MR CARTER AT MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 244, 21 August 1879, Page 2

MR CARTER AT MASTERTON.

Mr Carter addressed the electors last evening at the Institute, and we were glad to notice that there was a good attendance of settlers.

Mr Williams proposed that the Mayor take the ohair,

Mr Renall pointed out that the convenors of the meeting had the privelege of making the appointment, and moved that Mr Dalrymple take, the chair, Mr Williams withdrew his nomination. Mr J, Y. Smith objected to the Mayor's name being withdrawn,

Mr McCardle supported the" Mayor taking the chair, The Mayor agreed with Mr Renall that the promoters of any meeting had a right to propose a Chairman,

Mr Carter said lie would be perfectly satisfied with any Chairman a majority of the meeting might propose, Mr Woodroofe accused the Mayor of partial conduct at the previous meeting. (" Groans, hisses, and cries of sit down.") The Mayor at the wish of the meeting then took thechair, Hedidnotcome expect ing to take the chair. Mr Carter was only known to him by report, but that report was a favorable one and it gave him groat pleasure to preside at his meeting, Mr Carter then came forward and was received with applause. His address was necessarily the same as the'one deliyered in Grcytown, and if we curtail it on the present occasion wo do so because we published so much of it in our last issue. He appealed to the electors to return the two men whonvthey in their consciences believ ed to bo the best fitted to represent them. (Applause.) Referring to the Small Farm Settlements, he said that only three of the original promoters of it now left were Mr Renall, and Mr H. E Jackson, and himself. He referred to his former services to Masterton, but he did not ask them to return him on that ground, and if he mentioned them it was only to put himself right with those with whom "he was a stranger. He expressed his astonishment at the progress of Masterton alluded to its earlier history when it was a centre of progress and hoped that in the future it would be liberal Borough, and ho would wish them to remember that the wholo of the Valley was a Small Farm Settlement, JIJ-CaL-flu es-

hve million loan was probably the last' loan the colony could obtain on available terms, and if it was not carefully expended their'position would be a serious one. He contended that the Wairarapa has suffered in the progress of its public works by its representatives being of different parties. He next proceeded to the question of what they were to do with men thronciii" the streets with nothing to do, and instanced the arrival of immigrants he had recently seen coming in Dunedin, while hundreds of men were unemployed. Under such circumstances he condemned the continuance of immigration, He did not believe in reducing wages, as such a policy would drive the best men in New Zealand to other colonies, Alluding to free trade and protection, he said that New Zealand could never be agre.it and populous country unless its manufactures were encnuraged by a judicious protection. In illustrating his objection to representation based on population, lie instanced London, which, if represented on such a basis, would return 80 members, and rule the House of Commons at the expense of the country, Speaking of the question of payment of members, ho stated that he stayed at Auckland for nine months, and was paid a pound a day, which was considered then a fair sum for a gentleman to live upon. He inveighed against the recent payment of £2lO to members for a month's work; ought not proceedings of such a kind to be' stopped?—(Applause. A Voice: "Itwas the Grey party voted it.)—He did not care which party voted it, had he been in the House he would not have supported any party advocating such a payment. He warned them that if the electors did not phecksuchtendenciesthehonorariumwould

soon bo £3OO a-yeav, Mr Carter concluded an able, earnest, and eloquent address, which was by repeated applauded by indicating his willingness to answer any question which might be put to him. In answer to Mr Caselberg, Mr Carter stated that in the event of. his being returned he would not support.Sir George Grey unless the Premier carried out his principles. He would not support the Ministry as now constituted.

In answer to Mr Renall respecting the introduction of rabbits into the Wairarapa, the candidate said he was not the first to introduce rabbits into the district or to turn them out. He, however, was the first to introduce the pheasant. The pigs, thistles, and the docks were formerly the pests of the country, and the rabbits would go ill the same manner as the former pests had gone. • In answer to Mr McCardle, Mr Carter said he would support the continuance of subsidies to local bodies.

In answer to Mr Payton, Mr Carter said that if he had been in the House he would have voted against the present Ministry, but allowances must be made for Sir George Grey, who had not been properly supported by-his -party. In answer to Mr Holdaway, he advocated the local manufacture of all railway material except locomotives. ' Respecting local option, he would do nothing to des° troy the liberty of an Englishman to take a glass of beer or grog as he liked; (Applaum)

Mr Renall had a simple resolution to propose " that the meeting record a vote of thanks to Mr Carter for his address." (Hear! hear!) he did not believe that any vote of confidence should be given to a candidate but that the electors should hear every candidate and then vote conscientiously. As he had nothing to say against Mr Carter ho would have to pick someone out of the moetiug to talk at, and he would begin with Mr Caselberg. An amusing scene then took place between Mr Renall and Mr Caselberg, the latter accusing the former of borrowing a book without rclurmg it and the former justifying the omission by an alleged refusal of the latter to repair some rotten trousers which had been sold to him. Mrßenall claimed that he and Mr Carter had worked shoulder to shoulder in Small Farm movement. Referring to a vote passed to Sir Charles Clifford for covering the expense of his knighthood, he stated that he and Mr Carter were the only members in the Assembly at the timewhoopposed the vote. The speaker next passed on to Mr Williams, who had attacked him at the last meeting. There was a lively scene. The Chairman ruled thai the personal questions between Mr Renall and Mr Williams were out of order. Mr J. V. Smith cordially joined in the vote of thanks to Mr Carter, but it would have been more satisfactory to his mind if the candidate had stated clearly and positively whether he would support the present Government under Sir George Grey, or oppose it—(Applause). If Mr Carter really believed' that the present Government was not trustworthy, he' should speak out like a man, and say that, if returned, he would do his best to turn the present Ministry out. Passing on to question of addresses, he eulogised Mr Pharazyn's as the best he had read.

Mr Forguasou spoke s againstMr Carter's address, accusing him of dividing settlers into classes which had no real existence. He censured Mr Renall, and defended the landowners who had been attacked by the candidate.

Mr Duncan hoped they would know which side candidates were going to support.

Mr McCurdle defended Mr Carter from the attack made upon him by Mr Fergusson. He also arguod that it was not to tho interest of Masterton to have the railway through the .bush made too quickly. Mr Carter and Mr Renall followed and the Chairman, before putting the- resolution, referred to the personal dispute between Mr Renall and Mr Williams, and indicated that in his opinion, Mr Renall was the first to introduce personalties into the former meeting, and therefore was the principal offender. T'ho vi te of thanks to Mr Carter was carried unanimiously, after which the meeting adjourned,