HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume X, Issue 1070, 3 November 1855, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON COUNTRY DISTRICTS

ELECTION. A Public Meeting of the Electors of the Wellington Country District was held on Saturday evening last, at the Half Way House, Porirua Read, for the purpose of hearing the opinions of the respective Candidates-. Mr* W. Best having been called to the Chair and having read the notice cdhvehing the Meeting, then called upon the respective Candidates to state their views and opinions. Mr. Ward have been the first Candidate in the field, then addressed the meeting* and said—That having already stated his opinions at previous meetings* both at Porirua and Karori, the meeting would perhaps excuse him going into them again at full length on that occsSibm He would therefore but briefly touch upon the principal points, Which he considered to bb these t—lst. The removal of the seat of Government. He considered this point d very essential one* and should Stipport any measure brought forward for the remoVal of the seat oF Government frond Auckland to Wellington* 2ndly. He should also support atiy measure having fot its object 4 thorough reform of the present financial system of the General Government, jirdiy; He declared himself not merely a Provincialist but an Ultra* Provincialise He thought most decidedly that the Provinces ought to have the entire control over their own revenue, Sod also, that the ex* elusive management of the Waste Lands 6ught td be placed in the power of the respective Provinces; These he conceived to be the three most important points, and such were bis options upon them. As to the New Zealand Company’s debt, he looked upon it as one of the most disgraceful acts of the Briiish Parliament; as it had, however, been saddled upon the shoulders of ihe Colony, they must try to get rid of it by fair and open means; although not morally or justly owing, still it had become by act of Parliament a legal debt, and ad such could only be shaken off by fair and straight* forward means. A report had been circulated against him, charging him with having used violent language against the Roman Catholics; to such a charge he would give the strongest denial, a very great number, not only of bis most intimate private friends, but also of his relations were Roman Catholics, and it was not very probable that he should rail against a religion which they professed. He had been also charged with being a new arrival, and having no stake in the colohy; bbt he bad yet to learn either that the having ho slake in the colony deprived him of feeling any interest in its progress and prosperity; or that the fact of his being a new arrival amongst them impliid an ignorance of their wants, affairs; and requirements. Mr. ALlen then came forward and said—That there was not any very material difference in their political opinions, upon most points they appeared to agree. There was however this difference; that his opinions had not been suddenly formed upon the different questions, whereas from Mr. Ward’s short residence amongst them, he was inclined to think that his opinions must have been rather crudely and hastily concluded. The noost of them well knew that ever since he (Mr. A.) had been in the colony, now upwards of seven years, be had always taken a very active part in all public questions. As to the change in the seat of Government, he fully concurred in its necessity, and, in point of justice, considered that Wellington ought to be the seat. There were other Settlements, howevet, which had sprung up within the last few years, and which were increasing every day in wealth and importance, and upon such an important question as a change in the seat of Government, surely these settlements werer entitled to some consideration ; some regard and respect ought tb be had to their feelings on the subject, and he therefore thought that the members returned tb the next session of the General Assembly ought not to go to Auckland bound hand and foot, as Mn Wakelin, one of the Government clerks, had suggested, nor pledged to support through thick and thin the removal of the seat to Wellington. As a matter of justice and expediency, however, he thought that Wellington was the most proper place, as well from its central position, as from its excellent harbour and other advantages, and to such an extent and for such reasons should he be prepared to advocate the claims of Wellington to the seat. He would only further observe on this subject that his mind had been made up to the necessity of the removal of the seat of Govern-' ment from Auckland to some more central position, years ago, and perhaps long before his opponent had even thought of coming to New Zealand. As to the necessity of a thorough reform irt the present financial system, his opinion was strong and clear upon that point, and he should suppoit any measures brought in for that purpose. It was a question totally distinct and apart from local and Provincial politics. It was one purely of a general nature, and upon which all the Provinces were concerned, and on which he wished to see justice alike to aIL The next point was that of Provincialism.He declared his ignorance iff what the term UU tra-Provincialism really meant. He Iboked upon it as nothing more than a clap trap word, used for electioneering and party purposes. If an increase of power to the Provincial Councils was intended to be conveyed by it, a power, which among other things, should band over to those Councils the entire management of their Waste Lands,, then he was most assuredly not a Provincialist. The manner in which the Provincial Gtf-