THE GREY VALLEY ELECTION. MR MORRIS'S ADDRESS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3983, 4 June 1881, Page 2

THE GREY VALLEY ELECTION. MR MORRIS'S ADDRESS.

A well-attended meeting assembled last night at the Publfc Hall, to hear Mr Morris give an exposition of his political views.

Mr Guinness, who occupied the chair, introduced the candidate and bespoke for him a patient and attentive hearing. He regretted to say that the last occasion on which Mr Morris addressed a meeting here, he scarcely received such a hearing as hti had a right to expect. Although acting as Obairman of the meeting, he must not be considered &3 identifying himself with the particular views of the candidate.

Mr Morris, after explaining bis position as a candidate, and bis desire to be returned for the vacant Beat, said that, if elected to the Legislature in place of Mr Maateia, be would identify himself more with the reform of small matters than of great. He would first of all endeavor to reform the Mines' Act of 1877, in the interests of the mining community. The Act of 1877 was bad undoubtedly, but that of 1876 was a great deal worse. Mr Morris then proceeded to give details of the evils existing under the Mines' Act, especially in respect to the leasing of land in mining districts, by which the whole community of miners were placed at the tender mercies of a few leaseholders, fle would also exert himself to obtain assistance to miners in bringing in water-races and building' dams for themselves. He would uphold and advocate the principle of granting loans to miners to carry out these works, Government cf course being paid a reasonable interest on the money lent. Had this been done long ago, it would have been a great advantage to the whole district, and as good as thousands a year In the pockets of the Greymouth people. The candidate then touched on the Mongolian invasion ; peaceful at present it certainly was, but he feared it might, if not stopped, some day become a bloody invasion. Why was this noxious stream not stopped long ago 1 They were told that Imperial treaties prevented it, but he denied this. The legislation that had been enforced in Victoria Bhowed that Imperal edicts did not stop the way at all, nor prevent the imposition of a prohibitive poll-tax. The real fact of the case was that there was a large class in the Colony who employed labor, or who bad relatives or friends employing labor, and who wanted that labor of as cheap a kind as possible. It was they who wanted the market flooded with Chinese cheap labor. But all that must be stopped. The nest question he would touch upon was— What was to become of the County 1 Changes were contemplated, and how were they going to carry out the public works in the shape of roads and other works indispensable to the pro* gress of the district ? That was a question that must be soon settled. The candidate then proceeded to give his views on the Best means of arranging* the electoral district. He thought three members were required for this district. On the question of lands management, he was much dissatisfied with the present Government in respect to the administration of lands. He did not believe in forcing the lands into the market tor the sake of obtaining immediate revenue. He would rather see the work of the settlement of the country proceed naturally, and in proportion as the people were ready to take the lands up and occupy them. He objected to parting with the lands to English capitalists. For the comfort and necessities of the diggers, he would endeavor to obtain the construction of a road from Cobden to the Seventeen Mile, and also obtain aid for anything else that would promote, mining interests. He assured the meeting that if sent to the House he would do all he could to push forward the harbor works of Greymouth. They might depend upon it that he woald not be found asleep in bed when a division on the harbor works came on. He was opposed to the Property Tax. He waß not vindictive against land owners, but he did not like to see large, areas of unoccupied land locked up ; atid before parting with any more of the public estate, he would put on a small tax on land. He was strongly opposed to taxing gold-mining machinery in any shape or form. He was decidedly in favor of putting an export tax on wool. A email tax on wool would be practically an assistance to native industry. An export tax on wool would induce the grower to seek a market for his product io the Colony, instead of sending it home. He could not see what objection the squatter could offer against being taxed s penny in the pound on wool. He should remember all that the Colony had done for him. Squatters originally got the land for almost nothing, and by our public works — : roads, railways, wharfs and harbor works — the Colony had not only facilitated this industry in every way possible, but had enriched the squatters with untold wealth by increasing the value of the land occupied by them, by giving them railways to their doors. The candidate then proceeded to expatiate on the various fields available in the Grey Valley for native industry, such as the manufacture of cement and the working of iron. The people could also turn their attention to the manufacture of wool in working it up into various articles. Indeed it would pay Government to subsidise a company to find the iron deposits that he was sure were to be found in the Valley. He knew that from hia own experience. He bad often seen isolated boulders of ironstone, and pebbles of it, and these showed that a mass of it existed somewhere in the neighborhood. The) fact of it was Government could not do too much in aiding the development of the mineral resources of Greymouth — that is its lime, its iron, its cement, and coal. There were also openings for assistance to the miners up-country. As to education, he was a believer strictly in national and secular education. So strong did he feel on this point that he would keep the secular system as pure as possible, and would go so far as to prevent the teaohing of denominational views of any kind after school hours. He considered our system altogether admirable and a credit to the Colony, Some thought that the system was deficient in one thing only — that religion was not taught. It was said that there was only one section of the community who were anxious to obtain State-aid to religion, but he denied this — he knew there were several denominations who were just as anxious as the Roman. Catholics to obtain Government aid, each sect on behalf of its particular creed ; but he would oppose all efforts in that direction most strenuously. The system was perfect as it was. He would not say much aa to the reform required in the Upper House ; he would simply say that it wanted reforming away altogether. He was strongly in favor of the East and West Coast Railway, of the Brunner bridge, and anything else that would be calculated to bring our port and interior into communication with the wealth and productions of the other side of the Island. He was in favor of a small protective fee in order to foater and advance the coal-mining industry of this port until such time as our harbor works were completed, so that big ships could come in here and load ; then we would no longer require protection of any kind.

as the port would be able to compete against the world. In the course of his remarks Mr Morris declared himself to be in favor ot local option, deeming the power a proper prerogative of the people, to be exercised or not as they chose. The Chairman then announced that the candidate was prepared to answer any questions. ... An elector here wanted to know why Mr Guinness first brought out Mr FitzGerald, and then threw him over for Mr Weaton, because the views of the former the education question did not accord with his (Mr Gainness'fi). The Chairman said he had never communicated with Mr FitzGerald in any way in respect to the election, Mr Kerr asked if Mr Morris, at a meeting at Nelson Creek, moved an amendment to the motion that the Public Works Office should be moved from Holci tika to Greymouth ? Mr Morris said the amendment he moved was that the Nelson Creek people do not interfere in the matter at all ; and that amendment was carried. There was a deal too much bickering between the local representatives of Hokitikay and Greymouth. . . / Mr Kerr asked the candidate some questions a» to whether he hadr not spoken disparagingly of the Greymouth harbor works to the Nelson Creek people ; and whether, if the Nelson Creek people were opposed, to the harbor works, would he have been prepared to support ineir views ? . - , The candidate said he was striotly in accord with the people of Nelson Creek, _ and he was quite prepared to give the heartiest support to the harbor works.: :•:;■ As to the gold duty, he could; not: say that he felt it a burden. What he would, aim at would be an equalisation of taxation. . ::■■■' ' • ■ \ ;■; ::; • ; .■::jJ:s''7 In reply to a question, Mr Morris sajdj if he were sent to the House, he woulddb his best to bring about combined action amongst the members of the West Coast, in order to obtain a special grant for these poor and thinly-populated parts of the Colony. He waa not in favor of abolishing the gold duty unless the County Council demanded it. He had no objection to the gold duty so long as the County made a good use of it ; but as to the question of County administration he was not there to answer to answer questions on County matters. He: might say that there was abundant room for reform in County administration, The whole time of the engineer was taken up in writing reports for the Council, while the clerk had. no ; sooner got done with th£ minutes and clerical work of one meeting than another was upon him. There if e" re too many meetings altogether ; and more work could be done with less display and more economy. ..'. „._.,., Mr Kerr asked what would Mr Morris do supposing a rush broke out say two miles from Nelson Creek. Would he wait for one of those rare meetings of the Council which he seemed to favor 3 Mr Morris said that in such a case they would not repuire a meeting at aIL The executive officers could have power to undertake the necessary work— indeed they had that power at the present time in cases of works of urgency. iL In reply tea question how he viewed the honorarium, Mr Morris said he was not ashamed to call it payment, and he considered members quite entitled to it ; but more than a reasonable amount he would not be in favor of. L2OO he thought too high. In reply to a question as to whether he would support the present Government if elected. Mr Morris said he would not go to the House pledged to support any manor set of men. He had a high opinion of some of the present Govern?! ment, but his support would be guidejL by the acts and measures of Government. He would support Sir George Grey's scheme of federation and representation in the Imperial Parliament. As to the ten per cent reduction, he said he did not approve. of the way the ten percent reduction had been carried out, as it resulted in unnecessary, hardship to a great many ; but he thought that was the fault of the House, who bound the Government down in the matter. Mr Stuart M'Dowall moved, and Mr J. W. Parkinson seconded— W That Mr Morris is V fit and proper ' person - 16'represent the Grey Valley iin the House of .Representatives." Very few hands were held up for or against. .•-..'*— The Chairman declared the resolution carried. A vote of thanks to the Chairman" concluded the meeting, which was orderly throughout. "■ l ' ' '

'minutes.