POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8376, 2 October 1890, Page 6

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

MR. ELLIOTT AT MATAKOHE. An address to the electors of the Matakoho district was delivered in the Public Hall byMr. Elliott, (a candidate for Marsden), on the'24th September. John Isbister, senior, was voted to the chair, to which ho objected, but failing to find a substitute finally accepted. The chairman introduced t.he speaker. Mr. Elliott assured his hearers that he intended to iisjht the election out to the bitter end, so that if they heard that he was aboub to retire they should not believe it, as unless ho were bagged or died, lie would see it to the end. His address was similar to that delivered at Waipu, a report of which has already been published in our columns. Referring to County Councils he said there could not bo a greater example of waste and inability than the road he had travelled that day. It was a disgrace to all connected with it. He thought counties were too small. Under the provincial system things were much better managed, and he would advocate a change so as to form the whole of North Auckland into one county, with one first-class, engineer, and then the roads would be properly made, anil money would not bo wasted. The waste laiuis of tlio country had never been properly administered by any Government. Each Government had spent largo sums in acquiring these lands, and to prepare and settle them had cost the country much more than the Government realised by their sale. The Waste Lands Board was not qualified to deal with them, and he was sure that neither County Councils nor Board? were qualified to deal with these lands. What was to be done with them ho could not tell, but he thought a few wise men should be sought out, and the administration of the waste lands given to them. He thought every difficulty to obtain land should oe removed, and it should be made easy for every man to obtain f>oo acres, because, as a rule, no man could make a living from less. He did not say that a man could not live on less, as that was not true, but that was the safest quantity to guarantee a living. Ho spoke of the public works s< , heme as the origin of many great evils. He spoke of the Loans to Local Bodies Act, but did not say anything for or against it, beyond the fact that when that Act was passed he advocated the borrowing of t IOO,OOO to construct ami metal the whole of the roads in his district, and for this art he could not get elected to the Board for many years after. What did they tind now ? That they were losers by not taking his advice, as during this session a Bill was brought in to consolidate the Taranaki Harbour debt, and that of other local bodies, and thus spread the payment of these debts over the whole colony, and thus his district was made the loser by not taking his advice to borrow, and have the whole of their roads from end to end constructed and metalled. He spoke of the present Government as a tyrannical Government. He spoke of the property tax as a monstrous evil, and showed by statistics that half a million acres of land held by small owners paid fourteen times as much property tax in proportion as nineteen million acres which belonged to a very small number of large landowners. There was a great waste of money by the education system, and especially in the Maori schools as they wen: managed. He would place all schools under one management. For example, how were teachers of Maori schools selected ? They were got in this way : When a man had been through every Government department, and was foun'l to be incapable, he was then appointed to a Maori school as teacher. Forts and fortifications with other military trappings, ho was opposed to. With a few other remarks the address, which occupied nearly two hours, was brought to a close. When asked if he would be favourable to an income tax, Mr. Elliott replied, Yes, on all incomes of £200 and upwards. What did he think of a graduated tax? He j did not know much about such a tax, but thought it would be vicious in its operation. Some other questions having been answered, the bu.-iuu-s was brought to a close with a vote of thanks to Mr. Elliott for his address, and a vote of thanks to t.he chairman, when the meeting dispersed.—[A Correspondent.]

MR. ELL'OTT AT PAPAROA. Mr. Elliott, of Knmo, a candidato for Marsden electorate, addressed a number of the electors in Mr. Cliffs hull on the- 23rd September, Mr. Skelton occupying the chair. Mr. address was cimiler to those delivered at other places?. He paid he was very sorry that during the late session no less than £'2U0,000 was voted for defence, after the Minister for that department had admitted that, the fortifications of the four ports of the colony were practically worthless. This amount, it spent in road metal, would tnetivl more than 800 miles of road at £'.l per chain. In replying to questions, Mr. Elliott said that he was in favour of substituting a land tax for the property tax ; bhafc he was opposed to further borrowing for railway extension ; and as the railways on which £15,000,000 had been expended yielded only '2\ per cent., lie would supplement the deficient intercut on outlay by adjusting the land tax on the lands near railways, especially the large estates; that ho was opposed to paid immigration ; that he should not advocate a .State bank ; and that he would resist any alteration of the Education Act. At the cloae Mr. Wilson moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Elliott for his address, which was seconded by Mr. K. J fames, and carried. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the meeting to a close.—[Own Correspondent.]