The Members for the Wairarapa.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1864, 30 July 1886, Page 2

The Members for the Wairarapa.

During the recent “ Ng Confidence ’’debate, Messrs Buchanan and Beetham, who voted against the Government, took occasion to express their views. Mr Buchanan said that the Government had been actuated by localism of the worst kind in many instances, such as in the district railways proposals, aod the Charitable Aid Act. What about the Government's localism regarding Justices of the Peace, asked Mr Buchanau ? Mr Beetham, because he was not a Government supporter, could not get Justices in one part of his district ; and he had the same cause of oomplaiut, because in one populous centre of his district there was only one Justice, in spite of frequent representations of the necessity for further appointments. Ke asked where the Premier had ever proposed to “ taper off ” borrowing ? The Premier told them that his views had never changed in regard to borrowing ; yet he had associated himself from the first with the Treasurer, who might be called the very incarnation of borrowing. He denied that Captain Russell’s motion had had the effect of reducing the price of labor. In conclusion, he hoped the Premier would do more in the future to put his speech of the previous evening into operation than he bad done in the past. Mr Beetham also made a good speech. He said he was not in favor of a railway policy as against toads, and he was convinced that the money to be spent on taking the railway up to Woodville would have been much more beneficial if spent in roads. Roads in bush country were more irauortaut than railways. Uo remarked that £2BO would be all the money Wairarapa would get for the year for opening up Crown lands, although Wairarapa East would have a claim for damages on account of lailway extension. With regard to Mr Duncan’s reference to the amount the Wairarapa counties received under the Roads cud Bridges Construction Act, he thanked the hon member and others who Lad brought it up, heoau-e if, showed that the Wairarapa members understood the Act, and had looked alter the interests of their constituents. He did not think that the Public Works Department exercised proper care in letting contracts, and instanced one or two occurrences iu his own district as prov» ing this. He thought contracts should not be let to men who did not understand the work. In conclusion, he expressed his intention of supporting the amendment.