THE WAIPA ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1875, 12 July 1884, Page 2

THE WAIPA ELECTION.

Mr Lake at Waitetuna. Mr Lake ac'drjhsed the electors of Waitetmu at 2. 30. on Wednesday afternuoninMr Suttnn'h Hotel. There were abo'.it a dozen people present consisting of a few natives, and the chair was occupied by Mr King. Mr Like addressed himself briefly to the electors dealing particularly with the question of native land dealing. Ho did not consider that any of the laws that applied to the purchase of native.landsi were at once jubt to the Europeans and Maoris. When their laws were fairtoone party they were in variably unfair to theether. Lsgi^lation in this respect wanted every attention, and judging fiompast, and recent experience something would have to be done. Better and more equitable laws would have to be made. When land rings got large tracts of the country into their hands settlers when they wanted to buy it had to pay a yery stiff price, s-ometimes as nmch as £8 an acre, whereas the companies bought it for about 6/- an acre. He considred the property tax one of the best ta\'es they could have. He would be in favour of a land tax on these large tracts of unoccupied land held for purely speculative purposes. Raglan gave them an instance of this. There wasalargeacreage of the land for miles around iv the hands of speculators who hold it unimproved until its value was enhanced by the labour of poor settlers. He had never been in a dibtiict where settlers contended againbt greater disadvantages than in that district. He was struck with admiration for those settlers who had stuck to their holdings with such ' tenacity and pluck. The interests of the district were identical with his own. In other respects Mr Lake's address was similar to that delivered at Raglan Several questions were aske<| by some natives present, and Mr Lake promised to enquire into thair grievances, and have th.em' brought before the Government. Mr Robinson "asked would Mr Lake be in favour of the railways beinj? sold to' a private company. ' f'* _ - j MrLakesaMhe' had never hea^ auft-

cient to induce him to support such a proposal. If the Government employed skilled men to manage their railways instead of amateurs, something better might be expected of our raihv.iyd. Until the North Island Trunk line was made they could not expect their railway to pay. Mr Sntton asked if Mr Lake would be m favour of a land tax made ad valorem or by the acre. , „ „ , Mr L.ike said that in his address »o referred to a laud tax as applied to unoccujp pied land held by speculators. He thought this should be made to pay something towards the revenue of the country. Hame Martini proposed a vote of thaitfca and confidence in Mr Lake. Mr Robinsn ■ • seconded. The proposition on being pot i was carried unanimously.

Mr Lake at Ngaruawahia. A large number of. electors attended on Thursday evening to listen to Mr J-iakes ° ThTcandidate, on being introduced by the chaiunan, Mr E. Fitepatrick, was yjtj favourably and enthusiastically receivM,_ The general iinpres&ion, so far as can be * eatbered from the conversation before and after the meeting, is that next to Mr Whitaker Mr Lake is the best man to replace him, but there seems to be an unmistakabledisappointraentatMrWhttakers withdrawal from the field. As Mr Lakes speech was simply a repetition of that at Ban, as published in The Waikato Times it would ba waste of tune and npace were I to enter into any particulars of his views as given in his speech at JNgaruawahia. He very courteously gave very explicit answers to all questions put to Fleming wished to know whether the candiate d.d not think Sir Julius Vogel to be " the beat man in New Mi- Lake said he believed hmseli to b^ the be & t man in New Zealand, Mr Fleming seaond, and then Sir Jul us. Mr Fleming wanted to know a. great many other things, but Mr Lake thought he had better ask Major Jackson, or else— c insult his solicitor. .11.1 Mr Joseph 0 mibe* desired to know whether he would support Mr Davy Goldie in his ondea\ours to suppress that good old custom of " fchonting " and hi* efforts to expunge from State Schools all the Roman Catholic Toacheis. To the ti'.t proposition Mr Lake replied that lio would always vote with the '•nodes' 1 and as to the second bethought Mr GoWie uas a humbug and a nuisance. In leply to Mr Giffney on the burnin- auction of ''the land," be said he° would be in favour of perpetual leases to all occupier » of cemeteries. He did not think that " fee simples " would be of much be.ie'it when )t was w> very uncertain when " all would have to rise ag.un.' However, he would not be opposed to the proper fencing »f all cemeteries as the expense of the public as it would tend to allay the fears that suras people (according to The Waikato Time.) have of body snatchors. A sote of confidence in Mr Lake having been carried with acclamation, and also a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting terminated.— (Own Correspondent.)

Mr Lake at Whatawhata. Mr L\ke Uiet the electm-s of the Whatawhat i district mi Wednesday evening ttiT o'clock. The largely attended meeting manifested consideiablo political zeal on the pa.t of the olectois of the district. Mr Coi boy occupied the chair. .... Mr Lake deliveied an address similar to that delneied at Raglan. At the conclusion of his address Mr Lake was greeted with loud applau&e. Mr Kovhall -vsked Mr Lake would he oblige thorn with his uews on the gicat social science question now agitating all cmh/ed nations, \u., the nationalisation of ls \ei\ thing not factitious? Mr L\ke replied that .is far as, he understood the question he was against it. Mr Kellow remarked that a \eiy good . book had been written on social science, < from which they uimht get some useful uifoimation. 7 . Respecting the making of the Wnatawluta, swamp road, Mr Lake was questioned as to lii«. adverse action in this matter. All they had lieaid of this great stumbling block was through the papers, V and what they lead in the pipen*> so fai as "» this question was concerned, was. not accoidimj to fact. People had written letters for publication which were absolutely without foundation. The mad winch had been made by the Government was afteiwaidb made a county road. Ihe Waipa County Council in this matter acted on the pi inciplo which they had adopted all along -never commencing a work until they wcieable to see the end of it, and know what it was going to cost. It was said that £200 01 £300 woul.l make a good and peimanontjobofthe road, but acting on the leport of their engineer, who told them , thcie was no bottom in the swamp at ov/p 20ft , they concluded that to do the ]ob vrW psily meant an outlay of about £2000-an outlay which they could not well afford. £1700 had been applied for under the Konds and Blidge-. Construction, Act. What he had done in this matter he would do again. Mr Crawford proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Lake for his addre&s that evening. Mi Ferguson seconded. Mr Kellow proposed as amendment, a vote of thanks and confidence. Mrbhep. heid secouded. A Voice : But you, Shepherd, have already pledged yourself to Major Jackbon, you are a traitor. Several other voices follower) in similar strain. Mr Shepherd repudiated the assertion. He had never pledged himself to any man ; but if they ivanted to know who he was going to vote for he would tell them he was going to \ ote foi Mr Lake. Mr Crawford remaiked that money could be found to make a railway to Taranaki, but the Government could not find the m>-ney to give Whatawhata s-ettlers a road to Hamilton. . Twelve voted in favour of the amendment, and thirteen for the original motion which was declared carried.