THORNDON ELECTION

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1662, 17 April 1884, Page 2

THORNDON ELECTION

,-.,.,, I | V .l. ...I MR BUNJY'S ADDRESS, .(From the N.Z. Times.) The Athenfouin Hall' was crowded last evening oil tho occasion of Mr Henry Bunny's' address to the Thomdori electors,! oyer -100. peoplo being present. The Mayor, who was voted to the chair, said.he.was sure all would regret the: circumstances causing the present meeting—the- ■ resignation of Mr Levin. Eulogising Mr Levin's conduct. as>a;niemberi of the House; lie said it was important 'that 1 great discriminationshould' be exercised in the 'election, of a successor to that gentleman. [. In int|odji|i|ig : !']|v., Bunny, he asked -fot\.. impartial heating,. Mr Bunny, who was received with applause,._said,l.ie.had .invited. them to meet, an influential re^'iiidltion;- asking, him to stand for the;Thtirndon vacancy,. Any candidate,-., coming" .forward as their representative should place before them his opinions* Hipou' colonial politics. During "last, week two speeches had been addressed to "the ■ coloiiy—viz., that of the-iPrdtoier and Mr Montgomery's. After H-'eaciing those speeches —more ' especially'' the;': latter—he thought' any 'for a North Island.', coustitiieiicy.. bad,..' only one course to pureiie7 and'that was. to support.the.ptesent Government. (Ap. plause.) 'The Premier's speech said .there/was a falling off in'the estimated of■ ■ 'something'like;,l,7o,ooo, 'and it would<i]e,fl§gessavy,. perhaps, to ; levy "during the :Coinin« session. He entirely agreed \yifch ,aa;;natiDnaEsation :;of: the land :and pre-omptivo' right over native 'land;,-.%/Mpfltgoigery's speech-was the thin eM, ; bfeth;d wedge'for ; the separation of the colony, and this he would pppose,, (Applause.). As to no borrowing, it meant that they in the South Island had got their railways, and they in the Norffilphld" waitiorthem. He should like to see' a good Opposition, for at the present.time.they had not such, a:thihgi' -Th6 : ; best friend':the Government Sir-George Grey. (A voice: You can't rub him out.) Quito,right,:.thCy. could n bfc, ru b him out! When in 1877 tho then Government was turned out,itwas decided that Sir William Fitzherberfc was to be Premier. Well, tho vote, was taken, and a day after a meeting of the victors was held, at which Sir George Grey said he would rather see Atkinson back again, if he (Sir George Grey) was not to.be Premier. .That would happen again if. the; Government was turned out. (Mr Carter: That's rather sarcastic, Mr Bunny.;) •: The- finances of the colony wou]d have to be dealt with first'••''this'; imm,. THe next thing woulcl bp the .natibnalisa'tion ; of the ■land; and he looked-npon' the measure for perpetual: leasing as a most beneficial one., He then proceeded to 'emlamthe perpetual leasing syatem,.ib!afeyHicuiVh6 said, there was no'better Measure for tlie small capiialist, '.As torailwp,; the; Government had fouhd'|t r ne'cebry;tb' increase the tariff, and bethought jwere:quifce right in 'doing go;",tie"would like to

see the railvvaysinaiiagedibv, a-. Board. ;One:::man could;;not^man^el'tlie, whole |aityays 'of the colony^ i£ more discretion were given ,fd: district.-, managers .the', railways;, would ■be worked mucbibetter,; "V(hen\:tbi|WellingtonMahawatu Eailway'atarted he believed the Government would learn ,a : (leal from the -management. In connection' with the land, it would be; jj3e to spend '.moro;money'oiiroacls'an'd. bridges, and.thus open up thoi.road to. a market, It, is their duty,-..tq;set their faces against anything, like separation, : There were other: parties to consult -about this question .the colony's creditors, who would certainly jiofc allow' such: a thing. No doubt a want of confidence motion would be proposed W tlip; first ten "day of the sitting of Parliament, But the Government, would be prepared with a; dissolution,^-.■; A ; circumstance ivhich. aided the people of the South Island in' their demand for separation wis,the: want ot a good form, of local government, He was glad to see that the Government intended to.bring in ajilj. to re-instate the pre-emptive right.WMr Bryce had done the: colony a 'great benefit by his dealings' witlithe riatlves,v and he had entirely-broken down'"the native difficulty. Major Atkinson in' his speech, also referred' to.federation,-. They. need not,' trouble -. theifc lioadi about -.that- just.uow,- : for tlie-other.; colonies would be too strong for #ew' r Zealand, There had 'been a great outcry about the Civil' Servioe.'-i 'He believed that a-great deal of good cpuld ■be done by amalgamation;' but;the system, not tho officers, was to .blame. If it was said that £25,000 or £30j000;' could be saved by reduction, it'ought to havo been : saved years ago. There would be very little reduction, howeVer. Now they came to a delicate subject—fi education. It was not probable that" any Act would bo brought in on this matter duriug the ensuing'session, No doubt tho present Act could bo amended, but it had worked well for-some years, and a partial ainefidment would do more misehiof than good. The greatest praise was due to those' who had erected their 'oWn .schools, and he would.be very glad to assist : them, .There were, down South, large education reserves, which!''.he should like to see confined to primary education, and vested in the whole colony. (Applause) Ho should like to see,-too, a little practical 1 work attached to the schools, so that boys might be taught a trade, whether ■ his father was poor or rich. (Applause.) He would like to see larger and more' defined powers to local committees', so that.there might be no clashing.;-The plurality of votes ought also to be abolished, Inspectors of schools should be General Government officers! and shifted periodically. Ho would now touch on several questions connected with Wellington. When he was iu the Provincial Council, Wellington had as a good a member in him as in any of their specially elected representatives.': (Applause,)' Ho could refer to; the wharf, which lie had been instrumental in selling to the .'corporation,-' The To Aro forshore was another example of tho benefits conferred in those days upon tho 'City, ! as: was the Thomdon reclamation, Tho city authorities said, in reference lb. the latter, they would like to have it; arid it would accordingly havo been given to them. Mr Moorhouse, however, then Mayor, objected to it, and the. Bill was thrown out. By this course the c/,y lost £150,000. The Tliomdon reclamation was o disgrace to tho Government inasmuch as they had not completed, the paths and roads. Large prices had been received for it on account of a promise by the Government that they would make these roads, They also put up the hospital, the asylum, and the college. He did not approve of the Government giving the Harbor Board an endowment one ,day and taking it away the next,; He would support leaseholders' qualification. Two little' boys bad that evening been employed at 6d apiece-to'dis-tribute a little bill, which he read and humorously criticised. He thanked .them cordially in . conclusion, for the patient hearing that had been accorded him, He should bo yery happy to answer any questions. . '