The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1891. The Premier at Patea

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 70, 10 December 1891, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1891. The Premier at Patea

■»" ' ■ Thi speech of the Premier at Patea contained little that was new except his reply to Mr George Hutchison's charges of extravagance. He contended that the present Government had reduced expenditure by £44,000 and had only reinstated to the extent of £475. He said the Land Bill gave the choice of three tenures— cash, deferred payment, and perpetual lease, and only altered the existing tenure in depriving perpetual leases of the! power- -of .purchase.- He scouted the idea of the new taxation attacking, capital, and held that even if it did, a self-reliant policy in capital as well as other matters was the best. He upheld the one-man-one-vote principal, and referred to the Legislative Council; in similar terms as in former speeches He said they had no intention to bor- \ row in the English market, as they j thought all they should require could be obtained in the Colony. He considered the electors would be to blame if they returned political adventurers to Parliament. All Governments had contributed to '" stuff " the Legislative Council, bat as the Conservatives held the reins of power the longest, they had been the biggest gainers. The land tax was to be fixed each year the same as the property tax, and if a penny was not required less would be levied. There was no intention of making it more than a penny. What the Premier meant by "a self -reliant policy in capital " is not very clear, and we. are not sure that the honorable gentleman knew himself, but it no doubt sounded well. His considering that the electors would be to blame if they returned political adventurers to Parliament shows that, he has found out the mistake already made in that connection; but still it is somewhat unkind to some of the members of his party who have the sole monopoly of that title. ,