THE CITY ELECTIONS. MR. STAFFORD AT TE ARO.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 94, 19 October 1881, Page 2

THE CITY ELECTIONS. MR. STAFFORD AT TE ARO.

Between 1000 and 1200 persona assembled at the Arcade, Manners-street, last ovonkg for the purpose of hearing Mr. Kdward Stafford, one of the candidates for the representation of the Te Aro electoral district in the next Parliament of New Zealand, explain his views on the different political questions of the day. The candidate was supported on the platform by Messrs. ft. V. Shannon, W. T.e Cren, M. Qnin. J. Maginnity, J. S. M. Thompson, W. R. Waters, and several other gentleman. Mr. John Plimmek was elected to the chair, and in a few appropriate words introduced the candidate, who, was received with an outburst of applause. Mr. Stafford commenced by reminding the electors that this waß tho 6rst time they had had the privilege of sending to Parliament a representative of the Te Aro conBtituoncy. Considering the crisis through which the colony was now passing, it behoved them to send none save a person whom thny believed to be thoroughly fitted for the position. For himself, lie did not pretend to say ha had any very speo'al qualifications to fill the position, but their intoreqts were his too, and he did not feel called upon to offer any oxouso for ooming" forward. (Cheers.) He did not come there to tell them a long story of the ancient past. That wo had got into extreme difficulties there was no doubt ; the question was how should wo get out of them \ (Cheers ) Our great objeot should be to take care wo were not taxed more than at present By economy our revenue might be made quite sufficient— at least for a few years —to pay our indebtedness and keep up the system of Govorninent. A few years houce prosperity would return, and the colony would recover itself. (Cheers.) Adverting to the provincial system of Government ( he oelieved this was not one calculated to do good to Wellington. If tho abolition of the provinces ha-1 taken plaoo whon tho Publio Works policy was inaugurated, as had been intended, there would not have been the wasteful expenditure of money whioh had oocurred. (Hoar, hear.) He next referred to th« question of taxation, and was about to oite statistics regarding tho revenue when he found ho had mislaid his notes, and a slight pause ensued. He afterward proceeded to deal with the Education question, expressing his approbation of the free and eeoular system. When, however, tho Education Aot of 1877 beoame law, tho colony waß in a state of great prosperity, and the people's ideas wero based on a scale of magnificence, consequently the expenditure for educational purposes waa very large indead. At present this expenditure amounted to .£287,000 ; thia was to toach 58,000 children. If our present circumstances were not BUfllciently good to afford this system, it became a luxury. There was no floubt we' were bound to give education free, buthe thought it should only bo up to the fourth standard, beyond which it should be paid for. (Hear, hear.) Regarding the land question, he said we had fortunately not yet got rid of the whole of 'our land, and there still remained some very good land, apart from native lands. He did not favour the theory of leasing these lands only. Given a freehold, a man would make something oat of it ; with a leasehold what oould ho dbP The only way was to make the payments extend over as long a period as possible, and the land should not be got rid of in large blocks. It was a mistake, he thought, .for the Crown to get rid of its pre-omptivo right in regard to the lands. Local industries were noit / dwolt upon. Wellington, l\o said, oould not bo acoused of being a distriot in whioh theso [ had at all flourished sa. fat. The effort to start a woollen factory he hoped to see successful. Every effort Bhould bo made, of course, to o-tabliph local industries. (Cheers.) Freotrade versus protection was a vexed qupstion,' and'ho regurdod it in this light : — Assuming f reetrade to be the propor oourso a State Bhould tako, tbora~was this difficulty : thero was no reciprocity between this colony and tho othors. Tho result would bo a handicapping of ourselves. There wore certain things which, of course, did require to be fostered in, ono way or another. If, therefore, a small import duty wore placed on articles which could bo manufactured in tha colony, then so.aVwn as an industry became] established tho duty Bhould be taken off., The exceptional oircumstances of the colony required?' this subjeot to be dealt with iv an exceptional manuer. Tho West Coast Railway ho regarded as the most important work that could possibly be undertaken for tho benefit of this district. (Cheers.) As to proouring endowments for tho Harbour Board ho thought these should ba askod for in a determined manner and our object would bo gained. A new Haukruptcy Aot was required, and a simplification or tho procedure in the Supreme Court was atao neces?ary. He advocated tho alienation cf tho lands in order to break np a monopoly in tho oountry. (Cheers ) With the throwing out of Parliament of the Law Practitioners B,iU -he had nothing to do. Parliameht, however,' must take care that candidates for admission into the legal profossion properly passed their examinatiQus, for if lawyers draw up bad will* tho poodle Would suffar. (Laughter.) In the same manner ctiro should bo taken not to admit into the modioal profession any person who might come day poison them. (Renewed laughter.) The candidate here resnmod Wb .seat nmid warm cheers, having spdkori for exactly fifty minutes. Mr. Hutchens enquired if tho candidate was in favour of tho present Ministry ? Mr. Stafford— lt would be an absnrd tttntt, seeing this is to be a fresh Parliament, the majority of which will consist of new members— it would be an unwise thing to say whether I was in favour of- one party or another. (Cheers, and counter cheers.) Where do the parties exist ? If they exist at all it is in this way— there is a supposition that Mr. Ormond is to c6me . into go w«r. Now, if Mr. Macandrew comes in I may say at once I am not going to t support him (cheers), for I don't think Mr! Macandrew has got tho interests of this city at heart; it is Otago that he loves — he does not caro two straws for Wellington. lam a supporter of the present Ministry tb-day, but I don't know what Ministry is to come in If you ask me when the seßfion oponn, when we know what parties are to come in, I will answer you, but I cannot Bay more than that. (Cheers and hisses.) Mr. Hutchens— Will you give your vote to put this Ministry out? (Loud cheers.) Mr. Staffor»— Does that mean to imply that I am to put this Ministry out without knowing what Ministry is' to go in P v JI Another Elector-^lf Mr. Ormond moves a no-confidence motion would you snpport him ? ¦<»""« Mr. Stafford— No. (Cheers agdjliisses.) I will tell you why. Wedon't,kuo7»' what Mr. Ormond is going to do. ' My ideals that his game is not favourable to Wellington. You would not expect me to Vote blindly. (Loud cheers.) Replying toother questions, Mr. Stafford said he waa not in favour of the 1 Legislative Council being elective. He. considered that the honorarium for Councillors, should be abolished. He did not advocate a wool tax, wool being the only, article we at present exported. He propoaod to enlarge tho powers of County Councils. Prison* should be" made self-supporting wherever possible. It was better that tho police should not bo mixed up in p ilitics. He did not believe in the 10 per cent, reduotion business, which was ono based on the rule of thumb. Mr. J. S. M. Thompson then moved a vote of thanks to and onfidenco in Mr. Stafford as a candidate for To Aro. Mr. R. P. Collins seconded. Tho voting on tuo question appeared to bd no.irly eqtul, bui the maj >rity of those present did not express their approval or otherwise. The chairman declared the motion to bo carried, tho announcement being received With enthusia3m. *" f Uhe proceedings terminated in tho usual way. . .