MR. ORMOND AT WOODVILLE.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 174, 19 November 1881, Page 2

MR. ORMOND AT WOODVILLE.

fflT OTTB SPECIAL BBPOBTtR] — ■ » Mr. 3. D. Orfflotid addressed the electors of Wuodville on Tuesday evening. Mtr, Fountain occupied the chair, and ths speaker wa* listened to with attea« tioa :luring the evening. Mr. Orraond wa3 greeted with? loudapnku*e upon rising. He stated that he had left his address till late, hut the writs had then been issued, but as he had addressed the electors m Waipawa, he would repeat what he had then said, and answer any questions. The newspapers had rcoorfed him fully at Waipawa, bo he would ; confine him elf to local subjects. There were three candidates — Messrs Johnstone, Smith, and himself and they had also issued addresses. Mr. Johnstone wai the Govern tnpnt candidate, and he bad already spoken and criticised him, bnt he had got very far from his mark, and had been mistaken himself and mis'ed bis friends. With regard to Mr. Smith, he h:ul:to say that as that gentfemin was the owner of the Waipaita Mail, he (Mr. Ormond) cautioned people against believing all they saw m that panar with regard to himself, much of which was totally at variance with truth. He bad deliberately mistat.ed how he had voted on the Chinese question : and although it bad since, been withdrawn, it should never have been made. On reference to Hansard to see how he had voted on every subject, it would be. found that he bad vo*ed acrainstthe introduction. The Wairaaa. Mfril had always been particularly hostile to him. When he was a member of the Government, m the capacity of Minister of Public Works, the Messrs Broaden complained that they could not carry out their contracts, and he referred the matter to all the Provincial Superintendents, and finding that all were hostile to the introduction of Chinese, he refus'd Messrs Brogden's request that thpy might be allowed to import some. , Mr. Johnfitone, the Government canrtid'lte. had wished to withdraw and br.d written to Wellington on the point, bnt he was urged to go on and do his best to keen him (the speaker) out; and the result was th»t both Messrs Johnstone ; and Smith wee working heaven and earth to do so. He did not think the 1 measures of last Parliament, were the very i best, or that the plan agreed upon wa« liki4v to be carried out, consequently he | had prooo-ed that they should be left ! until next Parliament. The only measpre of importance which had been dealt with, was the Licensing Bill, and this w.»s rnased by both parties m the House. There were two measures brought down m reference tn Local Government. The drown artcT Native lands were to be rited— ' he fiolony wis to pay the rate nrson the Native lani — the rate to 'm ch T^ed upon it when it changed hands, sutlers land to be rated at twenty sWling« an acre; and Native land, tw nty shillings an acre—a very untfnr nv^«nre. Major Atkinson's scheme of local sr»v>mment wiih regard to the 10-n to County Councils and Roid Boards from Jonns and saving •• hank trust funds, the ' alance to come out of the land fund, was a. most unsatisfactory proposition r^th to the County Councils and the Holonv. and they were generally con(lpmnfl, As they were aware he had ■ on-wed them, and having given notice that tVy were imnracticable, whi«h vii-nnHy amounted to a na-coofi'lence motion He thouabt the issue would be j fiir ground unon which to go to the] country, and be dealt with by the next Parliament. But tho Ministry were afraid to stand the test and threatened to ■ ros^n. and as people were afraid Sir, fJecrffe Grey would get into power, the ndver«c vote was not pushed. Because he (MY. Ormond) held those opinions, he 'iad been csilrd a diserter to his party, but although he had been twenty years m Parliament he had n*ver seen such proreodm<rs before. Estimate^ and business rushed through tHrroireh the House without a deb >t e . The F.stimites wre pasvjd, bnt Mr. Rrvre had moved that a reduction of £30.000 should be made. The Parliament dnnnsc the l«st part of the s -ssion wns m a den'orably disorganified state and nothinsr had heen donesntisfactorilr. With regard to'their own railroad, h* had cone to the Minister of PuShc Works to see what was proposed by the Government, and he found out the Government wa« to find about £20,000 to mike it from Kaitoki to and that not hetnar to mr mind satisfactory, he got 'Rn«sell th help him, and br representfng that the line was the he-' psyinsr m the "NTorth Tsland ; and by coin? to Mr. BUckett they soon saw that that wnuld he no jjood, no they advanced to £25,000 .W.b«t he proposed was, that they would let the two bridses ion the Tahorite speMon. anl go on eurtin? between between Mr. Cross's and Taborite, and formation srone on with. He read memos, which had passed between him *nd the Government m reference to this work — pointing out that only four milea had been opened m; fowr years. The session before la«t»* there was a j petition from settler* m Danevirk and N"r.rs?wood, and he had wged upon the Government to go' on with the works' so as to find employment for sftt'era, but the Government had treated him Kadlv. There wes for that year a vote of £37,000. That was a?l he was able to set voted, and there was a Tirge number of unempTrved m aTT the Targe centre* of ponulaffon, ancf --there wa» a vote; of £75.000 to make small sectiongofrailwayff to relieve the distress He read a Tetter which be had written twelve months* previously to the Government urging them to find employment for the j working srttlers m and ahout Woodville, Tahorite, &c. The Govrnment did not take thf notice they ought, he thought lie should no* study them. Throueh the action of the Government, the working men got disgusted and they left the Colony m hundred*. He would next refer to the Manawatn Bridge. He stated that he had written on the 9th October 1880, urginar the abolition of tht tolls over the bridge, but the Government did not see their way to abolish them. Since then the people of Woodville had interviewed the Minister, and he had asked Mr. Fountain to send a petition to Par* liament, and it bad gone before the Petitions Committee, who had recommended it to favorable consideration. The cost of the bridge would be from four to five thonr>*nd pounds, and ht ihowca the exceuivt sh&rges pud by tbt

Woodville settlers to be heavier than any other community. He thought the Government had seen the fairness of the oiaim, and he would urge the settlers to petition again next session. This being all the local matte s, he would say he had done all that he could, andif he had not been succ- ;ful, he had done his best. He would now say a few words about the Native question, and he expressed his approval of every ac ion of Mr. Brvce. Had the Government taken the advice of Mr. Brvce and arrested Te Whit:, the_Nitijie difficulty wouk have been settled months a o, and the country saved half a million, he would support the Governmentin the action tbey were then taking, so as to get the question settled at once. With regard to local Government, it wss hi* opiuka that two forms of government were an incumbrance. They did not want two road mak'. parties, and one Council could perform all the f functions j better than two possibly could. He thought local hospitals, school boards and I kindred institutions should be administered by the local bodies out of funds given by the Gove rnment. He thought the Premier was an honorable, straightforraard, honest, and truthful man, hut he would have wished that he (the Pre? mier) had . . not ; taken up Sir ; George i Grey's policy, but had- a policy of their own. He explained his course-of s»ction when the rupture occurred between the Government. He did not seek office of any sort, and it was not his wish to take office, but at the same time il be.eb»lUdo say good bjr being m the Mmistry, he would not refuse to accept such a position. He had done bis best fur his constituency m the past, and be trusted he would still have the confidence of the electors at the coming elections, Mr. Ormond then resumed his seat am'dst loud applause. Mr. M"Nei( wanted to know if Mr. Ormonft did not think the Government s'jould be c neful as to whom tbey made Jußtices of the Peace. Mr. Okmond replied that he thought the best way wculd be to wipe out the present list, and 'gin afresh. In answer to a question, Mr. Ormond thought Mr. JBryctt the right man m the rigbt place. la rep ; y to another question, re Upper House, he thought the Legislative Council had done good service, and bad ' rectified mistakes made by the Lower; House, but he thought the time had come for an elective Upper House, In reply to Mr. Spwry, be thought the Volunteer Force should be supported, and thought the present action of the Volunteers would do away with all difficulties: m .getting the vote passed m. : foture. . ; ' la reply to Mr. Hutcbins, he thought plural vo'.iug quite right, and owners of ; large .property should have a little more consultation than tbe man of smaller means; and m reply to the same gent'eman Mr. Ormond said be bad got £300U to repair the ro&ds after tbe last flood ; he al»o stated that he did not denounce the Government measures m globo, but on'jr part of them. In reply to Mr. he qnite agreedj wiih having all bush town sections felled before .;eiu>; sol 1, but he regretted to say be d\d not think it would ever be c-ir ijd out. . '. Mr. J. Sowbt proposed a vote o( thanks to and confidence m- Mr. O-rmond, ; and he b.lieved he had done his duty with i regard to the bush settlements. Mr. D. Hoghes secoaled Mr. Sowry's proposition i ; Mr. HuTckiN9 propo'scl as an amendment th t only a vote of thanks be given; as otherwise he thought it would be unfair to the oruer candidate*. Mr. A. MNaii. seconded Mr. Hutchins' proposition. ; The Chairman put the amendment, but only three hands were held up. Mr. Sowry's proposition was carried almost ttnanrnrnrsfv. " :