PRE-SESSIONAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 361, 3 June 1881, Page 2

PRE-SESSIONAL.

The Ex-Minister of Public Works. Mr Oliver met his constituents in the Garrison Hall, Dunedin, last evening. In the course of his remarks he said he was a Liberal, and his views were in perfect harmony with those of the Government. The Opposition were mere make-believe Liberals. When first elected, Sir George

Grey’s proposals for reform were before the country, and he pledged himself to support them. He little thought that it would fall to a Government, ot which he was a member, to give effect to them, but such had in fact been the. case. Sir George Grey having entirely failed, it had remained for the succeeding Government to have them placed on the statute book of the colony. New Zealand now had a franchise as liberal as any enjoyed by any country ; but, to complete the scheme of reform, one or two measures were necessary, and he hoped shortly to see these passed. Of the principles of the Redistribution of Seats Bill he approved, but he considered it would still leave the system of -representation defective. He considered the proposal ventilated by the Premier in regard to the control of the Legislative Council by a Lower House elective power wise and prudent. He deeplyregretted the (retirement of Mr Bryce, and ; commended the Native Commissioners for the good service he considered they had rendered in native matters. The ' la's would prevent money bping brought into the-colony • must'be acknowledged to be false, for the supply of' money was. now greater than it had,been for years. A disposition had' heed displayed of - late by the Opposition: i torch the Government of the credit of their retrenchment. He thought/ the Opposition were disappointed at the effectof the retrenchmentachievedbythe.Government, . and said he Should continue to believe in the local Public Works 5 Bill Until a better scheme was propounded. l Regarding the public works, he said that if the railway lines had been all well chosen, there would have hemimu oeed for fcaohja qhefek as the public works policy had, recently , encountered ; but lines had been donstructed that could not pay; Trains wore' ; run more frequently’ than'Was necessary and the tariff adopted in Some instances was unnecessarily. low. . -In one case where the carriage had been L 6 per .ton, f 8? October• had, bgea.l-Ts. 2d pe^ x jtoik;o'#Q taking office J he had~ as soon as possible - lessened the number of .trains so fts to diminish miles aye,ar; statlomuastbra' were. . moved-front 5 eitremelysmall stali6he| I the number of' men etapibyed reduced ; v one efficient department, a commissioner's depart cdent; had been’ aubaitituted fot itvo . - inefficient. ones 7 ; and one aocoqntant’s.' - had been substituted for both ..... iheUcale of jiay had been trdneed, tho ; , goods! tariff reYiaed, and and' a ‘Bysfcm eslablished, a(icordjng- to-whiph . men -wbuld be ! ptoinptod‘ in the. keryica. - instead of being BtJbefkSdM b^'outsiders. ’ ; He had had under consideration a scheme for a genera,! railv.ay>benefifc soiSety,’-atid a 1 system of colonial .parcels;, delivery. Enquiries were beingjinade with a view to adopting the American system of check- , ing luggage, and ■ attention was being' given to the question of reducing passengeir rates, and establishing night tmi|B betweeq i sphriatphurclf 1 and • -Dunedin. These, matters,, however, were, for his „V) successors to decide, upon.. . Mr Oliver concluded by making an 1 explanation of. the .reasons/which had induced ; him' to : resign his= .portfolio. : A ; vote of thanks. tod confidence was carried;. the Was quiet and orderly. ■ 1 • - ; ' ' 1 ' ! r