Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Temuka Leader, Issue 1608, 16 July 1887, Page 2

TO TEE BLEOIOBB 07 GLADSTONE. CAPTAIN SUTIEB having announced that it ii not hit intention to seek reelection, I beg to offer myself as a candidate for the seat in the Home of Bepresentatives {whioh he hai 10 long and so worthily filled. At a'■■-New Zealander bora and bred in your District, and fully intending to spend my life in the colony, I am anxious to derote a considerable portion of my time to the lerviee of my fellow ooloniats. Possessing myself tome stake in your dlstriot, and closely oonneeted with it by family ties, I am emboldened to hope that to you I may be indebted for my entranoo into public life. I shall take an early opportunity to lay my views fully before you, but 1 think it well at onoe to state briefly the nlient point! of my political creed. Undoubtedly the first and most imperative duty of the new Parliament r wiH be to grapple earnestly and fearlessly with the financial difficulties of the colony. It is universally admitted that the burden of taxation must not be increased* and, therefore, the only true way out of our financial trouble ie the praotice of the most drastic economy inerery Department of the State. Though a rigid eoonomiat, I shall not for a moment oouncenanoe any pitiful and cheeseparing reductions in the pay of persons [in the pnblio employ, who, whether as doing needful work for the State; but I am convinced that there is ample room for a large reduction in the number of officials without in any degree impairing the effioienoy of the various departments of the pnblio I am prepared to support a large reduction in the exorbitant salaries now paid to the Governor and other high officials, whose pay is at present utterly out of proportion to the value of their serviees. I will adTOoate a enbstantial reduction in the] number of members in the House of Representatives. And I consider in the resent financial position of the Colony the members of the Legislative Council nominated by the Grown mainly in the interests of property, should cease to be paid by the State. There are other ways, which I shall have an opportunity of detailing to you, by which the expense of the Legislature might be sensibly diminished. In spite, however, of the utmost economy I have no hope that an increase of taxation can be avoided unless an end is put once and for all to the reokleis gambling polioy of borrowing money for the oonstruotion of political railways and other public works intended to catch votes for party purposes. I hold the present Treasurer mainly re» sponsible for the introduction and perpetuation of this polioy—the ohief cause of the depression whioh now taxes so severely the resources of the oolony. Therefore it is needless to state that I am opposed to the Government as at present constituted. To ensure the pure administration of the public funds, the farce of party Government, apishly copied from the antiquated system now beginning to break down in England, must cease. On the burning question of Protection I wish to speak with no uncertain sound. I will strenuously oppose any inorease in the Customs, especially that most monstrous proposal to tax agricultural implements, satisfied as I am, that with strict economy no additional taxation is needed, and that any attempt to bolster np the induitries of the towns at the expense of the public must materially harass and injure the Srbat Naw Zealand ihdubtribb—the Agricultural and Pastoral. I shall strongly favor all reasonable measures to promote bona fide settlement in small holdings, and a simplification of our cumbersome Land Aots. Some of the present | vexatious conditions attaohed to the deferred payment and leasehold systems might with advantage be relaxed in favor of genuine tillers of the soil, adequate safeguards Doing maintained against the acquisition of lands for purely speculative purposes. ] The propoial for the purchase by the Crown of private lands for settlement seems to have originated in the deiiro to relieve embarrassed landowners, and would, I am persuaded, only result in jibbery and the increase of officialism, Largely dependent as the farming clasees are upon the circulation of capital at the lowest possible rates of interest, I am anxious that no discouragement should be afforded to the foreign capitalist to lend on New Zealand securities. But I regard an absentee landed proprietary as the greatest possible curse to a country. I need hardly add that yonr interests are identical with my own, and if yon do me the honour to elect me, I shall take every op. portunifcy of coming personally amongst yon and making myself fully acquainted with the wants of the district. I have the honor to be, gent'emen, Your obedient servant, ABTHTJB B. G. RHODES.