MR BEETHAM AT CARTERTON.

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

MR BEETHAM AT CARTERTON.

Mr .Beetham addressed the electors at Carterton in the Public Hall, on Tuesday evening after the volunteer drill. There was a very largo audience, several having come many miles to attend the meeting! Mr Hooker, having been voted to the Chair, introduced Mr Beetham with a few appropriate wcrds, and asked that he should have a patient and impartial hearing.

i Mr Beetham, on rising stated that he ■ should be as brief as possible, owing to [ the lateness of the hour, as, on finding it s was the drill night of the local corps" of s volunteers, and knowing the martial spirit i that existed in Cartorton, he had ads jouvned the meeting until the drill was i over. The first topic touched on by the . speaker was the amendment of the Waste Land Law. He advocated an extended system of deferred payments, by which we might secure a careful and hardy class of immigrants that would be a credit to the Colony in the future. He was in favor of Small Farm Settlements, quoting Mauriceville and Eketahuna as successful undertakings on that system, and referring to the limited success of the Alfredton I settlement through want of road commu- » nication, and thought more thorough ' means of communication should be forced on in the future. He was against continuing free immigration at the public expense, but advocated the nominee system, sinco those who had settled here were a kind of guarantee for immigrants who came into the country under this system. He was in favor of a Property and Income Tax. He believed in reducing taxation as much as possible, but did not think it could be done to any great extent at present, as we had to provide for tiie further loan. He was a Free Trader but thought in a new country certain industries should in a measure be protected. He specially referred to the Timber Trade, as America could export timber at a less cost than we could cut it, owing to its natural advantages. America, too, charged duty on our wool, and until there was a reciprocity of charges, he thought it was only fair that the goods imported from the States should recoup what we had to pay. The speaker advocated the extension of the franchise to all who had been in the Colony twelve months on the basis of a six months' residence in the district for which they requested to become electors. He opposed the proposed Maori Dual Vote, Referring to the County System, he thought aid by way cf subsidy out of the general consolidated fund should be given to the Councils to maintain the Main Arterial Roads, and quoted figures, shewing how unequal the division of subsidies had been in the past, so that while some districts had more than they knew how to spend and were obliged to fund their surplus income ' others had not the means at their disposal ' to carry out the most necessary' works, i The speaker briefly referred to the Rab- i bit Nuisance, and advocated the whole of i

the VVairarapa being proclaimed a rabbit district. : With regard to the Native Question, he was in favor of a mixed commission of Europeans and Maories. He pointed out that the Railways were paying a fair interest on their cost of construction, and advocated their extension and the pushing on of roads concurrently with and as feeders to them. With regard to Triennial Parliaments, although he had at first bean opposed to such a measure, if he found that the general feeling of the electors was in favor of such a measure he would be prepared to support it. Mr Beetham concluded by stating that he should be glad to agaijvjisfresent the electorate, and if returned would not allow any private interest to stand in the way of the welfare of the district.

Mr Beetham having answered a few questions put to him in a most satisfactory manner, and Mr Boys having referred to some of the topics that had previously been dwelt upon, and announced that he had decided not to contest the district at the present election, the following resolution was moved by Mr T, Bennett and \ carried;— f-

"That this meeting having every confidence in Mr George Beetham as a member for the Wairarapa District, is desirous of according him a vote of thanks for his past services, and undertakes to use its beat endeavors to secure his return at the forth-coming election."—Carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.