THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 7251, 30 June 1887, Page 2

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

MR, J. ALLEN AT THE NORTH DUNEDIN HALL. (Continued from fourth page.) INOBEASKD TAXATION.

that is their cure.—(A VoiOE: " Quite right.") I am glad to hear there is someone here who oan bear it.—(Laughter). Increased taxation upon a people feeling the effects of a longcontinued depression and a steady fall in prioes. Are you. prepared to accept this inbreased taxation?—("No 1") I do not think you are prepared. And in what shape do they propose to put it on us ? By raising L 175.000 through the customs, and by.raising L 75000 by the property tax. Upon whom will this proposed taxation through the Customs fall? I know well enough; but rather than give you my own words you shall have the words of the gentleman who proposed it, and I am willing you should judge him by them. He says: "Beyondquestion the operation of the tariff is such as to punish more severely the man who spends than the property tax punishes the man who saves." Who are the men who spend ? Who receive such small incomes that thev cannot save ? Who but the poor man with a small salary and perhaps a big family? And these are to be punished more severely with taxation than the men who, receiving larger incomes, are able to save. But these two items, L 175.000 and L 75.000, don't represent the total frerii taxation. You must not forget that the subsidies to local bodies are to bo largely reduced, and that will involve either increased local taxation or local retrenchment; consequently it will really mean increased taxation of about L 300.000. And besides this they propose other means for raising the wind. I will only refer to two. First, that they are going to assist the Land Fund by local borrowing, and, secondly, they proposed to introduce a measure to enable public buildings to_ be erected by means of short-dated annuities. I say they are aothing more or less than sly-borrowiug. How then, gentlemen, have they proposed to meet the present difficulties? They have proposed to increase the taxation by an amount of nearly L 300.000, and they have proposed to borrow I and to sly-borrow. Now, is there any excuse for them? Has any other means been suggested to them? Has not the voice of the country gone up to them ? If that has not gone up to them, why, I ask you, have they not accepted the suggestions that came from the Committee appointed in the House to consider the legislative expenditure ? 'i hat Committee had reported, and it had suggested, that the number of members should be reduced, and that the honorarium Bhould be reduced. And now I come to the last point upon which I wish to Bpeak, and to speak with no uncertain tone. The House rejected the tariff proposals of the Government, and I beliove the country will too. —(Hear, hear, and "No, no.") What other means have we of putting our house in order ? And this is the great,

THE REAL QUESTION AT ISSUE during this election, and I ask you to sink all others to give prominence to this one great and important isMie.—(A Voice: "Cut it short."; I would like to cut it short. I hold that the real way to put our house in order is by a thorough system of economy and retrenchment. —(Applause.) There are no other methods. A retrenchment not in name but in deed; retrenchment that shall begin with the highest in the land ; retrenchment that shall purify the whole political atmosphere.—(Applause.) Is it possible ? I believe that it is possible if it be thorough; and if it is thorough, as it must be, there is no need for any increased taxation at all.—("No, no,"and applause.) The Premier told you two nights ago that he saw his way to make a further reduction of LBO.OOO a-year. Why has he come to us with that tale now ? Why did he not see the pressing necessity before?- (Hear, hear.) Why did he not see that it was put before the House, and attempt to carry it out ? I say, gentlemen, that if ho had only brought any scheme of thorough retrenchment before the House and had failed to carry it, and had appealed to the country, I would have boen one of his strongest supporters.—(Loud applause.) I say, gentlemen, that retrenchment is absolutely necessary. You may ask me in what directions I think it possible to retrench. I think we shall have to begin with tho Governor. I think wo shall have to say to those in whose hands the appointment of tho Governor lies that while we ore trying to make two ends meet wo cannot afford more than L 5.000 a-year to the Governor.—(A Voice: "Too much.") I believe that one, if not two Ministers may be dispensed with. Wo must ask them to accept LI.OOO a-year, with the Premier perhaps L 1.500. Wo must ask them to reduce their travelling allowances, which are L2 2s a-day. We.must see that the large amount now spent—namely, L 3.478 8s 4d—in travelling allowances is cut down some L 2,000, We must see that the number of members, which is now ninety-five, is cut down to fifty—(loud applause)—and if we can't get fifty, why, sixty or the lowest number we can gtt. What are the numbers in the other colonics ? In Victoria, eighty-six; in Quensland, fifty-five; in South Australia, fifty-two. I believe tho number in New South Wales is 121; but the fact that New South_ Wales is, like ourselves, burdened with a deficit, is a proof that sho too is overgoverued. (A Voice : " That's Freetrade.") The cutting down should take effect as soon as this fresh Parliament ceases to exist, otherwise there would be no saving, owing to the cost of a necessary new election. We must cut down the honorarium in the Lower House, Bay to Ll5O, and the Upper House to LIOO.—(A Voice : " None at all.") Wc must gradually lessen the number of the Upper House, which has now fifty-three; that is eleven more than in Victoria, nineteen more than Queensland, and twenty-nine more than South Australia. What have the present Government done in this direction ? The Premier has advocated abolition of the Upper House, and yet the Government over which he presides immediately created twelve new legislative councillors. We may make savings in the Jt*ative Department, the expenses of which have increased from L 18.611 in 1884-85 to L 26,836 in 1886-87, and at the same time the Civil List vote of L 7,000 was exceeded by L 1.798, making an increase of L 10.023. The Native difficnlty is past and goue, and, however much the Native Land Court expenses may affect tho question, there is certainly room for retrenchment. There is a waste of expenditure in the Minaa Department, and I speak with some authority on this matter, having now for several years given my attention to mining and metallurgical work. I know where savings may be carried out without impa'ring its use, and I know that votes are simply wasted—nothing else than wasted. We may make savings in the Civil Service by amalgamating offices. Can we not reorganise the Crown Lands Department and make saving*? Can we not save in the expenditure on the Permanent Force ? I will not read the extract I intended to on this eubjeot, but will say this, that, so far as I can make out, no less than LIO.OOO or L 15.000 might be saved by reductions in the Permanent Force. I believe reductions might be made in the Justice Department ; and I do not give that upon my own opinion alone -I give it upon information that I have received. Now, gentlemen, what reductions can we mike in the Education Department ?—(A Voice : " None.") I have told you that 1 would not on any account impair the efficiency of the Education Department—(hear) —but I do not say that it is not possible to make reductions in the expenditure without impairing the efficiency.—(Hear.) And now let me just draw your attention to one other thing that is dragging us down most surely and most certainly, and that is the

policy, of borrowing. The debt of this Colony has increased enormously. During the last six yeara it has increased L 8,000,000, and the debt per head now is no less than L 63 14s 6d, whereas in Victoria it is only L 33 Is.—(A Voice: "Protection.") Gcntlemon thiscannot go on.—(A Voice : " Cut it short, then.") I would like to cut it short if I could—this borrowing. Not only ia the borrowing burdening us with any amount of interest, but it is ruining our credit. And what good, do you ask, is our credit to us?—(A Voice: "Not much."—Laughter.) Well, it ought to be. Let me tell you what bad credit has done for us. The last loan of one and a-half million sold at L 97 ss, showing a los*, supposing it had fetched LIOO, equal to L 45,000. But when this loan was floated, other colonial loans were standing at from LlO2 to nearly LlO9.—(A Voice: "Protection again.") Had our loan but fetched 103, which it ought to have done had our credit been good, we should have saved L9o.ooo—(Hear.) I suppose also from the bad odor in which we are, our loans cost more to float; for whereas Victoria can float a L 3,000,000 loan for L 35.000, it costs us L 22.000 to float Ll,500,000; so that really, to get 0urL1.500,000, we had to pay L 1,567,000.

CONCLUSION. Gentlemen, I have placed before you, I believe fairly, my views on the political questions of the day.—(Hear.) You know what are the great issues before you. Will you submit to aa enormous increase of taxation, or will you demand from whatever Ministry may be in power, as the result of this election, a thorough and severe letrenchmont? The issue rests with you. Would you send back to power a Ministry that numbers amongst its members the great apostle of borrowing ? Would you send back to power a Ministry that thinks the cure for our ills is a further taxation of L 300.000, pressing most largely upon the poor and laboring classes? No; I cannot believe you will be false to your own best interests. The old adage says new brooms sweep olean; and if I, as a new broom, can help in any clean sweeping, I shall be perfectly satisfied that I have done myself and you some good.— (Applause.) I have been told by some that lam too young to come here and aspire to such a position—("No")—but if ever a man was in the prime of life I am, and if ever my energies are to be any good they should be now.—(Hear.) It is for you to judge of the sincerity of my professions. (Applause and interruption.) Gentlemen, I hold that this country is in a crisis; and I hold we are on the brink of a Gehenna, into which some would lead us. I hold that if we are to step baok from that brink, that brave spirit whioh brought out hero our pioneer*, and which should dwell in their sons, should lise up in us now, and that we should say, with no uncertain voice, that we will draw back from this Gehenna.—(Prolonged applause.) I shall now be happy to answer any

questions you may choose to put to mo. It is quite possible I have not mado myself plain upon some things, and my only doßire is to bo plain.

QUESTIONS. In answer to questions, Mr Amen said he was in favor of Bible-reading in schools with a oonsoienc'e clause and a time-table. He was not in favor of denominational education. If he were elected and a good measuie was brought forward by. any Ministry with Sir Julius Vogel in it, he would vote for that measure. The question of bottle licenses was one for the licensing oommlttees to deal with; but he might say tint he did not believe in Nelson and Otago being exceptionally treated in respect to such licenses. He was not in favor of bottle-licenses or drinking either. He would be in favor of the village settlement Bcheme if he thought it was going to be a suooess. but so far as he knew from personal knowledge, and from information he received, the village settlement scheme at Oatlin| River was not going to be a success. He was not in favor of employing labor more than eight hours as a rule.—(Cheers.) It was not fair to ask how he proposed to find employment for the unemployed. That was one of the gravest difficulties of the age, and he had never seen a proper answer to it yet, . One question was: "Isit a faot tt.at you import all your own clothing from the tailors at Ho ire, with whom you have left your measure, and that you only gi ■ e the tailors of Dunedin a chance to do your mending?" and in answering it the candidate said: Gentlemen, lam scarcely six months from Home, and my supply of Home clothes is not yet worn out. I was told that I should have a question asked me about my clothes, and if I had liked I could easily have got a pair of Mosgiel trousers made; but rather than deceive you in the matter I have kept my own." Another question referred to his having sent Home a plan for his building, and the meeting almost unanimously expressed a desire that it should not be answered, but Mr Allen said : "I am not afraid to answer it. There were plans sent for two of my rooms, and I am proud to say that in one of them I have a piece of furniture which I prize very highly—a piece of furniture partly constructed out of tta beams ! out of an English cathedral" Replying to i further questions, ho said that he was not in j favor of an elective Governor, and that, although there was no firmer believer than himself in a woman's capabilities, he did not believe that the time had arrived whon female suffrage should be introduced. Mr C. Daeling moved—" That in the opinion of this meeting Mr James Allen is the most suitable candidate to represent this constituency—(cheers, waving of hats, and dissent); and that this meeting pledges itself to do its utmost to secure Mr Allen's return." The speaker attempted to address himself to the motion, but failing to get a hearing he resumed his seat.

The Chairman invited a counter proposal, but none was moved, and the motion was put and carried by an overwhelming majority. Lusty cheering was giving for Mr Allen, and the customary compliment to the chairman followed. The latter part of the proceedings was interrupted by an unseemly disturbance at the rear of the hall, in which some boys played a prominent part.

MR W. HUTCHISON AT KAIKORAI,

Mr W. Hutchison, one of the .candidates for tho Roslyn seat, addressed a meeting of electors at the Kaikorai Good Templars' hall last evening. There were about 150 persons present, and the chair was taken by Mr W. Wathen. Mr Hutchison said he had come forward in response to a requisition signed by a considerable number of the electors of Roslyn. He might say with respect to his qualifications that he was an old colonist, and had begun on thelowcst rung of the ladder as a member of a road board, and had been promoted from time to time, becoming, in turn, a member of a town council, a Provincial Council, an education board, a member of Parliament, and a mayor of a city on more than one occasion.—(Applause) He was anxious now, being in the best of health and spirits, to turn the knowledge of business that he had to some useful account for the benefit of his fellows if he was afforded tho opportunity. Ho had no axe to grind, and no end or aim to serve in appearing before them now. He was a plain but perfectly independent i man, who could bo neither bought nor bribed j by anybody. The Premier had said the other ! night that an independent member was an in- ! dependent nuisance. Well, that was perfec-ly ', correct from a Government point of view. i Some few people had been very anxious to | know something of his history, and why he left Wellington and came to Duuedin. Very well, his answer to that was that he came because it ; pleased him to do so, being a free man in a free i country.—(Applause.) He was not tho first j man who had gone from one town to another, and even if he were, there would have been no great harm done. If anyone insinuated that it ; was because of any shadow or Btain on either j his public or private character, that person was a liar and a slanderer. —(Loud applause.) Referring to a paragraph denying that Mr John Robert.", of the firm of Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co., had any connection with his Committee, he had never said that Mr John Roberts (of tho firm of Murray, Roberts, and Co.) was on his committee. He was quite content with the Mr J. Roberts who was on his committee, and he could not conceive why Mr Roberts had caused such a paragraph to be put in.—(A Voice: "Never mind—pass on, pass on; goon with some subjects.") As to the present election, he had not a single word to say against either of his opponents. He thou ght, however, that if Mr Carlton had the principles of Protection strong'y at heart he would not have come out after he (Mr Hutchison) had been announced; and with regard to Mr Ross, he was glad to see that he was coming slowly round to the Protection side. During the coming session Parliament would be occupied with several questions of importance, and foremost among these he would place the question of Protection v. Freetrade. A good deal was being said ju6t now about encouragement to local industries, but the electors should take care to find out what candidates who used that term meant by it, and if it was not with them merely a parrot cry. For himself, he had a longing to get rid of the present want of employment, and the four or five days' work a week that prevailed. He took his stand on the programme of the Protection League, which was that a duty of not less than 20 per cent, be put on imported articles which might be made or raised in tho Colony; and that no increase of duty be imposed on the necessaries of life, or upon materials necessary for industrial purposes, excepting such articles as could be raised or manufactured in the Colony. He wished it to be understood that he advocated Protection, but not prohibition. If, for example, a man wished to have English-made furniture, let him have it by all means. The duty would not be a prohibitive one, but he would havo to pay a little more for his furniture than he would if be chose the colonial article. He agreed with Mr Ross that it was absurd to put taxes, as had been done in the reoently proposed tariff, ou such articles as maizena, cornflour, and calicoes. Mr Ross appeared to have grown in knowledgo, and was now not at all opposed to ameasureof Protection.—(A Voiok: " Let Ross alone. Give us your speech, and never mind Ros<.") He did not think he would Bay anything more about bis viewson Protection. —(A Voice : " Why, you haven't said anything at all about it yet."—Loud laughter.) Well, perhaps the gentleman did not understand the English language as he (the speaker) understood it. (Laughter and applause.) There was only one point on which the working men might be doubtful regardißg the benefits of Protection to them. They might have an idea that they would, under a protective tariff, be required to pay something more for the goods which were proteoted. On articles not in common use there might be some addition, but other articles in common use would be kept at a fair and reasonable price by the colonial competition.—(Applause.) Who had suffered by tho establishment of these manufactures which were set up here by Protection? Not a single colonist. The shoddy manufacturer at Home perhaps found his avocation gone, but they had gained very materially by the establishment of these manufactures, fie now came to the subject of retrenchment. A very slight glance at the financial position of the Colony would show one of two things: either they required to add to the taxation of the Colony, or to make large and sweeping reductions in their expoditure. He would go in for thelattermost unreservedly. Thepublicexpenditure last year fell short of the public revenue to the extent of L 93,000, notwithstanding that the Colonial Treasurer said he had a windfall of L 104.749 arising from accumulations of Sinking Fund. The deficit, of course, had been carried forward as a debit balance to the present year, and so long as no arrangement was made to obtain an equilibrium between income and expenditure, the deficit would have something added to it. This year there was added to tho expenditure an entirely new item of LIIO.OOO of int.rest on the public debt. This was more than had been paid before, owing to the payments for the new loan coming in; so that they had to pay this year an amount of LI, 764,793 interest on the public debt. Seeing that there were 578,000 white people in the Colony, that meant that the annual charge was upwards of L 3 per head. The amount of interest was sufficiently enormous, but the mention of that did not at all exhaust his case. In addition to the colonial debt of about thirty-two millions, there were debts of local bodies, debts ii private individuals, mortgages, and other debts, amounting to another fifty-eight millions. On that amount interest had to be paid, and that meant so much depletion of the resources of the Colony. He did not mention those figures with a view of piling on the agony; he believed the Colony was still perfectly able to live through all if they only struck sail a little and went quietly. There were abundant resources in the Colony, and it only required that they should take care to have a prudent as well as a daring pilot at the helm.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that to increase the taxation under present circumstances would be a mistake amounting to crime, and he went with the most thoroughgoing reformers in seeking a reduction of the public expenditure. (Hear, hear.) But retrenchment would require to be carried out with great care. He was not in favor of a reduction of the wages of those who were in reoeipt of salaries. The people who did the hard workof theOolony—the people employed in post, telegraph, and railway offices, and workshopsshould Hot have their wages reduced, He held

it was the duty of the Government to give a fair day's wages for a fair day's work, not only on their own account, but in order to set an example to the employers of labor in the Colony. In retrenching he would begin with the Governor. Then he would reduce the number of members of the Government, and also their screws.—(Hear, hear). He would then go to the members of Parliament, to the under-secretaries, commissioners, and com-mander-in-chief of all those highly-salaried offloialß. He would take another opportunity of going into these matters seriatim, and would simply oonflne himself that night to the House of Parliament. They had ninety-flve members of the House of Representatives, who were paid L2lO eaoh per session, with travel' ling expenses and a free railway pass added. Well, he considered that in the present circumstances of the Colony the payment of LIOO to members of the House of Representatives for a session was quite sufficient.—(Hear, hear.) That would give a saving of L.10,000 pet annum.—(Hear, hear.) 'lhen they had fifty Legislative Councillors, of whom about forty attended Parliament, and only those got paid who attended. They also re-1 ceived L2lO per annum each 5 but, inasmuch as they were not put to any expense in contesting elections, he considered that LSO per Beßsion should content them, which would give a saving of L 6.400 per annum. Then there were a whole lot of Parliamentary expenses that could be done away with—officials and offices, and the like; while 'Hansard' was far too , expensive a toy for the Colony. —(A Voice : "So say all of us.") The Dofence Department, which included the police, cost L 183.000 per annum; while during the last two years nearly a quarter of a million of money had been spent on defence works. All that money might just as well have been thrown into the. sea. He said, without the least fear, that L 20.000 could be taken off the expenditure for the Defence Department with the greatest of ease The Native Department cost L 24.828. He knew something about this department, and he was perfectly satisfied that it could be abolished tomorrow. It was simply keeping up a distinction between the Maori and the l'akeba, and had a tendency to do barm, while it could never do good. He proposed that LIO.OOO should come off the expenditure ot the Native Department next session.—(Hear, hear.) He would now refer to the mail services, The cost of bringing the mails from England was L 65.978, and the cost of inland mails was L 26,217, making altogether a total of L 95.195. He thought they could not afford the luxury of a San Francisco mail service. It cost the country L 23.334, and in addition to that they had to pay LI,OOO to post-office clerks to go with the mails to take care of them. Then there were bonuses paid for other mail services, wh'"ch brought the total J amount up to L 45.834. Now, he wanted to say that the present Government meant well in the matter of retrenchment, but somehow or other it seemed that for one step they took forward they took two back. He would confine himself to one instance, The Tremier, in speaking on the Government policy of retrenchment, said the Commissioner of Customs in Wellington received LI.OOO a-year, and he was going to retire, and the Government were going to put a gentleman in his place at L 550 a-year. But this Commissioner of Customs retires on a pension of L66O.—(AVoiob: "Shame! shame!") If that amount were added to L 550, what saving was there? Before leaving the question of retrenchment, he would say a word or two about the necessity for private retrenchment. There was some 1.58,000,000 owed by private individuals and local bodies. On those mortgages a heavy rate of interest, often <ib much as 7 par cent., was paid, and he submitted that il was the duty of the Government to help those people in the matter by taking over the securities and ridding the mortgagors of the heavy percentage of interest they had to pay. In that way their interest might be reduced to 4 per cent., and they would not be working so hard in the interests of people who were living in splendor away in London or Bomewhere else. He had other subjects to touch upon, such as taxation generally and settlement on the lands; but he would reserve them for a future mooting. But before he closed he would like to say a word or two on the education question. He was an advocate for the present public school system of education - (applause)—though he was not insensible to the fact that there were defects in its arrangement and its details; but that did not affect the principle of free, compulsory, and secu'ar education, on which he took up his stand. One defect of the system was that their children were learning more by a mechanical process of memory, ordinarily called cram, instead of having theii mental faculties properly brought out. He would seek, if returned, to abolish the cumulative vote in connection with school committee elections, and would have the education board elections conduoted on a more popular basis.—(Hear, hear.) He would also be in favor of giving more powers to school committees. The expense of education was L 338.925. which was a lot of money; hut no money came home to the people as did that.-(Applause,) He differed with the Premier when he said that the school age should not be raised, and was of opinion that it should be raised to at least six years. (Applause.) By that a saving of L 30.000 per annum might be effected. But it would not do to raiße the age in country districts, where they would not have a sufficient number of pupils to get a school. A great saving could also be effected in salaries of one kind or another. The head teachers in the large towns might very well submit to a large reduction, but the salaries of the ordinary teachers should not be touched. He might add that he did not agree with anyone who said that their children's education should be stopped at the Fourth Standard ; a child who was stopped there would not be properly fitted, in an educational sense»for the battles of life.—(Applause.) In conclusion, he was quite content to leave the election in the hands of the electors", who would doubtless select the best man.—(Loud applause.) In answer to questions put by Mr A. O. Begg, Mr Hutchison said he was in favor of Biblereading in schools, but not upon a plan hitherto proposed. He had been drawing up a plan whereby the Bible might be introduced into the schools of the Colony without any great trouble or expense, and he was prepared to discuss it with those who were interested in the question. He would not support a motion in the House providing for Bible-reading as part of the sshool curriculum with a conscience clause. He wanted the Bible to be read in schools without interfering with the consciences or the payments of people who did not wish it.—(Hear, hear.) Mr Bkgg : Do you consider the raising of grain a local industry ? Mr Hutchison : Yes. Mr Begg : How would you holp the fanners who depend on that industry ? Mr Hutchison : That question was not before me at the time. Mr Begg : But it is now. Mr Hutchison : Well, I can't answer it,— ("Oh, oh.") Mr Begg : You say that there is L 58,000,000 owine privately in tho Colony, and that the Government should take over these mortgages. Does it not strike you that in the present state of the country a number of these mortgages must be rotteD, and that the Government would lose money over thtm ? Mr Hutchison : Very likely; but, of course, the Government would have to inquire into every case and see if it was safe. Mr Bkgg said: I wi*h Mr Hutchison to state whether it is true that he himself when defeated for Wellington—(uproarand ories of "Sit down")—whether he applied to be made a member of the Upper House or not. It was stated to me on good authority that he did, and I should like to ask him whether he did or not. Mr Hutchison : I never asked any such thing at any time, under any circumstances, and Mr Begg knew when he circulated it that it was a slander and a lie.—(Hear, hear, and cries of "800-hoo.") Mr Begg : What interest have you in Boslyn, and what have you ever done for Boslyn ? Mr Hutchison : I am a Scotchman, and I will answer one impertinent question by putting another question. What has Mr Begg ever done for Roslyn—(loud cheering)—besides his recommendation to feed the poor people on sheeps' heads and plucks?—(Laughter and renewed cheering.) In answer to further questions, Mr Hutchison said he was in favor of amending the Local Option Act so that adults, male and female, could exercise votes. He was pledged to put a tax on woollen goods and on boots and shoes. The number of members could not be reduced till the end of the approaohing Parliament; during the last session of it would be the proper time to arrange for a reduotion. He would not move in the matter, but would vote in accordance with the wish of the public, as Bhown by the votes of the majority of the members.-("Oh, oh.") He was not aware that a Civil servant getting LBOO per annum was never to be found at his office, but generally to be seen with a lawn-tennis bat in his hand and a lady on either arm. He was in favor of a graduated income tax and a land tax in preference to a property tax. An Electob : Are we to understand definitely that you intend to stand for this district ? Mr Hutchison : Well, I have no other constituency before me at present; but I believe that a requisition for me to stand for another is being signed. However, I shall do nothing without first consulting the electors of this district.—(" Oh, oh!" and applause.) A motion that Mr Hutchison was the most fit and proper pereon to represent the electorate was carried by a large majority, only some twenty hands being held up in favor of an amendment that he be simply thanked for his address.