MR PYKE, M.H.R., AT CLYDE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1260, 23 April 1886, Page 3

MR PYKE, M.H.R., AT CLYDE.

Mr Vincent Pyke, member for the Dug* stan District, gave an address in ihe Town Hall, Clyde, on Thursday evening last, the 15th inst., to a fair audience, which doubtless wcul I have been greater had the notice been longer. > . ; ; / Mr A. A. Oliver occupied the chair, and briefly introduced Mr Pyke, for whom he asked a patient hearing. Mr Pyke on 'ruing was greeted with applause. He said in the first place he had to apologise for the ; short notice given of bis intention to address his constituents before the meeting of Parliament.. It arose through the state of his health, and as he was then in any thing but good health, he would have to crave the indulgence of his hearings for any shortcomings. He said it was the first time he had addressed meetings in this portion of bis district since the advent of the Stout-Vogel Ministry, but that was to be accounted for by its extent, k In It there were 15 polling booths, and it * was more than mortal man could do to visit

them all every year- While in this part ha • intended to hold meetings at Ophir and Alexandra, and it was with regret that he would have to omit Tinkers, Drybread, and Ida Valley. However, hj s intention was to make up after the coming session for any want of attention he had hitherto given those districts. Well, gentlemen, when Parliament assembled in 188t the House found itself in the most extraordinary posi tion possible, as after casting the Atkinson Ministry it found itself under a Ministry, the majority of whom were not only new to Parliament, but some were new to the •country. The older members resented this, and the consequence was they were soon ousted. The question then was— Whether Major Atkinson and his party should be again put in power, or that ‘another Stout combination be accepted. The latter course was adopted, and for the session they were fairly supported. On the opening of the session of 1885, they appeared again with a good following, but that was soon disgusted by the extraordinary measures brought down. The one known *s the South Sea scheme, by which the •country was to grow rich and prosperous by growing bananas and bread fruit was tabled, but was soon smothered. The next matter that created surprise wasthe Budget by which it was proposed to increase the 'Customs revenue on everything the poor man consumed and wore in order to raise revenue to carry out the Public Works scheme, and the men whose proposal this was were those who had been loudest in their talk about the poor man’s cheap breakfast table. Immediately the full budget was understood a general caucus of members was held, and it was agreed that the time was not fit to increase the taxes of the people. He and Mr Pearson, the member for South Canterbury, were deputed to wait on the Premier and to say that the House would not accept of it. Each item of the budget was, however, brought up, and the meeting is doubtless aware how they were met. The next surprise was the proposal to let to Messrs Meiggs and Co., the great South American contractors and financiers, the contract for the construction of the East and West Coast Hallway, the which' from Sprinfleld to Brunnerton, a distance of 95 miles, did not pass over 10 acres of land that a man could make a garden of. The object for which this line was promoted was the carrying of grain \f com Canterbury to the West Coast, and to - return with coal and limber. Mr Pyke here entered into the full history of the line and the proposals the House was asked to ratify. The proposal was that the Messrs Meigg’s should receive L 2,000,000 in cash, two and a*half millions acres of land along the rou'e of the line to be selected in alternate blocks, and L 97,000 a year over and above the working expenses for twenty years, dating from the completion of the works, making it a grand total 0 f £,7,000,000. On these lines a company •was so far formed that delegates went Home and obtained the promise of support of powerful financial houses,' and who were *eady to take substantial interest in it if concessions were granted. The Parliament, however, refused, and the scheme broke up. and with it every vestige of party in the House. However, there is no such thing as party in New Zealand, though he had been subjected to no end of abuse because he would not tack himself on to the tail of one or other of the so-called parlies The eyes of the people are now opened, and it is to be assumed that a party is to bo formed on the question of FREETRADE OR PROTECTION.

For iiis own part he would like to see all ( the Custom Heuses closed, but the country was not ripe for such a step ; indeed, in that direction the Old Country must first move. However, the proposals of Ministers was to increase the Customs duties and ■decrease the Property Tax. The policy of protection meant the overburdening of *he producers, as for example the 13 per cent, ad valorem duty and the 2s export duty on gold, exactly amounts to reducing the price of cold to L 3 per ounce, and reduces the price of farm produce 20 per cent. The talk about the good manufactories in Dunodio would do he could not understand any more than he could the keeping of all the money in the country. We do not buy with money, but with produce, and the greater our imports are over our exports the greater our profits. Regarding the Central Otago Hallway he claimed to have •worked hard. In that room Mr Pyke said the scheme was first moted, and so long as he h;d power he would move to have it completed. Mr Scobie Mackenzie, the member for Maniototo, wants it finished only as far as Maniototo Plains ; but let it ■o ice get there he would see that it was 'Toficd-on fun he'. There had been no end . mtnwuey wasted on the line, but the past v> 4jwSn was at an. end. - Mr Pyke now referred -to Sir Julius Vogel’s borrowing policy, which he said must he curta led at all hazards. “ Taking the Colonial and Municipal indebtedness, together with private loans and mortgages, the country was. indebted in roundfigures L 100,000,000, which" was bearing •an iiforest of 14.000,000, and to.-,think of adding a further burden of L 10.000.000 as was proposed, was beyond all reason. The interest on this to be divided amongst say 200,000

adult bread winners, means L3O or L4O per head, which was more than people could ' afford. He would not say stop borrowing, as the works in progress must be continued, but he would only be in favor to borrow, in such a manner so as to complete them. To adopt the Colonial Treasurer’s propoaal and of borrowing largely meant the end repudiation, and ho would ifce no party to such a course. The Hon Mr Stout, at Invercargill, had said that the country must borrow slowly, and with that, and that only, he agreed. Mr Pyke said it mattered little to him whether his vote put out the Government or kept them m, his euppftrt would not bn given to any man, or set of men, but to a party with a principle ; but so far as he could see, there was no reason why the present Government should go out at all, and that w r as the temper of the House. On the question of the Land Laws, they wvre getting more intricate every day. Ho was not there, nor was it his place to project any new schemes, but there was little doubt the whole question would be dealt with during the next

session. Sir George Grey’s scheme,whwtnn he employs the term quit rail, is (reosclection—the rent to be the interest on the value, and the tenant to have rivht of pur chase at any time, A proposition of the Government is to vest the railways in Boards, who are to have the charge of the railways and work them independently of the Government, but whether they will bring down their scheme this session I cane not say, but after the experience Of the Go* vemment Insurance Boards, do not think they will. During the past session Major Atkinson proposed that in one year no greater sum than L 1,000,000 should be exE ended on Public Works. Captain Russell, owever, moved an amendent that the vote for Public Works be ha’f a midion, and this was carried. Now, as to future votes, he would'like to see them all earmarked, that they be spent as voted. Had such been done in tile past, the Central Otago Railway would have been 1 much further advanced. In one year L 300,000 was voted, and only L 28,000 expended. Until such was done, there was no certainty as to the progress of works. Mr Pyke now said the state of his health precluded him from further addtessthem, however, he would place himself in the hands of those present, and submit himself to be questioned on any subject they might think proper. In reply to Mr Wilson—He said that the Wingatni viaduct has to be finished, according to contract, in September next, when the Taieri and Sutton stream bridges will be gone on with, the contracts for both of which are let.

In reply to Mr Welsford—Cannot say anything about the Lawrence and Roxburgh line, as the survey is not complete, but the lapanni and Swift Creek line, which will doubtless be carried onto Roxburgh, will in no way interfere with Central Otago line. It was unreasonable to say that the present contracts let on the Central Otago would not be finished in the next ten years. In reply to Mr C. Holden—The LSOO vote for Wakaia Bush road was in the hands of the Connty Council for expenditure. Several other questions having been asked and replied to, Mr S. Welsford proposed— That Mr Pyke retains the confidence of the constituents of this portion of the JDunstan District, and this meeting desire to thank him for ha address that evening. Seconded by Dr Lewis, and carried with acclamation.

The customary acknowledgement of the vote was given by Mr Pyke, and the nsnal compliment to the chair was accorded, and the meeting then separated.

MR PYKE AT OPHIR., A full meeting was in attendance in the Schoolhouse, Ophir, on Friday evening last, the 16th inst., to hear the address of Mr Vincent Pyke. Mr John Pitches, member of the Vincent County Council, who was voted to the chair, introduced Mr Pyke, and asked for him a fair and patient hearing. Mr Pyke traversed the grounds gone over by him the previous evening, dealing perhaps more strongly with the Land Laws and the Central Otago Railway. He expressed his regret at not being able to visit Tinkers, Drybread, and Ida Valley on this occasion, explaining that his district was so extensive he was compelled to pass by some of the centres. He, however, would endeavour after the next session to do himeelf the pleasure of visiting all those places ha was now leaving out. Mr Pyke was listened to with marked attention throughout, his address being frequently applauded, and at the conclusion was accorded a unanimous vote of confidence and thanks.

MR PYKE, AT ALEXANDRA, addressed a fairly representative meeting in the Town Hall on the evening of Saturday, the 17th inat. Mr J. E, Thomson, Mayor, occupying the chair. Mr Pyke, on rising, was received in a moat cheerful and hearty manner, ha explained that the unfortunate state of his health had interfered with and prevented him giving a longer notice of the meeting, and which would also prevent him visiting many places he had made up his mind to, namely, Bald Hill Fiat, Tinkers, and Ida Valley. He, however, would now have to deter that pleasure till the eve of the next session of Parliament Mr Pyke, then went over much the same ground as at Clyde and Blacks, dealing with protection from the point it aff 'oted the mining interest. Ho professed himself a strict Freetrader, but said, for revenue purposes, money, whether by Customs or otherwise, must be raised ; yet it must be taken from those best able to afford it. As to depressmn it was not alone iu Now Z- aland, but ad over the world, and to his mind was caused by the masses pouring themselves into the big towns, thus depopulating the country, and he could trace the de; cession on the goldfields from the initiating of the public works policy when so many hundreds left the interior for the seaboard where the big railways were being made. With a debt of 100 millions, and only about 200,000 breadwinners to pay the interest equal to four millions, there was no escaping de prcsaion, and to his mind the only cure —both by the State and by individuals—was retrenchment and economy. To keep on borrowing in. accordance with Sir Julius Vogel’s ideas meant nothing short of ruin and repudiation in the near future. While not agreeing that borrowing should suddenly stop, yet no more debt must be incurred cx-ept sufficient to complete the public woiks now on hand. Mr Pyke now dealt with the Central Otago and East and West Coast Railways, saying with respect to the former that it was now on a fair way to completion to the Straith Taieri, and when once there it was but a question of a short time to see it further. As to the latter, the scheme brought down by the Government was so outrageous that what vestige of party there was in the House it destroyed. While the line was admitted by Sir Julius Vogel to be a speculative one, he yet had moved every power to obtain the sanction of the House to its construction by Messrs Meigss. He, however, had failed. On the question of land laws to his mind there was only one scheme to succeed effectually in settling the people on tho soil, and that was by having the country surveyed and then free selection. Sir George Grey’s quit rent scheme was met with favor in many quarters. The idea was to have the land valued and the rent to equal interest on the value, the tenant to have the right of purchase whenever ho could afford it, A mistake the Government had made was the stoppage of assisted immigration, as people only assisted those to come out who would not only be of service but a credit to them. He ever was in favor of tho system, and would do all ho could to encourage it. After concluding a powerful address, he sat down, saying he was willing to answer any questions. A number of questions having been asked, amongst them—Was Mr Pvke in favor of a reduction in the duty on tobacco, to which he replied : That it it could be classed amongst the necessaries of life ho would favor the reduction.

Mr Theyers rose and said it afforded him great pleasure to propose a vote of confidence in Mr Pyke as their representative in Parliament; also a vote of thanks for his eloquent address. Seconded by Mr L. Gards and carried with acclamation. The usual vote to the chair concluded the meeting.