Mr Macarthur at Palmerston

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 54, 16 October 1886, Page 2

Mr Macarthur at Palmerston

• ♦ (PEB UNITED PBEB3 ASSOCIATION.) Palmkbston, This Day. Mr Macarthur, M.H.R., addressed the electors here last night. The meeting was fairly representative. -The speech was mainly a review of last session's work. He strongly denounced the Ministry for not pushing through the Representation Bill, and referred to the fact that the Bill was lost by the votes of three Ministers. H« thought it evident that tho Ministry desire to go to the country again on die same base as the present, and that next session they would bring down in the Financial Statement proposals to raise the Customs Tariff and introduce a Protective, policy. Th« House was mainly composed of Freetraders, and the Government would be defeated, when they would go to the ceaatry on theory of Protection v. Freetrade without a Representatioa Bill being passed. He referred to the finance of the Government at some length, alluding to the so-called surplus of £25,000, which it was shown had been taken from the Sinking Fund, while the Land Fund showed a deficit of £20,600. He also referred to the naillibn liability, forgotten by Yogel till pointed out by Major Atkinson, and quoted extracts from speeches of Ministers, oxpressing their conviction of the desirability of pushing on railways, and compared this with their action in delaying the Gorge line, &c. He believed the delay in proceeding with the works was caused by the fact that the million of liability forgotten made it necessary for the &overnment to restrict their Expenditure Bill next year. He referred at some length to the Hospital and Charitable Aid, and Civil Service Bills, and the Midland Railway. He thought the action taken on the latter had removed a serious obstacle from the political arena, but believed it would be brought on again in the future in the shape of a request to the Government to buy the line. The credit of the Loans to Local Bodies Bill was mainly due to Major Atkinson who sketched it out in a speech in 1885. He (Mr Macarthur) had also in his election speech advocated borrowing a million to lend to Local Bodies. He referred to his work in connection with this Bill and the Municipal Corporation Bill, and to the graceful acknowledgement by tne Premier of his assistance in the latter. In his turn Mr Macarthnr acknowledged the assistance he had received from the Palmerston Town Clerk. Mr Keeling, and referred to the cl;m <es he (the speaker) gob inserted to the Counties Act. He touched on the scandals which had arisen in con- i nection with the District Railway and j Stark, Waimate debentures, and the Government Insurance. He condemned ' the action of the Government in wishing to construct the Blenheim-Tophouse, and Wesport-Inanghaua lines out of the loan before the existing railways were completed, and denounced, the Premier's tatement that the Gorge line would be [ delayed on account of the Wellington- ' Manawatu Railway, pointing out that tho Government can take this over at.a fixed price without regard to profits. It was us opinion tnat the present Government is not fit to be trusted with the interests of the countiy. A yote of confidence, was unanimously passed.