PUBLIC MEETING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 199, 17 February 1866, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

Captain Baldwin addressed the electors of the Manuherikia, at the Union Hotel. Clyde, on Tuesday evening last. Dr. Shaw occupied the chair. There was a large attendance, and the gallant Capfcaia was wdl received. After a few introductory remarks from the chairman, Captain Baldwin said: —He wai very.glad to meet so many electors, not because of anything he had to tell them, but because it showed they took an intermit in their affairs. It had often been a matter of regret to him (Captain Baldwin) to .see the apathy . evinced towards polities all over the province, and he always thought there must be something wrong

whdu a community of men neglected to look after their own interests. He appeared before them for the purpose of ex pbv'mng. his views and opinions upon the letd n j to i a of interest, and as a candidate for the representation of the Manuherikia district. It was an important district on account of its wealth, resources, and population, and whoever had the honor to represent it undertook a great re ;ponsibility, which could only be untie i - taken by one having the confidence of the electors and the inhabitants generally. He was there expressly fir the purpose if testing this, "it 1 would presently ask them to say " Ye. 'or "No," a;-d would be guided b/tlc su\ If ta ir opinion of him was ftvcra'ile he w uld go to hi poll; if not he would quietly retire fro.n tie field. The 1 fc'rst question to which le'waild direct their attention was one which had been for seme tine past atirct'ng a great deal of attention. It was that of Separation. Four years ajo he was a Separationist. ; e then opposed Mr. E. B. Ctrgill on Separation principles- they would therefore, perhaps, think it odd when he told them he was a Separationist no longer. But they mast not condemn him of inconsistency or ■of dunging his views. Separation fear years ago and Separation now wi re two ' distinct and different things. The Separa-j tlonists four years ago said—" We have no native population, no native war, and but little if any thing to do with the management of the natives, but wc pay three-fourths of the.cost. We have very large and important interests to look after. I We have re sources of unparalleled magni-j tude in the : b ■; e of new goldfields which are. daily developing themselves, and require very careful looking after. But our int rests are: being neglected and eitir goldtielels mismanaged, because the people of the Noath have all their time and attention taken up in looking after the nativ. s. Now this is not fair nor just, and we want to sij a rate. We want a financial and administrative separation; we want a separation between the Northern and Middle Islands. Wo don't; wish to do anything shabby, r.tid are quite willing to bear our fair share of all past debts." These were the argument-;, these the views of the then i Sep-uvitionists." The Separationists of the present day say—" The war is now drawing to a close ; we owe a large amount oi (money, and {ho Home Government having i shown itself averse to any dismemberment of the colony, we go in for giving the provinces enlarged power?, enlarged areas, ant . for confining the powers of the Centra' ( Government—making n 'act a cipher t it." To these views he (Captain Baldwin] wis decidedly opposed, Since ever he hie formed an opinion oa New Zetland poli tics he had been opposed to provincial ir s'itaiions, and the more he had though over the matter the stronger had his oppo . sit-ion become. Provincialism was a very well in the early days, when the men: i of communication between one part-of tin . j colony and another was a-matter of months

5 Bu' nor,' things are altered. The electric i telegraph flash messages from one end of the island io the other. Who then can say thai provincialism is necessary? Reflecting men throughout the colony condemned it as a nuisance. For instance, - take Southland. Have we not heard of writs being issued against its chief officer? Have we not heard of the public offices 1 cing in the hands of the bailiffs and the - Government railway plant, being sold by the sheriin This is the form of Govern-! ' ment we area ked io continue and to con- ', f( r enlai-; ed poweis upon. Personally he i (Captun Ba'l.lw.n) hoped the day was not! ifar disfant when provincial institutions! t wov.ld be swept away, and the word pro-! i.! vincial abolished. (Cheers.) The remedy ■lis a s'mp'.e one. Divide the colony into f sh':n'j, with local boards, who shall have a c r :ii amount of revenue to spend ,x within their respective districts. The next ,' J cpaestion to be considered is the present * position of the goldnelcls, The manage- ' ment of the g Idiiclds is vested, as you :II i' know, in tli" Governor, raid by him dele-

gated to the Superintendent and his Executive. Now the goklfields Lave be en [managed under the delegated powers for four years, and past experience shows us tiiat they have been mismanaged. He (the speaker) though we would be much better otf under the General Government. He •would now say a few words about bin resignation as a member for the gold fields. Me v.ms surprised to hear that it had been a;ainst his candidature that he had reigned hisseit without duo notice The facts were siuiply these. Home months before the meeting of the Assembly lit found bis absence from home would be t m liter of serious moment to him, am knowing-ths' session would be a long nnc important one, he felt he would not b< ac:iu; honestly towards his constituents i he held hisseit when, there was a proba bility of his not being present. He there fore resigned, ami lie did not Sie wha oilier he coald liivo taken. ' ! is sue I ces3or wua returned a aioatli or sbi week

before the Assembly met. therefore his constituents did not suffer. Captain Baldwin then read his farewell address, written three months before the Assembly met last year. The rumor of bis having deserted his post was got up purposely to damage his (the speaker's) candidature. lie had represented the goldfields for upwards of two years, had always honestly done his luty to his constituents, and would do so tgain. When a member he assisted in procuring tbe franchise for holders of miner's rights and business licenses, and had advocated the Extended Jurisdiction of the Resident Magistrate's Coarts In conclusion he would ask tho n„„r>„ v, * ~uuiu mu ™ meeting iur in expression of opinion as to his eligibility for their representative. °

In answer to questions Captain Baldwin said he would advocate the immediate construction of roads on the goldfields and the free introduction of mining machinery; was opposed to an income (a-, and stamp d ity, 1 ut 1 e'ieve 1 that at tie pr S3nt time the duty on gold was necessary. Proposed by Mr. Ilazlett, seconded by Mr. Stai'e, and carried, That, in the opinion of this meeting, Captain Baldwin x: a fit and proper person to represent the Mmuhenkia in the General Assembly. A of thanks to the chairman cxi eluded the proceedings.