CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1929, 27 August 1888, Page 3

CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL.

In the Houße on June 13 Mr Buxton speaking on (he Gu3totnaDatloa Bill said; —It is not my Intention to detain the House many minutes, but I feal almost bound to say a few words. I happen to be m an exceptional position compared with a great many members. I am, fortunately, one of the young members of the House, and I think that the old saying ia very applicable, and it is very much appreciated by me joßt now, "Happy Is the man who never grows old m " — I trill not say what. 1 have ho pagtloalar desire to be an old member of Parliament If my Ideas are not better than those of the honorable gentleman who has jaat sat down. I hava nothing to boast about In regard to my political experience and political knowledge. The district I represent possesses men very much superior to myself. I have not that timidity m speaking what I think that a great many honorable members have m thia House. I am not afraid to speak my views for fear of giving offeno9 to my constituents. ! Very likely, aftec this Parliament I shall be seen hero no more. At any rate lam not at a'l afraid about this matter. My ideaß are just the same ; they have not altered m the lesßt decree from what they were wben firet I offered my services for this icopirtant position. I did think, and I do think now, that there is nothing better for New 55? aland la its present, position than a medium Pntaction. I have been somewhat surprised to hear the remark which has fallen fiotn a great many men of known standing and exporlencejthat they are not Freetraders, neither are they Protectionists. It has also been eald that there are no parties In thta House. To my mind, Sir, there appear to be two strong parties, and they have been spoken of m strong language, and given strong names too. I tbink I have heard the party to whioh I have the honor to belong called " a mtny-headed monster." Well, Sir, lam proud of the patty, and the longer I amoouneoted with It the more I feel attached to It. There waa a time when they had a head ; and when they loßt their head they were stronger than ever ; and now they are spoken of by the oonfounded Freetraders —or, if that is not parliamentary language, I will call them the perplexed Freetraders —as being dangerous. I, at any rate, am not at all afraid ; and I consider that we have nothing to be afraid of, we h»ve nothing to be ashamed of — we have not turned away from our colors, we have not turned away from our position ; and, If we are to be united to the Government and have a new head, we hope that we shall do the new head no harm, and that .We shall not be Injured thereby, We • have not gone over to the Government ; t It . Is the Government who hsve come t over to OB ; and we will try and take the i best oare we can of them, There have 3 been s jveral remrrks mode abont retrench- . ment j and if the Government are not 3 wise It la tlmo they were,, for they have 1 1 had a great deal of advice from many i honorable gentlemen who have spoken m y very etropg liDgutge, ioO. (old tbsm whit

Jihey ought to have done cr might hay done m a great variety of ways, am , especially with regard to Protection The re iaone thing luotloed more e?p cialli than others, and ihat is that when theei gentlcmau Bpoke of rotreuohment the] generally eominjro.d at t!ie edocatloi 1 uysttra.' My honorable friend who. hai j just oat doffn has spoken twio verj strongly on this great .juesdoa, and maoj — i»nd eep9ol»liy Freetraders— have maut this one remark ; "Wo Bhou.d make funher retrenchment m education " Bui £ have notlotd ainoDg the honorable gentlemen who have ttdvarood their idea* on this eubj-ct that they hwa alwaye " gone for " primary education." They always say that is where there should be retrei.chm ut, and they wou'd rahe the school age to six years and eoooe of i hem to seven, and rcducj the standards to the fourth ; but net one of them us far as I remember, h*a mentioned the secondary and high-olasß education. They have forgottjQ it or put it aside altogether. They soy the endowments are their own property, and tne Government have no right to interfere with them. I am not In a position to say whether they can or Ginnot; but Ibelleveiheyoannot interfere with primary education until they do so by Aot O' Parliament, and I think they can Inter* fere with tue high eohaold m the same way. However, there are other things winch they ipuak of m connection with retrenchment which I 6m not m a position to deny ] biu It ink this retrenchment policy h.ie been carried out by the Government m the way they believe to be the moat tff oval, aad that they have done as much aa they cousdered right, As regards a Pro eocivd po'.ioy, I am quite 'satisfied with it, and feel determined at present to vote tot It m its entirety. I am not at all ushacucd to go to my constituents and tell thorn the course I h*ve taken ; but there is this reason why I stand •up to nl^ht to adireis trio 9.busa : There is junta possibility that f I o*ll a meeting of my ooustituen's I may be like the honourable member for one of tho Welling on constituencies, and *han lo^li my omsti usutß together there aiay uot bo one there to haar mo, and tiieu, S r, should not have an opportunity of apeadug to tht-m ; and therefore 1 will juat give a few of my Ideas, so that they may be sent to my friends through "Hanaard." Sir, as regards the duties whloh are to be imposed by thiß tft-iff, I have not any particular iteaia to a,9leqt. J may mention, however, the tea duty, w nh haa been very much spoken of aa being a hardship on the working -classes. Ido aot think It will ba any hardship oo t h c worktng-olaßses, any more than the other items on whloh the Customs are raised ; j aad, oa the uuderatanding that the eubaldie3 to local bodies are t j be continued for some time to come, I shall certainly vote m favour of the dnty on tea I think it woald be uojaat to stop all at once tho subsidies which have hitherto been given to the local bodies, aa persoqs have autered Into engagements with the looal bodies, and I think due notice should be given to those bodies of any intention to stop tho aubsidltß, so that they may have time to arrange their aflfilra on that understanding, and bo that no Inoonvonlenoj may bs caused them. I shall not ha m opposition to the Government on this ocoaaion ; but at the eamo time, being only a young member, I shall keep both my eyes open, aad I must be as careful as I possibly can aa to tho company I stand amongst.