The General Election. MR. ROBERTSON AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 70, 20 September 1887, Page 4

The General Election. MR. ROBERTSON AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Mr. William TtobortHon delivered liis flrj-t address to tho electors of ¦Wellington Kafct at tho Princess Iheatre, Tory-btreet, laht evening. Tho hall was crowded to overflowing, and Mr. Peter Hutson was voted to the chair. Mr. Robertson, who waa received with applanee, began by claiming a lenient hearing 1 on tho ground that ho was not a prneh<;.il Bpcaker like his opponent. Alluding- at once to tlio land question, ho said that Mr. Usillanoo's administration wan one which tin olony as a whole appeared to endorse. Thf olectors had again to answer tlio question which side of politicians phould ho put into power, and which Bido had done that which was necessary m dealing with the lands of tho colony. It was not until 1830 that any attempt was made to properly administer the lands for tho benefit of tho colony, and m that year tho pre-omptive right to purchase was restored to tho Crown. Previous to that time paid interpreters had made all arrunjfomontfl for the purcbaso of lands. Now the Government had secured tho pro-cmptivo right to fourteen millions of arros of land which would othorwiso have passod into th(i hands of speculators and land sharks, who would have held it until they wero ablo to formwhat tho Yankees would call a"corner." (Applauao ) Tho new laws luid boon put into forco with excellent resultii, the special sottlemont schemo being part of tho maohinery. Mr. UoborUon proneeded to explain tho details of Mr. Hal lance's setllement schemes, arguing that their principlo was to hand over tho land to tho people at its cost price, or noarly so. From whom did the complaint* about the " unsatisfactory " state of the settlement schemes come? Waa it from tlio settlers thomsolvcs? (Cries of " No.") It was said that J870.000 had been spent upon a vote of JESOOO, but in reality only .£IO,OOO had beon spent daring tho 18 mouths ending the 31 Bt August, leaving iM7,000 to be ppent out of the jJ57,000, which was to bo allowed for five years. The money was not, as was stated, banded over to people as a bribe, but was virtually loaned to the settlem at five per cent, intorost, whicli was snrely not unfair considering that tho hundreds of thousands whicli had been spent upon railways returned only about 3 per cent. Mr. Robertson quoted a letter addressed to a newspaper by Mr. J. Jossop, of Pahiata, testifying to his success on a special settlement geotion last year. (A voice, " Can ho show that ho has earned JOl a week ?" and other interruptions. J Last yoar an agitation was raised in Parliament against Mr. Ballanoe's system of administration of native affairs ; but it was got tip by the halfuastes of Otaki for tho purpose of overthrowing laws which had shut up to them all the avenues of rovonuo upon whioh the land speculators had always fattened. (Applause.) Vory little had been heard of tho unemployed question sinco 80 many had beon sent out of the towns and into the country, for during tho last 18 months 1150 families had beon placed in tho villago settlements, thus enabling about 10,000 people to earn their own livings. This was all uno to the administration of the present Government, and surely they conld trust men who had acted in this way. He asked hia hearers not to bo misled by those who asserted that young blood would be found which could form a capable party apart from the present leadors. Tho prosont Government wore tho representatives of the workingolassesof Wellington— (orieß of " N0, n0," and applauao) — and it was for the olectors to oonsidor whether they would send them baok to Parliament again with men who would support them. (Applause and "No, no.") The oandidato proceeded to point out that tho Government of tho oolony had undertaken funotiona quito different from thoso of tho Homo Government, whose expenditure was chiefly upon tho interest of tho national dobt. Hero, howevor, ho wai interrupted by ories of "Thoy conld pay that off in 20 minutes if thoy wanted to," and " What do you know about tho navy ? " Others in tho nudionco, noticing tho faot that tho candidate waa reading his spooch, callod out, "Who wrote that out for you?" "Turn over," &0., amidst much laughter. The Chairman appoaled to tho meeting to prosorvo order, and was mot with tho ojaoulation, " Ho'a reading somebody elso's idoin," and counter orios of " Pnt him out." The Chairman asked tho audience not to let it go forth that thoy wore a lot of ignorant mon. A voice—" Well if you don't like it go ont." (Laughtor.) Mr. Eobertson— l suppose he's ono of Fisher's committee I don t care for Mr. Fisher or any of his supporters. Give rao a fair hearing. (Applause) Tho candidate explained that tho idoas were hi 9 own, but as ho was not a trained speaker, and as he know that there would ibo peoplo present who would take advantage 6f tho faot, ho had takon the precaution to write out hia views for tho sake of clearness. Property, he arguod, had ohiofly benefited by the expenditure of borrowed money, and should bo prepared to tako its fair sharo of the burden, and so relieve the Customs duties. This was what tho present Government woro trying thoir best to do j but tho Parliament whioh they had had to meet was filled with property owners. (Cries of "No," " Yes," and applause.) Tho majority of the late members wore the nomineos of tho land speculators and money owners of the oolony. (Applause) He was prepared for either an increase of tho property tax, or a land tax, but increased taxation of this kind must be resorted to, in order to relieve the Customs duties. Protection oould still be obtained from increased duties on articles which could be manufactured in the colonies, and thus tho masses would be relieved, whilo thoy would got a larger share of the prosperity that would arißO. Major Atkinson, of whom Mr. Fishor was an avowed snpportor, would put tho burdon on tho-in-dividual, and property would bo saddled with less taxation than it boro at present. (Applause) Dealing with tho education vote, Mr. Robortsan olaimed that tho cost of primary eduoation last year was really only .£352,000, and ho pointed out that provious speakers had overlooked the fact that the ohildren themselves really contributed largely to the revenue through the Customs. Every ohild should bo enabled to pass tho sixth standard before leaving school— (Applause) — and should be given opportunities of goinpr further if he waa fit for or desired it. It was nonsense to imagine that a man would suppose that he was too highly educated to milk cows and shear sheep. (Laughter.) Every member of the Gorman Royal family was required to learn a trade.and Germans were at tho present timo successfully competing with British workmen through the advantage of their technical education. The speaker dilated upon the advantages of technical eduoation at Bomo length. (At this stage an interruption arose through the misbehaviour of a man near the door, and most of the audience rose to their feet. Tho Chairman rebuked the prinoipal causo of tho disturbance, and partial order was restored.) Adverting to the question of retrenchment in the Civil Servico, Mr. Robertson advocated the appointment of a permanent commission and' the making of appointments by annual competitions, and filaoing successful candidates upon a oadet ist, tho first vacancies to be filled by them in order of merit. All eligible offioers who were obliged to retire in oonneotion with a retrenchment soheme should bo put upon another list, and should receive employment whonover the services of a full • grown man were required. He had now touched upon what ho considered the most important questions that had to bo discussed. Ho had not alluded to local matters, but if Bent to represent them — (A voice — " Whioh yon won't be ")—Wellington East would receive the best attontion he oonld give it. Tho railways should be placed undor a non-political Board and worked ona commercial basis. Disclaiming any intention of indulging in personalities, Mr. Robertson pointed out that Mr. Fiehor had supported Captain Russell's motion, which prevented the expenditure of half a million of money in the North Island, and by whioh means the construction of the Gorge railway had been thrown baok for twelvo months. (A voioe— ' ' By the prosent Government.") It was the result of Captain Bussell's motion, for whioh Mr. Fisher had voted. Mr. Fisher's utterances on the eduoation question were also criticisod, and that gentleman was alluded to as "tho man who in Parliament made the greatest speech against education." In qnoting another of his opponent's speeches, Mr. Robertson said that at the time when }t was delivored Mr. Fisber was rnnning straight, — to which some of tho audienoe replied with orios of "So ho is now." In conclusion, Mr. Robertson asked the electors to remember that he was a working man, and one of thomselves, and would naturally do his lovol best for thoir interests. George Fisher, on hearing that ho (the speaker) was coming out, went round tho town asking 1 , "What havoldone thatlshould bo opposed?" (Laughter, crioa of "No," and counter cries.) The real grievance against Mr. Fisher was that he had done nothing. (Interruption, and a voice, " What have you done ?") He did not want to boast or say what he had done, but when tho working classos were ready ho would go with them. They could do more than the Chamber of Commerce had beon ablo to do. (Applause.) He could not addross thorn again before tho poll, but though the battlo wonld be short and sharp victory was sure. (Cries of "No " and applause.) Thoy should keep one of the verses of Longfellow's " Village Blacksmith " before them every day until Monday next, and then roll up at the poll (a voice, "And voto for Fisher.") The verse he meant ran — " Each morning sees some task begun— (a voioe, 'And never sees it done ')— each evening soo its olose, something attempted—(' Bah !')— something dono, has earned a night's repose." (Cheors.) Questions being invited, attention was dmlle to the fact that there were already same on the tablo. The Chairman, taking one of tho papers in his hand, said that if the man who wrote it would attach his name ho would bo prepared to put it to the candidate. (Applause). It was not ft man who wrote tho questions, but an igcorant fool- (interruption)— because t ley wero not of a political character, but Bimply sneors. (Cries of " Put them to the meeting," and "Wo haven't heard them yob.") In reply to questions, Mr. Robertson said he had no experience in the working of public institutions in New Zealand. He would leave the polling day to decide what he had done to warrant him in offering himself as a candidate The Chairman invited further questions, and was mot with cries of "There's no answer to that last ono." " Yes there is," "and a good ono too." With reference to Chinese immigration, Mr. Robertson thought that the poll tax should be increased if necessary, and that every Chinaman who was not a naturalised subject of her Majesty should bo compolled to pay a license feo beforo being allowed to open a shop. An eleotor asked whether tbo idleness of so many working men was not due to people like the candidate employing so many boys in their foundries ? Tho Chairman ruled that the question was a personal one, but added that he thought tho querist, if he had children, would do the same as most peoplo, namely ffive them employment. Another elector-^ Send tho boys to school and give the men the work. (Applause) Mr. Robertson— Wo havo no boys in tho works lam connected with who have not

paused tho sixth standard. (Cheer".) An elector— Then yon've bolter boyi than most people in this town. Thn Chairman asked tint any further qnciitions should be confined to political and not personal questions'. Other qu cations having been put, Mr. P. F. Kean moved a vote of confidence in! he candidate, which Mr. K. Carrigan seconded. On a show of lrnnd-t boinj? taken, the numbers for and against seemed to be nearly equal. Tho Chuirman dnclarpd the motion carried. Cheers wore given for Mr. Fisher, counter cheers for Mr. Robertson, and the meeting terminated with tho usual compliment to the chairman.