To Aroha Eesction.

Thames Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 6916, 24 June 1891, Page 2

To Aroha Eesction.

SIR W. BULLER AT PAItAWAI

There was a good attendance at {the Parawai schooUhonse last night, when Sir Walter Buller, who is a candidate for the Te Aroha seat, addressed the electors. Mr E. H. Taylor was voted to the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker.

Sir Walter Bailer, who was received with applause, commenced by dealing with certain objections which had been raised against his candidature, viz.: that he was not a local man, and was practi. tally a stranger to the people in the Auckland province, that he had no political .record, jand that his interests were centred in Wellington. He contended that he was not a straDger to either the Thames or Auckland, as his father had resided at Parawai for some years, and he had himself spent a great portion of his time in Auckland. It was true that he owned a gocd many acres in Wellington, but he also bad a stake in the Auckland province. As to having no past record, he might say that ho had a public record of 30 years, during the whole of which period he had been under the strong light of public opinion, and nothing whatever could be said against him. With refer* ence to the objection that he was not a local man, be contended that a good deal could be said on the other aide. It was often an advantage to the electorate tb^t a representative should reside in Wellington, as he was at the seat of (government, and conld always promptly attend %o the wants of his constituents,: whilp if his presence was required in the district he could soon be communicated with by means of a telegram, and be promptly on the spot, This localism had been the curse of the colony, and personally he locked forward to the time when it would be removed by the introduction of the Hare Bvst«m. lie was in sympathy Wi.\% tne Government, §ncj "was prepared, to gjv,e them. h(s sqppqrt §q lon's *9 th,ey acted op to and were' true to their principles. The speaker then proceeded to deal at considerable length with the question of the settlement of the lands of tb,e and, after Quoting %# tfte yepent census returns to sho^ the great extent to whiph the esodus had b.een going on, main-; tsined that tbjs regrettqhla, jjtaja 'of affairs bad been bright "aqout by our land laws not being sufficiently liberal. The remedy vias to be found in offering the small settler every inducement to settle on the land. The rcanuer in which land rnHy ba taken up under the present ianni la^a s^g j-eyie^e^ esfsjofga length,, | aod. ia the'coupe ejf hjs remarks "the speaker expressed himself as being opposed to land nationalisation, The perpetual lease was not a lease in the ordinary sense of £fa.g> te^cn, £or £!}e tqntjUtjpuja, convert it into a freehold aj; wi|l." To his mind it would not be Wise to abolish this I provision, because it would be blocking a I man's chance of a freehold. Education ?rj<J other endovfrgen^g goujd ba helcl BB^'lf fe etfRPMH ielp» H>£au,sß |h>y were considered^ to, foe a §ou,roe of raven \\e for ever for the purposes of whigh the laad had foeeo i»o£ gp&yj. They bad sold 18 millions acres. So far as the question of dealing in native lands was concerned, he considered that the Government bad always given oiuite sn ample cempanustiaa fop Urthsf %i >Vug|t; |t W oof rjght'that native owners should benefit by the introduction of capital, and not pay any rates on their property. The Government $JQ.I4 w<a^ buyland fronVtbe 'native* a&y'eheaper than p^te Individuals, as the natives were now yery suspicious of the Government. He believed that if the colony were to prosper they must hove frse l*adc ia native langs. Tfc e tlovernaient should j?ewo,ye somp of the di^culties which had to be oyereonje before the purchase of native lands could be completed, '• ije Relieved that the Native Land, Qo^rt was a cijmbrou.9 ingtitQtjoa, bqt had no doubt done good aeyviee in the past, and he would not support its abolition. He hoped, that i tribunal would be set up by the Government for the Battling ofr the titles of native land. He considered Mf Bees' scheme as being impracticable, and thought the Maoris should be treated

more like men than mere children. He was strongly opposed to any more borrowing, and thought that great praise was due to the Atkinson Government for the resolute way in which they had set their face against it. He approved of Mr Ballance's taxation proposal;?, and was a strong advocate of Australasian Federation and Free Trade, while he also believed in the completion of the ThamesTe Aroha railway, retrenchment, and every possible assistance and encouragement, being accorded to the mining industry. Sir Walter Buller, who was most attentively listened to throughout, resumed his seat amidst applause.

An unusually large number of questions were asked, amongst them being the following :—

Do you believe that the land, metals, timber, and gum should be a national properiy, seeing man has nothing to do with their production ?—No, as he thought that the rights of the individual must be conserved.

Would you endeavor to make it possible for New Zealanders to deal in New Zea land bonds in New Zealand ?—No.

Will you pledge yourself to support the present Government and follow the party even if in Opposition ?—He wonld be true to his party, but would not accept the position of a mere delegate. When the present Government went out of office he hoped to see a young New Zealand party formed.

Ara you in favor of the Government giving a bonus of £1000 a year to maintain the Big Pump?—He had not suffl« cient information on the subject, but if it would be for the good of the district he would support it He had never previously heard of the Big Pump.

Are you a member of the Blue Eibbon Army. and are you in favor of prohibition ?—He was not a Blue Eibbonite, but was what was termed a moderate drinker. He thought that these intemperate advo cates of temperance did more harm than good. He was not in favoj of prohibition, but thought that oompdnsatian should fee paid to puhiicans in the eveat of them being deprived of their Uaenses.

Have you stated to aay person in Te Arob,a that OoJanei Pyase* would retire in you? fwat aftes nomination ?—No, he hadf cat no.t done so., and, as was the case that evening, had never mentioued any candidate in his speech. Would you vota for i» clause in The Mining Act to mak* it legal for the S3ee*etary of each Miners' Union to lodge a plant against any company for nonworkiq^ $< ground, so that tha ground Should not he held fos? speculation only ? T-Tes,, \\a it was most necessary. Is \t tipae that Mr Bagnall has agreed to stand out of this contest and S«t you the votes of his sawmill rn.esj »£ you abolish the wharfage dues/pa Hm.ber and get the limits of tha Thames Harbor Board curtailed S—No, there was.no saeh compact, nor had the matter e?a? l>een mentioned.

If you aro rcorned will you support th?) lia^or Ijills now before the House, aod every way support the claims of the working m.BD?-«iße was quite in sympathy with the labor movement, but they must consider each measure on its merits. In reply to other questions Sir Walter Buller stated—He would got «<ate for the wpeal of the compulsory clauses of the Yaoqipat^ b,e thought the Bankr.u/pt^y Laws were a disgrace to tbjE> #mn« try and required amendment \ ho was not aware that any of l»'q itfeads bad ever asked that i\e i&oqlcl ba called to the ■$pcs Hi'o^se^ ha had never asked, for the p.ost of Agent-Genoral; if oWted, he could not promise to no^o and reside in the district; h^ wa.ujcj not vote for the C.Dj A^t; "h,a w,as, not \a favojr of the abo}ity>n o.t the gold duty, b»t of its r^. duc.tion; he hp\k [Yfld in t»o nWos^y Jf ;goa,rd,s Qf (Joaoiliation to soltte disputes between eapitaland labor; he a s in favor of female suffrage.

°V5 c L m*°, tl0?r Of &. N. Smith, seconded by Mr H, w\!,u, a uearty voto o. thanks m .Horded to Sir Walter W\*K> m ill", address and a simiUr compm,9«t to the Chairmau terminated the meeting. .