THE SUPERINTENDECY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1121, 25 July 1865, Page 4

THE SUPERINTENDECY.

MR THOS. DICK AT CAVERSHAU. A well-attended meeting was held in the Caversham School House, last evening, for the purpose of hearing an address from. Mr Thomas Dick. Mr 11. H. Leaky was called to the chair, and be briefly commenced the business. Mr Dick, in the course of his addresa; said that as he knew there were conflicting" interests throughout the Province, so he lelt that there must be those who judged that he had been an inefficient man, daring his connection with the Government. All he asked now from such gentlemen was a fair estimate of his claims to the Stfperintendency, as ~®m~ pared with those of the other candidate; and he thought that he might fairly put forward his experience in connection with the Government and its various departments, as one element in his favor in the present contest. After speaking upon the various topics which were included in. his previous addresses, Mr Dick said that it was not to be disguised that thellokitika rush, and the winter season, had combined to reduce the get of cold on the Otago fields; but the gold still remained in these fields; and alter the heat of the Hokitika rush had passed, no doubt very many of the diggers would follow the example of many who had already returned, and return to this Province. Indeed, he believed that in a very few months it would be found that the prosperity of Hokitika and its neighborhood, would greatly influence for good, the position of the Otago gold fi-.'lds.—(Hear, hear.) It was altogether a mistake to suppose that Otago was, in any sense, on its last legs. He believed that this Province would yet rise into very marked prominence. In every gold country yet kDOwn, there had been a season of collapse. Without her gold fields, Otago j would no doubt have progressed slowly but steadily. The great rush that followed, the opening of our gold fields blinded people; and if it was not necessary, it was certainly natural, that we also should see a temporary colapse. Far-seeing men looked for just what had happened; but both California and Victoria, after very much more of a collapse than Otago had experienced—or was likely to experience from any possible further loss of diggers during the Spring— had risen again into a greatly flourishingcondition. The gold fields had led to the discovery that we possessed copper and other mineral resources; they had led to a greater development of agriculture than we could have expected without them; they had brought amongst us merchants who were pushing trade more than had ever been known before, and were really making Dimedin the commercial emporium of the Colony; and the energy now shown in making investments in water-races and. quartz reefs, for gold mining, and in agriculture and trade, must raise the Province again from its present languid condition. A long string of questions was put to and answered by Mr Dick, the principal questioners being Mr J. W. Feger, Mr <£. Graham, Mr J. Cargill, and Mr J. Sibbald. Mr Dick, in replying, said that he was certainly still in lavor of all the principles contained in the Land Resolutions passed by the Council last session. He believed that in the original settlement of the Province, there were reserves made for church and educational purposes. He believed that it was intended at some time to erect a Presbyterian College out oi part of the proceeds. He had tried so often to learn whether any portion of the proceeds wa? being set aside for educational purposes,, that he had got tired of trying; but as Provincial Secretary he could inquire "gain, just as well as he could if» he was elected Superintendent, and he would asain make the inquiry. If it was desired now to modify the terms of the Land Itesoiutbns, so far as the future letting of runs was concerned, the attempt must be made through some "member of the Assembly, for the matter bad now passed out of the hands of the Provincial Council. He could not; whether as a member of the Government or as Superintendent, sign a petition, praying the Assembly to return the Resolutions for further di.tcussion ; but he would not do anything to frustrate such a petition if ane' was prepared. He should like to see more female immigrants introduced, by means of family emigration from home ; but the Government bad no money that could be applied towards bringiug out men^ nor, just at present, were more wanted about the town. He should be glad to see 10,000 diggers come, and he was sure that there was room for them. lie should be in favor of guaranteeing 8 per cent, to any company that would undertake a lineof railway from Dunedin to the Clutba, instead of 6 per cent., according to the resolution passed last session ; but it was not to be thought of at present, that the Government should attempt to raise a loan for railways. He thought the only way to settle the loan question generally, was for the General Government to give their own debentures for the necessary amounts, and withdraw those of the Province ; a certain quantity of land —not a proportion of the land revenue—being set apart as security. No doubt, if the tax was taken off, it would get rid of the difficulty that just now land was not sellins ;• but it would bring the greater difficulty of purchasers who did not intend to cultivate their lands. He agreed that it was a mistake that a man should be called upon to pay the tax as soon as he purchased; a period should be allowed—say two years—to enable a man to break up his land, before he was called upon to pay the tax. H» tnougnfc that, on the whole, the existing I^and Regulations were very fair; and he would not object to their continuance for a year or two but for the leaving the question unsettled. From what he could learn during a recent visit to Tokomairiro, the majority of the people there preferred paying the tax to having free selection. Decidedly, he was a supporter of the system of Hundreds. He was not favorable to a tax on vehicles and on all horses, as a substitute for tolls. A tax on horses would be most unjust in very many cases, in which thoae horses scarcely ever touched the main road; MANSfi STREET. , t

-nd to make up the amount of the tolls by fdirect tax on vehicles, would necessitate ! tax the amount of which would be found 5> be very oppressive. He thought that « the bars near the city were removed, a «t«A part of the tolls would be lest. He Sras certainly not aware that the owners of ♦be cabs plying from the city to Caversham L& to pay from 10s to 153 a £ v as tolls for the use of half a mile and e;«ht chains of road; and he thought ,},at" the cabs ought . not to have to pay toll every journey. There od -lit to be some arrangement by which ' 'oils should be paid only a few times a day: that was a matter that certainly would /cVrve attention b; fore the tolls were Jet for another year. Mr K. S. Cantbei-l moved a resolution itrlatmi Mr Dick to be a fit and proper pcr-onto fill 'he office of Superintendent; *rl it was seconded by Mr Pbakcb and y'jpteJ, no hand being held up in opposi"ji'vote of thanks to Mr Leary, for presiding, concluded the business of the incetTiifr; but a Caversham Committee was s afterwards formed, and the list will be \ found advertised^ HP linHSil.-.N AT VMS NOiiTH-itUSr ?fr K. M'f Jlashan addressed a meeting I of the settlers in the North-east Valley District, in the School-roam there, last !j n H>t. Mr Watson was called to ..the ' chnir, and there were about forty persons ■.I present. i The C».\iii:.i.\N briefly introduced ! Mr 3H-»i.asiia.v, who Htild he appeared before them j.i-j a candidate for the Superjntendc'iK.''.-. .-md Ie was gl;».d to s-ju .<-o limy of '■!•'* old friends around him. lie : y,-a- not accustomed to make long spreei'ie?, . ; m he isri.fl Iv.-cn <ut of the way of politics for a lore; tii::-:1, but. Is*' hoped that when { lie l.ri'l finished, if they "did not apf prov- <if what ho hud snid, they would f say '-o phiiidy; and if they dil I approve of his opinion?, they would give him their support on the 4th of Aur.".Pt. ;. There were various political que-tion? I v.-hkh ought to be kept separate, on an j occasion of that sort, from questions of ■ ferieriil politics, and upon these lie i would address them. lie considered the I" most important of these to be the land ;! question, -jnd he would tell them candidly ; that lie f!id not approve of the present land i regulations, lie held that the tax of 2* an acre v.as detrimental to the pale of land. They were aware that iv former days the price of land wa3 10s an acre, and all the good land on the coast line was sold at that price ; but since then the price had been raised, and now an addi- J tiorial price was ask-.d for the inferior laud iv the inferior of the Province, which | had the tfleet of keeping purchasers out rf the market. Besides that, resolutions had been p-=-"d at the last session of the Provincial Council, of which he did not approve, fnvinsr a certain monopoly to the 1 runhoklcrs. lie had been a runholder, and '-till was, to a certain extent, but he ' should like to tee fair play to all classes of + the community, and believed in doing the [ greatest possible trood io *he greatest nuinl her.. He thought that private interests i should be set aside when the interests of the whole Province were at stake. The |, land resolutions passed at the last session "i of the I rovincial Council had been conwftfii'ed into a Bill, which he had looked I"J tbroo^i, but which lie confessed was a Ji ' complete mystification to him. He believed i|ti (bat if ihe?c resolutions were parsed into ft, lair they would prove very detrimental to ']'| the tc'tLment of the lands of the Province. il He had not a word to say ajrainst hi.? j1 friend Mr Dick, for he believed him. to be i. hard -working, honest man; but he did not approve of his politics. As Mr Dick hi told him, "he had nailed his colors to the ira^t,"' and was determined to abide by the- 'a (1 nfiliations. On tbn point he - diff ml with Mr Dick, for he believed that the Province required a more liberal land , sjctcm than at present existed. If the}' did not sell the land quickly, there was a v fear tint the General Government would step in arid appropriate the whole of the '* hud n venue. This would be a great evil, i and w ,v v"make the Province go a-begging. l/i- « in favor of encouraging inuuigratio*i oi a particular class —agricultural laborers anil domestic servants. There was .'. great demand in the country for them, but Ite was sorry to say that 1 there v ere already too many skilled laborers, or mechanics, here for all the labor required of them. The settlers in theX<;iin-east Valley had heard enough. c:i the subject of the education tax lately, lit li id ' en enough of the working of the rate in tint district to make him feel cli>-gu-t. d v.ith its action. He did not wish *o do away with the Education Board; ]>ut he thought that a sum ot money might ue taken out of the general revenue and put into the hands of Education Boards, who would apply it, in the best possible way, for the purposes of education in their rc«l>ec*ive districts. At present the cost °f the collection of the tax was very con- ; but if the amount required were t-kuiout oithe general revenue, every person who purchased a pound of tea or sugar wonl'1 subscribe to it, and no person would feel it ;i burden. He was satisfied from WW lie had teen of the country that it I necessary that railways should be at °'Jet established for the purpose of opening UP 1 •'" c ;untrj', and giving farmers a means of Hiuliug their produce to a market. He I ?"i nat imagine that this Province, out of jts own resources, could form railways, out he had an idea that they could j tie formed by foreign capital, as |" cy had been in other countries, f *V the Goven:ment giving a comI ?any a concession of the line of land f Eeces£ary for a given number of years, a "d allowing it the entire management of tke lino for the lime, after which it you'd fall . into the hands of the yournment. He believed this could be done in Otaao, and it would 'be a great oentfitto the' Province. If farmers at the ■Molyncux were compelled to pay L 5 a twi for bringing their produce to the Duneuin market, they could not be expected "•o uue produce, and hence.he was in favor °J aßrcat railway system all over the 1 rovinee. There were many other matters a °t immediately connected with the Position in which he appeared before them, °a which he might address them. One of ON WEDNESDAY,

these tvas Separation, and if they wished to have his opinion on this question, he would give it. (Yes, yes.) He preferred to see the colony united ; but if this absurd Maori war went on, the revenue of this island would be drained for the purpose of fostering the interests of the North Island. He would prefer to see the cable cut than that that should continue. He believed that union was strength, and the time might come when New Zealand would have to take care of herself. His opinion was that the land confiscated from the rebel Maoris should be sold to pay the expenses of the war, and he could not see that the revenues of the Middle Island should be taken to pay for the follies of the North Island. In answer to question*?, Mr M'Glashan said that if elected he would do all in his power to facilitate the establishment of distilleries in the Province, in order to encourage the growth of barley, and to give the farmers a market for their produce. He was in favor of retrenchment, and one of the first things which he would promise to do would be to use all his influence to abolish " that nice little jib," the Department of Roads and their Deviations. He thought it would not be judicious to abolish the office of I Provincial Secretary. He should be sorry to see Mr Dick resign that office, because he thought that was the position for which lit) was best fitted. (Laughter.) The present expensive police force might be reduced; and the new Municipal Corporation might take the management of the police force within the city. Several other unimportant questions having been put and seconded, Mr W. Simi-sox moved—"That Mr M'Glaslmn is a fit and proper pprson to fiil the office f.f Superintendent of Otago." <3 Mr M'Fadtbn seconded the motion, which was put and carried. The proceedings were closed by the usual vote of thanks fo the Chairman.