MR PYKE AT ALEXDRA. (from our own correspondent)

Otago Witness, Issue 1704, 19 July 1884, Page 9

MR PYKE AT ALEXDRA. (from our own correspondent)

Qo^tqrto,^y.^ A^, July 14. ajStetjßgOLttift - . pp y ke addressed trig* JO *»•* . -• sectors of the Dunstan dis- „• -o-LOwn Hall. Alexandra. The Mayor ,^c M'Donald) ocoupied the chair, and briefly introduced the, speaker. There was a good attendance, and Mr Pyke was well received. He was strongly opposed to the presebt; Government, and thought* some of the Ministry scarcely even deserved to sit on the Treasury bench for mismanagement and' unjust expenditure of public funds., Mr Pyke thought that in spite of a great deal of virtuous indignation, members were entitled to the honorarium, and he certainly, approved of the principle of payment of members. Had the sessioi^asted six months instead of three weeks, members would have got and looked for no more than the honorarium. Mr Pyke was in favour of a land tax of so much per acre. He did not approve of the perpetual leasing system, but thought it might be tried. He considered the Government ought to sell the land, and. in this way give every man the free- , hold at a' certain price, conjoined with the i condition than a small perpetual rent charge , should be a burden upon all such land, the i upset price to be fixed in accordance with this i principle. Qn the cauaeß of the depression, Mr

Pyke said there was one he had not seen mentioned by Parliamentary candidates or public men — that was the great falling - off ot gold duriug the last three years, the total amounting to several hundred thousand pounds. That was a serious loss of solid capital that would otherwise have been spent in the country. The present Minister of Mines, Mr Rolleßtou, had not the slightest idea of mining or of developing its resources, and consequently nothing had been done in this direction. Mr Pyke was in favour of decentralisation but not of separation, which could not now easily ba done. He would retain the counties as road boards on a large scale, but would have also a larger area in eachi county. A liberal allowance of revenue should be given to these local bodies to carry out public works and the administration of local affairs. Otago, for example, might be divided into 40 tmch local bodies. Mr Pyke dwelt upon the importance of federation, which was looming up in the distance, and was a subject that' really ought to have been brought before the country. His remarks on this subject were well received, and, elicited frequent applause. A hearty vote of thanks to and confidence in Mr Pyke was proposed by Mr Robert Findlay, seconded by Mr Wm. Theyers, and carried unanimously. ? In answer to a question by Mr Forrest, Mr Pyke stated that he would do his utmost to get the Government to open up the Waikaia Bush road in the spring, iv order that the reefs on the Old Man might be worked and a supply of timber brought into the district. A vote of thanks to the Mayor terminated the proceedings.