Political

Manawatu Herald, 28 April 1896, Page 2

Political

— ♦ ■ — Mr.. J. G. WILSON AT FGSTOX,

Continuing from the point at which our report broke off last issue — Mr Wilson said Mr Seddon did not know where to turn lor a policy and he has jumped at the idea of excluding consumptives from the colony. Surely, if Providence has given us the means of saving lives by our beautiful climate and healing waters it was inhuman to attempt to exclude them. Exclude if you like m;n whom we consider bad colonists but do not refuse to admit those to whom it may be life to remain. He understood that the late Bishop of Wellington came to the colony more than 40 years ago to see Bishop Selwyn before he should die, but he was glad to say the late Bijipp was still alive and well dwelling at Marton. What Mr Ballance called a self reliant policy was really borrowing the sinking funds and though it was not illegal to take them it was not right of Mr Ward to try and deceive the public that the Government are not borrowing and so increasing the debt of the colony. Mr Ballance took one per cent, from the Land Assurance Fund for a sinking fund and last year the sum of £82,500 had accrued. Mr Ward obtained this by itfl;.ibiog the whole of the debentures issued by tbe Local Bodies Loan Apt. Sir Robert Stmt asked Mr Ward for an explanation which was refused. Where is our boasted freedom if the fullest explanation is not forthcoming ? Sir Robert Stout characterised it as dishonest finance. A moat important question was that of the Bank of New Zealand. It will be remembered that within a fortnight of the Governor's speech that the Colony was in a prosperous oondition lor Ward had to announce that unleel the oolony came to the assistance of the bank to the extent of two millions that institution must close its doors. The bank had come to this position by reckless management. The Government said they had gone into the affairs of the bank and they were convinced that the proper thing to do was to assist, and as he had no knowledge of how matters stood lit left the responsibility with the Go* vernment. The bank got the two millions and last year they came to the House for more. He was convinced that upon Mr Ward must rest the whole responibility because he was the only business man in the Cabinet, and it was upon his advice they acted. What his real motives were he was not going to discuss or conjecture; they may be knows publicly some day, bub bad he not Been Treasurer we should not have had the Bank ot New Zealand upon our shoulders at the present time. Last session it slowly leaked out that the real difficulty with the bank was that

the Assets Company really was the bank— whereas everyone thought they were separate concerns, and the bank held thus properties of every kind which were unprofitable. This - was only found out from Mr Glyn's speech in London. Fancy the people who had put two millions into the bank having to go to London for information. As regarded the position of the Assets Company it was clear that the House had been grossly misled or Ministers had grossly bungled when they said that two millions would be sufficient. Pm vate members were thus placed in a very responsible position and he voted against the proposals. He hoped his judgment would bo wronf? and that the Bank would succeed and prove a paying concern, and it Was our duty to help to make it so. Until the Realisation Board has sold all the properties no one would know how the Bank really stood. It would not do to say that there would not be more borrowing, but he held it would be suicidal to go in for a big loan of 5 millions as some pro-, posed. Others have suggested a smaller loan of one million to complete the railways. To borrow the larger sum would be hurtful to those who received employment and the colony, and as to the railways we had very few portions needing completion and these could well wait until we could afford the outlay.'and even if these lines were finished they would not probably .pay. To borrow, however, for the purpose of opening up land for settlement by roading or the purchase of native laud, was expenditure that would bo \reproduetive. As the land is improved year by year something comes in, which is again spent, always creating employment and work. He held if the Government can do anything to enoourage employment they should do so. The duties of a colonial Gos vernment are to induce settlement and encourage the settlers who are the producers, and to assist trade by every legitimate means, but not by protection. If the Government had Sjent as much time in fostering the ax industry as it has helping the butter industry it would have been muoh better for this distriot. He was of the opinion that the Government had been very negligent in this matter. Industries encouraged kept wageß up And a high standard of wages was a sign of the prosperity of the oountry. The local Government question was likely to crop up during the coming session and at the next general election. The Bill proposed the extinction of most Boroughs, Foxton among the number. It also repealed 81 Acts. He thought the country was not ripe to wipe oat the old systeni of government- in ontact, certainly not until the country had so advanced that one local body could deal with the whole government of a district. He considered the work of the county he wa9 connected with, was carried on satisfactorily and economically. He believed in the old saying " make haste ■lowly." Viewing the Bill financially he had extracted some rather interesting figures to show the difference between the proposed and present systems. In comparing the amounts paid under the present sys» tern In the way of subsidy and the new Bfyl he found it was the same but the distribution was different. Every subsidy of £100 paid a County it would get £156 and for •T#ry iubsidy to a Borough of £100 II would get £450. This is mani* feftly unfair, as Counties needed tvore help and they made the towns. In this electorate we should lose £1100 On the West Coast of the South Island matters were different. Counties get £241, and Boroughs in Wgsland are placed differently. Kumara at present gets £10 for a BUDBidy, under the new Bill would gpt £28$. He objected also to the Qnormous rates which could be put pn landowners. Thua there was a general rate of 6 farthings ; general •aparate of 8 farthings ; Hospital and Charitable rate of— no limit ! ; Fire Insurance rate of 8 farthings ; extraordinary fire insurance rate of— no lijnit, bat " to be sufficient to liquidate all claims upon it " ; annually recurring rate by special order to »ny amount. Under these circumstances he thought we ought to act rery cautiously. It was a dangerous power to let people tax others. The Opposition had been called upon to proclaim a programme. It was not their duty, they simply acted as police on the Government. His own feeling was he should much prefer never to support any government. There is something rather irksome in having to take the blame for the wrong acts of a Ministry and receive no nraiae for their good acts. If all Ministers for Lands were like Mr MoKenzie it would be juat ts well to be always in Opposition as far as the requirements of the district went for he considers the district's needs and not whether the member is in the Opposition. On the other hand Mr Seddou never d:d anything for a political opponent. Thus it is no wonder that many oarefui thinkers were proposing an elective Executive. The question is bound to be raised at the election. The signs of the times poiuta that the Government is not so popular *nd not so strong as it has been, and P'fttth* next election the Opposition may be returned to power. CircumstftQcef prevented him from being

able to Bay whether he would be a candidate at the the next election, and when they were settled he would immediately let them know. If he Was not a candidate they could depend that he would always have the interests of a district he had represented for 15 years, at heart.