EGMONT ELECTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1680, 20 July 1887, Page 2

EGMONT ELECTION.

MAJOR ATKINSON AT PIHAMA.

Major Atkinson met the electors of Pibama on Tuesday evening. Mr. Fursyth took tbc chair, and remarked that that was almost tlie first public meeting held at Pihatna, and be th uglit it scarcely necessary to ask them to give him a patient hearing. Major Atkinson remarked with pleasure the Wge number of electors who attendee) his meetings, and said be hoped to find that after attending the several meetings of both candidates they would exercise the trust reposed in them under the franchise iv a careful and conscientious manner. He touched on the several snbjects previously treated of. Referring to the working of the deferred payment system iv Taranaki Provincial District, he said that be understood from the Crowu Lands Ranger that the deferred payment settlers on the other side of the mountain had now uearly all paid up all their instalments, and had nearly all comfortable little homes of their own free of debt. W. Aikman asked how it was the harbor rate was now leviable ? — Major Atkinson explained the subject as before at previous meetings. Mr. Torke asked whether Major Atkinson bad not said at the same time when he calculated thai no rate would be levied for 25 years, that he (Major Atkinson) expected land to the value of £32.000 a year would probably be sold yearly for cash ; from that the harbor board would receive j£Booo a year ? The rate now levied would bring in about i'4COO. — Mai>>r Atkiuson bad no doubt the figures given were correct. Mr. Proudluck asked how the aniticipated deficiency was to be met ? — Major Atkinson could not undertake to finance for the harbor board. Mr. W. Pearce thought Major Atkinson should pledge himself to further a return to the cash system iustead of the deferred payment and perpetual lease.— Major Atkinson declined to attempt to upset the present system, but he believed that some land sh uld be sold for cash. Mr. Proudlock asked if Major Atkinson thought improvements ebonld be rated under the Harbor Rating Act ?—? — Major Atkinson said it seemed to him clear that as the Act under which the loan was raised only a rate of Is in the £ on the annual value could be levied, it was not equitable to levy more; but the harbor board having been declared a local body, it seemed they had no legal remedy ; but that was a point for a lawyer to decide. Mr. Baylis asked if it was not a breach of faith to the bondholder to lease land instead of selling it for cash P — Major Atkinson thought it was not. Mr. Lambie asked whether Major Atkinson thought it just that bush settlers especially should be called upon to pay more under the capital value than under the annual value? He asked the question not in an/ hostile spirit. — Major Atkinson did not think there was any injustice at the time the Act of 1382 was passed. No doubt there was an injustice now, and it would be bis duty to endeavor to romov* the injustice that existed. As to the rendering this part of the district liable for harbor rate be regretted that a differential rate had not been imposed. Beplying to Mr. Holmes, Major Atkinson said he would agree to postpone rents ou bush lands for two or three years, and then charge double rents. Major Atkinson thought something of the sort might be done, and he would consider it. Replying to Mr. Millar, in respect to Opunake jetty, he repeated what he had said at Opunake. Replying to Mr. Knight, be said that be thought it might be possible to raise a small loan secured on wharfages, etc., but it would be impossible to raise a large sum. It entirely depended on the amount of trade which wight be shown as likely to be di-no. If there were trade, then they could get money lent. Mr. Lambie hoped Major Atkinson would Bee bis way to extending the Opunake harbor rating area up to the north side of New Plymouth, so that the New Plymouth people might thon have to pay for Opunake harbor as Opunake people had to pay for their harbor. (Laughter.) — Major Atkiuson said if such a clause were put in the bill it would certuiuly be rejected. Mr. Baylis asked why Major Atkiuson had voted for the Stratford railway, which would take all the traffic away trom the New Plymouth harbor ? — Major Atkinson said he thought that line might have brought trade to the New Plymouth Harbor; it could not haye competed against the water carnage generally, except perhaps in live stock. Replying to Mr. Lambie, he was in favor ot both property holders aud nonproperty holders voting iv favor of loans. It was not right that property owuers alone should say whether the country should build railways, or bridges, or pnblio buildings out of loan. He Bhould be very glad to see Hare's system or a modification of it introduced, but lie feared the slectors were hardly ripe for it. Mr. Lambie urged strongly that it was necessary for the- good of the colony to abolish single electorates, wnicb generally returned members to scramble for particular works for the district. He feared Major Atkiueon had considered the interests of the colony first, aud the interests of the district — well, he would not say last, but not even second. Major Atkiuson asked in what respect he had neglected the requirements of this district ? He would go into the matter in a friendly way with Mr. Lambie. Mr. Lambie asked — Was there any other district with so much good land and as many small holdings which had neither a port nor a mil way ? — Mnjor Atkinson explained at some length the difference between the "runts of public money to E^tnout dutrict for roads and to other districts. He denied that that district bad not been well treated in the matter of public money. Mr, Lambie- said there had been- no public money &?ent on roads since the settlement of the Plains. Major Atkiuson said be was satisfied this was not so. RoaJs had been made throughout the district since 1880. Even there where they were met. Mr. Simpson went into the question of harbor defences. Replying to Mr. Lanilif, Major Atkinson said he did now favor an elective Governor for New Zealand. But if an elective Governor were resolved on it would involve a total change in the system of Government. He did not think it was advisable to make the change. — He was not in favor of any bankruptcy act, and \\ ould vote to abolish the present. — As to Protection and Free Trade, he said if they were prepared to favor solely the produc: tion of wealth in the worldgenerally, then he would at once admit that Free Trade was unanswerable. But if social questions were once admitted, then he believed Protection must be considered. He had not found a t-iogle out and out freetrader in New Zealand, one who was prepared to abolish the customs duty on boots and on woollen goods for instance. — He favored the payment of all rates by Natives, also the payment of dog tax by them, and also their share of fencing, the same as Europeans. Replying to Mr. Denne, be said be would be no party to establishing a village settlement except near where the laborer could obtain work.— To Mr.

Rothery.he waa in favor of paying a share of the cost of annexing New Guinea. New Zealand had agreed to do this for * certain number of years. — He wished to see the secoudary schools used for the purpose of educating all children who bad obtained scholarships. All other children should pay a fair fee. To Mr. Lambie — He did not favor the reduction of age fot the exercise of thefranchise. He thought a little know-"* ledge of the world was needed. It would not be sufficient for a lad to pass the sixth stauJai-d-To Mr. Derme — 110 thought working men bad a good deal of human nature in them. They had soft sides to them like other men. He believed the men likely to be returned to Parliament would now insist upon retrenchment. To Mr. Baylis— He feared if he should represent the district for the next 20 years, as suggested, the children growing up would ask him very curions questions. To Mr. G. Pearce— He favored the "unemployed" being relieved, bnt the rate of wages given them should be below the ordinary rate. Mr. Millar moved a vote of thanks to Major Atkinson, but, at the same time, this meeting did not pledge itself to support either candidate. Mr. Rotberay seconded. Mrjor Atkinson thanked the electors for the form the vote had taken. He pointed out that only from one-fifth to one-tenth of the electors at Hawera aud at Maoaia bad voted when an attemptwas made to ascertain the strength -of parties. This showed that electors meant to vote at the ballot, and not in open meeting. This was as it should be. He,. ndvocated it with all his committees, and ' he trusted they would first hear eaob candidate, and then decide between them to the best of their judgment. He thanked them for the very orderly behaviour. throughout the meeting, and for the example pet as to the vote of thanks only. He trusted that their example would be followed at other places. .1 There was no interruption at any.time during the proceedings, and the chairman's ' powers of keeping order were never tested in any way. Finally 100 persons were present.