THE ELECTIONS.

Western Star, Issue 857, 5 July 1884, Page 2

THE ELECTIONS.

MR HIRST AT OTAUTAU. Mr Hirst “opened fire” at the Public Hall on Thursday night, when there were about 100 people present. Mr J. Gardiner, Chairman of the Town Board, was called upon to preside, and in introducing the candidate he remarked that as a former representative of the district and Chairman of the County Council, he was entitled to a fair and impartial hearing. Mr Hirst, on rising, said he was there that evening to give an exposition of his political .views. He thought he was justified in coming forward considering that .he had lost the election by oneivpte. only at last contest. He hoped,’ lidwever;' ’ that' he would on this occasion, of being one behind, head the poll by 100. . The first subject upon which he touched was than of the recent dissolution of Parliament. When the House met, one of the Opposition whips proposed a want-of confidence motion, which was carried by a side, wind through the defection of a ; number of the Canterbury members owing to the raising of the r.dlway rates. Sir George Grey was asked to take the leadership in that motion, but he declined. The Ministry had been blamed for not giving the Opposition a chance to form, a Cabinet. His explanation was this, that so long as Sir George Grey was in the House there would bo no actual Opposition. Even the majority of the Opposition did not believe in Sir George. His (Mr Hirst’s) experience uf Sir George Grey’s Government was this : During his first candidature for the district, it was suggested that a certain centre should be appointed a polling place, where he expected to poll a majority; but (his was purposely neglected, and the result was that he had to put his hand into his pocket and pay for a special (rain to Lurasden to enable his supporters to record their votes there. In view of such suspicious circumstances, he did not think the present Ministry were to blame in keeping the power in their own hands during the elections.. Referring to the financial depression from which the colony is at present suffering, he said lie attributed that result to the low price that grain and wool were bringing in the home markets. He thought that the.frozen meat trade would ultimately have a good effect, and it had been shown to him by a gentleman that if properly carried out, thn timber industry could be made a profitable export. There were many other means by which our resources could be utilised, amongst which he suggested pressed hay, chaff, &c. His belief, however, was that the depression arose from want of cash, and if a new loan were floated cash would flow in and trade would be brisk again. With regard to the land laws, be thought they had been tinkered with long enough, and that the present laws afforded ample scope for settlement. At first he did not think much of the perpetual leasing system, but on consilering the nutter more carefully he thought the tenure nearly us good as the deferred payment system. A any lime between the sixth and eleventh year of occupancy the leasehold could be converted into freehold, only the rent that bad been paid Would not go towards the payment of the lgaid. TJnc|er Mr Rolleslou’s reign, moie people had been settled on the lands of the colony than under any Minister that had preceded him. The question of soiling the railways had been before the country. He did not approve of selling them, as so long as they >yeye ip our own hands (bo ratis would be lower, Wc could iqt get a syndicate to take over the whole of the railways at cost price. We could only sell the paying railways, and the non-paying ones would be left upon our hands. It had been suggested that the railways be put under a non-political boar ! of management, but wo had no experience of such a system of management, although Yipt ria had recently gone in for such a system. The railways, however, in America, Trance and England were managed by companies. Speaking on the education question, lie thought the expenditure —some £500,000--on that depar mont was excessive, and that it was time an alteration were made

He was loath to depart from the present system, but the sum was so large that he could not see that we could stand it. In proportion, too, as the colony progressed, the amount required for education would also increase. He t bought that if tbe. State confined itself to imparting a good primary education at a cost of, say, £300,0G0, that would be sufficient. The high schools should be supported solely by the people who required them—principally those living in large towns. He thought that agricultural schools should be established, so that those who wished to follow farming could be trained for the work. These would tend to induce more people to go infer taking up land, instead of drifting into the towns, and the training imparted would enable those so educated to take more out of 100 acres than they otherwise would out of 200. The question of Federation was one that could well stand over in the meantime. He was not in favor of the separation of the two islands. We had borrowed 30 millions, the whole colony was pledged to redeem that debt, and he did not see how that was to be done if we .went in for separation. It financial separation were carried, we would drift back to the old system of Provincialism, and (he result would be that we would neither have roads, bridges, or anything else —the money would all be required for expenditure in Dunedin. He would be very sorry to see the old Provincial system reverted to. As a remedy for the depression tlie establishment of local industries should be encouraged, and as showing the advantage of such, he pointed to the sawmills, many of which paid from £SO to £7O per week in wages. If we could start a woolen factory in the district that would prove of great benefit. Mosgiel was a place scarcely known until the factory was established there, now it was an important and thriving town. He had no doubt, how ever, but that tlie depression from which we weve suffering would soon pass ) away. As to the-question of further borrowing, were we, he asked, to stop borrowing and stay works that were in progress ? He failed to see how they were to get on without borrowing (o complete works already commenced. There were certain lines of railway both in the North and South Island (hat should be completed, and he did not see why money should not be borrowed for the purpose. The country was in a good position and could stand it. The direct steamers were bringing men with capital to the amount of from £IOO to £3OO, which was a hopeful sign. Further borrowing, however, meant more taxation, and we would have to pry our proportion of the tax. He held that we should return a member who would endeavor to get a share of the crumbs out of the loan. If we sent up a man who would not ask for a fair share of the expenditure for the district, we certainly would be neglected. Eegarding Lis politics, he said lie had supported the Ministry during the time he represented the district on last occasion, and if again returned it was his intention to still support the Ministry, as he did not believe in changing. If beaten in the contest he would accept the position. After a short but pithy and straight address he resumed his seat, stating that ho was ready to answer questions. Beplying to Mr Ford, he said he was not. in favor of a land tax, and when asked for his reasons ho said because ho considered a land tax was a class lax. Besides, it was unfair in its incidence, as a person might own a quarter of an acre in a town wordi £25,000, while another person owning 200 acres or more worth only a twentieth part of that sum would have to pay heavier tax on the one than the other, ss a land tax would be levied on the acreage. Iu his opinion a property tax was the fairest that could be raised, as it reached all classes of property. To Mr Quin : The terminus of the Waiau railway was fixed by Act, and he could not answer as to whether he was in favor of the terminus being altered to Otautau. To Mr O’Callaghan : I did not support the 10 per cent, reduction to apply to salaries below £2CO.

To other questions he replied : He would favor setting ap rt portion of the educational endowments for the purpose of establishing agricultural schools.— In the case, of professional men earning large salaries, if the property tax did not reach such persons, the customs got the benefit of their earnings.— The exemption under ihe-property tax was too high,and ho would favor its reduction.— He was in favor of the Q-oveniraent lending money at a low percentage for drainage purposes. He was one of the commitiee that, drew up the present Drainage Bill, but it had proved too cumbersome to bo effective.

Mr Eord : Ton have not said what you are—l know you are a gentleman [Mr Hirst: Thank you] ; but I mean you have not said whether you are a Liberal or a Conservative.

Mr Hirst: lam a Liberal, and the party I belong to have passed more liberal measures than any I know of. I am in favor of encouraging the immigration of those who can show that they possess £2OO or £3OO, but I do not approve of the riff-raff of the old country being imported to the colony. Mr o‘Callaghan • Don’t you think the riff-raff have brought the country to its present stale of prosperity?—(Laughter). Mr Hirst; No. An elector: You have not said what you’ll do iwhen you go to Welling! on. Mr Hirst: I’ll tell you when I get there. Replying to further questions he said he did not promise to get a bridge erected at Double Cabbage-tree or Yellow Bluff, and that he bad taken no steps to get a bridge put up there ; it was the duty of the member for the riding to attend to that,-—lt did not matter much whetherthe members of the Upper Housewere elected or nominated; and if they remained as at present, they should be paid only their bare expenses.—He did not think it would be wise to abolisli the Upper House.—He was in favor of the present educational system, and did not approve of the bible being introduced into schools.—Did not approve of the issue of paper money by the colony. The system was tried in Southland at one time, but it was a failure.—After a number of trifling questions had been answered, Mr Lyttelton moved, and Mr Reihill seconded, a vote of thanks to the candidate for his address.

M" Eord moved as an amendment, That this me. ting has no confidence in Mr Hirst us a member, he being a supporter of a Government that is antagonistic to the welfare of the colony.—Mr Carmichael seconded. The amendment was carried, there being about a score of hands hold up in its favor, and only some half-dozen against it, the bulk of those present refraining from voting on either side.

Mr Hirst returned thanks for the attentive hearing ho had received, and expressed (he belief that those who had voted for the amendment would alter their minds before polling day. He then proposed a vote of thunks <o ihe Chairman, and the meeting dispersed.

MR DAMEL AT THORNBURY. Mr Daniel addresse 1 some GO or 70 of the electors at Mooney’s Hotel, Thorn bury, on Tuesday evening. Air J. W. Hamilton presided. On the motion of Alt M. Instone, seconded by Mr Hodgson, the candidate was awarded a vote of thunks for his address. DR. HODGKINS ON AT THORNBURY. On Wednesday evening, Dr. Hodgkinson mat about 150 of the electors at Foster’s Hall. Mr John Walker occupied the chair. At the conclusion of his address, he received a vote of confi lencc, or. the motion of Air Hamilton.