MR G. W. RUSSELL AT TAUWHARE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2344, 19 July 1887, Page 2

MR G. W. RUSSELL AT TAUWHARE.

Mn Ri:sski.l met the electors mi Friday evening in the schnoironm. The rimiii was tilled. Mr Chirk was voted to the chair ami in a brief speech introduced the candidate. Mr Russell addressed the meeting and bin speech was pretty ’.veil a repetition of that given in Hamilton and Cambridge. He was listened to attentively and patiently throughout. On resinning ids real, the chairman said Mr Russell would answer any questions Unit might he put to him. Mr Crowning wished to know, if Mr Knssell was returned, and a vote of nocontidence in the present Government brought on, would lie vote for nr against the Government? Mr Knssell said he would vote for the (oivernment as against the present Opposition, not only because the present Opposition were a disorganised body, hut because lie was a direct opponent of Major Atkinson. Mr Browning said he wanted a direct answer, would Mr Knssell vote for the Government. Yes or not Mr Russell: Yes. Mr McNicol asked how Mr Knssell proposed to place farmers ]OO miles from Auckland mi an equal footing with those eight miles from Auckland, when the former had bought much of their laud for 20s pur acre, and in some instances for 2s lid, and tire latter had paid from £3O to £HO per acre for theirs ?

Mr Russell said Mr AlcNicol had asked a mnst difficult question, and one that he found very hard to answer. He would not give compensation to those near Auckland. It was hard on them, no doubt, but they would have to bear it. If Yule's scheme was the means of raising the value of Waikato land, it would have done a good thing. He would feel sorry for those near Auckland, but they would have to put up with the hardship. Mr Geo. Allright asked Mr Russell if, as lie was in favour of the Waikato people having their stuff carried for the same price as those at Otahuhu, would lie, when the main trunk line was finished, have beef and mutton brought from the West Coast at the same price as from Waikato. Mr Russell said lie did not mean literally at the same price, but would take them at a proportionate rate. Mr .Allright said that in his speech Mr Knssell said he would at the same rate. Mr Russell said he did not mean it. (Loud laughter). Mr AlcNicol asked Mr Russel! if he would support a Government who. having been voted I'oOOO for a certain purpose, spent ,t(i7,000? Air Russell said lie had been asked that question at Cambridge and Cambridge West, and would give the same reply now. Mr McNicol said lie had heard the question put once to Mr Russell, but had not yet hoard him answer it. He wanted a direct answer. Mr Russell asked Air McNicol what special purpose did he refer to ? Air .McNicol said he meant no case in particular. It was a matter of principle. He had asked a straight question, and asked for a straight reply. Mr Russell said he supposed Air AlcNicol referred to village settlement. Air .McNicol said he referred to nothing in particular. He, had asked Mr Knssell a straightforward question, and wished to know if he would answer it or not. Mr Knssell said that no doubt Air AlcNicol had referred to the village settlement scheme, and he thought the Government were justified in taking the money for putting the poor and unemployed from the cities on to the land, as it did away with the necessity of providing sunp-kit-chens for them. Air AlcNicol asked Air Russell if lie was in favour of the village settlement scheme? Air Russell said he was, but the people might he put on land close to towns, and not in ont-of-the-way districts. Ah Furze asked Air Russell if he would vote for an increased property tax? Air Russell said it was a hard question to answer. Air Furze said it was proposed by tiie present Government, and this election would depend much on it. Air Russell said lie would vote for an increased property tax, and if any man in AVaikato was fortunate enough to own property worth £2,500 it mattered little if lie had to pay another 3-lfiths of a penny in the pound. Air McNicol asked Air Russell how he thought poor and unemployed from cities were to make a living on land when good men, who had been brought up on land since childhood, could hardly do it ? Mr Russell said he knew nothing of farming, and if, as Mr AlcNicol had said, fanners found it hard to make a living lie could not contradict him, as Air AlcNicol knew more about it than lie did. Air Browning asked if what Air Gould had stated in Thk Waikato Times was correct, that Mr Russell twelve months ago had advocated borrowing £10,000,000 as the only means of getting the colony out of difficulty ? Air Russell said he remembered having a conversation one evening with Air Gould, and some others, but lie did not remember what was said, or what arguments were advanced. He had never advocated borrowing so much money in his paper, and at present was opposed to borrowing. If MrGould came forward and said he had made such a statement, he could deny it.

Mr McNicol asked Mr Russell why he was a direct opponent of Major Atkinson when it was known that Major Atkinson was one of the staunchest supporteis of Vaile’s scheme in the House ? Mr Russell said he did not know that Major Atkinson was a supporter of Vaile’s scheme and asked Mr McNicol to prove he was. Mr McNicol referred him to what Major Atkinzou had said. Mr Russell said he did not know that Major Atkinson had ever spoken in favour of Vaile’s scheme. He certainly had not in the House. Buthe knew he had told Mr Vailo lie was a supporter of the scheme. Ho would join any man to assist A r ai!e's scheme. Mr Furze asked Mr Russell to what extent did he consider primary education should be carried. Mr Russell said ha considered the present system a just one, as it gave the poor an equal chance with the rich. Mr Thomas Russell asked Mr Russell how, if £130,000 had been lost on the railways at present charges they would pay by carrying people from Auckland to Waikato for 3s or 4s. Mr Russell said he would answer this question by asking another. If such a loss had been made by the present system was it not time another was tried ? Me proceeded to show that so many more people would travel, and so much more freight would be carried that it would more than make up the loss. Mr Dodd then rose and said as it appeared that no more questions were to he asked he would propose a vote of thanks to Mr Russell for his address. The road from Caamhridge was very had, and it was a very dark night, and lie certainly thought Mr Russell was entitled to their thanks for coining out that night. Mr T. N. Allright had much pleasure in seconding this. Mr Thomas Russell said he had an amendment to propose. Mr Russell was of course entitled to a vote of thanks, but he would add that Mr Whyte still had their confidence. Mr Whyte had served them well and faithfully for many years, and they could not do better than return him again. Mr McNicol had much pleasure hi seconding the amendment. They were indebted to Mr Russell for his address that night. It was an able one, no doubt. Mr Russell was a very fluent speaker, and had given them a good address, but they must not he carried away by that. The cow hoy who talked much milked little, and Ids cows soon went dry. Mr Whyte was a man of action, not of speech. He had known Mr Whyte many years, longer than anyone there, and had always found him an honest, sterling, straightforward man, a gentleman who had served them faithfully and well for nine years. Mr Whyte had been one of themselves for many years, and was one of themselves to-day. His interests were their interests : his loss would he their loss ; his gain would be their gain, and they could not do better than return him again to represent them in Parliament. He had much pleasure in seconding the amendment, a vote of thanks to Mr Russell, and of continued confidence in our old member, Mr J. B. Mbyte. (Loud and prolonged applause.)

On the amendment bein'? put. it \v:«« curied liy a large in;ij<>rity, >'iilv ti\«; l.«*idinir up th“T hand* for the nv-ti-uj. Mr Hii'-ell, tlu-n rwinu', -;iid ; A' th** nje“tlii^ r h<d nut L'iven him • v<ui a v-te nf thanks he had iwiiiing t * thank tli-ui f.*i. Ho c-iuid t*-U th-::i that this did not depond on Tanwharo. Mr McXiml siid th-y hid civ. m Mi "Russell a Vide of thanks, hnt hid added continued confidence in Mr Whvt**. Mr Ilu"*dl denied this and Mr Mr\ic*.! asked MrTiemM> Ku>--.dJ it such \v t -. n<»t th** aiiiondiie-ut. Mr Thomas ~ iM it Th**c:ind:date li-iv.vut. wioiM n« t admit it and said lie did n-.l thank Mr McNicol for the put he !iad taken, and the n*ue}i manner in \vhii*h let iaui >p..ken, I’erimps it was Mr McXicd’s way, Imt le’ was not ns(»d to it. Mr Kussejl not thinking; it worth while to propose a vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr McXicol did so, Mr Allwricht seconding it. The meeting then dispersed.