Mr. J.G. Wilson at Foxton.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 25 November 1890, Page 2

Mr. J.G. Wilson at Foxton.

_ «. i Continuation of report from last issue.) j He would now like to give i them the opinions of the two last j Colonial Treasurers and the two las r Premiers of New Zealand with 1 regard to the lan. l tax and the propery ■tax. hir Julius Yogel has told us ihat tlio Property tax was obnoxious, but when lie had an opportunity to repeal :t he deliberately stated that tli.' people had grown used to it and a groat deal could be s ii-i iv favour of ivuiuitJg it. Sir Harry Atkinson tA'.H us that he is convinced that a change from the Property tax to the L-.uid tax would be in favour of the rich uiau. Sir Robert Stout had only the other day stated it was complete nonsense for any one to say that any change in the incidence of taxation wou'd cause tin; colony to prosper, tint such a change was not safe in the present financial suite of the colony, ana tint any change in the incidence of taxation would have to be done gradually aud carefully. Further. Sir Robert Stout hu 1 said that t lie same revenue cou d uot be got from the land-tax as from a property tax, except by imposing burdens so lrgh and oppressive that it would pro -shard upon the country setters. lie would remi nl tham that Mr I'uillano-i had, when Treasurer loft a deficit of £200,000, and that he who had made this grave mistake was in favour of a progiossivo laud-tax. Thus ihey could judge whose opinion they preferred to accept, the opinion of the two List Treasurers and Premiers or Air Ballance, aud who would be most likely to carry the country on for the success of the small solders? lie would never alter the present svsten: of taxation so that it shou'd press hard on the settler, but he would endeavour to relievo him from the taxaion he at preseut bears. His platform would be to secure to every man a piece of land, and every child the best education at tho least co-t It was evident that with the increase of population tliero would l>e a nice for life, and if we desired to take a loading place we must re'y on education. Ho was now convincod that, the people wi 1 make no reduction in tho Education vote. He was against doing anything- to injure the system, but whilst the vole for school build- ! ings had been placed at £30,000, whilst £60,000 was needed, he suggested the subsidizing of private schools so that the money saved might be ueo'l for school buildings. However, off :his small -vote of £30,000, the Opposition last session had cut off £5000, aud had alio dove

away with the Primage duty. He. though a thorough Frcetiader, was prepared to have voted ioi the retention of the Primage duty, as it interfered in no way with the principles of Fieet rade, in order that money might be found for this building grant. He was in favour of the reserves granted for higher education bei'ig taken back and applied to the Primary system, and had moved in this direction, but owing to strong opposition could never get the motion before the House. Higher education he held .should bo selfsupporting;. If they were to ask him what his platform waß, he should be inclined to say "I should like to secure a piece of land to every man," in this he was sincere. He was quite certain that the possession of land made the people more comfortable and certainly more politically contented. We have still one million acres lefc. The Minister of Lands, speaking down South, said ha I was quite prepared to see the large estates bursted up, but as the Government held the largest ho was prepared to see that burst up first. We must be cautious about buying up land for seti lament and at present he thought it would be unwise. The Government he thought might be even more liberal than they are, and extend the time of making the first payment on account of purchase to three years. As the Natives held large areas of land ho held that these should be brought and placed in the market as speedily as possible. As most of the unsettled lands were bush wo must borrow money to make roads which would thus find settlers employment near their homes. He believed that when the Government laid off landthey should set aside blocks of, say 200 acres for tbe purpose of finding money to erect school building?, in the district, after it had become occupied. There was do doubt but that the Government would have to be reconstructed as Sir Harry Atkinson was not at all likely to be able lo keep the lead. If he approved of the ministry he would support them, but he would not be a supporter of the opposition. He felt obliged to allude to the remark made by a candidate who had said that he had voted for the keeping intact a large salary and had voted for the reduction of a small one. He remembered the instance quite well. It was with reference to the salary of the Clerk of the Executive Council ! and the Cabinet. When Mr Goiing ! retired Mr Willis was appointed and ! he fi led the two offices for an ad- ! ditional £50 on the salary he h*d ': previously receive;!. Previously he had been paid £400, and Mr Go. ing £300, and the country haJ thus j saved a good deal. He thought that under the circumstances it was unfair to propose this reduction of £50. , When the estimates were under discussion, votes were brought up in sums e-vvring a whole department and it is a usual thing- for a small ; sum to be taken off the total to signify tho wish of the House, for I the Government to look into tho matter. Whon one of these sums ■ was before the House a member stated th'-it a messsnger was in receipt of two salaries for the work of one office. Tho Minister in charge 1 denied this, nnd then it was pro- : posed that £5 should be taken off . the 1 irga amount as an indication from the House that if this man was found to be in the receipt of two salaries for the one office, he should hav3 one taken from him He did not often blow his own trumpet, but sneh an assertion having [>een made that he desired to reduce a small man's pay, he must show that >ie had acted just the reverse. The messengers of theHou.sK have to work a long tim?, and they generally wont to him if tlmy wanted anything don°. O;ie of them had represented to him that they had had very hard work one session, owing to the stonewalling tactics indulged in, ami they askod him to obtain something extra for them. Ho promised to do what ho could and waited on the Speaker who asked him to see the Government about it, as he would be happy to fall in witn his viows. Ho then saw the Government who said they would put an extra sum on the estimates if the speaker agreed to it. Ho had thus secured for the messoni gers, twenty in all, a payment for Ihc-ir extra work, and. they ilnnki-ri him for it. He said it was impossible to touch on al! subjects, and would be glad if questions were ;is'u;J. Ho had been exceedingly ploased to have assisted tho flax trade, and thou Jit something would arise from his efforts. Ho had bo>n accused of only having moved in the interests of his friends tho flaxuwnors, h n t this was most un_:ener ous. as labour had received far more than either millers or owners. He had worked hard recognising the large stake labour had in the industry. If rcturncf 1 , and lie felt very confident of it he would workas ho had done in the past. Mr Wi's'ii resumed his seat amidst great applause. (Wo gave the roplies to the questions in our last issue.)