MR ROLLESTON AT RANGIORA.

Press, Volume XVI, Issue 2185, 20 April 1870, Page 2

MR ROLLESTON AT RANGIORA.

Mr RoHe.-ton mot tho electors at Rangiora on Monday evening last at the Boys' ti f Q< A' room, which was crowded, upward* of 4W persons being present, , . Mr H. Hlacxett was called to tho chair, and in introducing Mr Rolleston to tho elsetors, »aid that from what they had seen of dv conduct dunug the past two years, the turcumstanccs under which he bad become Superintendent, and tho manner ie [ "» lot \.~ had extricated tho province out of the am ; culties in which he found it, he thougo. i 'would bo unfair to elect any one else to v office. lrtudlv iMr Rolleston, who, on rising, WM "" b "J applauied, said that he was not flony this election had to be contested, Mn» , enabled in bis visits to the different par* the province to learn tho wants of eacu, he would thereby be enabled fco . do , tt f u ture . of the province more justice W the In coming before conscious of having faibnga—tor * Q £!~kj f * —but he felt that he had done n» , for them, and ho now cam* i«*

v for the verdict of the electors t0 B ms past conduct. They had to f i tith a question of principle, and not perd 'i Tn this election, and he therefore thought a groat mistake for public men to to *et class against class, by sneering ion and respectability, &c, and patro- ?» tlie working men. He then referred to \ee in Mr Moorhouse's speech, in which L P Sr Jloorbouse) objected to paid canvass«d thought that if the supporters of Mr £ P t! <ton bad been anxious for the respertay f the province they might have advisen • 'that he would havo felt more comfortable j 111 ? JL conduct of bis canvas, be was paying I • l V~n expenses. But it was a remarku- !' fet that if they went down to the, r Tnment buildings now, where assiduous •Atrv and bard work are so much talked fficert °-" Govern ment aro not to bo °-» °, . flt }, c was told they wero canvas-ing. • rrtfr Bolieaton) wished to take the earliest ftwiity of contradicting this statement. the usual notict " a in t ' lo Govemt offices that none of the clerks were to t yaH in the election, beyond recording V -votes if they wished. If this had been • frfoeed be was totally unaware of it, and i if believed such was not the caee, as td by Mr Moorhouse. He next referred Jj. 8 immigration and public works and expressed an opinion that they ought to proJL* contemporaneously. In regard to the Siern railway, in a few weeks ho hoped it would be begun, and he believed future generations would see the wisdom of the way in whioh the construction of this railway had been dertaken, which would prevent it from be-M-Biof-a burden to the province. He prolljed then to explain that the current ZZtuea oi the Government were met by the JrtUt revenue, and tbe loans could only be appropriated ior the specific purposes for which they were raised. Other subjects, Ins opinions upon which we have already reported, were also touched upon, and after a Ipeech of two hours, he resumed his seat amid Mr J.*E. BBOWN at some length referred to his conduct in connection with the Northern Railway, and said that in tho present contest he was in favor of Mr Moorhouse, who had claims to the gratitude of the province. He believed Mr Rolleston to be a hard working plodding slave in tbe public service—[loud applause]—but he thought his Honor had obitructed the carrying out the Northern railway. [No, no!] He also differed with bii Honor upon the immigration and public works question. He thought Mr Rolleston bad not enough " push" in him, and pro- J

ceeded to attack his Executive. Mr Bolleston rose to say that he *« ould sot allow his Executive to be blamed in the way the speaker was doing. They, had to act for the province generally, not for ono particular district. His Executive were aware of orerhanging claims which prevented their being able aooner to ascertain the balance available for publio works, and he thought those fentlemen deserved well of the province. Continued cheering.] Mr M. Dixon pointed out that the hon. member for Rangiora in his resolution relative to the railway north had cramped the powers of the Government so that they could not tarry it oat. He also blamed the Stewart Government for getting bo much money for the tooth districts, and thus, at that period, preventing the railway going north. Toe Hon. O. L. Lbe said his intentions were to support Mr Rolleston, and he was surprised that Mr Brown should be in favor of Mr Moorhouse, for he had not heard any conclusive arguments by that gentleman why Mr Moorhouse should be supported. Mr A. H. CmnriN&HAM said at the election four yean ago he supported Mr Moorhouse, but now for several cogent reasons he intended to give his vote to Mr Rolleston. [Applause.] Mr Brown had not stated one good reason why he should vote for Mr Moorhouse. [A Voice—"You did not say why you left Mr Moorhouse."] He left him because Mr Moorhoose left the country, tho Government and the people. Another reason was that Mr Moorhouse had, during the Bitting of tbe Council, sent home on his own hook an order for £30,000 of railway iron through Messrs Holmes and Co. [A Voice—"That waß nther too much "push."'] [Cheers and laughter.] MrPsEOIVAL was loudly cheered, and after a abort speech he moved in effect that this meeting thanks Mr Rolleston for his lucid and candid explanation of his views. Mr Bbowj? seconded the resolution, which v»8 unanimously carried. Mr Bom moved—" That Mr Rolleston is » fit and proper person for Superintendent, and this meeting pledges itself to assist in •scoring his return." Mr Brandon seconded the resolution, which the chairman declared " carried almost troanimously." Mr Bollbstos", in reply to further question*, said that it was not intended that the northern railway should stop at Kaiapoi. If toe funds in hand were not sufficient, there *v no reason why a comprehensive scheme of arterial communication should not be carried out by the colony. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated • very orderly meeting.