Captain Morris before the Electors.
[By Telegraph to Stab.]
OPOTIKI,
Yesterday.
Captain Morris addressed the electors of the Tauranga district in the Town Hall, Opotiki, on Monday night There was a large audience.
Mr King, J.P., having been voted to the chair, introduced Captain Morris to the meeting as being well known to most of them, having represented the district before, and asked a patient hearing.
Capt. Morris said : Mr Chairman,—l am here this evening as a candidate for the representation of this electorate, and have the honor to solicit your suffrages. I will not attempt to recommend myself by depreciating others, and accordingly will not discuss the claims or the demerits of the other candidates. Having had the honor to represent you before, I am pretty well known to most of you, and hope you will allow.we ths credit of having always done my utmost to further your interests. I, in the hppe, as you are aware, that Mr Hall might be induced to contest the seat, expressed my intention of not soliciting your suffrages ; but Mr Hall having, decided to ruu for his old constituency, I was again induced to come forward, having received assurances of that support I should require to push your interests in the event of my becoming your member. Being inland with a mob of cattle, and my intercourse with the political worlcj cut off for about ten days, my acceptance was not so prompt as it would otherwise have been, but I myself am the greatest sufferer from the delay thus occasioned, as I have lost through it some of my best friends, who in the meantime had pledged thamselves to Mr Stewart. Amongst fitietn I may mention my friend Captain Turner, as one of those the loss of whose political support I most regret. You will see that what has been imputed to me as a crime is simply a misfortune by which I am the greatest sufferer. Besides, my former experience in that House has made me aware that no member single-handed can hope for much; he must have political friends, and the more influential they are the better chance he has of making heard the wants of his district—for example, just consider what has been done for Taranaki. It behoves me then to make sure of effective support in the event of my candidature being sue cessful. This, I believe I have done, and if returned will do my best to obtain a substantial consideration for this electorate. The first question put to a candidate is generally a foolish one ; he is asked if he is a Conservative or a Liberal. There are no such parties existing within the House or the country. If the Hall Government, for instance, were Conservative in the English meaning of the word, they would never have sent an appahng Eadical like Mr Whitaker to the Upper House. The country is in a state of rapid progression, and any member who would go into the House to obstruct that progress would not remain long in it. 1 should always lend my support to judicious and well considered reform, and am not afraid that if perchance we may a little overstep the boundary of-' prudence today, to-morrow we shall again be abreast of our work and ready again to advance. . There certainly are two parties in the House, the Town and the Country parties. It is hard at first to understand why these two should be in opposition, as the town depends upon the country for subsistence, and the country upon the town for a market. What they appear to disagree upon at present ia the incidence of taxation. Now, I live in the country, and naturally belong to the country party. I fail to see why landed property should pay a higher rate of taxation than any other kind of property. In my opinion the incidence of taxation should be equal upon both landed and commercial incomes; and I do not think the towns behave quite fairly in the contest, as they enlist the powers of evil on their side—no fewer than seven lawyers pleading their cause in the House of Representatives. (Here the captain grew pale and drank a glass of water.) I wish to speak with the greatest respect of these gentlemen. I should, if elected, do all in my power to promote the settlement of the country. We have taxes to pay for the interest of borrowed millions and other loans imminent. We must import additional capital and enterprise to assist us to develop the resources of the country. The idea of special settlement, if not the best, is the readiest and best obtainable m&lhod of doing so, but I cannot approve of the present mode of farming these by
means of private companies, who import , ship loads of immigrants to starve in isolated districts like so uiuny pelicans iv the wilderness, without roads, railways, bridges or other means of communication with the outer world. I would have power given to the County Councils to recommend the application of a certain block of ten to twelve thousand acres —like Waiinaua, for instance—for the purpose of a special settlement. A road should then be made, and a survey executed, having special reference to wood, water, natural boundaries etc. It should tlsen be advertised for sale in alternate sections of deleiyed payments and cash payments, setting forth the sums to be deposited, and the sums to lay over. That time should be given before the sale to permit the colonists to communicate with friends at Home whom they should like to see settled in their neighbourhood. I think the upset price should be no higher than £1 per acre, and according to quality ; and the difference between that and the price realised should be placed in the hands of the Koad Boards to meet the expense of roads, bridges, &c., which the settlement , would require. This is a bare outline of the scheme I should proposel, the plans of which I have not yet elaborated. Meantime, if we are to make further efforts aud submit to further,taxation, we must repress ail extravagance and strengthen the hands of the settler, to put him in a position to bear increased burdens. The more he has the more you can get out of him. For this purpose I should recommend a reduction in the price of Crown lands as the best method of starting him on his colonial career unfettered by debt and poverty. While approving generally of the action of the Hall Ministry, I must criticise the financial policy as beiutj weak and vacillating; aud with regard to the West Coast difficulty, I only wonder how long the country intends to staud it. Do the Ministry expect this kind of tomfoolery to go on lor ever? In my opinion it is marvellous how they have stood it so long. What I say is, that the Ministry is deficient in grasp and decision I should deem it my duty to urge immediate and decisive action in this miserable affair. With regard to railways, roads, and bridges, I will do all I can for you, but you must remember I shall have the important mining district at the other end of the electorate also to look after. If I can only show that any railway or road I recommend forms part of a main or arterial line I am sure to get it, but I must be able to show that it would be permanent and useful for ever. For any branch roads, or other works you must look to your County Councils. After a number of questions had been asked and satisfactorily answered, Mr T. Black proposed, and Dv Reid, seconded, a vote of confidence in Captain Morris. This motion was carried by acclamation, and after a vote of thanks to Mr King for his conduct in the chair, the meeting separated. .
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18811019.2.11
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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3996, 19 October 1881, Page 2
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1,325Captain Morris before the Electors. Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3996, 19 October 1881, Page 2
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