ELECTORAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2578, 7 November 1893, Page 3

ELECTORAL.

ME R. M. CUTHBERTSON AT GERALDINE. Mr Cuthbertson delivered his opening address to the electors of Rangitata on Friday evening in the Volunteer Hall, Geraldine, to an audience numbering about 200, many of whom were ladies. Mr White, chairman of the Geraldine Town Board, occupied the chair, and briefly introduced the candidate. Mr Cuthbertson, who was received with applause, said that he was confident he would receive a patient and impartial hearing from the electors of Geraldine. He wished to contradict a rumor that he was the nominee of the publicans' interest and that he had no intention of going to the poll. He gave this rumor a most unqualified denial. He was the nominee of no party, and would fight the election io the bitter end. FEMALE FRANCHISE. He was at one time an opponent of the women's franchise, because he thought the women Of the colony did not wish for the privilege. He thought that the same influence might have been brought about by woman devoting herself to her own proper sphere —the family. INDEPENDENT. He was on many points in favor of the legislation of the Liberal but he refused to tie himself hand and foot to any party. He had always thought that u Government should only be defeated o" - waut of confidence, a,nd. th" 4 - measures priyate ' h . r , ■;" ° n , othfc ; r i«wpd ** ,/;„ ~ ~ fcm oeis should be allowed 50 vute as they please. LABOR, The question oi the unemployed was one on whigb, be would itye to say a few words YfL$W W»g ft great deal of mud being {ihrqwn on piio present Government witu ?egi*rd to this. The Government deserved credit for what they had done. They deserved credit for their village settlement Scheme. The unemployed difficulty was more felt in winter months in the country than at any other time, and it was unfortunate that at the present time there was not enough work. He was satisfied that if the Arbitration and Conciliation Bill had passed it would have done a great deal of good. No one would advocate that labor could do without capital, and it was evident if some such measure was in force strikes would be remedied. The Bill was oue of the best labor bills the Government hid introduced, and he was sorry it had n't passed. The Labor members in Parli .ment were wejl worthy of sitting for | y aeat Ju fwJwwiitu

TAXATION. There was no doubt that it was the duty of the legislature to make incidence of taxation fall on those who were best able to bear it. The Government had wisely introduced the land and income tax in place of pruperty tax, but to make up for shrinkage, &c, they were compelled to puc an extra tax on land. This, he thought, was a mistake. He thought the deficiency (about £3 7,000) should have been made up by an increase of the income tax. He thought, however, the alteration had had a good effect, although his own opinion was that land had rather too many burdens on it. An advantage of the graduated tax was that it helped to cause large blocks of idle land to be broken up. He would be very chary of interfering with large blocks of land where a man farmed it or used it all himself. LAND SETTLEMENT. The secret of the prosperity of this colony was the settlement of the people on the land, and the village settlement scheme had this object in view. There was a sentiment about a freehold, but it was only a sentiment. A 999 years' lease gave a man almost a freehold, and at the same time left the country control over the land. For this reason he was in favor of the land policy of the Government. DEATH DUTIES. He thought it a wise provision that duty on deceased persons' estates could be paid in land in-tead of in money, as by this means some of the lands would fall back to the Crown. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. He thought the nominated system of election to the Upper House was bad. All the Government had to do to carry its measures was to swamp the Upper House, if necessary, and this was no check on hasty legislation. Similarly, an elective House on the same basis as the Lower House was no check. He thought that members who had served a term in the Lower House should be elected to the Upper House. He was strongly opposed ! to the abolition of the Legislative Council. THE RAILWAYS. As to the management of the railways he thought that political interference was a mistake. He was opposed to the Premier being chairman of the board, and was of opinion it would be better to get a really competent man from England, and have the Board of Commissioners strengthened in this way. (Applause). EDUCATION. He was in favor of grants in aid to private schools. (Applause.) Many parents thought that a part of education should consist of religiou, and that it should be received in tne public schools. The Catholics deserved every credit for their self-denial, and their continued demand for State aid. In provincial Westland this system had worked admirably. He thought State aid should be on these conditions : School should have a minimum attendance of, say, 50, and that the Government should iuspect the secular education only and see that children should pass the standards. He saw no objection to it, and if elected he would use every effort in his power to advocate this point. The system of secondary education in vogue assisted the rich man's chil i only. He would advocate this: taat the endowments for secondary education should be devoted to those who had passed a certain standard of education. These should be admitted to the secondary schools. If ricn people desired more they could pay for io. Rich and poor alike should be on an equal footing in secondary schools. He was in favor of Bible reading vol schools, but it should be left to the committees. There should be no difficulty in preparing a religious text book for u<e in schools. LIQUOR QUESTION. With regard to the liquor question, he was not a prohibitionist, nor was he a direct vetoist with a bare majority. The drink evil was a very great one, but prohibition would not cure it ; it would increase it. Liberal reforms must be brought about gradually. This can be done now either by partial prohibition with a bare majority, or a total by a three-fifths majority. The proper mode was by regulating the traffic, not by wiping it out of sight. A catch majority might do a great deal of harm. Prohibitionists could hardly be sincere in wishing to stamp out such large interests with a majority of one man. A three-fifths majority was not an out-of-the-way thing. The same principle was now in force with regard to loans to local bodies. Prohibitionists had cried out for a new Act. Well, they had got a new Act, and still they were not satisfied. His own opinion was , that these prohibitionists would be satisfied with nothing. He quoted Mr Kelly, M.H.R., who supported the present bill, and who at the same time nad been chosen by the temperance party in Invercargill. That was a temperance party indeed. They had the good sense to sea that a radical cure could not be effected in a day, and were content to accept the present law. CONCLUSION. In conclusion, he said he had endeavored to lay his views before them to the best of nis ability. If his views were the views of the audience he asked them to return him as the member of Rangitata. (Applause.) QUESTIONS. If a person did not vote for any candidate, would his electoral rights be lost for three years ? He is struck off the roll, but can immediately apply to be put on, It is not a fact thatj be had supported a Conservative candidate at the last election. He would not be in favor of repealing the present Alcoholic Liquor Bill in favor of one by Sir R. Stout. He thought the present Act should have a fair trial. He would advocate the Bible being read without comment, and with a conscience clause. By what majority should a committee decide to have the Bible read jn schools ? He saw no reason why a bare majority majority should not decide.—The asker of the question said he was a prohibitionist, and that would explain his question. " What was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander." (Laughter and applause). He was not the nominee of the brewers, nor of any clique or class, publicans or anyone else. (Applause). The reason he contested the Ilangitata seat was tjhat gome of his friends had brought yer-y. strong pressure on him %p, dp sp, and he intended to fight the electorate on his own respousibuity. Would Mr Cuthbertson be in favor of an amendment to the Licensing Act with the view of making the districts the old licensing districts, instead of the present electoral districts / He would suppqrfe an i amendment to make the licensing still larger, say the sP,rts a.nd. iotttii > Island. If itj came fca a oboioti bfl*"Seddon and Sir R, Siout, "-• " Mr ship he would ~*-" "J to the leadernever —■ " Mr Seddon, as he -oiiid agree with Sir R. Stout's view* on prohibition. Would he be in favor of putting men on 50 acres of first-class lau'l, instead i-f 5 acres, and if they could not pay their rent to give them assistance ?—He would be m favor of something to that effect. He thought the village settlement schdme bad done a vast deal of good to the couutry and would do more. He had known of a publican being prosecuted the third time, in fact, he had had the pleasure of prosecuting him and getting him convicted. (Laughter). Does Mr Cuthbertson consider it fair and just that all the fine buildings in towns should escape taxation, while the poor farmers should pay on their land I —He had already said he thought land was already too highly taxed. There certainly was a defect here ; at the same time town buillings had already to pay very heavy local taxes in the shape of rates. Could not the Government get at these buildings, etc., by the Itatimg Act .'—He hadn't very fully considered this question, but very possibly this might be done. Care should be t.iken not to burden anyone unduly,

He would certainly be in favor of compensating a publican whose license was taken away through no fatilt of hia own. If there could be a reduction of revenue he would be in favor of the reduction being made in the customs, as that would benefit a large number of people. He would loyally now accept woman s franchise, and would be against any hasty repeal. At the same time he thought politics should be a masculine occupation. He thought Geraldine ought to have been made the principal polling booth, but perhaps the Hinds was more convenient. VOTE OK' THANKS. A vote of thanks to Mr Cuthbertson was duly moved and seconded, and accorded with applause. Mr Cuthbertson briefly thanked the audience for their patient hearing, etc., and moved a vote of thanks to the chair. This terminated the meeting.