MR WARD AT MARLBOROUGHTOWN.

Marlborough Express, Volume XX, Issue 166, 18 July 1884, Page 3

MR WARD AT MARLBOROUGHTOWN.

Mr Joseph. Ward addressed a crowded

meeting at the . Marlboroughtown Hall last oigh t, the attendance being largely friends of both the candidates. _ .... Mr Kob«N; L Phinips -was toted to tho chair, and after introducing Mr. Ward, Baid that he hoped tho electors would weigh well-ftieMiviaence'tefofe them ami

vote for the best man. oiMr;:Ward'began by explaining that he had not. slighted the district because' he "i^L left it .till, within the close of. "tho contest. He bad thought it advisable to Visit the moat distant places first. After bomplsMng of the reports iv tho paper .opposed $o. himself, as being meagre, Mr Ward went on to refer to the days when

io,thatH,all ha .met Mr Moorhonse face "^«*faee,'afldt'6B'to"toe. ;: (L»ughter.) For the candidates thus to meet one another w#a>ttie bcaf plan, bat .that system had boen-dpnpj^way witfj, and now the electors had to read tna reports and judge between them.- - He -oomplainod that it was pitiable thht m this contest little else hot nterq^aabhl«a and local differences had-'beeff'dißpasaed, such as .might have been Uoft pot-altogether. . The fight iJeemed tote regarded as between Seynwttt'* fatty' and, Dodspn's party, or ratHefe between Seymour's party, and Sinclair's party. (Cheers and laughter.) He then referred to' taxation, repeating his views, and pointing out the necessity of peoplo keeping a tight hand on the public purse-strings. He referred again to his opimons'iipon Cristorris dnties, and (qiwfcrag from, Adam Smith) the desirability, of taxing' the necessaries of life as little ;i» possible.- Mr Dodaon, who evidently estimated dome of the electors' Jridgfflent arfil perceptive powers at a low ebb/jkad-never-repHed to tho challenge tjb.tfln'B bad' failed to vote for retrench, ment. Mr Ward, then read from a half sheet of potepaper some words which ho stated Mr Dodnon uttered at a meeting, -which had not been reported by tho newspaper gentlemen. This waa to tho effect that there were cases where rofrenchment was contrary to the feelings of a man, and that there was a case of an Auckland official, who did his duties faithfully and well, bat had given offence ta an Auckland member, who moved a reduction of hu galary. Ho (MrDoddon) opposed that redaction, because it was --*•' an attack on the 'ta'&xs. himself. Mr Ward ajiid that- of course Mr Dodson was right m that, but it was under such a finrry of -words that he got out of the charge that he had never pnt bis advocaoy of retrenchment into practice by voting for it. Mr Ward then condemned the use of the Hinemoa for members' trips, "to shew this place to them, as if that was any particular advantage." (Cbeers and counter cheers.) Ho also condemned Mr Dodaon for taking for three weeks' work what would have been generally considered good pay for three months. Referring to" future proapocta of parties, he said that the reason Mr Dodson wus opposed was because, looking to the past, no one on earth conld calculate what ho would do m the future. Aa to local GoTernment, $r Ward admitted there was no great likelihood of carrying out his owu idea of it for somo time to come. He did not mean tho separation of the Islands, against which he should always speak and vote. TBere was a tendency to Centralism, but gradually people would find their difficulfi'es'tbo great, would get their liberties back, aifo^wonld'' "practice and estimate local government more highly than they did at ritescnt He believed that provincialism ffftfl opposed m (jhia district because the

■ power had got into tho hands of Seymour, ; Robinson, aud Goulter, and the othor pa -ty not being able to get them out upset the coach altogether (checM and uproar). Mr Ward next spoke of the nccasi sity for a reduction iv the education vote, though ho was m favor of every boy being fa ; .rly grounded m reading, writing, arithmetic, and grammar, which when thoroughly learned opened the door to aM knowledge, and entitled him to take up his position m life (cheers). For promising boys he wonld have scholarships to enable them to enter Colleges at cheap , rates. Bat he never said that colleges j should be dotted all over the place, nor did ho say (as Mr Dodson alleged) that they were not for poor men's children but for those of rich men like Mr Ward and his friends. As far as riche3 were concerned he would back the brewer against himself. (Laughter). If riches meant virtue ho would hare no show against Mr Dodson (renewed merriment). Mr Dodson changed sides m Parliament, and boasted of his great inconsistencies. He (Mr Ward) had "never changed his politios at all. When he opposed Moorhonse he knew ha wag not elected because he was looked upon as a coining Lycurgns or anything of that kind (teughter), but simply :beoause he could lick that other lot. As he was'opposed by Moorhouse, who was a Government man, it was natural he should vote for the Opposition. But he did not go against the Government on any question of principle. He wa3 one of the 25 .members — including Macandrew and : Stout— who fought merely that abolition ;of the provinces (should ba postponed and ! brought before the people again. The ! electors ought to thank them for their : efforts iv the cause of liberty insteal of i blaming them. Mr Ward then repeated ibis explanations of the provincial liabilii ties question and the L 45.000 obtained by ■him for railway extension. Mr Dodson. blamed him (Mr Ward) and Mr Seymonr for their want of acuteness m pioking figures to pieces. But Mr Dndson and : his satellites held a great muster among themselves likq a lot of bees when the old : Queen was lost, and discovered that Mr Seymour had told them a lie, whereupon Air Dodson made a bet of LIOO upon it. He (Mr Ward) would forfeit his he.ad, whether Mr Seymour provod his case or not, that ho never told a lie m his life. (Cheers and langhler.) There was one great gain over the matter— Lloo wbnld go to the hospital. He (Mr Ward) had already proved 12 falsehoods against Mr Dodson, and was ready to go m for another soore. He was not clear that Mr Dodson's astutenss3 did not mean sharpness, and there was n sort of sharpness whiob belonged to sharpers. Mr DoSson had' sbown a very considerable amount of that sort of, ability. Mr Dodson blamed him- for wearing a pair of glasses, but Mr Dodson forgot that he himself ia one-eyed and squints with that. (Loud laughter.) Mr Ward then lepeated his charge that the Dashwood Pass contract was let conditionally and not forthwith, and went again through the story of the Wairan Bridge and the Wellington deputation. He referred to Mr Dodson having had at the election before last to withdraw certain words he had spoken against Mr Goulter. (Mr Michael O'Neill— ln this v«ry hall, sir ; and laughter.) But he defied Mr Dodson to prove a single mistatement on his patt. Mr Ward next dwelt upon the great adfAntages of truthfulness m a member of Parliament, or m any other person put iv a position of trust. A candidate stood oondemned if ho was bovrled out m a single falsehood. He next referred to Mr Dodson's statement that whatever he got voted he also got expended. But if they had got all they were entitled to for their railway a great dfeal more of the lino would have been made. (A voice— Seymour lo3t it.) Mr Ward then quoted from a written statement, but did not rend out the detail?, and said that of the sums voted m 1882-3 a balance of L 32.000 was not expended, and that m 1883-4 a similar balance of L 29.000 was not expended. Affcar a reference to the necessity of amending the jury laws, and giving jurors better pay, Mr Ward remarked that it had been said he ■ had ho wish tD succeed ia this contest. ■ Deeds spoke more than words. For some time he had been riding every day. and addressing meetings every- night, and tho electors could draw their.own conclusion, Ho was not such an old fool (A voice : That's what you are) aa some people imagined, and was certainly not struggling for nothing. (Slight applause). In conclusion ho would just remind them that Mr Dodson had admitted that ho continued inParliameut not to serve the electors or tho colony, but'simply to thwart ono man. (A voice : Henderson). Mr Ward then exprossed his. willingness to answer questions, aud sat down. '. ' ■ '

Mr James Fryer : Are you m favor of local whiskey distilleries ? Mr Ward : I am iv favour of all local industries, and if it can bo shown that it is. an advantage to distil our own whiskey I airi m faror of doing so. I could not adhere completely to. the local option principle, oven to win an election, though no one hates druukcnneis moro than I do, and I have: set an example of. temperance forthe last 20 years. Tako any three people—have, two of them the right to dictate to the third what he should do ? A majority' beowne a tyranny m that case. A publican-— take MrMarchfor example— who kept his house for a nnm- ; berof .years; was not to ha»e his license tak§naway and his business closed without compensation, John Stuavt Mill showed that majorities were very apt to be tyrannical if they got the powor.JJ

'Mr James Fryer': You stated the other nioht.yba' were m favor of local option.

Mr Ward : Bat what dr. you call it ?

• .Mx r M. O'Neil : Oh! it don't matter about him, Mr Ward, he's not an elector. (Uproar). ■'. . Mr Fryer indignantly protested that ho was on tho roll, and another person offered to lay Mr O'Neil 100 to 50 that ho was, but tho ohallen^o was , net taken

up. Mr .Ward said he was In favor not only of local option but of option of all sorts. 1 " But the individual must bo compensated if his house is shut up. Mr N. T. Prichard : In the event of a house being ill conducted, do you consider it a hardship to take the license away? Mr Ward : No, certainly not. But by whom ? .

Mr Prichard : By the govorning body. Mr Ward : Certainly. But not because a few peoplo near it object to the house. More stringent regulations, aro required for the hotels, and precautions should be takea to see that the liquor is good. (Great cheering). In reply to Mr Prichard, Mr Ward said ho preferred a property tax to a land t»x or an income tax. Burdens of taxation should be equal, but not the sums of money.

Mr Pricbard asked if Mr Ward was m favor of enforcing tho provisions of the Scab Act.

Mr Ward waß not m favor of enforcing tho Act as it now stands. It was a selfish and unjust law, and worked m favor of the richer and injuriously to the poorer sheep farmers. Some of tho richest and most unjust of these men wero to bo found m the Upper Home. He wished to seethe law altered, quite independently of his own easo, and he thanked Mr Dodson for his efforts to get his fines reduced. Mr Bayly had told him that the Government proposed m future that tho Inspector should bring a man forward, and thiit unless he oonld shew he haduscd all adequate means, and that neither his noighbors nor tho Government could do any better then he would bo fined. But •as for the persons m tho Uppor Houso whom he alluded to, they would tread

himself and others down under their feet.

Mr Mc'STellU : Are you m favor of giving the franchise to seamen?

Mr Ward : I see no objection. In fact I fancioil every man had it. Of course he must reside for the six months.

Mr MoNallis 1 : I refer to seamen be, longing to the colony of New Zealand.

Mr Ward : Oh ! Certainly as to those. But if it is not confined to that cla?s, a rich man might bring a load over from Australia and swamp an election.

Mr Edward Murphy hero observed that Wo seamen would vote for Mr Ward — himself and Neil. (Loud lauijhtsr).

Mr O'Neil asked if Mr Ward would abolish tho cumulative vote.

Mr Ward said he was m favor of the cumulative vote, and reminded them that the exercise of that vote had completely transformed the schools m Blenheim, and, as at Tua Marina, had given the minority representation on the Committee. Mr O'Neil : Are yon m favor of payment by results ? Mr Ward : Certainly. We have been advocating that for a long time. At this stage a form fell down at the back of the hall, and precipitated several voters to tho ground amid groat laughter. Mr Robert Patchott asked Mr Ward if it was the Seymour or the Sinclair party lliat supported him wlien ho "licked " Moorhouse.

Mr W. P. Terry : That's one of the Sinclair party. A voice : And so were you till lately. (Laughter.) Mr Terry : No ! I was one of the Dodson party. (Renewed laughter.) Mr Ward, replying to Mr Patchett, said lug question referred to what took place nine years ago. Mr Patchett : But the, same party you " licked " then are running you now. (Applause.) : ■ ■

Mr Ward : Ah 1 It's not everyone gets wiser as ho gets older. (Loud laughter.) In reply to Mr Prichard,

Mr Ward said he would not vote for an honorarium if the next session only lasted three weeks.

Another voter (who appeared to be ono ot Mr Ward's oppressed minority on. the drink question, and had interrupted the proceedings frequently during the mooting) asked if he would be m favor of special trains for members.

Mr Ward said that all such things should bo swept away, (Cheera.)

Mr Mndford having put aovcral questions as to the Wairau Bridge and rc> ccived replies,

Mr J. O. Chaytor rose to move a voto of thanks to his old friend Mr Ward for his interesting, address. He took tho opportunity of confirming Mr Ward's account of tho dopntation that wont to Wellington upon the Wairau Bridge. They wont over to assist and support their member, who received them most cordially and friendly, and m that genial manner which distinguished him out of election contests. Mr Dndson was a very nice man when out of politics. (A voice : So he is now.) That" was- a matter of opinion (laughter). Anyhow, he gave them sherry, and took them to Mr Conblly. And then tho deputation followed the members, with bell-toppers on their heads, like a lot of country cousins (laughter) through the streets to interview the Minister. Mr Chaytor then advocated the ' abolition of special trains and freo passes, and said that as thoir members were the same as they were, why the dovil should they be differently treated. (Loud ' laughter. Mr O'Neil remarking that. "Some of Mr Dodson's calves were cooing.' 1 )

The Chairman put the motion, Mr O'Noil urging his supporters to " hold up their right hands, boys, like a bird." About ton persons responded to the appeal, but the Chairman, without putting tho negative, declared the motion' carried. ■ , :

Threo cheers and groans m about equal proportions wore- given for Mr Ward, followed by a similar exhibition of feeling for Mr Dodson.

Mr Ward proposed a vote of thauks to the Chairman, aud the meeting, which was lively and noisy, though thoroughly good-humored, was brought to a close.