THE ASHLEY ELECTION.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7123, 20 July 1888, Page 6

THE ASHLEY ELECTION.

THE NOMINATIONS. The nomination of candidates for the Ashley election for the General Assembly was held at noon on Thursday in the Magistrate's Court, West Oxford. There were about eighty persons present. Mr Caleb Whitefoord, Returning Officer, presided, and read the writ. He said he shared In the regret which was felt by the community and the Parliament at the decease of Mr W. F. Pearson, who had hitherto so carefully represented the Ashley electorate. Electors were invited to nominate their candidates.

After a pause, the Returning Officer said he thought the natural modesty of the electors might be set aside. Dr. Weld enquired if a long grace would be allowed.

The Returning Officer observed they allowed no grace. Rev. E. H. Wyatt said to show that they were not all endowed with the virtue of modesty, he had great pleasure in proposing Mr John Miles Verrall as a tit and proper person to represent the district. It was perhaps unfortunate that he (the speaker) belonged to the clerical order, as it had been said that parsons were old women—(laughter)—whether this was apparent in the one who addressed them they must be the judges, but as a man and an elector, a colonist of thirteen years standing, having a wife and family, these facts should be hostages of his interest in the affairs of the State. He did not come forward lightly, but in the interests of good government and the selection of the best man to represent them. Regarding it a high privilege to nominate tbe gentleman he had the honor to propose, he wished to say that he was not a dependent man. The term independent was much used and greatly misunderstood; but Mr Verrall was not bound to any pawnbroking Corporation in England or the colony. He was not a man who had travelled the Middle Island with a carpet bag and a windbag—(laughter)—nor was he the rejected of nearly every constituency—(renewed laughter)—nor was Mr Verrall a man who was being dragged for the occasion out of some obscure village. (Applause.) He was a local man, and carried his brains in his head, and not in his boots. (Laughter.) He had no axe to grind. While expressing sympathy at the decease of the late member he considered it was a fitting proceeding to elect the man nearest to him in hi 3 position and political feelings who was seeking to benefit them and not to pull the district down. There was a necessity for attention to the finances which Mr Verrall was likely to attend to. He had a character which had never been breathed upon as self-seeking, bigoted, or illiberal—a character without spot. The candidate could also express himself with a knowledge of the English language without the misplacement of an h and with due regard to grammar—(laughter) —which would bring him into contact more closely with the educated men of the Assembly if. elected. (Applause). Mr Franklin Hoboes seconded the nomination.

Mr H. J. Horrell proposed Air Marinaduke Dixon as a fit audjproper candidate, saying he did so as JVlr Dixon followed on ohe lines of their late member, whose iuterests were identical with theirs, seeing he was a farmer living in the district. But for the fact that the town members had the advantage in the Assembly over the country members they would not have had tbe recent tariff put upon them by the Atkinson Government. Another reason why he should support Mr Dixon was that if they could only get rid of him for three months the neighbourhood would not be alarmed from time to time with probable floods from the Waimakariri. (Laughter). He understood there was a dark horse in the election, bat if the gentleman training that horse had not the courage to bring him out before, he thought the electors would look with some amount of shyness upon the animal.

Mr Jno. Dobson, after an acquaintance for twenty-one years with Mr Dixon, felt the greatest pleasure in seconding the nomination of that gentleman, who was an honest, earnest, straightforward colonist, one who lived by the land and shared most completely the sympathies of the agriculturists. This was a class which he considered should be better represented in the Assembly. That district wanted a local man, and not a person to represent them who lived forty miles away. It did not matter very much whether their representative was a strict grammarian. George Stephenson did not claim any aquisition of that kind, yet was one of the greatest and best men of his tunes. The other day Mr Ollivier, in conversation, had said that in the old Provincial Council days there was not a better or more earnest man than Mr Dixon. He might not shine in oratory,'but, as Mr Ollivier said, " Mr Dixon Is no fool, but has found the brains for many of our public questions," and this was the man they wanted.

Mr J. D. Dickinson, Chairman of the Cust Road Board, said be had been asked Ehree minutes ago to propose Mr Alfred Saunders. He had not known him before that morning, though he had many times been pleased with the tone of his speeches. He was not resident In the district, but just over the boundary, and would be always available when wanted* Mr Saunders had shown a great interest in education and other important questions, w_ich no doubt would be well weighed by tbe electors. Mr J. Pabxane, Chairman of the Oxford Road Board, seconded Mr Saunders' nomination. After looking back a number of years he concluded it was time they had some statesmen in the Parliament. The only one in the Assembly was Sir H. Atkinson, and if his health broke down there seemed to be no strong mind able to take up and bold the lead. The prosperity of Oxford should not be used to seep bac-k the advancement of the colony. Mr Saunders was a man who could speak well in the House. (Dr. Weld—" Yes, and empty it."—laughter.) There being no others proposed, the Returning Officer stated the candidates might address tbe electors If they thought proper.

Mr J. Miles Verrall announced he should only detain tbe electors a short time, in fact, short speeches should be Bis forte, whether here or in the House. He had to sincerely thank bis proposer and seconder, and to say that, if elected,.he would give bis best attention to the requirements of tbe district, not overlooking the greater questions which bad relation to the well-being of the colony. He was standing up at present as a remonstrance to the banking, money lending and lawyers of the country. He had so fully expressed his views it was not necessary to repeat them. It would be only right for him to thank Mr Ollivier, who had so warmly espoused bis cause at tbe recent meeting. But for that gentleman's retirement he (Mr Verrall) would have thought seriously of makinar way for a gentleman like Mr Ollivier, whom everyone so well respected. (Applause.)

Mr Mar-caduke Dixon complained of an unfair attack made by the proposer of one of the candidates. However, he (Mr Dixon) could claim to have left his footprints in the colony, and hoped that in the future bis efforts might prove a blessing to those with whom he was working, and against whom he might be fighting. He was extremely flattered by hi? own proposer, who said he bad found the brains for the old Provincial CbnnciL He admitted the soft impeachment, and claimed to have bad much to do also with the improvement of the Education Act, as well as the Road Boards Act, wbich latter he had not only made it a study to adapt to the advancement of tbe colsny, but be bad added much in assisting to carry it out to a successful issue. If he was sent to Wellington be should, as an old sailor, take command of the ship, and endeavor to convince every member, so far as he could, to his way of thinking in the promoting of tbat which would be for the

best of the colony. As a colonist, he- bad expended £25,000 In tho employment of local labor, and claimed to have set an example for industry which might well put many to shame. It could not be said that he belonged to those who were bound up with monetary institutions. He had used other persona' capital, but bad paid them for it, and was prepared to pay them to the full when the time came. He was one who, like the other local candidate, dispensed the " shin plaster," desired to see local industries encouraged, aud the feople to live and thrive in the country. t would be his best endeavor to serve them if elected, and he desired to warn them to be true to themselves and their district in at any rate electing a local man who shared in their local wants. (Applause.) Mr Alfred Saunders regretted an attack of bronchitis might interfere with his addressing those present. Like the other speakers, he also regretted the cause of the present election. Connected but little with Mr Pearson, he had, however, been pleased that he was kind enough recently to pay attention to several of his recommendations. Though they were not always agreed, Mr Pearson had come to think with him that Sir Julius Vogel's policy was not only a borrowing but a wasting policy. It was important that the electors should know from a candidate under existing party government what party he was prepared to support. He loved the'Governmeut very little, and the Opposition a treat deal less. (A Voice—*' An indepenentman.") As that matter was raised, it might be as well to say how far his independence went. He had nothing to do with any Banks. He didn't owe £10, and was prepared to pay every shilling. He had no balance in the Bank either way, and was content to invest his few pounds in the Farmers' Co-operative Society. He agreed with those who looked with suspicion on the influence of Banks and Finance Companies in any influence they might attempt to exert over the Government. It was forty-six years ago since he enteredpublic life, andhad been during that period more or less intimately connected with various public bodies. Within that time it could never be said that he had neglected his duties, and if elected he hoped to be able to use the same activJ euerg-y to good account in their intereabJl Looking back at the time when Stcsstjl Stafford, Weld, Whitaker, and Richmond were in the House, there was then £ Ministry which, in the absence of any one of these leaders, could conduct the affiiirsraj the country in a satisfactory way. An though these men were in office thirH years ago, they were all still active, az» might if they had been properly treatJE have been used to greater advantage « the business of the colouy; but of law years there had been a gross depreciatiJS in the character of their public *n<SK Further, they were from time to time n formed that owing to the illness of tJB j Premier the business of the House mfl_K Stand. Looking at the Opposition sidoMj I the House, the leaders, assumed to £B Messrs Lance and Seddon, wero qjh

capable in the eyes of the public fjM the work. Mr Lance was very wow in his way, but he should rathe* trust him with a rabbit fence tha|§ the conduct of the business of tlra country, A means was wanted tie induce their best men to go into the House* thereby improving the state of mattersS They in the South Island also felt that SK S. Atkinson was not the man for theijK interests, and it was such a serious code sideration that they ought to put the® shoulders together and endeavor to senSp in men who would effect a radical changffl At the present time the greatest questhS was that of finance. Their finances wel In the most deplorable state of any Englisw community. Since the Public Worm' system was brought in the Governmew had been recklessly borrowing, and thor had not made a single mile of railway oi» of the money borrowed. This was a starts ling statement to make, and he believe* he was the first to make it, and fully exj§ pected to see it vehemently contradicted)! ■ Since the Public Works policy was introW duced thirty millions had been ex* pended; ten of them on railwavsS ten on Government buildings, roads,* bridges and improvements, and ten* millions wasted in adding to the ex*» travagant outlay of the Governments in all directions. When that system camatt in all salaries were raised, through influil* 1 ence or other causes. Mr StatfordJ'; in his wisdom, had previously cml ' ployed a certain number of person* at a certain rate of pay, but on the work* policy coming in all these were increased!? Gold was then worth as much as at nrem B'en£ buttfold p_rch_sedthree now, wherwT it bought two then, and hence a reasonK why the salaries ought not to haveK been raised, and why many of tkemW should now be cut down saving at leastm £330,000 a year. Government had effected* some economies in their own salaries nndgj in the cost of the House, but the Premier* still showed his predilections in favor offf his friend- in Wellington. Both Sir If arryS Atkinson and Sir J. Vogel had been helped® and sustained by the Civil servants at theS seat of Government, and perhaps it waift natural they should each in turn feeH grateful and unwilling to reduce the larg« salaries paid to the staff kept up there* and make the reductions in such a<dgsxß that they really affected the building andß repairing of schools, the providing of«f masters and teachers in whose training a

large sum had been spent, which was now being lost by many of the teachers, being unable to keep up at the salaries offering. He also pointed out that several of the local postmasters suffered In a large degree, so much so In fact, that it was a wonder in some places they could get reliable men to accept the position at the low rates of pay. Sir Harry Atkinson had a very high character for uprightness and honesty of purpose, but as a politician he had been long committed to the raising of large loans and the handling of vast sums, therefore it was easy to see after all he could not complete the economics which the country demanded. He thought the pressure brought to save a further £100,000 was well intended, and could be carried out without any injury to the services of the country. It was far from his wish to exact more than a fair return for the salaries to be paid, for when an was an employer he always found it best to pay the highest wages and get a good return for same. "A representative, to his way of thinking, ought to watch as closely the public expenditure as he would the management of his own affairs. There were other subjects which he should go into at the meetings to be held, including that" of protection and freetrade. He agreed with what had been said that the towns were over-represented, and would sooner see a score of representatives sparod from the towns than one member like tbe late representative of their district drop out of nis place. (Applause.) He had the misfortune to live outside the district some fifteen miles, but he should be prepared to drive over and confer with t*bem at any time and make himself acquainted with their wants. Relative to" one matter connected with the new Customs tariff, he believed his district had one matter in common with this which just occurred to him. They were sending in a large number of pigs for curing to be sent to Sydney. Now, the Government had imposed 33 per cent, duty on the salt which was used for curing. This was not paid for either by the buyer or the curer, but must come out of tbe pockets of the farmers. Another thing he thought, although a teetotaler, was, if it was really necessary to keep up the Importation of spirits, they ought to manufacture them in the colony. He deprecated the closing of tbe distilleries in the manner they were closed, aud believed their re-establishment would utilise large quantities of grain. He now saw that those present were becoming uneasy from standing so long and would not detain them further than to say be thought a central distillery at Oamaru might be a success, and the Government could allow the gritfn to travel on the lines. He would go further Into the matter at another time. (A Voice—Will you come to Cust ? Yes; he would go there, and might perhaps go to his questioner's church. (Laughter). The candidates paid their several deposits of £10. Messrs Dixon and Verrall in gold; and Mr Saunders on putting in his £5 notes was asked by an elector to lend him a shin plaster. (Roars of laughter). Tne Returning Officer said in spite of the jb&llbt they had the farce of a show of hands to take, and the proceedings would be much simplified by written nominations being given.

The show of hands was— Verrall 11 Dixon ... 18 Saunders... ... ... 15 A poll was demanded for Messrs Verrall and Saunders, which takes place next Wednesday. Bey. £. H. Wyatt, in explanation, said In bis remarks he bad made no direct allusion of a personal nature reflecting on any of the candidates present. (Applause). A vote of thanks proposed by Mr Saunders to the Returning Officer concluded the proceedings.

On Thursday evening _fr J. Miles Verrall met the electors a-. Cust in the Institute Hail. Mr H. J. Horrell presided. The candidate's address was listened to with great interest, and at Its close, on the

motion of Mr W. H. Wyatt a heart; vot« of thanks was accorded to Mr Verrall. i Mr M. Dixon met the electors at Carl*, ton Schoolroom on Wednesday evening. Mr A. Bennett was in the chair. _ft Dixon having addressed the meeting at some length, Mr Rutherford moved and Mr Carl seconded a vote of thanks, which was unanimously agreed to. Mr Verrall met the electors at South, brook on Wednesday in the Schoolroom, Mr J. Hunter was voted to the chair. At the close of his address Mr W. Pearaoa moved and Mr S. Green seconded a vote of thanks to Mr Verrall, which was nn»n'. mously agreed to.