Mr Rowe before the Electors.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4033, 1 December 1881, Page 2

Mr Rowe before the Electors.

Mr 11. T. Rowe addressed the electors of Tauranga at the school house, Puriri, oa Tuesday night. Tho room was

crowded. Mr T. Gillon was voted to the chair, and after a lew remarks introdtced the candidate.

Mr Howe, who was received with cheers, said : Mr Chairman and gi'iitlcmeu, —As this is my maiden speech I must claim your indulgence if 1 do not speak in flowing language. Ido not claim to be an orator such as Sir G. Grey . or the Hon. Major Atkinson, or a copyist' such as Speight or Morris. lam original —what I say I will perform, and you may depend I will take a lot of rubbing out. * It is better to tell you really what I will do than to make a garbled statement of F what I never intend to perform. It has been said that I am working in the interest of Mr Stewart. I suppose this originated from the fact that I have surveyed and negotiated lands for him and his Co. I am entirely on my own bottom, and my only wish is that your district be represented by a man who thoroughly understands your wants. Do not be carried away by any flowing speeches, for we know from experience, how we have been deceived in such men; rather look at the candidates every-day life, see whether he has the energy to carry out the promises, and the good of the district at heart. If you return a man, be he rich or poor, who has not these qualifications you may as well be disfranchised. As to myself, I am not the nominee of any party. I corns before you gentlemen, a free and independent candidate, and claim '■ the support of the electors by Virtue of my thorough knowledge of the goldfield requirements. It is not in my programme to abuse any other candidate in any way whatever; let us hare a fair fight. It will be for you to select the one you think will do the most good in your < own district, and for the general welfare of the country. Now, in our district we ' are like Little Butteroup—very much mixed up. At this end w'e| have a very extensive goldfield ; at the 'other end an ordinary country district. I. maintain that a country farmer would be out of place as a representative, for a goldfield. , What would he know of our require* mentsp Nothing; whereas one who thoroughly understands the requirements of a goldfield may understand the requirements of an agricultural district. But even if it were that a representative (jidl,, not understand the. requirements.^(jfn agricultural district (which, * from the nature of my profession, I consider myself competent to deal with all matters of farming interest), the goldmining interest being the modf important, it is the man who' Understands them whom you should return as your representative. Now for subjects that most interest' .you,: The, subject of goldmining comes first. I: would, if elected, have the present system ' of mining leases so altered as to encour- , age the prospector and working miner; ' I would have the laws so altered as to have one miners' right for the whole of the North Island, except on Native Lands " where agreements had been made, and that one miners' right should be sufficient f'pr one man's ground. Oa subject of roads I think that main roads should be made by the General ■ Government through to Tauranga, Te Aroha and Taupo, and,that the several counties should be sufficiently subsidised to enable them to make branch ■ roads to different parts of their district, , This done, it would open up the grandest district in New Zealand. I would have a sum of money set apart for goldfields roads, and placed to the credit of the', county, who would be responsible for tracks cut over all leading spurs and ridges in their districts, and this I consider, with a small subsidy to the prospector, would open up a vast amount of wealth, and if they got good '-roads, - they could dispense with the railway-— that would follow as a matter of course. I now pass on to local self-government— a subject that has puzzled a great-many.. > My impression is that the county system has been a success, but I am of opinion that,; their powers should be increased.. The ■ more local powers, the farther 'from . centralisation. I would also support any measure that would lead to localise.'; the land fund after endowments had been made to boroughs, schools, &c, the' balance of waste lands of the Crown to become the property of the County, they having full power to deal with them,'thus doing away with the Waste Lands Board —they would then be in a position to lessen their taxes, increase their wealth, and in fact every county would become a little independent state. On the eduea< tion question I believed in secularism pure and simple. On Property Tax I would have all unimproved lands taxed 2 to 1 native and waste' lands to be taxed as improved lands, would do my best to hav«^, a daily postal communication to PurirL*^ The gold duty I would retain as long as it was spent on the ground in which it was raised. After a few remarks Mr Rowe sat down, the meeting heartily cheering.

Question: What is your opinion on special settlements ?

Answer: I am of opinion that the private speculators are preferable to the Government, the former brings in a good class of men, and proves a success, the latter bring out an undesirable class and cost the Country a lot of money. A vote of thanks and confidence was proposed, and carried unanimously, amid cheers.