Page 3 Advertisements Column 4

Southland Times, Issue 3486, 23 August 1879, Page 3

Election Notices. qPO THE ELECTORS OF RIVERTON. Gentlemen, — At the request of. a number of my friends within your district, I have determined to solicit your suffrages at the coming election for the House of Representatives. Being a comparative stranger, and my political views unknown to many of yon, I adopt this means of giving you nn exposition of ray opinions . ou the various questions likely to come . present!}' before Parliament. It is clear to -me that the Government of Sir George Gicy has done more for the southern poition of, the , colony than any previous Government, and ■ that we can safely expect more at their hands ■than any Government^ likeJy to be constituted from the Opposition benches ; and for these reasons, and from the fact that 1 am a _ warm admirer of the Minister of Public Works (Mr Macandreiv), I, will, if elected, give the Government my general snppoit idu all points set forth in His Excellency's ,speech -at the opening of J?arlia.ment ; but I do. ,not wish it to be understood from this that I would become a blind follower of Sir George Grey iv any further autocratic proceedings with individual membeis of his Ministry, or of any measures calculated to set class against class, or disturb the present harmony existing between labor and capital, \v,hich would iv the end pioduce the state'of anaiehj between classes. and the misery and destitution now uuhappily 1 prevalent amongst the laboring class .in Victoiia. I am in favor of reducing the price of deferred payment laud. 1 am iv favor of giving the present system of educa-, tion a fair trial, as it has already been decided that it is competent i'o'r school committees to permit the Bible to be lead without comment J iv public schools, either before ovaftci school houis, to the children of those patents so desirine. I am of opinion that it will be incumbent to nmend the Road Boards, and Counties Acts, as I hold that the double, rating is grievous and oppressive, aud that;'' one of tbem, as a rating body, must -be abolished. lam not prepared at present to say in what form the remaining one should_ be constituted, but it is worthy of consideration whether the Couuty Councils with ou-' larged representation. '"say" two -additional members for- each,'" riding, would ..iiot.effectually meet the case. From my own experience of the gieat necessity of drainage in connection with agriculture, I would strongly advocate a District Diainage Act fgrj&hpse portion of the colony electing to comeunder its operations. lam certainly not in- 1 * favor of a large influx of Chinese, as I tibld.that they are not a desirable class to encourage as colonists; but the present population>M>f*that -class does -not ! affect^He lab|r markepwiich < is frequently overetraineel" 'in gathering the j harvest. I will favor triennial Parliaments, '; '■household suffrage, and re-adjustment^qf the electoral districts. lam c 1 early of sopiuion that the time has come when cheap railways 1 ; shduldifake thAplace of main arteiiaFrpads, and I shall, if elected, endeavor out , of the loan just ,sanctiqtied, to. secure you v afair share of itsiiv'isibn fb'iyanibngst other -things the completion of the Nightcaps Railway, and the construction of a railway from Wintpu to the Nightcaps. This line will open auexten- ; sive.ar.ea of first-class land, in addition-to the coal traffic- arising from the requirements of districts north of Winton. The thoroughly neglected state of the extensive agricultural districts of -Forest Hill, and the Oretj. and Waimatuku Flats— the former, which- constitutes a portion of the oldest and finest settlement in Otago, where literally not a shilling of public money has yet been expended—demand the attention of your ( representative,; and as roadmaking there is scarcely commenced, and the roads literally impassable for -horsemen, I am strongly of opinion that these districts should receive special consideration, and that branch -. railways should be built. The nature, of the country enables railways to be constructed cheaper than roads, Jf elected, I will advocate branches through these parts ; the, distances being comparatively short, the accumulated costs would be incomparable to the benefits they, wouldconfer. I will, if elected, endeavor to-secure an endowment of suitable land to enable your Harbor Board to improve yourrharbor in accordance with Sir John Coode's plan. The proximity of two such magnificent coalfields as Orepulri aud the Nightcaps,, and the unlimited supply of timber from the Longwood forestnviir necessitat the^ placing of your harbor In an effective state for intercolonial vessels. Whilst, personally, I have every respect for your late member as a gentleman of the highest honor and integrity, I- cannot : but ; feel that your local wants have' 'been ' sadly neglected. •' Your railways, standing for years half finished, are monuments of reproach and neglect ; and your rivers remain unbridged, whilst other, districts— districts, too, less deserving, have" been basking in the sunshine of Ministerial favors, Uniike other parts, no subsidy or assistance was extended you to bridge the Jacob's River, and in consequence you are compelled to do so by a special rate on the immediate locality. As an observer I deplore this; as a ratepayer I feel it. Your Courthouse and public buildings are but a dilapidated pile, and whilst you are ; consuming Australian coals; two of the most important coalfields in the colony remain within your reach undeveloped, and cultivation in some of your finest districts is completely strangled for want of convenient transit to a market. Snch has been your position for a' series of years, during which millions have been lavished over the country in every conceivable form of public work or State improvement, your representative meanwhile ndulging in Elysian dreams of reviving Provincial forms, ofv Government. , I will . ' endeavor to wait upon you ; at the .various centres in your district before the polling day, due notice of which: will be given-. Yours obediently, P. X, McCAUGHAN. Riverton, August 18th, 1879. TO THE ELECTORS OF INVERCARGILL. Gentlemen— Hf vihg been requested by a number of my fellow^citizens to allow myself to be placed in nomination at the approaching election for the return of a member of the House of Representatives, I have much pleasure'" in placing my services at your disposal. The dissolution of Parliament has been brought about by a vote being carried against Sir George Grey's government, affirmiug that they have neglected and mismanaged the ad.ministrative^business '■■• of the Colony. This opinion I fully endorse, believing as I do, that the Ministry, as atf present constituted, is 'no longer entitled to the confidence of the people of New Zealand. Moreover, lam decidedly opposed to the autocratic will of one rnau governing the country. The real question, before the constituencies is simply one of administration. As to the policy indicated in the Governor's speech, that was not discussed during the recent brief session of Parliament. 1 ouching my politics I may declare myself a liberal in the truest sense of the* term, being altogether in favor of equitable legislation between class and -class and man and man, aud shall do my uttermost to promote this should you do me the honor to elect me. as your representative. On a former occasion I expressed myself in favor of an extension of the franchise by the addition 'of a residential; qualification ; of triennial Parliaments ; and of a readjustment of the boundaries of electoral" districts— always provided that property as well as persons is represented. . While I am in favor of indirect taxation through the Custom House as a means of raising Colonial revenue, I ■ should be glad .to see the ncces- ' saries of life relieved from* all burdens by a transference these ; to, a large variety of articles which -may be termed luxuries.' I have briefly alluded to the leading questions which now engage public attention.* If there should be any other subject upon which; information. is required,, l snail find; opportunity between this and polling day to declare myself more fully. I have »he honor to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, J. WALKER BAIN. MHO, THE ELECTORS OF WALLACE. GENTLEaiEN, — , " '•-' I "beg to announcek.myself.las a^Candidate at the forthcoming Election, and will take an early opportunity of meeting you at the different centres to state my views. Your obedient servant, HENRY HIRST ' Riverton, August 15th, 1879,