GERALDINE ELECTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 708, 10 December 1881, Page 2

GERALDINE ELECTION.

MB; WAKEFIELD AT TEMUKA,

M;r E, Wakefield addressed the electors in the Yoinnieer Hall, Temuka, on Thursday evening last,. The hall was crammed with pewons who were anxious to hear Mr Wakefield's prom'sed outline of the futuie policy of th« Government.

On the motion of Mr OvHivier, Mr Cox watt voted to :he chair, who briefly introduced the-candidate*. , Mr Wakefield, who on rising was received with mingled cheers and hisses, state-1 that he came b-'"or>j th-m that evening for the purpose of removing any m'sunders; o.ding that might have arisen between tho electors and himself. After speaking bfefiy on the relationship that exis.jd between lhem v he proceeded to di'ate on the political horizon of the fu ; ure. In reference 10 Native they would find that his predictions, when, he last addressed them had been cat lied out to the letter. The M.oii rebelliou had beeo put down without Woodshed by the Government ai:d the Volunteers, (A voiw : Au.d the volunto<rs were starved.) Tlu?y bore their hardship* nobly and did their duty, e>en if they were short of provisions. (Cheers.) A «' ction of the Press had denounced him as a Woodtlvrsty pol' can baoatw the bad advocated the sendittg of tl\o Volunteers to the trout, but that w - wrong, because ho had 1 old them he hoped it would be i-ooomplishud without bloodshed. He took i'.»at. opportunity of congratulating the colony on the Government having ellVjetod thoir object without bloodshed. Several important measures, would be iuirodtved into Parliament during next aeasio , Amongst thoie was that of Parliainentury Reform : that ia to reform the oonotitution of the country in reference to the Logislativo Council. The Government haii announced that the Council should he constituted an elective body bv the vole of the people. He would support such a measure. It ia in existence in South Australia and appeared to work well. Government proposed to have the Council elected for a period of six years. The members would be elected by the whole of the electors for the one constituency of Now Zealand, It wjs ah# proposed to reform the House j/%apresentatives. The Government we>Jdeter-' mined to put down with a strong hand the system of stonewalling whioh was persisted in by the Opposition during last session, TII3V «il? introduce a new co te of procedure, so that any attenij t at stonewalling wo Id he nipped in the bud. Great facilities were to b<s given to the people for settlement on the laud. It had

already been annoir'ced that lima m 1libn acres would beshorlly open f r settlement, and lie trusted ere long to s<-a every man the possessor of a freehold. s©> that lie could establish a home f<ir himself. It was also proposed to apply thesame syst m to the faitoral laniis ir& CmterburjV-wh're suitable. In r<.ierenee : to .taxation in the future, he haie.l alt forms of but it wat necessary t©. defray Governmental expei d.tane- Jla ~ proposal., would .be ~.n?ad<s lurim;- ,'wxe aesnion for additional taxation; but it would Unreduced.. Gio.vernin.Mit also proposed to further decrease the public-ex*-- "* penditare. Mr Wakefield resumed his seat amidst, applause. Mr C'X then invited any of the "leetfr& who wished to ask Mr WaiO'fietd ai>y h queßtious to do so. Mr Leveus ; Do you know of a»y person desirous to buy a bridge as we haveone here to sell (dluding to the bridgeacross the river that had been erected ia connection, with the proposed OxfordTenoika line but abandoned by the p"e~ sent Government.), Mr Wakefield replied' that if he knew of any one he would let MrLoyens know. (Laugh ier). In,reply to Mr W. Hayhurat, astowhat. terms the deferred payment land wouldbe thrown open, the candidate said it onld be on such terms, that any person jjd pay for it out of their earoinjfs. (A v-tee < Two, and six. a day.) Tne- landcould not be mortgaged until paid for. La,nd under this system should not in his opinion, be put up to auction, but sold by selection and lots drawn for it In. reply to Mr Ollivier,. Mr Wakefield, said ho was in favor of the-Capitation. Grant being restored, especially aft'-? the good s-eivjce the volunteer* had rendered, the country.. I. reply to an, elector, Mr Wakefield' s t id he was not in favor of a duty being levied on all machinery manufactured in, the Colony. Mr L<ach ascended thp platform amidst great uproar and asked the candidate what good the Upper House was. Mr WakenVd teplied that it was a very useful body for they revised the laws, made by the Lower Hon >. If such ware not the case very queer laws would Le ; Mr Leoeh asked for a short description, of S'r G. Grey's Local Government Bill. Mr Wakefield said tint it would havedivr'ded New Zealand into twenty-five independent frtate',, each having its own. Legislature, appointing their own judges, and w.ould have in fact t'ie sole manage-, mepti of their own affairs. The fiiianci»t matters, would be rather m gre. From the hind fund of the Colony sufficient n>or>ey was to be supplied for the oomforf ity, a:td happiness, of the people. iMvoniu be one of those Utopian m«B?(re3. that loked very well in theory but would be found, when practically tested to work b dly. In reply to another question from, Mr Leach, the candidate said that he did; not popose to stop land sharking or trading in land, «a the latter was legitimate trading. In reply to anot'ier question by Mr Leach, Mr Wafcefield said he saw no reason why the land should not be taxed as well is any other prosperity. Mr Russell: Would you be in favor of a man marrying his sister-in-law? Mr Wakefield advised Mr Russell not tohave & new love t'll he had put off the old., h was not right to man/your sister-in-law till you w'fe wa3.de.ld. In reply to a question put by an elector, Mr Wakefield said he w*" not in favor of the Debased Wife's Siste 's Bill. He oppo*. d it in the House, but it was passed and i$ b 7 receiv d the Queen's assent. It wa-i not the law in England and if such a marriage took place in New Zealand and the paries went to England, thfc womhQ. wo'dd not there be the m n's wife. Mr Franks asked if any good had result -d from the appointing of a commission 1 on local industries, J Mr Wakefield rep'ied that there had J been a deal of good and instanced the M establishing of sulphuric acid works n fl Otaja Mr Franks asked if was a fact that all I industries paid a property tax on their I machinevy? I Mr Wakefield replied that it was and U it was right th it it should be paid on all ■ descript ions of property. m In reply to Mr Franks, Mr Wakefield I said he supported a 6d duty on beer be- M Oiluse the Colonial Treasurer told the 9 House that it was ab ; oluHy necessary to ■ raise a revenue to pay the country's debts. ■ Mr Franks asked if it would not have ■ been better to have levied a tax of Is per H acre on all unimproved agricultural land H in the Colony. Mr Wakefield agreed but thought the ■ oeople would, immediately such a tax w»« impoted', cultivate their land. It would be a perfectly legitimate tax. _ Mr <Juino asked if thecandtdale was in favor of Government supportitigtha. Schools. ' j^^l Mr WakeQeld said he was not, He r «teadfaßtly opposed it. They port themselves because tlte. parents children taught therein were able t« P a f >r their education. |^^H In explanation of the action of vernmeut in regard to Te Whiti, Tohu A others.' Mr Wakefield said the Go ', flr ment had now nothing to do with They were Uftndwl over tojthe M»gi»^«^^M

to be oesdt w : th «*n • KarJe-~oT' mi V|, e ni''nn<r. Mr Qninnasktd f Mr Wikefie'd was i favor of the Government support inj Catholic sf hools. Mr Wakefield paid tuat where r. p'ac was large enough for two or more school and a Cattiolio School wis there estab lished, it should h.ive its own manage nient and be supported by Government If the place was not enough the' they should be content with ti: • Nation* S.hool. £|» Mr Leach asked if Mr Wafctfbld wai favor of the establishing of a i-.'itiona Bank of Issue. . Mr Wakefield said that a large issue oi paper i inr.-tMjy wcold I>e ru tious to the ■country.. He wai not ii: f«vor of it. There wre plenty of banks already establiaWd and tie lessee Governu.ent interfered with p» ivate enterprise the better. Mr flaylwust usked Mr WakehMd if he had heard that be (Mr Hayhurst) wai goinj,.t" retire from the contest. Mr WakehVd replied that he had not up to that vi ry moment. Mr Hayhurst then asked Mr Wakefield <a 8< ries of questions in regard lo the requisition th>t bad bee* forwarded him, .specially in reference lo a part icui£r~ name that had been published of au not sbn the requisition ; *iilr ,fich a Jieading thereon as inserti*<J..*ln thepapers. Mr Wakefield repJiwL'* that j he had seceivvda requisition i&n a pa-»ioular day signed by 200 or 3(M> elector/ He knew nothing about it except that.ne received it(Applause). / M r Hayhurs/: 1 f yoi got fi requisition not sig ed would you «iot be deceived. Mr Wakefield saw he could, not be .deceived because le would see that it was worthle/ss.. (Laughter.) Mr- HiiyliuisJ said that Mr Wakefield's requisition «$* not signed in a crnr sense, During ihe. cime he was exp'aii.ing the matter he.whs frequently interrupted, Mr \V..ktfi Id siiid he had no means of jiiogit'c. tie 1 (-n.-i fidt si f the requisition in lie ] aM, 1 lit w; s pnpii»e'i to test it on ihe polling day at the poll. (Laughter.) Mr Hayhurst asked why Mr WakehMd had c' : singed his opinions in regard to 'he CJppei House. The la>t time he addressed them he had sai.l that it wns doing good work and should not be interfere! 7 with. Mr Wakefield sail he then pointed out jreform was necet-g ry, but he luid noi changed his opinion. In reply to another question put by Mr Hayhurst, Mr Wakefield sail he was not in favor of railway passes being d>.ne away with, granted to members of Parianient and the newspapers. From the question put it VMS pretty clear Mr Hayhurst did not think he would get into Parliament (A perfect storm of applause greeted (his assertion.) Mr Hayhurst was proceeding to spflwk again on the subject whett Mr interrupted him on a point of order, Mr Hayhurst then left the platform. Mr Bolton asked Mr Wakefield if he was aware that men had been locked up in order to get their signatures to Mr Hav hur3t's requisition 1 Mr Wakefield replied that he was not. Mr Hiiyhurst ssiid he was not either, (Uproar.) H« would iisk the Chairman to offer £5 to Mr Bolton for information • on the subject. Mr Darrock proposed, and Mr Whiteman seconded, a vote of thanks and confidence iu Mr Wakefield. The resolution was unanimously carried, amidst prolonged cheering. Hie usual vote of thanks to the Chairman, with three hearty cheers for Mr oox, terminated a most orderly meeting.

THE POLL.

For some time past the issue of yesterday's election had been lcokeii for .yard to with considerable interest from the fait that the Geraldine seat would b" hotly contested for, by two local candidates against the previous holder of the seat. All three candidates were wellknown in this electoral district; hence each had his own particular favorites. Rumour, with its thousand tongues, was rife on Thursdayin this township to the effect that a coalition hail taken place between Messrs Podilefchwuite and Hayhurst'a parties, but this, ae subsequent events proved, was only a political canard. Mr Dyson, the Returning Officer, appointed the following as his deputies for yarjotis parts of the disirjit ;—- Waitohi,. M. A. Mahan Kakalm Mr W. R. Uprichard Woodbury... Mr J Anhwell Geraldine.. Mr C. E. Sherratt $. Rangitata......Mr T. S. Lewis Winchester.......Mr W Johnston The polling commenced at the above places and at the principal one at Temuka jesterday. at 0 a-m. By the earjy train yesterday from Timaru, several electors resilient in that district came out to record their votes, A ppecial train left Chrstchurcb at II a.m. filled with voters, and arrived »t the station here, about 3 p.m. From the time of the poll commencing at uioe o'clock, groups of persons collected in the vicinity of Ae polling booth here, discussing' the merits or demerit* of the candidates, shortly after the commencement of the contest it was understood that Mr had resigned iu favor of Mr Postlethwmte, aud every legitimate means possible were made to secure that j>eoileuuu'» return against Mr VTskoSeid,

|-_.T~wai'dJ.Li.e.latter part of the aft-nmon 1 a I.r 11 a*si-inb ed opposite the Umiirimiine, and a deal of harmless fun W‘is indu’ged : n. «*• da 1 tile siiiiuuiag'ing, but everyone wis i the best of humors. Ti e following is the mi- fficiul slate of

representative of tlit* people to oc- npy the seat f(>r Geraldine in the House of Repre sentatives for three years.

hi- fioil — ■ Postlefield. hurst. thwuite. Temuka ... 204 20 182 Q. mlditiH 96 20 213 Wii.chfsfer $2 1 14 Waitohi ... ... 22 5 19 K'kaba ... 17 3 40 Woni? bury 37 !4 16 South Hangitatn... 25 0 34 — — T.jiiijs - 483 63 618 Mi . < tii> refer.; the chosen