TAURANGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1840, 7 December 1869, Page 5

TAURANG A.

(?BOM OUB OWN' COEHE3PONDEST.) December 2. By far the largest and most respectable meeting ever held at Taurauga took place last night at Campany's Hotel, having reference to our future representatives in the Provincial Council. Two candidates presented themselves, viz., Messrs. Norris and Douglas. The meeting was orderly and unanimous. I encloso a condensed report of what too place. H.M.S. Rosario left to-day for Wellington. The Constabulary have been still farther reduced. December 3. The Tauvanga not having arrived to her time, I forward this by a person going overland. MEETING OF THE ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT OF FRANKLIN, AT TAURANGA. Tattras-ga, Dec. 1. A large and influential ineetiug took place at the Masonic Hotel this evoniug at 7 o'clock, for the purpose of ascertaining the views of any one or more candidates for election to the Provincial Council for the above district. Mr. Sommervillc was voted to the chair. The Chairman, after briefly addressing the meeting, called first upon Mr. Norris, a3 a candidate by requisition, to explain liis views. Mr. Nokuis said he would go in for no party, he advocated local boards, self-govern-ment, but not the sham that the Staiford Government wished to thrust down our throats. A fair proportion of the money raised in a district should be spent in it. As to education, everyone would allow it was in a most imperfect state ; nothing but a. national system would answer. ' In reply to a s series of questions put by If r. Foley, he said, with regard to the present Government expenditure at Tanranga, tho salaries were paid by the General Government ovor which the Provincial had no control, but to be reduced. Mr. George said I find it reported in one of the speeches of Mr. Gillies to the electors that the revenne collected in any district shoidd be expended in that district. Do you agree with that ? Mr. NOEKI3 : I cannot support anything of the kind. Mr. Douglas was then proposed by Mr. F. George to represent the constituency of Franklin. In doing so, he highly complimented the gentleman who had been called by requisition. He (Mr. George) would impress upon those present that this was no party question ; but simply that local interest should be considered in the forthcoming Provincial Council. Mr. Douglas said he had come to the meeting somewhat unprepared ; that he had never devoted himself to politics, but was strongly in favour of Provincial institutions, but believed they might be greatly improred.

With regard to education, if elected, he should enter the Council totally independent. Roads and bridjes were necessary, and would ccrtaialy if elected lend his hand to reach the chest, there being money now there. To let important : district like that of Tauranga have its due, a wharf was required. Formerly a rote for £500 v.ms given for tlmt puqnse/but nothing came of it. He would be guided bv events, and the questions brought before tlni Council, when he should look to his constituents for advice Their duty, he thought, it would be, when any question allecting their interests was brought forward, to at once meet and prompt their representative. " lie was a voluntary in religion and a Hlh-iu! in policies." He would not favour any religious denomination. Tiie money raised from the public should be fairly distributed amongst the public. He was glo.;l to see so large an assemblage, a? it. showocl th-it the electors were n it apathetic in tho matter of the present

_ In answer to Mi-. Ci-aist, Mr. said «e should pi-efer the Anicrican system of cdiieatiou, but rather than none, he would a'lv.ieale we have. Mr. F<n.t:y ha 1 a few words to address to the moenng. There were two candidates present, and if one or both were v :; -accl it would be at his or their self-Saerifice. to the tune of -i:3 or £t- per week. This he knew from experience. He, in common with m-v.iy others present, supported Mr. Williamson'against Mr. Gniie 3 at the late contest for the Superinteudency. Mr. Gillies, ho (Mr. Foley) had just learned, had been elected : but whoever the Superintendent, it. lay entirety with the Coimc-il what money should be expended ; that body votei the money. The Superintendent could spend no portion of the public funds on his

own responsibility. Nothing could be done for this p;n-t of the province until the land was handed over to the province. "With reference to education, it was a disgrace that our children were running about neglected. It was desirable that the member, bo lie NorHs or Douslas, or both, should attend to this matter. In alluding to the civil expenditure at Tauranga, the speaker comment >d strongly on some six persons being paid high salaries to do the work of two. The mnnev might be better expended on the roads. " The Civil Service at Tuuranga was obstructive rather than useful. Mr. Prtstaot: asked Mr. Foley how ho would get over the fact that the stall he referred to were paid by the General Government, and not under Provincial control. Mr. Foley would answer that question. Although paid by the Genei-.il Government, the funds were from the revenue of the province, and the Council, through their Superintendent, could so represent it to His Excellency's Government that it would receive most serious attention. A Voice : Why don't vou go into the Council yourself? Jlr. Foley : AWII, I have been seven years there already, and have been requested by nearly every one here to '• stand," and my reply is that when I do so I will go back to my old constituency. Mr. Geoiiok then moved —"That this meeting have the fullest confidence in Jlr. Douglas as a fit and proper person to represent the dish-let of Frankliu in the forthcoming Provincial Council, and undertake to give Mm. their stau'.ic'i support." Mr. Gkohgh rnuOiC some remarks on the neglect which this portion of the district had experienced, attributing it. almost solely to our own apathy. \\ r e had not been just to ourselves. Our late member sat in the Council for a series of sessions, and during the whole period possibly was not once urged tr> advance the interests of Tauranga. He (Mr. George) wouid impress upon the meeting that this wa3 no party matter, and certainly not a contest between the two candidates—Messrs. Norris and Douglas. Mr. Martin seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman was proposed by Mr. and seconded by Mr. Douglas, and was carried by acclamation.