MR MANDERS SPEECH AT THE TOWN HALL, 1st INSTANT.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 770, 13 August 1873, Page 3

MR MANDERS SPEECH AT THE TOWN HALL, Ist INSTANT.

This short address should have appeared in our laslrosue. As Mr Manders' accident and other engagements to be kept will vent him delivering a capable oP being reported in these columns before the day of election, we mend -||ur omission. The rapidity with which Mr Manders spoke enabled him to say more than is contained in the following condensed epitome: — He said he was to have addressed the electors, but owing to some misunderstanding, Mr Pyke's bills had been circulated, advertising his meeting for that night Mr Pyke was a stranger to many of them, and many of them had, no doubt, come prepared tojistentothat gentleman. Mr Pyke was an ow friend of his, and as an act of courtesy he would not stand in the way of his introducing himself to their notice as he had first intended (hear hear). At the same time, he had informed Mr Pyke that he (Mr Manders) intended to make a few remarks first, probably not extending over five minutes time, and they were these:—He considered that the electors had before them a sufficient ipnber of local candidate?, from out of whom they could choose a member sufficiently qualified to represent tflem. He admitted Mr Pyke's abUities, and they would all admire Wk greatly; he would say, no doubt, that he would do all things for them, and be all things for them. He himself would not yield to Mr Pyke in a knowledge of Colonial affairs, of a clear appreciation of the future, or a desire to study and promote their interests (hear). The speaker then concisely sketched the Native question, and though not admitting that Mr M'Lean INS the only man who could govern the J Native race, thought the Government had done wisely in not provoking a war which th«y as colonists, were unprepared to carry ouf effectively. He considered that the cost of the Native affairs should be examined into. He then glanced at the financial position of the Colony, using the Budget Ipeech as refutation of the gloomy views given by another candidate (Mr Barton), and said he would, if elected, urge forward the completion of the Winton-Kingslon line. Upon theEducationalquestionhetookthestandthat they were not, at least in the South Island, prepared for a change of systlin. The pre-tenthard-and-fast line, both in Otago and Canterbury, had been the result of a series of compacts. They had better, he thought, be adhered to for the present. The new Education Bill was intended more for the Uorth Island, and it was permissive to adopt m it If any change was made in the Assembly he believed it would be in a more strictly *secular direction; but if not so, and any concessions were made to any one body ot religionists, then he would say let all share aUke. He was opposed to the compulsory system for reasons he would hereafter explain. The speaker mentioned several subjects he would like to speak upon, but would keep his promise and give way to Mr Pyke. Mr Manders was well received throughout * his brief address.

The Mount Ida Chronicle referring to the Wakatip election, says :-We do think there is the least chance of Mr Clarke, contesting the election, althmghhe would make V far the best member theWakatipu cou4

get. M? Ollivier, member in the Provincial Council for Mount Ida, has set an example of generosity which is worthy of imitation. He has " donated his honorarium between the local hospital and the Dunedin Benevolent Institute—£ls to each. Mr Richardson, Minister for Public Works, stated in the House of Representatives that there was only a balanced £BO,OOO out of the £300,000 voted for water races on goldnelds available, and that was taken up by applications already sent in* As an instance of the operation of the new tariff (says the Otaao Times) we are informed that a gentleman who was about to pass a box of merchandise at the Custom House a few days ago, when he would have had to pay 14s as duty, allowed it to remain unpassed until the I next day, when the sum of £22 was demanded. A correspondent of a contemporary, writing of South Australia, says.—There seems a certainty of South Australian copper mines being flourishing industries when Victorian goldfields have become a memory of the past. H. he fortunate lady who occupies the most prominent position in your Colony, and the vacillating old geMleman who recently retired from the head of your Ministry, know something of the satisfaction which the receipt of dividends from the Moontais said to evoke; so that you in New Zealand may be assumed to have a personal interest in the matter, and will perhaps be disposed to hear a little of the wonderful property which has made so many fortunes. This mine ! /alone gives employment to something like 1200 hands, and has lately been paying dividends at the rate of £120,000 a year. Amongst the despatches of Governor Sir George Bowen are to be found some relating to his visit to the Island, and to this portion of it. He describes Lake Wakatip, and repeats the sentiments he expressed here, as to the attractions our Lake scenery must have for tourists. He draws especial attention to ad- * dresses from the Chinese here, and qu >tf s part of that emanating from Ah Chuey and party. This address was sent home. Here is a story well worth reading and » inwardly digesting by those who preside over the public courts in New Zealand:—An American judge once invested in a odd way to prevent a waste of words. He was sitting in chambers, and seeing, from the piles of papers in the lawyers' hands, that the first case was likely to be hardly contested, he asked—" What is the amount in question ?" " Two dollars," said the plaintiff's counsel. " I'll pay it," said the judge, handii* over the money—" Call the next The Upper iftase mean to burke any reform not proceeding from itself. The best way is to give the " Lords" scope enough. They say they want to know the voice of the country, and yet protest against the Assembly being that voice. P ItlS mere matter of time. The greater the obstacles thrown in the way of retorm, the more radical will be the changes in the end. We are very unfortunate this winter in the matter of elections. As soon as the Superintendent's was over we had the Provincial Council ones, and now we are plunged in the midst of one for a member of the General Assembly. We have also passed through others, viz—Board of Wardens and the Municipal elections. It is for • the electors quite a feverish life, and it must be very harassing to the candidate's themselves. Both have, however, to put up with hard weather a and wrekhed roifc. In that respect there is no Jf royal roWto tßja^over. A-