The Hon. G.F. Richardson at Gore.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 15, Issue 1295, 9 June 1893, Page 5

The Hon. G.F. Richardson at Gore.

■♦ • The Hon. G. F. Eichardson addressed ft crowded and representative meeting in the Gore 1 Town Hall on Wednesday evening. The Mayor (Mr A. Dolamore) .presided, and, in introducing the speaker, said that as Mayor he was colorless in politics and would be equally happy to preside over the meeting of any other <■ candidate as he was in the case of the 'gentleman who at present had the honor vt representing Mataura in Parliament. Mr Richardson, who was very cordially received (though the presence of some . Government supporters was manifested bj hisses) said that as they were aware he was koiu^ round the several centres in his electorate aud he was pleased to meet the Gore audience, the largest within its bounds. PBOGBEsS IN THE SOUTH. !:< He was gratified to learn as he mixed With the farmers and business men taat though " booming " was perhaps too large a word to fii the occasion, there was tt unanimous opinion that ihe idea up North thai a better aud sounder state ot things prevailed was correct, and he was was very pleasei to think it was so. Excepting perhaps in Auckland the hard times find depression had been more severely felt in Southland than anywhere else in the colony, but they were . now emerging from them quietly aud steadily and he hoped ihe progress made would continue. SEDDONIAN FAIBY TALES. Before going on with other matters he wished to allude to a communication received in Wore from the Premier in reference to some facts he (the speaker) mentioned at Mataura in connection with the Premier's Greymouth speech. He. imagined the editor, or some one connected with the local Government paper, had communicated with Mr Seddou, who replied that " the statement maue by the Hon. G. 81.B 1 . Kichardsou was about as accurate as the one made by him last . year when ke said ' the Government Were galloping to a deficit.' " Well, this ■tatrment was about as accurate as the Premier's statements usually were. (Applauae.) What he said was that if the Government (Joutiuutd to do woiks on the co-operative princijle and not, by contract and did not make better rinan- . cial ariaugements, the) would be " trotting into trouble." But the year before he did make the statement. tie saw, or he imagiueU he saw, a horsenan on the beach and the quicksand was ahead. Ho warned him, and the man pulled up. Great credit was due to the Government tor takinu his advice ; some credit ueihaps was due to him tor giving it, (Applause and hisses). Mr Seddon continued : — " I should not like to be held responsible either for his statement, : or what may have been reported by telegraph. What I stated [Mr Hichardboh • This should read "What I ought to have stated ] and which will be found on reference to the Blue Book, was that 2,028 per.ous owned collectively land to the value of L 32.406,851. I made the tame statement when speaking at Napier, and it was there correctly reported, Aud telegraphed accordingly. Seeing thu there has been alienated only a little more ihau 33,000,000 acres of the total Oi 66,000,000 acies in the colony, it is Hoi likely or feasible that I should make the egregious blunder mentioned by Mr it.ctiurdsou. It reminds one of the olu adage, ' Drowning men catch at straws.' " This last statement of Mi ttcuW's, that omy 33,000,000 out oi 66,000000 acres iv the colony were uueiitueu was out to the extent of about 13,U1t0,0U0 bores, but that was not much. iLauglnei). What he (M.r Eichardson) meant to d-nvey, and what Mr Seddon gaid was confirmatory proof or it, was . that the Premier's statements were those of an afu-r-d inner speaker. The speech in question was telegraphed by the Press Association, a budy which was most caret ul to send accurate information throughout the colony. (A Voice : Conservative). If the mistake had been pounds for acres he could have understood it, but that competent shorthand . reporters made the mistake Mr Seddon . suggested was hard to believe. He (the speaker) had been reported in journals of all shades of opinion ; he had never beeu misreported ; and he had found that he was as fairly reported whether the paper was for or against him. (Applause). * He would admit that the after criticism might sometimes show a lack of know- .. ledge of the subject — (laughter)— but the reporting was perfect. No wilful mistakes were made, and it was absurd to suppose that one set of figures would be •üb»tituted for others entirely different. Further, it was the duty of a Minister, or even of a representative, to see that he was properly, reported, or to have his remarks amended. If the reporters were in any doubt about the figures, they invariably came to the speaker for confirmation, aud Mr Seddon was a plain speaker and easily reported — such an one as the reporters would be unlikely to make mistakes over. A " GOOD LOCAXi MEMBER " WANTED ? It was human naiure to be selfish. We were all a bit selfish, and he was sorry to find in going round that it had been shown to him that they considered this trip almost in the light of an election tour. The elections were looming, up. (A Voice : You bet, and laughter). Some of them asked, " What have you done for the district ? " (Voices : Nothing ; Very \ little; The Edendale-Glenham railway; and interruption). Well, he had heard the Edendale-Glenham railway mentioned . before— he had heard it said this line was a •' job " of his, and he would tell them his position in regard to it. The Edendale-Glenham railway line was first commenced by the Stout- Vogel Government, certainly not at his (the speaker's) solicitation. When the Government with which he had been connected took office the contract for fencing, formation and tunnel was .half finished, and the colony was liable for the balance, and it had to be completed. Was it wise or business not' to go on with the permanent way when a small expenditure made the line of some use ? To the extent of supporting this necessary expenditure he was responsible ;no further. (Applause). It was not nice of a man to parade what be bad done for his district ; if they could . not remember anything some of them bad very short memories. One thing he • might mention s Who inaugurated the • inspection of dairies ? This he held had a great deal to do with the prosperity of " the district and of the colony. He could run through a very long string of what be bad done, but he did not care to ; he would let some one else do it, or if not go without it. He might mention the Waikawa jetty, the Waikawa-Catlins roaa (one of his first acts on taking office was to make a purchase at Owake to enable the road : to be gone on with), the extensions of the road into the Waiau country, 'and bo on. He did not snpport the erection of any tuppeny-ha'penny lamp post in'" Gore, but works far the good of the district as a'wnbleV' Why he disliked psing pressure to get tptes &jr local

! matters was because it was selfishness in its worst foim. Let them look at the area of land between the Mataura and the Oreti and served by • the Invercargill- j Dunedin, Invercargill-Kingston and j Waimea Plains lines. Not an acre of ! this tract of land but was within 12 miles of a railway ; and only 40,000 acrss of it were more than 10 miles away from a line. No district in the colony was so well served — not one. (Applause). Let ] them travel afield with him. Take Gisborne, for instance. Gisborne was 100 miles away from any railway, and well , on for half as much more from Napier by any possible road. There was no j 1 harbor, and a steam launch had to carry ! their proJuce to the vessels out in the J roadstead. They bore a burden for loan i expenditure for harbor works which had ' unfortunately proved useless ; they had ; no coacii service ; no " Stop ; look out for : the engine " met the traveller ; to tha • north wheels were useless after six or seven miles bad been traversed ; and ; there was not even a good sheep road to Napier. Yet the settlers there were contributing to pay interest on public works which we enjoyed ; and there were many other large areas similarly badly off. We were well roaded, railwayed, telegraphed and post-officed, and these people were helping to pay the bill ; and when making fre*h demands all should try to consider the wants of these outlying districts. At Mataura he had directed his attention to the position of THE COLONY'S FINANCE, and had gone into detail. He had done so knowing his figures would be challenged in the country and the House ; they would, however, ba fouud to be authentic, and practically amounted to a precis of the Financial Statement which would be brought down when the House met at the end of the month and of the Public Works Statement which would follow. Those who took a sufficient interest in the subject would read and study them for themselves. Believing as he did that the proper thing was that further improvements should be paid out of revenue, he at the same time did not. believe that they should contribute further to the opening up of the back country by roads, etc., which was the true work of colonisation. On the other hand he held that they were JUSTLY ENTITLED TO BOBEOW. (Voices : Hear, hear and no, no.) He was glad to see that they took an interest in this matter, even though opinions varied. For the first time the members of the Slock Exchange seemed to recognise that New Zealand was not a promontory of Australia, through their neighbors' troubles and then our own prosperity. (A Voice : Through the present Government, and applause). Politics did not make good crops, or secure good prices for them, as he had previously remarked. He held that in future the public works in unsettled districts should be conducted on settled terms. There should be no borrowing as was going on under the rose on short-dated paper. This non-borrowitg Government were borrowing largely aud paying high interest. His proposal was that the expenditure should be cut down by half, and that they should get the money legitimately and spend it in a businesslike way. (Interruption). There were evidently Government supporters present, as there ought to be, aud he would show them from the document he held in his uand what the Government were doing at present. This document was " The Public Works Statement by the Minister for Public Works, Sept., 27, 1892." And this document he stigmatised as a 'raud. (A Voice : No). It was not wuat it purported to be, but another document substituted lor it. However, mat was a matter he would deal with in the House. (Applause). He would quote, not unfairly, a few lines, not picking parts, to show the buiden of the song : — " The decision arrived at by the present Parliament to stop borrowing necessarily brings with it a gradual tapering off: in the public works expenditure." " Fair progress has been made with our I necessary reproductive public works, and yet the expenditure thereon has been less during the past year than it has been for years past, and still the colony has advanced." And in conclusion : " For the purpose of showing how the 'tapering off ' policy, succeeded by the selfreliant non-borrowing policy, has affected our public works expenditure during the last few years, I give the following figures, which represent total expenditure under the Public Works Fund- during each of the years mentioned, and besr elequent testimony to the self-sacrificing spirit exhibited by our colonists in accepting with thorough good will the decreased expenditure which that policy entailed, and which also afforded the fullest evidence of the resources and capabilities ot the colony, seeing that, notwithstanding this enormous diminution in our loan expenditure the country is becoming year by year more prosperous, and its financial position steadily improving." Figures — not the figures given in the origiial Statement-— are added, which showed that in the year this self-reliant, non-borrowing Government took office, the expenditure was L 334,756 ; while for next year, 1891-92, the expenditure was L 391.501. Where, then, was the tapering-off — the reduction running all through the text P The explanation was that in the Statement laid upon the table and debated in the House and telegraphed throughout the colony the figures for last year wee L 265,000, or in other words the expenditure had been wilfully understated by L 96,000- -. that way the text was borne out by the figures which had since been manipulated. Instead of taperin^-off a large increase was shown, and the document was not at all the one so much credit was taken for. In his^ address there was one point on\fhich he did not seem to have made himself clear. In mentioning the amount of loan money the Government had inherited (L 700.000, and there bad been a good deal more since) it had been pointed out that he had not stated the liabilities also taken over. In a running concern there were ' always liabilities, and if they were taken off at the one end they must go on at the other ; and if they were taken off then he would be equally justified in taking them off at the end of the last financial year. To do this they would confase the accounts to no purpose. It was the custom to include in them a grea 1 ". amount of what was not actual liabilities. If a contract were let for L 20,000 and only Llo,ooo spent during the year the balance of LIO.OOO was a legitimate liability. If L 50,000 was voted for a work and a contract was let and finished and only L30.0P0 expended the balance was not really a liability at all, but a lapsed vote. These swelled up to a big total — to much more than the real thing\ To lake an instance nearer home. The Colonial Treasurer had promised LIOOO towards a Gore traffic bridge, and he might remark he thought they would be wise in taking advantage of the offer while it was open. This amount would be put on the Estimates, and at the end of the year might pr might not be a liability. It was given on the under? standing that Gore did its part, when the

Colonial Treasurer would in honor be . bound to do his. If the bridge were gone on with well and good ; if they j neglected their part at the end of the j year the LIOOO promis d would cot be a j liability but a lapse I vote. NECESSITY FOB ATOn\ There was a matter o£ very grave importance alluded to at Mataura on which ihe would like to say a word or two, alj though he would not go over old ground; ! and that was the securities held as assets by the Public Trust Department, the Go- : vernment Life Insurance Department, i and others of a similar nature, atnountj ing altogether to tho large total of about j JL4,000,000. Bat there were not, sufficient iiquid assets to provide agaiust ] a panic similar to the one that had just j taken place iv Australia. It was necessary that these funds should be strengthened. There were also a number of public tru?ts and public companies whose securities were quoted at par, but were much below par in the open market ; and it had been suggested to him, and he thought the suggestion a good one, that it would be a tjood thing to appoint~ independent auditors to audit the accounts of these bodies and that their securities should be inspected by competent and independent persons. (Applause). He intended to make use of this suggestion at Wellington. One of the questions that might be dealt with iv Parliament, and that would certainly assume great importance when the elections came on was the MANAGEMENT OP THE BAILWAYS. He was very strongly in favor of the uoapolilical, or, as he should put it, the '• business " management of the railways. Ii was maintained by advocates for a change that the people had the right, and at present were not exercising it, of managing the railways, which were lelt in the charge of three irresponsible Commissioners. How did it come about that they were placed in their present position P Simply by the will of tue people very plainly expressed by very large majorities in the House. If the people wished for a change they had the same power by the same constitutional method, o£ effecting it. But it was better things should remain as they were, or nearly so. The control of the funus was perfect ; payment was maue through the Government Treasury, and the accounts were audited by the Auditor-general. As a matter of fact the railways were under the control of Purh-iinenfc but not of party, and that was what the fight was for — to piace them under the control oi tuo dominant party. (Applause). Tue present party was not goiug to remain in power for ever — (Voices : I'm afraid of it ; Longer than you think, and laughter) — and those who thought it was inigut find themselves surprised before they were aware of it. The death of the Premier uad altered the position largely — how largely they conld not well say, but it was well-known that many members were followers of the late, rather than of the present Premier. (A Voice: Wot at all). At anyiaie, everything pointed to this: that at the general elections they would see a complete turn over and re-arrange-ment of parties. (A Voice : Don't you believe it, and interruption). Of course he could not suppose that his views would suit all of them, but he had means or kuowing which tuey had not. The <riseusaion in the press showed that the large majority of Chambers ot Commerce) Farmers'. Clubs and what not were in favor of retaining tho present non-political management of the railways: and the result from a business point of view should be convincing, as the net results last year as against the last year of political management showed an advance of about Lloo,ooo. (Applause). This was attributable in no small degree to t,he lowering of the rates and freights during the last two yea«.. (Applause). He found that his adjoining friend, MiThomas Mackenzie, had gone at iength and ably into the TAXATION QUEBTION, and he (the speaker) did not propose to say anything on this subject excepting to call attention to one fact he baa elicited ; that so long as land was taxed on its value and money on its earnings i here could be no equality oE sacrifice, and as the demands tor revenue increased there would be another turn of the screw aud further pressure on landowners. Of course the Land and Income Tax Act which had been passed had been greatly improved, and it they had studied the matter at all they must give the Opposition a large amount of credit for the amendments aud improvements they had been the means of introducing. FIBST WIN YOUB SPUES. One thing which had taken place since last session he strongly objected to, aad that was the appointment of Labor representatives to the Legislative Council. It was not to be supposed that his objection arose from those selected being tradesmen or hardworking men ; but because he held that no man should be put into such a po-ition except he had first proved his capacity to trausaet public business by winning his spurs at a county council, road board, borough council, or some such body. (A Voice : So they have. Another Voice : They must serve their time. — Laughter. Mr Mc&iil called for three cheers for the labor candidates, which was not responded to). It was strange that the Government which loved the country so much had made all its selections from the towns. Were not the hard-working country settlers to be represented ? (A Voice : Soft soap !) The farmers, the most important community — the working bees — were not among the chosen. (A Voice : They will be). ; " SPOILS FOE THE VICTORS." In fact the whole tendency of the Government was to play into the hands of those who^put them into power. Already they were making preparations in this electorate. They were packing the bushes down south in the same way as they had packed the north of Auckland in 1887. The whole question ot CO-OPEBATIVE TVOBKS had more to do with the elections than with any interest the Government took in the working men. It was a most unfair and unjust expenditure of public money, and meant taxing the independent men -who were working in the ordinary way to support a lot of waifs and strays from Australia and elsewhere. The works were done at a most extravagant cost, an instance of which he would give them. A mile of road alongside a similar class of road down south, which had cost L 450 let by contract, was estimated by a competent authority to cost LOqO. (Cries of "Name"). This was the last mile of the Waikawa road between Niagara Falls and Waikawa, and the man who gave the estimate was the County Engineer, Wherever they got independent reports the cry was ever . the same : you cannot get the work done lat the same price as under the contract system. (A Voice : That's the sweating system). The plan had been even to increase the wages after letting the work in order to " nurse " the men, and care was taken that whatever theij? capacity

for work they earned good wages. Was this fair to hard working men who were willing to work ? LAND SETTLEMENT. They would remember that the present Government when they got into power were going to prevent freeholds and to prevent anyone from holding large areas of pastoral oouutry. These were to be the priucipal features of alteration. In practice, however, the business of the Lands Department had been carried out on precisely similar lines to those obtaining before — rather better in a way. The ballot had been found to bo a failure — it was a failure — and sufficient lands had been sold by the Minister on the terms of one-fifth on the fall of the hammer i and the balance in 30 days, together with the Crown grant fees, just as before. | The largest land-owning company in the" colony, or the new arrival who didn't own a section, were equally entitled to j buy — they paid their money and they ' got their land. And a very proper way to sell land it was. Only it was absolutely contrary to the purpose which had led the Government to revise the land law. As a matter of fact the Government had received within a few hundred pounds of the average amount the previous Government received during their three years of office, when ho was accused of " sacrificing the lands of the colony for cash." He (the speaker) held that the cost of the Lands and Survey Department should be paid by the sale o^ sufficient land ; and he gave the present Minister of Lands credit for following out this precept in practice — only he had told them he was going to do just the opposite. Then there was the PASTOBAL EUNS. They would remember the heavy fight on the one-man-one-run clause, and how a man was to be barred from acquiring any more if his land aggregated 5000 acres. He tried hard to get it altered to 7500 without success, (A Voice: Good job, too). His friend hadn't heard the whole. The Council raised the 5000 to 21,000— (On !) — and when the measure came back it was compromised at 10,000. He had since been startled to observe some particulars in the ' Gazette,' showing what was done by this Government who did not wish to create "social pests." (A Voice : Quite right). Quite right, and these wore the sort of ruus gazetted as open tor disposal. Of course " exceptional circumstances " were provided for : — Benmore station, Waitaki Couny : 76,600 acres, estimated carrying capacity, 19,200 sheep. Eun 201, Oiarama station : 86,770 acres, estimated carrying capacity, 17,500 sheep ; — Voice : Give us two or three more) — he would give them another — run 202, 96,130 acres, estimated carrying capacity, 20,000 sheep. (Applause). Of course the Government were doing quite right. There was a lot of country iucapable of being held profitably except in large areas. But the Government came and cried what should be done and what should not, and ended by doing as they ought to and taking credit for the opposite of that which they were giving effect to. (Applause). SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS. A statement had been made by the Minister of Lands at Gore (regarding the land set apart for special settlements), repeated by the Premier at Invercargill, and repeated again by the Minister at Hampden, and lie (the speaker) said that either they had broken the law or were not telling the truth. He promised to investigate the matter when ho reached Wellington, and he had done so and found they had not broken the law. (Loud laughter and applause). With considerable difficulty, and having to submit to amendments he had succeeded in obtaining a return. He moved for a return submitting the " name, section, block, occupier (' as far as is known ' was added), said return to be accompanied by a map and said map and return to be certified to by the Surveyor-General of the colony." He wanted somebody to " pin." (Laughter). But the last part had to come out, and the return was uncertified by the officer of any department, though it bore the autograph of the [ Minister of Lands across the covering sheet. He (the speaker) had undergone a good deal of criticism for his statement that if a man and his children all applied for a section in the hope of one securing it— -if that were dummyism, then it was a very legitimate form of dummyism. Yet he now found that a man and his three sons and three daughters were each granted 200 acres — surely that was a great deal worse form of dummyism. But the present system was creating dummyism wholesale and forming a bar and barrier to true settlement. He had a return of names arranged alphabetically. They would remember they were told— and it was emphasised — that the members of the Associations were carefully selected men — mostly the sons of settlers who were taking up the country, the means often being provided by their parents — a most desi able class of settlers. Well, under "A" the list/ showed "accountants, 4"; under "T&'f there were builders, bootmakers, bookkeepers, basketmakei s, etc., 40 ; "(j " -bowed cabinetmakers, capitalists. (A Voice : What are they P) They wire supposed to be men with money, butlit was often found if one took up a section that the surrounding settlers became in &,. few years the men with the money ; the erstwhile capitalist gaining the experience. — (Laughter). Under the same heading were chiefs of fire brigades, civil servants, clerks, coach proprietors, coach trimmers, commission agents — (laughter) — and commercial travellers. — (Lyud laughter). There were no less than 70 of these " sons of farmers " ready to go on the land assisted by their parents. — (Laughter). Under " D " they found dealers, detectives, dentists, drapers, dairymen and drivers, but if they looked more particularly they would find that dairymen, who might reasonably be expected to settle on the land, numbered 3 ; while there were 13 drapers. (Laughter). Under " H !> there were 1 hotel servant, 1 hotelkeeper and 3 hairdressers. (Laughter). "I" was confined to insurance managers and 1 ironmonger. Insurance managers were highly paid, and if they imagined a man would throw up LISOO or L2OOO a year to settle on a 200-acre section they had a great capacity for believing. The fact was tbat they put in their 10s and if they got a good section they made Ll5O or L2OO, and if they drew a bad one they lost their half sovereign, and nothing more was heard about it. (A Voice : The Hon. John will look after them). In fact the great bulk represented trades, businesses and professions in towns — they were city speculators. Would they find hairdressers at the back of the Hokonuis ? (Laughter). However, he would show what they did with their sections when they got them, and he might say of his own knowledge in the 40-Mile Bush that half the " settlers " sold their sections at a premium of LI, 25s or 30s an acre. They drew the land and never saw it. (A Voice : Quite right). Was it quite right to put in 103 or LI and reap this large profit, or should the State get it p The Wellington Special Settlement

Association origin illy consisted of 96 members; 7 were left. (A Voice: I don't believe it). A settlement at Woodville numbered 46, of whom 1 was now residing — (A Voice : That's a sticker, and laughter) ; — and the Masterton-Hawera Association originally numbered 32, of whom 3 were left. And it must not be supposed that the sections were deserted. On the contrary, they were occupied and if not highly cultivated the bush was cleared, the best of grass was grown, and there were houses on all the sections j occupied by true settlers who had had to pay the city spielers for the right to get on to the land. Taking the whoje colony through, of the 906 original names 206 remain ; the number of transfers was 349, and not 9 of these but what was for a substantial consideration ! The system was wrong, as. was any system which prevented men who honestly and really desired to occupy and improve our waste lands from having the opportunity of doing so. CONCLUSION. Seeing the magnitude of the audience, and feeling sure there must be a certain amouut it' not a great deal of questioning, he would not speak further, but would be happy to answer any questions. The hon. gentleman then resumed his seat amidst loud and continued applause, accompanying which were a few hisses. QUESTIONS. Mr Briggs inquired, amidst considerable mirth, whether a stone bridge, a cylinder bridge, or a wooden bridge would last longest ? Mr Eichardson said he would be happy to give a professional opinion without fee : he believed a bridge on stone piers would be the most enduring. (Laughter). Dr Copland : Will Mr Eiehardson support a Bill granting School Committees permission to introduce into the public school under their charge the daily reading within school hours of lessons taken from the Bible, such as were specified in the schedule attached to the Bill introduced into the Legislative Council by the Hon. W. D. Stewart — with the provision of a time table and a conscience clause ? — (Cries of " No.") Mr .Richardson : I could hardly grasp the full purport of the question ; but I take it it means an alteration of the present bystem, giving greater facilities lor Bible reading than now obtain. If so I shall be compelled to vote against it — (applause) — as I consider it is unwise to interfere with the present system of education. (Loud applause). Dt Copland : Is Mr 'Eichardson in favor of granting the franchise to women who pay rates or taxes as owners or occupiers of property ? Mr Ilichardson ; Yes — (applause) — and I would limit the franchise generally on similar lines i£ I had power to do so. (Hear, hear). Mr Briggs : Which is the " suitablest " place to have a bridge — below or above ? (Uproar). Mr Eichardson : The people of Gore pay for the bridge (with tue exception of the LIOOO voted by Government) and I should say it should be put where it will best suit the people of Gore. (Laughter). Mr Briggs wished to know if Mr Eichardson was " in favor of the ratepayers settling it?" but the audience would uot permit him to longer occupy the floor. Mr Jas. Hamilton enquired whether the Government would only go the LIOOO ? Mr j-iichardson could not answer for the Government. In his own opinion it would be better to take what was offered. Mr Dougall • Is it a fact that at Mataura you acknowledged that the Labor representatives had conducted themselves well and in some cases set an example to the other members ? Mr Eichardson : Yes, and I had rsason tor saying so. Mr Dougall : If that is so can you explain why they would not do equally as well in the Upper House ? (Applause). Mr Eichardson : If they were elected to the Upper House I should have no objection, Giving a seat there is in our very small colonial way equivalent to conferring a title at Home, and a title is not conferred until a man has proved himself in some shape or lorru worthy to be the recipient ot such an honor. (Loud applause). Mr John Mac Gibbo n: Are you in favor of the extension of the Foreßt Hill tramway to Gore P Mr Eichardson would like to know the circumstances of the project: it was difficult to answer a bald question like that. He would be in favor of handing over the existing railway and granting the Crown land along the proposed route to any company who would take the thine up and work it as a business concern if it would pay to do so. In his opinion business men would not touch it.* It would probably be a good thing to extend the railway to this side of tile Jllakarewa and that he thought woukP 'meet all the just demands of the district. As he had said, only 40,000 acres uetweeu the present railways was outside a 10---mile limit. Eouguly it would mean bringing the line another 30 miles to Gfore and this done by ihe Couuty Council would cost L2OOO a mne j done by the Public Works Department, L3OOU a mile ; done under the co-operative system L4OOO. (Laughter, applause and mterA. "Voice : Done under the sweating system, LISOO. (Laughter). Mr Brings : Are you in favor ot giving residents brought up in the colony and Who have worked hard all their lives 100 acres of land apiece. (Laughter). Mr Eiebardson thought fair and reasonable facilities existed for anyone obtaining land who desired it. (A Voice : I'm glad you admit it.) Mr Frank Fraser asked if Mr Eichardson wa9 in favor of the system of giving men labor on the land with the right t,o afterwards take up the sections. Mr Eichardson supposed the question alluded to the experiment of employing men to fell bush with the right to afterwards take it up at a low percentage— 4 per cent, he thought— on the cost of the land and the -labor put upon it. The experiment would be watched with interest, and in the meantime it was impossible to say whether it would be a success or not. Very careful supervision and picked men would be necessary to make it a success, VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. Mr W. B. Anderson said it was his pleasant duty to move a vote of thanks to Mr Eichardson for his able and interesting address. It was frank, open and lucid, and he hoped they would heartily join with him in the motion. He had no very strong political bias, and thought measures more to be admired than men. He moved a vote of thanks to and confidence in Mr Eichardson. Messrs J. O'Eane and L. Coutts r©ae to second the motion. Mr E. S. McGill moved as an amendment that Mr Eichardson be simply thanked for his address, which sounded all through of- the office-seeker. His figures were disputed, and they eo^ld

almost tell beforehand what he was going to say. In all his travels and addresses there was this ceaseless cry against the ! Government, and ytt he admitted that the colony's credit bad never been so high in London and there was never a mure favorable time to borrow. While Mr Bichardson was in the Cabinet, New Zealand was depressed and her credit loiv. He did nothing for the electorate, and if elected again he would do the same. (Uproar). He spoke this of Mr Bichardson and his policy. At the same time he always looked on Mr Bichardson as a gentleman and understood he was everywhere considered as sach, and he deserved their thanks for addressing them. (Applause). A seconder was called for but was not forthcoming for some time. Eventually Mr D. Dougall seconded and hoped the Mayor would put the motion fairly. (Uproar, and cries of " Turn him out.") He had not done so on a previous occasion, when he did his best to try to get a motion in favor of Mr Bichardson carried. The Mayor did not wish to say anything harsh, bub that statement was simply untrue. He requested Messrs Thos, MacGribbon and A. Martin to act as scrutineers, and the amendment was then put aud lost by a considerable majority, after which the motion was put and carried amidst loud applause. Mr Bichardson thanked them for the vote but the man he had to thank most was the mover of the amendment-, who had paid him a high compliment. Mr MeG-ill had said that wherever he (the speaker) went he was criticising the action of the Government. As a member of the Opposition it was his duty to criticise the Government; Mr McGill had told them he was doing his duty. (Laughter and applause). He proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, and the large gathering then dispersed.

Mr Bichardaon spoke at Woodlands last evening. To-nignt he addresses the electors at Biversdale, which under the new electoral boundaries will in future be in the Wallace electorate, but the hon. gentleman does not think it right to pass by on that account. No doubt the residents will apprec ; ate the compliment by turning out in fore c.