WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4017, 12 November 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day. Mr Ormond addressed the electors at Waipawa, and reviewed the proceedings of the late session. He said tue.object of his action was attained by having made the Government drop their Bills. He thought the Representation Bill unfair to the .North Island which would feel the effect when money came to be distributed. He condemned the general weaknaasTSTTO«Ti By" tue trovernment, and the indecent haste in which the Estimates were passed through. He blamed the Government for allowing so many reliable Colonials to go away through inability to get employment, and the Government had not expended the vote given for the purpose. He entirely concurred in Mr Bryce's native policy, and attributed its not being carried out in January to the opposition of the Governor^ and thought Ministers should have resisted and have appealed to the country, which would have backed them to a man, He would not in any way embarass the Ministry in carrying out the present native policy, but he condemned the abandonment of native land purchases. He was strongly opposed to Centralism, and urged the necessity of making road districts co-terminus with ridings. Giving road board* full powers for road-making and having larger counties with one elective body exercising the functions of the present education boards, waste lands boards, charitable aid boards, etc., and with a definite finance provided for them. He denied his desire to escape taxation, and recognised the tact that property must bear taxation. The present taxation did not properly reach nonimproving settlers of property, but the continued improvements and machinery should be exempted from taxation, and should be so regulated as to invite the investment of foreign capital. He agreed with the principle of the Railways Construction Bill, but objected to some of the details. He would if Teturned advocate another loau to eoui^k-U the njaiu trunk Hues of

railway, the construction of roaJs where railways were not possible to open up the country, and purchase native lands with definite plans for the specified works. The money might be got on good terms. He thoroughly approved of the deferred payment system, and was strongly in favor of cheap land, and giving every facility to settlement. He took credit for having forced Government to retrench, but disapproved of the way they did it, by the general ]0 per cent reduction. If he was returned to the House it would altogether depend on the measures the Government brought down whether he would oppose them or not. He would work his best for the good of the Colony, and thought it probable a rate on property would bave to be made for the construction of school buildings, and as property was improved taxation on it should be reduced, not increased. A vote of confidence was declared carried by a small majority, but the meeting broke up in confusion.