THE CLUTHA ELECTION.

Bruce Herald, Volume XII, Issue 1137, 5 September 1879, Page 31

THE CLUTHA ELECTION.

MR ALFRED JO WITT AT CLINTON. Mr Jowitt met the electors at Clinton on WedI nesday evening, when there was a very good attendance. ! Mr F. Lange having been voted to the chair, I introduced the candidate in suitable terras. Mr Jowitt, who was well received, went through the political programme with great ' care, He advocated liberal land laws, and thought that the price of crown lands should be reduced to 30s an acre. He condemned sales by auction, and said that the land should be classified by surveyors. In the construction of railways plenty of good reserves should be ! made. He thought Otago had a god future | before it, but we required no more Chinese immigration. The Public Works Policy should be carried out by competent hands, and he was not against borrowing more money. He considered taxation a disagreeable subject, but what was really wanted was good administration. He did not consider that the County system worked well with Road Boards, and the Counties Avere also too small, and three of them might be made iuto one. In the redistribution of seats, hs would not favor a basis on population altogether. In reply to questions, Mr Jowitt said, that as regarded local option in the granting of publicans licenses, he thought they should root out sly-grog shops first. He was in favor of Bible-reading in schools with conscience clause, but would not set class agaiust class. Teachers should be paid according to average attendance. With regard to the Clutha Bridge, he thought that if active measures had been taken by thost* whose duty it was to have done so, the bridge might have been up before now. He would not support Sir George Grey nor Sir Wm. Fox, but would go in for Mr Macandrew. A new country and protection cannot sail in the same boat ; he was in favor of free trade, and against income tax. He would be ir.clined to give the Chinese, at present in the country, a fair chance of employment on public works. Mr Sutherland proposed, and Mr Law seconded — "That Mr Alfred Jowitt is a fit and propsr person to represent them in Parliament. This was carried, and the meeting separated after passing a vote of thanks to the Chairman.