ELECTION MEETINGS.

Lake County Press, Issue 37, 16 February 1872, Page 3

ELECTION MEETINGS.

I JIB. MACASSEY AT THB LIB#AEY HALL. Mr Macassey met the electors of the Arrow district in the Library Hall, on Saturday evening last. The attendance ■ was very large, and to the <sandidate, as : a stranger, it must have been very I gratifying to meet with such an orderly I and numerous audience. Throughout I his lengthened address, the utmost deI corum was observed, the speaker being I only interrupted by sentitnents of apI plause. I On the motion of Mr Jofen A. Miller, I seconded by Mr S. Symonds, Mr Robt. M-Dougall was elected to tine chair. The Chairman said he rfl«Bt express I his obligation to the meeting for the I position he occupied. There were many I in the hall more able to fill it than himI self, but he would take Heave to say none more impartial. He would call upon the meeting to give Mr Macassey a fair hearing—to which courtesy he was perhaps the more entitled through I being a stranger among them. The Chairman then introduced Mr Macassey, who on rising, said, : In addressing them he desired to do so • in plain, homely and truthful language. At present he was not a candidate; his object was simply to place the electors in possession of his views, and if thej met I with their favor he would come forward

to represent them, sure that he had received the best proof of an honest support. It might be said that he was laboring under disadvantages by being a non-resident in the district, and in having Mr Hallenstein as an opponent. In any ease it was not hi* intention to utter a word iu prejudice pf that gentleman. He was fully aware that Mr LUllenstein would have aU the prestige of local residence, and terge stake in the district, but to hie mind local residence did not go for mutch in a wide district, embracing the three most important interests —miping, agriculture, and commercial. Liocal residence might cause a man to be inclined to represent but one of those interests, but if he (the speaker) was elected he would be in a position to view the wants and requirements of the district impartially iu every respect. If a candidate wa3 a resident, and only interested in one district—could be be thought impartial ? He would proceed to give one or two instances which he thought would remove objections agaiust him on the ground of not living in the district. In the first place, would he as resident iu Dunedin, not be ir* a far better position to bring the wants of the district before the Government than a member who lived in the district. Again, he being a me-mber of Provincial Cou cil would virtually give this district three members, and consequently the advantage of three votes on auy question affecting the district. He would admit it might be deemed almost an impertinence for a stranger to come up here, aud try to gain admission to a Municipial Council or Hospital Committee, but he considered that in the present case the affair was entirely different, as it would not only be local affairs to be considered but very important colonial questions. And he need hardly say that it was very little odds in Wellington whether a member was a resident of the district he represented or not. He would now pass from personal matters, and briefly touch upon some of the great questions of the day. Provincial Institutions. —It was part of the Vogel policy to deprive the Provincial Government of a large measure of their powers —notably in the administration of the Goldfields and Waste Lands. It was becoming a general desire to reduce the powers of Provincial Councils. They were too expensive, and the time had arrived for Provincial Institutions to be swept away. As a simple and more popular form of government he would be in favor of a central seat ot Government and local Boards for each district. It was becoming every day more necessary for the governed and governors to be closer to each other, and that legislation should be simplified. Legislative Council. — Another [change he would wish to see was that the constitution of the Legislative Council be altered, so that responsible members hold seats therein. At present the Council was composed of nominees) of the Crown, and was not suited to the wants of the country. Land System- —Every policy of our Government was more or less associated with the land policy, as they ought to go together. He objected to the present system iP Otago as too cumbersome and complicated. In the united Province of Otago and Southland there were no less thaO three different systems. Consequently serious complications arose, and it was a matter of extreme difficultie to *»ay which were proper claims. He sfcould be glad to see the present system swept away, and one intelligent and uniform land law substituted. Would be in favor of land in goldfields being treated the same as

out of goldfields, but would ta;e care to preserve the right of miners to work land proved to be auriferous, and that water-races were not interfered with by sate of lands. He should like to see a differently constituted Laud Board than the present,—one free from political influence. The present Board was composed, with one exception, wholly of members of the Provincial Executive. Ibis, in his opinion, was wrong, and he would be in favor of a Board free from partizansbip and Government influence. Would be in favor of free selection, so long as permanent settlement and improvements were insisted on. Provided the finances of the Province could allow of it he was in favor of deferred payments, and if an Act to this effect was passed, would deal with agricultural lessees so that the amounts already paid as rental should go as part purchase-money. However, in present financial position of the Province he had very little, if any, hope of the deferred payment system being adopted, education—Mr Macassey said he was aware that the question of education was at the present time a very delicate one, and which required careful handling. He trusted his remarks would give offence to none, as his expressions on the subject would be both honest and truthful. At the present time we had a provincial and a proposed colonial system. He would first deal with the provincial system, and in so doing might say that his remarks on the Waste Lands Board applied with equal weight to the Board of Education in this Province—it also consisted largely of members of the Executive. He (the speaker) did not consider it right to select men who were incompetent and had not studied, to be at the head of educational affairs, and the sooner this was got rid of the better. The Board must exist for good or for evil, and ought to be composed of men competent for the duties. We did not want an automaton existing, but a thinking and acting body. Another topic he would touch upon was the school-books at present in use. It had been said they contained sentiments hurtful to the feelings of one sect. He did not know as to. the truth of this, but if so they should be expunged. It should be our boast to train our ehil T dren as we liked, and not have them compelled to read offensive passages of history. There should not be a word in school-books likely to give offence. As to the proposed colonial system, last session of Assembly a Bill had been brought forward to assimilate the educational system throughout the Colony. That Bill contained two clauses which had received divided support, viz., the Compulsory, and Aided Schools clauses. The compulsory clause was unnecessary in this Colony. It had been tried at home and failed, and we could not compare New Zealand with the home country—it could not be said we did not teach our children nor liberally provide for their education. He considered the compulsory clame an uncalled-for reflection on the people, and until they should neglect it was unnecessary that Government use compulsion. He (Mr Macassey) objected to compulsory legislation in any shape, and thought every man should be allowed to act according to his conscience in matters of education. The Aided Schools clause was introduced for persons who had scruples against sending their children to the public schools. The speaker thought that if any number refused to avail themselves of the public schools they should receive a fair share of the money contributed by them as revenue, and in any district where there were a sufficient number of scholars a subsidy might be given by Government. TJte Goldfields.— As to goldfields matters, practically, the speaker must confess himself comparatively ignorant—his knowledge being chiefly gained from reading and study of the Goldfields Acts and Regulations. He would, however, briefly touch upon three subjects intimately connected with the Goldfields administration, viz., Miners' Rights, Gold Export Duty, and the Chinese. In Victoria the Miners' Right was operative throughout the entire colony, whereas in New Zealand it only extended to the Province from whence it was issued. The reason of this was that the goldfields revenue was provincial the same as territorial revenue. This was an anomaly, and if asked if Miners' Rights should be made Colonial he would say, Yes. Regarding the Gold Export Duty, year after year attempts had been made to get it reduced or abolished, but without success. Although he would vote for this, he thought it would be better to go in for the local expenditure of revenues derived from each district. This would be the more practical coarse and more likely to be attended with success. As to the Chinese, speaking plainly, he believed it impossiole to exclude them. It had been tried in Victoria by imposing a polltax of £lO a head on all who arrived at the port of Melbourne, but the Chinese travelled overland from South Australia

and so evaded the tax, They should be forced to takeout Miners' Rights by the imposition of heavy penalties. A penal law for wrongdoing Bhould be put in fore?, and he was ut one with Judge Chapman, who thought!hat a thorough (food flogging would have a more salutary effect on evil-doing Chinese than imprisonment. It must be remembered that while the miners were against their introduction, merchants and producers were in favor of them. However, he would be guided in his action by the v »ice of his constituents. Public Works. —Regarding Mr Vogel's Public Works and Immigration Scheme, xVIr Macassey though t these measuresshouid have been brought before the electors before being adopted. There was a very large proportion of the money alloted to be spent in the North Islaud, but he would be be in favor of having the Act amended, and some of the money expended on roads where the Provincial Government failed in maintaining them. He had seen instances on his way up here showing that carriers on the road between Duiiediu and this district could not compete with Kingston when the railway was finished between that place and Invercargill. Conclusion. —ln bringing his address to a conclusion the speaker said that if elected he would do his best for the district in all its interests. He would not promise more than he thought he could accomplish, knowing that there was greater credit in doing more than he promised than promising more than he could do. During his remarks there might have been some things overlooked but he would be happy to answer any questions A number of questions were put, and answered satisfactorily. Mr R. Pritchard proposed—" That Mr Macassey is a fit and proper person to represent this district in the General Assembly." Seconded by Mr H. J. Cope. Mr J. A. Fredric proposed an amendment—"That Mr Macassey is not a fit and proper person to represent this district in the Assembly." Seconded by Mr Purnell. On the amendment and proposition beiug put to the meeting, the Chairman declared for the amendment, 20; for the motion, 50 or 60. Mr Macassey thanked those present for the patient hearing accorded him, and had pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr M'Dougnll for the able manner in which he had conducted the meeting. MR. JAMES MILLER AT MACETOWN. (From a Correspondent) Mr James Miller held a meeting here oa Saturday last (Mr E. J. Beale in the chair). The attendance was very good. It was my intention to have sent you a full report but I really found on looking over my notes that there was little or nothing to report. After reading his address to the audience, Mr Miller stated that a report had been circulated that he intended to retire in favor of Mr Macassey, and that he (Mr Miller) had at once contradicted the rumor. He then went on to say that he had come forward at the request of a large number of the miners throughout the district. He was in favor of the reduction of the Gold Export Duty and of Miners' Rights, and it was also elicited, in answer to a question, that he was in favor of free selection in laud—the rental to go towards the purchase money. Several other questions were put to him, some of an amusing character, but he gave no explanation of the line of policy he would pursue (if elected) as to the important matters which will be brought before the Assembly at its next Session, such as the construction of Railways, Immigration, and the Education Question. Certainly, in reply to qvestions on the two latter subjects, the candidate said that he was not in favor of immigration as it now existed, but he failed to show how he proposed to advocate the settlement of the country in any other way. As for the last question, or series of questions, as to whether he was in favor of the present system of education now in force in Otago, he admitted that he would support Denominational Education, but he did not enlighten us with any scheme by which he proposed to make the latter system answer better for the general good of the people at large than the one at present in vogue. He read, however, a report of a speech made by Mr Gladstone in answer to a deputation on the subject, headed by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, which to a certain extent supported his views on the subject. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr Miller for his address; and one to the chair. CABDBOSA. We learn that Mr James Miller held a meeting in the School-house, Cardrona, on Wednesday 14th instant—Mr Needham in the chair. There were between fifty and sixty persons present. _ After the candidate briefly stating his views and answering a number of questions, Mr Dalton in a neat speech pronosed —" That Mr James Miller is a fit and proper person to represent the Wakatip district in the General Assembly."— Seconded by Mr Lindsay, and carried unanimously. Mr Miller then thanked the meeting for the hearty vote accorded. A vote of thanks to the Chair terminated the proceedings.

MB JAMES MILLEB AT BBACKENB. Mr James Miller held a political meeting in Brackens Gully on Monday night 12 instant. There was a very large muster considering the short notice that was given, nearly every man in the gully being present. Mr Thomas Proctor was voted to the chair. He opened the proceedings by making a few remarks on the necessity of having a mining representative for the district tie then introduced Mr Miller who said that before proceeding to business he should like to explain a certain conversation that he had with Mr Macassey on that afternoon, touching a certain rumor that had been circulated to the effect that he (Mr Miller) was to resign in favor of .vlr Macassey. He told Mr Macassey in presence of Mr M'Dougall that he would contest the election to the last, as he could not honestly resign unless a counter-requisition was got up by Mr Macassey calling on him to do so. and signed by all those who requested him to stand. If this was done he would willingly resign (provided Mr Macassey endorsed every article contained in his address) as his only object in coming forward was to have the mining interests properly represented, and be had sufficient confidence in the intelligence of the miners to know that they would do what was right. This explanation was considered satisfactory. He then proceeded to express his views on the various subjects that were likely to occupy the attention of the Assembly at the next Session; and after satisfactorily answering a number of questions it was Proposed by Mr Aitkenhead—" That Mr James Miller is a fit and proper person to represent the Wakatip district in the General Assembly."— Seconded by Mr White, and carried unanimously. Mr Miller then thanked the meeting for the patient hearing they had given him and the hearty vote of confidence they accorded him. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.