MR STAFFORD AT TIMARU.

Press, Volume XVI, Issue 2188, 23 April 1870, Page 2

MR STAFFORD AT TIMARU.

[By Electric Telegraph.] Mr Stafford addressed the electors of Timaru on Thursday evening in the Assembly Rooms, when there was a crowded attendance. He was well received, and began by stating the pleasure he felt in meeting his constituents, whom he had not known before, and who had chosen him as their representative in the House, although a stranger to them. He deeply sympathised with their discontent in wishing for a change under the present system of Government. He had carefully studied the wants of the outlying districts, and felt that his constituents were justified in what they sought for, when they desired to be made into a separate district. Timaru had a larger revenue, and ten times the value of exports which any one of the original provinces had, and it was incon-

sistent on the part of the older provinces to have refused their request. He had great pleasure in bringing forward the Bill of last session as they deaired; for, although not carried, it I was a protest against the existing order of I thinp* and no reform was got without con- ! tint;, i agitation and constant, pressure being brought to bear. No reform was ever spontaneously granted. Many people depended on the retention of Provincialism. If throefourths of the people of New Zealand desired a change tho chancoa were, there would be a bitter struggle before it was granted, owing to tho opposition of Superintendents and others interested in the preservation of tho provinces. Tho Superintendent and his Executive had promised to supplement any balance over from the Raugitata bridge, up to £5000 for the building of the Waitangi .bridze. As far as he could learn that promise had been faithfully kept. He (Mr Stafford) was not fond of Superintendents in their official capacity, and not many of them were his private friends. The development of the country and tho means of obtaining a safe and rapid means of communication should not depend upon the caprice of one or two individuals. He should like to j see such a system established, as part of the policy of the colony, as would ensure that every dangerous river between Southland and i Auckland should be bridged, and that every road necessary should bo made across wet ground, or across any ground that impeded transit. We had isolated ourselves in this colony, which was intended by nature and God to carry twenty - five millions of people in health, wealth, and a contented state of life, and yet it had only a quarter million population. We seem determined to live in a small petty isolated manner, with the petty aims and the petty ends of petty states. The policy of New Zealand should be a policy to open and people all parts of country simultaneously; but he (Mr Stafford) never would be a party to shovel people within its borders and there abandon them; nor would he vote sums of money, by way of loan, to be expended for those purposes by the provinces. His plan would be to employ the bulk of the immigrants on the great arterial works of the country, and he was sure the most part of them would afterwards settle down in the country. Another objection to allowing provinces to borrow was that we would be perpetuating the vicious system of finance, that of having one party to lay taxes on tho people, and another irresponsible body to spend them. He saw no prospect of reducing the taxation of the country consistently with existmg liabilities. The Superintendents of the provinces went to tho Assembly demanding money to spend, and so long as there were two Treasurers, that system would increase till it strangled us. Mr Rolleston had said that tho North was trading in war, but it was a most unjust calumny. The present Government was doing its best to arrive at a question of peace; we had never doubted that they wished to do so, but they had laid themselves open to animadversions by the difference between their professions and their practices. The three cardinal features in their policy were to act on the defensive, obtaining Imperial troops, and raising a local force in England. If he thought the Government were as likely to change their opinion in provincial matters as they had done in native affairs, he would be one of their strongest supporters. But he believed they dare not do it. Speaking of the Gladstone County Act, he did not think it was the best that could be initiated, and wished to see a much wider and more general Bystem, but if the provincial system is to be maintained, he would be found again raising his voice to support the wishes of the peoplo of Timaru. In reply to a question, Mr Stafford said that the proceeds of the land sales should be devoted to the districts wherein it was raised, and the arterial works referred to carried on by a loan. At the end of the meeting, the following resolution was passed unanimously—" That this meeting begs to thank the Hon Mr Stafford for his address to-night, and for his past sarvices on behalf of tho district and the colony, and pledges itself to support him at the approach./. 5 general election; and it further desires f'j record its opinion that the present depression of the colony will not be wholly removed until some change is made in the present system of Provincial Governments, and especially in the financial relations between the provinces and the colony, the j present system tending to keep up taxation."