POLITICAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1596, 7 November 1905, Page 1

POLITICAL.

At Wellington Sir J. G. Ward, who was warmly received, said that he regarded it as a privilege to he associated with Mr Seddon. He and his chief frequently had been critioised in no unmeasured teg?na, but they were never afraid to meet the people on the platform. Both sides were on the eve of a political battle, and it was right to lay. their policy before the people. If there were differences on minor matters, let them agree on major points, and work together for the common good. Not one charge against the present administration ever had been shown to be true. Let those who differed be plaoed on a pedestal | for fifteen years, and if they came out qf it as well as the present Govern* xhent, they would do well. He referred to the concessions that had been made in the Customs, Railway and Postal Departments, which constituted a magnificent answer to the most-'fas-tidious oritic. Twenty-eight millions of hard-earned money was ow deposit; in the banks, and the whole ‘of. -tBS commercial and industrial work of the colony could be carried on without j djrawmg upon the outside world for a j single penny. Referring to the increase in the wages of railway men, which it had been said was done for political purposes, he said the wages could not have been" increased before Parliament voted the money. Three times the Government had readjusted the railway men's wages, and given increases totalling ‘£370,000 per annum. He pointed out that the Government had given the railway servants the option of going before” the Arbitration Court or,of having their affairs settled under the Classification Act, and they had chosen the latter course. The. users of the railways had •been given concessions aggregating; j£680,000. Tet some people had tried; to create a feeling amongst farmers that the Government were not in accord with them. Every time the question of the railways cropped up, the' Opposition urged that instead of addi% tions being charged to loan moneys,, 1 they should be charged to revenue. He contended that such a system would bring ruin and sadness to farmers and the industrial classes alike. Out of the concessions he had named, had gone direct to the farmers, but everybody was getting the benefit of it in the way of cheaper means of communication. 'There was competition with outside countries to meet, and it was impossible to compete without cheapening railway The increase in train mileage since the present Government came into power* had more than doubled the number of men employed on, the railways. He: contended that the administration of the railways had been a huge success,* in the face, too, of opposition almost; enough to check efforts and energies qf any man livings, Referring to; the: superannuation Scheme, he said that it wasthe duty of every employer to see that women and children were provided for if the bread-winner was taken and was on sound lines. Not with-' standing what was said , as, tq its not being on a • proper actuarial basis, 'he declared and contended tbattheseheme could not go wrong with the State'behind it. I He did not believe in a Civil Service Board, . Why not call it an Autocracy Board f .In, setting up such a board, they might free the service from political control," but it would be handing the service over to an Auto-, cracy board. When the railways were under a commission, there was trouble, throughout the colony. He thought every class of the civil service should, be classified, The public debt of the colony was between 59 and 60 millions* but one, railway in Canada, the Canadian Pacific, has boraowed more money than New Zealand' owed.;,, thirty-one millions of New Zealand’s'<lebt "waq directly earning interest;, owing to the way in which -it was invested. . He maintained that she, country was prosperous and progressive, and predicted that the Liberal Government would come back after the elections with ‘strong party behind ‘them, and continue to do their best for the greatest little country south of the line. Sir Joseph Ward was loudly cheered on resuming his seat*