THORNDON ELECTION.

Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 98, 25 April 1884, Page 2

THORNDON ELECTION.

MB. BUNNY'S SECOND ADDEESS. The Sydney-street schoolroom was crowded to excess last night on the ocoasion of the second oddresß of Mr. Henry Bunny, a candidate for the representation of Thorndon during the ensuing session of Parliament. Mr. C. Pownall presided. Mr. Bonny, who was enthusiastically received, said it was not his intention to traverse the same ground as he did at tho former meeting. He criticised the proposals of Dr. Newman to meet the deficiency in tho revenue by reducing the Armed Constabulary, the capitation allowance for education, and the Civil Service. The reduction of the Constabulary was a matter for the Government to consider, while to knock off the oapitation allowanoo meant doing away with School Committees ; and any reduction in the Civil Service would not be a reduotion for the present year at any rate, on account of the compensation that would have to be paid to retiring officers. If for no other reason than the faot that tho Government wero going in for the nationalisation of the land, he should give them his support. He approved the perpetual leasing system, as it would enable mony to leave " the towns and settle in the country on favourable term*. Referring to the inoidenoo of taxation, he thought tho time had arrived when it behoved Parliament to go into the whole question and put tho saddle on the right horse. At present the Customs duties were paid out of the pockets of the majority of the people In his opinion, the nooessaries of life should be relieved from taxation. (Applause ) The duties upon wines, boor, spirits, tobacco, and costly goods should be raised, whilo tea and sugar and bo forth should be let in free. His candidature had been objected to on the alleged ground that he had no stake in the country. Well, if he was not the owner of large blocks of land, as in the cage of thoie who preferred this objection, he had twelve children and between 30 and 40 grandchildren, and if these did not form a stake in the country he did not know what did. (Loud applause.) Hie children and grandchildren were more valuable to the colony than the large landed proprietors, who were making profits at the expense of deople with small incomes. (Loud applause.) Since tho abolition of the provinces we had been attempting a system of local gove rnment up to the present had not met the requirements of the people. He would like to. see six or eight replace the large number of counties that existed at present and to these actual powers should be handed. (Applause.) Nothing induced the desire for separation bo muoh as the feeling that everything had to come up to Wellington to be settled. As to the Upper House, he_ would leave it just where it was. If the Legislative Counoil were elected by the people it would have equal power with the House of Hepresentatives. The system of an elective upper chamber had not worked well in Viotoria, and would not work well here. Nor did he agree with the abolition of the Upper House. The members were nomiated by the Government, who really represented the people, and they often exercised a sound judgment in reviewing hasty legislation in the Lower ■ House. He would do all he could to assist I manufactures in the colony. (Applause.) Respecting education, into whioh question he had previously entered fully, he would like to add that he advocated that the boys should be drilled in every school and taught the use of firearms. In concluding, after touching on other questions on which he had already Bpoken, he said he had been a friend to Wellington, and had taken an interest in its affairs for many years. He was not a new man— (laughter)— among them, and he confidently asked the electors to return him at the impending election. At all events, [ his standing on this ocoasion had given him an opportunity of expressing his views, and these would not be confined to that Bohoolroom, but would go elsewhere for the consideration of others. (Prolonged applause.) Mr. Capper here came forward with a string of questions which he had been requested to put by the committee of the Trades and Labour Council. Answering him, Mr. Bunny said, regarding triennial Parliaments, he did not think they had worked well here, andhe was prepared to support the former quinquennial system. He was in favour of each elector having only one vote at the general election. He would agree to the extension of the hours of polling on those occasions to 8 or 9 p.m. in the interest of the industrial classes. Begarding Stateassisted immigration, he repeated his views as explained at the Athenaeum. He was dead against class taxation. He conld not exactly say he was in favour of the abolition of distraint for rent; the matter required consideration. He would do all he could to check the teaching of skilled labour in gaols. He would support the Eight Hours Bill. (Loud applause.) Replying to Mr. Anderson, tho candidate said he would support a Bill to hasten the completion of the Wainui-o-mata waterworks. (Applause and laughter.) He agreed that it was the duty of the Government to provide another cemetery site. A piece of paper was handed to the candidate anonymously, asking him if in the event of his being retnrned for Thorndon on this occasion, he intended to offer himself to the Wairarapa electors at the general election. Mr. Bunny Eaid if the Thorndon electors did him the honour to accept him on this occasion, and if, as seemed likely, a. Bill was passed next session amalgamating the city electorates, his services would be at the disposal of the Wellington people at 'the general election. (Loud applause.) An elector asked how Mr. Bunny could consistently support a Government consisting mostly of one particular clab3, when he had been speaking against that class. Mr. Bunny replied that he did not see any men to take their place, except those who, in his opinion, would do great harm to the colony. If Mr. Montgomery came into power Wellington would be a great sufferer for reasons he had previously given. (Applause ) At the next general election he believed that a lot of the "old hands " wonld bo returned, and out of these no doubt a really good Government could be formed. Replying further to Mr. Anderson and others as to the proposed abolition of the honorarium paid to the members of the Legislative Council, he spoke in favour of

allowing membors Biiffioient only to cov e r • their expenses in attending tho sossion. As to Bnnday trading, he was in favour of allowing publichousos to open during certain hours on Sunday. Mr. Bunny then movod a votoof thanks to the Chairman, and tho proceedings terminated.