ADDRESSES TO CONSTITUENTS.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1296, 15 May 1878, Page 3

ADDRESSES TO CONSTITUENTS.

MR BALLANCE AT MARION. [By Telegraph.] Marion, May 13. The Hon. Mr Ballance addressed a meeting of his constituents at Ma-rton. There was a very large attendance, Mr Cash being in the chair. The Hon. Mr Ballance commenced his address by reading a European telegram received that day relating to probable peaceable issue of the Russo-Turkish war, and the European crisis, and commenting upon the beneficial results thereof. He then referred to his desire to have addressed constituents before, and said he was sorry at having been forced through events, to which he intended to refer at length and pressure of business ensuing therefrom, to delay his address. After referring to the order in which he intended to deal with the matters be had to lay before the meeting, the hon. gentleman commenced by speaking of the Native Lands Bill introduced under the Atkinson Ministry. It had at first been regarded with pretty general favor, only two newspapers criticising it unfavorably. Major Atkinson had condemned the course taken by Mr Ballance, who had introduced an amendment. Mr Ballance urged that a colonisat ion clause should be introduced into the Bill to prevent it becoming merely a tool for land speculators. The idea had not been well received by the Ministry. Cold water had been thrown upon it. The hon. gentleman then pointed out on a map, prepared for the purpose, the amount of land under native tenure and available for colonisation in the North Island. He then referred to the next important measure of last session, the Land Bill, and stated that the principle of which it consisted had not met with his approval. In the Waste Lands Committee he had drafted a clause, which was subsequently embodied in the Bill, to rectify certain defects of the deferred payment principle, of which he hod not approved. Sir Q-. Grey had been afraid of the effects of certain concessions made to the Canterbury settlers, and had determined to let the Bill drop. Mr Ballance had with Mr Stout gone to him and represented that the Bill should be carried through. Sir G. Grey had persisted in his opinion that the Bill would give too much power to Canterbury settlers, and that it was that had induced him to ask the Governor to veto it at the close of the session. Mr Ballance then spoke of the Education Act, and in favor of a secular education. He contended that the effects of the Act should be watched, and time given to prove its worth and remedy defects if any should become apparent. The Act should be received with gratitude, as providing adequate means for the education of all classes. Ho believed that it was the intention of Government to place on the estimates a sum of £IOO,OOO for the erection of school buildings throughout the colony. He next treated of the means by which Sir George Grey and his party had been brought into power. Sir George Grey commanded the allegiance of the Auckland party, the largest section of the House at the time. Of the success of Mr Ltrnach’s vote of want of confidence, Mr Ballance said that at this time he had lost all faith in the Government in consequence of the circumstances attendant on the “ Waka Maori” debate. He had determined to see the chief, and of all the men available for the office of Premier, ho had found what he required in Sir George Grey. At the fall of the Atkinson Ministry almost every member of the Middle Party had been nominated. He (Mr B.) had proposed Sir G. Grey, and Sir G. Grey was elected by a largo majority, because ho commanded the respect of the majority, and because he was generally recognised as the best man. Shortly after Major Atkinpon jn’OjJose4 it vote of yrmat of ooafi-

derco, on which the House divided, and which was decided in favour of the Government by the casting vote of the Speaker. Major Atkinson immediately moved another vote of want of confidence, a thing unprecedented in the ,'annals of British Parliamentary affairs. A vote of want of confidence on an abstract question, immediate ly after a previous vote had been lost, was not to be entertained, and the Q-overnment would not put their other measures aside to give it precedence. He then stated that his principal grounds for supporting SirQ. Qrey were that the Premier was a man who was wedded to his principles, of which principles ho (the speaker) mostly approved, and that. Sir Q. Qrey was a man of clean hands. Mr Ballance then referred to a belief which he said appeared to exist to a certain extent, that the present Government intended to revive provincialism. To refute this charge, which he declared to bo moat unfounded, Mr Ballance quoted from the speech of Sir W. Fitzherbert, of the Hon. Mr Macandrew, and from Mr Larnach’s financial statement. He declared that the Government had no intention of going back to old institutions, or of separating the Islands. The Ministry wore ready to abide loyally by the decision of the Legislature and to carry out the measures they had adopted, and to strengthen them by the true principle of ail centralisation, which meant delegating to local bodies the powers previously held by the Government. With regard to manhood suffrage, the popular idea seemed to be that the privilege of voting was to be extended to the very lowest classes—to the scum of society, to loafers. This was almost a mythical class, only the residue of a class, and it was a question if the extension of the franchise should be denied on these grounds. He was sure that it was generally recognised that the present system was not working satisfactorily. The Bill under consideration of the Government at present contained three privileges existing in the present franchise. The principal features of the proposed franchise, of which he could speak authoritatively, were leasehold franchise, ratepayers’ franchise, under which Maoris should be included with only aright to vote as long as they retained their qualification, household franchise and residential franchise, in which the lodgers’ franchise and miners’ rights franchise should be included. A residence of three months in the colony he would hold should qualify a person under the last mentioned. He would further hold to see the right of voting extended to women. Mr Ballance then went on to speak of the incidence of taxation, and strongly condemned any proposition for a tax on improvements. He advocated the imposition of a tax on land according to its class, and spoke of an improved system of valuation, which would render it practicable. Any alteration in the incidence of taxation should bo to procure a more equable distribution of the burden, and to put the weight on the necks most able to support it. He propo'.ed to tax joint stock companies. He did not believe that the income tax would be practicable. He firmly believed that the prosperity of the country consisted in the distribution of land, and instanced the prosperity of Prussia as an example of the benefils derived from the policy he advocated. He thought this should be the principal policy of any Government to cut the land up and colonise and cultivate. In connection with the Native policy, Mr B.allance said that the effect of the recent meeting between one of the most refractory and obstinate tribes and the Premier would be very beneficial. It was evident that the Maoris were being openly and honestly dealt with, and that the Government were plainly telling them what they required. The Natives required protection, and by dealing fairly and openly with them this end would also be served. The Native Land Bill promised for next session would contain a colonising policy, to enable the poorer inhabitants of this colony to acquire small areas of land, and to provide homesteads for themselves and their children, to prevent the success of the land speculations which are so prevalent, Mr Ballance went on to speak of Government charitable aid, and expressed his opinion that every community should have it in their power to distribute charitable aid through some benevolent societies. ‘With regard to triennial Parliaments, Mr Ballance said it was a system in which ho believed and would advocate, as bringing a representative into closer sympathy with the wishes of his constituents. With regard to the payment of members, Mr Ballance advocated the continuance of the present system of honorariums. Members ought to receive a fair allowance for their services, to enable them without any hampering to carry out the duties for which they had been elected. There would be a Licensing Bill introduced next session, into which, he hoped, a compensation clause would be introduced. He considered that the principle of compensation should be held to. He advocated temperance reform, but was convinced that it would be a work of time, and not to be brought about by Act of Parliament. In connection with the Civil Service, he considered the true principle to be in a careful selection and careful supervision. The Civil Service was the backbone of the Government, and should not be swept away. Aftercareful study, he did not beheve that any reduction could be made. The only manner to ease the work and dispense with a number of the staff would be in centralisation and the imposition of more work on the recently instituted local bodies. As to public works, he would not advocate too much borrowing, and would suggest that all borrowed money should be spent on main lines of railway. Mr Ballance went on to speak of the advantages of Government undertaking the responsibility of railway construction where railways could be proved to bo likely to be advantageous. He would advocate the direct responsibility of Government in railway matters. The annual revenue had exceeded all expectations. The deficit being about a quarter of a million of money, the annual income brought the deficit down to £IOO,OOO, which had been made up by retrenchment and other means, so that at the next session the Government would be fortunate enough to be able to announce a surplus. A part of the policy of the Government must bo to prepare to forego a large proportion of land revenue in order to further the interests of settlement on deferred payments, and for promoting railway extension and remuneration to make up the deficiency for a few years. Mr Ballance then summed up the principles of the policy of the Government, and called upon his constituei ts to approve thorn. Having dealt with matters of colonial interest, he spoke in reference to local questions, commencing with the matter of the Rangilikei county boundaries, and pointing out that it would have been better to have let them alone. He promised, however, to undertake to do his best in the furtherance of their wishes in the matter. Mr Ballance concluded his address by expressing his willingness to resign his position if called upon by a majority of his constituents, but in the absence of such a requisition he would continue to represent the electors of Rangitikei, and to do his best in their interest.

After a number of questions relating to to county boundaries and other local matters, a rote of confidence was moved and carried almost unanimously, a few hands only being held up in opposition. The meeting terminated with three hearty cheers for the member for Rangitikei.

A NORTHERN VIEW OP THE GAME L AWS. [“New Zealand Herald.”] The evil influence of the pheasant is far more seriously experienced by the small cubivator than by the large holder. The property of the former sums up to thousands of acres, generally grazing land. That of the litter is only al the most a few hundred ceres, often not so much. The former can suffer little; while the latter—the small cultivator —is surrounded by bush and scrub, forming an excellent cover, from which those birds emerge and pick up the seed corn wheat, oats, maize, and grass seed —before it springs, and subsequently much of what permitted to sprout is similarly attacked, so that a very large percentage of what might have been an excellent crop goes into the crops of these voracious birds.

There is a radical difference between the preservation of gamp in Now Zealand and in the old country. At homo the land is owned by proprietor who lease oy let it to tenant

farmers. These farmers, before they become tenants, ascertain the extent of game on the farms, and also in what degree the landlord is a game preserver. If, as in many cases is the fact, he is a strict preserver, then the farm has necessarily a lower value in the market, and the rent is shaped accordingly. To some extent, therefore, the proprieta r who preserves game largely is the person who bears at leail. a considerable proportion of the cost of maintaining the game. A very different state of affairs prevails here. The farmer in New Zealand is generally the owner, not the lessee, of the land which he cultivates. He does not desire to have game birds on his property, and objects strongly, for good and sufficient reasons, to those laws which compil him to suffer from the ravages of game. Every shilling’s worth of damage that is done to his crops, whether in the seed or in the green shoot—and that damage in many districts is not small—is so much dead loss to him, for which he obtains no compensation, and can get none. Yet, for the sake of a luxury enjoyed by few, the Legislature of the colony maintains a severe game law which, under pains and penalties, must not be transgressed ; although such so-called transgression is nothing more than saving the fruits of hard toil from being destroyed by game, which the settler detests, and from the ravages of which he is prevented by law from defending himself. And, above all, acclimatisation societies, who make money out of these laws, are offering bribes to rangers to find evidence to convict men who may be only saving their property from injury. From the Waikato, and from various districts between it and Auckland, we have received various testimony as to the strong prejudice which everywhere exists against this law; and in answer to the argument that if these laws were changed, and the shooting of pheasants allowed to go on for three quarters of the year, the bird would be exterminated, we have evidence from country settlers which plainly contradicts the fact. One remark of a Waikato settler, who has been years in the country and knows the marvellous spread of the pheasant, is worth recording. Ho was asked, “Ho you think it is possible to extirpate the pheasant?” “Na ; sir,” he replied, in a voice that partook of the twang of the Gaelic, “ Na, sir, only the Lord could do that.” So it is. "Ve want a reform of the game laws, and that at least the people can effect through proper pressure put on “lords” and gentlemen who are supposed to represent them in the Parliament of the colony.