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BALLAARAT WEST ELECTION— MR VALE'S
MEETING.

[FROM OUR SPECIAL REl'ORTEIt.J

A monster assemblage of the late constituents oi
Mr W. M. K. Vulo, late member for Ballaarat West
in the Legislative Assembly, took placo in the largo
hall at the Ballaarat West Mechanics' Institute, on
Friday evening, for tho purpose of hearing from
that gentleman an explanation of tho reasons which

had led to his recent resignation of his seat in Par
liament, and an exposition of his views in reference
to the existing political crisis. Thero could not
have been less than 800 persons present, tho spa
cious building being crowded, both on tho platform
and in tho body of tho apartment. Amongst tbe
gontlemen on tho platform wero Messrs Jones,
M.L.A., and Dyte, M.L.A. At eight o'clock pre
cisely tho chair was, ou tho motion of Mr C. S.
Reeves, taken, amidst loud cheering, by Mr James
M'Dowall, chairman of the local mining board.
The Chaidman said that, agreeably to the request
of tbo meeting, he had been placed in the chair.
His duty would be a very simple one if the meeting
did its duty. He had not tho slightest doubt it
would do that, and in a manner creditable to tho
district. They wero mot to hear an explanation
from Mr Vale, their old representative in tho Legis
lative Assembly ; and without further preface he
would introduce that gentleman to the meeting.
(Applause.)
Mr Vale, who, on comiag forward, was received
with loud applause, said that he appeared beforo
the meuting tbat night in a new character ; in a
character which, however unpalatable to some of
those present that evening, ho had no doubt in
years gone by they would have been very glad to
have seen somo of their members of tho Assembly
in. Whilst ho addressed them ho was entitled to a
calm and patient hearing, because the position of a
member voluntarily resigning his seat in the
Legislative Assembly, on the ground of his own
convictions of right and duty, was a novelty in the
country (cheers), and ho thought he could :tt loaBt
claim for himself that he had not resigned lightly,
because he was afraid of his duties, or wi.-ilied to
evade bis responsibilities, but because a question of
great national importance had arisen, sucu as might
not occur for many yeara again, and upou ivbicli
his constituency had a right to express itself
beforo tho final issue. In his vary peculiar
position, he could understand that u very
largo number of thoBO who had given him
political support hitherto, aud watched his votes

with satisfaction, wcro present thnt night with
some mcasnro of vexation in their miuils ns (o
bis conduct. Ho could quite understand nud
mnke every allowance for nuy exhibition of feel
iag of lhat character. He was qoito propBreii
to give nil who had accorded him their sup
port tho right of criticising tho course of
conduct whioh ho hnd felt compelled by n sense
of dnty to take in resigning ; but ho experienced n
mensuro of regret, in thinking that nt tho present,
meeting it wns likely thnt ho und they would bo nt
cross-purposes, and that goutlenieii friendly to tin
political ticket Iih had supported und would support
in tho future, would in Inrgo numbers pro'mbly ob
ject to his courso of action, whilst thoso who alto
gether disagreed with him must recopniso it us the
right ono. Ho quite undurstood tho difficulty of the
position, and ho accepted it. When ho had stooil
before them as a candidate on two previous occa
sions, he had uover pledged himself to resignation,
and he would uovor do so; for a memborof Parlia
ment had no menus of arriving at tho reasons for
resignation but by his own convictions of duly, or
if some violent und sudden change had lakeu place
in his political principles. It might bo said, then,
and perhnps with some show of reason, why did lie
resign ? His reasons, and let them mork that,, in
qtating his reasons and convictions, ho was not
them to condemn lhoso members of tho As
sembly who felt thnt the courso they
followed wns fairly pursued within the bounds of the
commission given them when their constituents
clcctod them, wns that that commission wns
not sufficient. Had he felt that tho commission
given him by the electors ton months previously
whs sufficient he might not have resigned. They
need not bo nt nil alarmed that ho was going in
for any great revolution, or antagonistic to law and
ordor. IIo warned them not to he misled by words,
but to slick to their colors, ns thoy had hitherto
done. (Cheers.) Let it bo u light upon tho broad
principles which hud led to the struggle, mid ho
?was content to abido tho issue of thnt straggle. He
know that efforts would bo made to ninke it nppear
that tho course ho had folt iLpght to tnko whs a
species of condemnation of otuer members of iho
?Assembly, but he know the principles upon which
he had met the electors previously, aud ho was
not afraid to say, however uunise, unpatriotic, and
selfish tho course taken hy the Council on previous
occasions had been, that ho never anticipated
that it would hare adopted tho proceed
ings it had during tho present session —
— (Oh, oh.)— and therefore he was not pre
pared to state in roferenco to such n courso the lino
of conduct he would pnrsuc. Ho stated fearlessly
that, being their lato member,' being so voluntarily,
if ho were now an elector,aud sending doivn n mem
ber to tho Assembly, ho would not havo tho slightest
hesitation in supporting tho candidate who advo
cated the interests of the people, against tho cham
ber which represented t ho more monetary intorests
of tho colony (cheers) to tho very utmost extreme. He
was aware that in England there was no mistake in
reference to such a position of affairs as had arisen
between him nnd his constituents. They wero awaro
of what was coatained in his address, which briefly —
perhaps too brielly — but honesty and caudidly ox
pressed his viewB ; and ho had no doubt that those
who condemned him now would, ns time rolled on,
*' feel that, iu taking this straightforward courso of
giving up his position, to which lie had brought
at least honesty of intention, ho had committed a
sacriiico which only noeded a statement,
an honest statemont of its necessity. He felt that
a crisis had atisen of such a character that, on the
average, was not likely to happen once in a man's
life ; and that, therefore, ho was not likely to have
to come back to his constituents every year and
give them a doso of resignations ns long as thoy
retained the principles which they hold at the Inst
general election ; and that, for what they might
term an error of judgment, they need not turn aside
their old member, who had served them in tho con
test, and of whom they could only say, at the
worst, that he had mndo a mistake. Samo Mud
critics, actuated no doubt by tbo most honest and
friendly intentions, had, with a degree of liberality
which was not their wont, been circulating a num
ber of reasons on which ho had resigned, and
of the circumstances under which he had done
so, with a view, no doubt, that tho electors
might nnderstnnd bettor than thoy could
from his (Mr Vale's) brief address what
tho state of facts was. He would seek, however, to
remove some of tho errors of these flights of
imagination, which ' our own correspondents ' put
forth in the press. Ho would then feel that, as
between him nnd his constituents, tho ground was
clear iu reference to his resignation nnd other
matters which would be Hooded iu upon them
during tho contest of the next few days. The
firat statement ho would deal with was that tho
resignation was in pursuanco of a pre-arranged
plan. Perhaps tho writers who stated this thought
it was true, and he would in charity suppose thoy
did ; but he (Mr Valo) would tell thoso who
believed the statement that no ono knew of his in
tention, beyond two personal friends whom he had
consulted in Ballnnrat, until tho humblest reader
of the Evening Post had had nn opportunity of
seeing it in the columns of thnt paper. He had
selected no one of the members of the Assembly
to consult on the matter. There was only one
1 member of that House, a member who supported
\ Mr Macgregor's motion, who could have
' had tho slightest notion that he was going
to resign ; and when that gentleman read
the statement in the paper, he was utterly
disconcerted. The next statement was that it was
a Ministerial dodge. (Oh, oh.) That was another
piece of ' our own correspondent's' charity. He
was so full of the spirit of truth that oven, in Iiib
ingenuity, he wished te bo truthful. But thoso who
knew tho facts of tho caso know that if he (Mr
Vale), had consulted the Ministry, their advice
would have been, ' Don't do it.' And ho would
tell the meeting why he had not consulted the
Ministry. It was because ho felt that if ho was
to be freely and fully a representative of any con
stituency, he must possess his own convictions of
right, and dare to act upon them, and if it dis
pleased his constituents, to take the consequences.
(Cheers.) Tho third statement was lhat ho was
tired of his position. The best proof that that was not
true, was that he had told .his constituents so,
and he would tell them why ho did
not say that ho wns preparod to contest
the seat again. It was because he did not feel it
his duty to be tho cause of division in the con
tituency, and so to throw tho seat a ready-bargained
prey into the hands of the Melbourne Reform
Financial and Free Trade League. (Cheers.) He
had therefore taken the choice of exclusion from
public life. He had been told that he ought to have
taken counsel, but ho was aware, from tho warmth
of party feeling which at present prevailed, that tho
advice he wonld get would be to hold his sent, and
put his convictions in his pocket ; and as he was not
prepared to do that, ho had taken tho course of re
signing his seat, and he was now prepared to abide
the result. And now a word as to nnother point.
It was said he might have staid away from Par
liament. That was a thing which politicians did
occasionally, but ho considered it a very cowardly
thing. He might have done as a smart lawyer's clork
in London did when he was desirous of going to
the Derby, not thinking that his governor would
be there. He might have taken a little
opening medicine, and for half a guinea have
procured a medical certificate that he was suffering
? from some despcruto illness with a very long naino;
but he thought the constituency would prefer that
their representative should bo honest to his convic
tions, than that he should shift to any such low ex
pedients in order to shirk his duty conveniently.
He was told he might have voted against the
address. That was true, he might, but that ho did
not believe tho principle of it to be absolutely wrong ;
but to vote against the address would be to do that
which he had no authority from his constituents to
do, for as between bis constituents and himself, his
constituents had a right to give him authority to go
outside the Constitution to meet a great national
necessity, and the right of the country to something
like the liberal und free government which gave tbo
entire control of tho purse to the Commons, and not
to the representatives of a little oligarchy who seem
to bare loft behind them every common sense or
prudence they might ever have possessed, whon they
entered the Legislative Council. (Cheers.) It
appeared that tho candidute from Collins-street,
the free trade financial reform candidate
was goiDg to raise the cry of ' Law and order.'' Ho
(Mr Vale) should like to know when ho had ever
raised the cry of lawlessness and disorder, when he
had ranged himself on the side of disorder, or hal
ever, in public or in private life, done anything
which stamped him as infamous — (cheors) — if ha
had ever in public or private life been lawless and
disorderly. Ho accepted tho challenge, and would
go to the poll as tho champion of law uud order.
(A voice : What is your pension ?) But how had
the difficulty arisen ? The real question was not any
nico point of law and order. Nothing of tho sort.
The real question was whether tho present Ministry
was to bo in power or a worse Blinistry. (Vehe
ment applause.) It was on that issue the contest
must be fought, and he would tell them why in 8
few brief reasons. Bccauao ho was too old to ac
cept an issuo from his opponent}1, nnd allow them to
run in their nhosec cnudidato ns wide of the issue ns
possible. Ho had read his opt oncnt's nddrrss, and
ho was glad it had boon issued that morniug, as it
bad thrown a new light on tho subject. The mean
ing of it was, 'Give mo your votes aud I will
do just what you do not wont done.' Tho chief
difficulty of legislation during tho session had
reforenco to tho laud question. In limes pnst,
wlicnoTcr any opportunity occurred which would
givo Hit! people a hold upon land ho had always
lioen ready wiili his vote to advocnto Unit principle,
ngainsl the mon who set it nt naught together with
tho cnuso of progress. When the occupation
licenses wcro in forco ho had advised thoau who
wanted land to tnko it up under thoso licenses ; nnd
even still, if ho were asked his opinion ns to tho
wisest system of alienating tho loud, ho would say
freo selection beforo survey. Ho hud gono into
Parliament to get tho best laud bill he could, nnd ho
dofiod anyono to show thnt during the weary months
it was under discussion ho had foiled, when lie could,
to use a word of argument to make tho bill more
liberal than tho enemies of the peoplo wished it to
be. That bill becntno law by tho consent of tho
Oouucil after a hard fight, and wns still iu force.
The country had had plenty of land billB. There
wcio tho Nicholson Bill, tho Duffy Bill nud
others but in all tho.se tho pastoral tonunts of
the Crown had danced 'Jim Crow', through the
clauses. But tho administration of tho present bill
came into tho bauds of a man who, lifter hflvinjr
been a strenuous advocate of its provisions, was
determined to administer them forlho benefit of tho
people. From that moment tho newspapers in tho
iutorest of tho squatters and money lenders hud
abused the Minister of Lauds from Dnn to Boer
sheba. But tho people wonld not lioten to thoso
insnuo ravings ; and why? Becauso tho squatters
fouud thoy could not work nny moro of their little
gnmos under this bill ns they woo'd like to do, and
had done uudcr tbo others?. The risk was too groat,
and thero wns too great a cbauce, in fact a likelihood,
of tho biter being bit. There was one incident to
which ho wonld refer. Tlioro wero a number of
mombors of Parliament, somo of them ropresontiug
large constituencies, hut who were squatters' advo
cates, who woro contiuually putting questions as to
tho Land Bill. They all said it was being dreadfully
administered, ond that it wns a great nuisance. No
doubt, to tho pastoral tenants nnd money lenders
it was n great nuisance ; but tho very
fact oJ tho outcry being raised ngninst tho bill nnd
its admiuistralisn was a proof that it was being
worked with n much larger success than nny other
land bill ; aud to put iu nny Ministry pledged to tho
administration of tho bill for tho benefit of the pas
toral tenants would ho n chango for tho worso.
(Vehement cheering.) Ho hadnodonht that, during
tho past five or 'six months, many of thoso present
had wntchod with interest the progress of tho
Amended Mining Bill, and soon how tho Upper
Housb had endeavored to thwart legislation on
that subject. Tho members of the Council wero
tremendous free tradors, but they did not like the
Mining Bill, because it reduced the minor's right to
five shillings. Now he (Mr Vale) believed in
tho tivo shillings. There had also been
undor discussion a bill for tho supply of water
to the gold-fields. The Upper House thought
that, (IB it was necessary to collect water,
and as tho doing so might in ono case
out of one hundred tread rather, severely on their
toes, thoy went in for a clause of compensation,
which would have rendered tho whole bill inopera
tive. None but thoso who knew tho want of water,
and the loss and inconvenience arising from it,
could appreciate tho conduct of the Assembly in. Hub
matter; but there was a littlo moro behind tho
scenes. The tariff was the real bono of con
tention. It was of no nso driving at the Land
Bill. They had tried that in the press, and failed.
The Upper House dreaded the tariff. Thoso pro
gont were aware that on its original introduction he
(Mr Vale) did not approve of tho tariff, and that ho
sought to amend it so as to curry out a protectivo
policy as far as he could. Directly it was fairly
made an issuo of free trade against protection, ho
had fought its battle, aud would continue to do so,
oithor as a private citizen or if relegated back to his
duties as a m6raber of tho Assembly. But it ap
peared that that issue wns to bo utterly thrown
asido and ignored. The oraolo of tho Froo
Trade League, tho new candidate, Mr Ser
vice, who was seeking a place, said ' You can
havo protection if you like, but I will do tho best I
con to prevent it.' That was tho issuo boforo tho
electors, and that issue ho (Mr Vale) accepted.
During the current week his Excellency had sent to
tho two Houses of Parliament a message, which was
in reality an address to tho Lower House on tho dif
ficulty of governing tho country without funds. His
Excellency sent a memorandum with the address to
the Council, and a committee wns appointed by tho
Council to prepare a reply, of which committee that
grcnt patriot the hon. Thomas Howard Fellows was
oloctod chairman. Now ho (Mr Vale) proposed to
call attention to tho important fact that this tariff —
which was free-trado and protection a few weeks
ago, with all its amendments, and which thoy now
said was neither — this tariff was to be carried. The
meeting was aware that tho tariff contained one
provision for tho abolition of tho gold oxport duly
at tho end of next year, a qnostion which had dis
turbed tho mining population years ngo. Whore
were tho ' leaders ' of old in tho daily papers, ex
hibiting the, wrong and folly of a tax on industry?
Where were they now ? (Vehement ohooring.) Idle
were tho pens, and tho tongue3 wero dumb. The
froo traders would have the country believe that tho
tariff contained no concessions to the gold-fields,
that it would injure the miners and not benefit
them. Tho gold duty was a nice cry formerly to
sell papers, but it was not so now, because it did
not suit tho purposes of the press. The reason the
Upper House was opposed to the tariff was that it
contained a provision to abolish this tax ; and ono
reason why he asked them to support the tariff was
that it would abolish tho infamous gold duty. (Cheers.)
(Tho speaker hero read an extract from ono of tho
speeches of Mr Fellows, in tho Legislative
Council, in roference to the proposed repeal of
tho duty in question.) But really more
important, in roforouco to tho present oontost, than
oven freo trade or protection; was tho question
whether or not the minors wore content to hava
their industry taxed and saddled with tho gold duty,
whilst tho Upper House nominees took care to free
their own banks from a burthen which even the
Bank of England bore with readiness and alacrity.
It was said again that tho country did not want
protection. But when buildings were not so grand
in 1861, about the time of tho elections, all the
papers admitted that protection had a majority in
its favor. Ho would not speak of tho treason, or
tell tho talo of political infamy which frittered
that majority away. It was proved during that
Parliament that protection norer made any headway.
In 18G4, the same issue camo bofui'e tho country,
with the samo rosult of a protectionist majority
being returned ; and now the new light was thrown
upon political institutions and constitutional govern
ment, that a Ministry must not accept the help of
those who went further than themselves in any poli
cal cause. Ho asked whether tho pooplo of England
ever condemned Peel and Gladstone, and others,
becauso they used the forco of office to destroy the
duty on corn ? Never was such a condemnation
uttered. It was now too late in the day to condemn
a Government which had accepted in a modified
form the principle of protection. He was not going
to detain them with any discussion on protection.
Thoy had had that down below, and ho had no doubt
tho free traders had had enough of it (alluding to the
freo trade controversy which had been carried on tho
earlier part of the week on the ground floor of the
building). There was an old proverb of a man
who was caught in a trap which he had
laid for his enemy ; and in tho luto
discussions, this state of things bad beon
realised to tho freo trade portion of the country.
The constituencies of Bollaarat East and Ballaarnt
Wost had made up their minds upon protection, and
did not want it discussed. The itinerating star
company must seek a new field of operations ; and
in a very short time they would find that, the
' houses ' wonld not pay, and, like the great cham
pion of constitutionalism, they would have to come
round to tho side of tho great majority of tho
country. (Cheers.) He did not like the dead lock.
Quarrelling was not a nico amusemont, oven for dogs
nnd cats, and it certainly wa3 not so botwosn two re
presentative bodies ; ho wished ono of them was a
truly representative body, and tho disputo would
soon come to a conclusion. It was qnito clear that
tho framera of the Constitution Act nieaut that
there should be a dead lock, in order to loci: up the
lands of the country for ev^r. Ho had been amas
ing himself for tho Just fow days by reading, in
reference to tho matter ; and ono little fact showed
how the concoctors of tho act, half nominees and
half elected as they were, had provided for a dead
lock. They had provided by a special appropriation
for the expenses of tho Council, hut not for those
ot the Assembly. There was a proof that thoy
knew they were legislating in such a spirit of un
fairnesB that a dead lock must come, and they ac
cordingly made provision for the payment of Hieir
own officers in such o contingency. It might
bo nsked why tho imperial statesmen, in
denling with the Constitution, did not amend
and remodel it. But tho imperial statesmen
wore guiiled by tho principle of prcsoi ving in friendly
relations tbo various tributaries of tho great empire,
rather Ihnn intermeddling in tho internal af
fairs of nuy colony, nud woro moro nnd moro acting
up to tho priucipl'o thnt all new countries with tho
British element iu them wero cnpnblo of doing nil
thoir own business. That ho believed was the
reason they . did not alter the Constitution. It was
quite evident that tho Council had premonitory
symptoms that an address would bo sent home.because
they closed their own address iu theso words: —
' Iu tho peculiar situation in which the colony is
now placed, wo have to request that your Excelloncy
will bo pleased to transmit this address to her
Majesty's principal Secretary of State for tho Colo
nies for his information.' tie hud not the slightest
doubt that tho Governor wonld forward the address,
nud that the Secretary of Stulo would any tout, in
the long run, tho people must win, as thoy always
did. If iho deud lock could bo set aside, ho wi's
willing that it should bo ; but ho insisted thatnouo
of tho rights of the Assembly should be yioldedup
on any protenco whatever. (A voice! Why yield
up your own right?) Ho (Mr Vale) bail not
yielded up tho right of tho goutlemau who bad
spoken. (Laughter.) They wcro told the Upper
House had a perfect right to deal with monetary
matters, because in tho States of America it wns so.
Ho wns prepared to give all reasonnhlo prniso to
the institutions of America whon thoy deserved it ;
bnt it must bo rou;oiubored that, in framing tho3e
iuolilntions, after tho war of independence, the
tendency was to make them as dissim''ar ft
possible from tboso of England^ whilst here
tho object Was to asbimilato with tbo
mother country. Thirty years ngo a ddlid lock bad
taken pluco iu England. ' Tho Reform Bill had to
bo passed, and it was passed. It passed tho Houso
of Commons, and struck deep nt tho power of tho
aristocracy, by destroying tho remains of tho rotten
boroughs. But tho Houso of Lords would not pass
tho measure. Tho proportionate majority of the
Houso of Commons in favor of reform was insigui
cnut compared with that of tho Assembly iu favor of
tho tariff ; but when iho Houso of Commons willed
thnt tho bill should pass, tho Kiug stepped in, aud
by tho ndvico of Lord Grey nud Lord Broughtim,
quietly informed the Lords that he would help tho
Commons by crontingnow poors. Thero was a way
out of a det u lock ; anil if it could not bo comfort
ably arranged hero by judicious concessions on tho
part of lhoso in the Council who croated the diffi
culty by disregarding public policy for selfish ad
vantage and aggrandisement, and if tho dead lock
was still to bo continued, tho Commons would
havo to transmit to the Home Government somo ad
dross as to tho present position of affairs. Then
they would soo who would win ; but ho hoped tho
dead lock would end before that, by wise conces
sions on tho part of tho Council. Ho had been
denonuced through the length and breadth of the
district by pens which wero always ready when
thero was anything to bo got by it. Ho hud been
honorod with ton, Huch letters iu ono day, nine of
which looked as if thoy had been written by ono
bund. He should bo cnllod revolutionary, an un
constitutionalist, and other long words, for Iho
moaning of which ho would porhups havo to look in
the dictionary — (laughter) — but ho would not
admit that Council to bo a fair sample of what it
should bo. He had no objection to an Upper
Chamber to which mon, who had done battle for
political advancement iu early lifo, should retiro in
dignity to conserve' liberty, and chock perhaps in
justico and wrong. Ho had nover said or written
that ho had any objeotion to an Upper
Chamber. He hoped to soo a second Chamber
fairly tried, with a legitimate basis of
representation nnd a fair meed of respon
sibility. Then to doubted not tho countrj
would have a Council whose members would
have public spirit, intelligence, energy nud
capacity to deal with the public atl'uirs iu something
different from a spirit of dotage aud obstructive
ness to tbo public interests. To bring the Couuoil
into consistency with tho requirements of the colony,
there should bo a reform of its constitution us ro
garded qnulificnlion of members. Many of the mem
bers bad lost their qualifications, yet still retained
their sents, aud attemptod to make tho land quuHca
tion a barrier to tho admission of others. The
qualifications both of members and of olecloru should
be reduced, and, probably, tho limo of Bitting also ;
nnd undoubtedly tbo boundaries of tho provinces
should bo altered. He submitted that thero should
be no difficulty on tho part of those who agreed with
him in principles, iu supporting him iu tho con
test. Ho might very likely havo erred, but
if, he had it was from over honesty.
But, if any person wished to put him
in tho Assembly for. party purposes, and
boHcvcd that ho had boon guilty of tho tricks uud
dodges attributed to him iu bis resignation ho
(Mr Vale) did not want thnt person's Bupporfc. Ho
could keep it ami give it to the olhcr mau. What
were the issues ? Thoy wero faHy and broadly to
be free trade or protection ; tbo Assembly or
Council; ouv own productions or foreign industry .
Now, apart from tho meiita of the candidntos, le t
tbo electors take tUeir choice, and the choice they
made- he would agreo to. (Cheers.)1
The Chairman hero intimated that Mr Valo was
prepared to answer ony questions which might be
put to him by tho meeting.
An Elector asked why Mr Valo had resigned.
(Laughter, aud ironical cries.)
Mr Vale snid that the gentleman who put tho
qnestion must havo come late into tho meeting.
Opposition hud arisen in a quartor from which it
was not expected at tho last general election, and
for which no calculation could havo been made } and
ho felt that, as tho position was ono not likely to
occur in any country freely governed once in a
man's lifetime, tho Assembly should assert its
rights, support its dignity, and maintain tho.liborties
of tho people.
An Elector : What about paymont of members ?
Mr Vale replied that ho had always told his con
stituents that ho was favorablo to payment of mem
bers ; but he hud also maintained that no member
should receive payment until bo had gono bef oru
his constituents.
An Elector : Would you voto for tacking pay
ment of members on to tiae Appropriation Bill next
year ?
Mr Vale : I would.
An Elector : If tho dead lock continues, liow
will you pay tho civil servants ?
Mr Vale : I am not paid £1800 a year to know
where to get tho money ; but if tbo dead lock con
tinues, tbo money will be paid honestly and fairly.
An Elector : What will tho miners benefit by
protection 1
The Chairman : That was answered in tbo House
below. (Laughter.)
Mr Vale replied that, as ho had said on many pro
vious occasions, there wero Inrgo numbers of skilled
workmen.now competing in the field of mining in
duBtry, who wero cupublo of better things in the
practice of their trades. If these mon woro with
drawn, as they would bo, competitien would be re
duced, and wages would thereby bo prevented from
fulling. Besides, tho miners who had families
wanted employment for their boys, nnd something
better than bar practice for their girls.
An Elector : What proof have you that a large
numbor of miners aro skilled in trade ?
Mr Vall replied that all the mining populction
had come out with ship-loads of meu who wore
drilled in trades, and what bad becomo of these men ?
Ho presumed that only the average nnmbor of them
had gono to their graves, and where wero the others ?
Besides, it was matter of notoriety that no com
pany sent down a shift of mon which did not in
clude a large proportion of skilled workmen.
An Elegtoii : What about assisted immigration ?
Mr Vale replied that those who went in for froo
trado wero inconsistent when they advocated assisted
immigration. With protection, and the prosperity it
would give riso to, all the letters sent homo would
be so many immigration circulars.
An Elector : Is Mr Vale in favor of a duty on
sending home our hides and wool ?
Mr Vale said ho ttas not favorable to a tax on
exports ; but if tbo opposition of a certain section of
tho community to bearingits fair share of the burthens
of tho country was persisted in, ho might oven
accept a tux on wool, as a means of reaching
them.
After one or two other unitnportaut questions,
Mr C. S. Reeves proposed, ' That Mr Vale is a
fit and pioper person to represent this constituency
in the Legislative AEsembly.'
Mr Jackson seconded tho motion.
Mr C. E. Jones, M.L.A., being londly called for,
next camo forward amidst vehement cheering, and
suid that as tbo meeting wifsonn of constituents' o'
Ballaarat West, heiiad no right to mako a speech ;
but ho would states that if he could in nny way sup
port Mr Vule he would do so. If tho question was
ouo of protection or free* trade, it would bo proper
thut ho should address them. Mr Valo was a
thorough protectionist, n- tried ' ppponeni; of tho
tyrannical proceedings of the Couucil, aud a stanch
supporter of the M'Callocli Ministry. (Vehement
nnd protracted npplause.) Tho meeting nnd ho
(iho chniruinn) could, by their votes, now do some
thing for Mr Vnlo nud tho M'Culloch Ministry,
who no doubt stood as well ns they ever did iu
tho estimation of tbo constituency of Ballanrnt West
ns tbo best Ministry the country hnd ever possessod.
(Enthusiastic cheering.)
Mr D. Blair, who wus loudly called for, addressed
the incotiug nt considerable length in support of
Mr Valo's candidature.
Mr H. Baker next came forward, nnd said that
something bad been said of tbo antecedents of tho
candidates. Tho antecedents of Mr Valo were thnt
bo had come from London, nud that bo ivas, at nuy
rate, tho husbaud of ono wifo. (Hero a scene of
indescribable uprour arose and continued for several
minutes, until Mr Baker, after vainly endeavoring
to sccuro n hearing, retired from the front of tho
platform.)
Tho motion wns put, nnd a comploto forest of
bunds was held up iu its favor, amiust loud cheer
iug. Tho negativo was then put, when about o
dozen hands woro elevated.
The Chairman declared the resolution cairied by
ton to one.
Tbroo enthusiastic cboera wore then given for the
Ministry, nndjtbreo^groans wero heartily rosponded
to for tho Legislative Council, nnd tho moeting
separated.
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