THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

The Premier at the City Hall

Last night the Premier (Sir Pvobert Stout) addressed a crowded assemblage in the City Hall upon the political questions of the hour. The doors were opened at seven o'clock, and by half-past seven the stalls ■were quite full, the people as they entered the building receiving copies of a flysheet containing " Nuts for the Premier to Crack." Before the proceedings com menced the dress circle seats were all iaken up, a considerable proportion of ladies gathering in that quarter of the house. The pit also filled up before eight and the platform was crowded. Anlo'rigst those seated on the platform were the Hon. W. Swanson, Mr T. Thomp son, M.H.R., Dr. Kidd, Messrs J. F. Tole, J. O'Meagher, W. Duncan, J.P., Lieut. - Colonel Mahon, Mr S. Vaile, Cr. Trenwith, Rev. J. Chew, Rev. W. H. Miller, Messrs J. Elkin, R, Batty, J. McLachlan.D. Evitt, J. Pye, J. W. Carr, R. J. Duncan, J. Buchanan, Jonathan Winks, F. Earl, J. Kirkwood, G. Staines, J. Lundon, Cr. Atkin.Cr.Davies, Messrs E. W. Morrison, R. Udy, J. H. Field, C. S. Wright, J. J. Holland, R. T. Warnock, J. T. Campbell (U.S. Consul), Major Burns, G. P. Pierce, and J. Grey. The Rev. J. Chew, on entering, took up a position in the front row alongside Mr J. O'Meagher, the well - known solicitor, and this happy combination of the law and the prophets seemed to tickle the audience im mensely. After a brief interval Mr George Staines made his apjwarance amidst a per fect tumult of derisive applause, and placed himself on the other side of the Congrega tional minister. This conjunction of hetero geneous elements provoked roars of laughter, and the rev. gentleman, finding his company in rather too much notoriety, girded up his loins and fled •to the back seats.

At ten minutes to eight, on the motion of Mr W. Duncan, His Worship the Mayor (Mr Devore) was voted to the chair.

Sir Robert Stout then came forward accompanied by the Mayor, the Hon. Mr Tole, and Mr George Fraser. The appear ance of the party was the signal for loud cheers.

His Worship said that they had met that night to hear an address delivered by tho Premier of the colony, Sir Robert Stout. (Applause.) This would be the second ad dress delivered by the Premier in Auckland during the year 1887. More than ordinary interest would attend the remarks cf the Premier at a time like this, when there was a great depression, and when also we were on the eve of a general election. Under such circumstances, he felt sure that the speaker would be listened to with considerable anxiety. The present was a critical time, and we naturally turned to our prominent statesmen to tell us the causes of the depression, and point out,if possible,a remedy. He reminded them that Sir Robert Stout was their visi tor, and asked that they would accord him that fair and impartial hearing which they were in the habit of according to speakers who came before them. (Applause.) He then called upon the speaker, who came fonvard amidst applause. Sir Robert Stout,on rising to address the audience,was received with cheering. He said he" supposed they would consider him foolhardy in coming before an Auckland audience at tho present time.

Reply to the "Herald."

The audience would pardon him for giving gome attention to certain remarks made by tho editor of the New Zealand " Herald " that morning. (A voice: "Give it to him.") He believed- the people of Auckland were fond of fail play, and he was not to be jjreyented from, addressing any audienoe~-''of iiis fellow colonists by any newspaper. (Applause.) If they wOuld give him a hearing he would go through the '* Herald's" criticism of tho Government. First it was stated that during his term of office the Otago district had been unduly favoured. (Applause.) It was rather surprising that papers in Otatro which took the same side as the '• rierald " had been denouncing him be cause Otago had not had her fair share of the public expenditure. He submitted that Auckland had been fairly treated in the matter of public works during the last three years when the present Government held office. Then the "Herald" asserted that the Ministry was not agreed upon certain subjects. He submitted that in any Cabinet we would get men of all ways of thinking. What the Government had to submit was " a policy;" this had been done. It was true that Sir Julius Vbgel was not in favour of land nationallisation,and it was true that Mr Ballanceand himself were. It was also true that they were in favour of a perpetual leasehold system, and that they had endeavoured to have it carried out throughout'the country. The "Herald" said " the Premier himself wrote a pamph let on ' Freetrade' some years ago. ' He wroie a pamphlet seventeen years ago on the " Social Future of the Working Classes," and he presumed it was to this that the editor of the " Herald " referred. His bpiniori was, however, that the editor had not seen that pamphlet, but had only taken scraps of the debate from " Hansard." He challenged the " Herald" td publish the two last pages of that pamphlet, in which they would see that their statettient was an unfair One as to his views even seventeen years ago, and since that time, owing to study and experience, he had been induced to modify his views. The class Of people Who never changed their opinions were not usually gifted with a large amount of knowledge or large brains. H© therefore submitted.that it was unfair to put forward a pamphlet >vritten seven teen years ago as something written " sdme* "years ago;' It was equally unfair to quote from a speech made by Mr Ballance eight years ago as giving the opinions of Mr Ballance to-day. (Applause.) He hoped that in coming to discuss politics afc the present time the people would look to the various important questions now before the public, to the opinions held by their members, to the policy enunciated by the Government and the Opposition, and that they would not be led astray by the antiquarian researches of the editor of the "Herald." (Loud applause.)

The Government Policy. . Concerning the policy of the Government, he would remind them that politics covered such a wide field that it was impossible to touch upon all the questions he would like to speak about. He would deal with the main issues in the present election con test, | and if he omitted anything it was because he had not time. The Go vernment had gone to the country on a distinct policy enunciated in their Financial Statement. They had laid it down that they believed the circumstances of the Colony demanded

Retrenchment In the Public Service, that there should be a careful scrutiny of expenditure in all public departments, and that it was the object of the Government, and should have been the object and aim of the Legislature, to try and carry on the business and the government of the colony with less expense. (Loud . applause.) To assure the people that the Govern ment were in earnest he referred to the Estimates they had submitted to the House this year, as compared with the expenditure of the previous year, and sub mitted that they had proposed a saving of no less than £152,246. In that amount there was tncluded*a saving of £20,000 in the Civil Service. He also compared the Estimates Of 1887 and 1888 with the Estimates of 18S:tand 1884 before t'-epre •Out Uovciunmui/ took office. During that

period there had been a considerable increase in population, and in the necessary expenditure of the Government,and he insis ted that there had been a very large saving effected whilst they were in office. They showed a saving notwithstanding the in crease of the population and the wants of the colony.Taking their Estimates for 1887-8, they would find that they proposed a saving of no less than L 98,626, and this included large reductions proposed in the de partments of the Colonial Secretary, Minis ter of Justice, Native Department, Public Buildings, and Defence. There had also been other small savings, to which it was unnecessary to refer. There were in creases in the Postal Department, but it should be borne in mind how that department had increased during the last four years. There was an increase in the money order office, in telegraphs and telephones, in post offices, and although they had all this additional business they only increased the staff by 109. (Applause.) He also quoted the large increase there had been in money order?, and saving bank deposits. There had also been an increase of 236,886 in number of telegrams, and of L 18,541 in value. Press telegrams had increased by 9,000, and delayed tele grams 246,836, while 472 miles of telegraph line had been added, and 941 miles of wire. He now came to the Postal Depart ment, and here again, during the last four years, there had been very large increases. In that time the letters carried had increased 4,496,185; post-cards in creased 319,488 ; book packets, 948,775 ; newspapers, 1,293,504; and registered let ters, 17,781 ; while the inland mail services had increased by 62 in number and by an extent of an additional 683,986 miles traver sed. The Postal Department had increased by L 26,000 in expenditure, and the income necessarily increased also, but in propor tion to the augmented work entailed upon it, the increase was very slight. The staff had only been increased by 109 hands. The only other increase of expenditure had been in the education vote, in conseqnence of the increased number of children attending 'State schools. There had, of course, bee.i a small increase in the mining vote, and an increase of working railways, This latter department afforded him an opportunity of showing how economically the Govern ment managed. (Derisive applause, hoot ing, and hissing.) He intended to give them figures, and if anything proved the necessity of ventilating this question of the the administration of working railways, it was the fact that his audience seemed to be ignorant of what the Government had done in the matter. (Jeers and hisses.) During the three years the Government had been in ofiice the railways managed had increased by 250 miles. (Cries of " Where ?" and uproar.) In New Zealand. (Cries of "Down South.") That of course involved additional expense, but the total increase had only been L 9.000. (A voice : " Canter bury.") If tho gentleman knew anything of the history of the colony he must know that Canterbury had had her railways many years ago. The season tickets had increased from 9,000 to 11,821 ; the passengers, from 3,238,881 to 3,426,403; cattle and sheep and other animals carried, from to 842,017 ; parcelscarried,from 341,425 to 372,397. So on all these items there had been a general increase, but so far as tonnage was concerned there was a slight decrease of about 2,000 tons, which would make no difference whatever in the cost of working the line. If our working railways had not been economically man aged, no one could have expected 210 additional miles of railway to be opened and worked at the very small additional expenditure of L 9,000. Yet that was exactly what the Government had done. (Cheers and derisive laughter.) Civil Service Reform. The Premier proceeded to deal with Civil Service' reform, and in this connection he went on to speak of the promises made on this subject by the previous Ministry. Tliat Ministry had Civil Service commissioners flying all over the country—the last of them being the "Scab" Commission (thus named from the initial letters of its mem bers' names). And what was the result ? Absolutely nothing. The Government, however, of which he himself was the head lost lio time in introducing and securing the passage of a Civil Service Act, abolish ing pensions, making all civil servants enter as" cadets, pass competitive examinations, and providing for retiring allowances by a deduction from the salaries paid. To show the economy which the Government was practising he might mention that only last month when the Uhder-Secretary for Customs, whose salary was LI,OOO, retired, his place was tilled by a gentleman at a salary of £550. They also thought that there was too much departmentalism in the Civil Service, and they had been, therefore, trying to save by amalgamating departments. For instance, they had thrown the Postal and Telegraph Services, Customs, Stamps, and Property Tax, all into one department. So that they had done something more than merely talk of economy and retrenchment; they had given proof of their earnestness on the subject. More than this, they had gone so far, in view of the depressed times, and the in creased purchasing power of money, as to propose a reduction in all Civil Service salaries above Ll5O, with the object of saving L 20,000. But a prominent member of that party of which the " New Zealand Herald" was so enamoured and which it wished to be regarded as the apostles of retrenchment got up in the House, and opposed the proposal, denouncing it as an attempt to unfairly tax the Civil servants. Of course the reason was obvious. It was a bid for the vote and support of the Civil servants. The Opposition desired to secure this whip to use against the Government, but he warned them that it was a dangerous expedient, for the time might come when it would prove a scourge of scorpions to be laid across the backs of those who now sought to wield it. If the people of the colony really wished to retrench he believed that fully LBO.OOO could be saved if they were prepared to do themselves that which the Govern ment at present did for them. (Applause.) He would now speak about the Amendment of tho Customs Tariff* about which they had of late heard so much. They no doubt thought that the Govern ment were going to-increase the taxation of the people by the amendment of the tariff which they had proposed. (Applause.) But it was not so. (Laughter, and cries of "Oh! Oh !':) In 1882 the return from the Customs was L 1,515,917, while their own proposal would merely have retiu'ned L 1,460,000 had it come into operation, so that they would have been Lao, 000 below the estimate of 1882. (Applause.) The statement then that they wished to in crease the tax was absolutely iintrue. (" No ! No!" and laughter.) Taking it by the cost per head, the proposal of the Government only meant £2 6s per head for the colony. Never since 1869 had the Customs' estimate been so low as that. In the past it had often been as high as £3 per head. It might be said that the people had nOt now got the purchasing power which they had in the past. Well, it was for that reason that they wished to bring about retrenchment. How. had they proceeded ? They had tried to use tho tariff so as to foster local industries. (Hear, hear.) He did not say that the items were perfect, but still the matter was discussed in Committee, and he did not hesitate to say that the tariff had been arranged so as to encourage local industries. Well, if the Customs had to be increased, they also de cided that the property tax should be Increased. (Laughter.) They had also sug gested that all the large property-owners and financial companies should have their taxation increased. (Applause.) It was said that they ought to have reduced or

abolished the exemption claujes. The speaker then quoted from the Financial Statement to show that the Exemption Act was so formed as to be better for the rich than the poorer people. The revenue re turns showed that 21,591 taxpayers would pay, under the Exemption' Act, at the rate of 83 per cent, increase, while 6,235 richer taxpayers and financial concerns would only pay an increase of 3'B per cent., or say 3 per cent, increase, so that the removal of the exemption meant that 21,000 of the poorer people were to have their taxation increased by 83 per cent, while the 6,235 richer taxpayers were to pay a little over 3 per cent., which he considered decidedly unfair. (Applause.) The Govern ment had therefore suggested the imposi tion of a graduated tax. That was a system which had been advocated by such men as Prince Bismarck, Mr John Bright, and Mr Chamberlain. The great political economist Adam Smith had said with reference to taxation that there should be an equality of sacrifice. He considered that such an equality of sacrifice might be ob tained by a graduated tax. They therefore proposed the graduated tax, which was to a certain extent in force at the present time in Britain ; for persons holding under £150 worth of property wei'e exempt only, while those worth £400 were allowed exemption to the extent of £150, but above £400 there was no exemption whatever. But what would apply in Britain would not do for this colony. If they followed the example of Britain, charging at the rate of 7 per cent., it would require £2,000 to obtain £140. He asked if it was fair that poor people should be taxed here who would be exempted in Britain. (Applause and cries of "No!. no !") Well, that was what the Government had thought when they at tempted to bring forward the graduated tax. Village Settlements, He would now speak about some of the other proposals in which their Government had been most bitterly opposed by some of the Auckland members. He referred to the Village Settlement Scheme. (Applause.) If they would permit him, he would now correct another error of the " Herald." (Laughter.) It said that £70,000 had been expended by the Government without authority. But he could tell them that £70,000 had not been expended; and, what was more, not even £5,000. (Ap plause.) He would explain matters. The Government proposed to the House that they should have £5,< 00, to be expended in the year ; but at the end of the financial year they had only expended a little over L 3.000. It might be said, with truth, that the Go vernment had incurred a contingent liabi lity to something like that amount by what they had agreed to pay the village settlers. But that monoy was not lost, because inter est had to be paid upon it, and the land would also be benefited. (Applause.) There was also, he hoped, good work done for the money. (Applause.) The regulations were laid before the House, but he feared that many of the members had not read them. He believed that the Village Settlement scheme was the only one by means of which a man without capital could take up land. (Applause.) The Unemployed, and Settlement of the Land. As an illustration of this he referred to the great trouble they had experienced with the unemployed. It had been partly re lieved in Otago by the Village Settlement Scheme ana the founding of a labour bureau. There was another scheme be sides the Village Settlement Scheme. The Government had proposed the Land Acquisition Bill, and was consequently de nounced for proposing an iniquitous bill de stroying the rights of private property. This bill was not necessary where there were Crown lands to settle. They said that the State must have the right to settle people on the Innd, and niusb insist upon large tracts of land being taken where neces sary for the settlement of people on the land. Sir Robt. Stout then proceeded to describe the provisions of the bill, laying special stress on the " perpetual lease clause," the assessment of the price by an independent tribunal. The Government were defeated in the House more by that bill and their graduated tax than by any other proposal. He considered the best test of their land system was that more people had been put j on the land during their term of office than had ever been put on the land since the year 1879. He now came to deal with some of their critics. Some criticised from a dis tance ; some sat on a fence and looked on. (Laughter). Those who took up this posi tion were very careful to say what had been done by themselves when they had been at the plough. Mr Stout next made reference to Mr Moss,who,although not a supporter of the Government, had always given his sup- j port tp every Liberal measure. (Applause). He had great difficulty in dealing with his Opposition critics, because their opinions were so varied, and in every town they played on a different instrument. (Loud laughter.) In this connection he instanced the diversity of opinion in respect to the San Francisco service and direct service. The Village Settlement Scheme. One of the planks of the Opposition plat form was the abolition of the Village Settlement scheme. The two great things of Majdr Atkinson's platform were, sell the land and kill the rabbits. (Laughter.) They had but to read the New Zealand " Herald" to see that the Village Settlement scheme was a scheme of great extravagance, and should cause them to be thrown out Of office. (Applause.) He drew a pitiful picture of labour unem ployed, arid contrasted this with tho home it was possible to obtain by settlement on the land. If there was one system moi-e than another we should encourage, it was this small farm system in the North. Small farms, on which the culture of fruit was engaged in, would assure the preaporUy of thts North, and the abolition of the Village Settlement scheme would be a severe blow to Auck land. Mr Bryoe's Retrenchment Proposals. He would now turn to another critic. The New Zealand "Herald" had put forward the Hon. John Bryce as the saviour of the country. And what was this gentleman's programme ? He had recently declared that retrenchment must go up high and down deep, or in other words, that all men in the Government service should experience a reduction of wages. Mr Bryce also was anxious to secure a re duction in interest on the railways, and this he proposed to effect by a reduction in the workmen's wages, who that gentleman thought ought not to get more than 5s to 6s a day. This was one of the planks, therefore.in the Opposition platform. (Cries of " No.") Another plank was Mr Bryce's proposal to sweep away the exemptions to the property tax, and decrease the amount, the effect of which would be to bring some 20,000 poor people within its operation merely in order to relieve the wealthy members of the community. Education. $. Then another cry fromtheOppositlon camp which had swollen into a regular chorus throughout the colony was the cry that the cost of education was excessive. He had seen for some time that an attack upon the education vote was threatened, and upon this question he felt so keenly that he could only repeat what he had already declared at Dunedin, viz., that he would sooner go out of office than allow the educa tion vote to be cut down. (Cheers.) But he would show that the interested and misleading cry about the excessive cost of the educational system was entirely errone ous. Including the building vote, the cost per head of the educational systems of each of the Australasian colonies was as follows:— Tasmania, L!J 5s 4id j New South Vyales,

L64s ; Queensland, L 6; Victoria, L 5 9s s£d;. South Australia, L 5 5s 3|d; New Zealand, L 5 2s 4£d \ so that the cost per head of our educational system was the lowest of all the systems of the Australasian colonies. And if he choso to leave the Australian colonies and seek for compari sons elsewhere, he found even stronger facts in support of his contention. Quoting .from the. Bureau of Statistics of the United States, he found that in the city of Boston alone, with a population of from 361,000 to 370,000, the cost of education footed up for one year to L 640,000, or a sum in excess of the whole cost of our system to the extent of L 150,000. Then, too, they heard the cost of adminis^ trating education in the colony denounced as excessive,andcentralisation at Wellington advocated on the score of cheapness. Yet in New South Wales, which had a cental educational department, the cost was five shillings per head greater the ad ministration of our system, adding thereto the cost of all our Education Boards. Then it was said, " Oh, reduce the school age, it is too high." Our compulsory age was only six years, viz., from 7 to 13, although children were admitted to our schools from 5 years upwards. The school age in Vic toria was from 6 to 15 ; in New South Wales from 6 to 14 ; in Tasmania, from 7 to 14 ; and in Queensland, South Aus tralia, and New Zealand from 7 to 13; in some of the United States of America the children were obliged to attend school from the age of 4 years up to 21 years, so anxious were the people to obtain the best education possible. As for Germany, Mr Matthew Arnold had reported that in Ham burg children were obliged to remain at school until the age of 14 years, relief being afforded in exceptional cases for children to leave at the age of 13. It was also said that children should not be allowed to goto school until they were 7 years old, which was to say that during the two most impressionable years of their lives they were to receive no tuition and no training. The effect would be to cost the country very much more in the long run. (Cheers,) After reading an opinion which he stated to be that of one of the ablest elocutionists in England, the Premier went on to say that the Kindergarten system should be affiliated to our city schools just as it was in St. Louis, U.S., and that we should pay greater attention to technical edu cation in order to tit our young men fcr the work of life. And yet the Government, in stead of being set free to increase the efficiency of our educational system, were asked to save LIOO,OOO on the cost of educa tion. He would not say that we should not economise, but we should not tolerate any thing which would curtail the benefits of education. If we reduced the school age. the average attendance would inevitably shrink, salaries would decrease, and as in our 700 schools three - fifths of our teachers were single men, we should probably lose the services of very many of them and get inefficient men in their place. Already in Auckland we had many in ferior teachers. In this district there were 55 persons teaching who had not been quali fied as teachers,while in Otagothey only had four men teaching who had not been properly qualified. That was simply because they had had Universities in Otago much earlier than in the North. He did not blame the teachers, for they had not been afforded equal opportunities. (A voice: " What about the Bible in schools ?") The speaker : Well, I don't think you have read it much, or you would not interrupt me in this way. (Laughter.) It had been | said that no higher education should be paid for by the State. But Auck land really gained that benefit,- because in the South they had reserves for that pur pose, while in Auckland they were not bo situated. It simply meant that the | poor man's child would not have any chance to get higher education. For the rich man did not care about it much, as thoy sent their sons to Austra lia and England to be educated. He hoped yet to see the high schools open to the children of all classes. (Applause.) They ought to be free, the same as the primary schools. The value of higher edu cation could scarcely be estimated. Huxley had said that Pasteur's discovery had been worth more to France than the whole of the indemnity paid for the Franco-Prussian war. Universities would fit the people for | the higher walks of life, and if second ary education was done away with the • result would be that the rich men's sons would be the only ones who would gain from it. They could not expect to get great men without higher education. Great men required the highest culture, and he said that no nation was great without great men, and not even wealth could be obtained without education. [At this stage, a man who had been causing considerable annoyance was ignominiously expelled by two constables, amidst the applause of the audience.] The amount spent in the United States I upon education for one year alone was L 22,976,814, besides which great capitalists had also given large donations for educational purposes. Lelland Standford had devoted the enormous sum of L 4,000,000 for the purpose of found ing a University in California. John Hepburn had founded a similar insti tution in Baltimore, besides which there was Gerrerd's institution. In the States they considered it to be the duty of every State to attend to higher education. Even in the far West they founded their Universi ties, and was it to be said that New Zealand were to condemn their children to a worse education than the children of other coun tries? He hoped not. (Applause.) He would now give them some examples from history, what happened in Scotland. He came from one of the poorest counties in Scotland, and yet what had they done ? Why, in their parish schools without State grants they had decided that no teacher should be admitted as a master unless he could teach classics, mathematics, naviga tion, and one of the modern languages. They could thus fit the lads to go right from parish schools to the universities. He was, himself, an example of what the parish schools could do. (Great applause.) He had not had the advantage of wealthy parents, and consequently he was edu cated at the parish schools. (Applause.) They found that more than half of the parish schools in Scotland could send up their lads straight from the parish schools to the Universities. He would beg them to stand firm by the present education system, and not let it be said of them, a compara tively wealthy country, that they would not give their children an educa tion equal to other and poorer coun tries. Let him also picture to them the state of Prussia after the Seven Years' War, Whole towns were ■ depopulated and the country generally was in a most pitiable condition. What did Frederick the Great say? He said, "We must perfect our education," and -he did so, founding Universities and schools throughout the whole land. Look, also, at the conduct of Frederick William the 111. when Prussia had jnst been overrun by the armies of the great Napo leon—when 120 millions of francs war in demnity had been coming from the country. What did they do ? Why, they absolutely askod the wives and mothers to give up their jewellery, and they did so, and by that means the country was freed from the French armies. Then what did the King do? Had he been surrounded by the members of the Opposition, no doubt they would have said, " Do away with the education." (Laughter.) He could imagine the editor of the " Herald," had he been there, going to the king and saying to him (loud laugh ter and applause)—" I will show you the proper way out of your difficulty " (Laughter.) But fortunately the King -was surrounded by men of a different stamp, such as Humboldt and Baron Yon Steen. lie said, "Prussia haslostexternalmigntand external

(Continued on Page 3.)

JNIiNU STAR,, WEDNKSDAT, JULY 21 .1887

THE AUCKLAND EV

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Election Noli ■ es. AUCKLAND WEST. MR J. M. SHERA Respectfully invites THE ELECTORS OF AUCKLAND WEST To meet him in ST. JAMES'S HALL, WELLINGTON-STREET, THIS (Wednesday) EVENING, JULY 27, At Eight o'Clock. mO THE ELECTORS " " OF AUCKLAND NORTH. Gentlemen, I respectfully beg to offer myself for Re election to Represent your District in the House of Representatives. Yours faithfully, T. THOMPSON. June 19,1887. TIRANKLIN NORTH. MR F. LA WRY Will Addres3 the Electors of Franklin North on WEDNESDAY, the 27th, PANMURE HALL; THURSDAY, the 28th, ELLERSLIE SCHOOL; FRIDAY, the 29th, HO WICK. ODDFELLOWS' HALL; At 7.30 p.m. mO THE ELECTORS OF NEWTON. Gentlemen, I beg to offer myself for Election as your Representative in Parliament. Many of you have been my constituents for a period of over eleven years past in the late Electoral District of Eden, and if elected I shall serve you as faithfully as heretofore. I will Address you at an early date. I have the honour to be, • . Gentlemen, Yours faithfully, J. A. TOLE. T7IDEN ELECTORAL DISTRICT. Mr. E. MITCHELSON will address the Electora of Eden in the Mount Albert Hall THIS (Wednesday) EVENING at 8 o'clock; jn the Public Hall, Avondalc, on FRIDAY, the 29ihjnst, atjljun. mO THE .ELECTORS OF EDEN. Gentlemen,— I have pleasure in offering myself as a Candidate for your electorate, and will, at an early date, do myself the honour of addressing you on political matters. EDWIN MITCHELSON. Auckland, 30th June, 1.887. T7r~D E N E LECTORATE. MR J. AITKEN CONNELL will have much pleasure in ADDRESSING THE ELECTORS OF EDEN IN THE PUBLIC HALL, ONEHUNGA, ON THURSDAY, JULY 28th inst., at 8 p.m. In the MT. ALBERT HALL ON FRIDAY, JULY 29th inst., at 8 p.m. In the PUBLIC HALL, Henderson, ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 4th inst., at 8 p.m. In the PUBLIC HALL, Avondale, ON FRIDAY, AUGUST sth inst, at 8 p.m. TTpiDEN ELECTORATE. Newmarket, July 25th, 1887. MR. J. AITKEN CONNELL, Dear Sir,—Wo, the undersigned Electors of Manukau, having heard your views on the present deplorable condition of the colony, have come to the conclusion that you arc a fit and proper person to be returned to Parliament. Though we are not Electors of Eden, we take a very great interest in your lectures on Pro tective Duties and other subjects. If you could spare an evening of your valuable time we would feel highly honoured if you would ad dress us in soino convenient place in the Borough of Newmarket. W. J. Suiter J. Lumpkin Charles Whisker F. G. Clayton George Bishop William Morgan J. A. Whitson F. A. Sims John Edgerloy George Kent Here follow 117 signatures. ■jyT R. CON NE L L'S REPLY. Fort-street, Auckland, 26th July, 1887. To W. J. Suiter, Esq., and the other 126 gentlemen signing the Requisition. Gentlemen,— . I need scarcely say that the receipt of your kind requisition has afforded me great satisfac tion and support at a time when I felt much my need of some kindly expression of approval fronr any of my friends who felt that they could conscientiously give me any encouragement. Nothing could possibly afford mo greater pleasure than to comply with your request to address you in Newmarket, but I feel that I cannot, with propriety address the Electors of any single Electorate District other than that for the honor of representing which I am at present a candidate. (My Monday Evening Political Addresses are intended as addresses to the Electors of the Colony.) As I find, however, that the Eden District nearly extends to Newmarket, and as there is no hall within the district large enough to hold the number of electors likely to turn out if the weather proves propitious, I have deoided to address the Eden Electors in the Newmarket Hail on WEDNESDAY NEXT, August 3, on the subject of Protective Duties, Native Indus tries, and Retrenchment. As the Eden Electors immediately contiguous to Newmarket are not very numerous, I have no doubt but that there will be room for the gehtleinen signing the requisition whoso presence will afford me very great pleasure. Thanking you heartily, gentlemen, for your nattering expression of confidence. I remain, Your most obedient servant, ' ~. J. AITKEN CONNELL.



Election Notices. ranO THE ELECTORS OF MANTJKAtt | X ■ SIR MAURICE O'RORKE WILL MEET THE ELECTORS OF MANUKAU, AT NEWMARKET PUBLIC HALL, THIS (Wed nesday) EVENING, at 8 o'clock. EPSOM HALL, on SATURDAY EVENING, at 8 o'clock. A UCKLAND NORTH ELECTION. MR SAMUEL VAILE Will deliver a Political Address AT THE TEMPERANCE HALL, ALBERT-STREET ox THURSDAY, JULY 28th, at 8 p.m., • When he will deal mainly with the RAILWAY AND LAND SETTLEMENT QUESTIONS. N.8.-This address will be illustrated by specially prepared Maps and Diagrams. Supporters and friends can obtain tickets to admit at side entracce, from Messrs Kidd and Wildman. Murray and Spencer, and Vaile and Douglas. TO THE ELECTORS OF AUCKLAND CITY NORTH. Gentlemen,—l have the honour to offer myself as a Candidate for your suffrages, and will take an early opportunity of placing my political programme before you. Very faithfully yours, SAMUEL VAILE. O THE ELECTORS OF PONSONBY. I have the honour to intimate that I am a Candidate for election to the Ponsonby district. Yours faithfully. . . THOS. PEACOCK. mo THE ELECTORS OF NEWTON. Gentlemen,—Having received a bona fid e requisition (signed only by electors now on the roll) asking me to stand as a Candidate for Newton, I have, after some consideration, de i cided to accede to the same. I will explain my political views on MONDAY next, at 8 p.m., in St. George's Hall, Great North Road, and in the meantime would respectfully ask you not to pledge your votes. Your 3 truly, HENRY T- GARRATT. Auckland, Kth July, 1887. "HI R ANKLI N SOUTH. Mr ETIIAMLIN Requests you to meet him in the PAPARATA SCHOOL, August 1. BOMBAY HALL, August 2. MAKETU SCHOOL, August 3. ARARIMU HALL, August 4. ARARIMU VALLEY SCHOOL, August 5. PAPAKURA HALL, August 6. Each evening at 7.30. TO THE ELECTORS OF FRANKLIN SOUTH. MR JOHN JENKINS WILL ADDRESS THE, ELECTORS AT MAUKU—JuIv 27. Public Hall WAIUKU-July 28, Public Hall HARRIS VILLE - July 29, Public School ~ Insurance "\TEW ZEALAND INSURANCE COM- J3i PANY (FIRE AND MARINE). Capital ......,..£1,000,000. Paid-up and Reserve Funds £135,000 Protection from FIRE or MARINE LOSS Can be Eftected in this Company. CLAIMS MET WITH PROMPTITUDE AND LIBERALITY. JAMES BUTTLE, Manager. ; mHE STANDARD INSURANCE CO. OF NEW ZEALAND. | FIRE, MARINE. AND GUARANTEE. Capital .. .. .. £1,000,000 With Unlimited Liability of Shareholders. HEAD,OFFICE: PRINCES-St., DUNEDIN. . FIRE and MARINE INSURANCE accepted at lowest current rates. FIDELITY of persons in Situations of Trust guaranteed. Prompt Settlements made. Office: COLONIAL-MUTUAIi BUILDINGS, QUEEN-STREET. FREDERICK NUTTER, Manager. Auckland Branch. Business Notices.' Vf. L E V s' BOOKBINDER; PAPER RULER, > ACCOUNT BOOK MANUFACTURER. WYNDIiAM-STREET. MERCHANTS' ACCOUNT BOOKS, Insurance and Alining Register Books Specially Ruled and Bound. Music, Magazines^PubHo Libraries, and Sunday School Books Well Bonnd.1 BAKERS' SPECIAL RULED DAY BOOKS. Bibles, Prayer and Hymn Books Ke-bound. band and choir music books ruled; [a card.] W E. THOMAS (Twenty-four years with H. M. Customs), CUSTOM 3, SHIPPING, AND GENERAL COMMISSION AGENT, BROKER, ACCOUNTANT, and PUBLIC AUDITOR. Offices: Firth's Buildings, 75, Queen-street, • Auckland. 1 A DAY'S ILLUMINATION OF THE FACES OF OUR CUSTOMERS. We have decided not to spend money on gas Humiliations, but to give our customers the benefit of it by making Great Reductions in our Prices for 14 DAY S' ONLY. GREAT JUBILEE FOR BOOT BUYERS. ECONOMY BOOT SHOP. VICTORIA-STREET. /GRANDPAPA'S MAGIC SALVE \JC Patented. Prepared by MRS VIALOUSE, Kyber Pass- Is. 6d. PER TIN. A certain cure for all -wounds, sores, sprains, corns, burns, scalds, brnisescarbuncles, boils and whitlows, also inflammation caused from bites of misquitoes, sandflies, etc., etc., etc. A single trial will give satiifactory proof of its efficacy. Sold by Chemists. For testimonials see haud-biib. MASEFIELD BROS.' STAR BRAND BLUE LABEL MULLET Can be had either direct from the Factory, BATLEY, KAIPARA, ... Or at the following Wholesale Merchant?* in Auckland ;— J. BUCHANAN, H. B. MORTON, T. H. HALL & CO.. „ _ A BROWN, BARRETT & CO.



IS^Queen-street. CochlMft Aa&^J DISCOUNT BA NKING cd D^-s TBEET (offQae9n^ HEAD OFFICE: BrisW, Ao ENOIE s AnHvO^.Jfi^ MONETadvancedfrom£s nni , PERSONAL, FREEHOLD ll&Sj any TANGIBLE SECURITY 3« way as may be arranged eiK£l eH MONTHLY, or QUASjffiLvw^W. lowest current rates. ADVANCES made on FURNITim* removal; also, onaUMnasofMßßOß»? tN including BOND WARRANT BILLS DlSCOUNTED^tcnrrentrate, Interviews and communicatinn« ««£ strictly confidential. 0M Office Hoprs: JTronuotiu S <ftw Bank of England Notes(w~^ T ONDON MORTGAGEES'^ JU DISCOUNT BANK '*$ 50, SHORTLAND-STRECT^rr.. (Opposite A. Clark and SonsIA?iSaUD And Little Collim-st., MelbS™*'' LOANS axe advanc^l^ £I^^ Personal, FreehoM,^^ Smu% Advances made on Furniture without !*»»., and all classes of MerchanX mOT|l Loans granted upon Life Policies, Legaek »i Interests under WiUs^W Bills Discounted at Cokrent Rat* Loans upon Deposit of Deeds. ReparmiZh, ifiasy Instalments. ■™£u?J Advances on Life Policies. . MONEY LENT ON PROIQSSOR7 NOTES, HOUSES, FURNITuSS BELLS DISCOUNTED DAILY MORTGAGES NEGOTIATE!), JOHN W. HARDIE, Land, Commission, and Estate Atom HIGH-STREET, AircnSffl**; QOHjii LAND AND MONETARY AGENT, 24, SHORTLAND • STREET (Three doors past Star Office), i j I am prepared to value land in Auckland* the Country for intending purchase)* K«s reasonable terms. All land sold byjnelniigfc land I charge 2£ per cent, cpmmisaiob. I am prepared to negotiate Mortgages insK from £25 to £15,000, >ui:m Advances made on Colonial and English ffl Policies, Having Agents in all parts o£ Australia andia I .England, I can make Advances upon Will I in sums from £50toJU5,OML j INDUSTRIAL vA'Fi) PBOVBDEHI PERMANENT BUILDING. LAND i| 1 INVESTMENT SOCIETY OF AUC&LjM I Repayments „„. Wtt , k ToWßttft 1 extending over Per Wee!c> repayaW& M 1 year .. i. £2 0 0 £1M 01 I 2 years .... 1 010 ,s,££ I 3 years 014 7 11815 0 1 i years... I.' Oil 8 12J \ » I 5 years 010 0 "' 130 fl • ; 6 years.. .. 089. »H I 7yars .. .. 0 711 « I S years .. " 07 1 | I 10 years .. .. 0 6 3...^jgjLLM The Board has power in cases jbf SicfcnM« I Want of Employment to Suspend PBymara ■ Borrowers Share in Profits. . -.;.■,, 0 Part or whole of the advance mrM W 1 at any time. Interest ceases on tne pow H renam. : . .^ m Ainember who has obtained an jfflfi B •ibertv to sell his property atwy «BjjSj I pay ofthis mortgage; or may, if "Ijg'ffiL H hi.v property subjeol; td tue niorpse w * i Society. npH W .JOHNBANCROJI A UCKLAND PERMANE|/-| J\ OPERATIVE BUILUBB ».»)»•■ MBNT SOCIETY. I | OvnaS: HI QDEEM-BTBKffi LOANS granted ttP^Sp^^Sfl Freehold or Leasehold P?P e.™M4VH £20 to £6.000. principal anWgffi ,; able in instalments; Jt the MffgrtW^B Rates for repayment of each W ™^jB 6 - * oil 81 HTs. d. 1j | m lyear - A .* fg ,g 1 I 2 years- .. J,? W u9IS« ■ Syeara.. « Of j J, | 4 years- .. J ll 8 ]Bl| ffl 6 years.. .. Jl I 8 years - .. i^* 10 years >. .0 " l^*^Tm And In the same prpporttott forOM* or lili Wrl" ""*■ lij-'JnoMf'H DEPOSIT&-The S^JS^Wl^B _ TOW 7P AT AND MORTGAGE, i^B ANY VAl B L E^to^l Wn^an?wa?»^l Loan, may be^lfflffi?*' ■ BUlsDtecounte^tJurreßt^l This Bank will receiveDeP^^^B Us:":: :!^I" C months ■• - ~ {fwM |odS«S*^|i and fenced part witn ■^at^JWm balance in bush; oronaru^ Mt« n;gJl'B and a very low P^H^ Sr| John Soppet, Howe Wtt^ Street.