MOW STRINGS ARE PULLED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1301, 2 December 1911, Page 15

MOW STRINGS ARE PULLED.

A CASE STILL NEEDING INQUIRY. MR. f.fNAIi AS A MINISTER. "Wo are suro that Mr. MHoti, and his colleagues would wolcouio a searching inquiry into tho wholo matter, and wo trust that nov,' tho heat and turmoil of tho elections have parsed, Mr. Black's charges will bo submitted to an independent ooramisaion," That iB tho concluding sentence in an oditori.il in tho "Lytklton Times," tho loading organ of tho Government, iu its issue of November 25, 1903, Tho matter referred to was tho strange and nnploaoant incident of tho Gisbomo (framing runs that was so mnch diacussod in 1908, Tho inquiry has never boon hold. Th« need for it remains, however, as tho facta, which wo set forth below, ought to convinco the general public, and th« Palmcrston public especially: Two Grazing Runi. In i 1905 a Mr. G. J. Black, a Cantorbury sottler, purchased tho lease of a small grazing run in tho Gisbomo diatrict which had four years to go. Expecting a renewal for 21 years, h« spent some thousands of pounds on it for his son, Mr. 11. Black. A similar neighbouring run was held by a Mr. P. Hall, n prominent Gisbarno resident, a leading supporter of the Government in that part, and an intimate friend of Sir James Carroll. Just before the term of the loaso expired Mr. 131ack was notified that his run would be resumed for closer settlement, and Mr. Black protested, especially as ho had learned that Mr. Hall was to got a renewal of his lease, although tho two runs were almost identical, Mr. Hall's being if anything more suitable for subdivision than Mr. Black's. Mr. Black fought vigorously against this unfair discrimination, and th- Lund Board reconsidered his case, and decided to offer him a renewal, thus reversing its earlier decision, and placing Mr. Black in tho samo position as Mr. Hall. (How Mr. Hall got his renewal will appear in a moment.) Tho.Under-Secretary endorsed the Board's recommendation, but Mr. M'Nnb overrode tho board ano Mr. Kensington, and ■refused to authorise tho renewal. Mr. Black continued to protest, and towards the end of the year some interesting and suggestive facts came to light. It was theso facts tliat led even the "Lyttelton Times" to demand an inquiry

That is not all. Mr. M'Nab made a long and confused statement of defence in November, niter tlio House rose and before tho election took plooo. It appears in tho Dunedin "Star." He said tliat ho was not awaro of Mr. Hail's viewß, that tho whole trouble arose ont of a typist's mistake,in Bcheduling the runs, and finally: ' "Prior to the decirrioh ia regard tho granting of Mr! Hall'a Isaac, I hAvo no rocollection whatever of any poreon oommunicatnig with me in tho interests of Mr. 1.1 all." And this in faoo of Sir Junes OamtU'n memo, of March 2! No wonder oven tho "Lyttelton Timeo" culled for an inquiry.

" I have no confidence whatever In the. Government as now constituted, and it would be an advantage to New Zealand If they were hurled out of office." —Mr. HOGG, Ei-Mlnlster, In a letter to an Eketahuna resident, published In the presa.

BROKEN PLEDGES.

THE ROADS AND BRIDGES SCANDAL REFORM THAT NEVER COMES. At tho end of every session tho Hougo of Representatives is to bo found vainly trying to digest a maze of Bills brought down by tho Government. This is tho tiino that is chosen for tho introduction of tho Public Works Estimates, and in tho small hours a half-empty and halfasleep Houso is prodded by Ministers into voting away hundreds of thousands of pounds for purposes of which they knowabsolutely nothing.

In an hour or two something like half a'million pounds is annually voted for the construction of about 2500 roads and bridges scattered from one end of New Zealand to tho other. Members have often very little idea of tho merits of the works proposed even in their own electorates. What the items set down for tho other 75 electorates ape, necessities or the rankest of jobs, neither they nor anybody

Whilo everybody is in bod and asleep the Ward Administration forces votes for millions of pounds through Parliament every year. This year the £2,900,000 on tho Public Works Estimates was voted away between 5.30 p.m. on October 19 and *M 5 a.m. next mcrning. Most of tho 30 members of the House of Representatives v/oro asleep while tho farce went on. "At two o'clock," said The Dominion of October 21,• in reporting this annual sfcandal', " thero were 20 members in the House. Half-an-hour later tho number had increased to 24. At three o'clock there were 23 legislators in their seats, at 3.3 a.m. there were 21, at 4 a.m. there were 19, and at 4.40 a.m., just before tho House rose, thero were 18. Throughout the later hours of the sitting there .were at,all times a fair percentage of the attendant members extended in restful..attitudos on thoir benches. A tally taken at 4.20 a.m. showed that only 13 ."'members wero sitting erect' and several of them looked very tired and sleepy.'. 'AT. ONE STAGE VOTES TOTALLING £300,324 WERE APPROVED |N ;LESS,\THAN ONE MINUTE."

—an inquiry that ha 3 never been held. In Jauuary, ISOJ, Sir Joseph Ward, alarmed at Mr. Black's pcreißtcnce, in which Mr. Black had Tim Dominion's' support, personally visited Gisborno and ended the trouble by giving Mr. Black and some others the same privilege as Mr. Hall had got. A Friend at Court. Noit, how did Air. Hail get hia renewal? Mr. M'Nab said that Air. Hall's run was reported m unsuitable for resumption. Why, then, did Mr. nail, immediately after tho board considered the leases, consult Sir James Carroll? He did bo, and the result was that on Alarch 2, 1908 (the date is important), Air. Carroll Bent this memo, to Mr. M'Nab: "Office of Minister for Native Affairs, Wellington Alarch 2, 1908.— Memo, for Uon. Minister for I.nnds. —I am in receipt ot a communication from Air. I''. IJall, of Gisborno, enclosing a notice received by bim from tho Commissioner of Crown Lands, Ilav.kc's Day, intimating that in r<v loasing S. G. Run -12, Waingaromai S.D., tho homestead portion of 1200 acres was to be cut ofT and ro-oftercd to the public. Jn addition to tho hardship that will bo inflicted upon him if this arrangement is carried out, Atr, Hall states that the incoming tcnant3 would bo under a Bcvero handicap, seeing that they would bo loaded for improvements such as station buildings, yard, dips, etc., which are all situated on tb: portion mcn- ■ i.ioned, ftitd could not bu valued at under -E'jOOO. Air. Hall complains that after many yeara of toil and anxiety in broakin;; in what has been very rough anil inaccessible country, from which, up to the present, not a penny liai bepn taken off by way of income, the Land Hoard wishes to deprive hitn of the part on which is erected his buildings, and for which there is not another suitable site. He urges that it is only fair to him that the whole block nhould be included in the new leaf-", and requests mo to make strong representations accordingly—(Signed) J. Carroll." Discrimination. That on Alarch 2, tflOS. On Mnrrh 1, 1 !)03, Air. M'Nab, in a minnto to a letter from tho Commissioner, who railed attention to reports lie had made on Atr. Hall's and Mr. Mack's runs, ordered Air. Ulack's run to bo "subdivided and disposed of," but lie spared Mr. Hall. Mr. Black had not a friend in the Ministry. Mis hardship was infinitely greater than Mr. Hall's. So all his protests wero of no value compared with a note from Atr. Carroll. What was Mr. Carroll doing in tho bunirxwo unyhor? What right hod ho priTotaly to influence tho administration of tin Cteffß leads?

else Beemß to know under ths present extraordinary system. This year the Prime Minister himself was obliged to admit in the House of Representatives on October 20 that three items of expenditure for works in his own electorate would benefit private individuals and not tho public, fhe Minister for Public Works stated that the works had been stopped, and the Prime Minister, after the matter had been raised by Mr Fvlasscy, announced that ho had taken steps to have tho votes struck out. It will thus be seen that members uro found with apparently no idea of the merits of works proposod even iu their own districts. Phis one piece of grossly improper expenditure was detected and exposed, and the country' saved two or threo hundred pounds. How much similar undetected 1 wnsta is going on under tho present system among tho thousands of other items ovcrv'year? Neither you, nor anybody' "outside the inner circles of the political machine has any clonr idea. What greater condemnation of tho present svsteni could there be than tho instnnco given P.' Even tho Prime Minister himself cannot provent jobs from creeping in on tho votes for his aivii district. ,

"The Government erred in j) passing tho Order-in-Council by 51 which tho Mokau block fell into I) the hands of speculators. It )) would have been bolter for tho }} State if it had purchased tho II lands. The railways were belcg ); worked on wrong line3."—Mr. e! H H. CLARK. Covernmsat candl- « date for Chslmero. Frew Assn. )/ report of specch, Nov, 21. )j

A Vicious System. Tlie system is'a vicious and rotten one. Millions have been wasted under it. Thevso local works ill a democratic countrv should bo carried nut by (ho local bodies concerncd. Mr. Seddon himself declared aso that a now local government t)slem was long overdue. PROMISE AFTER PROMISE OF REFORM HAS BEEN MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT, AND FROMISE AFTER PROMISE HAS BEEN BROKEN, Twouty-five years ago Air. W. G.'sborno wroto 111 Ins New Zealand liulora and Statesmen of tho f-.iluro of thoTnZt county council system of local government, established after the abolition of tho provinces. Ho said:— "It was hold out, in anticipation of the new system that one consequence would bo that local works siirh as roads and bridgoa, woulj never again bo brought undor tho consideration of tho Colonial l'arliainent. What has been the fact? Tho House of Representatives sinco 1875 bea been a rnonetsr Bowd of Work# for every pwt oI tic Colony: led hsa bora c< Iswt for ten

years to relieve itself from a burden which it should not properly bear. . . . Hundreds of thousands of pound* have been appropriated to tho construction of workß by tho House, nine-tenths of tho members of which, in tho majority of cases, were not . sufficiently acquainted with the necessity, or oven the site, of tboao works. . . ." That'was a quarter of a century ago. Ten years later Mr. Soddon declared is Parliament (Hansard, Vol. 92, p. S7B):* "Ho said now nnd felt satisfied honourable members would agrco with him that they mu6t deal 1 ' with this question of local government l>eforo lone. Now they wero practically making Parliament into a Board of Works instead of a Parliament."

In his last Budget. almost at tho end of onothcr decade, Mr. Scddon was to bo found still declaring that a chtuigo must cotno, and that Parliament should bo frood from tho ncod of dealing with these local works. Fooling the Public. The "Liberals" have had twenty yearn to reform tho local government Byetcm and end waste and scandal of the annual roads and bridges grab. Hero i» their record;— 1803.—Mr. Soddon, in reply to a question. taid a general measure of local government was very much needed, and he hoi>cd to see it dealt with next session. (Hansard, V. 82, p. 60.) 1891.—Nothing done. 1893.—"Public opinion demands that the difficult problems of local government and charitable aid rofornx should bo faced, and, if possible, oolved without further delay.—Governor's Speech. Hill introduced, liesuit—nil. 189G. —'"You will be asked to consider Bills dealing with land for settlement. workmen's villages, and local government."—Governor's _ .Speech. Bill introduced. Result—nil.- ■ 1897.—"Other Bills for consolidating local government .... will b« placed before Parliament."—Governor's Speech, llesult—nil. 1809.—"Bills will again bo introduced dealing with local government."— Governor's Speech. Itesult—nil.' 1900.—"The present system of local gov ornmjnt is not satisfactory. Reduotion in tho number of local authorities, greater power, and nssured finance are essential, and though tho matter is one that requires much attention, time, and thought, I hopo yen mil not shrink from the task of placing local government on o mora satisfactory basis." — Governor** Speech, Result—nil. 1001. —'"Reduction in tho number of local authorities, greater power, and assured tinancc arc essential. The matter is one that requires much, attention, time, and thought, and my hope ere long that local government may bo placed on a more satisfactory basis."—-Governor'* Speech. Ilcsult—nil. 1905.—"Th0 laws relating to local government require amending.' This important matter has had tho attention of my Advisors, .and proposals will bo submitted having lor thoir object tho relieving of Parliament and Government of certain pubiio works, thus enabling moro timo to ' bo devoted to larger questions; reduction in tho number of local authorities; conferring extended power on those remaining, and putting them in a better financial position."—Governor's Spccch. Rosuit—nil. 1906.—'"Another direction in which the efficiency of tho administration of public affairs ran be improved is by simplifying our system of local government, and a measure dealing with this and kindred matters will bo submitted to you in due course." —Governor's Sprech. Bill road aj first timo. Result—nil. 1907—A vaguo reierenco is made to th<j subject in tho Governor's Speech, but no Dill is definitely promised. , 1303.—'"Measures will be submitted to you dealing with . . . local government."—Governor's Speech, Result—nil. 1911—"Bills will be introduced, dealino with loans to local bodies, jlocal government. . . Governor'a Speech. Result—nil. If this is not playing tho fool with thfl public, what is? Year after year plain, definite pledges have been broken, and if you seek evidenco of the Government's disregard of your interests you need nob go further.

Deeds v. Words. The utter insiuccrity of the Gownment's talk of relonn is woll exposed by what occurred in 1300. 11l tluit yoar they drew particular attention to tho need for assured finatioo for local bodies. In tho same 6cssion they used their weak-kneed majority in Parliament to puss tho notorious Publio Revenues Act, makkg the finanoo of local bodies tnoro unstablo and more at tho whim of a secret Cabinet moating than over it had been iu the hietorj; of New Zealand, Under that Act Ministers obtained th« power, which they still possess to spend tho whole of tho money which Parliament votes, say, for a road in Taranaki, on a road at the Bluff.

Why is nothing d6no to give New Zealand local government reform? Tho am swer is easy. It is because instead of trusting the people and allowing tho people's reprcssntatives on their local bodies to build their own local roads and bridges, the democratic "Liberal" party prefers to use the people's money to catch votes with. Mr. Scddon bluntly told ths publio that iu spending public money the Government could not bo expected to look with Ihe same kindly eye on districts returning Opposition members as on those which sent:':in Government supported. Mr. . Roderick-M'Kensic,' who coatrcJs tho / Publfd "Works-'-Uonaj-tincnt to-day, 6aid! / tho'samo-.thiag'iff Taranaki tho othor J daj.-.- s •' SettleK;.:are Deluded. 1 jursuAlica;v.of ,'tiioit . voto-catching policy,. tlia-'Governmcnt sets down every ycar grants for,nil' $orts.of works on the ' Intimates that, it' has not .til? slightest intention of carrying out. Hero, for instance,_is itlie , amount 'voted for roada aud brides in.each.year sinco lOOO; and tho.amount withheld:— . .

Every third year the voto jumps npsruk denly in size. Why? Because tue voids cS sottlera and farmers aro wanted to c:v« tha continuous Ministry a renowal of oliico and power for' .mother term. In, tho table tho election years aro marked' in black. Tho bulk of last year's voto t?m withheld by the Cabinet. Parliament dccidcd that J-'oPG,OOO should bo expended on certain roads and bribes. The bock-blocks pottlcr rot less than half tho money for his roads, which he was led to expect", and .which his representatives in Parliament - had docided ho should havo; Under tho Constitution, Parliament is tho highest body in tho land. Under tho Ward Administration it is tho plavtbina of the Cabinet. Tho Question for Dcctmbor 7. Tho iiuL'stion for the electors (c< iVcido on December T is: Shall the country havo it.) ror.d.H and bridges built as it needs them, where il needs them, and imilt under local control with a minimum of waslo: nr. Shall it havo it:! reads and bridges built where i.liey will briiij; most votes to Ward, Carroll, and Company, and enable them to continuo hanging on to olliee and limbing more promises of a reform that never dimes? The Ministry must think tho publio easily Rilllod when it pore on childfrhlv promising local Government reform voaV after year and doing nolliing. Which do you prcr'or, to stand up nnd domand fair piny all round in (he building of roads, or to havo to knticklo under to a parly of, plnce-huntorsp Ward stands for Waslo that begins down on his own doorstop in Southland, nnd that ho can't eoo until strangers toll him about it. EVERY VOTE FOR A GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE IS A VOTE FOR OROKEN PROMISES, AND BRIBING THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN MONEY.

Voted Withhold 1 ,, Yeah'. Parlumont, Cabinet. • Items! , 1900 .107,S47 1HG,970 2237 . i; 1901 ...... 4(0,CM ,41,522 2M4 . . 1902 ....... 48Q.2M 104,005 2537 • ' . ' J903 420,274 2170 ' 1 ' < 1901 368,005 139,012 . 200S ' 1505 57S.3I0 217,220 2532 1008 . ■ 107,900 2521 1007 518,703 1M;7.'!1 2570 1S08 633,625 141,651 2595 1933 ...... '147,510 lS4.'i(15 20-14 1910 ,'i!W,iK.j 1112,103 - 1311 C09,C00 ?