The Globe. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1097, 4 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1878.

Mr C. C. Bowen met his constituents last evening in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Kaiapoi, and. as might have been expected, met with a warm reception. He first explained why he had been unable to meet them last year, but said he had taken the very earliest opportunity of doing so now. The first part of his speech was devoted to a review of the present position of the colony, and the effect which the Yogel policy had liad upon it. Since 1870 there had been an expenditure on public works and Immigration of eleven millions of money, and the question was, what had we got for all this expenditure ! J In the first place, the population had increased from 250,000 to 400,000, and of this population 100,000 had been introduced by expenditure on immigration. Again, about 800 miles of railway, and 21300 miles of road, had been constructed, and there had been added to our telegraph system 2300 miles of wire. In addition to public buildings and a considerable expenditure upon waterworks to open up the gold fields, lighthouses had been built which had made our coasts more accessible than the coasts of any country for its age. Mr. Bowen then goes on to point out, considering the growth in population, and the enormous increase in the resources of the country, that the charge on the country consequent on the debt, is very slightly greater than it was before 1870. Ho then quoted from a paper by the late Colonial Treasurer to show that our ordinary current revenue, including the land revenue, amounted to £2,393,000, and the ordinary expenditure to £2.879,000. In this sum ho included the payment of permanent charges and the interest for liabilities. This left an amount of £514,000 which could be legitimately expended on local public works. But instead of spending this sum only, the expenditure on local public works last year had been £1,284,000, so that the expenditure beyond revenue had really been £770,000. The expenditure out of loans last year jfiad been £1,500,000, making a grand total used for public works of £3,000,000. Mr Bowen then went on to say that the late Government were /determined to put a stop to such great expenditure. He then explained the position the late Government intended to take up in the future. They saw their way to propose a reconsideration of our financial position, which would hike into consideration not only the dealings with the current revenue, and the land fund, but also the incidence of taxation. Before making any change they intended, however, to consult the constituencies.

After some reference to the delaying of business by irrelevant talk, which was so noticeable a feature of last session, he proceeded to refer at some length to the Education and Laud Bills. His connection with the former is one of which ho may well be proud, as ho has been the means of giving to New Zealand a national sytem of education. He admitted that he had to give way on many points, but maintained that the main principles advocated by the late Government had been passed by the Legislature, and education had been made free to all. “ The main thing,” ho said, “ had been done; the elementary key of knowledge has been put within the reach of the children of the country from North to South. That cannot be undone, and any Government in the future will have to provide the means for this education as surely as for the administration of justice and the punishment of criminals.” He regretted that the Legislature did not see fit to pass the iCjau.se proposing the schools should bo opened with the reading of the Bible and the Lord’s Prayer, as lie believed that the recognition of a higher power in the way proposed would bo beneficial to the minds of the children. But the House thought differently, and ho submitted. Ho then alluded to the Laud Bill as a step towards uniformity in the land laws, and was looked upon as so far a boon that the present • Government were “ compelled ” to take it up, although it wp the

work of tlio late Government. That there was compulsion was proved, ho said, by the fact that the Premier tried to get the Governor to veto it—a proceeding unprecedented in the history of the colony.

After some remarks about the Friendly Societies Bill and the Land Sales Bill, Mr Bowen proceeded to discuss the question of the land fund. Itwas the intention of the late Government, he said, to bring the question before the constitucnces before any change was made in the land fund system. The proposal of the late Government to take £58,000 from Canterbury and £109.000 from Otago, was to enable them to get time to prepare a thorough sound financial system. Although he did not think the laud fund would ever be given back to the provincial districts, he did hope the Legislature would see the necessity of determining that it shall not be thrown into a common fund to spend as if it were a common revenue. Ho hoped to see the endowment of certain public interests in the different provincial districts, as well as the boroughs.’

Amother question discussed at some length was that of taxation. He admitted that our customs tariff required reconsideration, hnt lie wished at the same time to point out that about half our customs duties are for luxuries—we are now paying £582,000 on wines, spirits, and tobacco. Where he thought a reconsideration of the tariff should take place was as regards the ad valorem duties. He did not think that system necessary if they had more equitable duties, placed on certain specific articles only, and as few taken as possible, and the least burden to the community at large. If, however, any further taxation was required to pay our debts and interest on loans, he thought it should be a tax on property and not on articles of consumption. Ho then went on to show tho difficulty any government had in try iug to introduce economy, instancing the attempt of the late Government to save £90,000 a year hy reducing tho Armed Constabulary. This had since been upset in obedience to a cry raised in tho House and outside. Mr Bowen states, as the result of his experience of last session, that there will bo no chance of sound finance until a stop is put to the promotion of railways to he made out of the public funds by private members, and the other tho voting of money for local public works by the Assembly. The first should lie brought down by the Government, and the money for local works should he distributed by the Counties. He then referred to the Native policy of the present Government, which was, lie said, that of the late Sir Donald McLean; and to the tactics of the Middle party. As to tho policy of tho present Government, had. he asked, any one arrived at really what it was ? All that it seemed ?o him was —’’ adherence to Sir G. Grey.” This was not Parliamentary Government, but personal Government, The Ministry had accepted the measures of the late Government; and as for finance, they asked for four millions and took two and a half. Mr. Bowen then proceeded to discuss manhood suffrage, increased representation, triennial parliaments, and payment of members, measures which, it is said, Sir G. Grey intends to bring down next year. But a pressure on our space prevents us, in this issue, giving an outline of Mr. Bowen’s opinions on these points.