HON. MR. FISHER SPEECH AT HOKITIKA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1913, Page 9

HON. MR. FISHER SPEECH AT HOKITIKA

AN ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING. (8T TELEGRAPH — PEESS ASSOCIATION*.) HOKITIKA, 31sfc January. The Hon. I<\ M. 13. Fisher (Minister for Marine and Customs) addressed a largely-attended meeting here to-night under the auspices of the local branch of the New Zealand Political Reform League. The Mayor presided, and the meeting was an enthusiastic one. The Minister compared the Government's present majority with its big minority some years ago. He referred to the Prime Minister as being a courageous statesman, and although &ome people diffeied with Mr. Massey in his politics, they could not say he was not every inch a man. He replied to critics who said that the Government i-epresented the squatters' interest, by stating that these gentlemen supported both sides of the House. He contended that the Dominion was capable of holding at least five times its present number of people. CIVIL SERVICE. Referring to the Civil Service, he said when the Government had come into office it was laid down that those in their employ should receive what they were entitled to. In this connection he mentioned that when he went into the question of the wages of those employed in the Printing Department, of winch lie v. as in charge, it was found that girle who had worked there for as long as twenty-six years were only receiving £90 per annum. Jle contended that a living wage should be paid to all. This, he said, should be sufficient to enable a man to keep his wife and family in comfort and to provide for them in sickness. Tho system which had been in vogue was wrong, and rotten, and would have to be changed. The opponents of the Government had preached the doctrine of soup kitchens, and that the Massey party would be paying 3s 6d per day to navvies. He pointed out that during'their first session £28,000 had been added to the salaries of Civil Servants, and those in the railway service were receiving £12,000 per annum more than what they had been. paid during the time the socalled Liberal Parly were in power. These increases had been withheld in order that Ihe railways should become more popular with the people. lie mentioned thai Mr. Myers, although he was a political opponent, deserved the credit of increasing the salaries to part of the fium mentioned. Next year tho Minister hoped the salaries would be further increased. Wages should not only be paid according to ability, but proportionately to the hazardous nature of the employment. He instanced underground work, which should be specially well paid for, for the reason thai a man at any time may contract a disease or lose a limb, and thus be incapacitated. For such occupations ho contended that a man should be well rewarded. They had been told that if a Government wished to remain in power it 'was necessary for them to be on good terms with the public. His Government wished this to be the case, but so long as they were in power they were going to carry out tho laws of the country, and everybody was going to be treated alike. PENSIONS. The Minister went on to deal with the Old Age Pension, Widows' Pensions, and Military Pension Acts, and said that one of the reforms that would be carried out was the, granting of pensions to women of 60 years of age instead of 65, as heretofore, Under the Military Pensions Act those old veterans who had fought fc their country would be entitled to £36 per annum. The Government had already received 500 applications, and these had been satisfied. The late Government had distributed the sum of £350 among veterans as a result of enquiry into such cases for something like four years. In the meantime many worthy old men who should have been assisted had died paupers. He inferred to Sir Joseph Ward politically, and said as a politician that the late Leader of the Liberal Party was a complete failure, but he deserved great credit for rising in the Civil Service as he had done, ultimately attaining the high position of Postmaster-General. THE RAILWAYS. The Minister touched upon tho railways, and remarked that the Government wanted a man to take charge of them. The salary of £3000 per annum was offered for the position, and he contended that if the successful man was worth his salt he would save the £3000 in the fust month after his appointment. The question of political patronage was leferred to, the speaker remarking that the political tout was nearly as extinct as the moa. and lie felt sure that his demise would be recorded when the Civil Service Commissioners took office on Ist April. He did not believe in Ministers giving positions to their relatives, and, he declared, "we would not give them if we were asked to." They had no time for the man who sat on a Minister's doorstep, and this class of individuals in tho sen-ice was no doubt feeling very miserable. The' speaker then referred to the practice of appointing members to the Upper House. He never did believe in the system, and the Government wanted the people to have a vote, as was the rase with the Lower Hoube. Land legislation was briefly referred to. The Government wanted ti> break up the land monopoly, and thus provide for the smaller settlef. Ho said he would lccommend the Prime Minister to experiment with some swamp land which had been brought under his notice that day. He felt sure that if such areas were drained and cultivated, it, would be valuable farming country. If half the money spent on their public buildings had been expended in improving laud on the West Coast, it would have resulted more beneficially to the people. It wa-s the business of the State, continued the Minister, to experiment and demonstrate to the people what could be done with land such as existed on the West Coast. FINANCE. The speaker, referring to finance, said the Hon. J. Allen had gone Home to provide for a loan of £1.750,000 to meet present requirements. In addition to this the Minister for Finance had to arrange for sixteen millions of loans falling due during the next three years. In 1929, continued the speaker, loans totalling twenty-nine millions would have to bev arranged for, while in 1940 another sixteen millions will fall due. lie remarked ihal the difficult ie« in repaid to finance were very ennsidorahp, »-< China, Tinkty. Rimifinin, Son in, ami other count rie 1 * would also be looking for dollars .it the pre.spnl innr. Tlo said that it was not because tho senility ollered by the Dominion wns not good enough. It was tip-tn|>. The iail\\a\^ alone represented millions worth, and it' nny person purchased them for £60,--000.000 they would get them cheap. The Minuter dealt with the question of secret pavmenla. which, he said, had done a great deal of damage. All vou(.'heib were now open in Wellington for ■public inspection. '! his had not been the ca-r with the pievkuib AdministiciLiun. Up concluded by ban in;: 1 ; thai, every dkitikt would now bu lieatcd uu Ur rucnts, tuid he i'av.'Uied dg 2 isli»£ the

struggling cetller rather than those in probperoua districts. Tho Prime Minister would shortly visit the district, and piobably the visit would be followed by ono from the Minister for Public Works and Mines, and he was sure their requirements would be fully considered. The speaker, on resuming his seat, was accorded an ovation. The Chairman stated that the Minister would reply to any questions, several of which were forthcoming, and answered. A resolution was carried unanimously expressing confidence in the Reform Government and approval of its legislation and administration. DEPUTATIONS. HOKITIKA, 31st January. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher arrived this morning and was welcomed by the chairman of the We&tland branch of the Political Reform League. Subsequently he was waited on by a deputation consisting of the Mayor, county chairman, and citizens' representatives with reference to the Southern ocean service serving the South Westland settlements. The Minister, in the course of a sympathetic reply, said the Government policy was to assist those communities that showed a desire to help themselves, and if, as was mooted, the settlers and residents arrange for a suitable boat the Government would give a subsidy towards the cost of construction and also provide a mail subsidy under reasonable conditions.