<\us to me that tho great dilli< uily yon <ue at present labouiing under is not that the neighbourhood is not nch in stone, but that you ha\e not the, appliances to save the gold to tho extent you should have. In dealing with the subj 'ct I can only say that should L u,o to Wellington a- your meiubei that I si 1 ill be tonn.l w irking 1 with other gold field membeis in tho direction of londeiing jon the, ,i\d 1 quu^d pi bceuimg suitable m uhiix ry. Thoi mil Spimgs. — I have be< n to-day asked if I would assist in obtaining fioin the Uovcrti'iient a .sum of money towards improving your Domain and Tin rm.il Springs. This being my iitst visit to Te Aroha I cannot of course siy much about local matters, but 1 sop no reason why a large sum of money should be yoaily spent on Theinul Spiings elswheie, and littlo or no help given to To AIOII.I. On referring to tho estimates proposed this yea:, I find th.it the sum of L 1,575, 575 was to ho asked for, £875 of thus is for Kotonu, £200 for Hanmor Phiins, and £500 for contingencies, etc. Thames Harbour Board. — With respect to tho extended powers recontly given to tho Thames Harbour Board, whereby their control now extended over the riveis in this district, it would appear tli.it this is a piece of work which requires at once looking into, it is not easy to understand how such could have been brought about wiUioutyour being first made aware of the intention. Your iato member has informed me of the facts within his knowledge, and 1 shall if I go to Wellington as your member, able for an enquiry into the matter. Road connecting To Aioha with Tauranga. — A. matter oil much impoitanoo to this district is tho completing of the road over what is called Thompson's track, now being surveyed. Tho completion of this road would provide <i nioie ready communication with tho East Coast, and would become the main mail coach road from Opotiki to Anekhnd, via Tiurangn. I have hoanl a very general desire th.it this rop.d might soon bo finished ho as to allow farmers and others to drive their stock to tho Waikato. I look on it as a work tliat would well npay its co-t, and glVe satisfaction to a lugo number of settlers. The survey of tho I^ad is, lam informed by the Tauranga County Engineei, who is in charge of the work, alir\ost completed, and I hope that the Government will look on tho matter as of great necessity, and a work to be completed aseariy as possible. In conclusion I desire to say thnt should you give me your suppoit in the forthcoming Election, I will be as attentive to l\iili.ini. :ntary work as a man can bo, arid watch over youi local interests to tho bo.tt of my ability. that I, in seeking this honor, t have no grievance to ventilate or private ends to gain in any way. J am a free man, and iiul-pciuhint of any party. On resuming his Beat, Mr Gill was warmly applauded. The Chairman then stated the meeting was open to any person wishing to ask Mr Gill any

QUESTIONS In reply to vaiiom queiios Mr Gill said: — (1.) As to whether he would be in f a vouroi.' having £25,000 t0 £3,0000 placed , on the estimates, to be offered as an inducement to any company or individual who would introduce, and successfully work in New Zealand a process whereby 85 to 95 pur cent of the precious metals would be saved at a cost say not to exceed £2 per ton, bonus to be met eased if cost

o[ fieafmont ho i educed to £1 per ton Government to bo at tho liberty to take over tin? patent right. Mr Gill said : lie hud already stated he would heailly support the gold field members, and thought very probably they would move in that diieetion. Ho believed it would be better for Government to take tho matter of offering inducement for improved appliancos for ti eating refractory ores, in hand at once. (2.) He would do everything h« pos* sibly could towards having tho lailw.iy to Thames completed, and the woik curried on from thia end of tho line. (3.) He would do all he could to have the proclamation whereby the jurisdiction of Thames Harbour Broad was made to extend over all navigable portions of rivers in Ohinomnri and Pinko Counties revoked lie would wi«h lo state Mr J. B. Why to had spoken to him on this matter, explained ;to him the injustice that would thus be done the up county districts, and Mr Wuyte hac 1 asked him to pledge himself, il: returned to do nil he could to have ! the pioclamation revoked which he pro mised to do. Mr Whyte toid him he con sideied there had been a brcioh of faith on the pait of Government in relati >n to this matlei a-, h<: (Ah Wh> lo » t» .!!>'». s; ii,ivon 1,0 nudcj ->(;uiil ilii'sc r !t<i<!<<.j> ■" i sought for by tin- Th iiw > iVib ,c '_- "'! j would not be granted. | (4). He could not piomiv., lo uy auu I get Government to maintain mam r<»,. i tlnough goldliekh in rhis district ; a^ although he was .isvan, of th> great Iwivihhip, it was for the local bodie-. cine ,ws to have to boar the expense ; yet it \v is opening up a very big q motion, and he ('eared if done in any one dis-lncl, thoiu would be denundo Jiom ullpaUs of ino Colony for similai it lief. (i)). 110 was not m favour oi female mi Hugo. ((5). He won'dbo in f.ivoin oi! Boroughs ha\in<; pr-wit to bonow under the Govern meiU Loins Lo Local liodie'j Act. (7). lie did not believe m assisted < initiation, )>'■) oncl nominated omi^Mhon. (8). Jli- b'ih -\vd in the pio; e-ty ta\ i tho iano^t of all taxes, wei>; u n>>i il. .• t touched nnprov munS. (9) Ho was in Ca\oui of local option w urespect to the liceUhing of public hou-s. i. With rtKpocL to c jmpon-iation in connection wilh this matter, he was of opinion i£ a law was passed whereby a public house was closed, and the pioperty thereby detciioiated, compensation should be paid; tlw only fund fioiu' which such compensation could lie iLuved however wmld be tL" iieiu;ia! Goveiument Kuud. (10) I[e w ,is at hear: a Croetradci , but in .i ,>oung culony bUe New Zealand buhc\':u ihoie weic nidustiic. thai bhoukl be a > silted by Government, buL would bo m ia\ r oiu uL'micli assistance being given in the form of dnect Government subsidy oi ( o, lathei than by mei eased uuslonis duty. (il). He believed tho compulsory education ol! all childien 'it the low bUuulaid of ai;e now in tuice, a mistake (L 2) lla believed in free, cotnp'iUoi v, secular education. (13). LIo would not bo in Livour oL tL^ Bible being until ely excluded from schools, it could be read either before or after hchool houis. There boiua, no more (|iies>tionn I'oithcoming, Mr Corne.K pioposcd that a Ik arty vote of. thankb be avoided Mi Gill loi his address, and if tho elei.toi.-j' had tonlideiico m hitii, id them show it by votiug for him when the time comes. Th" 'notion was earned uuauimoU'-tN , and in a nio-,t luaity uiAiiiui. The meeting clooed with a \ ote of thaiiKh to tlKi <'h m.