THE NELSON CITY ELECTION.

Colonist, Volume XV, Issue 1531, 28 May 1872, Page 3

THE NELSON CITY ELECTION.

THE NOMINATION.

On Saturday, the nomination for tbe vacant seat for the City took place in the Provincial Hall. There ■was a large attendance of electors and others, the hall being quite full in all parts, and in both galleries there was a number of ladies.

Punctually at twelve o'clock Lowther Broad, Esq., the Returning Officer, read the writ, and called for nominations of candidates.

Mr. J. H. Levien, proposed Mr. David Mitchell Luckie. He said it was not his intention to make a speech. Tbe merits of the oandidate whom he proposed were well known to the electors, and his demerits had lately been well rehearsed. In horsey language he might say he was a rum 'un to look at, but they would find him a good one to go. (Cheers and laughter).

Mr. William Wright had great pleasure in seconding the nomination, and from all ho knew of Mr. Luckie, he had no hesitation in saying that if the electors returned him, they would find him to be the right man in the right place. (Cheers.)

Sir David Monro, amidst some hisses and slight applause, rose to propose Mr. James Crowe Eichmond. In doing so, he said, it was due to the electors to explain the motives which induced on« to propose a candidate. The present was a time of more than usual seriousness for the electors of this place and of New Zealand generally. No one could dispute that our taxes were growing to a most enormous amount, and the interest we had to pay annually was an exceedingly heavy charge upon us. Our properties, the lruits of the industries of years, were all in danger; there loomed before us a taxation so heavy that the probability was that it would not only render bankrupt all industries, but that it would have the effect of driving from the country both capital and labor. Ministers said that the measures they ■were carrying out would recover all this, and be a source of great wealth to the country. He doubted this very much ; he saw very little proof of it. The calculations of the Treasurer had proved fallacious as to railways, and were likely to do so as regarded immigration —[A Voice : " Give them time"], —and the best thing that could happen to the country, would be that the immigrants should 61ter away, and escape from it. This was not a pleasant picture to contemplate, but could any one saj it was not a picture that might possibly be realised ? There was great danger of it being so. It would bf^^o if the administration was not of a , I^lssingly excellent description. If it was imprudent, it was a consummation which would certainly be carried out. He advised the selection of a man ■who would take a part in the management of these affairs; a man whose character, position, and conduct, would be a guarantee of his exercising in the councils of the nation, a voice which would be governed by prudence, sagacity, honesty, and ability. [Voices : " That's Luckie."] (Loud cheers and laughter) Mr. Eichmond, whom he proposed, possessed those qualities in a very conspicuous degree. He was told that there were two other candidates coming forward, both of whom he saw before him. It was usual for » gentleman in his position to say something about the other candidates. With regard to Mr. Luckie he would not say much, as in fact he had very little to say. [A Voice : " You're frightened; he's too much for you."] (Cheers and laughter). If however he said very little about him, he did not wish his audience to think he had not got plenty to say. He knew no man whose harness presented more vulnerable points than Mr. Luckie's. Only sometime ago Mr. Luckie had behaved towards him (Sir David Monro) in a manner which was exceedingly unbecoming and unfair. (Uproar, cries of " no," " yes," and " Luckie for ever.") If he were to comment on Mr. Luckie's conduct now, it might be ascribed to him that he was influenced by personal motives. [A Voice : " Motuek*."] (Laughter). He would only say this, that if they should happen to elect Mr. Luckie —which he feit pretty certain they would not do— [Voices : " Woi.'t we ?" " Question ?" "At the top of the poll, too."]— they could not make a greater mistake. Mr. Luckie belonged to a class —[Voices : " What class ?"] —which in a representative body was not at all of a desirable character. There were already in the House too many men of Mr. Luckie's stamp. (Interruption.) If the electors of Nelson were true to themselves they would not add to that number. Tbe presence of Mr. Luckie would not add to the dignity norths wisdom of the House, nor increase the weight of Nelson in the Councils of the nation. [Groans, and a Voice : " You can't get there."] Of Mr. Saunders he would speak in a very different manner ; and he proceeded to praise that gentleman for bis ability and vigor, and rnferred to the frequency ■with which, in the Provincial Council of Nelson, he and Mr. Saunders had been opposed to each other ; concluding by complimenting Mr. Saunders ; and he went 01 to say that peeing there was such a closeness between the views of Mr. Eichmond and Mr. Saunders, it was a pity that Mr. Saunders should have at all. As for Mr. Richmond, he '^Tlown him for many years, and had always found Him to be an able, consistent, honest, persevering, and public-spirited man, a man in whose hands the interests of this community could be entrusted with the greatest safety. He had watched his career for a number of years—[A Voice :" So have we."] (Lnugliter.) ; —while he (Sir David) was Speaker of the House of Representatives ; and in 1870, wh<)n the great South Sea Bubble was contrived, and when the House was humbugged—[A Voice : "Who stopped the clock, Doctor ? Answer me that question."]—and deluded, he could not but admire then the manly, independent, and honest Btand be made against the great delusion of the day. It required no small amount of courage in a House carried away by the scheme, for any member to stand up and advocate what he felt to be correct and necessary for the interests of the country. He was' the same man now that he was then. [Interruption aud cries of " Question ?" " Look at the clock, Sir Dayid," and "Stop the clock."] He concluded by Baying that he was afraid he had tired his audience, and resumed his seat amidst mingled applause and ironical cheers.

Mr. W. Cooksey came from the body of the hall, and was greeted with jeers, derisive cries, and great interruption. It was some time before order wa 8 restored. He seconded the nomination of Mr. Richmond, whose career, he said, be had watched for some years. He felt that a more honest and conscientious representative they could not obtain. Whether they elected him or not, he hoped they would never have cause to regret their choice; but unless they embraced that opportunity they might have reason to regret it. He extolled the extent of Mr. Richmond's knowledge of the Colony, his honesty and ability, and concluded by saying that if at present Mr. Richmond's principles were not popular, the time might come when they would be popular; [A Voicic: "And then we'll elect him""]. (Laughter). He hoped die man they elected would do them justice, and then they would not be deceived. (Applause).

Mr. James Henry proposed Mr. Alfred Snundors. He felt it was not necessary for him to say much as to the gentleman he had nominated, as he was well qualified to speak for himself. He was well-known ; he had been before the public a great number of years and had many times taken a most distinguished part in New Zealand politics. It would be admitted by all, even by Mr. Saunders's opponents, that he was .1. man of energy, of great ability, and of undoubted honesty. He was bold, manly, and independent, and he believed in the best Bense of the term he was not a class man. He was said to be a capitalist, and that his interests lay elsewhere than in Nelson, but this va» nob the case; for, on. tha other hand* all bis

feelings and sympathies have been and ever would be with the great body of the people. So far as he was aware, he had never advocated the interests of any particular place, person or party, against the interests of others, or to the detriment of others; he was also a wan of very decided opinious, and had most conscientiously advocated what he believed to be right and just. He was also about the last man that would allow himself to be led away by mere party feelings. He had ever advocated economy, and had been opposed to public borrowing, unless under very peculiar circumstances. [A Voice : " Why did he lend money?"] Having been absent from New Zealand he had escaped the pernicious legislation of the past few years, and was therefore likely to form a more free and unprejudiced opinion thau those who had taken an active part in that legislation. (Applause.)

Mr. Eobert Burn seconded the nomination of Mr. Saunders. He thought that if thov looked to the present time—to the particular aspect of New Zealand, they could not do better than rlect Mr. Saunders. He could say, without fear of contradiction, that there was no man in the present position equal to Mr. Saunders to stand up for the rights of Nelson. If they elected him, he went in unfettered. He certainly differed from their friend Mr. Luckie. If they sent him there, the very reason they wanted to send him there for they would nullify. The one tiling they seemed to desire was the Fox Hill railway. Send Mr. Luckie, and there was not the shadow of a chance of getting it. (Oil, oh, and laughter.) If they and he lived, time would show that if they sent Mr. Luckie they would certainly stultify their own interesls. [Voices: "Will Snund'ers do it?" "What will Saunders do?"] (Laughter and interruptions.)

No other nominations were made, and the candidates addressed the iuaeting.

Mr. Luckie was received with loud and prolonged applause. He said: Mr. Returning Officer, fellow electors, —The gentleman who occupied the position of pro. posing the second candidate took an opportunity of making some unnecessary remarks about myself. (Hear, hear.) Not that I in the slightest degree object to being criticised ; I should be the last man to do so, because I often fully and fearlessly, but fairly exercise that privilege myself; and do not desire to escape similar notice. isut, for Sir David Monro to come forward here and to say that I acted towards him in an extremely unbecoming and unfair manner, without citing a single instance of such conduct, is a piece of temerity which, knowing what he knows of his cwn public history, he should have been the last man to have hazarded. (Prolonged applause.)' Nor did Sir David Monro stop at that, but presumed to talk sneeringly of a class and a stamp of men. I shall read what ho said from a correct transcription of short-hand notes. He said : —" It you should happen to elect him, you could i»ot make a greater mistake. He belongs to a class which, in a representative body, is not at all of a desirable character. There are already in the House too many men of Mr. Luckie's stamp; and, if the eleo tors of Nelson are true to themselves, they won't add to that, number. The presence of Mr. Luckie will not add to the dignity or the ■wisdom of the House, nor increase the weight of Nelson in the councils of the nation." That may be Sir David Monro's opinion. It is not for me to say whether that is right or wrong; that is for you, the electors, to declare. (Cries of " Wrong, wrong;," and applause.) This much I will say, thut Sir David Monro's history does not entitle him to say that I belong to a class and stamp of mem who will not add to the respect and dignity or weight of the House of Representatives. There is a certain dignity which is sometimes expensive to the Colony, and all I say is, that my public conduct has not been of time stamp. I have never occupied or sought after- place ; I have never broken my pledged word; and for Sir David Monro to have dared to attack me now, simply because of my action in the Motueka election petition, which cost me not a little hard work in support of purity of ebction, was as foolish as it was unwarrantable. (Applause). If Sir David .Vtonro i 3 at all desirous for me to refer to a few of his public acts it would not be very gratifying to him to hear them narrated; I will not detail thorn ; it is not my purpose here to-day to discuss Sir David Monro. He is known. (Applause). To refer to subjects of more importance. [ may say that it i 3 not my intention to recapitulate what, I have formerly stated to you; except merely to refer to the main question in the policy of the present. Government, and that is the question of Public Works. These works are to be carried on ; the Assembly h«8 said so, and the country and the people of this town desire to see the policy of the Ministry get a fair (rial. (Applause). Strange to say, my old friend Mr. Saunders opposes that policy and opposes the Ministry. Yet, I find f.hat when he addressed the electors of the Waiinea in 1866 (the twenty-eighth time he had been proposed, but was not then elected ; and I do not think, from what my friends tell me, he will be elected now), he said : — "I shall endeavor to enter the Housa unprejudiced for or against any persons who may ba qualified and willing to take seats in the Executive, but I shall certainly go with a deep conviction of the mischief which has been inflicted upon this Colony by a change of Ministers, so frequent as to prevent any Government giving a fair trial to its own policy." This is what the country wants—(Applause)—and what Mr. Saunders and Mr. Richmond both refuse to give. The past Ministry had a long and fair trial. Me. Richmond himself had a long and fair trial ; and " mene, tekel, upharsin" was written on the wall of his Ministerial history. The polisy of the Government has been condemned, but on what grounds ? —such very vague grounds a3 we have heard from Sir David Monro and Mr. Saunders, who while opposing this policy profess to have none of their own. The speech of Mr. Saunders the other evening was void of that power, and did not display that gra9p and knowledge which are expected in a man who presumes to be a leader of the people, and who possesses a policy he desires to place against that which he condemns. There is nothing easier than to censure and condemn ; but it is a very different thing to find a policy to replace another, or to improve that which is so readily and so often unreasoningly censured. Neither of the candidates has enunciated anything like a policy. I repeat, let the policy which has been accepted by the country at largo bo fairly tried by those who are its authors. The gentlemen of the Opposition, whose leader professod a similar pDlioy, are men who have been tried themselves, have failed, and who now desire only to get hold of the reins of the Government, in order that they may have the pleasant occupation of spending the money. (Hear, hear.) The doleful descriptions of Sir David Monro, that capital and labor would be driven from the country, remind me of those predictions which had previously fallen from Mr. Richmond respecting the natives, and from Mr, Saunders regarding our finance, and both are shown by facts to be fallacious. On this subject of finance Mr. Saundera said, in his late speech :—

"It was Mr. Vogel's representation, when he reached England, that we uad struggled through a ten years' war, that in that war we had incurred liabilities, but that now we had come to times of peace, and we wanted money to carry out certain remunerative works. Under these circumstances, and reaching England at a remarkably favorable time, he secured a small loau on very favorable ♦eruis."

And he adds something to the effect that the English capitalista would soon " button up their pockets against Ne.v Zealand loans." False prophet again! (Cheers and laughter.) The very latest telegram from England, published only yesterday, shows completely how little Mr. Sauaders understood the money market, of England, the influence it exercises, and what it now displays. Mr. Saunders, Sir David Monro, and Mr. Richmond, have endeavored to depreciate the land they live in, and to lower ite credit, like foul-birds defiling their own nosta ; but the Exchange of the first country in the world is the beat indication of the financial condition and credit of any foreign, country or Colony* And what da we

find ? The loan referred to by Mr. Saunders, was he said, made at a favorable time, aud on favorable terms. These terms were £95 10s. 10J. per £100; and the Government and the country did consider that tbat loan was favorably floated. But the intelligence just received showed that the second instalment had been floated at a 100£, 10 shillings above par, just five per cent, of increase, by far the highest price ever yet reached by New Zealand stock. (Applause.) Is that a sign that the country is going to the bad ? la thafc a sign that our credit is diminishing in England ? ] >oes it not prove that the capitalists of England, in the great financial heart of the world, appreciate the successful efforts this Ministry has made to stop the war, and to improve the condition of the country by internal works, which peace permits us to fellow ? Does not the high price of our securities show that New Zealand enjoys the confidence of the money market of Great Britain, in spite of the calumnies her own unworthy sons have so sedulously spread abroad ? Any one can see that the prospects of the Colony are not bad, since her character and credit stand so high in the first market of the world. (Applause). I confess I was disappointed with Saunders'a speech. (Laughter, and "oh!") Do not mistake me :if any one supposes I am disappointed because Mr. Saunders, in Colonial phrase, " pitched into me," they are greatly mistaken. 1 can take as large an amount of pitching into as most men; and Icanreturn it.andwithinteresttoo. (Cheers and laughter.) I was disappointed in Mr. Saunders's speech,"because it lacked that old sturdy vigor, which characterised him before he became, as regards New Zealand affairs, half-fossilised ;in fact, his speech was a thin speech —it was a speech which one would expect to come from a temperance lecturer. It was ready, easy, and Uuent, with tolerably apt illustrations, frjm social and zoological points of view. (Liugbter.) The quotation from Crabbe was very fairly given, it had emphasis, tone, and tolerable gesture; in fact, I have seen, a school boy recite worse. (Laughter.) This was not the kind of speech to look for from a candidate who wou d raze an existing fabric. We want to know what it is proposed to put in its place, what policy he professes ? B U throughout the speech there was a looseness of statement.; and this was illustrated by the charge he preferred against Mr. Vogel, whom he accused of extravagance in America, by travelling in carriages that would hold 28 persens and I y detaining steamboats at the cost of thousands. That was a charge Mr. Saunders had no right to make unless he had somo good grounds for doing so, better than vulgar rumor and spiteful misrepresentation. He had no good grounds. Ifc was known at the timefromtheCalifornian newspapers thai the carriages were placed at Mr. Vogel's disposal by the railway companies, and we know that, no cost was incurred for steamer detention. Yet Mr. Saunders makes these biiseless rumors the means of an attack on an absent Minister; und this is of a piece with the manner in which Mr. Vogel and the Ministry generally had been censured nnd maligned by a certain limited liability company. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Saunters charges me with having changed my opinion. Well, can a man live in this fust moving world without changing his opinions as new lights and now facts, and new circumstances arise? But where was the change ? It was in the circumstances. Take for instance the Fox Hill railway as part of a greater scheme, and my advocacy of ib now. If the circumstances of to-day were precisely the same as those of nine years ago, when Mr. Saunders, Mr. Adams, and I opposed the vague and hasty scheme Mr. Richmond so strongly supported, for making a railway to what was then the unexplored " Western Ranges," on money proposed to be borrowed by this province alone, and without having any sound data before us—if these samo circumstances existed now, I should act exactly as I did then. But the times have charged, and the eountiy haa changed ; we have a larger population ; ihe money has been borrowed by the Colony, and is now being applied to public works all over the Colony, and we should be madmen if wo failed to see that a work which would produce ultimate direct and indirect advantages should be secured for this Province. The indirect advantages whinh arise from railways carefully constructed, more than cover any percentage of loss which may arise in direct returns. I believe that indirectly the Foxhill railway will save to the people of the district in mere traffic, and in saving of time, labor, and carriage arid otherwise, something like £15,000 to £20,000 a-year. This is bused on a very careful calculation, not of myself only, bub by one still more competent in figures than I profess to be. With regard to tho Public Works policy, — really the policy of the country, —I should, if elected, go to the Assembly as the fair and honest supporter of the Ministry, but determined to exercise a careful discrimination in all mutters connected with expenditure. People are floating the rumor that I am a thick and thin supporter of the Government. I simply deny the accusation. lam a thick and thin supporter of no man or party. (Oh! oh !) It is true; though Mr. Wilkia's voice, which is very easily recognised, cries out '' oh, oh." (Laughterandinterruption.) [A. Voice : Saunders is his nominee." Another Voice, "Go in for the International, and you're bound to go in."] I do nob know very much about the theoretical principles of the International Labor Association, bub I understand its object is to secure to labor a fair share of the profits arising therefrom. t am not, a member of the International Association, bub ever since I have been iv business I have carried out tho principles of that Society so far as workmen are concerned. When, for example, other people in the same business years ago reduced their workmon's wages by 12-J- per cent, the establishment with which I sun connected kept up and still keep up the wages at the old rate. I take leave to say that that is the true practical application of the International Principles. (Applause). [Mr. Luckie then explained the working of an inoomoand property tax. showing that the annual value of real property, either actual or assessed, was whit formed the basis of taxation on such property. Ib was not. taxed on its value bo sell, as some people supposed, but on its annual rental or annual value, such rental or valu3 being deemed to form pirb of its owner's income, which from all so:irct!S was liable bo baxation. Ho pointed out that Mr. Saunder3 opposed an income tax now ; Mr. Saunders had promised to support an income tax in 1866, and why not support it now. Bub the truth was ib would reach large incomes, not at prttsont fairly reached, and would be strongly opposed. He, however, would do all he could bo forward su:h an imposb, although for a time ib would be unpopular.] There is (he continued) a poinb to which I should have previously referred. Mr. Burn, wibhout, very much in the shape of reason or argument I admit, but with a good deal of assertion, somewhat like a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, declared that if I am returned we should be certain not to get the Fox Hill railway. I will simply appeal to your common ssnse as to the value of this assertion. Here are bwo genbietnen, Mr. Saunder3, who is decidedly opposed bo the railway, and Mr. Richmond, who is afraid to support it lesb ib might be taken hold of as being a portion of the general railway Bcheme which ho strongly opposed in 1870 in the House of Representatives. He gave only a half-hearted and hike-warm support, and he months ago made a speech on the subject which was not very favorable to the scheme. If your common sense teaches you that either of theßO two gentlemen is likely to exert himself to carry out your desires in this direction, then I think your common sense is uncommonly bad common sense. £ should say bhab the man who has shown, as I think I have done, a desire, to the best of his power, to carry forward the scheme, such a man would be far more likely to promote it with success than bhose who are either strong opponents or doubbful supporters. (Applause.) [Mr. Luckia alluded to tho contradiction in Mr. Saunders's arguments, in which he first Baid that to borrow for war purposes was legitimate, though " war was the worst means of spending money," and yet argued against borrowing for works to alvanua the welfare of the Colony, both now and in the future; and he concluded his speeoh as follows] : —Having somewhat crudely addressed you, and being aware that you already know something of my opinions and my practice, I shall udd little more. I think you know enough of my sbedfast aad honest endeavors in the cause of public right; endeavors which have not been in any way self-senkmg or for any cla33 purposes, in spite of what Sir David Maura dared, to gay of. men

of my class or my Btamp, as if his public condu cfc warranted him to assume the office of censor of men to the full as good as himself. Mr. Saunders too, although he formerly spoke well of me, accuses me of change, but, having been away from the Colony for five years, how can he know what has taken place ? or what I have been doing during that time ? On what grounds can he pay I have forgotten what were my old principles and earnest practice ? The public know better, and this meeting will prove it. (Applause.) I should have abstained from speaking of myself; but it is forced on one when unjust attacks are made. I shall make one quotation. The Wellington Evening Post, one of the rabid and unjust papers of the Opposition, has, with reference to this election, said this: —" Mr. Luckie is vain, pretentious, utterly selfish, gifted with a shallow cleverness, possessed of unbounded audacity, and his success, such as it is, in public life has been entirely due to effrontery and persistence." That I am selfish I utterly deny ; but I am not disposed to deny that I have audacity and persistence, and the reason I am here to day is because I possess those qualities. Had I lacked these qualities, those whom it has been my duty, politically and otherwise, to oppose would long ere now have had me down and trodden on me if they could. By these very qualities I have preserved myself, and have helped to prevent and remedy wrongs, fearing no one in the operation. (Loud applause.) I consider that this very charge of possessing persistence and audacity is one of the very be?t certificates of character you could get on behalf of a man you desired to elect as your representative. I have audacity to prevent what I believe to be wrong; I have persistence in following out that which is right and just. From these I believe the public of this place have ere now reaped some benefit, in the prevention of abuse of power in high places, and in upholding the rights of the people. (Loud applause.) If you think I shall still follow a similar fearless and independent course, and elect me as your representative, I shall not forget my duty to you, whom I think I can fairly represent, without discredit to myself. (Loud applause.) I have to thank you for your patient and attentive hearing, and if any questions are put, I shall be happy to answer them. Mr. Luckie resumed his seat amidst loud and continued applause.

Mr. Richmond said that he thought Mr. Saunders' oratorical powers had led him into making too round an attack, he might almost call it an unkind one, upon him. He had accused him of being a most violent party man. Now, this he denied altogether, but if it was meant that he had occasionally united with others, and sinking any minor differences of opinion that might have existed, had agreed to advocate measures of paramount importance, then he was a party man. What he considered the matter of paramount importance at the present time was to arrest the policy that was now rolling on with all the weight of bunkum, and of millions flowing into the Treasury ; to prevent log rolling and scrambling ; to see that the money was properly spent; to make it a cardinal poinb that there should Ib a fair, honest, and pure distribution of the funds. It might be that Mr. Vogel was desirious of controlling that which he had himself set rolling, and if so, he (Mr. Richmond) would risk all minor matters and endeavor to assist him, not as a colleague, that he would never be, but as a supporter. The Fox Hill railway had been made a greab electioneering cry, and it was said that ho was lukewarm in the matter, and that he would not support ib because he did not approve of the Ministerial scheme, but he would work heartily to secure to Nelson her fair share of the expenditure. He had long ago advocated a railway nob only to Fox Hill but much further, a^ he felt bhab Nelson must always remain stagnant, unless she opened up her inrerior. It had been said thai Mr. Luckie would be sure to get in, because he was a supporter of the Government, bub he would undertake to say that when either he (Mr. Richmond) or Mr. Saunders took their stand in the House they would find as many staunch supporters to assist them in ensuring justice to Nelson as Mr. Luokie or anybody else. The cost of these railways, too, ir.ust bo reduced to the minimum, and the money mads to go as far as possible. He objected to these gigantic contracts signed in back parlors in London. Small contracts should be made on the spot, thus giving an opening to local industry and local capital. The Dan Mountain railway was an instance of whab might be done hj local contracts, and thab was the cieapest work of the kind in the Colony. Immigration was, he thought, being carried out in a very objectionable manner, and was simply swamping the labor market. The true principle of poDulatinr the country was to make it attractive —not to pitchfork people into it, but attract bhetn to it. This wa3 to be done by stemming the onward tide of taxation, by cutting down our expens s, and by introducing a liberal and intelligent oodo of land laws. An attempt to consolidate the 18 different sets of regulations was made in 1870, but tho Government burned a deaf ear, as bhey were busy rolling logs wibh the squntbers of Obago. He had been taunted with being a Communist. This he was, to the extent of wishing to see a fair day's wage given for a fair day's work, and to removing the obstacles to comfort tb.it now stood in the way of the working man, with whom ha quite sympathised with, regard to the social inequalities under which ha now groaned. He objected to the present tariff and cauld plainly see that direcb taxation was in the wind. A land tax he would specially advocabe, as tending to prevent bhe useless occupabion of lands, while it would yield a considerable revenue. He was strongly opposed to the bread tax, or to anything in the shape of protection. With regard to Education, he knew of nothing better than the Nelson compromise. He was most anxious thafc the Catholics should have as fair play under the General a 9 under the Provincial Act, but would advise them to go in for nothing more. Oa the question of Provincialism he would say that he was not prepared bo go in a header against the Provinces, but should like to see somebhing in the shape of a local Board'that would have the supervision of all expenditure, substituted for the present form of Provincial Governments, but he was not prepared with any matured scheme. He had beea accused of extravaiigance, but he could show that he had made large reductions in the Estimates when in the Ministry, ia both the Customs and Defence Departments. For 13 years he had beea an attentive student of the affairs of the Colony, of which he knew almost every part. He had never been a hungry man, and the position he had attained in the legislature had beea t'irusb upon him. He always stood by whab he said, and the electors might be sure that they could place the fullest confidence in his having honestly stated the opinions he held, and up to which ha should always act. [Mr. Richmond, of whose speech the foregoing is only a bare outline, was at first received with hisses and cries of " Ordar," but he was listened to with much attention and no marked interuptions, and sat down amid some applause.]

Mr. Sajjnde&s, who waa received with groans, hisses, and some applause, after alluding to hia forum 1 relations with Sir David Monro, .and acknowledging the courteous manner in which he had spoken of him, said thai he had before alluded to the change that had come over Mr. Luckie, bub he now found it far greater than even he had thought, for while ho had gone down, and down, and down as a writer, until he had descended lower than he could have conceived possible, ho had become a much more able speaker than he was five years ago. Mr. Stiunders then referred at Home length to Mr. Vogel's trip Home, and his reception in America. The people of Neison, he was sure, would agree with him . chat the Colonist was entitled to very great credit for the manner in which it had reported his speech, . only a few hours after its delivory. It was a performance very creditable to Nelson, and he felt proud of a Press which reported so fully in so short a lime. But. if any statements were put down in a somewhat different way from the manner in which a speaker delivered them, he was entitled to state the difference; and, although, ha might compliment tho report, ha

• should not feel bound to accept the version given of points in which he might be misfi pitesented. With regard to what he said as to Mr.; .'Vogel's'trip through America, there was in trie report a very slight verbal inaccuracy, which made a very considerable difference. ■He had told them that Mr. Vogel was a very great man, and had, in travelling through America, occupied by himself and his friends carriages capable of aecomodating 28 persons, and that he had obtained for himself and his friends, and that altogether that journey had increased the cost of his mission to thousands when hundreds rnigh't'bavedone as well. [Uproar, and aVotCE:: "No, you said he detained steamboats at the'cost of thousands."] He was perfectly aware that he could have brought a much graver charge against Mr. Vogel, but,he desisted from doing so. What he had stated,' was a comparatively light charge, but he was sorry, to say; that Mr. Vogel and his friends had brought against him' a grave charge, which he would 6ot have to have brought, had they hot done ;so thenVelvei.' It was comparatively nothing in thelarge expenditure which we> were now incurring.' that we should pay £3000 or £4000 for MX Vogel'sjourney'through America, although he repeated that tiny economical man could have gone Home and done,1 for hundreds, work which had cost thousands. But in the extraordinary explanation which had been"made by Mr. Vogel, there arose a question of real importance. They found that he did not pay for these carriages. He accepted them as free offers from those with whom he was going to transact1 business. They had instances of other Commissioners of the Colony going Home under much more favorable circumstances for such attention being paid, but they had no record of this being accepted, and how came il: that Mr. Vogel was so well known that three railway companies should place carriages at his disposal. [A Voice : "Throwing a sprat? to catch a mackerel."] That was just the expression' he'was going to use. It was simply because Mr. Vogel had been introduced by Mr. Bropden and Mr. Webb, who, no' doubt, knew very well that they were throwing a sprat to catch a mackerel—the sprat to be swallowed by Mr. Vogel himself, and the mackerel to be provided by the electors and taxpayers of the Colony. (Laughter, groans, and hisses.) He always had had a low opinion of Mr. Vogel's ability, or his aptitude in bnsiness matters, but he never saw anything which gave him a lower opinion of his acute 'sagacity than the fact of his having written such a letter as that which had appeared in the Colonists He had been accused of inconsistency because he spoke favorably of some of the Ministers while he opposed their polioy ; but if it had been introduced by his own brother he would have opposed it. Ho would not go to the House with the full intention of attempting to turn out the Ministry, but rather with a view to making use of the present machinery, if it could be brought to do its duty, but he could look for nothing but ruin and jobbery so long as Mr Vogel was at the head of affairs. Mr. Luckie had spoken of taxation as though it were one of the most desirable thing? possible. If it were so, New Zealand ought to be the best country in the world. Without it, it would be; for it had every national advantage, and a superior class of population, and it was only its large debts, both public and private, that prevented its more rapid progression, and made it stand in such a different financial position from other countries. A national debt raised in the country into which all the interest was paid, was far different to a constant outflow of money to pay the foreign money-lender, and Mr. Luckie had himself pointed out that danger to the Colon} nine years ago. His own opinions on taxation were not in the least changed from what they used to be. He always thought a tax on land the fairest, besides which it would have prevented tlie pnrohase of large blocks by those who held them until their value waR increased by the industry of those around them. The tariff pressed far too hardly on the working man. There was one subjecb to which he would refer, which should have roused all Mr. Luckie's indignation as the protector of the working man, but to which he had never alluded, he meant the University Act, which provided for the ami mil payment of £3000 towards assisting in the education of the higher classes, who were able to pay for their own education. He liked to see education encouraged, but the class that were benefitted should pay for it. He had been asked for his policy, and he would say in a few words that it would be, if he were returned, to watch closely every penny spent by the Minister*, be they who they might, and to see that the City, the Province, and the Colony got its moneys worth for every shilling expended. The question for electors to decide was whether he would carry this policy out. A legitimate objection had been raised that he lived in nnother Province, and he would say,, if they had a resident amongst them whom they could thoroughly trust, by all means let them elect him. Jokes were made about the financial position of the Colony, but every thinking man must admit that it was a most serious, matter. We had incurred heavy debts, and had fortunately got over them so far, principally owing to the gold discoveries, but where was it all to end ? The Nelson electors appeared to. judge of the capacity of their representatives, by their audacity in proposing to place further burdens on the taxpayers, but he would earnestly impress upon them that the day must coma when they wjulii feel the effects of all this. The public creditors had not yet got Mr. Voxel's financial statement for this year, and they didn't know' how the money had been wasted, bub when they learned this they were sure to button up their pockets. The course that- we were adopting of getting recklessly into debt without considering how it waa going to be paid, must end in certain disgrace, and showed how utterly unfit we were to manage our own affairs. Personally, he did. not care a straw about the result of the election, but he felt glad of the opportunity of saying what he had done, and felt sure that the day was not far off when the electors would be glad of the services of one who would assist in arresting the downward progress of the Colony. He wished to say before sitting down that, on further consideration he was prepared to support a bill to do away with Grand Juries, as he did not think they were any longer necessary, while they gave rise to it deal of very natural ill-feeling on the part of those who had to serve on the petty juries. [Mr. Saunders was subjected to frequent interruptions during his speech, which, in consequence, apparently, of the many uncomplimentary references to Mr. Luckie and the Colonist, was in various parts listened to with some impatience on the part of the audience.]

Only a very few questions were put to the candidates, and on the show of hands being taken, at least four times the number were held up for Mr. Luckie that were shown for both the other candidates.

Mr. Henry, on behalf of Mr. Saunders, and Sir David Monro, for Mr. Richmond, demanded a poll, which took place yesterday, with the following result:

Luckie ... 307 Riohmond 156 Sauaders ... ... ... ... 74