The Hon the Premier at Feilding.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 99, 23 October 1896, Page 2

The Hon the Premier at Feilding.

A political address was delivered in ; the Feilding Assembly Rooms last evening by the Premier, the Ron R. J. Seddon, at tbe request of local residents. Mr W. A. L. Bailey presided and introduced tbe speaker. Mr Seddon was received with a ronnd of applause on rising to speak. He said it gave him great pleasure to again speak in Feilding on the affairs of the colony. He hoped the audience would admit the policy of the Government was good for tbe country. Take this district and see how prosperous it was now as compared with the three years prior to his former visit, and the Government had to be thanked for this desirable change. He referred to the increase of 75,000 in the population of the colony as being the result of tbe legislation by the Government, who had increased the number of producers and lessened tbe number of drones. Past Governments did not understand the requirements of tbe people and when the Liberals took office they had to nndo what had been done. They had encouraged thrift by removing the Property Tax. Then, by an Act of last session land for local rating purposes could be rated on the unimproved value. Where blocks of land were held for speculative purposes, adjoining farms which were improved would be put on an equal footing and they would pay tbe same taxes, for both equally benefited by the construction of roads. Here in this district there were people holding land for speculative purposes, while settlers were going back into the bash. Canterbury suffered more from large estates than here. The Government recognised the rights of the owner to the land, but say when they are not taking out of it what was necessary for the public good they (the Government) could take it after two ararbitrators and a Judge of the Supreme Court had fixed the price of the land. The Cheviot estate, which had been purchased for £270,000, was now paying nearly 6 per cent, on the money paid for it, and there were 800 people on it in place of 87. He would be told that what they were doing was Socialistic, but the land was there that the people might occupy and live on it. If these large estates had been improved the Government would not touch them. He defended the action of the Government in raising money for roads and bridges construction as this was the lifeblood of tbe district. Ho advocated giving local bodies greater facilities for raising loans, for he was told that one county had carried loan proposals amounting to £30,000, but could only raise £6000 a year. Yet some members bad opposed the Government's borrowing, but when the Government got the money they were amongst the first to ask for grants. This was hypocrisy, and tbe sooner this class was exposed the better. They should either remove the disabilities which prevented the opening up of the district or find the money to do the work. Be the advancement of settlement he said that during the three years from 1888 to 1891 the average number of settlers per annum placed on tbe land was 2534, and for tbe three years 1891-94 the average number was 2822. During the five years from 1886 to 1891 the average number was 2587, and for the five years 1891-96 2776 per annum. The land thrown open for selection this year was 1,354,475 acres, inclusive of 910,672 of pastoral country. During the year 573 settlers had taken up 63,590 acres, on which 679 persons resided. There were 9301 acres felled, 81.-J8 acres in grass, and the improvements were valued at £26,984. Up to the present time 14,160,263 acres of land had been sold for £14,278,018. There was now open for selection 2,879,945 acres, and the balance remaining, exclusive of native land, was 16,617,175 acres. They must put people on tbe land, but could not do it without money. The pnblic debt had increased by fonr millions since the Liberals were in office but the interest had not increased in proportion, as the greater portion of that loan money paid interest on itself. What did their opponents do ? From 1879 to 1891 they increased the public debt by £16,000,000. They made roads through their own estates, enriched themselves and made the people pay the taxes. This Government spent tbe money borrowed on works that would be of some benefit, and there was no expenditure to benefit the select few. In Canterbury there were 385 holders of from 1000 to 10,000 acres owning 189,635 acres, valued at £4,617,273. Tbe unimproved value was £3,374,413, or an average of £12,---252 for each holder. There were 69 holders of from 10,000 to 145,000 acres who owned 1,774,877 acres valued at £5,565,569 the unimproved value being £4,266,399, or an average of £80,603. A total number of owners own 2,856,204 acres of a value of £10,158,942, or an unimproved value of £7,640,812, the* average valne being £22,120. In the Hawke's Bay there were 78 holders of from 1000 to 10,000 acres owning 290,360 acres of an actual valne of £1,370,914, or an average £13,300. There were 46 holders of from 10,000 acres and upwards owning 1,145,038 acres of a value of £3,268,360, the average value being £71,000. The total of 124 holders owned 1 1,353,378 acres, valued at £4,307,274, or an average of £34,376. Referring to expenditure on railways through large estates he said it was a grave scandal and mismanagement, and that the money should have been spent in giving roads to the settlers in the back blocks. He considered it their doty to expose this rotten state of affairs. By introducing the land tax they had relieved 8000 struggling settlers. There had been no departure from the Liberal policy of 1890*91, when his late chief, Mr Ballance, said it might be necessary to borrow in the colony. Money had been raised and was spent on works which were necessary and would be of benefit to the country. They had placed £158,000 on the estimates this year for roads and bridges and to open np Crown lands. He advocated opening up the country to encourage tourists to New Zealand. Dealing with railway expenditure, he said tkey bad to raise money to pay the cost (£34,000) of tbe Makohine viaduct on the North Island trunk line so as to connect with ten miles of railway which i had been constructed and to bring it to i a paying point. Where it had been shown it was necessary to assist with works that were partly made he was willing to do so, but they must have money for the purpose. Referring to the grants for education purposes he said that £59,560 additional had been voted this year, the capitation being 7.55.' As the population increased it was necessary to provide additional accommod- | ation and t Vie requirements must be met*. Dealing with the tariff he said there was an increase chiefly on wines and spirits, and they bad pu,t a duty of 40 per cent on suits and dresses made out of the colony and imported. But in tea alone, there had been a loss of £34,387 and fencing wire had been placed on the free list. A million and a half had been borrowed to give cheap money to tha settlers of the colQqy and this had tho effect of a great reduction in the rates o? interest previously paid to private money lenders. This measure meant £•1,200,000 a year to the colony. The Government had to fight the private lenders iueh by inoh until they succeded. Advances had been made to 2711 applicants amounting to L.822,552, which would produce a retnrn of L5?,000 in interest and gave n profit of L4IOO to tbe colony. Where had they such terms offered them before the Government in* trodnced the measure ? The thanks of tbe settlers were due to the Government

for introducing tbe Advances to Settlers Act which brought about such a change. It meant a saying of L 14.877 a year to borrowers, and this amount went into the pockets of the settlers in place of going to the lenders. The Government were perfectly safe in lending money, for they required a security of L 225 for every LIOO borrowed. He did not think the Opposition would dare to attempt to revise the Advances to Settlers Act. He read a list of figures showing the exorbitant rates of interest charged by some money lenders and defended the intro* duction of a measure to limit the rates of interest chargeable to 40 per cent, but the Legislative Council had thrown it out to the injury of poor people. The Legislative Council should not be allowed to remain much longer as at present constituted, although he believed in haying a revising chamber. The Government had frequently sent up naeasurs which were thrown out by the Legislate Council who were responsible tono one. lhey ought to make provision for this, so that when a measure was passed twice the two Houses should meet together and decide between them. He was m favor of the referendum, and they should face it, trusting to the people of the colony. 1 bey would introduce the measure next session. He defended the action of the Government with reference to the banking legislation, saying that the colony had been saved from disaster, instancing Victoria as an example of the resnlt of a financial crisis, and New South Wales was almost as bad. In the Bank of New Zealand there were 28,585 current accounts and 1468 local and public authorities doing business with the bank, apart from the depositors and other customers of the bank. Had the colony not gone to its assistance, widespread ruin would have been the result. It would be better to lose the two million guarantee than for the colony to have suffered like the Australian colonies. The position of the Government had not been shaken by the banking enquiry, which proved that they had done nothing improper with respect to this legislation. The Legislative Council could have stopped the measure had they chosen but theysupported the Government in this respect. He defended Mr Ward in connection with the matter, and said that gentleman was suffering from the attack on his private affairs. Dealing with the Old Age Pensions he said it was a desirable reform that colonists of 65 years should be made dependant on charitable aid for an existence. This measure would be further dealt with next session, when persons who bad resided in the colony for 20 years and were upwards of 65 years of age had been registered as required by the Act of last session. They would then know what amount was required for the purpose. Dealing with Jand tenure he referred to the various systems uuder which land could be taken up, and said the Government had been the means of assisting the settlers and keeping them in the colony. Let this country be governed by the people and there would be general prosperity. He concluded by advising the people to send representatives to Parliament who were in tonch with them and were not the representatives of the monopolist. Mr Seddon was well received and bis re« marks were frequently applauded. At the conclusion of bis address he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of Mr Suerwill, and seconded by Mr Downs. Mr Seidon thanked them for tbe vote and in doing so said that if «he opportunity offers and bis opponents said too much he might come back and deliver another address here. The usual compliment to the chair closed tne meeting. ..*,

*