THE HON. MAJOR ATKINSON AT WELLINGTON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1631, 9 August 1887, Page 3

THE HON. MAJOR ATKINSON AT WELLINGTON

The Hod. Major Atkinson addressed a poblio meeting last evening. The Mayor presided. ' Major Atkinson said he would take the earliest opportunity to onat the Government, and denied the charge that the Opposition wished to rodnce wages or import Kaffir labor ; and that his Government had been most extravagant m borrowing- He said it was his party that pot the brake on, and he thought the verdict on the Government by the House would be confirmed bp the country. Ha blamed Government for tho second ' MMlon. They should have resigned and ; given the Opposition a chance to carry vat retrenchment. The questions the elector i had to consider were (1) inorease of tax* fttloD or reduced expenditure, (2) wh*t wu to be done In public works, «nd (3) eonld Government be trusted to carry out neoeemy reform-. In Parliament Government hid stated they could not make farther retrenchment, but immediately they were before the country, rednoed by £100,000. The deficit last year was £234,000, and was still running on. Be tbonght the graduated property tax & fatal blow to the oolony and would tend to drive intending settlers with moderate means away. If a graduated property tax were introduced there would be an exodos from the colony, as It would bring . -about a terrible crisis. Wo were living ' on too extravagant a scale, and it was necessary that every go' d clt'zan should take Steps to reduce gach extravagance. The Governor's salary ought to be rednced, the reason of the present salary beicg fixed so high being that the beat possible man should be sent oat. Refer* ring to Ministers, he said that their salary was not tco much as compared with that paid commercial gentlemen, bat if tht»y were to have complete retrenchment then tVere trust be considerable reductions m Ministers' salaries. The honorarium must also be reduced, though he did not think members overpaid. Then, all the salaries most be thoroughly revised. Only by •uch • coarse as this could they restore the colony's credit m the London market, ■nd until this is restored the colony . would not have real prosperity, In making reduations they must assure English cceditors that they are willing to give up luxurieo rather than impose farther Uvation. Referring to the education system he said that he woulddonothiogthat '• : - would cripple it, and would like to tee secondary schools and universities ■'; • part of the same scheme. He did not agree *- with increasing the school age to to von. or reducing the standards to four. The public works should proceed slowly, but there should be no farther borrowing next session. He thought that special settlements should be near where settlers could obtain work, otherwise they would be a failure. He condemned Mr Ballancs's nnauih >rlsed expenditure of £60,000 for these settleoients, and objaoted to the GoTernment Land Bill. He urged, m conclusion, that Government could not be trusted to carry out the necessary reductions and reforms, quoting fig ores m support of his view. They had promised a rednotion of taxation, but it was clear from the whole tone of their utterances that they would impose taxation to any limits the people chose to submit to. He htd no fear that the colony would get over its difficulties with prudent management, bat the electors should return men m the interests of the colony and not of locality, and make up their minds to effect by work and economy what othera sought to do by financing and speculating. At the conclusion a vote of thanks was passed with only one or two dissentients.