EXTRACTS from PORT CHALMER ELECTION SPEECHES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 50417, 19 April 1878, Page 2

EXTRACTS from PORT CHALMER ELECTION SPEECHES.

EDUCATION. At Mr Green's meeting a Mr Mackenz asked : Do you think the education qu( tion is settled, or that the Act passed It session is likely to stand ? Mr Green : I do not think so. believe the question will come up f amendment. Mr Mackenzie : What are your vie on the question ? Are you in favor denominational or a secular system ? Mr Green : I am in favo_*of secul education ; certainly not den-ominationi (Applause.) THE UNDEVELOPED RESOURCES OF OTAG Mr Green said : In the Provincial Di trict of Otago there were valleys 50 mi in length, where there was not even road-track, and large areas of land uni cupied. What was wanted was the pro: able occupation of this land, and if could succeed in bringing that abpi whether they now supported him or n they would admit that his policy was i right one. If the land was occuph they would have plenty of ships cbmi to the Port, and the prosperity of i shipping interests depended entirely up the occupation of the country. He h travelled extensively over this part of ti colony as Secretary of Public Works, a when he stood before them two years a would have felt insulted if he had be told he did not know the provir, thoroughly ; but now he must admit tl his knowledge of the extent and cl racter of the country was then ye small. In connection with his positii as a member of the Waste Lands Boai and in another position he had held, had been necessary for him to tra 1 across the country, and he could say th those who simply travelled from o centre of population to another obtain but a slight knowledge of the counti During one of his trips he saw eig holdings comprising 300,000 acres • really first-class laud, and double . til area of land available for actual sett ment, or already settled upon by bona f settlers holding from 200 acres to 600 800 acres each. THE CIVIL SERVICE. Mr Dench said : As a rule, civil s vants were underpaid. Near the hi oflices in Wellington overpaying was p haps the rule, but he could instance! Customs and Police departments as und paying the subordinate officers. Some the Customs officials at Port.Ohalmen tide-waiters — were paid at the rate of. per day while at work, and got nothi when idle ,* and he had known cases \rb7i men were at work only a few days ir month. How could such men study .'*"

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interests of the State ? He would be in favor of making all such officers permanent employe's, drawing permanent salaries. ■-. He would like to see such men also, as > was the case with higher officials, provided for in old age. THE STAMP DOTY. The stamp duty would have to be equalised. As Mr Barton in Wellington had pointed out, large wool-growers effecting a lien on their wool had to pay no stamp duty, while in connection with transactions of much smaller moment the duty was excessive. If he borrowed say £100 upon his house, he did not think it fair that he should have to pay a considerable Stamp duty, whilo a squatter borrowing £10,000 or so^ upon his clip paid nothing. If equalisation of this duty cropped up, it would have his warm support. THE PROUDFOOT CASE. Mr Haddock asked what the candidate thought of Proudfoot's case ? Mr Green, in reply, said : Mr Returning Officer — The answer to that question oan scarcely be given by a layman except as an expression of opinion. My own opinion is that there is something in connection with that case which requires enquiring into, and very close scrutiny. So far as I am aware, there was something in connection with the case of a most extraordinary nature, and if I was returned I should really consider it my duty to make enquiry and to ascertain what its true position was, and if it was as a great many people think it was, I would do what I could to have the person or persons guilty of it Mr Haddock here shouted out : Gentlemen — You are sold ; you are sold. At Mr Dench's meeting at Blueskin, an elector asked him what opinion he held about the Proudfoot case. Would he be inclined to stir up the Government upon it? Mr Dench was of opinion it was a notorious case, and one really deserving of inquiry. He would be prepared to •support any action towards securing an inquiry. In answer to the question, " Opon whose shoulders did the blame lie ?" he said he was afraid he could not give an opinion upon that. He thought it could hardly lie with the Government, and supposed it must lie with the Judges. THE PRICE OF DEFERRED PAYMENT LAND. An elector asked whether Mr Dench was in favor of deferred payment land being continued at the price of £3, or if he did not think 25s an acre was a fair price ? Mr Dench thought it was not correct to say the price, was £3. He believed - land all ©ver the colony was at the uniform price of £2 per acre, which he thought was its fair value. If it was cheaper, too much would be bought up for speculative purposes. At 25s it would be parting with the public estate at too low a price. MR FISHER. Mr Dench saidj: With regard to the Canterbury member, Mr Fisher, he might tell them that he had been over that gentleman's property while in Canterbury, and had ascertained that he had started in life as a small settler, was universally respected by his neighbors, and had always taken an intelligent interest in public matters in his neighborhood. This was fair ground for believing he would make a good Minister.