EGMONT ELECTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1697, 9 August 1887, Page 2

EGMONT ELECTION.

MR. McGUIRE AT PIHAMA. Comparatively a small number? of electors met Mr. McGnire at Pibama. on Monday evening. Only about' 40 electors being present. Mr. T. Forsyth took the chair, and- introduced tbe can* didate and asked for a fair and patient hearing.

Mr. McGoire said be was very pleased to meet them there that night. He thought that in a district like lhat whpre settlement was in coarse of progress it wu especially necessary to have a local man who was well acquainted with tbe several wants of tbe district, as those wants arose from time to time and were recognised. He might explain to thoae who were not acquainted witb him previous to that evening, that he bad been intimately connected with tbe local Government of tbe district since its earliest days. He had sat in tbe Provincial Council, had been chairman of the Patea and Hawera County Councils before tbe Patea County was divided into two, and he bad also held other public offices. In addition to that, he had more than once been chosen as a delegate to visit Wellington on matters ot importance, .which. sbonld by rights have been attended to by their representative: but, as M*j<* Atkinson neglected these matters, it was found necessary to 6end a special delegate to attend to local matters, while their representative was absorbed in colonial politics. He said that upon one occasion he had visited Wellington on very ~(m-' portant business in the company of Mr. Lysaghtt and when in Wellington, as Parliament was sitting, of course they called upon Major Atkinson, and earnestly requested him to assist them. At that time Major Atkinson was out of office, and what did he say? He told them they had better not let him or his name appear] in the matter. He could only be hurtful to them, and they had much better g* without him. He thought the electors, would see that in that instance it was" a great disadvantage to be represented by a great colonial politician, who daren't. advocate local wants because the ' Ministers whose seats he was trying to get would en*. deavor to thwart rather than to assist him. He referred at some length to the ineffi* ciency of the retrenchment undertaken by the Royal Commissions who travelled about in royal state at great cost. Deal* ing with retrenchment, he referred to the large salaries paid to members of the Hansard staff, who were paid salaries which should command their service* during the whole Year. Instead of that,! those gentlemen were free to earn money elsewhere during nine months of tbe year. There was, be thought, room for retrenchment in that department for T instance. He did not blame Hansard officers for earning money during | tbe recess, but be held chat they should be employed by tbe Govern* ment when Parliament was not sitting. He deprecated farmers starting large local industries. He had seen it tried by them' time afcer lime, and in 90 cases out of 100 they hi'l tailed. He though C capitalists and experts who would put their money into such concerns, who understood how to manage them, should be encouraged to come and start such ; as they would do if a chance of a fair profit were held out to them. Referring to his own and Major Atkinson's connection with the Taranaki Harbor and the Taranaki Provincial Council, he said that at the time Major Atkinson had, after opposing Mr. Carring* ton's election as Superintendent, and after saying very hard things about Mr. - Carrington and Mr. Carrington's friends, as be bad lately been saying about him (Mr. McGuire) and his nrieads, Major | Atkinson had accepted ofuce as joint secretary with Mr. Standish under Mr. Carrington. This had been a great surprise to him and to many others at the time. He only mentioned ' it to show tbe man's great weakness for office. He (Mr. MoGoire) had opposed the bill single-handed because he objected to the whole of this district being mortgaged for ever, fur a harbor that was unlikely to be of any benefit to the land. He was very proud of having saved the other end of the district from tbe rate. But Major Atkinson bad frcrarateatiy fa&qretf w fasten tba rate on tbis end. Mr. McGuire was frequently • applauded during his speech, which was well received.

Mr. Miller asked if Mr. McGuire knew who proposed in the Boose that a special act abould be passed enabling the deficiency of £12,000, required by the' Taranaki Harbor, to make up its pay* ments by tbe imposition of further rating power over tbis district.

Mr. McGuire said he was not aware who made such a proposal.

To Mr. Rotbery — He would not be in favor of further borrowing except so far as required to complete public works alreadj undertaken.

To Afr. Proudlock — He would be in favor of opening np all the roads, especially the bush roads, which be thought were in a disgraceful state. Ha would earnestly further the completion of the Eltham road, if there were any funds at all available for doing it. He could speak feelingly as to tbe state of the road to Kaponga, which was almost impassable. He believed that the word of the colony should be kept strictly and in all cases.

Mr. Lambie said he thought there was a slight inconsistency in Mr. McGaira's way oi treating the leaseholders. H» did not want to make any catch at ali. bat Mr. Lambie could not see why a lease, while it lasted, was not as complete a bargain as a purchase oi land.

Mr. McGnira asked was it advisable to force tenants into tbe Bankruptcy Court in order to carry out the bargains entered into. Bankruptcy terminated tbe contract. But all wise men knsw that it was unwise to force tenants into the Bank* ruptcy Court. All private landlords avoided doing 60. He could not see bis way to relieve buyers of cash lands who might have paid too much for their land*. Mr. Lambie thought that tbe free* holders would have t« clear out and leave tbe land to the mortgagee's tenants.

To Mr. Rothery— Mr. MoGuire said he did not feel that be knew enough about the question of non-political railway boards to be able to say whether hp would favor it or not.

Mr. Lambie asked, in reference to Mr. McGuirc's proposal to foßter local in* dustries, what be proposed to send home to pay interest on tbe colonial debt, if a largely increased local market were built up.

Mr. MeOuive thought wool would be scut borne still. Tbej could not manufacture tbe whole of their wool. |v time perhaps New Zealand might be also able to send home some meat, as farmers* increased in number

Mr. Lambie failed to see how the New Zealand price of wool and meat conld be affected so long as tbe ontside market was open and regulated the New Zealand price. Mr. McGnire said the farmer would be able to sell more at home ; that would be a benefit. If, for instance, the population at Opunake we're increased, tbe farmers in tbe district would benefit.

Mr. Godsal asked if Mr. McGuir» thought the consumer wonld ever, put up witu Protection, "if tbe consumer kneif what be bad to pay as a separate iom in , order to keep op Protection'?' If, 'for' instance a man went into a store td btrV an axe, and were told tbe price of the cxV was ss, but tbe Government also charged • Is in addition for Proteoiion,: would the > consumer be content to pay the tax ? He thought not,, unless it were TOnotaM

from him by the importing merohant paying it as at present. He was a staunch Freetrader, and if Mr. McGuire would declare himself a freetrader, he would vote for him, for he believed that freetrade bad been as powerful .an agent in the civilisation of the world as tbe Bible had been. He knew that people cited tbe United States as a country which had prospered under freetrade, but he believed it had gone ahead in gpite of, and not because at {teetrade. He had come to the conclusion that protection bolstered up the capitalist at the expense of the working man. Mr. McGuire cited the progress of Germany, Austria, France, and Prussia, as instances of how countries had prospered nnder freetrade. England herself had protected all her industries for centuries until in fact in position to comrnaud tbe trade of the world. Now, however, a change was threatened, in fact is so imminent | that Locd Sali&bacf, & leadec of the Coa- < servative party, was willing to countenance ' some form if protection to English farmers. Mr. Lambie understood that Protection implied that that the Government knew better,' than tbqse most concerned, which industry should be fostered by Protection and which should be left out, better than the parties most concerned. Mr. McGuire urged that it was necessary in the present state of New Zealp^o to attract population and capital to 'QQ. colony. Protection to local industries would' help to do this. Mr. Lambie thought all free traders | were agreed that population should be t fostered, and the question was how could this best be done. He did not believe protection was a sound way to accomplish it. Mr. McGuire said he would let the people first manufacture enough for themselves, and thereafter the manufacturers could look out for themselves, and seek outside markets for tbeir manufactures. He believed in eight hours a day for a day's work. He thought in the meantime it was not necessary to anticipate evil. Whenever New Zealand manufacturers began to- make more goods thao. were required hi the colony, it would be time enough to consider what should then be done.

Mr. Bothery asked, if Mr. McGuire reduced tbe cost of making an article, did tbe producer or the consumer reap tbe benefit. Mr. McGuire was satisfied the consumer got some advantage. — He was not aware that tbe Government were introducing any immigrants into New Zaaland, though they were spending £4 par head, if tbe friends' of an immigrant ■ent £10 of a man's passage money, to tbe Government first. — He thought employment must either be found for tbe poor people either by putting tbem on tbe land under the village settlements Scheme, Ot by Boding work for them on the defences, or breaking stones, or ip some otber way. — He approved entirely of Mr. Ballance's expenditure on village settlements.

To Mr. Fearce — It might be that they were paying rather too much for felling tbe bush in village settlements, but it was ■till much cheaper than giving the men charitable aid.

Mr. Rotbery asked — How could Mr. McGuire support the present Government, when they were ousted from office because they proposed to increase tbe tariff?

Mr, McGuhe a&id he proposed Co tueeG that by thorough and earnest retrenchment. If the present Government did not retrench to th« utmost possible extent, be would vote against them, or againat any Gevernment which desired to oppress the people. If further taxation were ultimately required after retrenchment, be favored a progressive land tax, especially on unoccupied or unimproved land. He was anxious to burst np large holdings held for speculative purposes; if over 10.000 acres, or in tome eases if over 500 D acres in good country, be desired to see tbem subdivided.—He had no objection to Hare's system of representation, This district would have been in a far better position nnder Hare's system than it wai at the present time. —He favored a reduction of members to 71 instead of 95, though the districts were now large enough and almost unwieldly. He did not favor a lesser number, for tear property Bhould be given too much power. He referred to the wide influence wield, d by the great monetary institutions. If the electorates were very few, the banks and financial institutions could combine to iuither the election of men such as Sir J. Hall, Bussel), Orruond, and otber wealthy men of the eridironing party who had exerted tbeir influence on tbe press, and secured an undue proportion of assistance from it. Tbe press was no doubt very necessary and a vary useful power, when the power was wisely used. But it was not always free from outside influence. — He would not favor .the exclusion of editors of newspapers from Parliament. (Laughter.) — He did not desire to tax race meetings. He did not care about races himself, but he did not wish to tax other people's amusement. — He was not prepared to fayot an elective Governor at the pteawQt time.— ll tbeir connection with the old country led tbem into a lot of expense in the future, he might consider the advisablenesß of dealing with the question. Replying to Mr. Bothery, Mr. McGuire said be had had reason while in Auckland to believe tbe interests of graziers were sacrificed in Auckland. Suppose that • man knew that telegrams were sent Irom Waitara to Auckland today, that fat cattle were to be shipped, to reach a certain market. That telegrams were then sent to Waikato and a large number of Waikato emttle entered for the same market. The dripped cattle vhbyb tbe» bo)A for )ow values, hi view oi the glnt in the market, bat the Waikato cattle were sent home, having served their purpose.— Suppose that sort oi thing were done, what would Mr. Botbery think of the Auckland market ? Of course when Hawera cattle got to Auckland they had to be sold for what they would fetch. They could not be kept hi Auckland. Had a chilled meat trade been established they could have sold meat at depots by auction on regular dates. — It might be possible to conduct eucha. tta.de by ac& a& wall as. by laud, b^t it had not been done yet.— He thought Auckland rings were notorious. If •man went up there and thought of buying land, he would have tabe very cautious and feel his way carefuiy, for some time, ' oy he would be taken in and would lose h,is money. That was well known. Mr, Miller said, as there seemed to be no more questions, he thought nqw they beard bo|b candidates they could expreßQ their opinion about them, Mr. McQuire had answered a very great number pf questipns in a straightforward and satisfactory wa y. Ikfajor Atkjpgpn had also been asked a'mimber of questions, but bad b^een less cleat and leßa '6traAgb.t. forward id tps rapKf»: He (Mr. MiMex) therefore moved that this meeting desires tQ give, a ypte of thanks \o Mr. itycGuire for his addtesQ and of confidence in him. ' Mr. T. Exley seconded. Mr. ftothery moved as an amendment, th,at the words expressing confidence be jeftq^.,,, ;■.:' :,.. , ■ * Tbe amendment was pot, and declared Jost by 1Q tp }4 ; and the original motion was declared carried on the voices. ' Jn. returning thanks, Mr. McGuire promi««d to' workW bard in future it be had' done when holding public bmcet^'ia the past;, and as he bad' done wnen'he-jfotravote lor metalling the roid^in' front of where they were, and when he went to WeUingtoa and had got tbe ooacbei to tun %16t>g that' poaet.

He had been some twenty times to Wellington on matters of public interest •which onghl to have been attended to by their member, but who had neglected to look after 6uch matters. He moved a hearty vote of thanks to the chair. The meeting concluded with three cheers for Mr. McGuire.