THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1123, 26 July 1865, Page 4

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

MR DICK AT THE THEATRE ROYAL. Mr Thomas Dick addressed a public meeting at the Theatre Royal last evening the Theatre bein^ crowded. Wu.t.i\yi Mason-, Esq., the Mayorelect, was called to the chair, and he very briefly introduced the candidate. Mr Dick, who was well received, said that there were thirds connected with electioneering which he did not exactly 1 like. There was a great deal of promising i expected—and he did not like that. It ■ was not to his taste to come before a racctj ing and make many and comprehensive promises; because there must be difficulties in the way of carrying them out, and those to whom the promises were made must thus be rendered dissatisfied with the promiser. In place of making promises, he preferred asking the electors to look at his conduct in the p&3t; and if they found that he had faithfully tried fully to do what he had considered his duty* let that stand as a reason for hope for the future. —(Applause.) There was another thing he did not like-election cries. Who believed in such things. If bills were put out "Vote for Dick, the friend of the people!" or "the honest man, or the only liberal candidate"-what did it all mean?-(A Voice: Nonsense.— Laughter.) Yes, "Nonsense." It meant a beiiet that the public was to be gulled; but they were not to be galled so easily as might be sopposed. He saw a bill that day, " Vote for So-and-so, the friend of the people." Was it expected that any one would go into the office of Superintendent who was not a " friend of the people ?" What right had any one to be in sucb. a position who was not a "friend of the people?" Were public men simply political martyrs, to gointo offico only -because they were the "friends ot the people"? Was there no friendship for themselves in these candidatures ? Was he to tell, the nieettng I am a victim to my desire to benefit the people, and for that reason only I ask you^ to support me in contesting for the Superintendence I have no personal desire to be Saperintendent-I am innocent of any aspirations after that high office-andrtis simply in order that I .may bendit the Jeople, that I «k you to give me your support." So to say would be complete nonsense—it would be daptrap—absurdity. He asked for support because he aspired to the Superintendency—because he felt it was an.

AND

honor he desired to;' have. At the Bame tinie, it would be nonsense to try to hide that, if elected, he would try to do his best. Common sense would dictate that to any man. If the electors were not satisfied with him, then at tbe next election, which, would boj. in about 18 months, let them say, "You have been in office long enough—give place to a better man." That was all he wanted. He did not believe in —humbug; that was the best word for conveying what he meant. He should not profess to be better thia the public had found him, not to be abl« to do better than he bad done. He would do his best, and he could not do more.—(Applause.) The Superintendency, while a very honorable office, was not one of such power as might be supposed. It was once a very powerful position ; for the Superintendent at one time acted very much without the advice and consent of the Executive. A Superintendent of Otago was once recommended to read to the Provincial Council a speech which he did not like. He read it and put it aside, saying," That gentlemen is the speech of my Executive —now I will feive you my own."—(Laughter.) That wa.3 before his (Mr Dick's) time, and he could not tell which was the better speech; but such would not be '"according to Cocker," now, and were not practicable. The position of the Province was not now so flourishing as it had been ; and any. Superintendent would have a good deal of difficult}' and anxiety in carrying on the government of the Province under present circumstances. But he did not think that this was a permanent position tor the Province of Otago. This was, on the whole, a v>.ry rich ProTJnce. It w*is rich in mineral-1, and in agricultural and pastoral land. We were rich as a mercantile community.—(A laugh ) He did not i.icvi that all our merchant-) were rich men; but that we had merchants who were pushing forward their business, and advancing Dunedin, as a mercantile city, very earnestly and actively. The Province had debts amounting to some LOOO,OOO : but there were also 14 million acred of land, which, even if sold at 5s an acre, would yield above three millions sterling, or enough to pay the debts nearly six times over. Any merchant who could pay his debts nix times over would consider himself pretty well off—(laughter) ; aud the Province tint could do bo was in a very healthy position. It was true lim estate could not be realised all at once, and he would bc> no party to so realising it, if such a thing was possible; but we had the land; it was a very tangible security -against any debts; and it ou^ht to be sufficient to satisfy tiny creditor that we could pay them all and have a larg-; amount beyond. The L'ind Question wasthe one on which he seemed most to differ fi'om the other candidate. H.- said that the land was for the people ; and his desire was that the sales should be so conducted that trie people might have the chance of purchasing land. To a .-cure that, according to his view, we niu-t have Hundreds and a Laud Tax.—(Appl inse.) Mis opponent—as appeared from the .report of a meeting held on the previous evening—was in favor of free selection and a'juinst the tax. That plan would throw the whole country open for purchase ; and he (Mr Dick), held that if would give an undue advantage to those already squatted on the land—to the pastoral interest—over the agricultural interest and the settlers generally. There were no other persona who knew the best pieces of land so well as the pastoral tenants ; and they, by going over their runs, ami picking out the best bits, could buy up those bits mid shut the agriculturists out altogether.—(Applause.) He did not think that the pastoral huula should be opened up for s-ilc, until the progress of road making had given a fair chance to bonu jHi; settler." to meet and to compete with those now holding those lands. It wai not Mr that the "eyes of the country'1 should be picked out, while this fair Cjinpetition was not possible.—(Applause.) Therefore, he was opposed to free selection. The system of Hundred.:! was the one which enabled the earlier eettljrs to got on, until many of them were in independent positions; and under the same system, he uoped, very many more of those now in the Province, or who might here.'UUr come into it, would be enabled to become our .«etiled yeomanry, our country's pride.— (Applause.) To encourage this, and to prevent the land being bought speculatively, it was well that there should be a tax such as that now in existence. Mr Dick dwelt upon tins subject, and explained his vie vs as to railways aud education, hi conclusion (he said) he could only repeat that if he was elected he would do his best for the Province; if he was rejected—which he did not in. the slightest degree expect — (loud applause)—he should still consider it his honor and his privilege to work in promoting the interests of Otago.—(Applause.) Mr J. G. S. Grant: Will you state what you consider the cause ot the present depression —in a few words, if 3011 can ?—(Laughter.) Mr Dick : I think that the Jailing off in the gold fields revenue is one cause. A great number of miners have left the Province — the customs revenue has very considerably diminished—and hence our affairs are not so prosperous.

Mr Grant : Did you not, in your place in the Council, 15 months ago, when 2000 men besieged you for work, and before the debt of L 600,000 had been incurred— did you not declare of the miners that they v/ere a class that never would settle here, and did you not cruelly call those 2000 men " loafers" ? — (Laughter and confusion.) Mr Dick : I never did call the miners " loafers."—(Applause.) I have no doubt said that there were some of them who would not settle ; and I have possibly said that a few who followed Mr Grant were " loafers."— (Laughter, applause, and hisses.) But I certainly never did say that the miuers of Otago were " loafers." Mr Grant: Allow me to read to j'ou your own words, sir.—(Confusion.) Mr Dick : If you have them there, you were not in a fit state to write them down at the time, for you were in a state of abject terror.—(Applause and hisses.) Mr Gbant: Did you withdraw the

BULLOCK'S YARDS.

Government account from the Union Bank? ; ' - ' .

Mr Dick: I dW not, for I was not a member of the Government when it' was withdrawn.—(A Vokte :My word! That's a' choker for Grant. —Roars of laughter.) Mr Grant : Did you approve of the Supsrintendent resigning just in the nick of time to disfranchise 5000 electors ? Mr Dick: So far as I was consulted in the matter, I dissuaded Mr Harris from resigning. I wished him to continue in office until the end of his term. I would much rather that he had done so, and that I was not standing here. Mr Gkant: If you are elected, will you be in favor of a prompt dissolution of the Council, so that we may have a fresh election, and get new blood in the place of a parcel (Applause and hisses.) MrDi<;K: It is scarcely to be expected that if elected I should be an advocate for an immediate dissolution. After the toil and trouble of canvassing and addressing meetings, I should not like to have it all to do again in the next six months.—(Laughter.) Mr Grant put other questions, and was then " put down" by the meeting. Mr T. Biucn: I wish to ask Mr Dick— seeing that he has given us a very picturesque view of our condition as a people, anil that there will shortly be a exodus from the Province—whether he will be in favour of putting a sum of money on the Estimates to encourage emigration from Great Britain to this weather-beaten Colony?—(Laughter.) Mr Dick : If people are going away from Of ago, I suppose it will bz beeau-e they cannot get work ; and if they cannot <s;i work, I don't think it will be wise to bring p'.'oplc out to starve. —(Applause). Mr T{i:tcn : Then you arc opposed to emigration from.Great Britain ? Mr Dick : Yes ; in the meantime, until the prosperity of the Province is a little improved.—(Applause). Mr Bntcu : Will you conceive it to ba your duty to act without six members of the Executive ?—(Confusion) Mr Dick : I shall act with just so many members as the Provincial Council allow me '—(Laughter.) Mr Birch: What was your motive in determining upon six members of the Executive, when the Pat°r^n Ministry wan turned out?—(Confu ■,!'•■. "> Mr Dick: I consider tua. >»at is a Governmental and- Executive question, which should scarcely be answered in a public meeting. Mr Biiicn : I consider that that is an evasion, hut I will take it for what it is worth.—(A Vorcr;: There's a sort of freemasonry, I suppose.) I wish to ask Mr Dick whether the member for the Gold Fields Mr Hughes, who is a member ol ' the Executive, is abo in receipt of his Ll j a day when sitting in the Council ?— (Confusion.) Mr Dick: Mr Birch has forgotten that he is not a member of the Provincial Council, and that this is not a meeting of i the Council. I do not think I should be justified in answering such questions.— (Confusion.) I could answer this question most satisfactorily; but I decline to answer it. Mr SiiKßwiN": Do you not consider that the fees at the High School are too high to allow of artisans and working men to send their children to the school? Mr Dick : I think they are. Mr SiiiJiiwiN: Don't you think that it is jnst as important that artisans and laboring men should be able to send their children to get a first-class education, as it is for professional men and others? Mr Dick: I think it is most important that all children should get a good education. MrSiiKßwiu: Then will you endeavor to reduce thu fees, so that it may come within the means of every one to send his children who wishes to do so ? Mr Dick : There arc the District Schools, which give education at a more cheap rate. .Mr Siikkwin : Oh ! the District Schools ! Yes, I know enough of them. —(Laughter.) Mr Dick : I am not sure that I should consider it my duty to recommend a reduction of the fees. The cost of the High School is very heavy; and I am not euro* how a reduction would suit. Mr Shkhwin : It is rumored in town'today, and I should like to know if it is true, that Lonnie and Co., have got L2OOO to give up their contract for taking down IL'II Hill? Mr Dick. : I am not in the least aware of it; though I may say that it is scarcely a question for a public meeting. Mr Shebwin : But is it true? Mr Dick : I never heard of it. Mr Sukrwin : Very well, sir. I'm quite satisfied. Mr Grant asked two or three questions. A Voice : What is your opinion as to capital punishments ? Mr Dick : That is a matter with which the Provincial Council have nothing to do ; but I may tell you that I am opposed to such punishments. The Voice : Did you sign Bathgatj's petition ? Mr Dick : I did. Mr Birch : If elected, will Mr Dick have any objection to support the L35,0P0 loan to the town being treated as a grant ? Mr Dick : I shall have no objection to do so. No other question being put, Mr Donald Henderson moved that Mr Dick was a fit and proper person for the office of Superintendent. Mr J. Barr (Craigielee) seconded the motion, because he wa3 thoroughly satisfied that Mr Dick, with whom he disagreed on some matters, was a thoroughly honest politician. Mr Dick was one who had come here with all that was dear to him, to hew out a home for himself ard his family, and was not like one of the needy adventurers (Great uproar, which continued until the Chairman asked that' the speaker should be allowed to explain.) He did not refer to diggers or to merchants; but to those, whoever they might be, who came here simply to make their " pile," and when they had done so, gave to the Province the wind of their heels.

Mr Geakt said he should move as an amendment, " That Mr Dick is a fit and

17,000 FEET

proper person—(laughter, and cry of "You want a biHet") —to represent, not the great mass of the people of Otago, but only the pure and unleavened Old Identity."—(Laughter. There was much laughter and joking, >nd Mr Grant yielded to cries that he should "Get on the stage," only to find that when he began to speak there the meeting would not listen to him. Nobody seconded the* "amendment," and there were cries that what had been proposed was no amendment; of which the Chairman said he was well aware. The motion was carried, the great proportion of those present holding up their hands for it, and no haad being shown " to the contrary." Mr Dick acknowledged the vote. If he was elected, it would be found that he was no more an Old Identity than anybody else ; and that he should look upon the residents of the Province, not as Old or New Identities, but simply as inhabitants of the Province of Otago.—(Applause). He proposed a vote of thanks to Air Mason for presiding. This was responded to by cheers for the Mayor, and the proceedings were terminated.