MASTERTON ELECTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2666, 5 August 1887, Page 2

MASTERTON ELECTION.

MR G. BEETHAMAtKURIPCNi

The :meeting by. Mr G. Beethani at Kuripuni last, evtaiug' (Thursday) was attended by about.one hundred persons, Mr WiXjowes.presiding. '•."-■'■' '■'-. ■.•.■'•!.:.';■. •;■.•■'.■

The Chairman, in remarks, said he had always; fouuifcheduties ol a chairnian. ut MastcKtoD meetings invariably, ligbt,-owing'to the quiet and orderly behavior ::Qfahe. audiences. They had had.plenty oifopportunitics during the •; past-4ew: weeks of reading, and listening iiojtbe various candidates,'" and Jiop>avilmt they would all. give tie questions :of day serious'consideration, aiid-Voto: accpiding to. their convictions;'' r ' Mr Beethani, who was received-with applause, said that no doubt tkoy/:'h6d been surfoitcd'with politics lately but he .had made a promise, to deliver an sddress at'lfuripuni, and he.was : there to redeom'it, and. also to give thobi au opportunity of hearing his views oil the queßsions _udw agitating . the..pub. Ijo mind.. He did not .intend-to -.travel over the sauW ground,. or; go. into figures to auy extent, at.tbQ- same time ho could- tell- them that' if theywent into the subjects in the maunuf that.be had, they would find that it, was necessary to use thorn considerably. ■ He had opposed the Stout-Vogel Goveminent, because in hisopiniou they bad. not fully, grasped the subject of Local Self-Government. He could not support a,measure giving Local JBodies power to borrow money from the State for the purpose of making roads on goldfields, which- would become useless after the fields were worked but. (Cheers.) Alluding to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill, .he Said that Sir Robert Stout had, 'to a certain ■ extent, destroyed the.: spirit of self-reliance ot the people by.-uniting the districts and compelling the county

to assist-in supporting the towns.'With regard to the amount sent : down by the Waira.rapa (L 1200), he had succeeded, after a deal, of' trouble,', in patting the sum of L 450 returned-.to tho district, which was L3OO .ruore than .they were eutitled to under the Act, Referring to the District Kailways, he' considered, that the one'purchased in tho South Island, by Sir Julius Vogel was an injustice to the North Jslaud, but that .lines like the Rotorua railway wore really national ones-, and would benefit the whole Colony, leading ag they did to tbo Hot lakes district, . Mr Ballanoe hadaaid'anything but the truth wbou he.stated that tho railways purchased by the Stout Vogel Govern." ment wore payiug 'interest on the money, aait was" a well-known.fact tbatsbnio oi" ; them! were not paying working expenses, ■ (Cheers,) % - In .speaking ; of the East and Went Coast Railway,, he said, that although tho Government were proacbing' Protection they had allowed tho contractors for

that line, to import the whole of their plant, coußißttng of wheelbarrowß, carta <fcc. freo of duty. Ho considered that Hospitals and Charitable Aid should bo charged to the property tax and not. to local bodies, (Cheers*) He opposed Mr Balance's kud Acquisition Bill, as it would provoufc people from renewing their mortgages in a great many oases, owiug to tho uncertain land tenure in the Colony. Would cato that leaseholders should, be enabled to mako the laud freehold and sell it if they wished to, as he did not consider it just to compel peoplo to remain upon the land if it did net pay thorn. (Cheers,) Ho would bring the Native lands of the Colony under cultivation', as soon as possible, .anjl contended, that the Colony ,were ju ; debted to the itkinson Governmentfor their liberal land laws, although W admitted that Mr Ballance had introduced the Village Settlement; scheme.

He considered the lattec, was being carried out in thenortb of Auckland in a manner that roust be a- failure, under the advice of Mr John Luhdon, a man whom he (Mr Beethaui) had chaiged'in the House with roll-ahirTing,.a charge that bad been admitted by'•'. ■the Excuse that "desperate diseases requires desv perate remedies." He would[: not, aa Sir Robert Stout had proved,, tax'

the large companies, us that the money of these bodies 'waV rpquired to.develop the the Colony, and considered that 'ilia gold-mining industries would become' one of the moat 'important in the North Island, and instanced the bright prospects- of gold being found in large quantities at Banks: Peninsula-.(Cheers). Referring to Land opmpanies;;he said he did not object to Mi-Mogg'reporting what he had heard frora"Mr Pburazp.-with respect to. theiu, but- he eSbsidered that ■Mr Hogg, after having heard' his (Mr Beetham) explanation should have placed the matter.-' fairly : before the people .and not-trf to damage his election by false representation .(c&rs) Mr Hogg bad charged him \ with abusing his position as a member of the Waste Lands Board; in piacing his brother and Mr Williams on the far* tamed Pukotoi block, and although he (Mr Beethaiu) had placed the whole qircumstatice the Mjilic, Mr Hogg continued to refer toW mattor 88' though no explanation had been made, which was to all intents and purposes placing the question in a false light and making him out to he a liar, (cheers), ,He explained that he had endeavpred to get the laud for Messrs Fabian Bros,-, who instead of taking it up had. purchased elsewhere. The land was..put iulho market in_ the ordinary manner, and bought by his brothers who had the adjoining property of Annedale... The land was not as Mr Hogg had said; in the Puketoi Block, nor was it limestone country, It' waß considered to be the hotbed of scab and had had ,£45,000 Spent on it. for improvements and was now thing towards increasing the exports of the colony and lessening the Colonial liabilities. (Loud cheers) Ho thought that Mr Hogg Bpoke. from interested motives,- and the whole secrot was in the advertising of the land. No doubt Mr Hogg would have liked to have

had a.few more advertisements in connection with it, and: that was doubtlees where the whole trouble came in. (cheers.) Referring to the Vickcra case and the Native J&partment he considered that if oxtr3%6or waa required in the office ttie Government should hove-given-the preference to their old sorvant, and if returned be would nee that, the fullest enquiries ,wefemado into the case. (Ckeere).

Referring: to Mr- Hogg's remarks against the .Atkinson' Government placing ilr Shaw, a: discharged postmaster, as a stock-'.-.inspector, he .characterised the attack as childish, tli<e,Government merely-did right.".thinking .persou would have ■done, viz,-gave an employee who was • diEcharjgod.through retrenchment the first-offer of a. billot,, not as a stock iiispeotor.though", hot asaclerk. (Loud cheers)!' The ..Atkinson; Governtiiont ■had-acto! iu thianpirit towards a great pJahy>o! thoii' servants who biidJJßen thus discharged, , - ' ■.: ■:(. Mf Marsh:: The sawie as Mr Button wasf;,;;^:-. ■ '.' ■:■"•■

; : Mr Beetbaiur Mr taken on by the .Government' '.'■ i ; - -• Mr,-;Mar'Bh: ; No,-tliaiuks' to'vou though. '•...-.■ . ■-: ; . ; ''': '. vMr Ifeotbani, Now thei-Suttoa- case .is r bro.ugb,t to light,-! would like to" say flowething.iudre about it/ but 1. would the gentleman, I dpn't kuo.w his.:: name,' = that this - is.%e wrong .time to draw>a : red herring acrosstheaecut, (loud .cheers), I have. alWiiysbeen one of.'Mr Sutton's best .friends, (cheers)/1 advised him all I could for the best, aud'all 1 got was the foulest slauder for my trouble. (Loud cheers). It has'taught me a lesson to be cartful ;bf-,the characjfe.of the nin I defend in the (Cbeom.) I asked the Department to appoint Mr button to. a district where there was no scab, ris he knew no more about it than a child unborn, and he am pleased to say thatMrSuttonnow .gave satisfaction, becauso the district where he is appointed to, is not troubled with the disoasa. (loud cheeks), His

remarks on the KeprelientHbn Bill and Taxation were the sarae-Vas delivered by bini in the Theatre. Speaking on Education,' lie considered the higher branches should be selfsupporting,' and must be so before long. (Cheets) He contended that the fl'xtensive"' South Island -Reserves rshould becoraq the common property of.tbe State for Educational purposes. (Chews), He denied, as Mr Ballahce said, that the Opposition wanted to cut ofi Education.at the fourth standard, aud make the- minimum agaseveu yeara, coutendingtbat it. .would'Vo a very nnjust thing to do. for ;tlie country districts. He advocated arranging tbo work of the ach'oolj so'.-xhat> .ability could- take thcifi to the tup of tho Educational tree. (Oheefb) Ha would not favor a 'reduction .of salaries, bub would give toiohors greater responsibilitiea by introducing the Erench and German .system?; :and ftbolißhing standards, VMr Balance said that the working.,clusßoe. took their children away.froni school at the stan* dard,ho (Mr Beetbdra)conßi4pkhat a great argument "in iavor'bf a fee for the .higher standards, but would nob go into the question on those grounds, (Cheers).- He considered th» property tax as at present the fairest tax for the Colony, and argued that Mr Balance's proponed progressive tax would drive capital from the Country just at the time when required, and presßod upon them to seriously con« Bider what they were.about to do, as they would certainly kill tho goose that laid the golden egg, In «|ieakini» upon the bursting up policy 'advocated by some of the candidates, he sa'id the laws of "Haw Zealand were so that the bursting up. would take place. it the natural ceurse of events, as all Bsiatos'were dividedon the death of the head of a family) (cheers) In conilosion hewquld like to say with respect to the woi king man cry ihat bad been raised.' Top much was. jeing-fflade-ojfv it,;- He had- worked :ron? worked hard too for ;wenty..y^iis a copperjjk big' jocket. ; >He; had used vorkeil'a't contract and day work, and , vould/not be ashamed, to stand, against iriy-man in the rojom, and he asked km in all faimeßS whether.he would, ifter gaining his position by l. indtSßtry md economy, turn round on.them pop* Loud cheers.) He would jasfe ;ayje; the working metf their vbteaT ;A^voice Nojlie

W- ■ did not, A voice; (he assisted.) So did I. (Laughter,) It was Sir John Hall mid Mayor Atkinson who gave the Colony manhood suffrage, and Sir George Grey had assisted the snnte as ■ lie bad. (Clients.) He considi red that Major Atkinson and the iiicriiWs of bis Government who had been maligned ■'■-'■••• had donahs'much-as Sir Robert' Stout

.'~ v and.his Government ;m.giving liberal .'•lftWßtb.tbo Colony (Loud arid.pto' ■..■• .... longf doners.) % answer to^e'stibiiis .-.;■ ..:>.: ha said ihM. it-was inißvaCticftile.'ttt-th'e. ..■ i&. prtstottinietogiTetheOai^blicsclioQls' :..'./support .-.on -the same Wale :that/the • State schools were .carried ont,"and,it■v. .VW69. no good saying' otherwise.-' I'iie. ••-■ „-". 8 7 8 . tem ., ffa! very B^pen9ife,.Hnil., •••.•;.'-auch- an introduction .wqul'cl"•mean" ~■/ adding ,-übout' • I^PM*' '"mm'. to ". the Education "' vote. ' Thera was -. .. ■ no doubt the Catholic party liad a

.■. grievance.nnd he was sorry they could . not,, through thoir- religious feeling, participate in the ■ stato oducaiibn tj aystein,at thosame time he. admired ... thoir pluck in carrying on their schools in the way they did. (cheers), "Ho .v: .'.was very glad to see .'that ..Father .. ■ - Trcacy had acted in a Btraightforward,' gentlemanly manner in' placing tiling's fairly, before the public respecting" the donation he (Mr Beetham) gave'to the ■ . . . Catholic school (Cheers).-'- Bad-he felt . at the timo that such a thing would be. ; used against him, uot oue single penny ._ would they havo got, (Cheers) He felt that the Catholics were laboring, under a disability aud ho wished to assist tbetu and would continue lo do so whenever he desired to, whether they used it at election times against him 01 not (Loud cheering). ■ In answer to Mp'E. Jones, he said ho would have great pleasure ir. point-

ing out tbc necessity of having a "Verandah erected over theMasterton Railway . Station platform (cheers). and also enquire whether special trains could not be put on during holiday times, especially on Saturday nights, so as not .to interfere with the ordinary taaih'c, ■ (Cheers.) . In answer to Mr MeKolman/.hedid. .notthink that if the standards were done away with, it would give the rich' "P*' man's child an. advantage. It would not affect tho education of the children, but,would bo moro economcal, (cheers) In answor to Mr Mackay, he said he always thought it absolutely: uece3- ... sary that the Crown should make roads •to their lauds, ho that. Hih-km.Hi.™

:would have mean* of- getting to their .'•"land. Alihoiighhedid : uot.thinkthat ..'Jb'at: the thirds were suffioiimt ..fat tha :, purpoßo in tbonuuieioi/aapeoiul iwttlc- ... tnenUhotook-uponhiaiEfclftEo.creilitof- ' rstabliebing this iiodtrof getting'roads vviuadeinth'ubuslrdi&tnclfl. .(cbeove) .- , t In answer to ;Mr ■■Prangnell/ ho- , -said that bo bid cot- prdpoiibd-.-.te-' . .-.j'toock-. off free, fdiita-iion. fourth:Btandarcl. liinvas proud to.siiy ho was one. who bad.agisted iu givhV . freo education to-the:, children of the . Colony. (Cheers;)'..' ?..• ■,'.. In answer to Mr Lowes he said-ho Lad ulready tried all in his power to' Jjfc'diial with tho equal distribution of .'tho

■T •■ educational.reserve's of the colony. He...thought ibntthe great pressure of the '■ education system would bring- tho ..nmttertoacliuidx.-audhe would hiivu .pleasure in ,mo\ung,in the'diroctionin-i •dicatpd.by Mr JLowts;.. .•.-,. .. Mrlowes said that by tho- number of niee'tinga heldby tho candidates tho -electors ought to bo made thoroughly acquainted with all the. greakquestions \ ..[., o.f tho day.and be. ;able to give- ; .an. intelligent Yote-.ou the day' of - election.

Tho object, of.tho. meetings, wore to get the opinions of the candidates, and he hoped thoy, would all givo, their : votes in a .rational manner, and not be led away by personal feeling.. He considered that retrenchment was the great question of- the day and that public works must almost cease, nothing should be done but what was absolutely necessary in the interests of the colony, such as unfinished works, (Cheers), „. --A vote of thanks to Mr Beetham, * was carried unanimously ou the. motion- ™ ;of Mr James Brown seconded, by Mr .'• W. Morris, and a similar compliment to the chairman concluded the meet-, ing.

\ The organized oppononts of free trade iu this colony have, an equal objection to free speech..-. Both in Dunedin and .Chriatchurch public meetings to .be addressed by freetraders have been broken .up in confusion by " roughs ''sent thero for'the purpose. In each caao tho lecturer was a gentlemen of stindinp and ability, aud in each case tlio local representative body of protcctionists'afmnged the demon' atration. Fortunately they are notable to gag the pres.B, which iaalraoab without exception in favor of freetrade.—Typo. -