MR M'GLASHAN'S MEETING.

North Otago Times, 3 August 1865, Page 3

MR M'GLASHAN'S MEETING.

Mr Edward M'Glashan met the electors of Oamaru, in the Assembly-room of Baker's Northern Hotel, on the «vening of Monday last, at bnlf-past seven o clock. The hull was crowded. On the motion of Mr E. A. Julius, Mr Henry France was called to the chair. The Chairman, in introducing, the candidate, said lie did not object to preside at the meeting, as it would show his disinterestedness in the result of the contest for the Supenntendency. He still held the same opinions as when he filled the chair at Mr Dick's meeting, and he hoped the meeting would adhere to their former pledge to abstain from voting. He trusted, however, that they would accord to Mr M'Glashan a fair and candid hearing (Applause.) Mr M'Glashan, on rising, was received with loud cheering and applause. He said he quite understood befoie he came here the position of the Oamaru electors •with regard to the Superintendency, and of their firm deteimination to adhere to the pledge they had taken to abstain from voting. He thought it proper, however, to come anu see them face to face, in older that he might judge and learn of the wants of the district, and that the°electors should elicit from him any information of the views he held on political questions which they might desire. They had no doubt read the 1 eport of his speeches elsewhere, so that he need not enter into a lengthy exposition of his views, but he would be glad if the°meeting would elicit from him any particulars they might wish to learn. He might say that he was in the first Provincial Council of Otago, and it so happened that he got in by a very small majority, through his advocacy at that time of cheap lands. He was still in f.ivor of cheap lands. The best land is all sold, and he should like to see the price reduced. He was strongly opposed to the new Otago Waste Lands Act, to be introduced at the present session of the General Assembly. It contains 146 clauses, and all in such a mass of confusion that the best thing to do with it would be to consign it to the flames. So strongly was he against it. that wherever he had been he had suggested petitions being got up against its passing into law. He was in favor of retrenchment in the Government expenditure. , In the last Blue Book published, he discovered the expenditure for six months, from April to October, 1864, to be in excess of revenue to the extent of L130,000. This had to be made up by the sale of Provincial Debentures, which had been disposed of at as low a figure as 70. He would like to see the expenditnre kept within the revenue, Alluding to the inefficiency of some of thn Provincial departments, he said there would hayo been no necessity for such an official as the Commissioner of Roads had the Road Engineer's Department been properly managed. Formerly the country was laid out into roads like a chess board, and a Commissioner of Boads am' their deviations was now requiicd to make and aUer them as they ought to be. He next referred to the Department of Police and its Large expenditure, and said that if elected to the office of Supeiintendent he should do all in his power to reduce the Estimates. Mr Dick had said that the Superintendent had very little or no power, but he was inclined to kick at that theory. If his Executive would not work amicably with him, he would look out for another, or make an appeal to the Council. He felt strongly on the Land Question the sales of land last month only realised a sum of L1075 ; which looked as if the Government desired to close up the sales altogether. He knew that many had left Otago for Canterbury and Austialia, where lands could be had on more advantageous terms. There was one grievance, however, which he would touch upon, and that was the Jetty for Oamaru. He was fully aware of the great importance of the woi k. This district must have a Jetty or a Railway, to enable the produce to be conveyed With greater facility to market*. (Applause.) He would suppoi t by all means the placing of a sum of money for the Jetty here. On the day of the nomination, he had propounded the employment of prisoners for the public works, and he had refened to Oamaru Jetty as one of these. He did not see why they should not be so employed. They were so m England — in Portland for example. He did not wish the meeting to take any promises fiom him, however, nor did he wish to give them, as it might so happen that there might not be any funds in the chest — but he would see that the Oamaru Jetty was one of the first works undertaken by the Government. He did not consider it necessary to say more. He would only state, that should he have the honour to be elected to the office of Superintendent, he would do his iitmosfc to promote the welfaie and prosperity of the Province. He would now be happy to reply to any questions put to him (Great cheering). In renly to queries put, the Candidate said he was in favour of assisted immigration to a certain extent. He was greatly in favour of a system of railways, constructed bv English capitalists, who might be granted a concession of the lines for a certain number of yeai-s, as ii now the custom elsewhere. He was in favour of free selection ; but he had been a little misunderstood on this subject. He did not mean to cut up all the inns ; but portions of runs could be open, and roads laid, out in these districts, where applications for 100 or 500 acres could be received. He was "not in favor of doing away entirely with Hun^ dmls, as on a small scale they were of great benefit to settlers. He should like to see free selection over m large an area as possible. Ha was not sure of the desirability of permanent commonage round towns. He was in favour of one strong central Government for the Middle Island. Provincial Governments had done well m their time- but their day is past. He considered that the land revenue •hould be devoted as a first charge on the debt of the Province, but that a portion should be expended on the district whence the revenue was derived. He could not say what proportion, as it was a difficult question. The Jetty at Oamaru, he repeated, would be one of the first works undertaken by the Government. He was in favour of Mr Harris's scheme for the formation of a. Provincial Estate. He thought highly of it. He thought that the only way by which to retrieve the position of the Province was to foster the «aie of lands, and by & retrenchment of the expenditure.

Mr Gibbs then moved the following Resolution, prefacing it with some remarks similar to those enunciated by him at Mr Dick's Meeting : -"That in the opinion of this Meeting, the Electors of this District shduld Abstain from voting at the forthcoming election of Superintendent (chewing and applause). Mr Shrimski seconded the resolution. Mr E. A. Julius agreed with what had fallen from Mr Gibbs as to the facts of the case before them ; but he could not agree with the principle adopted at previous meetings/with regard to not voting at the election. It appeared to him thafc they were cuttini? off their noses to spite their faces. He didn't see why, because Mr Dick and his Government had brought the Province almost to bankruptcy, that they should withhold their votes when a better man came forward. One reason for not voting was the desire for one Central Government for the Middle Island— but was it right that we should not vote for the man who is in favour of that scheme (applause) ? He thought Mr M'Glashan had answered the questions put to him very satisfactorily, and he hoped that the Electors would not refrain from voting, as by so doing they would be aiding and abetting in prolonging the system they so much condemned. He would move "That of the two Candidates for the Supermtendency, in the opinion of this meeting, Mr M Glashan is the more worthy of the confidence of the Electors. This, for want of a seconder, fell to the ground, and the original motion was declared carried by a large majority. - ... , , . Mr M-Glashan was thanked for his exposition of his political sentiments. He acknowledged the compliment briefly, and moved a vote of thanks to Mr France for his conduct in the chair. The proceedings then terminated.