DUNEDIN.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3089, 11 January 1879, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

This day.

The Hon. E. Stout, Attorney General, addressed the electors last night. He reviewed the past acts of the Government and denied that the Government advanced the interests of Otago at the expense of the rest of the Colony. He defended the Tapanui Railway contract; not a member of the Ministry had any interest in the Tapanui district, and it was simply a test of the system ot selling land, the value of which was increased by railway construction, instead of allowing it to fall into the hands of speculators. It was utterly untrue that the work was commenced before the time for sending in tenders. There were many tenders, and the lowest was accepted. Had the Tapanui contract been a job, the House would never have sanctioned it. He denied that the late session was barren. Why they made almost revolutionary strides in social legislation. Look at the Trades Union Bill, which allowed workmen to unite for mutual protection. They amended the Friendly Societies Bill, made important alterations in the Juries Bill, by whch a person to be tried by a special jury should not know the names of his jurors till be stepped into the Court. There was the Licensing Bill, dealing with the natives, enabling them to say whether drink should be sold in their, districts or not. The Administration Act, when sanctioned by Her Majesty, would be a very useful measure. He defended the Land Tax Act at considerable length. Nothing could be more fair than the tax on companies. He defended the Maori franchise in the Electoral Bill, on the ground that it was not advisable to trample on the weak or set up a slave caste. It was owing to the hard work the Ministers had to do that the Government were unable to bring forward a Redistribution of Seats Bill. With regard to the Electoral Bill, this was the last, in consequence of the Opposition endeavor ing to restrict the Maori franchise, but it would do no good to trample on the weak, which would be done unless Maoris were given equal rights with Europeans. When the Redistribution of Seats Bill passed the Maoris should return more members. However, after the hard work of the session Ministers found it impossible to go on with the latter bill, and therefore had a clause inserted giving the Maoris the franchise, which the Council subsequently rejected, and it was then determined to drop the bill altogether. He then spoke on Native affairs, ssying the Maoris had been sullen and inslared, and would not trade with ua; but he hopfld

they were now on the eve of a better state of things. With regard to the Beer Duty Bill, he considered beer a legitimate object for taxation, and referred to Mr Fox's opposition, on the ground that it would bind the Government more closely with the drink traffic. He then spoke on the education question, strongly advocating secularism. He was sorry to see that a movement had been set on foot for the introduction of denominational schools, but the State could not afford it, and it would not be done. Under Mr Curtis' Bill the profession of teacher was degraded, and would soon degenerate to a sort of assistant of a clergyman, and if not " sound in faith" would soon be told he was not wanted. He was in favor of triennial Parliaments, manhood suffrage, and representation according to population. He favored a law being passed restricting Chinese immigration, and said they must take care that property and money were somewhat equally distributed. He suggested tbe French system of sub-division of seats in the Legislative Council, which should only be held for 7 or 10 years, but councillors to be still nominated by the Government. He thought the time had come for steps being taken to elect our own Governor. (A rote of thanks and confidence was passed.)