NORMANBY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 180, 2 December 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

NORMANBY.

» ♦ • i MR. HUTCHISON BEFORE THE j ELECTORS. ["; Abdnt 130 persons assembled in the { JTovn Hall last evening, to hear an] '' address from Mr. Mr. Hutchison. Mr. Charles Woolcock was voted to the chtfir. y Mr. Hutchison then spoke for an hour ,w)d a half, mqch to the same effect aB reported. In connection with ,tb,e htihoK, he added that in none of the had allowanc^iieeri made for •^he cost of repairs ; he thought the Boylan *toadwas one of those which should be' made at once ; local bodies should have . a voice in fixing the upset price, and disposal of land upon deferred payment j system anh otherwise ,* he advocated, a \ syetem of State leases, with a purchasing j clause, in order to allow new settlers to expend their capital on the land, instead of in the purchase of it at the outset, due precautions being taken to secure settlement by insisting on residence ; he condemned the native land policy of the i ■Groveramenb as tending to throw the lands i into the hands of speculators, and urged : that the Government should resume the 1 pre-emptive right ; he held that as the Properly Tax had been imposed to meet a deficit of £800,000, which sum the Government claimed to have saved by retrench* ment, the necessity for the tax had disappeared, and the tax should be abolished; be argued that the tax was expensive m collection, and prejudicially affected the industry of the country ; if there remained ! any necessity for further taxation, after j the repeal of the Property Tax, let the j <3ußtoinß duties be increased. Answering a question by Mr. Lloyd, with XBfetßnee to education, I Mr. Hutchison said he would support a ■commission of inquiry into the Education Act, bnt beyond that he could not go. Mr. Gray inquired whether Mr. Hutchison had any plan to restrain the purchase of cash sections by speculators, to the detriment of the district. Mr. Hutchison replied in the negative, but speculation in deferred payment seclions DTV?bfc sot to have been allowed. Mr. Sisley asked whether last session an Act was not passed to substitute the ballot for the auction system. Mr, ' Hutchison explained that the House passed a resolution affirming that, but the Government did not bring forward a Bill to give effect to it. The responsibility rested with the Government, /or the House had indicated its mind. In answer to some y&uaxks by My, Siidey, • Mr. Hutchison said he did ask any one to meet him after he had spoken. His views were plain and above board. He found, however, that the Major adopted a different course, and in private altered to some extent what he had said in public, .and in public what he had said in private. In answer to Mr. Thomas Eobson, Mr. Hutchison said that if elected <be twoalld give biß attention to such matters •as the .dangerous railway crossing. . Mr. jßobson said Major Atkinson had said .the Government were concerned at die high grice given for deferred payment i hind, but nevertheless they had now put \ jA> upeefc of j£B on land which two and a \, half years ago -oovvld have been got for £3. \ 4n acre. Did that look as if the Govern- (, ment'were conoerned? Mr. Hutchison said he had that in his , mind when he referred to the desirable- ; toesß .of local bodies having something to K.-aay on such matters. ' <V In answer to Mr. Gray, } >> Mr. Hutchison said he bad hovtghb land \*t less than £8 per acre. It was not likely he would give £8 when he could get it ! lbr £2. As to his intentions with reference to that hind, they would be seen in ;£be future, but he might say he intended . to Bet a much-needed example to some people. '. Mr. Parsonsjenqaired whether Mr. Hut"fihifitm was in T&vd* of fe»ei»» fcbe y&ilway line. ' Mr, Hutchison said he thought it ought -tp.be, done in order to reduce settlers' liability to loss, and to secure the safety of the travelling public. Mr. TJhomaß Robson proposed, and Mr. Parsonst seconded, a vote of thanks and confidence. s Carded almost aaaaunousZy.