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Southland Times, Issue 3485, 22 August 1879, Page 2

DR HODGKIITSON AT RIVERTON. Dr Hodgkinson addressed the Riverton electors in the Oddfellows' Hall last night. ' The attendance, at the ; opening was small, but increased considerably before" the : meeting terminated. Mr Dariifel, the Mayor, wasbhairman. • ' "■.'-'-■• :va :!•:;.- ; . ... Dr Hodgkinson prefaced his remarks by 'regretting ' the : groping ■ - tendencies of electors to shirk great colonial questions,;, -and. only, consider "paltry matters, affecting their 7 districts. Speaking of his action re the No-confidence motion, he expressed ; himself Ldissatisfied with some, of tbe Go- . vernment measures, amongst others the Label Tax, arid Railway Obristruc'tion Bill, but notwithstanding their maladministra-tion-.'he . failed to.;. see that .the ;Other side would have done better, having ho policy . prbpdbnded. They u would have- lamentably failed in the native difficulty, therefore he saw no good reason for endeavor-* 'ing to place 'fhein'ib'povver. With themeasiires indicated by "the '-Governor's speech he : generally agreed. He took an alarming view of the present situa- ' tion; and as; a 'remedy, J he"/7advocated ;that' v Localism", should be taken from the Abuse of Eepi-esentatives/tiius" leaving the, latter free to devote their whole attention Wcolomai intittets.i The,Ddctbr prpceede'd to bewail the loss of provincial institutions/,! ahd-'i-eierfed %¥■ the": .pressured brought to '■' bear, under .the present system of reform, upon th 9 Gbverhr_eiat'tb' ; 'cbnstruct political railways.- rHe ayerred the colony would , get' deeper iabd^deeper 'V into debt until something was done to prevent these jobs,-; and argued that' districts which wanted; railways .should = pay thp; piper, providedthe receipts' aid 1 not 'come up to working' 'bxpenses: j $£ thej ; . s^atited ;this^ jobbing jto.; continue, the*/§houia- send into Parliarriejat Patrick •McCaughaa^iw'hol promised roads)?, railways, and bridges in all directions., |biit notHodgiinscfe^ferring to Mr^McGaugh-i PaH'spublished*addiesg,berrijiip^ of thos^^raiiway^.jeyer^being constructed that Mr Mctjaughan promised. He denied ■ the acjcusatiioriimade/tb^trlre had neglected the interests of .the district, and instanced} '-, as the result of , |iis labors, the Nightcaps Railwa^-, ! -'.tKe^-Jiy.ei^ptv/jf bresliore endovy ment, immigiWabtf -tfarfttcks, and ; recrea-; tion. rgsertfes. ; -7He" the locajMaypr,: and ex-Mayor forgetting pther^t^ ;thrbugh the^^hMds^^ 5 'Sp ; ea_:in^of futures I '^SStibhV f tiie'DbCtbr ] fedict : he cbuld not sup-rr port SinG-eorge 'Grrey, ; who ad vocated class -■ legislation and-aprogressive land tax. | Hedenounced ttiis as monstrous, affd^h such;" points as -"-.these he not Mpport orey^, iiu4 he.nce^^cohsiH'eFed ' lnmself an ; inde^ 1 ! It.^s saidjthat ! ji^ MaCaim^^^s^iK^l^toV^ecbiiie liii^^'agree^bn :/ {fll great questionsjv, tEsu^!,he,.w^ '■mairerstp^^wf^ lie sh'oum '" !! consider^^ ' niihf elf returnedias & representatiyeTf Or- the colohyy but shpiil&v not neglejf^Ws^ agree; with^pp^uial: railways; and j wished7_le^_b!^Si_^ i^^tandj ;|L^}vbuld iMbt support ;t_fe*b'orist*aicMbm)&f ffi eVen : in his own district; If tlfeySwanted tjies^ 1 Me^s^ouhJ'ialce il^mh^Gp llailwaya-ic^ * state^f j tninp^he ! rintil- roads; and^brittges'^rb^taken but of given + - a _> a *Pf>~ v? c -; m '^®°^. -them to state> * whether ne^had'!not ; Sbne''hi3''Wstfor th'e'disrict. ' •H^^h'qu^ t-e had % reasonable

claim to be returned, and appealed to them for 7 their suffrages. He desired to go back to Pari iament to promote - the best --interests of the coloiiy. The doctor spoke -for nearly two hours, butfthe major part 7 bf . liis r iimirkes wcreyrepetitions. In aeplyxfb Questions, lie^?saidylie would not or the general serainble in the House, was exeeedingiy~fikely. He would join Mr Macandrew's party in the event of SteG-JGrrey retiring, but- couid-nafe^fefeA pledge" to ihe effect. ";■ He should^"ti*y to get an amendment in the EducatipiyAct in the direction indicated in the^mot'.Qn^he placed on the order paper, but which did not - , ;»^ey^Quld^ i price of deferred .payment land to dOs i per acre,, and would 1 support the Chinese ! -^poll.; tax, -. r - }, ■ V ,-; ; „ T ji- '• - ' :- Z, \ If was Amoved by Mi| Ross Robertson, .aud^ secpnied Wyl'MrrQa-jpl-s^f { ;thsi|i^a-ik3 !' lie accorded 3o 7 Dr. 7 H6dgkinso^^ i I past- services y and-: address^^-----iiß<i|i^as - scafrfed ijamidsfeiapplause;; and 7 the u^-1 ! compliment tb^theafcnairi terminated tine i -prqceedingg;-M;" ,i. '■.>--"-.-,',. '/V\7?/dKlZti:b''\ f ■'" '■' ... . . r~ '■