MR M'LEAN, M.H.R., AT WAIKOUAITE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3079, 10 May 1881, Page 3

MR M'LEAN, M.H.R., AT WAIKOUAITE.

(By Telegraph.) Dunediw, May 10. Mr G. M'Lean addressed his constituents on Saturday. He said County Councils should have been endowed with extended powers of taxation, and should have those powers gradually conferred on them. Instead of assisting the Counties and throwing responsibilities on them, when they came into force the Government determined to make them a failure, which left them helpless. Tbe question-of local government must be taken up and dealt with, and whenever tbe time comes that tbe finances of tbe colony can be got into a reasonable state, the responsibility of local government j must be thrown on the County Councils or Road Boards. He defended the property tax. He did not see the necessity for an income tax, which would bring in nothing like the property tax, but if it was wanted by all means let us have it; it was as fair a tax as any. New Zealand was slowly recovering, and the Customs revenue was gradually rising. That was a fair sign that the times were beginning to become good again. Had the times not recovered, and had the revenues not come up to expectations, nothing could have been provided to recover the reverses of last year, and the £225,000 which, by the changes in the system of finance, bad to be carried to the following year, would have had to be provided for in some way ; but with a gradually increased Customs and other revenues, he was pretty sure the year would be tided over, and thus the £225,000 will be made good without any resort to further taxation. The Government must be praised for the manner they took retrenchment in hand, and he was glad to see in the Ministry men determined to carry out the task regardless of consequences. It was doubted at one time whether they could pick six men out of those who would risk their position to bring about retrenchment and get the country out of its difficulties; but Ministers have not been afraid to cut down the Civil Service, which has overgrown itself to limits more than the colony could bear. The Civil Service Commission was of great help to the Government in carrying out retrenchment. If he should ever have to give a vote against the Ministry be would sum up their faults, but would put on their side that they were men thrown into power at a time when the colony bad difficulties such as no other colony had; they undertook the thankless task of retrenchment. He would also put on their side the native troubles, which were such when they took office as to place the colony in great peril, and that they managed these native troubles, subdued tbe natives, and brought them into a state in which we can live and exist with them, and gradually again come to a feeling of sympathy with the natives instead of bitter hatred, as we were gradually getting into through the action of the previous Government. He would weigh all these things before voting against the Government, and would give them as carefully as he could arrive at it a conscientious vote, be it for them or against them. It was said that Major Atkinson's district was getting the principal benefit from native expenditure, but his old colleagues would say that no man had ever taken less advantage of his position in the Government to get money for his district than Major Atkinson. Mr Bryce had his sympathy. His retirement had not had a wholesome effect on Te White. He (Mr McLean) was opposed to the sale of the railways, and, much as he disliked them being worked by the Government, to sell them would be to create a power in the country which we did uot want. The plan of giving large land grants to railway companies had been abused wherever it had been tried, and be wae afraid it would not work well here. However, if it were determined to adopt it, he would see what safeguard was proposed in the interest.-) of settlement before agreeing to support it. He never supported the immigration of Chinamen; he would be very sorry to see the large number already in the colony augmented to any considerable extent, and he would put a stop to their coming. If the colony required tbe imposition of tea and sugar duties he would vote for them. Reading the Bible in schools had his sympathy, but at tbe same time he thought religious instruction at home was calculated to be the most beneficial to scholars. Mr McLean received a vote of thanks and confidence.