MR BAIN AT SOUTH INVERCARGILL

Southland Times, Issue 11593, 27 November 1890, Page 2

MR BAIN AT SOUTH INVERCARGILL

Mr J. W. Bain addressed a meeting of electors yesterday evening in the town hall, South Invercargill, about 150 being present. The Mayor of the borough (Mr Sherborne) was in the chair, and bespoke a courteous and impartial hearing for the candidate. Mr Bain's address was in substance the same aa that delivered on previous occasions, and the apeaker was afcbentively listened to. In reply to questions Mr Bain said he had intended to say something about Trade Unionism. He had already mentioned it in one of his electoral speeches. So far as he was concerned he believed Trades Unions had done a great deal of good, and if they were to continue to do so they must attend to the regulation of their internal affairs. There must be one government duly authorised to administer the laws passed by Parliament. Each one cannot dictate as to how trade and commerce are to be carried on. It was the privilege of any man, if he was not satisfied with the laws, to try to get them altered, but he must not take the law into his own hand. He was pleased to see the labouring classes combining among themselves to elevate their position. He wanted to see them rise from the lower grades to the higher, but did not want to see them combine their energies to pull down those who were in a little higher position. He would be glad tosee the labourer of to-day become the employer of to-morrow. He had been a working man and had worked for a day's wages. He came to Invercargill in 1861 to start the first newspaper the Southland News— which was now doing its best to destroy and kill him. He set the type and printed Che first copy of that paper with his own hands and now it was endeavouring to tear and rend him. He entirely sympathised with the working classes in all their ambitions, but at the same time he regretted to see them being carried away by bad advice. What had been done lately was this : men had risen— they did not know from whence they came— unfortunately the working classes had submitted themselves to those unknown men without any consideration at all. If the Government of the country had asked these men to do what the Trades Unions had there would have been a rebellion at once. But instead of rebelling they had followed these blind leaders with a result that was disastrous to many people in the colony. So far as he was concerned hi 3 efforts had been directed to raising the position of the working man, and he had done what he could to improve their position. — He would explain why he had refused to sit on the common jury in a certain case. A certain prisoner who had been committed for trial was brought up at the Supreme Court and he (Mr Bain) was summoned as a common juror and would have had to sit on the jury at the trial of a man whom he, as a Justice of the Peace had committed for trial. Ifc would not have been right for him to do so. (Tins explanation was accepted as thoroughly satisfactory by the audience.) — With reference to the subsidies to charitable aid, he said he had bad some experience in the matter. The Government at present gave £ for £ subsidy on amounts raised by local bodies. This was to be continued for a period of five years, which period expires in 1891. It was the duty of the Government to contribute largely to the keeping up of these institutions and he would be in favour of the Government's paying its moiety to their maintenance-— lf they borrowed for the ex tension of the Seaward Bush railway they must remember that there were other railways to be considered, such as the Otago Central.'— The question of the Taranaki Harbour Board becoming a liability on the colony involved many complications. The Government put the Board in a false position through subsequent legislation, and consequently decided to assist them in payment of interest by advancing four or five thousand pounds.— With reference to the Annie Bow ca3e he would say that Mr Perkins, who was adjudicating on the case, having taken ill, asked him to take his place on the Bunch, but he would only do it on the condition that Captain Greig should give his assistance and the benefit of his nautical experience. This made three on the Beuch, namely, Mr Stock, Captain Greig, and himself. The whole circumstances of the case were carefully gone into, and what influenced the Bench in coming to the decision they did was the evidence given by the captain and the mate, and that of Lloyd's surveyor that the vessel was staunch and seaworthy in every respect ; and as the J.P.'shaveto take an oath that they will administer the law according to the evidence submitted to them they, had to give judgment accordingly. He thoroughly examined the evidence to see if anything could be done to relieve the men from the responsibility they incurred in causing the vessel to be put back in opposition to the direct wishes of the captain. The decision was appealed against and the judgment arrived at by the Justices was upheld and he asked the audience if the law officers of the Crown and the Government were not as capable as fche residents of Invercargill of coming to a correct decision in the case. Yet for political objects it was to be dragged up and made a cause of offence against himself because he endeavoured to do his duty in a case which gave him as much consideration and thought as he had ever given to any. He thought the matter should not be resurrected for political reasons, when a man tried to do his duty without fear or favour. — With reference to the railway workshops question Mr Bain reiterated i the statements he made in the Theatre with regard to tln3 matter. — He would endeavour, if elected, to get the Governmrnt to pay what the settlers in the Seaward Bush are entitled to on their perpetual lease sections. Mr Millar asked if Mr Bain would make an effort to have the public works and railway departments let their contracts for the supply of sleepers and beams and other timbers, fencing, &c, in such quantities, and on such terms and conditions as will enable the working men holders of sections of bush land to tender for the supply of these timbers in lota or numbers, say of from 200 up to 1000 sleepers, such as will fit in with the quantity of timber th^y may have on their holdings : this for the better and more profitable employment of these people on their lands. Unless ordered in Parliament,! the officials in these departments will not entertain tenders for the supply of small quantities of timber, either sleepers or otherwise. Mr Bain in reply, said he considered it was a 'iiost important question, and it grieved him to think that good bush was being cut down for comparatively useless purposes. The timber could easily be utilised in the way mentioned in the question. Nature had been lavish and liberal in conserving what had been of benefit to this part of the colony, and he thought the suggestion was of a very practical kind, and he would press on the Railway Commissioners the necessity of its being carried out. It would do a great deal of good to those who owned bush land, and it would be far more profit to them to cut sleepers than to cut the timber for firewood. In reply to Mr J. Young, he said he would endeavour to get the rate of railway carriage between Seaward Bush and DunecHn reduced so as to allow a margin to the working men to make something on their firewood, especially when there was a market in that direction for the commodity. In reply to another elector, he said he wanted to be elected as an independent member, as at present they did not know whether either Sir H. Atkinson or Mr Ballance would lead the House. Mr McQuarrie proposed, and Mr Howie seconded, a vote of thauks to Mr Bain for hi 3 very able address and of confidence in him as the future representative of Invercargill in the House. Mr Ball moved as an amendment that Mr Bain be tendered a hearty vote of thanks for his address. — Seconded by Mr Riordan, and on being put was declared carried on the voices, although an elector remarked it was not the extra voices that increased the sound, but the power with which the replj was uttered. Mr Bain said he was quite satisfied with the vote of thanks and a similar compliment to the chairman for the able manner in which he had conducted the meeting terminated the proceedings.