MR SMITH AT MERIVALE.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7720, 27 November 1890, Page 5

MR SMITH AT MERIVALE.

Mr J. T, Smith addressed a meeting' of the electors at the Merirale schoolroom last night. Mr Neate, Mayor of '■ St. Aibane, occupied the chair, v ' ■Mr Smith was received with applause, and hl» remarks were accepted frequently with marks of approbation. He addressed himself to the reponatbtiitiea enjoyed by the electors' in the<*e momentous- times, and advised them how to act, carefully avoiding, he said, to suggest: to them the candidate for whom they should vote. He referred to the abolition of the provinces, and the subsequent reckless expenditure of millions of borrowed money, and the' " logrolling" which obtained. While interest was paid with borrowed money the'pinch was not felb, but when the London money-lender said we had received enough to be entrusted with, the colonists began to see the necessity of an improvement In our administration In the way of retrenchment. As the result of the extravagance he bad referred to and administrative extravagance the colony had been passing through a serious period of depreealou. The demand for retrenchment and economy had arisen, > and he approved of that prudent manage-. ment which, it was said, could meet ordinary expenses and interest out of our income. To, promote the greatest comfort for the greatest number of the people tne Government mast not borrow; it would be disastrous to do so. He agreed with the organisation of labor in unions on proper and honest, lines, kept) clear of the politician who would use them for -his own benefit. Of coarse all other people should be allowed to do likewise. There should be no interference with liberty of contract. Federated labor would be met with federated capital, and while "• the two worked harmoniously together benefits-would accrue to bofeh. He, therefore, approved of Boards of Arbitration, con sis ting equally of representatives of labor and capital. Nor for' ah instant would he entertain thejwoposal to part with our railways. They should -De held' «a 9 national property tor *tHe' behead ■'■• of the people, and not run - on '} '■ purely - money - making linesi They should' be under non-political ■ Boards, and he 1 would give every facility ,for the workmen- to place before the Governing, Boards any grievances they' were desirous of exptjalng. Speaking on the land question he said that personally 'he la? ored' the perpetual' leasing system. liwe couid : '6hly get the people to live Qpon, settle upon, and work the laud, the colony wodld-. progress and prosper, But [ every'safeguard, should be made to prevent speculation, the evils of which he 'pointed out. Hβ repeated at; length his' views on , the land fietfclemenG, on' ' abseiitee&m, on the burgtlng , up of largo restates,Ott dummyiam, and: on immigration. He distinctly opposed the land: and income.tax, and the progressive land., taxi and explained how tax was the more, reasonable and. equitable, besides which, in the present state of our finances and our financial position, tb would bfe unwise to change the Onptdefice of taxation. He spoke at- length, on the educational system, any attempt to im-! pair the efficiency of which he strenuously opposed.' J '■;•■■ : ' • * ••'"• ■■."■'":■■'<;•■■-, The following questions were put to the cahdldater? 1^; ■ -: ■ -"' .•■ '■■:-■■'■■■:< ■ ] Ganyqvt state-deflisifcely the reason why ,-\ thei "Lyitelt'on Times do not: give a report 1 of ■, ' yodr meetings ?*—l want to : state' clearly, and distinctly that before my Sydenham meeting a gentleman from the XMt'elton 'Times' came and said he w&b sent; frbtn the. office for some reports not '-"hairing; , appeared as they shoola have done. Hetook the blame on himself, arid saidit should not occur again, and that he was instructed to say that they could, noi; report my meetings aulesa X made special arrangements with line proprietor*, [which meant that I was bo pay for the insertion of auch iepans. (Oriea of i ! •* SJjame."} * Therefore, 1 'did not propose, i - to- pajr—Hhear, bear, and applause)—anaiil. had a bank full of mousy I would not;. (Renewed cheers). A journal which profeaaes co represent public opinion and to give fair play to both sides should be above that kind of thing. (Hear, hear). That is the'reason why the reporter from the jjytteUm TimieckOQH not come to my meet' ings,' andwhy ao reports appear ta the Times.' - > ■■'■ ;■"<■< ■"■-::.•. "■:■■. ■■■>■■:. _'; Mr Smith, ? hv answer to several questidae repeated his opinion oil the questions Of tne Ffimale Franchise, the Volunteers, Stated he would support a measure to- prohibit canvaeeing at elections, and made an 'explanation, which was loudly applauded, ot his connectlou witite the ' r: Fdresfcerei -Mr Smish then, spoke as follows :-*H there are 'aoj more questions I want say a few! -worda; I that la the LytieUm] Times of -thle-iaoraliig- (Wednesday) in the ! report bt my , addreea. at Addtn&toa, Which becapiea some three' laches, and was apparently supplied by some one who was there, £ ana made to appear as having eaid that I w*}---In- Javor of keeping shopa open till -twelve o'cidqk ac night. ~<T- never safd anything of the : Mnd; bat quite the opposite; '- (A yoiO3s~J "JJbbbdy the paper," and platsee). I efcataa distinctly fcMat personally I was in favor of» early closing, and : that' practically here, hi Chrlatchurch w» ried oat the provisions of the Shop Hours Bill. That ia, we closa at 6 o'clock every , mgafc, and oa Saturday at 0 o'clock. I am in favor of the weekly half-holiday as soon as it> can be amicably brought about. Therefore it was quite the opposite to the troth to state that I said I 1 was ia favor of keeping shops open, till twelve o'clock at night. I give their etatemeofi ft positive denial.(Loud applause). . Mr Shklxon .moved and Mr .Hughes seconded—" That this meeting,' '■ having heard Mr Smith's address, accords him a hearty vote of thauka and conadeace, and pledges Itself to secure his return as a fit and proper person to represent the electors of Chrlstcborch in the House of -Representatives." The motioa was carried, oaly onehaod being held up against it. - ' ATote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting,