THE HON. MR. STAFFORD AT TIMARU.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 652, 30 April 1870, Page 2

THE HON. MR. STAFFORD AT TIMARU.

(From the Wellington Independent.) A public meeting was held on Friday evening, the 22nd inst. There was a crowded attendance, and Mr Stafford spoke for about an hour. His speech was well received. He first spoke of the pleasure of meeting his constituents, whom he had not known before, and who had chosen him as their representative in the House, while he was personally a stranger to them. He deeply sympathised with them in wishing for a change in the present system of Government, and he had carefully studied the wants of outlying districts, and he felt that his constituents were justified in what they wished for, when they desired to be made a separate district. Timaru had a larger revenue, and ten times the value of exports than one of the original Provinces, and it was inconsistent on the part of the older Provinces to have refused their request. He had great pleasure in bringing forward the bill of last session as they desired; and although that bill was not carried, it was a protest against the existing order of things. No reform was ever got without continued agitation and constant pressure being brought to bear. No reform was ever spontaneously granted. Many people depended entirely on the retention of Provincialism, and even if three-fourtha of the people of New Zealand desired a change, the chances were there would be a bitter struggle before it waa granted, owing to the opposition of Superintendents and other interested parties. Failing in carrying that bill (the County of Gladstone Act), he had tried to effect an arrangement with the Superintendent of Canterbury to carry out the Eangitata and Waitangi bridges. The Superintendent and h?s Executive had promised to supplement any balance w r hieh might be over from the Eangitata bridge, up to £SOOO for the building of the Waitangi bridge, and as far as he could learn, that promise had been faithfully kept. He was not fond of superintendents in their official capacity, and not many of them were his private friends. The development of the country and the means of obtaining a safe and rapid mode of communication should not dedepend upon the capriee of one or two individuals. He should like to see such a system established as part of the policy of the Colony as would ensure that every dangerous river between Southland and Auckland should be bridged, and that every road necessary should be made across wet ground or across any ground that impeded transit. We had isolated ourselves in this Colony, intended by Nature, and fit to carry twenty-five millions of people in health and wealth and a contented state of life, and yet there waa only a quarter of a million population. We seemed determined to live in a small petty isolated manner with the petty ends of petty states. The policy of New Zealand should be a policy to open and people all parts of the country simultaneously, but he never would be a party to shovel people within its borders and there abandon them, or to vote sums of money by way of loan, to be expended for those purposes by the Provinces. He would employ the bulk of emigrants on the great arterial works of the country, and the most part of them would afterwards settle down in the country. Another objection allowing the Provinces to borrow would be the perpetuating the vicious system to finance, of having one party to lay taxes on the people, and another irresponsible body to spend them. He saw no prospect of reducing the taxation consistently with existing liabilities. Superintendents went to the Assembly demanding money to spend ; and so long as there were two treasuries, that system would increase till it strangled the Colony. Mr Eolleston had said the North was trading in war, but it was a most unjust calumny ; and the Jpresent Government was doing its best to arrive at a question of peace. He had never doubted that they wished to do. so, but that they had laid themselves open to animadversions, by the difference between their professions and their practice. The three cardinal features of their policy were to act on the defensive, obtain Imperial troops, and raise a local force in England. If he thought the Government were as likely to change their opinions in Provincial matters as they had done in native affairs, he would be one of their strongest supporters, but he believed they dare not do it. Speaking of the Gladstone County Act he did not think it wa3 the best that could be initiated and he wished to see a much wider and more general system introduced, but if the Provincial system was to be maintained he would be found again raising his voice to support the wishes of the people of Timaru. In reply to a question, Mr Stafford said that the proceeds of the land sales should be devoted to the districts where it was raised, and the arterial works referred to should be carried on, by loan.