Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 380, 21 November 1889, Page 2

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE EAST COAST DISTRICT.

/'"'l ENTLEMEN,—In placing myself before you as a Candidate for the seat lately vacated by Mr Graham, it becomes my duty to state shortly the principles which (if elected) I am prepared to advocate in the Assembly, and the measures which, in my opinion, will tend to advance the interests of this District as well as those of tbe Colony at large. Dealing first with Local Matters, I recognise the absolute necessity which exists for the relief of the over-burdened taxpayers of the East Coast, HARBOR ENDOWMENTS. The Harbor Rate, which, in addition to ordinary taxation, is a most serious burden, should be, and I believe can be, considerably tightened, if not altogether taken away. In addition to the present endowments granted by Parliament, a sufficient area of Crown Lands ought to be given by the Legislature to enable the Harbor Board to raise from rentals a sum equal to the interest now chargeable upon the money expended. If elected, I shall do my utmost to obtain this, and my election will be a sufficient declaration to the Assembly of the wishes of the inhabitants of the East Coast on this subject. OPENING UP COUNTRY. The settlement of the East Coast depends greatly upon the means and conveniences for the transmission of produce to place of shipment,

Tbe Railways which have been so profusely scattered over the Colony are not shared in by us, except that we have to pay our portion of their cost. We have therefore a right to claim some advantages corresponding to the burdens placed upon us, and as at present we cannot expect a system of Railways, we must endeavor to obtain the consent of Parliamen 1 for the construction of good main roads to Gisborne and Clyde from tbe different portions of tbe District, which would at ones give employment of a reproductive character to labor, and prepare ths waste lands of the district for settlement, ’ NATIVE. LANDS. The administration of the Native Lands, and the laws which a ffect them, has relation to tbe whole Colony, but especially concerns the East Coast. Tlae contradictory, ridicuoue, and perplexing enactments which have become Law during the last 25 years, have made our Native Land Legislation one of the wonders of the world. To remedy tbe existing difficulties, a Otimmission, with absolute and unrestricted power, must be called into existence.

The tinkering arid meddling policy which has year after year defeated tbe hopes both of Natives and Europeans, must have an end, and a bold but decisive policy in tha public interest is inevitable. In regard to the future a simpler method of management of tha lands - of the Natives may well be adopted. The present clamor for compulsory end universal individualisation of Native titles will (in my opinion), if yielded to, in many instances lead to still greater disasters than those under which we now suffer. All Native lands are held tribal ly; individual titles are unknown. A method of tribal dealing, simple in itself, inexpensive in its working, and which shall confer t itles good as against all the world, may in some localities . and in reference to portions;of the native territories be practised without serious difficulty, Such a system would throw open large areas of the native lands of tb.e colony for bona fide settlement to all : ranks and classes of the community, and in bo Idinga of all descriptions. EDUCATION. I am not in favor of reducing the expense of Education, as Iwi ill know that the first reduction would taki 3 place in schools in outlying districts, whei re educational assistance

is more required than in the centres of population, and I am des idedly adverse to that centralizing policy by which the funds and endowments necessary for the maintenance of our system in spars ely populated districts are selfishly grasped by the large towns. LOCAL SEIiF-GOVERNMENT. I am in favor of and will support a system of Local Self-Gov arnment., and would render every assistance i n my power to the construction of a plan by which the local affairs of the different Districts of the Colony should be dealt with in those Districts, bo as to revive the best features of the old Provincial system without the a buses to which in some instances the Provinces were subject. COLONIAL MATTERS: COLONISATION. While believing in retrenchment and economy in the Public Service, I have for years been cc mvinced that if New Zealand is to bear, witl tout great suffering, the heavy load of debt' which 20 yean of reckless borrowing and -expenditure have entailed upon her, it Is ab «>lutely necessary that the population settl ad upon the lands and producing wealth fro m nature should be largely increased. A policy of colonization therefore should be . at once adopted : such restrictions as may b e deemed necessary can be applied, and that caution which is required in national underta’ zings should be exercised. The time is ripe m Great Britain as well as in New Zealan d. People and money can both be obtain e>d from the Mother Country, not to interior e with the Colonial labor market, nor to introduce any labor to compete with the labor already here, but to bring into the Colony ■ a steady stream of those who, settling among -st us, will increase the wealth of the Count ry and lessen the burden of taxation, TAXATION. I at n of opinion that the present system of tai ration is in some respects inequitable and q ppressive. lam opposed to tbe Property Tax as at present constituted, and would support Sir George Grey in his attem pt to substitute a Land and Income Tax tor the tax now existing, I hold that all those who derive a benefit from the Col >ny should contribute to the burdens of its taxation; at present between 50 and 60 mil lions, the interest of which is derived fro in taxation levied upon the inhabitants of tlie Colony, bear no share whatever of tax a'bion, even for the cost of its collection, I tarn fully aware that this has been called “ rep udiation," but it is the law in England, and i n all Continental Countries. I believe it to be just; I believe it to be politic, and I there! ore would lay the same burdens upon these. foreign investors (no less and no greater) as at e borne by the colonists of New Zealan d.

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. As th a welfare of a new country depends upon thi > settlement of the people upon its lands, it, is the duty of the Government to