THE WAIPA ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1877, 17 July 1884, Page 2

THE WAIPA ELECTION.

Mr Lake at Te Awawutu. Mu Lvke addicted the electors heib on Monday evening. Then c was a largo attendance, fully 320 being present. On the motion of All J. Cunningham, Mr Sloane took the chaii, and intioduced Mr Lake, who gave Ins views on the political situation He said he belie\ed the dissolution was piiucipally brought about by the 1 ailway policy of the Government and Mr Bi yco'h Land Bill, which trod on the toes of those intrusted in fcho purchase of land. He would not like to see the railways either leased or .sold, but would like to see the management in the hands of a non-political boaid. He strongly advocated the immediate constitution of the main tiunk line of lailway, and evpiessed himself in favoui of the Mai ton route, as it would be a sti'iiighter line than the Stratford one, but on the other hand the lattei unite would biing moie trade to Auckland. He was opposed to the old system of purchasing native lands by pri\ate paities, as it had a demoralising effect on both laces. He appioved of the clause in the new bill, which provided that one-thud cash .should be paid and the rest invented for the natives. The lemainder of his speech was practically the same a» those which ha\e already been lepoited. He thought if Sir Julius Vogel got into power, he would bonow perhaps five 01 si\ millions more, and make the depiession when that was spent, worse than it is at piesent. Mr Moss : In your opinion are the interests of the two islands identical ? Mr Lake : At present they aie not, but I hope they will be so ultimately. Mr Moss : Would you be in favour of a female franchise so as to augment the power of the people to govern themselves ? Mr Lake : As a married man I think the female franchise already very strong. Mr Moss : Do you approve of the Act called " The Colonial Stocks Bill " (Inscription of Stock Bill), which has been adopted by all the Australian colonies, which Act con vet ts debentiues into insciibed stock, by which a saving £30,000 a-year has been effected, as Major Atkinson stated lately at Dunedin? Mr Lake : As I find it quite enough to do to manage my own finances, I cannot pretend to finance for the colony, but if Major Atkinson said that he had saved so much money by this bill, then I think it a very good one. Mr Moss thanked the speaker for his couiteous replies, and said that if Mr Lake approved of this bill and the management of railways by a non-political board, ho should in his opini m support 9ir J ulius Vogel, as these were salient points in his policy. Mr Rutherford : As you are reported to have said the land bill had its good and bad points, will you be good enough to say what are the good and bad points ? Mr Lake : If the Government had the power to stop the settlement qf the country by the preemptive right bill I would oppose it, but I thoroughly believe in Mr Bryce's integrity, and will give him my entire support. Mr Rutherford : If some clauses in the bill did not meet with your views, would you give it your entire support ? Mr Lake j At the present moment I have no reason to suppose there are any defects in the bill. Mr Johns : Would you be prepared to support such a bill if brought forward by any other member than Mr Bryce ? Mr Lake : I would support the same measures if broue-htj forward by any GoYernment, buj; a.s I believe the present Government to be the best, I am prepared to give them my sujjport. . Mr Johns : That is not a direct answer to my question. Mr Lake : It is the measure I want to see passed, and it is my belief Mr Bryce will carry it out. Mr Johns : Do you mean you would support the bill if brought forward by. any other Ministry. Mr Lake : I would ; but there are some clauses in the bill whioh/I would not like to gee'entpi}ste4 to. any other hands than Mr Bryce's. * Mr Ellis: 'As yoji say. there-, are .clauses in that bill you ,^ould not entrust in any .otjier- h»n%':than ;Mr, Bryce's, .what guarantee, have fyoxji that -J^? .-Bryco ,wiU

Mr Lake : I would do my best to keep him in office. Mr Moss : In your Raglan speech you eulogised Major Atkinson and Mr Bryce. If such is the case, why do you say you will w.itch the bill. Mi Like : As far as I know Mr Bryce is the mo,t h nest Native Minister I have seen, but he is but human. .Mr Rutherford : In the event your return to House, v\ ould you bring in a bill to empower ic&ideut ratepayois to abolish or retain the county councils ? Mr Lake : As far as I can see with ono m- two exceptions the trouble is scarcely felt. The picsent bill says tlnee-fifths of the latepayeis, but in this place that means the niajonty of resident latepayeio. In the long nin I believe the County Act would do more good than harm, and there foie I am not in favour of disturbing it. Mr Moss : Would you do all you can to legalise racing consultations (sweeps ?) Mr Lake : I am not a lacing man. In reply to a question as to whether he would be in fa\ our of making Brogden's claim a colonial or piovmeial chaigo, Mr Lake said ho was not long enough in the colony to give a decided answer. Mr" Johns : Would you be in favour of making the lailway t.uiff uniform all over New Zealand, or only sectional. Mr Like haul he was in favour of a uniform late, i.e., he would not like to see people living at a distance from the head station paying more in proportion than those living near it, for as the distance increases &o the cost of haulage dcci eases in piopoition. He consideied the tariff which at present obtains bad, and he would be thankful to any Government which would alter it for the better. He did not think M-i Vaile'b scheme would pay at all. Mr Lake was asked if, when he spoke at Raglan of Major Jackson as "that everlasting candidate,'" he meant it as a slur, considei ing that this was only the second tune the Major was a candidate, and that within three years, or if it was done in lgnoiance. Mr Lake said in leply that it ceitainly was not meant as a slur, and that he did it only in a jocose manner, and meant no imputation on Majoi Jaclwm. Ml Cuinungli.ini: Aie you in Javuur of staicnig the m.un ti unk line of iaih\.iv at once, or would you bo m favour of puichasing the luid fiist. Mi Lake said he would be in favoui of the laud being puichased hist, but if action weienot taken at once, the line would not be made for some time ; but he thought the land should be bought at once. Mr Wright : Aie you in favour of a propetty tax. 01 a land tax. Mr Lake, I think the piopeity tax the fauest, but if we want to raise moio money, we should tax the unoccupied land in the countiy, When asked if he would be in favour of abolishing road boaids, leaving the roads in the hands of the county councils, he said the act leaves that in the hands of the iatepayois and he did not think it wise to interfere with it by legislation. Mr Budginan asked if letunipd if he would pledge himself to biing the high late of freight on cheese before the notice of the Government a bonus of £.~>oo had been offcied, foi the fiist fifty tons of cheese e\poited at a profit, but local industry was ciamped by excessive i.ulway chaigos. Mi Lake said he was a fanner himself and what affected ono branch of the farming mdustiy afFecfced him, and lie would be glad to see anything that would give the fauueis a better chance of making a likelihood. Mr Teasflale in moving a vote of thanks and confidence said, he believed that Mr Luke weie returned, he would do a great deal ot good foi the Waipa. An amendment of thanks only w.i<. moved. On being put to the meeting twenty seven voted foi the amendment and twenty eight foi the motion, which was declared to be can ted. The usual vote of thanks to the chair bi ought the meeting to a. close. — (Own Couespon'dont.)

Mr Lake at Kihikihi. [in TKM lillVVH.— OWX COimiM'OXDJ-N'r.] Tn Awaaiutu, Wednesday. Mr Lake addicssed a \oiy laige assemblage of alectois at Kilukiluoii Tuesday evening, Mr Fan ell in the than. The addict,-, was substantially the same as those dehveied in other places. Mi Lake answered a number of questions nftei his speech, lie said in 1 cply to questions that theie weie abuses not .stopped by the present Act, such as payments illegally made to natives. Mr Thompson said he (Mr Lake) know of abuses undei the Act, but he (Mi Thompson) knew of one abuse, the abuse of the load. Mr Lake, as chairman of the county council, did his best to .spoil the load. The speaker went on to say that Mi Lake had abused the funds of the council, and said if he weie returned to I J ailiamont he might misspend the money of the country in the same manner. Mr Fiaser asked if Mr Lake would suppott the Land Bill if it contained a clause making it compulsoiy foi the nativ eto tell their land to the Government at wbatevei pi ice they chose to give ? Mr Lake was of opinion that the bill provided that the ttm eminent will pinchase what laud they require, and would suppoit a measure that would provide foi the natives selling eithei to the Government or through the land boaid. On the question being repeated, Mr Lake said the natives must sell to the Govern inent 01 someone oKe, and he would .sup poit the measure if it was .shown it was foi the good of the countiy. Mr Ellis said : Mr Mitcbelson is le poited to have said in one of his addrossi" that the Government would buy the land or each side of the main line of laihvay, and would soil again at a profit, which woulc bring in sufficient money to pay for the construction of the line. On the othei hand, the Government stated they woulc only act as agents, and thus lequire m capital to buy the land. He asked Mr Lake how he could reconcile the»e two btatements. Mi Lake said he spoke for himself, aiuJ was not bound to cndoise the statements oi othets. The line which will cost from one million to a million and a-half, v\ ill raise the pi ice of the land through which it will pas< by £2 an acie, and his opinion was the Government meant that no one else would be allowed to act as agents. In reply to a question, he said he would like to see the Education Boaid made accountable for its extravagances. Mr Fraser asked if Mr Lake would be in favour of a boaid being appointed (provided the new Bill passed, and the Government purchased directly from the natives), to look after the interests of the natives, and not leave them to the ir.eicy of the Government to be fleeced? Mr Lake could see no objection to the appointment of a board, but saw no necessity for one if the Government sold the land by auction. His rephos in regard to a non-political board for the management of the railways, weie the same as have been already reported. Mr Edwards asked if he would support Mr Biyce's bill, which provides that the majority of owners could sell the land agam»t the wishes of the minority? Mr Lake : I hay o no idea that such a clause is in the bill. No such clause exists so far as I know, but if such were inseited it would be, I suppose, according to Maori custom, but I would leave the matter to those who knew better than I. Mr Fraser : A copy of the bill has been sent round, and such clause is in it. Would you support it? Mr Lake : How do you know such clause is in it ?. Mr Fraser : I saw it. Answer my question, would you support it ? Mr Lake : As far as I know no such clause exists. Mr Fraser : In the event of your being returned would you support it ? Mr Lake : If such a clause were brought forward by those who have the native interests at heart I would support it. Mr Edwards : I expect to have a claim to some land. Do I understand you would support a bill compelling me to sell my share against my wish ? Mr Lake; If I considered those who brought forward such a bill had the interests- of the country at heart and were honest in their intentions I would support it. Mr Edwards : If Sir George Grey brings forward his Legal Practitioners Bill will y«u support it ? Mr Lake ; I am not supposed to have-cut and dried answers for every question. I have never given the bill any consideration, Mr Fraser : You said you would support a tax on unoccupied waste land. Would you support a tax on sheep runs, or, in other words, a land tax ? Mr Lake : Such lands would not come under the category of waste lands. I mean land .held for. speculative purposes. ' A vote of thanksi en the motion of Mr Hutchinsqn,-waa carried. , r < f ,' Mr fcharles Gould, being-.tbc only candidate nominated for the~"vacarit'- seat in- tb©"^ Pinko

Major Jackson at Ohaupo. Major Jackson addressed the Waipa electors at Ohaupo on Tuesday, Mr J. T. Edwards was in the chair. The address was mainly a repetition of that given at Hamilton. Speaking of counties, •he thought the best boundaries between them would be the watershed. In reply to questions the candidate stated that he would not detain the construction of the trunk line until Government had acquired the land of it. It had not been done in the case of European lands, and why with the natives ? He thought that all attempts on the lives of local bodies should be well ad- w vertiscd, and settled at the poll by simple majority, either by personal voting or by provy. He would not vote for Mr Bryce's Land Bill. If Gove.nment made the bill a party question, he would vote against it, but on a general want of confidence motion he would vote with the Government. He would support the bill if it gave the natives the option to sell under it or not. . Mr Rutherford proposed, and Mr Konleis seconded, a vote of thanks and confidence. An amendment of thanks was proposed by Mr Scott, and seconded by Mr Goodfellow. The motion was canied by 17 and 11.

Major Jackson at Te Awamutu. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Te Aw uiuru, Wednesday. Major Jackson addressed a large audience to-night, Mr Bosanko in the chair. Major Jackson was greeted with loud applause. He said it had been industriously ciiculatod that his support of the Government was doubtful, leaving him to do anything he cho&e afterwards. He was pledged to vote with the Government on a no-confidence motion. If Mr Bryce's bill was made a Ministerial question he would vote with the majority of Auckland members That was as far as he could pledge himself, not having seen a copy of the proposed bill. He believed the present occupies of the Treasury benches had provided themselves good adtninistiatoi\s. The lomamder of tho speech was practically the same as at Hamilton. In leply to questions, the candidate said he was in favour of Education as it is, but thought it might bo reduced in the matter of high schools and fancy accomplishments. It would ba better if childien were not sent so y< ung and taken away before being so old as the act say-s but he. fouud the constituents do not wish it, so he would bow to then- w'shes. He was in favour of tetrenchment generally. He thought the trunk line should be made at flnce, and was of opinion thao it would soon pay as settlement would follow. A number of questions relating to tho candidate's connection with native lands were put. He s-vul the company he represented did nob intend to buy native land, but would merely oct as agents. They lent money to natives whose title, had been obtained. He had lent money to natives to buy food. He would not try to oust Mr Biyce, i Mid would support the pre-emptive piopo&al, piovided he was satisfied the natives would not be injured. by it. If Vogel got into power he would tiy to make the best of him, but would oppose any Government going against the mteiests of the district. Ho would support the Government on any life and death question, and on the Native Land Bill would go with the majority of the Auckland meinbfiis. He was not in favour of fmther boiiowing, except for leproductive woiks. He was not in favour of increasing the piopoity tax, but thought incomes not aheady touched should be taxed. He did not think Vogel would be a desirable Minister, and wished someone would give him a job and send him to Hong Kong. tSeveial other questions were asked and cVi&weied. Mi Short proponed and Mr J. Ramsay seconded a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr Walton moved, and Mr Bridgman seconded that a vote of thanks only be accoided Major Atkinson. On being put to tho meeting the motion was declared carried by a laige majoiity, and the meeting scpaiated with three cheers for Major Jacloon.