AVON ELECTION.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5883, 22 July 1884, Page 3

AVON ELECTION.

TO THB BDITOB OF THE PBBSS. Sib,—Oα Saturday evening last Mr Harper held a second meeting at the Papanui Town Hall, it was said for the purpose ot explaining to the electors his changed views on some of the questions he had previously [addressed them on. Some said it woe to catch the votes of those whs snpport the present system of education as he had by his previous speech caught the votes of Boman Catholics and denominationalists. He would by giving out his now etrong views on the E Jncation Act gret those who were opposed to him to see that he had been misrepresented. I was cot present at his first meeting at Papanui, bnt I carefully read bis speech as reported in the next morning's papers, and from the reports then published and the comments made on Ms utterances I had made ap my opinion that; Hγ Harper was an ade, t at trimming, bat, sir, when I attended hi* meeticg on last Saturday evening at the Papanui Town Hall and heard him then re-deliver himself, I came to the fixed opinion that I never heard a greater turncoat set op for Parliamentary honors. Below I give quotations from his speech as delivered at Papanni on the 28th Jane, and from the one delivered on Saturday last, 19th iast. At his first meeting in regard to the West Coast railway, he said, after speaking about the syndicate formed in England for its construction, and saying lie would snpport the demands made by that Company, that "he knew all about it because he was proessionally engaged." On Saturday evening but, on speaking . f the West Coast railway, he said, "He saw that Mr Dunlop oa speaking of this had said that he (Mr Harper) was professionally interested in the work, he conld say, however, that he was not professionally engaged in any shape or form on behalf of the Company." In. speaking of the Education Act at his first meeting, he said—as reported in the morning papers of next oay—" That the course he had to propose in regard to raising taxes by levying a ten shilling rate on children of school age" was only lost by one vote when brought before the House while he was a member, and the vote was only lost by the vote of the Otago and Auckland members, and. that by the introduction of that mode of taxation the parents of Boman Catholic children would be freed from paying for what they did not now receive. He also said that children receiving the r education elsewhere would be exempt if they lied to claim *nch exemption (this would include the children of the wealthy, as well as others), and that, if the people did not like to put tip with this taxation, than they would have to pot up with a redaction in the qnslity of the education, yOn , evening last he said that fceiad been told that he was going to lose his election on the education question, and, if so he would like electors to know what Ms views really vrate. Among other thing*, he said that he had been accused of an "jtenfaonto destroy the Education Act, bnt he had

elector how he wonld reconcile the quotations given above from his former speech with such a statement as that he had not said a word to lead any person to such a conclusion. Sir, if to —trounce a Hating Act at ten sh_ingaper child, and to exempt the children of Roman CathoU— and those wealthy persons who might wish to feet their cluiaren educated elsewhere ia not to destroy v _ ct l n a —»—t practical manner then the benefits of the present Act are misunderstood. answer to a question on Saturday evening lahe said he would not vote for giving support to the schools of Soman Catholics, and yet in his former I speech he said that he would exempt them from paying the school rate, would not this be giving [-them support? I think it would with a -engeance. i Such support and such, rates would be the thin end of the wedge that would in time destroy the \ present Education Act.

But in giving the above quotations I am not surprised after hearing him speak. In one of his speeches he said — Gentlemen, these are my opinions, hut I am not a stubborn man, and am open to change my opinions. On Saturday evening ■ last he said, in speaking of taxation and education, that he wonld bow to the opinions of the people. So ssy I, from the tenor of his speeches I shoald sby ho would become all his opinions to all sorts of men, if by any means he might get into Parliament, and whenhewas in he would try .like the present Government, to change his opinions to suit all people so that he might be kept in. Thanking you for your favor. Tours, &c, . . - As 'ELBCTOn. P S.—Electors, do not return a candidate who is SO very pliable in his opinions, or jon may find yon have got a colored member who wonld be of a very different hue w_en the present paint wore off.