MR. W. C. WALKER, M.H.R., A METHVEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1411, 3 May 1886, Page 3

MR. W. C. WALKER, M.H.R., A METHVEN.

Mr W. C. M.H.R., addressed a of the electors of the Ashburton conHkaenoy at the schoolhcuse, Methven, on evening. Notwitstanding the unpropitious weather, there was a fairly good attendance; and Mr Julian Jackson, Chairman of the Mount Hutt Road Board, occupied the chair. The Chairman, in introducing the speaker, said it afforded him very much pleasure to again preside at a meeting held by Mr Walker. Doubtless the inclement weather

had prevented a number of electors from attending the meeting, but he was quite sure those present would prove an appreciative and attentive audience. It was unnecessary to bespeak a patient hearing for Mr Walker —

that would be accorded as a matter of course ; but he (the Chairman) might remind them that, after the address, Mr Walker would be prepared to answer any questions that might be put to him by electors. Mr Walker said it was with pleasure he appeared before them that evening. Tie regretted that the weather had been so inclement, because a great many gentlemen who he had hoped would have attended were prevented from doing so. Meeting them at so late a period—just before the opening of the House—had an advantage ; it not only enabled them to compare what Ministers had said and done during the recess, but also to corfeider the opinions which the leaders of the Opposition had expressed. He would ask them to say, after they had read the speeches of Major Atkinson, Mr Bolleston, Sir George Grey, Mr Ormond, and Mr Montgomery, whether a case had been made ont against the Government. He, for one, did not think there had. Nearly all these gentlemen bad been members of administrations holding almost similar ideas to the present one, or had been in treaty with the existing Ministry for joining them. There-1 fore, he thought there was no great difference I of principles between them. With regard to I the question of borrowing, it could not be said I that these gentlemen—the leading members I of the Opposition—differed very much from J the opinion the Government held on the I subject. Nearly every public man acknow- I ledged that at the present period of the I colony’s career borrowing was necessary, and I the only ground of disagreement was with I regard to the amount. He again contended I that the Opposition had been unsuccessful as I far as their indictment brought against I Ministers was concerned. He asked them to { consider the position of the colony when the I present Government took office. They were I all suffering from the commercial depression. I The causes of the depression which affected I the trading and producing community over I the whole world were beyond the power of I any Ministry to remove, but Government I did their best to lessen the effects and prevent I them being so severely felt. They endeavored I to turn' their attention to new sources of I wealth in the colony. The Fisheries Bill I which was passed fast session had for its object I the development of the vast amount of wealth I in the sea around our shores. Then, too, the I

department of Mines, which had previously been administered in conjunction with that of

Lands, was put under the charge of a separate Minister, and this, he thought, was a step in the right direction. The mining enterprise of the colony was one that bad not received its fur share of attention in the past, but he hoped that neglect would be remeded in the future, for the increased prosperity of the mining industry would naturally mean increased prosperity to the colony. The steps taken by the Ministry for the construction and development of the harbors

of the West Coast were of the utmost import

ance to a large section of the colonists, and would ultimately bear fruit which would prove beneficial to the whole. And lastly, but by no means least, the members of the Government were entitled to a large measure of credit for the consistent loyalty with which they had pressed on every measure having for its object the construction of the EAST AND WEST COAST AND NELSON RAILWAY. He need hardly say that the Government’s advocacy of this last important undertaking had the entire and cordial support of a very large majority of the Canterbury members. These felt that the work was one in which their constituents had an especial interest, but at the same time they were satisfied that it was one which should be undertaken in the interests of the colony. From a colonial point of view it was of the very highest consequence that the break between the Bast and West Coast of the Middle Island should be annihil-

ated, and that these two great fields of Indus- J try should be so connected that a constant and I convenient interchange of commodities might I take place between them. They were all ac- I quainted with the recent history of the ques- I tion. They had seen the ungenerous manner J in which the proposal bad been treated by a I majority of the House ; treatment which com- j pelted the representatives of the three districts j moat interested in the railway to take up a j position hostile to the proposals of their own J friends. But although the representatives of J Canterbury, Nelson and Westland bad been I constrained by the ungenerous attitude j assured by their opponents to oppose certain j proposals made by the Government, they had J no grievance against the leaders of the House I with regard to this question. The Govern-1 ment had done all that lay in its power to j facilitate the construction of the line. It had I passed the Act which permitted its construction I by a syndicate, it had brought the now famous I Meiggs’ scheme before the House, and, as a 1 last resource, it had placed £150,000 upon the I Public Works Estimates as a preliminary vote I towards the cost of the work. The represen-1 tatives of the three districts mentioned had J no desire to make a demonstration against the I Government, but they thought it reasonable I and politic to make such a demonstration against their ungenerous opponents. It was I a strange and deplorable circumstance that I the people of Otago, whose interests are mainly identical with those of the people of I Canterbury, and whose social and commercial j conditions are almost similar to our own, I should so seldom give their cordial support to I any measure introduced by the representatives I of this part of the colony. There were, of course, exceptions, honorable exceptions, and I in connection with the railway proposal he might instance Mr Macandrew, who, with 1 perfect consistency, supported the scheme he had advocated when Minister for Public Works I and severely criticised the factious opposition I offered by the other Otago members. But, notwithstanding this oppositioii, the efforts made by the supporters of the scheme were likely to bring it to a satisfactory and triumphant issue. Half-an-hour ago he could only have said the proposal was on a fair way to completion; but since entering the room that night he gathered from the evening paper that a contract for the construction of the lino had already been signed. (Mr Walker read a copy of the telegram addressed by Sir Julius Vogel to the Mayor of Christchurch.) They might now congratulate themselves on the prospect opened np.of increased prosperity on both sides of the ranges. Friends and enemies of the line would both acknowledge now ' that it was settled that they , were heartily g'ad it was so. It was admitted on all hands that as long as the line ’ was unsettled it was an obstacle in the way of

general politics. Some of the friends of the line had opposed its formation by a Syndicate, Jbpt for his own part he believed that snch a “wav had many advantages. One was that the railway would be completed within a reasonable time. They all knew how long Government lines took to complete, and if this line were taken up by Government, as some gentlemen wished, many of them would be in their graves before it was finished. One of the most important Acts passed last session %as the AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS ACT. was an honest and fair attempt to settle ■g difficult subject, and, furthermore, it was w the initial step towards more complete decentralisation than they had yet seen. The present Government came into office with a promise to take up the local government question, and he thought they could not do more wisely than proceed, as it were, “ piecemeal.” If the subject were dealt with in a fragmentary manner they would have in the end a more practical scheme than if one man had sketched it at one time. One charge • which had been brought against the Act by its critics was that it was the introduction into the colony of a poor law, but it must be remembered that for years past a very large amount had been contributed annually by the Government towards charitable aid, and therefore, if they had a poor law now it might with eqnal justice be said that they had one previously. The only difference was that hitherto the money had fame out of general taxation, but that it rWjWjßPDine out of local taxation.' ne agreed with the main principles of the Act still be Reeled to gotoe of it? Retails, The es-

perienoe of the last six months had shown that many small matters required amending. One great fault was the creation of too large distrots for the administration of charitable aid. As far as the hospitals districts were concerned, he had been able to have the County and Borough of Ashburton declared a separate district. With regard to charitable aid* he had felt that a similar arrangement would have been desirable, but as the whole colony was treated in the same way, namely, divided into large districts, he dak not feel justified in holding out. He was now able to say from past experience that the present system was unsatisfactory, and required amendment. Many of the members of the present United Charitable Aid Board had great distances to travel in order to attend | the meetings of the Board, and had consequently very little time to give to the business. Mr Walker went on to state that there was one matter to which he had expected the Board would have devoted its attention, but in which he had been disappointed. That was the enormous disparity in the amount expended in charitable aid in Canterbury to that spent in Otago. Calculating on the population basis, it would naturally be thought that the latter district would absorb the larger amount, but what were the facts ? The estimate for charitable aid tor the 12 months for Canterbury was £20,000; for Otago, £7007. The amount Canterbury required to raise by rate was £9379, being at the rate of 2-19ths of a pennyin the £ ; the amount Otago required to raise was £2994, at the rate of 3-82nds of a penny in the £. Therefore, Canterbury had to provide three times the amount Otago had. These figures suggested that a screw must be loose some where. It was inconceivable that there should be so much more distress in Canterbury than Otago. It was true that private benevolence was better organised and exercised on a larger scale in the latter district, which also possessed a number of endewments for charitable aid purposes, but still there was such a disproportion that it required investigation. He had hoped that when the new Board was created it would set to work to sift the matter to the bottom, and he felt disappointed that it had not done so. Matters were in much the same condition as when the Board took office. It was composed of representatives coming from such distances that they really had not time to undertake the duties. It would be much better if the district were divided, and he would endeavor to carry out the wishes of the County Council and Borough Council, and have Ashburton declared a separate district for charitable aid. The question of finance he had not touched upon, for, although it was an important one, he considered the other was greater, and if it could be satisfactorily settled the matter of finance would right itself. Another measure intimately connected with the subject of local government was the

COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT ACT, which altered the Counties Act in a few details. The proposal that the County Chairmen and auditors should be elected by the ratepayers was not acceptable to the majority of the House, and was rejected. The clauses which provided that new counties might be created on the petition of a certain majority of the ratepayers were expunged, and in their place a clause was introduced which provided that every petition for separation' should go before Parliament, and be decided on its own merits. They would remember that the time this measure was before the House, a number of ratepayers in the Mount Somers district were taking steps to obtain separation from the Ashburton County and the formation of a new county. He was not in favor of the subdivision; he was opposed to the creation of small counties; but still be did not wish to deprive a section of his constituents of certain privileges they enjoyed under the law as it then existed. The only grave difficulty in connection with the proposal was suggested by the question— Who should control the headworks of the water races ? But this difficulty was removed by the petitioners agreeing that the headworks should remain under the sole control of the existing county, and on the understanding that this would be the case, be saw Mr Holmes, the gentleman entrusted with the task of giving effect in Parliament to the prayer of the petition, and the Colonial Secretary, and thought the matter was as good as settled in a manner that would prove satisfactory to the petitioners. At a later stage Mr Holmes asked the Premier if the Bill then before the House would affect the position of the petition, and received a distinct and positive assurance that it would not. Mr Stout, who at once saw the point of the question, promised that the position of petitions in course of presentation should not be interfered with. Unfortunately this promise made by the Premier had been overlooked. He (Mr Walker) regretted the circumstance very much, but he felt, having a precise undertaking from Mr Stout on the subject, he had not been guilty of any wilful negligence At the same time be felt compelled to say that in his opinion the proposed separation would not have proved advantageous to that part of the district. If separation were required, it should take place by a from the hills to the sea, on lines tnatwould not give rise to complications in connection with their water supply. But the amending Act to which he had referred might remove any need for separation. It provided that rates should be expended on the ward from which they were raised. This would protect the interests of each locality, and might reconcile the ratepayers of the district to the present system. Another measure connected with local government, passed last session, was the

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND POWERS ACT, which gave subsidies to the local bodies for six months. Many members doubted the soundness of the principle of subsidies. They had been tried in New Zealand before, but without an adequate trial bad been abandoned for something not quite so satisfactory. In Victoria the principle had been adopts and found to work well, and if followed in New Zealand for a course of years, he was sure it would be found satisfactory to all concerned. The local bodies were now required to provide funds' for hospitals and charitable aid, and it would be obviously unfair to leave them without any assistance from the general revenue. He hoped the matter would be settled once for all, on an equitable basis, duriug the approaching session of Parliament. Another Act which entailed a great deal of labor upon the Minister who drafted it, and upon the Committee appointed to examine it was the

LAND ACT. Although mainly a consolidating measure, it contained provisions of the utmost general importance. It was a pity the land laws of New Zealand were so voluminous; it would be very much to the benefit of the colony if they could be further condensed and simplified. But the present Act contained many provisions, relics of the old Provincial Governments, which were supposed to especially meet the requirements of particular localities and [ particular sections of the settlers. Among the new features of the Act were the facilities

it offered for the settlement of the Crown lands. They had all heard, or at least read, Sir George Grey’s scheme for the resumption of the fee simple of the land by the State. Well, the more advantageous of the principles expounded by Sir George were conceded by the present Act, and might be put into practical operation in any part of the colony. There could be no doubt that if the people were to be benefited by the State acquiring t possession of the land, the State should have power to do so, but there were several grave difficulties connected with Sir George Grey’s scheme which made it almost impracticable. I The very magnitude of the scheme would I prevent the colony undertaking its execution I without careful and prolonged consideration, I and the greater part of the good land was J already alienated by the State, and would I require to be purchased at a figure which I would raise the quit rent—to cover interest and transfer charges—to an almost prohibitory figure, a result which would neither benefit the settlers nor assist the exchequer of the State. The

NATIVE LANDS ACT had been shelved, not because it deserved such’ treatment, but because it dealt with a question which was not generally understood or easily settled. He would not trouble them with particulars of the measure, but he might congratulate the colony, upon the reported success of the Minister’s dealings with the Natives. He had succeeded in inducing the Natives to approach the Government and place their lands in a position which made their occupation by European settlers possible. This would remove one of the greatest difficulties connected with the Native question; would facilitate the construction of the North Island Tranh Railway, and would prove of the Utmost benefit to the nativd population. As promised at the time of hie election, he had ‘ heartily supported the

DISTRICT RAILWAYS PURCHASING BILL. When that Bill became law he hoped the difficulties connected with their local line were entirely removed, but he now understood that the Minister felt some difficulty in reducing the rates of freight to an equality with the rates prevailing on the main lines. As the ratepayers were responsible for any deficiency below two per cent, on the working of the line, the Minister, very properly, was consulting them with regard to a reduction in the rates. Personally he believed the settlers in the district would be benefited by a very considerable reduction. Indeed, he would favor a reduction in the general tariff of the railways, as he considered the present high charges operated unfairly. The Government having induced people to take up lands in districts at a distance from the seaboard, should provide every possible facility for the exportation of their produce. There could be little doubt from the past history of the local line that a reduction in rates would bring about an increased and most profitable business. Some of the other railways affected

by the Bill did not stand in precisely the same position as that to which he had referred, but it was felt on all sides of the House that these lines should be extinguished. Owing to the faulty character of the Act under which they were built it was found impossible to work them in a manner which would be fairly satisfactory to all concerned. THE TARIFF PROPOSALS. Mr Walker briefly referred to the tariff proposals of the Government brought down last session. He said he was not going to defend that tariff because he thought it contained many mistakes. He considered one mistake was the proposed duty on coal, because at that time the West Coast mining industry

had not developed to such a stage that it could take advantage of the tariff. The proposal was inopportune, because at that time the agriculturists of the South Island were carrying on a profitable trade with New South Wales in interchange for that country’s coals. He did not, however, agree with what 'some people said about “ retaliation.” In making a tariff it was no part of our business to consider what some other country would think of a duty upon some partiular item and when the proposed new tariff was rejected in New South Wales the other day, they could depend upon it that it was not bocause some of the duties might not meet with the approval of other countries, but because it was not considered in the interest of that colony to adopt it. IC’orving to the reasons which had made it necessary for Government last session to propose a revision of the tarifl, Mr Walker said that there had been a contraction in several of the items. One reason of that contraction was the depression, and another the less amount we spent on alcoholic liquors. The latter he considered cause for congratulation, as it showed the spread of temperance principles throughout the community, the result of which would be happier homes and thriftier habits ; and the people having in the course of time more money to spend on other things. The contraction in the duty on alcoholic liquors would, therefore, be made up by the increased amount spent on other dutiable articles. But in the meantime, however, Government had to raise revenue somehow, and this they did by an increase to the

PROPERTY TAX. They must remember that if the colony continued to borrow year after year there must be increased taxation, unless the money was spent on directly reproductive works. He regretted to say that much of the money which had been spent on railways in the past had not been reproductive because of the slow manner in which the lines had been constructed. * Mr Montgomery one of the critics of the Government advocated our borrowing being regulated by the amount saved out of the CIVIL LIST EXPENDITURE. He thought Mr Montgomery should have have had sufficient experience to know that

his plan was not feasible on any very largo scale. The matter of economy in the Civil Service was one that was talked about a great deal, but the moment it was attempted to be applied to the estimates it was found extremely difficult. Mr Walker spoke on the subject to the same effect as in his Ashburlon speech a short time ago, and he compared New Zealand with the neighboring colonies for the purpose of showing we were in no worse position than they were with regard to Civil Service expenditure, in fact we were slightly better, because whereas the expense in all the Australian colonies and in New Zealand was proportionately the same, they only had one large town, whereas we had several centres. The Treasurer had shown in a recent speech that none of the colonies could show a better record than New Zealand with regard to the Post Office and Telegraph Department, and he thought they all knew from experience in daily life what an efficient department that was. As to the pay of the Civil servants, ho would set his face against any increase of salaries at the present time. The Civil servants were a class who having received a fixed salary wiion .the rest of the community were suffering from the depression had in effect enjoyed an increase of pay. When other classes were suffering from reduced incomes, the Civil servants still received the same wages and found that their money had greater purchasing power than formerly, because the necessaries of life wore cheaper and house-rent was lower. Therefore, he considered the Civil servants had no right to consider that their position required improvement, and, as he had said, he would oppose any increase being made.

FUTURE BORROWING. The great point Government would have to keep before them as regards further borrrwing was that the works carried out should either be of a directly reproductive character or tend to promote our prosperity by advancing the settlement of the country. LOCAL INDUSTRIES. Regarding taxation, its acknowledged principles in the colony for years past had been that it was levied first for revenue purposes, and secondly for the encouragement of local industries. He did not think that farmers generally appreciated the effect flourishing lo cal industries would have upon the prosperity of the colony, and he went into the subject at s me length, and quoted from a book recently published to show the benefit that accrued to an agricultural population in the neighborhood of active industries. He trusted that the Parliament of this country would give honest and fair encouragement to local industries, and that the people of the colony would not be led away fn supposing that in giving such encouragement anything was being done that operated against their interests. The great work before the Parliament of New Zealand was that of DECENTRALISATION. Last session they had extended this principle to to Hospitals and Charitable Aid, and during next session he hoped they would see their way to go further in the same direction. Government was a machine which could only do certain things well; when it attempted to do things for which it was not adapted it was bound to do them badly. As an instance of how badly the Government could manage any business beyond its legitimate sphere he might instance the Government Life Insurance

department. He had not from the first approved of the Government undertaking this business : he regarded it as an intrusion upon the field of private enterprise. However, the Government possessed undoubted facilities for the transaction of the business, and as long as it was content with effecting insurances to a small amount, on.the same limited principle as the Saving Banks, there was no serious objection to the departure. But when the department undertook to effect insurances on a single life up to i'lffiOO, difficulties at once began to arise. Sj soon as it became necessary for investments to be found for the surplus funds of the Department, it was made evident that the Government was incapable

of performing the task in a satisfactory manner, This difficulty brought about the creation of the present Association, but it was evident that this change was not sufficient to obviate all the objectionable features of Government control. He thought if the business could be handed over to the policy 1 holders, on such terms which would be fair to the Government —the guarantors of the business of the Association—it would prove % satisfactory settlement ot the matter. He need hardly tell them the Government had proved to be a bad railway manager. Hope was a virtue easily sdslained, but they had hoped so long and from so many different Ministers that he feared their hope had become almost hopeless. So long as Govesnment retained control of the railways he feared these matters would not improve. The measure prepared by Mr Bichardson two years ago for the creation of Eailway Boards would, it was promised, be introduced next sessioh. This measure, if passed, would effect a great icdproveraent. It did hoi go far enough, but wa a step in the right direction, and would.

ha hoped, be allowed to beeome law. Tlv Victorian railways were managed !<y a i. political Board, and that colony hid deriv. very material benefits from the adoption of the system. A non-poiitical Board for the management of their railways should be re garded as an essential part of ihe work of decentralisation. The question of RENT

was one that would in all probability com up before Parliament next session, ? If i were only a matter between private landlord and tenants it would be one wlii, h might ' i left to right itself, but the Crown tenants iOtago had appealed for a redimiion, and th. matter would have to be considered. T), question of rent was a difficult one, and otw that was troubling landlords and tenants a) over the world at the present time. Ren; being generally fixed by competition was in

good seasons high, while latterly gold having appreciated and produce depreciated in value, the farmer finds himself unable to pay the rent he has contracted to pay. Mr Walker referred to a few of the solutions of the difficulty which had been proposed, but with which he did not agree, tie thought the introduction into this colony of an institution resembling the Scotch Fiars Court would be a good thing. That Court every year struck an average of the produce, and fixed the value of tithes and such like according to that average. He though it would be a practical solution to establish a similar Court here

for the purpose of fixing the rent of the tenant according to the value of produce. Thus the matter of rent would not press unduly heavily on a tenant in bad times. Such a system being applied to the Crown tenants might, he thought lead the way to a change in the present arrangements existing as between private landlord and tenant, and prevent the rent question ever becoming a difficulty in New Zealand again. In conolnsion he thanked the audience for the attentive and patient manner in which they had listened to his remarks. If any elector wished for further information upon any subject, or desired to put any question, he would be very pleased to answer to the best of his ability.

Mr Walker having spoken for rather more than an hour and a half, resumed his seat amidst applause. Mr Iteyuolds asked Mr Walker what would become of the surplus if the working of the local railway resulted in a profit. Mr Walker said he was not in a position to give an authoritative answer, but he presumed the railway department would reap the benefit. The Chairman said ho was pleased to have an opportunity to explain why the petition praying for the creation of the Mount Hutt riding into a separate county was entrusted to Mr John Holmes, and not to Mr Walker. Mr Walker had very candidly stated that lie was opposed to the sub-division of the county, and it appeared to the petitioners that it would be unfair to that gentleman to ask him to urge a prayer which he might regard as prejudicial to the interests of a large majority of his constituents. But Mr Walker had vety generously given valuable assistance to the petitioners in connection with the matter, and he the (Chairman) would now like to ask why the clauses in the Counties Amendment Act which defeated the prayer of the petition had been allowed to pass without some protest from Mr Holmes or himself.

Mr Walker said ho was pleased to have received the explanation made by the Chairman. As regards the question, he cbuld assure Mr Jackson and the oilier ratepayers that he was in no way responsible for the clauses in the Act, which prevented the passage of the petition. They had a distinct promise from the Premier that the position of petitions then before the House would bo preserved by amendments in the Act whytfTwould bo made in the Legislative Csuncil.

Mr John Holmes, M.H.R., briefly reviewed the History of the petition, and corroborated the explanation given by Mr Walker. Mr Reynolds asked for Mr Walker’s views on “ cheap money.”

Mr Walker said ho would bo very pleased to assist any movement having for its object the lowering of the rates of interest. The question was one which presented many difficulties and poins of exceptional delicacy. A State Bank was frequently talked about, but he failed to see that such an institution would be likely to improve matters. He had been in countries where the character of the paper currency affected the prosperity of the community. He trusted it would not be hxs lot to witness such a condition of affairs in New Zealand. The State might, when granting charters to the existing banks have made a more advantageous arrangement, and it was to be regretted that a majority of the banks in the colony doing business were, so to speak, foreign institutions. They could not servo two masters, and on more than one occasion thost banks had withdrawn capital from this .jny to meet some sudden and, perhaps, temporary demand in one of the adjoining colonies. He would, however, give most hearty support to any measure calculated to lighten the burdens of the community. Several unimportant questions having been answered, Mr McMillan proposed that a vote of thanks and confidence should be accorded to Mr Walker.

Mr Andrew Macfarlane seconded the proposition, which was carried by acclamation. A similar compliment to the chair, proposed by Mr Walker, concluded the proceedings.