MR. STEVENS BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3065, 23 April 1881, Page 3

MR. STEVENS BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

(by telegraph.)

Christchtjhch, April 23,

Mr E. C. J. Stevens addressed a meeting of his constituents on Thursday evening in the Academy. The Mayor presided. Mr Stevens commenced by referring to the alterations which had taken place with respect to the electoral franchise. This, hesaid, had been greatly simplified, 80 much as that it could only be rendered more simple by confining it to the residential vote. He did not, however, believe that at present the people of the colony were prepared to do away with tbe property vote in favor of the Bingle residental vote. He was in favor of extending the time of closing the poll from 4 o'clock to 8 o'clock, or even later. Owing to the operotion of the Triennial Parliaments Act, of which he had always been a strong supporter, Parliament at the furthest would expire in February next. As to the distribution of seats, it was evident that the great centres of population were unrepresented. He did not approve of either the bills of the late nor the present Governments on the subject, because each proposed to limit the representation of the large centres. He was in favor of population, and population only, being tbe basis of representation ; but this, he feared, would not be carried out for some time to come. Referring to financial matters, Mr Stevens contended that tho statements of the financial deficit made when tho present Government took office had not been exaggerated, but were really more alarming. No doubt the situation was a grave one, but it had been manfully met; not by any particular section of politicians, but by the country generally. He wanted to convince the meeting of the necessity of three things that had been done, namely, the reductions, the withdrawal of the subsidies, and increased taxation. As to the reductions, he admitted that the public officers were not overpaid, but from a careful investigation of the estimates be was convinced that any other

system than an all-round reduction would have failed. He thought all should share the difficulty in proportion to what they received. He was always in favor of the withdrawal of the subsidies, and was still of the same opinion. He was strongly in favor of the property tax, which was not so inquisitorial as any other direct tax that could be devised. He was not in favor of an income tax, which was neither so simple nor efficient as a property tax. He admitted that there were certain inequalities in the property tax which required to be remedied, but it was fairer than a land tax, which was most unequal in its operation, crushing the unfortunate proprietor instead of adopting a system which was cxquitablp in its operations, and that Was the principal reason why he opposed the late Government. He wished to speak on the subject of the land fund. He was of opinion that the fund ought not to be treated as ordinary revenue, and as such should not go with the ordinary revenue nor with the ordinary expenditure, and this, he was happy to say, had been carried into effect. He was much afraid that they would reduce the vote for education, and if there was a thing he would lament being reduced more than another it was the education vote, as he did not wish the present system of primary education to be impaired. At the same time he did not say that reduction might not be made in the cost of the present system without impairing its efficiency, but he hoped and trusted that the system of education would not be much interfered with, and so long as he remained a public man he would do nothing whicb would tend to impair that system. As to native affairs Mr Stevens eulogised the labors of Sir William Fox and Sir Dillon Bell, the results of which, he believed, would be most valuable. He thought that every facility should be given to individualise the titles to native lands, and when this was done the natives should each be allowed to deal with his land as he liked, and that, he believed, would have the effect of settling a European population in the North Island, and would put an end to that intrigue which resulted from interference by the Government with native lands. Mr Stevens then proceeded to speak of hospitals and charitable aid. He had no doubt the bill of the Government was a very good step in the right direction, and he regretted that they failed to drive that bill through. He had long felt that hospitals and other institutions of a similar character ought to be supported by endowment, and last session he drew up a bill setting aside one million acres of land as an endowment. Ultimately he carried the bill, but he regretted to say that it was thrown out in the Legislative Council by a very large majority. He had no hope of a similar measure being carried, and he really did not know what they were to do with the matter unless they drew on the consolidated fund, and that, he thought, was hardly desirable. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed.