THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2799, 26 January 1871, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

: —»- ME BOSS AT MAOKI HILE. Mr Boss, one of the candidates for tfce . representation of Roslyn, addressed % , meeting of the electors of that distriefc , yesterday evening in the Presbyterian 1 School-house, Maori Hill. Between W : and 40 persons were present. Mi T. I Lister was voted-to the chair, i Mr Ross opened his remarks by stating, i that he had not intended to address the i electors at all, and was much surprised a& , seeing the advertisement in that morning's i paper calling the meeting. The adyer•l tisement had been inserted by the dom.--mittee who were interesting, themselves .; to secure hia return, without his know- • : ledge or consent, and was published, he ;= mtlle^ edj °^ n S *> » : misapprehension >; Ihe Committee had pointed out to hint ■; that there was a strong feeling among- ; those electors favourable to his return that he should make their personal t , acquaintance, and he thereupon staled. : that although he must decline t© .{ address a public meeting, he was ; willing to meet Committees in varfosas ' parts of ; the- district. As, ao*- >■ ever, the meeting, had been summoned, .. he thought it would only tie courteous to the residents in the neighbourhood fear him to attend. Mr Ross then proceeded ". to comment upon some remarks aboxrit i. himself made by Mr Driver at the nomii: nation. With reference to Mr Driver's. . observation that he had insulted the ; electors by the position which he bad r taken up, Mr Ross said that he adhered to his programme of not discussing politfc- }; cal subjects; but he was prepared i© .. answer any questions that might tie »; put to him, provided he could do as , with propriety seeing that he was an $ officer of the Provincial Government. ; He felt compelled to state that he waa not asking the votes of the electors ; the electors had sought his services; and if a .. majority of the electors desired his seEl, vices, they should have them. He tk» : first waited upon by some gentlemen a. fortnight ago, who asked him to coufcesfc the Beat. He replied that he'could ; not think of such a thing, and 3 that they were placing themselves 3 in a false position by asking him. : to stand, as he should be unable to take any part in the public conduct of the elections ; recommending^ a them to get a candidate who could advo--1 cate different political principles to Mb* , Driver. He further suggested the names .. of several gentlemen, but they were not thought suitable.- On the next day he was asked again, and he then said that if they 3 would get a requisition signed by sash. k a number of electors as would secure him even a respectable minority of 3 votes, he would giv.e an answer witMa t 24 hours. They did so; hence M& , reply. He was at a loss to conceive how Mr Driver could construe this into an insult to the electors. He repeated that Mr Driver did alter the boundaries i of the district. Mr Driver made bo L qWifioatiuu- upon -tne'TiußUngsr but at mght, in the Drill Shed, he did qualify ,: his statement, and admitted that he altered the boundaries in one particular part, which nearly struck him (Mr Ross} and those who voted with him off the electoral roll. The alteration was not made by Mr Hislop. No representative had a right to alter the boundaries of a dietnct without first consulting the electors. Mr Ross then briefly adverted to one or two political questions, remarking that there was no law to prevent hiia discussing such questions, but his owe sense of propriety forbade him doing a». Be thought that the mode of appointing officers to select land, and the limitation! of area, with the stipulation about the quantity of agricultural land, were obieetionable features in the Hundreds Reflation Act. We ought to repeal the whole of the land laws, and commence de novo, with a law giving people liberty to select lands and occupy them on deferred payments ; and in cases where settlemont took place in remote districts, labour should be accepted in lieu of money. In reference to the financial scheme, he believed that if it were carried out as at present propounded, ifr would be ruinous not only to this province, but to the whole colony. He could. net express the opinions which he entertained on the scheme so well as they were expressed in a letter which appeared in the Daily Times of that tnornjag, signed "Master Humphrey.l' Mr Ross nexfe referred to some subjects of purely local interest. _ In reply to questions, he saidthat he did not object to the constructioa of the Clutha Railway and the subsidising of the San Francisco line, unless bydoing so, it became necessary to cease paying subsidies to Road Boards. He did not object to the construction of the Clutha Railway, if it were of light gauge and inexpensive character ; but had no hope of it being gone on with by the General Government. Signs of weakness were already apparent. He understood (and he did not acquire the knowledge in Ms official capacity) that even the two miles advertised for had been shortened by "seven chains, ia order to escape filling tm some land in the harbour, and thus keen the cost within LSOOO a mile. In the present state of the province immigration should cease ; and should not be recommenced until public works were began or lands thrown open for settlement. tie believed that under the present law, it. was utterly to declare any Hundred at .all. It should be left to the Provincial Govern--ment to appoint Commissioners to report upon what land should be declared into Hundreds. Any land open for sale should be sold on deferred payments to those who desired to purchase in that manner* Ministers ought to confine themselves to the duties of their office ; and if the Government required financial agents, they ought to be selected from outside the Ministry. If the Colonial Treasurer, Dr Featherston, and Mr Dillon Bell could be spared for so long a time» we could afford to reduce the number of Ministers. He is a freetrader, but in favour of a revision of the tariff, with the view of imposing heavier duties on articles of luxury. He is ia favour of confederation of the Australasian colonies, but opposed to separation froia England. A vote of confidence in Mr Ross was carried by 14 to 9. Mr Driver then made a personal explanation in reply to some remarks of Mr Ross s, and a vote of thanks having bee* given to the Chairman, the meeting separated. 6 *