MR CONNOLLY AT PICTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1841, 24 April 1884, Page 3

MR CONNOLLY AT PICTON.

The Hon. K. T. Connolly, AttorneyGeneral, addiessed his constituents at Picton on Tuesday night. Speaking 1 of the late session, he claimed tli.it it would compare not unfavouinbly with the pievums session. He thought the Bauluuptcy Act made a change foi the bettei, though he thought theie was a growing opinion in favour of the abolition of banluuptcy laws. Next session he hoped to see the Manied Womans Propeity Act and the Act for Preventing Restnction on the Alienation of Land passed into law. Kefeiiing to native land legislation, he was m favour of the restoration of the pre-emptive light, and the protection of the natives from the land sharks. He condemned the bills introduced last session to prey ent the sale of goods retail on ciedit, to legulatr the hours of work, and Sir Ueoige (iiey"b bill to abolish the Legislative Council, a measme which Sir (Jeoige knew the Houmj could not cany out. He also condemned Sn George Grey's pioposal to appeal to the electori when the Houses ditfeied m opinion. He "-poke stiongly against the idea of a return to Provincialism. On the question of education Mr Connolly said he would support the piesent s>stem foi the reason that so long as education lemaincd national it must be secular. Kcligious denominations must not ask State assistance to teach their childicn the faith they believed to be conect. He condemned the proceedings of the committee winch sat last sessufh, and said that it took the views of the clergy as lepiesenting the laity. He could conceive no subject on which the clergy so little lepiesented the laity as that of sending clnldien to the common schools. The committee was ;i far jc, and ended in nothing Ho then lefened to the Daigaville episode as a disgiaceful pioceedmg. He was soiry to --cc that Mi ])aigaville was praised by his constituents for his coinage in attacking the Mnnstiy. Theie was no coinage in making chaigos winch he could not prove, and he was desei ving of censuie rather than piaise. In concluding are mow of the past session, Mi Connolly sml it was clear the Opposition weie thoioughly disorganised, and could only unite to attack Government on side inatteis. Refei ring to financial matters, he defended the action of the Government in laismg the railway taiiff. He contended that the grain-growei s had no just cause of coinplaint, as the freight chaiged was not so high as foimerly, and was much lower than they could obtain by any other mode of conveyance. He put d iwu tlu d 'piowou in the Luge cities of the South to oveitrading, and blamed meinbeis of the House for much of the extravagant expenditure complained of. He said the constabulary were necessary to maintain th<° peace of the colony, and thought that in keeping up the force the countiy was pacing a veiy small liisiuance. Hi stiongly opposed the proposal foi lusulai sip.uation, the result of which would bi> most dis.istiou. to Mailborough, Nelson and Wetland, which would soon be left out in the cold bv the Southern pniuon of the island Mi Mont gomery's scheme meant that the million which in oidin.uy com so would be bon owed in January should not be boi lowed at all, and that if he w nc in powei the million for the Nuitli island Cent] a 1 Kaihva> would ne\er be laised. In legaid to separation and some othei subjects Mr Montgomeiv was a nieie citY Saw in the hands of Mi Macamheu. Ir Connolly contiadu ted the ninioui that he was about to lueeive a Supieme Couit judgeship. Tlnoe questions, at least, would be fought on the hustings The first was, sepaiation or piovincialisin, the second was a land tax as against a piopirty tax. Hehadalwajs advocated the latter. Viewing land as a species of piopeity. to tax land and leave other piopeity untaxed was class legislation of thewoist possible description. He condemned a piogiessive land tax', which was based upon an uttei fallacy, and nothing could be fauei thai propeity tax-. He would gladly see an increase in the piopeity tax coupled with a diminution in the numeious ai tides which at present weie the subject of Customs duty. The thud question was that of education, and he at least would not «upport any matenal altoiations m the system. He desired to see pmnaiy education up to the sixth standaid maintained, but thought they went a little too fai in the direction of secondary education. Those who benefited by that ought to pay foi it, and not the colony at laige. The question on the hustings would be between the pieBent system and denominational schools, and he had already indicated that he should resist any suppoit being given to the Uttei . After lefening t'> local topics, Mi Connolly concluded by announcing his intention of seeking election at the next geueial election. A vote of thanks and confidence in Mi Connolly was passed almost unanimously.