MINISTERIAL SPEECH.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 324, 27 January 1902, Page 3

MINISTERIAL SPEECH.

SIR JOSEPH WARD AT GREYMOUTH. ENCOURAGING SPEECH. (Per Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, Jan. 25. 7'lie largest gathering ever seen in Grey mouth took place at the Opera House last evening. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair. A large number of ladies were present, including Lady Ward. The Mayor in a few appropriate remarks, introduced Sir Joseph. On rising to address Sir Joseph was heartily received. f-Ie said he regretted ha iing to address them on Saturday evening as it was a had night for business men, but he felt it his duty to deliver an address in response to tiie wishes of the people of Greyrnouth. Since his last visit many changes had taken place, and he regretted that time had worked changes. He referred to the death of the lions. Jas. Kerr and of Mr Bonar, who had always taken a

prominent part in local politics. It was well that all the people of Hie Colony should be acquainted with the progress this part of the Colony wasmaking, so that people elsewhere could see why money was spent on the coast. If you have a sound basis of finance to start with then there is no danger. When you remember the great

works that are in progress you must look at the valuable assets. Tins Colony was in a very sound condition, and was a credit to the world. The indebtedness of the Colony was said to be increasing, but they overlooked the progress of works Two million seven hundred pounds had been expended in purchasing land for the good of the people. Why, the people had the land in their hands. A loan of one million two hundred pounds had been paid to local bodies, which meant for the good of the people. The money was spent in making our roads, streets and bridges. Two million nine hundred and thirty thousand pounds had been spent in advances to sett ers. There was also an amount lor sinking fund set apart. This had come out of the ten million of increased indebtedness since 1891. The colony had an immense security, and the people had reaped the benefit. Some men had paid for their lands at as high a rate Is ten and fifteen per cent, interest now they could get it at five per cenC This had been the means of mcreasing export, and doing good to all classes of the community. An argument had been put forth that the rate of taxa Son was increasing It was polling of the sort. Since IS!).) tnc rate per head was £2 10s 3d, and * has steadily decreased until now it “tamls a*. £2 5s 6d The customs revenue had increased but this was due to the larger imports, which proved that more value of the landed property advanced sh ce last year ? Something like as much as twenty millions sterling. No one could take upon themselves such a name as “ croaker,” and say that the colony was going down when . was progressing very rapidly. thought of the vast growing wealth of New Zealand he could imagine: what a grand future there was befoie the ris fng generation. If they left the coast slone it could even make up any defi ciency'that might occur through the drop in the price of our wool, etc. The purchase of private estates j the colony amounted to about three million one hundred and fifty tnou sand acres, which had cost something like one million eight hundred and forty-four thousand pounds There•venue derived was seventy-two thou sand seven hundred and eighty-one pounds, the interest paid being five thousand nine hundred and six pounds, and the profit for the year ending Oct. last year was thirteen thousand six hundred and ninety-two. A farm of five acres was not a bad one for one man to hold, but when you found men owning 400,000 acres it was out of the question. If things had been allowed to go on in that way they would have found themselves m a like position to what Ireland was. (( s‘mce S ' ) the Government had ta g® office they had given back to the people in railway concessions four hundred and twenty thousand pounds. The aim and efiart of the Government should be to legislate to help all classes of the community. The rail ways had done a great deal for the farmers and the concessions given amounted to £218,000 by the railways The cheap money had infused lew life into the farming nidus try. They had been accused ol having too many inspectors, but who has raise the high standard of their products . "Why, the inspectors. You could now sellTnv product that bore the mark of Government, for it was well-known that the articles had been thoroughly tested and passed. When you benefit the farming community you benefit the whole community. They could hold their own against any country even Denmark and the Argentine, m the matter of produce. The Government had given awa? last year £138,000 in reductions in charges for Customs duties, and still people said the Government were in-, creasing the taxation, and pointed to the heavy departmental expenses. In the Colonial Secretary s department the expenses amounted to £7o,uuu. This was due to the Royal • This would not occur next year. It S' Educatfonal 0 Department for the increased S f ies - Jbe Labway l hundred STSUw !•> been handed over this vear besides the fixing up of the carriages for the public convenience, But not like the ones on the coast. The returns for the put mne months Defence DepaXent had the’protection vate a ?ro t perlv 7 “rhis’Tpartment showed a big increase of expenditure, bu this was rendered necessary by the , £if.t'’ S 'wo r "nS",S« M S? Po nrotS out shores, when the pop*lation had increased to as many mi lions as there were thousands at present when the jealous eyes of the Powers would likely he turned to our shores Anyone taking exception to t. e increase of £39,000 for defence nurnoses did not know anything about the matter When the concessions on railways and Cnsto.ns wars 6jan t; ed the people were afraid that tne financial position would be weakened. Take the conditions in all depart merits, and up to 31st December 1901 increases were shown in all depart merits. The total receipts in all departments were £4.211,612, and for the same period of the P r e vl ous year, £191(1620 an increase of tlni,uuu. There Was still three months to run and the increase would be a great deal greater. Yet people still would say K®, the colony was not advancing. The tota amount authorised for public works expenditure bad been spent in eight months, and it was the duty of the Government to stop works after that vote was spent. The 1 umic Works Department bad done their duty and had not exceeded the S™* « £lO 000. Some were not satisiiea with the present administration, and levelled severe criticism. With regard to the West Coast, he would deal with the past five years. The population had increased 39bti. The people away from this part aw not look upon it as an agricultural district, but the acreage under cultivation had increased by 700 acres, and live stock of all kinds 2100. I lie imports showed an increase of £46,bfo. Ihe exports had also shown advancement, The gold won for five years amounted to 4,086,731 ounces. There was a great future for the Coast in this industry. The timber industry had also increased amazingly, borne people had the idea that the Coast was a barren wilderness, but they were mailing a great mistake. The coal exports had increased something like 110,000 tons. Coal, timber, and ggltl were a marvellous asset, and the

Coast was a fieid of wealtli which only wanted development. As lcgard.s the railways on the Coasf, it. was a wonderful thing that only one man had approached him with a grievance. Thftconcessions granted amounted to 50 per cent., and yet the revenue had nor. gone down, hut increased. You could now travel at the same rate as in any part of the colony. The people on the Coast wanted more railways, and he hoped that- the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon and himself would soon have the pleasure of breaking a bottle at the east side of the tunnel on the Christchurch line. Then the saw-mills would be doubled. The output of timber this year would be twenty million feet, but this could be easily doubled if there was railway communication. There was nothing to prevent this I

colony from having a great progressive railway scheme, so as to grant every concession to the public. No one could give a forecast of the railways extension of the colony for the future. He had been told to stop borrowing —hut they must borrow .to carry on productive works, and finish railways now in course of construction. One railway in Canada had more expended on it than the whole public indebtedness of the colony, and that a private company. In Southland a meeting had been held to ask the Government to stop borrowing. He pointed out that it was like asking Government to j construct a house without material, or make bricks without straw. He hoped to be able to get a new I ost Office erected in Greyrnouth at an early date. The telegraph department in this district had shown an increase

in all branches. The penny postage had oeen introduced, and the loss at the end of the financial year would only be L2O,OiJU. In another year, in his opinion, they would not lose a penny by the reduction.

When the Workers’ Compensation Act was passed, there was a cry against the Government, especially by the farming community, but for 5s per hundred the insurances companies will take all risks. The matter had been

misrepresented. The law was good and humane. In New Zealand for the past two or three years a wave of Imperialism had passed over the colony, and they had given their men and money to uphold the flag, and the people at Home would see that it floats over a loyal people. He really was convinced that the position of the colony was perfectly sound. The way to arrive at the matter was to put receipts and expenditure together, and see the position. No member of the Ministry had ever interfered with the accounts of the Treasury. He felt sure at the close of the year the forecast of ■ the Colonial Treasurer would he verified. If the helm of the colony was carefully handled, the people would have assets as valuable as any country in the world. (Deafening cheers.) The speech was listened to with great attention, and was punctuated with cheers. A vote of thanks and

implicit confidence in the Ministry was carried with cheering.