MR MOORHOUSE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 958, 20 July 1877, Page 3

MR MOORHOUSE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Mr W. S. Moorhouse, M.H.R. for Christchurch, addressed his constituents at the Oddfellows' Hall last evening. Owing doubtless to the very short notice given of the meeting the attendance was not so large as would otherwise have been the case. The room, however, was well filled.

His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and in opening the proceedings said that he felt sure Mr Moorhouse would have the same favorable reception he always had in Canterbury. He would not detain them but simply call on Mr Moorhouse to address them.

Mr Moorhouse, who was warmly received, said when lie determined to come down so late before the session, he was moved by a great amount of doubt as to what would be thought of his conduct in delaying it so long. But he retired on the old maxim, "Better late than never," and he determined therefore to come down and submit himself to the crossexamination of his constituents. It was not, likely that it would be necessary for him to tell them the events of the last session. They had had every opportunity of discovering from his votes whether he had kept the promises he had made at the time of his election. He had not aired his eloquence, for sooth to say there was enough of that and to spare. Indeed, he might congratulate the colony on the great advance made in talking power. [Laughter.] He had early arrived at the conclusion, with the other old men of the Assembly, that the best way of serving the colony would be to say as little as possible, and to endeavor to curb the exuberance of eloquence of the younger members of the House. So much for his comparative silence in the Assembly. There were times when he considered it to be his duty to his constituents to get up and protest against, the riot of talk by which the public time was being wasted. lie was a partisan, and lie saw very little chance of his changing his opinion. In every phase of life everything was determined by a majority, and he did not sec any way out of the majority ruling. He allied himself with the best party and voted with them through thick and thin ; when he disagreed with them he went over to the other side. The independent member was a nuisance in the House. They had certain political creeds, and to allow of every gentleman getting up and nr" r uiii"' out minor matters to the bitter end would only be a profitless waste of public time. He selected his leader, and informed him of the opinions he held and the way in which he thought the line should be taken. It was all very well to have a few theorists in political assemblies, but it did seem to him a very great mistake to have a few men arguing out pet theories of their own to the exclusion of the public business. With this view he attended in his place throughout the session, except a short, time when he was laid up by illness, and had voted on nearly every division. He had worked hard for his party, and should do so again, because he believed that to that party might be referred most of the political and commercial advantages which they now enjoyed. He did not say this with any wish to disparage gentlemen on the other side, but he asserted that this was the case. He had by him a large number of figures which he would read to them, if they liked, to show the great advance the colony had made, lie might say that in all except population they had doubled their resources in seven years. In older countries it was only something like 5 per cent, or doubling in' fourteen years, but here they saw that they had increased at. the ratio of 10 per cent, compound interest, or doubling in seven years. He would now read them a few figures to prove this; —At the end of 1869, the population of the colony, exclusive of Maoris, was 237,249; at the end of 1876, 399,075'; increase, over 160,000, of which about 98,000 is due to excess of immigration over emigration ; and about 63,000 to excess of births over death. But of the 98,000 from immigration, less than 76,000 were immigrants whose passages were wholly or partially provided for at the cost of the country. Canterbury at the end of 1869, had a population of 42,852; at the end of 1876, 84,062. The colony's increase of population during 187(5, was 23,219; Canterbury's share being, 5347. The colony's increase during 1876, by excess of immigration over emigration, was 11,955 ; excess of births over deaths, 11,264. Canterbury's increase, due to former cause, during 1876, 2740; due to latter cause, 2(507. Government introduced during 1876, 9667 souls, of which Canterbury received 2236. Of shipping —During 1869, there were entered in the ports of New Zealand 764 vessels, aggregating 250,000 tons; and during the same year there were cleared 771 vessels, aggregating 247,000 tons. But in 1876, the numbers were ■— Entered, 878 vessels of 393,180 tons j and cleared, 866 vessels of 393,334 tons. At the port of Lyttelton, during 1869, 70 vessels, aggregating 23,500 tons were entered; and 74 vessels, aggregating 26,201 tons, were cleared; but in 1876, at the same port, 151 vessels, of 61,605 tons were entered; and 150 vessels, of 53,828 tons were cleared. The total value of imports during 1869 was £4,976,126; Lyttelton's portion of that amount being £518,809. In 1876 the total imports were £6,905,171, of which sum the Canterbury provincial district's share was £1,279,289. The total value of exports during 1869 was £4,224,8(50, of which Canterbury exported to the value of £49.8,328. In 1876 the total exports had increased to £5,673,465, and Canterbury's share to £1,801,754. The Customs revenue in 1869 was £823,508, of which Canterbury pud £91,978. In 1876 the revenue was £1,206,791, of which Canterbury paid £211,950. In Februrary, 1870, New Zealand had 1.3,476 holders of land, of whom 3214. were in Canterbury. The total estimated yield of wheat in bushels was 2,349,914, of which Canterbury was credited witli 1,461,953. The total estimated produce of oats in bushels was 3,329,586, of which Canterbury's share was set down at 1,328,880. Of barley the estimated yield was 889,826 bushels, and of them 504,475 bushels were credited to Canterbury. There were in New Zealand 900,504 acres under crop of all kinds, and 217,527 of these acres were in Canterbury• In February, 1877, the number uf aci-cu under I crop in the colony had increased to 2,682,757, I and Canterbury'a acreage under crop had increased to 603,383. The number of land holders in the colony was 18,750 ; Canterbury's proportion being 4473. The total number of acres under crop was 2,682,757. This was an increase of 451,769 acres as compared with February, 1876 ; and Canterbury, with an increase of 103,000 acres during a year, had under crop in February, 1877, 653,383 acres. The total wheat crop was estimated at 4,054,377 bushels, or 1,270,913 more than in the previous year; of that year's increase 850,000 bushels was credited to Canterbury, her total yield for the year being set down at 2,623,112 bushels out of the colony's totul of 4,054,377.

As regarded Canterbury, with which they were more particularly identified, he might read them a few figures as to their progress. First, however, he might say that when he came down here every time he saw more and more the development of that prosperity which twenty years ago he had predicted, and hoped would come about for Canterbury. [Cheers.] He was afraid he should weary them if he went on with his hard statistical facts regarding the advance of the colony, but he might say he referred that prosperity, making allowances for the indomitable perseverance of the people, to the Government under which they had been for the past seven years. It was true that changes had taken place in the Government, but still the policy had been carried out and the result was the commercial and personal prosperity they now enjoyed. This scheme was launched in 1870, and he might say that some time previous to this he had ideas similar to the scheme now known as the Immigration and Public "Works Scheme. He had confided his ideas to one member whose political acumen and activity marked him out as a proper recipient of it. He need not say that he referred to Sir Julius Vogel. In 1869, when in Auckland, he had done this, ami he had the pleasure of receiving from Sir Julius the budget speech of 1870. He had also had the honor of being elected for Christchurch, and had borne his share in carrying the measure to which they had to attribute the commercial prosperity they now enjoyed. It was true that they had borrowed money, and there might have been waste, but it was very easy to say this. He would ask, could anyone else have done what had been done without waste or mistakes ? Would those gentlemen who said this have conducted the campaign with less waste themselves ? This was what he wanted to know. The fact was, history repeated itself, and they saw in the struggles of English statesmen that this carping at the conduct of a great scheme was common on the part of the adversaries of it. So it was here, and the greatest safeguard that they had was that the public had a. tendency to carp at the actions of the G-overnment. He was quite assured that there was not a very active political agitation here. He had gathered, however, that there was a feeling that the railways were not properly managed—[Hear, hear] —and that there were some details which required amendment. [Applause.] He quite agreed with them —[Applause]— but they must recollect that so great a change as had taken place in the Constitution could not be carried out without these little mistakes. The gentlemen who were conducting the Government had worked so hard in the conduct of business that they were hardly fit to face the opposing parties in the House. The Constitution was now rough-cast, and it would take some three or four sessions to get it smoothed down into working order and all the little angularities taken off, which now caused some friction. But he was hopeful that in the future they would have a far larger amount of self-government than they had now. [Hear, hear.] He had been the first Superintendent to come down in 1868 and ask his Provincial Council to consider modifications in the Constitution out of which had grown the abolition of the provinces. The opponents of abolition wished to say that with the abolition they had lost all local self-government. But lie denied this. They would have more local self-government than they had now. He had drafted a Bill which would have given far larger powers of self-government to municipalities. It had gone through the Lower, but had been lost in the Upper House. One of the provisions was that the ratepayers might be asked to consent to the borrowing of as much money as ever they pleased on their own responsibility. This was the way to politically educate the people. Let the ratepayers be appealed to when money was to be borrowed. There might be some ratepayers who would be mean enough to oppose money being borrowed for obviously necessary public works ; but he believed that the genius of the ratepayers as a whole would prove to be right in the end, He also agreed with the election of mayors by the ratepayers, because he believed that the only way to educate the public was to give them every opportunity of exercising their will in the freest manner. If they made mistakes, they woidd be careful not, to commit them again. As regarded railway matters, he might say that the complaints which had j arrived at head-quarters would no doubt result in the matter coming before the As- ! sembly, and that a committee would be appointed to make a searching inquiry. It was very probable that he might be elected on that committee, and he thought it was much better for him to say that he would do his best to remedy any evils than to prescribe any nostrum now. [Cheers.] He could assure them that he would do his duty and examine most thoroughly into the whole matter. [Hear, hear.] He thought that the administration would be enabled to make such arrangements as would allow of a uniform regulation being made, which would work easily in all parts of the colony. The railways had so largely increased that they had far outstripped any idea of the Government or those opposed to them. He thought that the finances of the colony were in a very good condition, and when the Houso came to consider them they would find that there was quite enough to meet all the demands of the public creditor. He was afraid that the I gentlemen of the Opposition were somewhat apt to take a gloomy view of the finance of the colony, which was not warranted, and he hoped to be able to congratulate them on the state of the revenue of the colony in the Assembly. Agentlemaninanadjoiihngprovince had told him that while the colony had certainly increased in prosperity somewhat her debt had increased enormously. He (Mr Moorhouse) had pointed out that the private revenues and resources of individuals had increased trebly, and when so large a stake as this was held in the colony, if it. was squeezed at all a, small tax coidd easily be raised to pay oil these loans, Ho had been accused twenty years ago of boing riotously extravagant in his financial ideas as a public man. But what were liis ideas to what had since been carried out to the enormous beneiit of the whole community r 1 He said this that the colony would never be in financial difficulties, and that, more than this, it would be one of the most prosperous colonies in the South Seas. Their railways were going to pay their National debt, and further than this he believed the revenue to be derived from them would be sufficient to warrant a remission of some of the Customs duties. If he were a leader of public opinion he should be prepared to carry out a system by which property should contribute a fair share to the revenue in return for the protection of it. But he did not believe they would have any income or property tax. The railways would pay not only the whole of. the money expended

on them, but would also bear the whole of the burden of the debt. The Customs revenue he might say had largely increased. He had also taken out some figures with regard to the capital of the banks of the colony. He would, read them a few figures on these subjects. On March 31st, 1870, five banks wove doing business in the colony. On March 31st, 1877, one of the five had been absorbed, and two new ones had been started. The amount of deposits in these Banks was £7,425,853, which was the capital used in conducting the commercial affairs of the colony. These were divided into three heads, viz., Government deposits, which in 1877 were £717,716; deposits not bearing interest, £2,790,513 ; and deposits bearing interest, amounting to £2,931,070. Considering their population this was a very respectable evidence of wealth. It did not, at any rate, look like commercial depression. With such an amount of cash behind them they would be able to tide over a heavy commercial difficulty. They were too rich for anything like insolvency in a colonial sense. There might be individual cases of commercial failures in their mercantile communities, but there was no fear of anything like a failure of the resources of the colony. Then there was the domestic savings. In the colony there was in the Savings Banks on December 31st, 1869, an amount standing to credit of depositors, inclusive of accrued interest, of £231,311, and on December 31st, 1876, £723,910. But while Canterbury's portion in 1869 was only £20,570, in 1876 it had increased to £175,650, being less than an eleventh of the whole in one case, and nearly a fourth in the other. That increase he was not sure was going on, but he had reason to believe that the deposits in the Savings Banks in Canterbury was over £200,000. They had a population of only some 80,000, and yet they had before them the facts he had given them. Who was going to whimper after that ? Now as regarded the land revenue. In 1869 the total revenue of the colony from land sales was £217,991., of which there was received in Canterbury £64,178; but during the year 1876 Canterbury's land sales realised £609,918, out of a total for the colony of £1,017,858. That meant, that the people of Canterbury had found upwards of £600,000 during the year for the acquirement of freehold property. He did not think they had much cause to be afraid. The export of grain and wool was something remarkable. As regarded grain, there was a general decrease in the produce of oats, as compared with 1876, of over one million bushels; but of a total estimated yield of 4,707,836 bushels, there were 2,031,905 set against Canterbury's name. In barley, too, there was a marked decrease as compared with the previous year, still Canterbury was estimated to yield 486,509 bushels out of a total of 801,379 bushels for the colony. That was the working farmers of Canterbury had produced £1,100,000 worth of grain during the year. This did not look like being much to be afraid of; and as an old Canterbury settler he congratulated them from the bottom of his heart. The Northern Island, too, he might tell them, had prosperous times not far off. The export of wool was rapidly increasing, and there was also springing up a large trade in tallow. As they had elected in their Parliament to throw aside their individuality, and try to cement themselves into one great whole the prosperity of every part of the colony was a matter of interest to them all. [Cheers.] Before they had been ten years longer in this colony they would be able to boast of their nationality as New Zcalanders. In twenty years they would be strong enough to hold their own against all the world and their commerce would be large enough to make them of importance in the eyes of the world. [Cheers.] He thanked them for having listened so long to him. He could not get there before, as professional duties of importance had detained him. In passing he must say that they were much indebted to his colleagues, Messrs Stevens and Richardson, who had taken a great share of the work of the constituency. This had occurred mainly because they had been in closer communication with the constituency than he had. He would be happy to answer any letters on public business, but he must decline any which might have for their object the j enlisting of his services in attempting to pro- j cure Government billets. He might say that if he answered all these it would take a couple t of clerks to do nothing else. He should now be prepared to answer any questions. i In answer to questions, • Mr Moorhouse said, as regarded education, j his views were the same as he had expressed on the hustings. It should be free, com- f pulsory, and unsectarian. [Cheers.] He had already said that education should be free. , If the revenue was not sufficient to pay for it j they would have to have recourse to school i fees. He could not say whether the consoli- j dated revenue would be sufficient to cover the j cost of education without recourse to taxa- | tion. He was telling them his views, which j were that parents should be compelled to ) send their children to school, and that education should be secular. As regarded the maintenance of hospitals, &c, from the consolidated revenue, he should support his party in whatever they proposed. But his own opinion Avas, that the cost of hospitals, lunatic asylums, and the disbursements for charitable aid should be defrayed by the consolidated revenue—[cheers] —and if it was not sufficient it should be made so. Here in Christchurch they had a hospital, the cost of which was largely increased by cases coming from the country. This Avas his reason for saying that it should be charged on the consolidated revenue ; then every one paid a share. As. regarded the omission of tin? municipality of Christchurch from a share of the surplus land revenue, he was strongly of opinion that he had not token any action which had this effect. Whatever action had been taken was a general one as affecting all the muuicipalities of the colony. His own idea was that Christchurch should receive an endowment out of the waste lands ot the colony, because some twenty years ago to cover a small debt the Government had taken the town reserves which was the natural endowment of the city. There was an endowment of 2000 acres, but this was not anthins like an adequate returu for the deprivation some twenty years ago. He would promise to j do his best to see justice done to Christchurch in this matter. [Cheers.] He would not be prepared to bring forward a proposition m the House to make the municipalities share equally with the Road Boards in the surplus land revenue. The municipalities had many more advantages than the Road Boards, such as publicans' licenses, &c. Dr Turnbull—For three years the municipalities of Canterbury were ranged alongside the Road Boards of Canterbury, and received a similar amount. Why should they not do bo from the Assembly ? Mr Moorhouse -Did they ? Well, 1 hope my friend l)v Turnbull will take a general

assurance that I will ask for all I can get. [Cheers and laughter.] In answer to other questions, Mr Moorliouse snid he had heard a grea deal of the Nelson Education Ordinance, but he was not sufficiently acquainted with it to say whether it was better or worse than the present one. As regarded the Bible being read in public schools he had no objection to it, but he did object to any priestly commentary upon it. [Cheers.] It would be far better without any comments upon it at all. [Cheers.] _ As regarded giving subsidies to schools which satisfied G-overnment inspectors apart from Government schools, he thought the G-overnment should endow their own schools, and nobody else's. He did not think the time had arrived when the unsold lands in the province of Canterbury should be thrown open to free selection on deferred payments. The present Canterbury land laws were regarded as being as nearly perfect as possible, and he might say generally that he did not approve of deferred payments. If a general law were introduced, he should not be prepared to justify an exception on the part of this portion of the colony. When a man had the money in his hand he was fit to purchase land and not before. If he (Mr Moorliouse) had £IOOO to expend he would far sooner expend it in working land than in purchasing it. As regarded the disposal of the runs in 1880, he was favorable either to letting them by auction or by assessment. Both modes were equitable alike to the tenants and the public. It was more than likely that this question would be brought up in the Assembly, when more light would be thrown on it.

An Elector—Mr Moorliouse, will you tell us what you have done for the electors of Christchurch. You have told us a good deal outside of the Assembly. [Laughter.] Mr Moorliouse—Well, we have worked very hard; and I have endeavored to hold my tongue, in which I thought I should, under the circumstances of last session, be most useful to the constituency. [Laughter and cheers.] We go down to the House at and sit till three o'clock in the morning, whichyou will say is something. The Mayor then asked if there were any other questions to ask.

Mr C. E. Briggs moved—" That a hearty vote of thanks be given to Mr Moorhouse for his address that evening." [Cheers.] Mr Hadfield seconded the motion.

An Elector —I beg to move as an amendment—" That this meeting begs to thank Mr Moorhouse for his address, but that the electors of Christchurch have no confidence in him.'' [Laughter.] The amendment not being seconded, after the Mayor making one or two requests it fell to the ground. The motion was then put and carried amid applause, with only two dissentients.

Mr Moorhouse moved a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was carried, and the meeting broke up.