THE WAIPAWA NOMINATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3252, 3 December 1881, Page 3

THE WAIPAWA NOMINATION.

The nomination of candidates for the House of Representatives for the Waipawa electoral district took place at Waipawa yesterday. Mr Ornoond was nominated by Mr D. Guy, seconded by Mr Bibby, and Mr Smith was nominated by Mr Henry Hickey, seconded by Mr F. W. Butler.; The show of hands was decidedly in favor of Mr Ormond, when, on Mr Smith's behalf, a poll was demanded by Mr Hickey. Mr Sydney Johnston explained that he had retired from the conteat, his friends having urged upon him that there was but very little chance of bis success. He desired to thank sincerely those friends who had assisted him with their support and otherwise. MR OHMOND's ADDHESS. Mr Ormond delivered a lengthy and statesmanlike address on several points not already touched upon in his previous utterances at Waipawa, and also defended his actions with respect to two or three matters on which he bad been misrepresented. The address, which was well received, may be briefly summarised as follows: — The report recently circulated implying that a compact had been entered into between Captain Russell, Mr John Buchanan, and himself, was a pure fabrication from beginning to end. The only foundation for the statement, so far as he knew, was that Mr Sheehan, who, as nearly everyone was aware, bad always differed from him in politics, had, during the course of a brief conversation between them in Napier after last session, voluntarily promised Mr Ormond his support, and expressed a hope that he (Mr Ormond) would be returned tor Waipawa. There had also been considerable talk about a telegram sent by Mr John Buchanan to Mr Sheehan at his (Mr Ormond's) request. He would explain that also. After Mr Sheehan had promised him his support he (the speaker) heard that his opponent, Mr Smith, was being supported by Messrs Sheehan and Ballance. He though 1 : this rather strange, and mentioned the matter to Mr Buchanan, wno at his request sent a telegram to Mr Sheehan, enquiriDg as to the truth of the statement. In reply, Mr Sheehan wired denying that he was in any way supporting Mr Smith. He (Mr Ormond) knew no more of the matter, and surely no one could say there was any compact so far as he was concerned in that It had also been said that he (the speaker) was in favor of Chinese immigration. That statement was absolutely false. He had never been favorable to the Chinamen being brought here. The circular about ■which so much had been said and written was issued by him while he filled the position of Public Works Minister for the purpose of foiling the wishes of the Messrs Brogden, railway contractors, who at that time had petitioned the Government to introduce Chinese labor for carrying out railway workp. He knew that the Provincial Superintendents to whom the circular was addressed would almost to a man disapprove of the scheme, and he considered, as bad indeed proved to be the case, that to take their voices on the question was the way to best quash the movement. It was a matter of satisfaction to him that recent legislation provided that Chinese could not now be brought here in large numbers. Kegarding the 10 per cent, reduction, he never intended that his vote should have the effect of subjecting small incomes to that reduction. He voted against specific motions with a view to prevent offices to which were attached salaries of £200 and under from being abolished, "What he did want, and still wanted. wa9 that the sinecure offices of some of the more highly paid officials should be abolished, and other officee amalgamated. He considered it very unfair to lower the wages of the working classes at such a time. [Mr Ormond here read copious extracts from Hansard in justification of his actions and position with regard to the reductions.] He might further state that reductions in some chape in the official expenditure was an absolute necessity at that time when the country was threatened with largely increased taxation. With respect to the reduction of the salaries of railway officials, Mr Ormond pointed out that at the very time when he was accused of being the means of bringing down the salaries of what might well be called the working classes he was actually in communication with the Government respecting the position of the staff on the Napier line, who were paid much lower salaries than railway officials in the South Island. On the Otago line 9 the railway servants were paid 15 per cent, more than on the Canterbury lines, and 30 per cent, more than those on the Napier line. Hβ would now deal with certain allegations made concerning his past public career in relation to land transactions. Frequently the question had been psked, "Why did not he when Superintendent reserve and conserve public estates so that the people might have land for settlement." He would not deeire to shirk this question. In the early days, as all old settlers would be able to bear him out, before they had any Government at all, and when there were only a few settlers here, the principal lands in Hawke's Bay were sold at the Land Office. This was long before he took any very active part in politics; and while Hawke's Bay was as yet tacked on to the Wellington province. It was then that all really valuable land in this district was bought up. Surely he could not be held responsible for that! In 1858 the settlers got separation from Wellington province, and for the first time he had a voice here in public affairs. The pick of the land, however, was gone before that. In 1859 he became a member of the Provincial Council, while Mr FitzGerald was Superintendent. He (Mr Ormond) took some interest in provincial matters, and brought forward shortly after this a proposal by which all land not then sold, the principal part of

which was in use as runs held from jear to year, should, instead of being let by licenses at a farthing an acre, be leased on certain fixed ternri3 for fourteen years, and the rents raised, no agricultural land to be taken into the leases. He also moved that the Provincial Council should, out of its revenue, buy some of the best land then to be disposed of on deferred payments up to ten years. This was because he saw it would go out of their hands—as indeed had proved the case — if not purchased. Mr Fitzgerald, who, he might say, represented the interests of the working classes, characterised these proposals as fair and equitable in the interests of settlement, and they were adopted. He (Mr Ormond) was not a member of the General Assembly in those days, but he knew that these proposals were never heard of further, and before he attained to a seat in the House the land wag gone. Those men who bought the lauds, or rather were forced into buying them, found it to be a millstone about their necka for many years after. It would, doubtless, have been a good thing for the country had these lands been conserved, and he held himselfnot responsible for its not being done. These were three of the points upon which bis actions and opinions had been unfairly put before the people. Mr Ormond next proceeded to speak of public matters which had been suggested to him through reading Mr Hall's Leeston speech. He noticed one peculiar thing about Mr Hall's speech, viz., that that gentleman was gradually drawing towards his (Mr Ormond's) views on several important questions. There were, of coarse, other things, also of importance, regarding which he entirely dissented from the Premier. Speaking of the Representation Bill, Mr Ormond said that, while the Premier regarded it as a fair measure, he (Mr Ormond) considered it operated most unfairly, especially in county districts. The population basis was a failure. For instance, in Dunedin there were four wards, the lowests having 800 names on the electoral roll, and the highest 900. Bach of these wards returned a member, whereas for the whole Waipawa district, where there are 1586 names on the roll, the representation is exactly the same as for the smallest Dunedin ward. Mr Hall and the Speaker were almost at one in their views concerning the land tax, and he agreed with one remark of the Premier, where he is reported to have said that those who advocate a land tax don't know what they are talking about, and have never given the matter a serious consideration. It was not required to break up the present large holdings just now while there are several millions of acres of land in New Zealand open for settlement. Mr Ormond also touched upon the public works question, and expressed himself in favor of a further loan to enable the colony to carry out the trunk lines of railways. The speaker concluded by a reference to bis local government scheme, and was followed by

Mb Smith, who briefly addressed tbe electors on one or two points of public policy, and exculpated himself from a current imputation that he was responsible for the nomination of Mr McDougall for the Napier seat.