WAIKATO ELECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2997, 29 September 1891, Page 2

WAIKATO ELECTION.

As will be seen in another column, Dr. Brooino has withdrawn his name as a candidate in the cornins olection, and Mr \V. A. Murray wan on Saturday nominated as a candidatu. Tliis now loaves two candidates in the field—Mr Edward Lik , ?, oppositionist, and Mr W. A. Murray, iudepenrient. The snppnrti:i-.s "f both parties are actively at work, and 'J'ue-day next (p')llinc day) will determine, which will be Mr Bryce's nucnes*or.

MR E. TAKE AT KIHIKIHI.

MR TCnWAUr) IjAKB aildrpased :i. iTinnliriK of tho electors in the Town Hall, Kihikihi, on Thursday evening last. Mr Jainw Rirrell was voted to tho chair and briefly introduced thn candid'ite.

Mr Lake, on coming forward, rnfnrrpil with regret to the disgraceful conduct of the Government toward* our late member, Mr Bryce. Ho thon proceeded to st.ar.-i that hn came forward as a staunch Oppositionist and with the hope of preventing Hie return of a supporter nf the present Government. He next referred to what the Government had done towards keeping the promises under which they had been returned, anions; which hfinf; retrenchment and a reduction iu taxation. With regard to the former, he stated some live or six Native Land Court Judges had boon dismissed, only to be taken on again. This was one—and, to hia mind, a very queer— method of retrenchment. Again, the «f> tompt to incroaso the honorarium, to which he was opposed, showed another glaring instance of their intentions to mwt the wishes of thn dilfetvnt constituencies. In the Public Works Department ther.; had been far more extravagance than retrenchment. Ho then compared the Land and Income Tax Bill just passed with the Property Tax. This new Act provided a most unjust method of taxation. The Property Tax hn considered to be fair in many respects, und thought Unit if both the exemptions thereunder ami tin: rate it-nlf had been rcdueo'l it would thon havo civi-ii satisfaction. Tiie mv-nt Public Trust Oltica Commission ho regarded as ona of the crofttest scandals nf the colony, and considered tiia n'i>;.i t -f i\>?. C niniii-isi.injrs thoronn one of tho most unfair things he had ever lead. Mr Hamerton w.i-- not to blame in tho mutter, although snino of his subordinated had been guilty of very irreat negligence. Mr Like spoke at length upon the Land Bill, Land und Income Tax Bill, borrowing federation, female IranBhi«e, education system, and other matters. The address thereon was similar to the one delivered at Hamilton the previous Tuesday, a report of which appeared in Till-: W'aikato Times' of the 'J4th inst. Mr Like concluded his address by thanking the electors for their attendance, and expressed his willingness to answer any questions put to him.

Mr Duckworth : Will you st'.te what you did and what you did not fit) for us when, you were formerly our member? Mr Lake: I did my duty as a man and as a member—not only in the iot«irf<ts of Kihikihi, but of tho whole colony. I am glad that such a question has beea put to ma, as I understand what it means. It has refnrenea. no doubt, to the Pnniu brids"?, ugainst tho erpction of which many persons wero tmdor the impression that I have beon opposed. I have now an opportunity of stating that such was not the casn. AM I .lid in thfi matter wns to recommend that tli>? different sit<« should lio inspected by tliß engineni before the position of the bridge was timlly decided upon. No doubt many persons already regretted the prnsont position of tlin briden. althongh at tho time of its erection it was vnry us ;fnl.

M> Anderson: Are you in favour of Voile'.* scheme of raihv.iv riiaor\(rom.>nt ?

Mr Like: As I do not understand the system, I cannot answer tho question. Tho railways are now in the hands of Comuiissinners, and until their term of oiHce expires, nothing can bo done by Government with regard to the mnnog.ummt. Mr /Vndnison : Would you support a trial of Vnile's schnoie?

Mr lalco : If for tho good of tho country, and upon receiving a petition from my cu.ustituents, I would do so. Mr Anderson : Petitions arc useless ; there am already plenty in the House, and nothing hn3 over been dono towards giving effect thereto. Do you think the present railwav system a good one '! Mr liikc : Thu system may not be perfect, and tliß classification is very ii»m«rftjcV. (Mr Like then compared the New Zealand rail ways with those >f other countries) In reply to furtlier questions by Mr EliihU", Mr Lake stated that he would not nledge himself to vote either for or against Vaile's system ; but if the colony would bu materially beivlitted by ado|iting tho s.imo he would support it: and, on the other hand, if nothing s'llUfactory would result he w.mld vote ngaiu-'t it.

Mr Anderson : We require an immediate olmnu'e in our present system of railway management. Mr Lako : That you cannot have.

Mr Andei.«!>n : We must send men to tlio House u'hi. will supply our m|iiir,'mi:nU.

Mr FJmsly asked several i(ue-:tiotis relative to the removal nf gone from Crown land:?, ami received suuthr replies to those given at Hamilton. Mr Lake expressed himself in favour of introducing a clauso, into the Lund Kill, whereby the Government eiiiild ba called upon to remuvu tjortso from Uii-ir lauds. Uβ was in favour of loaning Crown lauds for a term, nay, of 1-1 years, whim they would in all probability be taken up and tlio nuisance tliurcnu abated. Mr Liuckworth: Do you consider lenislaliitiou necessary iu order to keep down the codlin moth V Mr Lake: No, J do not. ft tends to create n.uro billeta than do good. Mr E'iinsly : Are you iu favour uf ratiug native lands '• Mr Lake: No. not geunrally, as it could iwtht! ionGsr.ti^.ct^'iy. IMf Cniickshnnk : .1 >o you not think tho the time Inn arrived for thn rcinnval of all restrictions un the. il'ihe IVitae Clock? Mr Lake: The tinit: for removal has just been extended for two years. If the restrictions were removed the laud would probablv full into thu hand.-' of large syndicates. He considered that the Maoris were very badly treated, as unless they liked to accept the Government price for their land, they could not part with their interest therein, although, in ninny instances, the land was worth ten times tho price offered by the Government.

Mr Hntclnnson, on rising to propose a vote of thanks to Mr Like for his addres*-, urged upon the electors present theadvisableuess and necessity of returning a downright Opposition member. No independent candidate should bo encouraged, as an oppositionist who would fight both tooth and nail against the Government was what was required, and ho asked the electors to bear this in mind on the Gth October, This was .seconded by Mr McKinder. After thanking the meeting for the vote, Mr LUcb proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, which brought the meeting to a close.

ME MUIIEAY AT ALEXANDRA,

On Thursday evening last Mr XV. A. Murray, a candidate for the Waikato electoral district, addressed a meeting of the electors in the Public Hall. There were only simio 18 electors present, the night being a very inclement one. Mr J. G. Uerry occupied the chnir, and briefly introduced Mr Murray to the meeting. Mr Murray, on rising, first gave n brief account of the late resignation of the Hon. .T. Bryce, which unfortunate ntFnir brought him before thoin as a candidate for tljo vacant seat. He did not believe in :i few electors at one end of the district bringing forward a candidate to thrust him mi the constituency a.s their member. These persona had uo't up a requisition and placed names on it plcdciiig them to vote for Mr Luke v/ithmit authority, his own, Mr l-'itz-Patrick's ami others, being amongst them. Thk Waik.uo Times was hlm> going out of its way in support of Mr Lilce's candidature. That iiaper had a grudge against him on account uf a letter he wrote some time ago, and lie (Mr Murray) had atopiwd his paper. Mr liryce was also not acting as ho thoutfht corroctly in partisan of Mr Lake's. He had kiiuwii ami sat in the House fur some years with Mr llrynn, and iu fact it was liirnsolf thut lirst brought Mr Bryce in a prominent; position bel'nru the country in getting him Hie appointment of Native Minister. After tho defeat of thecmitinuousGovernment and when a nnw Ministry was in course of formation, Sir John Hall carno to him and Baid they were in doubt as to tho appointing a Native Minister who would be acceptable to the country. He thon said, Why not appoint Mr Bryo> ? He would be the man for tho position. Sir John at once agreed with him, and vpquested him to see if Mr Bryce would accept the portfolio. Ha did so, and Mr Bryce asked till next morning to consider the proposal, and was the np\t d.iy appointed to that position, and as they all knew iillod it v/ith satisfaction to tbo public

Ho tli-'i-cfnri- did think it *~me>>'!nt. M.r:ui'.'<! that Mr l'.ryce should now suppoit Mr IV-ke's candidature, in an: Iμ liiin. Ho thought At le.-ut Mr liryc-i should have heen impartial, and not recommend or two his influence in favmir of another candidate. Mr Murray then continued his sneer!), mi much the wime Ihi;M as at Kihikihi. and as rei.orKid in Haturd-iy'e issue of Tm-: WaikatmTimkh. Several questions w.:io put to Uio cirdirWtn and satisfactory answers f.':vi-n by Mr Murray. A unanimous vote of thinks for his address was passed. Mr Murray thanked the '■Vntori for the vntfi Hii fnll quite us-;t;red he would b> nl.rut.Tl ::slhi.tr niiiinh..r. .ind would :i-. ..11 tim*3-s lik" llr-m to writo to him for au.ytliing th'-y ieo,nii"d.

A vofo'of th mks tn tin? chairman, proposed l>v Mr Mi-rray and carried unanimously, cnnc'ni' ■'! 'h" m >viM t ',

Mil LAKE AT Ai.iiXAN'DilA.

Mr lvlward tnke, a cndi.iate fnr tho \Vaikito<eat, Hii! r;!nc;toi-i in t'n; public Hull, Alexandra, on Frid.iy mftiins?. Therß was n_ |j..od attanrl uicm on tin! iioca.si'in cinnidorinu tlm weatliar, them bHiiiu sntrie 40 nlectora present. Mr Walter Jainns wa« called t'i tliaclinir, and introrliiCfid tlin Ciildidatfi.

Mr L-ika, on rising, siid ho hnd nor. tin lively iinauinntion und f-iciln ton^u- 1 oi MMurray, and could not promiso the U'opi.n where money can be obtained at a lion , , of r> per cent to be fixnd by law, nor could he. HiiurjoKt that there was any likeHliond tint the Knclish (jovorument would cotnolid it,' , our loans, Rivine the Imperil] enuring, so that our taxation may lit) lightened by tho Siivinpf of interest, Fix any limit; of interest you like and capital will swiftlv fly away if it can get. better ititurust cl.skwhere. W<s 'lave alreidy had unirnj aximrience of tlie diHisnlty of porsuadmc; the l-iiißlish tiovurnnifiut to i;u;iranteu our loans in that one million loan raised about the war time in l.SiilS. Mr Ijike then pr.iceedod ti; reimirk on the various political topics now intrre.slini.; the country, and tlvi admini.-tration of tint pre-wnt I.! ivernmeiit, which he u ir.iiniiiucd. He spoke for Howards of an hour, and was attentively 'listened to and frequently at'iikuded. A faw (|iii;s'ioiiri wore asked und satisfsetorily replied to. A vote of thanks to Mr Lake for Ilia address and confidence in him as our reprflsiMitativo, proposed by Mr McCalluin, und NL-condcd by Mr Wills, was curriud uuiinilnoii'iH, A vote of thanks to tho chair, pnipuiud by Mr Lake, concluded the nieuLioj,'. 3IE W. A. MURRAY AT WIIATAWHATA. Mr W. A. Murray, ono of the candidates for tho Waik.ito scat, addressed the. electors at Whatawhata on Friday ovenini , ;. Theru was a f.iir attendauc.3, Mr 1 , . Corb iy occupying the chair. Mr Murray':: addrjss bain-r very similar to that delivered by him at, Kihikihi, and which Ims been fully r"i)oited in your column", it is n:iiii>.c.\ssurv for me to repeat it. Hut in addition to 'his. tin- em Mate detailed un elaborate scheme for relieving our national indebtedness. Tills was to Set the Imperial Government to take it over and issue consols »l> a low rate of inteiwt in its plat l , and he also advocated the issue of treasury notes to our local bodies to pay their debts with. The whole thins is so utterly impracticable tli.it one wonders at any one having the assurance to suepjest such, tomfoolery, but it took immensely with a few electors. There was a conspicuous al'sencn in the speech of any reference to the socialistic and l.ind na-tionali-iin;' policy of the present flovernmemr, l,',i ■ candidate evidently intendintr to keep his hind free to join '■ith->r pnrty. if elected. In response to questions, Mr Murray sai«l : " He would oppose any increase in the honorarium ; was in favour of female suffrage ; would not abolish th» Upper House ; would not interfere with education ; was not in favour of the burstim; up policv ; preferred freehold to land nationalization ; was atcaiiisi: fin'lher borrowiii|?, except treasury note< tc loc.il bodie-; decliuod to be pledeed to any parly. On some points hu was on a liii" with the (invemmfiiit, on olliers will) the !)p|i-isiiion ; would int pl»ds;n himself on V die's selieum. Mr Shepherd proposprl a vote, of th inks to the candidate for his address, and in doinu so said that he much 1 Mr Murray comins forward at all. Aemdit!atn had already bf.i'.n chosen a<". a public moi'tin? called for the purpnse, who h-4 I much the same srenerd views as ,\lr Murr.y but was more dnliuite upon the important point as to which party ha would supp irt. Waikato electors were realising tli.il iiiil»« they stood shoulder to shoulder, and returned m",n of pronounced views to Parliament Ni defend their interest, the wive of socialism now over thecouuUv. would sweep them oIF their finrs. Mr A Calderspconded the vote, which win carried unanimously. A similar coinplimsnt to tho chair terminated tho proceedings.

ME LAKE AT CAMBRIDGE

(nv TKT,iv.;r.Arir.—own coiiuespovdkvt CaMKHIDUE, Last Vigil r. Mr Lake's meeting :vt C uilbridt'u to-night was a vory .successful one, tusur'y thu whole of Uinsu present buinnr electors who hid com>) from tlin s'-irri>un'lii]if districts Tlio Cambridge inhabitants, not being in Hi" electorate, did not appear to take much interest iii Ihu matter.