PRESESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1569, 16 April 1887, Page 3

PRESESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

THE HON. W. ROLLESTON AT pr . GERALDINE. Mr Rolleston addressed Ins constituents at Geraldine on Thursday evening in the Oddfellows' Hall. There was a large and thoroughly representative meeting, tbe ball being filled. Mr If. H. Peaipoint, Chairman of the Geraldine Town Board,.occupied the chair, and briefly introduced''the .speaker, asking on his » behalf for a fair and patient hearing, • ; . Mr Rolleston then proceeded with 1 his 5 address, which was similar to delivered at Temuka on the previous even.ing, and reported at length in this paper. At tbe close of the address the Chair* ' man stated that the speaker would be : happy to answer any questions that might be asked, / Mr ti. Stokes wished to know hon it "was, that Mr Rolleston voted £20,000 for immigration, when the country was full ' of poverty and depression. He thought the money would be far better spent in endeavoring to develop the mineral resources of the Kakaha district. He aceused Mr Rolleston of voting in opposition to the interests of the working classes.—Mr Rolleston stated that it was true that he voted for the £20,000 for < that purpose, but the money had been absolutely pledged for the purpose of bringing out single women, whose relations were in the eolony, and a portion of the money was to assist to bring out 'the relations of small capitalists who .were already in the colony. He did not consider his action had been detrimental to the interests of the working men of New Zealand. Mr Quinn said he understood that Members of the General Assembly and Legislative Council h«ld free passes on the railways. He wished to know if that was true f He instanced one Member of the Legislative Council in the Geraldine district who did very little in the House, and ovule use of his free pass to do all his travelling. He would like to know if Mr Kolleston considered it fair ? (Applause). Mr Rolleston said it had been determined by Parliament that these passes should be issued. The idea was that - members would thus be able to see the country and deal more ably with any business that came before them. For his - Own pari he did hot £bink it was ns well, but'' as the passes did exist he did Dot blame members for taking advantage of hem, ■ Mr Aitken wished to known if Mr Rolled* tt)D had given hie support to Major

Steward's measure for the abolition of cumulative voting at the election of School Committees ?—Mr Rolleston said he hid vo'i*d ag.;inst the Bill. The cumulative vote was given to a section Of the community that disagreed with th<> educational system, in order that they might be fairly represented. That system was working well at Home, and he thought it would be a mistake to chop and change about without giving a system that was working well in other countries a fair trial. Mr Taylor said in view of the existing deficiency, and the hint of Sir Julius Vogel that it would have to be made up either by increasing the Property Tax and the Customs duties or by an Income tax, which would Mr Rolleston support ?•—Mr Holleston then spoke on the deficiency in the same manner that he had spoken on it the previous evening. Mr Coltaian wished to know it Mr Rolleston would be in favor of abolishing the £SOO exemption of the Property Tax I —Mr Rolleston sain ia the face of not knowing the proposals of the Government he would not like to give a definite reply, but he thought the abolition of the exemption, taken with other things, would uot be unfair j at any race the exemption at present was too high. Mr Pearpoiut asked if Mr Rolleston thought it was a fair and just thing that a person should be able to become a, member of a Scheol Committee by tho " p'umping " of himself and one or two of his friends, when another who had received three or four times the number of individual.votes was kept out? Mr Gore here said that in Gera!dine a person could by getting one or two of bis relations to " plump" for him, make himself secure of a sent.

Mr Rollaston thought the public had - uot taken the interest in the matter that they should. If more interest wnretaken it would remedy that. Mr Pearpoint thought it would amount to the same thing. Mr Aitken wished to know why the School Committee elections should be conducted differently to any other election as regards votngl—Mr Rolleston thought the argument was right. He bad not taken much notice of the working ef the system, but if it c»me before him, again he would give it bis best attention. Dr Foster said with regard to the prevention of the recovery of small debts in the Resident Magistrato's Courts, was it likelj that a Local Courts Bill wou'd be brought in providing that stioh Courts super-ede the Resident Magistrates' Courts T—Mr Rolleston said it was the intention of the Government to bring forward a Local Comts Bill, but he did not think it would be passed this yeitr. He thought that as soon as the House met the Representation B'll would be hurried on, and then there would be a dissolution as soon as possible.

Mr Gore wished to know if Mr RolIcston would be in favor of putting a tax, of four or five percent, upon the earnings of the totalisator at race meeting*?—Mr Bolieston said he had no interest in the totalisators whatever. He looked upon all formß of gambling as an unmitigated enrse to the country. He had no connection with it whatever, and he looked upon the tot&lisator as ohe of the stupid things going for men to call sport. (Applause). Dr Foster said he had much pleasure in bearing Mr Rtfllestan'a thorough explanation on the Freetrade question, and would like to nsk « question on that point. H« thought all things were maturing up to a division of parties between *be Freetraders and Anti-Freetraders, in the present Government Sir Julius Vogel representedfthe Protectionists, and there was nobody to stand up for the Freetrade party. But on the opposite side Major Atkinson was a Protectionist, and Sir John Hall, also a leader looked forward to, was a pronounced Protectionist. If they have to encouuter a Protectionist Government by a Protection Opposition where would the Freetraders be! Would Mr JRolleston bs prepaied to ally him»elf with that party whioh *ould go in fo r Freetrade | He •artninly thought that the party was strong enough. They had at the begin* ning of the session given a block vote and thrown out the proposals of the Government, and he did not see why they should Dot be strong enough to do the same thing again, Mr Maalin would put the question more home, If Sir Robert Stout would put himself at the head of the Freetrade party, would Mr Xolleston join him and leave the Atkinbon party} Mr ftolle&ton thought the question would hardly aria*. There was no question just new about absolute Freetrade. They were already taxod by the Customs duties as high as they could be, and he did not think the Freetrade question would arise. His present intention was to honestly adhere to Major Atkinson. Mr Maßlio asked, if it was desirable to create small holdings uni sell land in blocks of five or ten acres, how was it proposed to prevent people selling their holdings, to their neighbors, and thus making larger blocks s—Mr Rollestoo did not think they could help that, His own plan had been that a certain number of settlers should be upon a certain area of land.

Mr H. W. Moore said he was very glad to hear tbe manner in which Mr Rolleston had spoken of Mr Bryce, who waa a man that he (Mr Moore) thought a great deal of. He begged to propose a moot hearty vote of thanks j;o Mr Rolleston for his address and the clear manner in which be had answered the questions put, and of confidence in him as their member. Mr A, Macdonald seconded the pror position which whs cirried by acclam*. tion. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.

Mr Montgomery addressed his con* Stituents at Akaroa oa Wednesday night, and was accorded a vote of thanks and Referring to •!>* basis of representation, he said there b,9 a difference in fayor of country districts. He would prefer reducing the honorarium to lessening the number of members of Parliument. He was in favor of moderately protecting such goods as could be produced in the colony. Complete refornj was needed in the management of the railways, which could" jever be economically administered till freed from . political Control. Notwithstanding Sir Julius Yogel's appro. priation pf the sinking fund there was a deficiency of £200,000 this year, which should be met by retrenchment, rather tkan by increased taxation, or dishonest

hi>rrrowi„ij ■" "id of cmreni revenue. Public opinion wou'd, he hoped, declare Htroiitfly ag-iiim* further borrowing. Mr Balance's Jotnd Acquicition Bill would, lie feared, leal lo jobbery. Of all tenures he preferred thn freehold. ill' Pearson addressed bis constituents if West Oxfoud on Wednesday night and received a vote of conn" ienoe. H« con detune* some of the actions of the Ministry.