MR BALLANCE AT WANGANUI

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1526, 6 April 1887, Page 2

MR BALLANCE AT WANGANUI

\ — ♦ j The Uou Mr Ballance addressed his i constituents at Wanganul on Tuesday eveniner, speaking for two hoars and a quarter. Following are the ealient points of the speech. Referring to Mr Bryce having denied the value of the NATIVE LAND PCBCHASED SY GOVERNMENT, he said t&at s portion of the Maungakatetu block, which Mr Bryce bad described as oos worth sixpence an acre, brought the other day 13d per acre for reot. What objeofc, he asked, oould Mr Bryoe have la depreciating the land m this way? Then they were told there was no likelihood of any land being purchased m the King Ooantry. The Government had pat nearly the whole of the land through the Court, and the work of sab-division was about to take place, while there wore no fewer than 6000 names on the deed relating to the land whioh passed the Oonrt m the Waikato. NATJVB LAND SILL. ! The Native Land Administration Bill, which was passed last . Bes«ion, he described as the measure of the session, and j entered into a fall explanation of its scope, addiog that it established a great reform, by restoring the pre-emptive right to the Or»wn, and providing that the Native lands oould only be bought m the interest of public settlement. women's suffrage. He defended the prdpoaal to confer the franobise on women, and conteuded there would never be any great aooial reform accomplished m this colony until women enjoyed the franchise. THE LEGISLATIVE COUKCIL. It was very likely that the Government wonld introduce into the House of Representatives next session a Bill providing that the term during which a Oounolllor may b« appointed should be limited to a period of seven years, instead of for life. SUPREME COURT PROCEDURE. He thought there ought to bo not only a reform of the Supreme Court itself. There ought to be n Judloial C >mmittee of both Houses of Parliament continually Bitting, and whenever a judgment was reported whioh did not to the public mind seem right, the matter should be brought before the Legis'atrire. RETRENCHMENT. - - Respecting tne question of retrenchment, the promise of the Premier that there would b* effected a saving m salaries of between £30,CC0 and £40,000 would be carried out. He himae'f objqoted to an all round ten per cent reduction, and the only way to accomplish their object wai not to fill vacancies nnnere&sarily. TAXATION. It would be admitted that further taxation would be required next session, as we shou'd have to pay an additional £10,0C3 for interest, and there was also to be considered the increased oob*; of education andtraoh aervloes as the post and telegraph offioes whioh must be provid id for. He oonsldered that the form of the change m the inoidenoa of taxation should be m the way of protecting local industries. The question of a Land tax was entirely out of the region of local politics at preuwot. He oonsidered that tha principal advocates of this tax wera not sincere, bnt simply wanted a tax m a form m whioh they could use it f or their own purpose. He pointed out that the taxation per head of the colony was to-day exactly what it was m 1869, before the initiation of the Pablic Works policy, v.z., £3 2s 7d. There was also to be considered the fact that we had greater facilities by mean* of railway* and other works, so that we had nothing to c mplaia about. He maintained, however that the prosperity of a colony could not be gauged by the amount of taxation per head. ; borrowing. If we Wbre to ceise borrowing altogether | m*ny of oar railways whioh were only partially completed would consequently 09 suddenly stopped, and everything would come to a standstill. The Premier's views were that we should borrow no more than would be necessary to carry suoh works to completion, or to a paying point. He, foe his part, had m 1878 oome to a conclusion thai the colony should limit its borrowing to three-quarters of a million par annum, and that opinion ho held still. THE REPRESENTATION. He oiuld not nee that one man iv the country should count for more than one m the town, but the majority of the House, he believed, was m favor of giving larger repreßeutatioj to the counties than to tho to<vna, and he concluded it might be necessary to yield somewhat. They should have equal electoral districts, but he thought there would be a small percentage added to the country diatriota. The limit of population per member would be 6300, and the number of momberß would remain the same, as at preaent, vis. 91* This would really be « reduction m the number of members m proportion to population. To redact) the members from 91 to 78, as had been proposed, would create m England an impression that the oniony was goingto the bad, and the rumors of depression and stagnation would be confirmed. He did not thin* 91 members too many, and during the last few years, since the number had been increased, the Legislature of the couot'-y had generally improved. The Ministry, however, had resolved to allow the question to remiin an open one, and moreover they them-> selves entertained different opiuions. It was their determination to force this Bill into law next session, and nothing would be left undone by ths Government to put it through. LAND A QCISITION BILL. It was the intention of the Government next aeaston to introduoe a Land Aquistt'on Bill, wh.'oh would give the power to take land from private estates, and he believed the country was In favor of the principle. Tho question for ooiisidertion of the people was, whether the time was ripo for putting the principle into practice. It would have a beoefioant effeot m promotiog the settlement of the country. . VILLIGE AND SPECIAL SETTLE VENT. Nine hundred married people haa been placed on the land during the last twelve months by the special settlement system. A. large number had also been placed on the land who would otherwise have remained as unemployed. Referring to PROTECTION. he nald that it was our duty to encourage local industries m every way .sad he specified Canada, Germany, and Victoria as proßperoud countries, owing to the adoption of Protective principles. la conclusion, ha said the policy of the Government was one of progress, energdtio and vigorous progress, and his opinion was that the colony would never get ovar its difficulties unless it laid down a vigorous policy of progretß, including the settlement of the land m large uarabert, and the protection of native industries. Mr Ballance resumed his seat amid warm applause, and ques tiona having been invited, but none asked, a vote of thanks and confidence was oarried without a dissenting voice.