MR ROCHE, M.P.C., AT ALEXANDRA.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 344, 28 July 1874, Page 2

MR ROCHE, M.P.C., AT ALEXANDRA.

(by tbusgbaph.)

Mr Roche, M.P.C. met his constituents at Kirkwoods Hotel, Alexandra, on Saturday evening. A considerable number were present. Mr J. Aubin occupied the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker to the meeting. Mr Roche said he appeared that evening to fulfil a duty he owed to his constituents by rendering an account of his stewardship during the last session of the Council. Before he went down he had gathered the views of hia constituents on different matters, and obtained much valuable information. The first important questions he had had to deal with was Education, The Superintendent brought in a new Bill to which all country members took exception, more especially to the rating clauses, for the reason that the value of a raan's^house is no criterion of his wealth ; he might own thousands of acres of valuable land, and yet have no house, or a veiy poor one. In his opinion, education should be provided for, as in Ireland, by the country at large ; it should be dealt with by the General and not by the Provincial Government. The next question was the Highways, Bill, which was passed. He could do little but disagree with the clauses appointing Central Boards. He had supported the appointment of District Engineer ; but in all matters connected with Highways we are in the hands of the General Government. The Fencing Act he considered was no use in this part of the country. His- colleague, Mr Byron, proposed in Committee that what constituted a legal fence should be left to the decision of the Road Boards. He had opposed the Impounding Act to the best of his power, but it had passed. He believed in the Homestead Act. In reference to Stewarts scheme of immigration he thought the Government md done right in granting the Katikati block. He i had tried to get Whatawhata occupied on a system of deferred payment,— a scheme which he considered better than selling large blocks to speculators, as was at present done in the Waikato, the proceeds from which went for the most part to support useless officials, and kept the land locked up and unattainable by bona fide .settlers. He had seconded the motion to make roads between "Waikato and the Thames, but as usual was told that the matter was m the hands of the General Government. Mr Mackay had estimated that a road could be made for £1200, which sum it was proposed should be paid in equal parts by the General and Provincial Governments. With regard to the native question, no doubt most present were acquainted with his % iews, at the same time he must say that personally he had no dislike to any officer in that Department. It was the system he objected to, at the same time he had a right to speak of its abuses. At the time ho brought forward hia motion in the Council he w,is awaio that it was. of little use ; it should be brought forward properly by our member in the House of Representatives, but h e being a stron" wippoilor of the picfeont Government there was no

chance of his doing so. This was his reason for smuggling it in as he had done, in hopo that some independent member down South would bring the matter forward and have it properly ventilated in the proper quarter. Look at our present system of Government. Was it not a sham and a farce? We are the laughing stock of the rest of the Australian colonies with our nine provinces each with its Superintendent, Treasurer, <fee. The sooner Provincialism was done away with the better for the country. The speaker here gave several instances of the manner in which money was wasted in pampering the natives. He had been told that he was •wrong in having spoken in the manner he had done, and trying to prevent money being spent in the disti-ict, but it must be remembered that we sholud all have to pay for it eventually. Look at the borrowed millions that were being wasted, not one third was being spent in reproductive works. We were now paying interest out of the principal, — but what was to be done when there was none of the borrowed money left. That was what we should think of. Where would the mighty Julius be then 1 Why, away to California or some other fields or pastures new. The purchase of Native Lands also required to be exposed ; under the present system a few speculators were buying up the whole of the Waikato lands ; this would eventually be the ruin of the country. Government should at once step in and prohibit it. Another thing all the waste lands in the Waikato that have been offered for sale have lately been bought up by speculators, now there was not an acre to be got from the Government in the Waikato for love or money. The speech lasted fifty-five minutes, and frequently elicited applause.