The General Election.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4025, 22 November 1881, Page 2

The General Election.

ADDEESS BY MR A. J. CADMAN. The above-mentioned gentleman, who is one of the candidates for Coromandel, besides holding the position of Chairman of the Coromandel County Council and other positions of trust, addressed a meeting of Waiotahi, Tararu, Block 27, and residents from other portions of the Coromandel electorate, in St. George's Schoolroom last evening. There was a large attendance of electors, and Mr E. T. Douglas was roted to the Chair. After Mr Douglas had introduced the candidate to the electors, Mr Cadman made a most comprehensive speech, in the course of which he touched upon local self-government, which he characterised as being a state in which the local bodies should have absolute control over the district they represented, and should have ample powers bestowed on them to enable them to carry out the requirements of the district with satisfaction to themselves and to those who had elected them." Mr Cadman said he was in favour of Justices of the Peace being elected by the public, and thought that if they were, more good would result than under the present system, where when once a man WBs a J.P., he was always one. He related several anecdotes to further illustrate his meaning. One is too good to be consigned to oblivion. He said that a certain J.P. whose name, he would say, was Muggins, and who resided not many hundred miles from here, was often seen in a state of intoxication at night, but who inflicted a heavy fine on anyone brought before him for drunkenness. (Laughter.) Another instance was when this same Justice of the Peace fined a bush man 20s and costs for being drunk. The bushman said to His Worship, "Dang it all, Muggins, that is too bad; just halve the fine, and I'll shout for all hands." This demonstrated, said Mr Cadman, the amount of respect that was felt for the J.P. in question. There had been one argument raised against the periodical election of J.P.'s—which was that the miners might return some one who was an ignoramus, and who, having a predilection for miners, would go hand and glove with them, to the injury of persons not belonging to the favoured crowd who had elected the fortunate J.P. But the meeting would remember that if such were the case, and if the elected J.P. made himself notorious for some misdemeanours the electors could put him out and elect a new man in his stead. Mr Cadman stated that he would like to serve the interests of all classes, choosing the working men before others. He would not advocate, taking any man's land from him for nationalisation purposes, but he believed the State should hare the preemptive right to all land not already purchased. He would be in favor of granting endowments to public bodies. He believed in members of the House being paid, but not at an exorbitant rate. He believed, in not tampering with the present Education Act until it was more firmly fixed. He was not in favor of plurality of voting. With reference to the Upper House, he would be in favor of doing away with it for one session by way of experiment. Would enquire into the title under which kauri forests were held, if requested to do so by any public body. Would urge upon the Government to renew the vote for assisting prospectors, which had been struck off the estimates. After speaking on other subjects a vote of thanks and confidence was moved by Mr William Wood and seconded by Mr White. An amendment moved by Mr Deeble, that it be altered to one of " hearty thanks" was seconded by Mr Hurley, but did not find favour with the audience, and being put, was declared lost, a large majority voting against it. A vote of thanks to the Chair concluded the business.