MR. MACASSEY'S MEETING.

North Otago Times, Volume XV, Issue 595, 31 January 1871, Page 2

MR. MACASSEY'S MEETING.

According to announcement, Mr James Macassey, a candidate for the representation of the Waitaki District in tho General Assembly, addressed the electors at the Volunteor Hall on Saturday evening, the 28th instant. There were between 300 and 400 persons present. Mr J. G. Gilchrist, J. P., was voted to the chai» The chairman, in introducing Mr Macassey, hop»fl that the meeting would give to the candidate a fair and impartial hearing. Mr Macassey, who was well received, spoke to the following effect : — In appearing before them he felt confident tbat a fair hearing would be awarded him, although on some points his opinions might not altogether agree with those of the meeting. He had only consented to stand for this district after an urgent request, and the receipt of a numerously signed requisition. He had received requisitions from two other constituencies — Port Chalmers and Mount Ida — but he had elected to seek the suffrages of the electors of this district. At the commencement he would desire to disabuse the minds of those present that, with reference to the Superintendency, he was a partizan of either candidate. He did not think that he had more than twice had any transactions with the present Superintendent, Mr Macandrew, and perhaps three times with Mr Reid — in each instance on business matters only — and any views he might advance would be only such as he conscientiously believed correct, irrespective of any class or party. To commence with the Financial Scheme : He considered that whatever merit it might possess, it was too gigantic in its character to be acted upon without first having been submitted to the electors of the whole Colony. This was his opinion when it was first propounded, and he had adhered to it ever since. When it was first discussed it was understood that the Government intended to do this. (Mr Macassoy here read extracts from a speech made by the Hon. Mr Vogel to the electors of Auckland, which fully proved that such was the case.) He therefore deprecated the course which had been subsequently adopted. What was it ? At a late period of the session, when many of the Southern members had left Wellington — when the then Parliament was expiring — the Bill was pushed through, and had become law. It now became a question as to the probability of the loan being floated. (He here read numerous statistics, showing the population of the Colony, its anuual revenue and expenditure, the amoiint of loans and liabilities, and the amount of taxation which New Zealand had to bear, and contrasted it with that of Great Britain, America, and the neighboring Colonies.) He continued : was it likely that London financiers would look with favor upon this scheme with such facts before them ? Again, the Commissioners (Bell and Feathcrston), who had been sent home, succeeded in obtaining the Imperial sanction to a Ll,O0O,OOO loan upon the understanding that no furthar loan was contemplated, at the very timo the Government of which they formed part was endeavoring to obtain the sanction of the Colonial Parliament to the raising of another for many millions more. Such inconsistency could not fail to be noticed by the financiers at home. He considered, however that the Scheme was capable of considerable modification, and, if elected, it would be his aim to make it ss workable as possible. With reference to the amount put down for immigration — £1,000,000 — as it stood at present he should oppose it, unless it was clearly defined — unless a perfect and equitable scale of distribution was laid down, each Province would be seeking to get the largest possible share, and the system of " log-rolling " would be carried on to even a greater extent than it had been previously. If the loan was to be obtained, it should be on the condition that a fair distribution was to be made. In this matter he thought one Colonial Immigration Agent would be a mistake. Much depended upon the selection of the immigrants for the different Provinces, and the large Provinces should have their own agents — men who perfectly understood the wants of the district, and the class of labor required. It was a known fact the labor adapted for Auckland or Wellington might be quite different from that wanted in Otago or Canterbury. With roforenco to the constitution of the Legislative Council, this was a subject which he thought should receive special attention. In framing his opinions on this subject, it was not in any spirit of antagonism to the pastoral interest. It was, however, evident to him that this interest was unduly represented in the Upper House. The nominee system was objectionable, and ho should like to see it done away with, and that branch of the legislature mado an elective body. As at present constituted it could not work well. The Governor had unlimited power to nominate, and in tho event of a measure which the Executive desired to pass was likely to meet with a strong opposition in the Council, fresh members could be nominated in order to secure a Government majority. Something like this was resorted to in order to pass the Public Debts Act. Abient members were sent for wherever they were to be found, in order to secure a majority. He was decidedly in favor of an elected Council, and was propared to accept the remote contingency of a " dead lock" between the two housei, rather than continue the present system. The land laws of the Colony required consolidation. He objected to the continued tinkering with these laws which had gone on, until they had got into a state of inexplicable confusion. The time would come when the work of consolidation must be undertaken. He was not prepared to pledge himself to any definite system, but he felt confident that unless this was speedily done, and an arrangement made, the Provincial land fund would be taken for colonial appropriation. [The speaker quoted largely from a speech of Mr Creighton, member of the Assembly for Auckland, delivered last session.] The Provinces were at present placed in a false position, and a permanent land law had become a necessity. He was opposed to the system of deferred payments, for several reasons. The land fund was all the Provinces had to depend upon for the means with which to construct roads and bridges, and other public works, and if the amount realised wns to come in iu miserable driblets, there was no certainty as to when any of these works could be undertaken. The amount of good agricultural land in the Province was small, and would be soon taken up, if this system was adopted ; and the difficulty and cost of collection would prove vexatious. Ho wouid prefer the adoption of a system that had been in operation in Auckland, viz , to permit parties to occupy a given quantity of land, under conditions of improvement, and when those conditions had been honestly complied with, issue a crown grant. The system of free selection under existing circumstances could not in justice be adopted, but were the existing rights of the runholders extinguished, such a proposal might be entertained. He considered that the passing of the Otago Hundreds Act, 1869, by the General Assembly, without the Provincial Council being consulted, wa* wrong, aud an unprecedented action ; but on the other hand the Otago Hundreds Amendment Act, 1870, was a compromise sanctioned by the Provincial Council, and it would be inconsistent to now go to the Assembly and ask for its immediate repeal. The pasainur of these Acts had enhanced the value of the pastoral leases, and many of them had changed hands. New interests had been created, and it was not probable that any further change would be permitted until the whole question had been calmly considered, and a comprehensive and equitable land law decided upon. Financial separation was another question which had been much discussed, home eiwht years ago a Separation League had been formed in Otago, but it had come tu nothing', and whatever might have been the chance of obtaining it then, subsequent legislation had rendered it impracticable. The passing of the Public Debts Act empowered the General Government to impound sufficient of the yenem! ) an( j f un( j t 0 cover interest and provide a sinking fund for the consolidated debts of the Colony, therefore the land fund of the Colony generally was liable, and Financial Separation renan impossibility. The expenditure in the North had been much in excess of what it was entitled to. The present remedy for this should be for the Southern members to watch carefully and control the expenditure, and prevent the North hereafter getting more than its legetimate share. The Provincial Councils were much maligned. They certainly were not perfect, but had done good service, and should not be swept away. Reforms in this department

! might be made by lessoning the number of members and simplifying operations. Protection had been a favorite subject with some of the candidates who had addressed the electors in other districts, but they all had failed to convince him that good would result from its adoption. It; had been tried in Victoria, and, according to the statements of the journals of that Colony, it had proved a failure ; that under its operation the revenue had considerably diminished, the Colonial Treasurer (Mr Prances), himself a protectionist, having acknowledged that the deficiency, according to his estimate for the last financial year, had been between one and two hundred thousand pounds. (Mr Maccassey then read an article from the " Australasian" on the subject in support of this statement, and also an extract from a letter from J. Stuart Mill, the highest of authorities, recommending bonuses being given to encourage native industry rather than a protective duty.) If looked at in a broad light, if you attempted to protect one class in all fairness every other class should be protected also. He considered that in New Zealand protection incnt increased taxation. In giving his views on this subject he did so from a conviction that they were sound, for these reasons ; — That Mr J, S. Mill now depreciated the system, that where it had been tried in the colonies it had faded to produce the effect anticipated, and that to adopt it in this Colony would be to increase the heavy burden of taxation. He was, however, in favor of giving liberal encouragement to new industries. In the matter of education, he was opposed to the compulsory system advocated by many at the present time. The educational system of Otago was working admirably, and instead of attempting to supplant it by another, to force the people to educate their children, show them the advantages to be derived from the discharge of so solemn a duty, by fostering and expanding the admirable orgonisation now in active operation. In conclusion, Mr Maccassey said, he had endeavored to males the views he held as plain as possible. If they met with favor, and he was elected' he should endeavor to give them practical effect, and do all in his power to advance the interest of his constituents and the Colony generally. He should be happy to answer any questions. The following questions were put and answered : — If elected, would you advocate the Permissive Bill ? — I do not believe in the theory of making a man moral by Act of Parliament. Are you in favor of manhood suffrage ? In answer to this question he read an extrne* from a speech delivered in Dunedin, in which he distinctly asserted he was in favor of a liberal extension of the franchise. Would you be in favor of abolishing the Law Practitioners Act ? — No ; by doing so you might get rid of an obnoxious class of men, but one which you would soon find you could not do without. Why did you persecute Mr Smythies ? In replying to this question Mr Macassey gave a history of the c»te, pointing out that he had no hand in the passing of a Bill which prevented a convicted felon from practising in a court of law, and the action he had afterwards taken, knowing the whole facts of the case, was from a conviction that if the character of the profession was to be maintained, in this case the law ought to be enforced. Are you opposed to an import duty on grain ? — I have said that I am opposed to the system of protection, but if the Australian colonies persist in a duty on our grain, we should, in self defence, put one on theirs. Would you vote for Financial Separation ? — I have already stated that under present circumstances I look upon it as an impracticable measure. Would you support a vote for the immediate construction of the Oamaru Dock ? — I am not sufficiently conversant with the nature of this work to give an answer. This I will say, when the matter is placed before me, I will give it my best attention, and do all I can to forward yoiir interests. Would you be in favor of the obtainment of such a change >in the relations of the colonies and the mother country as would secure for the colonies neutrality in the event of war between Great Britain and any other nation ? In reply to this question, he read an extract from the report of the Commission appointed by the Victorian Government on Australian Federation, which suggested a way by which such an arrangement might be come to without a severance of the colonies from the mother country. This he would support, but he hoped the time was far distant when the relationship of the colonies with the mother country -would be entirely severed. If returned, would you endeavor to put a stop to the sending away Commissions here and there, as has been done in the case of Messrs Vogel, Featherston, and others ? — I view these transactions with great disfavor, and, if elected, shall do all in my power to prevent a repetition of such transactions. Mr James Bee proposed, and Mr J. Waddell seconded, " That after hearing the exposition of the views of Mr James Macassey, this meeting considers him a fit and proper person to represent this district in the General Assembly." The following amendment was moved by Mr B-. Young, and seconded by Mr Hook : — " That ;Mr James Macassey is not a fit and proper person to represent this district in the General Assembly." A show of hands having been taken, the chairman declared the resolution to be carried. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.