ELECTION .NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1858, 1 July 1887, Page 18

ELECTION .NOTES.

■ -.At a meeting of Sir Robert Stout's committee on Thursday evening, he : spoke briefly on the political situation. He stated' that he,' had ! 'been, asked 'to stand for several" constituencies j and ' specially pressed to contest Napier., He /had refused, however, and would stand for no j other seat but Dunedin East. ' ; 'Mr Valentine has received several requisitions, to contest Hpkonui seat, and' intends to ' put his views before the electors shortly. j „At a meeting held at Pukeuri, near Oamaru, which was largely attended, , resolutions were | carried (1)' expressing regret that, -members of, 'the, House did not have sufficient self-denial to •reduce their .numbers to* 71 ; (2) that' it is\un-' : desirable to have any increase in taxation until I every possible retrenchment has been given | effect to ; (3) that the meeting was antagonistic J.tp the Government's Protection tariff proposals, I and'of opinion that any fresh protection meant ! a, tax on, the agricultural and working classes;; i that no candidate 'is', > worthy ', of support J who, will not pledge, .himself to retrenchment , by abolishing the honorarium to the Council, re- , j ducing the number of members in the House of ! Representatives and. the honorarium, also the > travelling expenses and salaries of the, Gover r nor, Ministers, and salaries of civil servants, and who will not vote against further borrowing until the finances of, thei'colony have been placed oh a sound basis.

Mr Finnerty, one of the candidates for Egmont in opposition to Major .Atkinson, addressed the electors at Hawera on Friday. He opposes the Government, believes further, taxation unnecessary, supports the education vote in its entirety, ridicules Mr Ballance's special settlement scheme, and opposes Major Atkinson merely on local grounds. A vote of thanks was accorded him. , > Mr E. B. Cargill is regarded as a certain candidate for Dunedinpentral. . In compliance, with a requisition, signed by over, 200, Mr W.Hutchison has agreed to con-, ] test theßoslyn seat. A Financial Beform Association has been started in Dunedin with the following programme:—" That ,an association be now formed, to be called the Dunedin and Suburban Financial Beform Association. , , That s all citizens of the same provincial district shall be, eligible for membership on subscribing to. the association's platform and paying an annual subscripof ss. That the objects of the association shall be— (l) Reduction of the salary and allowances of .future Governors. (2.) , Reduction of Ministerial salaries and allowances,, and curtailment , of ' the legislative,, expenditure. (3) Reduction of the. number of members' of the House of Representatives, by at least, one-fourth, .and .that the number,, of u the members of the Legislative Council should not exceed one-half of -the number of the House o^ Representatives. . (4) Civil service retrenchment by the amalgamation of offices and departments. (5) Insistence on the equalisation of our revenue and expenditure. (6) \ Resistance of any attempt to increase taxation, direct or indirect. (7) De-, centralisation in every possible way and the improvement of the existing systems of local government." .Country resident wishing to become members should' communicate with the secretary, Mr D. Harris Hastings. _ . , Mr James Macintosh addressed a meeting of about 100 persons at Invercargill on Tuesday night on the subject of " Cheap Money, and How to Procure It"; his idea being, to borrow in Britain on freehold securities in the colony at a rate that would permit of cash being lent at not more than 5 per cent. He thinks it would be possible to secure the guarantee of the Government of the, colony for the security of the British lender, and possibly that of the Im? penal Government. He proposes to create a freehold farmer's, and graziers' association, to be incorporated under an act of Parliament, with , a view ;to , negotiating loans hi England. The meeting passed a vote of thanks, to the speaker. Mr Macintosh was chairman of directors of the defunct Southland Farmers' Co-operative Association. - We , learn i that at" a meeting of Peninsula electors it was decided to ask Mr John Roberts to contest the seat with Mr Larnach. Mr B. Hallenstein will allow himself to be nominated for Dunedin Central. The Protection League has resolved ito give him its full support. • , . .

At a meeting held. at Coal Creek Flat on Saturday it was decided to support only a candidate who would pledge himself to Protection, and the action, of Mr Pkye in voting against the Government tariff which protected fruit was condemned. . . , 'At a political meeting at TeaneraM on Tuesday resolutions were carried in favour of a redaction of members ;• abolishing ' the % honorarium "tq

Legislative Councillors j and against the imposition of further, taxation)- direct oofr f indirect; It Is probable that 'Mr Barnes SuMed, of Westport, will oppose7,'Mr{Eugene O'Conor for the Buller seat. li ' r - ■

The Taapeka~Times states that a movement? is on foot to induce Mr James Smith, of Greenfield, to contest the seat for Br^ce> ,^o',/x *'"* .-