THE ELECTION.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2089, 6 July 1887, Page 2

THE ELECTION.

MU BUNNY AT CARTERTON. On Monday night Mr Danny addressed the electors at Carterton, in the Public Hall. There were, according to tha estimate ol the custodian of the hail, about 500 persons present, and the proceedings were mo.I orderly. Mr li T'airhrotber, Chairman ol the Town Board, presided, and in introducing the can* didate bespoke for him a fair and impartial hearing ; be said that Mr Bunny was there to ask their support, and give an explanation of his future line of action ; he remarked that the Carterton people had always given much attention and taken great interest in political matters and the spirit of fair play had always manifested itself in all meetings of the kind in the district. (Applause). Mr Bunny is coming forward said: Mr Fairbrother and electors of Wairarapa South, having again come forward as a candidate to represent you in the next Parliament, I have invited you to meet me this evening, to consider certain public matters that will occupy the attention of tha new House of Represen talives. I am proud to see such a larg meeting here tonight, and am confident the , when the ballot box is in requisition you will vote lor the man who is most likely to further the best interests of the colony and to assist to promote the progress of this wellfavored and highly important laud of the Southern Seas. I may tell you at once that I am neither a Vogel man nor an Atkinson man, and greatly deplore the late line ol policy adopted by our representatives which has been nothing moie or less than Vogel against Atkinson or Atkinson versus Stout, [f elected I shall go down free from all trammels of party. I indeed would like to see an n’irely new team replace the present or any to’ met governments, and would like to see so re yet untried men have a turn at the helm of affairs, that would bo free from all consideration of party or prejudice and not be continually working for place and pay. Let us have men to handle the aeins ol power, who are supremely above fetch desires and who work heartily, not for themselves or their oolitical friends, but for the common weal. There are two very important subjects that I propose to; deal with first, and that is the incidence of taxation and the settlement of the people on the lands. I will deal now with THE INCIDENCE OP TAXATION. There is no country better able to do its duty in this direction than Mew Zealand—but I say, let the wealthy beat their fair share • of the burden of taxation ; they have not hitherto done so ; let the property owners, net the mass of the people, beat the weight of the contributions towards the revenne of the country. Such goods as we cannot manufactu e ourselves, or articles such as tea and sugar, which we do not produce, I would admit free of all duty, and in that sense lam prepared ; to accept limited protection forallgoods weeani not manufacture or produce ourselves ; but, upon such productions which the colony can realise from its own resources, I would put on a protective tariff. He quoted the Revenue duties returns as follows L 307.337 ; pro. perty tax on real estate, L 116,376,659 ; on tea and sugar, L 172.591 ; total, L 479.928, and adding merchants’ profits on those two items alone, viz., tea and sugar, we pay close upon L 200.000. I would say, relieve the working classes of these two duties ; let us place it upon the property and wealth ol the colony, and then the property holders would only pay their fail share which is now taken out of the tea and sugar. Even if they paid one third mote than they 3o at present, in my opinion, and in that opinion I am sure the intelligent audience before me will coincide, the wealthy class would only be contributing their equitable quota toward the maintenance of our country’s expenditure. The personal property of this colony is valued at L 82,510,315 and the real estate i5L1i0.376,659. I say we must put the saddle on the right horse, and put the burden on the wealth ol the country, not on tne shoulders of the hard striving working man. I say let the man with thousands a year pay for it, and the man that monopolises a large bulk of the land pay in proportion to bis position. The property of the large landowner is daily increasing in value by the money we borrow apd the working classes are helping to find the, interest upon such properties. Let ns knock off all dnties on goods or produce we cannot manufacture or grow ourselves—let us have a PROGRESSIVE LAND TAX AND INCOME TAX. Many a man with a thousand acres does not oontiibute more to the revenue of t'‘ colony than a working man does, ai.u ] some not so much, and they (land owners) should be compelled to bear their fair share of the burden. There are many men now living at ease at home, who are bleeding the country of its fair resources, who do not contribute a cent to its revenne. I would like to get at these abseateee ; 1 would make them contribute their lair share, and would do it promptly and unmistakably. We are greatly a progressive colony. Why, gentlemen, I can remember, and many perhaps of this large and representative audience can •emember, when one little schooner, the Nelior, could supply all the wants of this Welu'gtou district; but look at the present time at he large and handsome fleet or fast ateam< rs that now visit our port, and is that not suii.cient evidence alone that we are progress.og and with great and sure strides. Look at our banka that ate sucking our profits; 1 would make them pay a proportionate tax to the country which at present they do not furnish. Look at our army of lawyers, doctors and other professional men ud officials. I would like togetat them, and tauae them to pay proportionately to their incomes. tam certain that a progressive land tax and an income tax would meet all the requirements of the colony, and then the taxation would be altogether on a fairer badis; it would npt fall go heavily on the mechanic and the laboring man, but ijpon )hoge who are the best able to find the motley. One objection I have to the present Customs duties is, that the people are paying the profits of the merchant, the middleman and retailer all at o-’ce in the way of duties ou imported gpbus. A progressive land tax would make up the deficiency caused by the removal of the tariff on necessaries of life and would put a step effectaally to fargd estates which are the bane of the colony ; the large landholder would then see the advantage of cutting up bis laud into smaller holdings and thus giving the man with a small capital a chance to invest. I shall not, if elected, support Mr Ballance’s 1)111 in reference to large estates, as I would not favor the scheme of depriving the present owners of their freeholds, btjt having purchased these large estates they should a sum per acre in proportion to the increased or increasing value of those acres, which increased value has on! 1 ' been brought about by the fact of the increase of a population, a certain portion of which has neen unproportionately taxed to assist the landowner to acquire wealth. Mr Arthur some years ago bought about 13,000 sere* qn the Taiatahi Plain, and Ur Featherston was only too glad to pocket the money o« behalf of the government, and perhaps be was right, and the owners ol large estates have every right to their purchases, but they should be made to share the duties they i >vo to the state without the intervention of u Land Acquisition Bill. (Applause.) INCOME TAX. I would limit the income tax to Ll5O and any man who earns less than that should be exempt. settlement of land. Well, we want population as well as sheep, and parties with small means should have every facility lor settling on the land, but before putting the small settlor on the land I w-uld first make him a road, and build him a bridge of ?. riJ WS where required, so that he might approach his hd'tJiho Without difficulty. I would not have the land laid Off in large inconvenient blocks, bnl small sections, so that men of limited capital could be enabled to live on them and get the means also of subsistence with a little time for labor outside. Mr Fairbrothcr would no doubt remem bar that many of the substantial settlers in . the Carterton Town district, or what was now the Borough, commenced with the ten { .acre sections and met with the success doe

to their exertions, and many had since sold these 10 acre sections with great advantage Out of 389 holders of sections under the piesent Land Settlements Act, only 25 were in arrears and that proves that the system ia working well, and will undoubtedly work well iu (be (utnre if carried out in a practical manner. BORROWING. Many say, pat a stop to borrowing, and the class that raise this outcry more than others are men that possess large estates and have acquired valuable lands, It is upon the same principle that many a man goes upon a Road Board for the sake of making a road to bis own dour. After he gets a good road to bis bouse be will perhaps say “I do not care about anyone else.” " I do not wish to affirm that Road Board members generally work upon this plan, although there are such exceptions ; but for ns to stop borrowing altogether; because others have progressed, there ia no reason why we should stand still; let as have judicious borrowing and judicious and caieful spending, then our progress as s colony is assured, and we shall steadily go abend and beat any other colony under the sun, if we only use ordinary precautions in the way wo manipulate out money, but our railways must be completed and I would borrow to finish them. RAILWAYS. Out railways have conferred a great and ' lasting benefit upon the community, and we do not sufficiently consider the full extent of the benefit the country has derived from the railways. I would neither sell or lea-e onr railways, and so long as the railways are in the hands of the Government they are really a great benefit to the colour as a whole, and will continue to be so. When we can remember that not so many years ago it took two days to journey from the Wairarapa to Wellington, and the same time to return from thence to our homes, and now you can go and return iu one day for less fare, not considering the extra expense and inconvenience on the road, 1 say, it ia now, aa far as convenience and expense is concerned, both a great saving of time and money. Let us control the money accruing from the railways and guide it as we think fit; let us have no monopolising private companies, but if any profits or advantages are to be derived, and before long good profits will certainly be derived, let the country have the benefit. Why ? If we had no railways we should be paying L 25.000 more to the revenue than we do now, but I can tell you how the railways conld be made to show a larger margin of profit than they are now credited with ; let us charge the police department with the free passages of constables and prisoners, and other departments that use the line with free passes; then again I would charge members of the legislature with their passages when in the recess, also the members of the Government when not upon public business. We should also consider the saving to the Mail Service which should be shown against that department. EDUCATION. I am not prepared to alter the present vote, I am quite prepared to apeak upon this question, but I certainly am not prepared to reduce the State schools to the 4th Standard, and knock off the sth and 6th ; of the total, schools in this Board's district there are 08 iu camber; 30 have only one teacher. Reducing to the 4th standard wonid only save something under LIOOO ; unless we can save more than that 1 am not prepared to reduce the teaching in the State schools. There is one thing which I think might, and should be altered, and that is, the method now adopted. There is at present too much cramming and too many subjects, and there is too much of a mixture. Take reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, and spelling ; all jumbled up with geography, Ac., each separate subject be well grounded into a child’s mind ; not one muddle and chaos of subjects as at present; one child has not the same capacity to grapple with a particular subject that another child may possess; some are t trong in some subjects, some in others, they cannot be all put through the cramming machine and come out with the same mental culture. I would not only have learning with the head, but also learning witu the bauds ; let them teach trades in the schools. I would also knock off the vote for a higher education ; (hose that want (hat Inxury should be made to pay for it. I hope before long that a more wholesome war of imparting instruction will be introduced.

NATIVE AFFAIRS. I will go further iuto Native affairs than I intend to at present, when I address a Native audience, which I intend to do shortly. I am of opinion that the time is comics when we shall see the policy of leaving the Natives clone to manage their own affairs in their own recognised style. X have recently read of three Natives being sentenced to death for a deed committed in their own district, and I think that the Natives could have attended to this matter themselves without our interference, but I shall speak more on Native subjects in good time. I intend, if elected, to go to Parliament free and unfettered, know ing neither patty nor Government and I think you will find that if the great trust U reposed in me that 1 shall not abuse it, but work entirely for your interests. INDEBTEDNESS AND ASSETS. I have before me printed returns of our assets and liabilities March 31, 1886 ; assets, L 215,294,959 ; liabilities, L 89,491,324 ; and we should be proud of our position financially .particularly aswe haveLl 18.803,623 I surplus which if divided, would amount to L 223 per heed fop every adult in the colony. Those that complain' most of our financial position ate those that have made the most out of it, and 1 repeat that a sound system of further borrowing and judicious spending would keep the colony in a prosperous condition and the colony would be continue to prosper, and we heed not be' under any alarm as we are in a sound healthy'state. ' RETRENCHMENT. Retrenchment In some directions could be adopted with advantage to tbe colony. There is the defence system; that expense is so muob money thrown away, and the money i that is now being squandered in that way should be spent on roads and bridges. Our very weakness is our strength ; we are like a I little boy showing fight to a big man ; tbe big man wuujl net notice (he little boy until be made himself offensive, then perhaps he wonld have to chastise him. There is, 1 believe, a commission commg out consisting of Colonels Boddam, Shaw, and Sir G. : Whitmore, and what is the use of it to ns as a colony ; it is meat and drink to tbe members qf the commission, but it is a useless and I stupid expense ' tq the colony. Rotiyitß standing all our defence works, should a Russian fleet feel inclined to attack us il would be sure to find an opening somewhere, then our works would aU be useless ; the money in that direction is now thrown away and all we have in return is a few finely dressed men with their caps cocked on oue side, of very little use to us. I would knock off L 150.000 of that vote. In conclusion, Mr Bunny said that he considered that the members of the Upper Bouse should receive much less honorarium than they did at present ; ho said it was great pleasure to meet n number of sensible I men like those present ; it was not the first time and be trusted that it would not be the last that he should havs the honor of addressing them. He felt that money was being spent in many directions and tbat that powerful medium would no doubt be brought to bear against him, but be relied upon tbe good secse and discrimination of the electors of Wairarapa South, and he felt sure that be nned not fear the result. He observed that be would be in favour of withdrawing the free passages of members of Parliament on ibe railways during the recess, but would grant them during tbe session ; he said be felt pleased that tbe Manawatu Railway Company presented free panes to ' .embers daring the session. He would discontinue the San Francisco mail service i , a J thus save L 23,000 to the colony. Onr t.usinesain the colony went all right when we got letters once a month, and he did nut see why the colony should subsidise a mail service that only beuefitted merchants in J other parts. The general expense* oijtbe (toreromot 1

should also be considerably decreased, (here should not be so many officials circulating memos to ami fro m etch oepartmeut, doing the circumlocution business ; there might be a earing in that direction. Our Ministers should also devote the whole of their business hours to the work of (he country and not allow private business to intervene. As regards Local Government, we want the means to carry on good Local Government ; let ns have less forms and larger powers and with more money, so that we could hand over to Local Bodies means by which our roads could be more effectually opened up.

Qe said to would sum np bis view* shortly, be wonid knock off Customs Duties on everything we conld not produce ourselves ; nore of ns consume in our families less than a lb of tea per week on an average, and regarding such things as we can produce he would have moderate protection. He would have a progressive Land Tax, and considering that much land had been bought at moderate prices the owners oonld well afford to pay extra for lands which the country bad assisted to make of such extra value to them. He considered that an income tax if imposed, would catch hold of the aheentee ; the very man he would like to petal,as bt (the absentee) pays nothing towards the maintenance of order Ac., of the colony. Free passes on railway* he would to an extent curtail, and the Ban Francisco service he would not subsidise. He said, let what the country wants be tsken out of the wealth of the colony ; the man with no stake as they called him (Mr Bunny) can know where the shoe pinches. Hs was there to apeak ont. They wanted some one outside the sheep farmer or land owner to represent them, and a poor man could best work for a poor man ; he knew where the shoe pinched. Tie had heard that his opponents said “ Don’t vote for Bunny,” as he will go in lor taxing ; now that was absurd ; the name of Buony was well known; he had children and about half a hundred of grand clii.dren, and was that no stake in the country. The cry of the opposite side was that we are xo poor ; but how could that be sard when the country at the recent holidays spent in pleasure and enjoyment about LI per head ; and be felt bound to say that if someone introduced a Punch and Judy show in Wellington, a number would take ticket! to go to see it. In Maaterton on June 2t be aaked a tradesman why they held the Jubilee there and he waa informed that it was not so much on sooount of the Queen or to demonstrate their loyalty l ot to keep the money in the place—or probahiy Wellington might be the attraction—and he considered the tradesmen was quite right in his idea of tbs matter, and the money was a* well kept in the place where it was earned ; it wits a sensible coime to ukc. He would say to them again, let. u* turn oar attention to the settlement on the land and they need not fear the result. He wbould go to Wellington, if elected, free to take whatev t course he thought fit ; he waa not bound to any party or pe'son. Why, if Atkinson died, or Vogel died, there would he someone quite equal to each to take their plaee and the conns try would do well without either of them. As it was now, it was Vogel on the one side and Atkinson on (he other. As they said yetrs ago, let tlie old hala go ont and the new hats corns in and have fresh blood altogether. He hoped, if the; did return him, that his course would meet with their approval and support. He was pleased to see so many there. Let them not be carried away by any insinuations and remember that there was no harm in voting (or a poor man. Mr Price aaked Mr Bnnny his idea of the Governor’s salaey, and also (be salaries of members of the Government.

Mr Bun ay said he was quite prepared to support a reduction of the salary of the next Governor of New Zealand, bat the salary of Mis Excellency the preseat Governor could not be altered. Respecting the question of Ministers' salaries, lie said that be did not think if a man devoted alt bis time aad did bis daty £ISOO per annam was too much remuneration for such services. He would do away with Ministerial residences, as many Ministers lived on their lodging allowance# and saved their honorariums. He would self the expensive residences and turn them into money. He would reduce the next Governor’s salary from L7OOO to LSOOO. Mr Sydow asked if Mr Bunny was in favor of making the Legislative Council an elective body. Mr Bunny replied that he was in favor of a nominative system, not for life, but for seven years, sod with large electorate*. MrParkerasked if Mr Bunny wasinfavorof a graduated Land Tax 1 Ur Bunny aaid he wonld haye the land taxed according to its quality, and in reference to a progressive Land Tax, be said that if a person owned 50,000 acres of land be would make the tax touch him up.

Mr Parker said he waa very much plesssd at Mr Bunn;’* opinions on the inoome tax, aa no man under Mr Bunny's proposed system would pay but those who oould afford to do so. Ur Oollingwood Goodin rose to ask a question, and was assailed with groans and Lootings from the crowd at the baok of the hall. Mr Goodin’s question was evidently anticipated by a number present. Ur Both Hart said that Mr Goodin bad as much right to speak as any other person. (More bootings). Mr Bunny and the chairman asked that Mi Goodin be allowed to ask a question. A voice—He is no friend to Mr Bunny. Mr Bunny—Well 1 like to hear the opinions of both friends and enemies. Mr Goodin again essayed to speak but the audience at the back positively refused tq hear a word, and eventually MrGoouiu wrqts down h<s question and banded it to the reporters. It was too this effect—Would you tell me, Mr Bunny, how you could find a work* log man 7s per day. Mr Bunny: Out of my breeches pocket in the way we have to find money for other things, such as taxes on tea, sugar, Ac. 1 Mr Boys moved and Mr Callister seconded, a vote ol thanks to Ur Bunny tor his address.

An elector rose to move a vote ot oonfi. denoo.

Mr Bunny—l would say to yon my triends confine it to a vote of thanks. I hope you ate satisfied with my views which are sincere, and 1 hope the cordial feeling which has prevailed tonight will not die out, but will keep increasing from day to day until that great day when you go to the poll, and then 1 trust that you will unmistakably express your confidence in me by placing me again in that proud position 1 have held before, at the tup of the poll. The proceedings theu terminated with • vote of thanks to the chair.

Mr Bunny addressed a well-attended ana orderly meeting o( the electors ol Walrsrapa at the Town Hall, Gruytown, last night. Mr H Udy, sen., the Mayor of Grrytown, in the chair, who introduced the candidate amid some expressions of applause. Mr Bunny reiterated luostoi me seulliH™!” !“'! “P'."l / 'as lie expressed at bis Carterton meeting, be said be had read the speeches of tue various candidates, ministerial and otherwise, and he was much disappointed as they contained nothing but recriminations " VoudiJ it.aud I didn’t.” He said a few years ago there was oq pioperty tax in existence, and only Customs duties to raise revenue upon, and the bordtn of taxation had lor some time fallen upon the working man—not only the duly, but also tbs profit came from the same source; they would agree with him that it was uow time to shift the burden and make property pay its fait share. He would do away with the Property Xhx altogether, let the large estates pay their proportion and indues people to settle on tn4 laud as well as sheep. Borne men st present with a LIOOO per year did not pay mors to toe revenue than the man with 7s psr day. It was only about 80 years ago that tbs si*a> met Nelson supplied all their require men I* and she had to be sold in Sydney lieoaase lbs trade was not sufficient to keep her going. So bow oould they ssy the colony was not progressing when they look at their present oom< metoe. He would first make roads before settling people on lauds. Mr It Hall ksndsd u.j a paper asking Mr Bunny if as a member o. the I aod Hoard, Charitable Aid and Edn-ci-tioti Boards end College Governor he bad a A been claiming travelling expenses Iron, each of these bodies, making one journey (o Wellington (o attend ad four meetings.

Tin Chairman said it tu a mean question. M , gyaaj mu! fee did cot know tiie mover a* be bad not appended his name he supposed be m übiaM ol it His short answer to such a question was •• No.' jj, iunr to Mr Brooks be sa. - bat Specie! gettlemenU have no stronger supporter than him— is bat before patting s poor mao m, the laad be tbooght ibat be should base means of approach to bis property. He said be had been in the colony 34 years, and be valued bis stake ;o it even mote than me mau with bis landed property could, his Make was the dearest ties s man could have ou earth, and many a mau with laud and sheep would perhaps give much that they possess to possess soefa a (lake, but it might not be m their power to do ao. He believed that there were too mauy small local bodies with small powers ; he ad voeated leas ol these bodies paying clerks and engineers, and would have larger local bodies with more power aud inua money to spend Ws meet the same men on the County Council as ou the Boad Boarda as members. We do not want a policy of safety but progress, be would borrow sufficient money to complete works aud railways nowin baud wuich would take about two millions of pounds and than he would consider whether further progress in Public Woiks should be undertaken ; their railways were s great boon to the country aud should be completed He would abolish the i Native office aud do the work in the Colooial . HaereUry a department. He was in favor of ; rad noiog the number of members of the House ol Bepresentatives. Ha said the census j taking more cost every time, because of toe i staady increase in tbs population. | On the motion of Mr H Udy. juor., accoo- j dad by Mr C W Harnblow a hearty vote of thanks was rendered to the candidate amid acclamation. A vole of thanks to the chair j then terminated the meeting. j