NON. J. CARROLL.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 907, 4 June 1903, Page 3

NON. J. CARROLL.

ADDRESS TO CONSTITUENTS

The Theatre Royal was crowded on Tuesday night, when the Native Minister, the Hon. .1. Carroll, addressed his constituents. Ill* Worship Uie .Mayor (Air Townlcy) preside d. The Hon. Mr Carroll was received with enthusiasm, lie apologised for not addressing the Gisborne electors just prior to the last, election. The last time he had the pleasure of addressing them was about twelve months ago, when among the questions he dealt with was that of preferential trade. Keren!, events m the Old Country were

bearing out many of the ideas he I lien suggested. They were all aware from Hie cables there was a possibility of very important fiscal changes. 1 1 had caused an agitation among the public men in England. It. was a cloud that would grow , it was not in I lit: practical .luge yet, but would eventually develop until it had shaped politics. Merchants, pastoralisls, and others .-.ere aireaiij forming phalanxes, vlnlc those of the old sc iiool would oiuiiine lo resist, the breaking down ilie old system. There would he l ri.-con .1 ruei ion of parl ies in Kng-

land, and a great change would come Tin v could not yel tell how New Zealand would he aiieelcd, hut they must look to ihe protect ion of the Kmpire and its trade, ll behoved i hem more Ilian ever lo see leather integrity was secured—to preserve the trade and resist eiicroacninenls. <tlherwi.se they would not he British. 'l'lie warfare of the future would he an industrial warfare, and we must see that our trade and commercel

were so adjusted as to he in the best interests of all parts of the Empire. (Applause.) There could l.e no quest ion that the I fade of the Old Country was losing ground. Where our trade had increased by li7 millions, that of America had increased by mill millions. Russia’s trade was increasing fast, and the stand tm.cn by Germany showed them what they might expect. After all, uhat aliinity nad they with foreign Powers. Russia was pouring butler into England, one of our staple articles oi export. They had allowed loreigiters all sorts of concessions—they had, in fact, offered them a

premium to come and compete on our ground. fly a suitable fiscal system, they would lie building up i,.r more than they would lose. why should lh.-y lie dependent on foreigner:, fur fooiisLUus Y—supposing tney v,, re plunged into war. VVliy should v.c n..i n.a..c our Empire a seifsusi a. ii ifig Empire Y Ue did it in a .■mall way m our colony ; just hroaCcii liiur hon/oii, and as l ; why it should uni, be none lor i.iie Empire

I,e v. i 111 on to refer t o I lie comim.run.c de, reuse of trade. 'I lie question would lake one or two “ lulls ’ 1 ont of any party or .Ministry that took il, up ; Iml tlie lire of interest had I,e,.i> lighted. The British public mind had been opened to receive new impressions, and Uie process of education would go on mill on until t-hc force that would grow up in favor of ilu- change would he irresistible. (Applause.) ju,„ j,.,, i,e . ibco wenli on lo refer to the

lini:.yo'UU» Call ui.loo of tbo coiouy. It Hckoow.ciigcd by ail <0 bo m a better p ~„t on than ever b< lore. (Applause.) Ho q.uueu figures .-.bowing the various meau.e.-, • in one year tucy bad a juuip of no u;.-.s limn £388,091) in revenue. Continuing to quote statistics (already published in toe Tunes ”) he said they spuke oloqueutly, and a large purtiou oi tlie iocreaso could be credited to to this district. There was warm applause when he referred to New Zealand's iucreuso of exports. Tho Ligures, he said, toid a tremeudous tale of progress and prosperity. Since taking over the railways the Government had ~,ven to the peopio over a half million in concessions, especially on articles of service to farmers. Takiog the results of tho past and future prospects, they could only arrive at ono conclusion, that we were prosperous and should be happy and contented. In tho new Parliament there would he new faces, and new phases of different subjects taken up, and therefore they might expoet important changes to suit tho now conditions. It wus to be hoped that tho povvor of deliberation would not be behind any provious ono. Now minds brought new idoas into the held of work, and they looked to the new session as leading to now developments. The land ballot system had been found to be faulty, and it was necessary to give Boards more power to prevent duplicity in applications. The experience of tho past should lead to an improvement in the system of dealing with laud. There was groat pressuro on tho Government by peopio who wanted to get on to tho land and carve out homes to themselves. Every settler ot tho soil mado tho land productive, and added to tho wealth of the country. The Native land laws roquired amending to give satisfaction. There were found to bo anomalies in labor laws. Referring to the district ho said thero were two vital questions affecting it —the settlement of Grown and Native lands, carrying with it the question of selling Native °lands. Our district had gone ahead more than any other, and tho general prosperity of the colony had received grout aid from that. Our settlers had been worthy men in earnest. Tho Cook and Waiupu Counties had progressed by leaps and bounds. Government had spent in Waiapu County on roads £8490 ; m Cook County <£0176 on roads, much on public buildings, and there was tho expenditure on tho railway works. He relerrcd to the splendid strides that had been made, the exports being a long way ill excess of imports. Hu gave a mass ot mm.us snowing meuases in all lines. i'V.oy sauul.i take Uie figures, calmly consider them, ami exciuiiu, ,l Tuank goodness, 1 uve m a district like Gisborne.” I Applause.) If its iililocnce was suen in a o , u ,it umu what might they expect in the

llltlHC'. 1 Dealing with t'no important subject ol native land laws, he described the present pulley as one of co-operation to get the „ Co t ksubs lor all It was, he said, time liu-y should give more consideration to the weliaro of Dio native race. It should „ u vi;t be said by the future historian that they neglected their obligation and did Continued on page 4.