ADDRESS BY MR GRORGE McLEAN, M.H.R.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2245, 9 May 1881, Page 2

ADDRESS BY MR GRORGE McLEAN, M.H.R.

[Br Tbibgbafh.] DUNEDIN, May 9. Mr George McLean, M.H. 8., in bis address at Waikouaiti, said that the County Councils should have been endowed, as intended ; and power to levy taxation should have been gradually conferred on them. The question of local government must be taken up and dealt with; and whenever the time oomes that the finances of the colony can be got into a reasonable state, responsibility of local government mußt be thrown on the County Councils or Boad Boards. He defended tho property tax, but did not see a necessity for an income tax, which would not bring in nearly so large an amount as does the property tax. Yet, if an income tax] is needed, by all means let ns have it, for it was as fair a form of taxation as any other. New Zealand was slowly recovering, and the Customs revenue gradual'y rising. That was a fair eign of the times beginning to become good again. Had business not improved, and had the revenues n t increased, nothing would have been provided to meet the reverses of last year; and the £225,000, which, by the ohange in the system of finance, had to be carried to the following year, would have to be provided for in some way. With gradual increase of Customs, and other revenues, he was pretty sure the nexc yeur would be tided over, and this £225,000 made good without resort to any further taxation. The Government must be praised for the manner in whioh it took retrenchment in hand, and he was glad to see it comprised men determined to carry out the task regardless of consequences. He doubted at one time if six men could be picked out of the House who would risk their positions to bring about retrenchment, and take tho country out of difficulties—men not afraid to cut doi. a the Civil Service, which had overgrown to limits beyond what the colony could bear. The Civil Servica Commieeion wes of great help to the Government in carrying out retrenchment. Ministers had fulfilled their duty well. He could not say they hud made no "frrors. He bad heard a man say, when they were dismissing his friends, that he would not support tho Government. He (Mr McLean) had frienda in the Service for whom he entertained great respect ; but if it came within the exigencies oE the colony that they must be dispensed with, it would make no difference in his support. He held his position as an independent member, regardless of any Ministry in power ; but, if he were called upon to give a vote against the Ministry, he would sum up their faults, setting down to their credit that tbey had been called to power when tho colony had difficulties unequalled by thoae of any other colony. They had undertaken the thankleaa task of retrenchment, and had done their best, though errors of judgment may have been committed. He would also put on their side that the Native troubles were suoh, when they took office, as to place the colony in great peril, and that they had competently managed these Native troubles, conciliating the Natives and bringing them into a state in Europeans can live and exist with them. W< were gradually tending to a feeling of sytonathy with the Natives, instead of nur«in.< a b tter hatred, into whioh we had been gradually drifting through the action of the previous Government. He would weigh these things before voting against the Government, and would then give as conscientious a vote as ho could arrive at, whether for or against them. It had been said that Major Atkinson's district waa getting the principal benefit from Native expenditure. As an old colleague of the Major's, he would say that no man had ever taken leas advantage of his position in a Government to get money for his district than had Major Atkinson. Mr Bryce had hia sympathy, and if he (Mr McLean) had been a member of the Government he would not Bay that he would not hare yielded to Mr Bryce, whoae retirement had net had a wholesome effect on To Whiti. He (the speaker) waa opposed to tho sale of our railways, much as he disliked their being worked by Government. To sell them would create a power iu tbe country which wo did not require. The plan of giving Urge land to railway componies had been abused wherever tried j and he was afraid it would not wcrk wi 11 herr. However, if it was determined to adopt it, he would see what safeguards wjre proposed in the interests of settlement, before giving his support. Ho never favored Chinese immigration, and he would bo very sorry to see the number of Chinamen in the colony augmented to any considerable extent. Iu view of such a contingency ho would put u stop to their coming. If the colony required the imposition of further tea aud sugar dulici, he would vote for them. Beading tho Bible in schools had his sympathy, but, at the samo time, he thought religious inatruction alli.;uiO waa calculated to bo the most beneficial Ij scholars.