Mr J. G. Wilson at Foxton.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 30 May 1890, Page 2

Mr J. G. Wilson at Foxton.

Mh J. G. Wilson, M.H.R., addressed the doctors of the Foxton District, at the Public Hall, on Wednesday evening. There was a very fair attendance, about a hundred being present, shortly after the proceedings commenced. His Worship the Mayor— J. W. Gower, Esq. — took the chair, and introduced Mr Wilson in a few words. MR WILSON, who on rising was reooived with applause, said : I suppose most of you havo read " Canning's Knife Grinder ? " The old man asksfor something to weep OTer, and the grinder gayi he has no ■torytotell ;and thus resembles myself, as I have none to tell of last session's proceed' ings. I think it is, however, a good thing to come round and keep touch with my constituents. During last session there were very few Acts passed, and we had not mauy burning questions. We have the Settlement of the Land and Education to consider, which is enough to keep us going. We have too many changes in the Acts, so that nobody knows where we are. In an English paper I was rpading lately I waß much struck with a Liberal platform set forth, which was — The Education— Homk Rule — Payment of MsybEus — Triennial Parliaments Manhood Suffhagk. Having obtained all these, it will be seen we are in advance of England. Here we always get' what is reasonable when we want it. There was nothing done last session with the Education Act, because the Representatives, in their speeches, showed that the people did not want it. The Government have great want of backbone and their giving way on principles is shown in theirgivihgon the tariff the session previous. The position the Government were thenplacd in was : To choose between losing their seats and keeping their principles or keeping their seats and losing their principles. They chose to lose their principles. I think the Ministers go to great lengths at times to keep their seats. * weak Ministry is frequently led along by a strong man. There are two following** a politician has, a personal one and a following on account of his pre-eminent qualities. The Premier has the first. Some people say the Premier chose weak men, so that he could do as he pleased. The way the three members on this Coast stuck together was one of the greatest political blows the Premier has ever had. I wish to thank those gentlemen, as publicly as I can, for the way they have always helped mo — (applause). When your analise the Premier's character, it shows both strength and weakness. His weakness is shown in following the majority in the House; his strength in hi^s great powers of persuasion, an.l his great fighting qualities, as when ho tights he do.s so like an Englishman. We, the discontents, have been driven back a part to the Government, as we .like the other p»"ty less. To come bark to the session, the Premier found the Property Tax very unpopular in Auckland, so, to appease the Auckland followers, he brought in a Bill to amend the Act to one very much like the Land Tax. I cannot understand theobjeo-

tion to. the Property Tax, it is very easy of dolleetioii but ia the case ofjtili Income Tax, but it is Very eft^y to 'lUystify a statement of income. To ghow how easy it would be, I may say that at the present moment there are thirteen millions of pounds on depoeit iv the banks in the Colony, and the owners only pay on n v.c millions I If Wealthy people will, do this, it is easy to dee what they \Voiild do In either o»9e's. I am satisfied * they would. You may have read about i,he proposals for a Single Tax, which is a proposal to take off taxation on everything except land. \{?. know that there is some difficulty in making ends meet with the present taxes on land ; and it would need to have eight times the taxation on laud we have now if a single ta"x was carried. Taxation of any kind ia very disagreeable to pay, but the prinoiple is that those who can pay should be made to pay. One good thing in favour of the Government is their being able to show a mrplus ; and we ought to congratulate the Ministry on this. The Bill that occupied most attention of the House was the Representation Bill. This was stonewalled, and it was a very great pity such disgraceful proceedings were indulged in. The country people ought to have greater representation than the towns, and ac we had been diddled out of it previously by Sir E. Stout a majority of Country Representatives, being also a majority of the House, stood out and secured ouv rights. They were not wholly united, as some tried to keep the old number of members intact, bat this was not accomplished, as the town members, although they held well together, were beaten. These proceedings showed that such oonduct must not be permitted again. In England they have the Closure Rules, which enables a majority of the House to ask the Speaker to put the question. In our House no new rule can be put, unless two thirds of the members are present, and this can be prevented by the opponents walking out leaving an insufficient number present, thus a small majority could stop the amendment being made. We had also the Electoral Bill to consider ; at present the law stands that all names put in just before the writs are issued must be put on the roll without inquiry, though only presented the day previous. Down South there were 700 names put on the roll the day previous to the issue of the writs ; all voted ; but, upon a scrutiny aftor the election, there were 300 found not to exist, and these had nearly turned the election. This Bill was borrowed from the Victoria Bill. There a man geti a badge at the Post Office and signs his name, this allows him to vote, and the badge is obliterated after voting. I think this offers as good a plan as any proposed. Last session I urged an amendment to the present Education Act relating to Technical Education, and nearly suoceeded in carrying it. The present Act will not allow Boards to spend money on Technical Education. An amendment was needed, and I had everything ready : and Mr Hislop had promised to bring it in, but on M r Hislop resigning, my Bill went with him. I hope to be more successful this session. I should have liked to have seen an alteration in the Syllabus. I got a circular sent to the Boards, not expecting much from them, but rested more in the hope that they would send it on to their Inspectors. Ido not know what the resalt is, but I am afraid Mr Hislop has not shown much interest in Eduoation, being better pleased with fighting Sir Robert Stout. We have no small hand-books on Agriculture and Mineralogy, and I moved in getting some prepared. The Auckland University has started in this direction ; but ouriously enough, in the whole of their Syllabus for examination the word " grass " was never mentioned. I thought, this very curious, seeing how much interested we all were in it. The girls would be better taught about a little cooking than many other subjects. lam sorry to say the Government do not show the interest they should in these matters. I should like to see, as they have in Victoria, a travelling dairy. I brought before the Ministers the subject of Cadet Corps, as children after leaving school are much in want of discipline. A Cadet Corps is very useful in training these lads, and the Minister proto consider it, but I am afraid has not done more. We might institute " prefects "in our schools ; the Inspector here 3aid he had tried it in Auckland and found it to work very well. The old people do not take enough interest in our children. Hore they should encourage all manly games : the' Duke of Wellington said, Waterloo has gained on the play-grounds of Eton. When a man has great wealth suddenly he is very often a danger to society. We are eduoating the children all together — the rich and the poor — and whatever comes of it I am oure they will be much more in touch hereafter with the people. Education, in the broadest sense, is the solution of the difficulty now staring us in the face in Capital and Unionism. This district has been greately altered, but it is within the bounds of probability that another alteration may be made. The population of last census was much less than now, so that there arc 1500 to 2000 more people in Jthis district than at lasit census. The new census takes place in March, and if we only wait a few mouths we shall have the benefit of the census to alter the boundaries of the districts. I shall be a probable candidate at the next election. It seems that the question of school buildings should bs put on a proper basis. I think that part of the surplus could be used. We have previously had these buildings put up out of borrowed money, but this was not right, as, being of wood, were not permanent structures. The subsidies to Local Bodies have gone. Local Bodies should bo assisted, as the success of the Colony depends on the people being settled on the land. But the Government giving the thirds of land-sales almost makes up for this, more especially as the amount to come from such sales can be borrowed from the Government. We may fairly be congratulated on having taken a turn in this Colony, Last quarter's return show : imports, £1.M0.000 ; exports, £3,744,000 ; balance, £2,10.i.0i)0. In the corresponding quarter of last year there was only £1,695,000. L»« 1 producv ■ in wool, frozen moat, Ac, £3.1131.000; grain. £260,000; thus making from land, £3,192,000 ; and, if we add (lax £162,000, »ives the return from land as £3.35 1,000, as against a total export of £3,794,000. Frozen meat shows fair on past quarters return, to amount to £1,000,000 in the year. The bank returns show we are progressing, as we are paying off the advances made by the banks. I thank you for your attention — (applause). Mr Gower said an effort would be made to put the Harbour Board debts on the Colony. I wanted to ask Mr Wilson if he will be a party to placing this burden on the whole of New Zealand ? Mr Wilson.— lt seems to me that there are few harbours we should assist.' There is one, tho Westport, which we should assist as it produeog the very best of coal. There are others for which I have no iympathy. The New Plymouth Harbour is one of the worst, and has caused this proposal to be made. The rat»s would bring in sufficient to pay iJi per cent, of the borrowed money. The conversion of the Now Z«aland Loan which hns taken place wo lid have occurred shortly after the New Plymouth Harbour Board Debentures became due, and to avoid hurting the conversion scheme The Government paid the interest then due

but though thii was agreed to by the Public Accounts Committee. I objected to it. One gentleman ■ held a large auinbei' of New Plymouth Harbour Bonds, nearly three-fourths (Mr Westgarth), and he endeavoured to show on his visit here that the people would gain by the Government taking over these Bonds ; it was selfiah, bat natural. lit Mitchell laid, I have very great pleasure* in moving a vote of thanki and confidence in Air Wilson; Mr P. Neylon seconded It. Carried with applauie. Mr Wilson, in reply, said I thank you very|much for this vove. I may say that I have not been personally able, from sickness, to vißit you. I do pretend that I have tried to do all I could for you, and am desirous of hearing from you at all times. I think the constituents art to blame if they refrain from letting their representative hear from them. The meeting concluded, after lasting an hour an a half, with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman, proposed by Mr Wilson.