ELECTORAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2576, 2 November 1893, Page 2

ELECTORAL.

1R W. S. MASLIN AT GERALDINE. Mr W. S. Maslin, a caudidate for the 3onse of Representatives in the Liberal oterest for the Rangitata electorate, pened the political campaign at the Geraldine Volunteer Hall on Tuesday veiling. There were over 300 electois >reseut, including a number of ladies. Mr A. White, chairman, said he had ittle need to introduce Mr Maslin to hem, as he was one of the oldest residents >f Geraldine. He was very glad to see uch a good attendance of electors >reseut, especially as the coming election vould be one of the most important they lad ever had in New Zealand. He ilaimed for Mr Maslin a fair and attentive learing in his maiden political speech. [Applause.) Mr W. S. Maslin, who was received yith loud applause, said : Mr Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen, —As Mr White remarked, although I lave at times spoken in Geraldine on various subjects, this is the first time I have attempted the task of addressing in audience on political subjects, but baking, as 1 have always done, an interest in the Liberal side of politics, and at the wish of many friends of the Liberal cause asking me to contest this election, on these grounds I make bold to stand before you to-night. (Applause.) Permit me, ladies, to congratulate you for the first time in having the privilege of attending meetings of this kind as electors. The subject of woman's franchise has been before the public now for a number of years. At one time—years ago—it was nearly passed into law by the inclusion of the word ',' person " by Sir George Grey in the Electoral Bill, but the word was discovered, and the result was that this great reform was deferred. I have been pleased to note the hearty congratulation accorded to the leader in this movement, but am sorry to notice that the meed of praise that the present Liberal Government have deservedly won for their share in instituting the reform has .not been accorded. I recognise fully what Sir John Hall, Sir Robert Stout, and other leaders had done for the woman's franchise cause, but unless the Government had taken the measure up and forced it through the House the ladies would have been without the franchise to-night. (Loud applause.) This was not the only electoral reform that was given effect to during the last session. It has often been noted and referred to as against the Liberal Government that in by-elections they have generally been the losers. This resulted from the property-holders being able to register in as many districts -as they held property. This hag been done away with—a very desirable thing, indeed, I think. (Applause.) Under the present electoral law we have not only the one-man-one-vote, but also the one-man-one- holl, and so in f uture in by-elections there can be no rushing of a crowd from other parts to kill an election against the wish of the people in that district. There is little need for me to inform you that in politics I am a Liberal, but, believe me, I am not one of those mushroom Liberals that grow up iu a day. I challenge anyone to say that I have ever been anything else but a Liberal, for I have always supported Liberalism and worked for the Liberal cause ever since 1 have had the privilege of recording a vote. (Applause.) In the early days Liberalism incurred some little odium to those who supported ifc, but now that the cause is ou the up-grade everybody is flocking forward on the Liberal side. Candidates are cropping up everywhere, and I take it as a good omen of the success of the Liberal cause in the future. (Applause). When the present Government came into power the Opposition did all in their power to bring the Liberal party into discredit. Many of you know how the Opposition leader stumped through the country saying that we were going to have a large deficit in revenue, money would be scarce, and trade brought to a state of stagnation. The wish was father to the thought, no doubt, but in some instances they did not care what their thoughts were; Time has falsified all their predictions, and instead of the Liberal Government having a deficit in their revenue, and trade being paralysed, what do we find ? Why, that they had a large surplus, without additional taxation, and the revenue of the colony has become more buoyant. Besides this, the Government have been able to vote a large sum of money out of revenue to carry on public works without further borrowing, a thing which no other Government in New Zealand have done. (Loud applause.) Regarding the matter of money leaving our shores, I say money to within the last six months was never more plentiful, and savings banks had to reduce their interest on deposits on account of the flow of money. Thus we see the prosperity that generally follows when the people rule. (Applause.)

THE SUCCESS OE THE LIBERAL GOVERNMENT is unprecedented, lil inspect to their financial arrangements their whole course hss been one of success. (Applause.) It hits heel) one triumphant success all along the line, and-you cannot point to a Government that has done go much for the farming community and the people of the colony as the Government of the day. But what is their success to be attributed to I The Conservative says the success is duo to the Government following in the footsteps of their predecessors and adopting their financial policy. But if that is so, why do they cry out against the Government for changing the incidence of taxation and bringing about a revolution ? The Conservative policy was a Conservative Property Tax that taxed everything that a man had, eyep t q his oy and his ass. T{fis tax was very unjust, and was against tfie development of industries. For instance, £2600 capital was supplied by people in this district for opening up a dairy industry, Although the industry never paid a dividend, as eoQuas flmy spbsgribgdtfip money down game the property tax pppu them. .[ do not say that the property tax killed the dairy industry at Geraldine, but I do say that it crippled industry to a large extent. What has the present Government done '! They have abolished the Property Tax and given us a LAND AND INCOME TAX. Whan first introduced this Bill exempted Imppoyenfents to the extent of £3OOO on laud, and alsq shgpp and cattle. This was felt by the fapipin| community and the public generally to be a large measure of relief. But this was not all. The Government has abolished taxation on improvements altogether, and the success of their measure is the result. Industries can now start and flourish, and are not called upon to contribute one penny direct taxation until such time as they make sufficient profits to come under the control of the Income Tax; until the money is earned there fis no taxaiiqn. This should lift the country up, aiid 1 beljeye that miiph of tfip buoyancy of the finances of the couhtry to-day is attributable in no small degrg

to the enlightened measures passed by on Liberal Government. (Applause). Ther was a great hue and cry made again e the Government because for the first tim in the history of the colony men wer called upon to contribute to direct taxatio according to their means. 1 refer to th GRADUATED TAX. I consider this tax to be sound i principle. If a man possesses much lan in estates he has. a right to contribute t the revenue of the colony; especially a he has grown rich by the borrower millions expended by the Government 01 roads} and railways. The people paid total sum of £297,000 tax under the Lam Tax. But we must remember that on railways are paying about 3 per cent.,am still do not pay, as £200,000 is chargeable to the consolidated revenue of tin colony for paying interest on their con struction. If we deduct this £200,00( from the £297,000 taxation paid by thesi large laud-holders there is a very smal proportion of taxation against them Under these circumstances I see no cause for-complaint from the large land-owners If any people have cause to complain il is the people who receive the smallesi benefit and contribute largely tc the revenue of the colony. Wt must also remember that the highei grades under the graduated taxation system is only paid by a few. Only 150 C persons pay graduated taxation at all There are 809 persona out of the 1500 whc only pay an average of £3 11s graduated taxation. Then there are 387 who pay on from £IO,OOO to £20,000. On the highei grade eight persons pay on £90,000 ; five pay on £J 10,000 ; three pay on £130,000 ; six pay on £150,000; two pay on £170,000; one pays on £190,000; and three pay on £210,000 and over. So you see that the higher grade of the graduated tax falls on a few who are very near millionaires, and it is right and proper that these men, who have grown immensely rich at the country’s expense, should be called upon to pay their fair share of taxation. (Applause). To show you the relief that has been given by the Liberal Government’s system of taxation to the bona fide worker on the land, I will give you a few figures. The contributors under the Property Tax numbered 26,327; those under the present system number : —Land Tax, 12,360; Income Tax, 3,448 ; Graduated Laud Tax, 1491; total, 17,299. So there are 9028 persons who have been relieved from direct taxation through the proposals of the present Government. As showing how it affects farmers ; The total number of farmers who paid property tax was 8,611; the number combined who pay land tax, graduated tax, and income tax totals only 5,623, which means that some 3,000 bona tide tillers of the soil have been relieved of taxation. This is encouraging to settlers in this district and other districts to continue their support to the Liberal party. (Applause.) There was a measure brought forward by the Government, but afterwards thrown out by the Upper House, called THE LAND 808, SETTLEMENT BILL. The Government have tried hard to acquire lands for settlement, but have got very little. The land was either unsuitable, or the price asked was too excessive. It is absolutely necessary that the Government should have power to acquire laud suitable for settlement at a fair valuation, or by giving other laud in exchange. Good suitable lands for settlement is shut up in the back country by land-holders having purchased every avenue and access to them. In Nelson and Marlborough there is a lease of 3,000,000 acres, which will expire during the next three years. The leasee bought up all the frontages, valleys, water-courses over a valuable spot for a homestead, so as to practically shut up this block of country from settlement. Are the Government to be in the position to be compelled to re-elect to these men, or to have the right to acquire the lauds so as to cut it up for the beuetht of the people ? It is time some measure was passed to get access to these lands. There has been a cry against this bill that it is unjust for the Government to rob a man of his land. But, consider, how were these lands acquired ? The land-owners certainly paid the price that the Government of the day charged them for these lauds, but the lands were nearly all alienated from the Crown before the people had a voice in the laws of the country. It is only of late years that the people have had a voice in law making, and the laws previously were made in the interest of landholders. They could buy where they liked and how they liked, so they bought up land in their own interest, blocking settlement and preserving to themselves power of access to back country for all time. I do not blame them (the landowners) for doing this. We might all have done the same thing had we the chance, but the law that allowed such a thing to happen was decidedly wrong. And because wrong laws allowed wrong acts to take place, are we not to try and remedy these laws? Because mistakes existed in the past are we going to perpetuate these mistakes I I think the measure introduced by the Government was the right measure and one in the interest of the settlement of this country. (Applause). The opponents of the measure said the intention of the Government was to take the farmers’ land, and they made long Speeches in the Hquso on this question. They said the Government will lake one fanner’s land and give jt to another farmer. The Hon. Mr McKenzie, however, made it clear that jt the intention pf the Government to tonsil no lands but those which were a barrier to settlement, so that settlement might go on unhindered. (Applause). Another matter brought prominently before the country lately was the

GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS BILL No doubt this matter will, ftnd, a prominent -placp at looming election.' It jjas already been brought before you in a speech delivered in the House, dome of you may not be familiar with the circumstances, under which the present Commissioners were appointed. A cry of Indignation arosp »jjafnst the raising of |hq pain rate. 3, and the Government •panted, to be relieved of the reg'pflngibilities of management »Dd adjustment of the railway tariffs, and they thought the best way out of the difficulty wixs to obtain a competent expert and place the management of the railways in Ilia hand. After the Bill was passed they said it was impossible to get a railway expert at the salary estimated. Wh.at did they do \hc.u '} The# played Mr McKerr'pvy as Chief Commissioner and Mr Itaxwell, who had been general manager fjiuddid not give unmixed satisfaction, was placed second, and Mr Han nay was placed third. The Conservative Government also increased McKerrow's salary to £1250 per annum, the other' two {liQimiUssioners to £IOOO each. The Premier's salary is only £IOOO, sa practiciliy this places Mr McKerrow above the Premier, and next to the Governor and judges in position. And thus the Government handed over to these three men over £15,000,000 worth gi public property. In the present jtjovcrnnpit Bjll some object to "the th,e right 'of veto, bu> I

would point out that the chief Commissioner at present has absolute power to do as he pleases, and the other two Commissioners are but powerless creatures under him. I will read clause 3 of the Bill; "If the chief Commissioner differs from the other two Commissioners with respect to any matter before the Commissioners for their decision and determination, such matter shall be deferred for not less than tweuty-four hours, when it shall again be brought forward; and in the event of the chief Commissioner again differing from the other two Commissioners, such matter of difference shall be determined according to the deliberate judgment of the chief Commissioner, irrespective of the opinion of the other two Commissioners; and he shall in all such cases enter upon the minutes of the proceedings of the Commissioners, his reasons, at length, for deciding such matter in opposition to the other two ' Commissioners, and shall forward to the Minister a true copy of such minute." What can be plainer than this autocratic clause which gives the chief Commissioner absolute power 1 No doubt Mr McKerrow is an upright, straightforward nun, but he is not the only one in the country. I believe there are many quite as honest and straightforward as Mr McKerrow. But when the Government try to exercise control over the Commissioners we are told it would never do, the Government must not have any power or veto in the matter. To show that the Commissioners are not giving unmixed satisfaction, I will quote a gentleman who has come forward as their defender, viz., Mr E. G. Wright M.H.Li. He says : " The present Commissioners, however, have not doue justice to Canterbury. They have followed the lead of many Governments and treated Canterbury as the milch cow of New Zealand—and we have been steadily drained ever since by an overcharge for the carriage of our grain. The Ashburton settlers have thus been drained to the extent of £45,000 and interest under an unjust grain tariff." These are the words of Mr Wright, and it is time some change took place by which evils of the nature described can find remedy. Then again, in his speech which he circulated in this district, Mr Wright says : —" And, in reference to the grain-rates, I would like to ask honorable members whether it is fair and reasonable that the grain-growers of Canterbury—aud when I speak of Canterbury it must be borne in mind that about three-fourths of the grain carried over the railways is produced in Canterbury—whether that should be charged, for a fiftymile stage, 8s per ton, while the roadmetal used chiefly for the benefit of the roads in the North Island is carried a similar distance at 5s 4d per ton, and timber for the benefit of the saw- millers is carried a similar distance at about 5s 4d per ton." We know, ladies and gentlemen, how hard it is to obtain redress to any grievance under the existing conditions. Look at the people north of the Orari. They are as far back as they were years ago for convenience. If they want to go from Baugitata to Timaru they cannot do it under a two days' journey. The people of Belfield have cried out for a long time.for a siding, so that they might leave their grain there iustead of having to cart it across a very dangerous loose shingle ford in the Orari, but they have been coritinuallyirefused. And yet when you go across to the other side you will find conveniences afforded there to large , estates which are denied to the poor people. It is time these things were . stopped. We don't want our railways worked merely to produce revenue; but , to develop the resources of the country . aud to serve the people. As long as they ; do this they will do good service by relieving the roads of unnecessary traffic . and diverting the traffic to its proper course —the railways. (Applause). Say ' a large Joint Stock Company elected . directors, and these directors handed over , their function to the general manager ( under a special agreement which could \ not be broken for 5 years. What would . the shareholders in that company say 1 , Would they allow those directors to re- \ main in office 1 The shareholders would \ gat rid of the directors and appoint better ( men. This is exactly what we haye done, , we have dismissed these Conservative f directors and have put better men in ■ their places, who are determined to see . that the people shall know how the large ] sum of three-quarters of a million , is spent. We want a Government to ( bring our public affairs in touch with the , people that they might have control aud , find redress for their grievances. That Government has come into power the ' Bill introduced by Mr Seddon would have been a remedy but it was rejected by the \ Upper House. The Upper thought they had a smar t ' thing, no doubt, but they Were outwitted, ! for their region of the bill left, the j Cohntry without a measure and thus furthered the intentions of the Government to a greater degree than if the bill « had passed. Pome say all the wisdom j and experience is in the Upper House, but the members of that chamber were lacking in smartness for once. Ido not favor bringing every detail in regard , to the management of the railways j. before the House for discussion, b\« I think that an expenditure, o| 'three quarters of a million. p,f money ' should : haye a mqre, detailed explanation, than that giy<m by the Why , should such patronage be, given to One man? Howeyep jWd, a. 'man may be l with £?0y 3 QQQ to. with, he may ? a n j iutQ wary'mistak.es uulesa. henassome Check upon him. (Applause). I feel that I check propose! by the Government 1 Bill was all that was desired. There was J no desire to take full control over the ! railways, but only that the Government might be supplied with further detail. ( The Minuter of Public Works would be * on the committee and would have a voce ; J and who could decide in cases of dispute j better than a man elected by the people '( (Applause). I now come to another ] matter, y .

THE 00-OPEKaTIVB WORKS SYSTEM. This aystem was introduced by the present Government, and a hue and cry was raised against it. There are something like 2,000 persons engaged on these works throughout the colony. It is a great pity this system was not in force long ago. Under the contract system some men made collosal fortuues, but under the present system there is a move equitable distribution of wealth, and the many are benefited, instead of the few made exceedingly rich. (Applause). The' cry was raised against this system because some few good workmen earned a very high rate of wage. I admit that some did ; but is that any argument against the system? The Government take every ore to provide that they will get a good return for the money expended. Competent engineers estimate the value of all work done, and if really good navvies get piece-work we know they will strain every nerve and do con-

siderably more than at day work. It i§ these good gangs of men that are earning high wages, and o,th,er men again are earning a very low. wage. If the present system has proved anything it is that heaps of money must have been put into tiyj hands, of Go,ven»,en.t contractors in.

- the past, ix-.-i.do out of the bone and sinew r of the peopie. As an example of wage- ) earning, take the case of the shearer, i One man will earn 30s per day, where i another man will only earn 13s per day. i and who would say the price of shearing i is too high? Again, under the co- - operative system the engineers say that the work is done in a firat -class manner, I aud equal to any under the old system, i There is another subject I wish to l touch upon. It is one which it i is said "you cannot open your mouth on without putting your foot L in it." It is the policy among candidates i to do a lot of trimming on this subject, , but I wish to give a plain statement of • what I believe and intend to pursue, whether it pleases or displeases. I speak on the subject of EDUCATION. I have known men who have supported grants in aid of private schools who have said they supported it although they knew it would never pass into law, a«d did not believe in it. There has been too much of this kind of thing—men supporting a cause for the purpose _ of catching votes. In respect to this subject [ fully recognise the importance of religious education for the young, for youth is the impressionablo time of life. But the question arises, Where should that instruction be given ? In Christchurch there has been a great agitation amongst the clergy for the introduction of the Bible into public schools. I hope no one for a moment will think that I do not revere the Bible. 1 believe it is the best of books, but I do not believe in its introduction to our day schools to be read as a task without any degree of religious education. (Applause). The mere reading of a chapter of the Bible is not religious education, and is not calculated to help the children forward in that important subject. Is religion to be taught in our schools ? If it is to be done our teachers are not competent to give it. There are so many diversities of opinion tliat 1 should not like a teacher to impart religious instruction to my children unless I was sure that that teacher held the book in reverence, and made it the rule and guide of his life. (Applause). I say, leave our schools alone. We have an inestimable boon in our present system of free education, and I would be very careful how we tampered with and infringed on it lest we should lose so precious a gift. It is very important that our children should receive a sound education. But look through our school books aud tell me if there is anything irreligious in them. These books are full of religious instruction. Still I believe in a higher teaching than is found in our school books, but if this is to be done in pubiic schools you must get your miuisters to visit the schools before school hours and get the children to attend. I know a clergyman in this district who adopted this plan, aud children of all denominations atcended his class, and were no doubt benefitted by their instruction. But the fact of the clergymen showing so much apathy about real practical teaching before school hours shows that the Bible in public schools is not wanted, and the cry exists only in words, and not in actions. 1 believe there is something else behind it all. (Applause.) You see the surface but do not see the force underneath. I think that force is the introducing of denominationalism as opposed to our national schools. I, for one, while I fully recognise the disadvantages under which some labor, cannot see my way to support any grant to denominational schools. I make only plain statements, and will tell you why. They say " It will only apply to schools in the large centres," but we know that there are a number of denominations that would jump at the chance, and what would be the result's 1 You draw off the attendance from our large national schools, and our country schools would have to close. ( v voice—" They would have to build their schools first"). The schools are already built in some cases. In Timaru they have a place erected, and as soon as there is a chance they will no doubt avail themselves of it. Ido not say anything I do not believe in (loud applause), aud I say on the grounds I have stated I will not support denominational school grants. Take theßangitata electorate, I think there are some thirty schools here, and I don't believe there are six schools in the whol<* electorate that are self-support'**" ri - capitation grants after do- 3 ' . -■£• ne pay the salaries ■ , . --actingexpenses, small s" 1 * ' incidentals, aud the . ■ -uools are depending on the large Ones for money. Schools such as Arundel, liangitata Island, and others would be Unable to exist unless the education grant Wf.s increased. Another reason for not supporting the measure is that it is exceeding the duty of any Government to foster religious differences, and granting aid to denominational schools would do that. What I like to see is people getting closer together; rubbing off our narrow sectarian differences, and working together for the common good. This seems to be the tendency of the age. I would sooner see the children brought together on a common than like sheep in pens and subject to all the animosities of sectarianism. (Loud applause). Another matter engaging public attention at the present time is what is called the direct veto, or, as I prefer to call it,

THE DIRECT VOTE With regard to this question the greatest Boi'sconeeption is that the direct vote means prohibition straight out. (A voice : " Very near it.") lam very glad to hear someone in the trade make the admission it is very near it. (Laughter and applause.) What the direct vote does mean is this: that if you want public - houses and if you don't want them in the direct vote you have a voice on either side. What is the theory of licensing ? It is that public-houses exist not for the purposes of the licensee, but to supply the public wants, and as long as the public want drink they can have it, and if they at any time don't want it they have in the direct vote power to abolish from their mid3t the retail sale of liquor. (Applause.) This is a sound Liberal measure. lam not in favor of running to the extreme in any way, but I believe, as a true Liberal, in giving the people power to please themselves. (Applause) There is also another matter that will engage the attention of the new House when it meets —the reform of

TI-IE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I have been surprised to see the action of some professed Liberals, who when they were appointed for a term of years to the Upper House became as confirmed as the Conservatives in their opposition of Government measures. I think myself that the time of a nominee chamber is about numbered. We ought to have the members of the Upper House elected, but on a different basis than the members of the Lower House. I would bo 'in favour of provincial electorates for the Upper House. Juet the members be elected, iov ttve or six years, and then they would havo to give an account of themselves to the electors, and the provincial districts, I am sure, could find capable men who would act as a check against hasty legislation in the Lower House. In the old times they had to stand for th« whole electorate, and I remember th.^,

time when there was an election in Canterbury for a superintendant of the province. Another important question is the changing of taxation in respect to CUSTOMS DUTIES. The Colonial Treasurer, in referring to this matter, said it was impossible to undertake it this session, recognising of course the necessity of considerable reform in this direction. I have no doubt that one of the first works of the next Parliament will be the proper revision and adjustment of our customs tariff. We find the greatest anomalies existing in the tariff. Take an article such as sugar. On this thare is an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent., while on silks and satins there is only the same duty. Then there is an item, viz., tea, which carries a duty equal to 100 per cent ad valorem on qualities of tea drank by the masses. There are a few with delicate palates who go in for a higher class of tea, but the better the quality the less ad valorem duty you pay. Then there is the tax on tools—shearers tools, for instance. These cannot be manufactured in the colony and therefore should not be taxed. Where is there any protection in a tariff like that, 1 ask ? The way 1 would propose to assist local industries would be to exempt them from paying taxation on moneys they earn until they are in a position to pay 5 per cent, dividend to their shareholders. This would encourage small industries and induce men to invest their money for industrial purposes. (Applause). CONCLUSION. There are a number of other subjects I would like to speak to you upon, but as I intend to address you again before the day of election, I will leave some of these till then. In conclusion 1 would urge upon you as Liberals —because 1 speak more directly to Liberals than others—l urge you to stick to your side and support only Liberal candidates and the Government in power. (Loud applause). It depends upon you, ladies and gentlemen, what shall be the course of politics in the future. During the next ten weeks you will have to decide a question of great moment to yourselves and the country. The question will be" this : Whether the present Liberal party shall continue in power, or whether tha work they have begun and carried on so well shall be brought to an abrupt end. You have seen prosperity begun, and gradual progress made, and it is your duty to yourselves and families to support the party in power. If you neglect to go to the poll, or are divided in your votes, the prosperity of Liberal enactments will be ruthlessly razed to the ground by the accession of the Conservative party to power. If you think I will best serve your interests, vote straight for me. If you think someone else would suit, you had better not vote for rae. Let there be no division or split in the voting. One Liberal candidate tells me it will be a " moral" for the Conservative, but that is not my principle; 1 believe in your votes going en bloc to one man. I thank you for the kind attentive hearing you have accorded me. (Prolonged applause.) QUESTIONS. In reply to questions Mr Maslin said—

He would agree to give the Magdala Asylum aid if the principle were adopted of aiding institutions of the kind for the rescue of uhe fallen. If it were for a single institution he would oppose it. .Provided there was coin to represent the value of the notes, a State Bank might be some good, but personally he was not in favor of a State Bank. The State had undertaken enough, and he could not see what good a State Bank would be. It would be a big undertaking for the State to incur all the risks and responsibilities of a banking business, and the history of banks here and in Australia was not encouraging.

His opinion was that the Government Liquor Bill was a retrograde rather a progressive measure. (Applause). Under the old Licensing Aet the y‘ ls . cretionary power- of the committee was against the publican rather than for him. Now it was in favor of the publican. If public houses were closed we would get our revenue from the same source as before. The revenue came in the firs* place from the people, and not fc- m public house. (Laughter,) J tlie From what on the matter, 111 P ub | lc P a P er ® favour V—” ‘ - would not at present .. cue’s system of railway management. Sir Robert Stout and Mr Seddon were now in the position of candidates. If elected, Mr Maslin would heartily support whichever leader the Liberal party selected. (Loud applause.) VOTE OF THANKS, ETC. Mr A. McKenzie moved a hearty vote of thanks to and confidence in Mr Maslin, as the fit and proper person to represent us in Parliament. Mr Thomas Bowkett seconded this motion, which was carried unanimously with loud applause. Mr Maslin returned thanks for the confidence placed in him, but intimated that he would not accept a vote of confidence at any of his fntnre meetings, as it not only was a violation of the ballot box, bnt in the country districts there were men in the employ of Conservative masters, and it would be unfair to the men to expect them to vote at the meeting. The meeting, which was a very successful opening of the political campaign, then closed.