MR. R.J. SEDDON, M.H.R., AT DILLMAN'S TOWN.

Kumara Times, Issue 2721, 11 June 1885, Page 2

MR. R.J. SEDDON, M.H.R., AT DILLMAN'S TOWN.

Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, a goodly number of electors assembled at the Empire Hotel, Dillman's Town, on Monday evening last, to hear MrSeddon deliver his post- and preseasional address. Mr Wm. Morris was voted to the chair, and briefly introduced Mr Seddon, who, on rising, was greeted with applause. Mr Seddon said he was here to-night—-first, to give a brief aecount of what had j transpired during the last session of Parliament, and, secondly, to state what was required to be done in the next session for the good of the colony, particularly as affecting the goldfields and mining industry. He had intended addressing them a fortnight ago, but sickness in his family had prevented his doing so sooner. Before proceeding he would take the opportunity of thanking the county electors for having in his absence voted for him and helped, for the fourth time, to return him to the WestlaDd County Council. The last time he addressed them was on the eve of the general election. He had faithfully carried out the pledges then given. SECOND SESSION, 1884—POSITION OF PARTIES. Despite the statements made by Conservative papers, the Atkiuson-Rolleston Government were in a minority, and resigned. This flank move was made to cause confusion. The first Stout-Vogel Government formed, but there were so many disappointed would-be Ministers and malcontents that, on the motion of Mr Thomson, the House, by a majority of nineteen votes, declared. against the Government. The colony lost greatly by the action of a majority in the House, for the policy of the first-Stout-Yogel Government was the best promulgated for years. On this division he (Mr Seddon) and the member for Hokitika were the only two who kept faith with the electors on the Coast,—[Applause.] Mr Guinness, as usual, ran crooked. The Nelson Creek Railway bait, and thinking again to make his father an'R.M., were too much for him to withstand, and he fell, and so did the railway contract. The member for Inangahua also acted deceitfully. His return to Parliament was helped by Sir Julius Vogel; in return he assisted to turn Sir Julius out of office. The "Buller Lion," the indomitable Eugene, went with the majority, and for what he thought would bring the most foreign capital to Westport. The only reason given for his vote was some private grudge he had against Mr Richardson, Minister for Public Works. Two of the three West Coast deserters had seen the error of their way: they had been court-martialed at the bar of public opinion, and were now pronounced Government supporters ; the fatted calf had been killed, and the only one who refused to be comforted was the would-be aristocratic member for Inangahua. Thomson could not form a Government, and soon found he had been fooled. Atkinson smiled, and Sir George Grey laughed outright at the unique position in which the befooled member for Clutha had allowed himself to be placed. Sir George Grey tried his hand at forming a Government, but Atkinson refused assistance, and reckoned that the member for Egmont alone was master of the situation. The wily knight of Kawan by this time had found out that Stout and Vowel were masters of the situation, but sooner than allow them to re-form, unasked, recommended the Government to send for j Atkinson. The Atkinson-Wakefield Gov- [ ernment was formed, and lived the shortest life of any New Zealand Government. The dandified member for Selwyn received such a blow that, politically speaking, he was suddenly attacked with galloping consumption, and his recovery is not yet assured. The present Stout-Vogel Ministry was then formed ; they claim to be a Coalition Government. This is all put on to suit the occasion. Like the old sexton cry "I gather them in," so the Government is entirely sextonian, by claiming to be a Coalition Government. Stout opens his arms; the Liberals, Radicals, and land feudists are at once balanced. The Conservatives, Arafura Sea , traders, and would-be M.L.Cs. are folded I to the bosom of Sir Julius Vogel; the prodigal sons are welcomed to the paternal roof, and, much as Atkinson may soft-soap or Sir George Grey rant, Sir Julius and the astute Premier Mr Stout are too many for them, and are masters of the situation. "WORK OP THE SESSION. The first motion of importance carried was one introduced by him (Mr Seddon), and through which Hansard was reduced to five shillings, and obtainable by any person in the colony. As a popular educator it was the cheapest pamphlet ever published. —[Applause.] MARRIED WOMEN'S PROPERTY. This was a most liberal and fair measure, and one badly wanted ; it would tend to place women in a better position, and secure a home in many instances for the wife and family. To women troubled with drunken and dissolute husbands it would prove of incalculable benefit.— [Applause.] LANDS ACT AMENDMENT. This Act was liberal in its provisions and rectified several discrepancies that existed in the law previously. Further advantages were given to deferred-payment settlers, and applicants for leases were I protected against the land they applied for being sold. AFFIRMATION IN LIEU OF OATHS. This measure did away with a serious obstacle. Many persons in tendering evidence from conscientious scruples refused to be sworn j now they can affirm. If this law was adopted, by the English

Parliament there would be an end to the Bradlaugh scandal. LIFE ASSURANCE POLICIES. This Act gave greater scope to policyholders in dealing with the policies. It also remedied a defect in the law as regards policies that were taken out in the name of the wife. Now the husband, with the wife's consent, could mortgage the policy. ° " * GOVERNMENT INSURANCE ASSOCIATION. This Act provided for placing insurance affairs in the hands of a partially nominated and elective Board. It provides for a wider extension in the investment of the funds, and for having local boards of management. The change made in the mode of management ultimately meantj that as regards new policies the colony will not be held responsible. workmen's wages. This Act protects the moneys of sub-con-tractors and wages-men, and will protect them from fraud by contractors, for, by certificate under the hand of a J.P., the contractors are to hold moneys in their hands pending recovery by suit, or judgment being given by certificate under the hand of the R.M.. The contractor is ordered to pay the sub-contractors and wages men. POLICE OFFENCES. When this measure was introduced it was of the most stringent and arbitrary character. After v.ery warm work in .•Committee the bill was considerably modified. The Charles I. and 11. and Knoxonian clauses were eliminated, and the attempt to make people good by Act of Parliament was abandoned. [Applause.] In Committee one member who preferred farming to preaching so far forgot himself as to say—" Put out the member for Kumara !" He retorted by saying that neither he nor the other 93 members could do it if they tried single-handed.— [Laughter.] BILLS INTRODUCED RELATING TO MINING. First in order came the Gold Duty Abolition Bill, introduced by Mr J. C. Brown, member for Tuapeka. The bill provided for the total abolition of the duty. In Goldfields Committee he suggested that if there was a danger of Government opposing or the Council throwing out the measure, that the reduction should be gradual, at the rate of Is per ounce per annum. A deputation waited upon the Premier, and on that gentleman refusing to agree to the total abolition at once, and the other shilling one year afterwards. The Premier expressed himself favorable to this, but the other gold-fields members were bounceable and dominant, and would have all or none. The result was thatalthough the Treasurer in Committee agreed that abolition should take place this next session, the Council threw out the bill on the ground that passing a law that was to have no effect until another session was held was unprecedented, and that the total abolition of the gold duty would throw. further burdens upon the general taxpayers of the" colony. He (Mr Seddon) was fully convinced that if a moderate proposal had been submitted to the Council that the duty upon gold would now be only one shilling per ounce, and that upon the Ist day of January, 1886, it would have ceased altogether.—[Applause.] However, Government had promised next session to bring in a bill to abolish the gold duty. To that promise he would keep them. If they broke faith, he would then consider himself at liberty to retaliate.—[Applause.] MINES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. He introduced this bill for reducing the miners' right to 10s, and the business license to £2 per annum. The second reading of the bill was carried with acclamation ; but, owing to the action of the member for Greymouth in speaking against time in opposing the Eight Hours' Bill, the committal of the bill was prevented. In this obstruction and prevention of relief being afforded to the mining community, Mr Guinness was assisted by the head of a sheep-dip firm that misrepresents a part of the colony particularly noted for fires and bankruptcies. The intelligent and respectable electors of that part must certainly feel ashamed of having as their member one of the most addle-headed bores that ever demonstrated by chattering gibberish the truth of the Darwinian theory. If Darwin had only visited Invercargill, the one fond hope of his life would have been realised; the discovery of the missing link would have ensued, arid its confinement in Barnum's or some other show would have prevented the lamented spectacle being witnessed of seeing a fairly intelligent constituency's interest slaughtered by the baboonish tricks in the House of one whom nature never intended should disport himself higher than in the shady top of a cocoanut tree, where, amongst his near relatives, his mischievous antics could do no harm. If next session this apeish creature hatched any more mischief, he (Mr Seddon) and others might take steps to apply a disqualification-act blister which would prove efficacious in politically destroying the noted vermin exterminator of Invercargill—[Laughter.] On the bill being talked out, some fifty-two members signed a requisition to the Government asking it to take up the bill. The period • of the session prevented this beiug done. " Next session he would again introduce the bill and hoped to see it become law. _ _ MINING COMPANIES. The Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill was specially intended to benefit local nhareholders at the expense of those at a distance. The member for Inangahua was the father of the bantling ; it had a rough passpge in the House, and never went to tlio Council. DAMAGE OS 1 MINES. This measure was specially iu'emled for the Tuapeka goldfield. It was extremely '. doubtful if the father of the bill had

achieved the object he had in view. The Veteran Mining Representative, Vincent Pyke, Esq., sat upon the little bill at every stage. Vincent Pyke is not the one to allow legislation to be passed to beneßt a few speculators to the detriment of the miners generally.—[Applause.] • EDUCATION ACT. An attempt was made to amend the Act of 1877, but it failed. The colony was not yet ripe for any change. The only iudication of a change was in the direction of introducing the bible and religious teaching in schools. Sir Julius Vogel sounded the key note at Christchurch. He (Mr Seddon) would not like to see the the young New Zealanders brought up ignorant of religion or sound morality. lie could not believe that, having so many clergymen, Sunday schools and religion teaching going on, that the sad state of things depicted by those who were 'attacking the present system existed. Until convinced to the contrary, he should adhere to the compulsory secular system of education as laid down in the Act of 1877.—[Apflause.] WESTLAND EDUCATION ACT. In regard to this measure he would say little; it was working well. What he had done was well known, and he had been amply rewarded. He hoped in the future that never again in Westland would local jealousies be allowed to interfere with the the education and welfare of the rising generation. He hoped also that the expenditure would be kept within the income ; if so, they had nothing to fear.— [Applause.] - DISTRICT RAILWAYS LEASING BILLS. These unfortunate little waifs were a legacy hauded to the Stout-Vogel Government by Atkinson, Rolleston and Co. There was something unsavoury about them, and he had opposed them, and regretted very much that the Government had allowed itself to be coerced into taking up measures which meant benefiting a few speculators and land owners at the expense of the colony. FEDERATION PROPOSALS. These proposals, brought in at the entry of the session, he had opposed. Government were in a minority on this subject, and all that was granted was £2OO, being the New Zealand moiety towards defraying the expense of the protectorate of New Guinea/ He would to the last object to a Federal Council with legislative functions. All that was required was an intercolonial Navy and Land Defence Reserve. . A board of management should be appointed to look after this question of defence alone. Further than that the colony was not warranted in going. The memo of the Government to the Secretary of State on the Federation Enabling Bill he entirely concurred with. The electors of New Zealand should never under any pretext give away their birthright. To be taxed by an irresponsible council sitting in Tasmania was not propounded by any friend to the people of New Zealand, and should be scouted.—[Applause.] POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. What should be the policy of the Government, and which he hoped would be mentioned in the speech from the Throne, should be a change in the incidence of taxation and a land tax which would take the place of the property tax. The tax upon gold should cease, and a revision of the tariff should be made so as to facilitate the manufacture of local products. Local government should be put on a sounder financial footing, and an energetic and progressive public works policy obtain. Partially completed and wholly at present unreproductive works should be first completed. Considerable departmental saving could yet be effected by the Government utilising the machinery of County Council and local governing bodies. Hospitals and charitable institutions should be placed upon a better footing, and a Refuge for Old Men should be established on the West Coast. Local industries should be fostered on an entirely different footing to that now existing ; indiscriminate distribution of bonuses without reference to natural facilities simply encouraged the centralising of the working classes in the large towns, and created the disgrace of having to dole charity to the unemployed. The mining industry was paramount amongst the industries that required encouragement. This, could best be accomplished by increasing the water supply upon goldfields, and subsidising the erection of machinery and the construction of tail-races to carry away debris. Prospecting should be encouraged and rewarded on an entirely different basis to that now set forth in the Government regulations. Science should be brought in to assist the miner and prospector, so as to enable many i of them to understand chemistry as applied to metals and minerals; for, by a better knowledge of geology, thousands of pounds could be saved annually. It was the duty of the State to assist in promulgating knowledge. The School of Mines attached to Universities was only a loss of money and energy. The proper place for institutions of this kind was the goldfields. He hoped Government would make permanent arrangements for Professor Black and Mr Montgomery to visit the Coast.— [Applause.] He had been the :i\ci:\, : > < •' those gentlemen visiting us recently, ei; I that visit had done grerx goodL— \. ';.;■.- plause.] The present Iv'fini-itf.T of ?.Ji:i;.> was shaping well, and it was to be hopee! that his colleagues would not put on the break too hard. If left alone he fully believed Mr Larnach would propose the most liberal measures affecting the goldfields, and such as had not yet ever been propounded in the Parliament of New Zealand.—[Cheers.] Steps should be taken by Government to see that the miners got better value for their gold. If money was to be lent to farmers why Government should, at each Post Office Money Order Office on tin; e/;'dficld;; find poney to buy gold,—[Applause.] By

constructing the East and West Coast Railway, it would cheapen provisions, .find an outlet for oiir products, and bring capital to develop the goldfield.—[Applause.] PARTIES IN THE HOUSE. According to his usual custom he would follow the lead of the member for Kuinara—[laughter] ; that member usually supported measures, not men. It was better to be guided by principles than likes and dislikes. The Government would have every consideration shown, and be supported when in the right; if wrong, their party ties must be severed. The present Premier was au able man, and consciencious to a fault, but lacked firmness when pressure was brought to bear upon him by the Conservative followers of the Government. This weakness was apparent in his agreeing to reduce the property tax. If the property tax was continued, then it should bear the whole of the defence expenditure. [Applause.] Sir Julius Vogel had done the colony good service, and his finance was sound. The tenders for the last loans had proved to the world that New Zealand credit was good, and that the money lenders of Great Britain had still confidence in the much-abused and maligned Treasurer of our adopted country. Notwithstanding that he (Mr Seddon) did not agree with all Sir Julius Vogel did and said, yet he was bound to confess that the present Colonial Treasurer was the ablest man in the colony, not excepting Sir George Grey. Mr Ballance was also an able many and a staunch Liberal, and his efforts in placing the people on the land and dealing with the Native question were deserving of all praise As regards the other members of the Ministry, they were able administrators, and were proving well capable of managing the departments under their control. The Minister for Public Works, though not an able debater, was most practical and had everything connected with the department at his finger ends. Holding these views, until there was some serious breach of faith, he (Mr Seddon) would give the present occupants of the Treasury benches fair support.—[Applause.] LOCAL REQUIREMENTS. The district wanted an increased water supply. This could be effected by a race from the Rough Wainihini, or by the Little Kapitea being brought to No. 1 dam. The head-race from No. 1 dam wanted the throttle value removed.— [Laughter.] Owing to the tunnel having subsided in the centre, it would not carry by twenty heads the amount of water it was able to take in at the head. £2OO would effect this, and Government has lost over £2OOO by not having it done years ago. The Northern bank of the Teremakau River wanted protecting opposite the sludge-channel, so as to prevent the river from changing its course. If this was done, the tailing-site to the No. 1 sludge-channel would last for years. Systematic prospecting should be carried on, so as to extend the Kumara gold workings, and generallv to test the auriferous drifts and quartz reefs that were known to exist in different parts of the district.—[Applause.] It was very inconvenient for the miners using the channel to have to run down each month to obtain permits. Those interested should meet and invite the new manager to be present, and by going carefully into the matter and acting unselfishly, no doubt a code of regulations would be drawn up suitable to parties and satisfactory to the Government. They might take the old regulations as a guide,- striking out clause 7 ; prior right and non-prior right was banished by the construction "of the No. 2 channel. For his part he hoped never to hear of it again.—[Applause.] In conclusion, he assured them that he would do his best to promote the welfare of the colony generally, and the Kumara district in particular. On the motion of Mr T. W. Brown, seconded -by Mr W. Greenroyd, a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence was carried by acclamation. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.