ELECTION NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7926, 18 July 1887, Page 3

ELECTION NOTES.

Sir Julius Vogel will address his constituents on Tuesday. Mr Owen J. Hodge, as will bo seen from a requisition in another column, has consented to contest Dunediu Central. The requisition to Mr B. Rutherford to contest the Caversham election and his reply thereto are published elsewhere. At a meeting of Dr Fitchett's supporters on Saturday a committee was formed, and Mr B. Hallcnstein appointed chairman. Mr Hutchison's Morniugton Committee meet this evening, the Roslyn Committee and the local branch of the Protection League to-morrow, and the Maori Hill Committee on Thursday. It was a vote of no confidence " which was passed at the meeting addressed by Major Atkinson, at Hawera, at Friday evening. Mr R. Moore, mayor of Kaiapoi, has come out agaiust the Hon. Mr Richardson in response to a requisition with 450 signatures. Mr Loughrey is definitely out for Linwood. In response to a requisition, Sir George Grey has consented to deliver an address at Woodville at an early date. A requisition is in circulation asking Mr Wathen to contest the Caversham seat. Mr Finnerty has retired from the contest for the Bgmont seat. Messrs H. Dodson (ex-member), G. Henderson, and S. J. Macalister (ex-postmaster) are in tho field for the Wairau seat. The laiter is out on the Liberal ticket. Mr John Duthie has had to retire from the contest for Te Aro, as ho holds several Government contracts. A deputation of Coromandel electors have waited upon Mr J. Mackay, a candidate for Auckland City North, asking him to stand for Coromaudel against the present member. Mr Mackay stated that if a sufficiently strong requisition were presented to him he would probably accede to the request. Mr Hursthouse, who has represented Motueka for 11 years, has addresssd large meetings at Motueka and Moutere, and has received votss of confidence. He urged that there is no necessity for increased taxation, and pointed out where he saw £190,000 could be saved. By putting the railway gram rates at the old figure he calculated to increase receipts by £80,000. The rates on Native lands paid under the Native and Crown Lands Rating Act would save £1500. He would strike off the Forests department and save £1J,OOO; and by reducing the officers of the permanent militia, from that department would save £15,000. He would cut off the Governor's allowances by £3000, reduce the honorarium to £150, and Ministers' salaries by £250 each, and also cut down travelling allowances, saving £8000 under the heading Legislative. He would save tho £7000 vote to the university, and save £23,000 by giving up the San Francisco mail service. He would effect a saving of £20,000 by a percentage reduction on civil servants, and another £20,000 by making them work from 9 till 5. This makes the amount, but he still indicated a further cutting down by opposing expeuditure on higher education, : though supporting the primary system in its . entirety. Ho was strouly opposed to Protection. He condemned every act of the Government that he referred to aud spolce very warmly: but he denied that he voted against the Government, asserting that he voted against their pro- . posals, especially their iniquitous taxation He said that during the elections six men would be found prepared to carry out the retrenchment proposals he had referred to, and he looked to the work being done by a new set of men whose past actions could not be attacked, and said that if such a Ministry effected such ■ savings no future one would dare to go back to the present extravagance. He said, however, . that if Sir Robert Stout was prepared to carry I on without further taxation he was willing to , follow him. Mr Kerr, who is opposing Mr ■ Hursthouse, ban been receiving votus of confidence iii the Waimea part of the electorate. He also favours retrenchment, but is a warm j supporter of the Government aud a Protec- 1

tionist. Mr M. J. Gibbs, the third candidate, is a Government supporter. The fight will be a ■warm one.

At a meeting held at|Awamoko, which was attended by about 100 persons, resolutions were carried in favour of a reduction by 50 per cent, of the expenditure on Ministers and the Governor's salary, for abolishing the Legislative Couucil, in favour of raising the school age and giving no State aid to secondary education, that borrowing should only be resorted to for the purpose of completing works in hand, that there

is no necessity for acquiring private lands, but that companies should be allowed to purchase land for village settlement where necessary for the public benefit, that free exchange of commodities was preferable to Protection, that tho Bible should not be read in public schools, that sheep inspectors and the rabbit nuisance should be under the control of county councils, that the Government should issue loans to settlers at a moderate rate of interest. The meeting also passed a resolution that it viewed with alarm the position of the Midlaud railway.