The Premier's Speech.

Manawatu Herald, 2 June 1898, Page 2

The Premier's Speech.

PROPOSALS FOR PARLIAMENT. On Monday evening the Premier addressed a crowded audience at the Assembly rooms. The greater portion of his speech referred to pro* posals the Government would make - to parliament. - THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. The Premier then said they would naturally expect to hear something as to what the Government proposed to do during the forth coming session. He would first of all tell them that, notwithstanding the predictions to the contrary, Parliament would meet on Friday, the 24 June next. No measure pis.-cd by Parliament had done so much for the country as the Cheap Money Bill of tha present Government (Applause.) Even bitterest opponents must admit that it had be?n the salvation of very many struggling settlers. (Applause). They would first place great import' anoe on their local government proposals. The present local government ey^em had almost entirely broken down. Wherever members went they were besieged with requests for money for roads, bridges and minor works, The local bodies had very often not got the money for these works, and the result was that the people had either to go without road 3or appeal to the Government. Parliament thus practically became a Board of Works, instead of being a body dealing with larger questions affecting the well being of the whole people. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. How, then, would they amend the local government system.? First of all the representation in the local bodies would have to be enlarged. At; present they were limited to the landowners and the leaseholders. In Wellington, with some 44,000 inhabitants, they were only some 4000 who could vote in the election, of Mayor or borough councillors, whereas about 19,000 had a vote there for members of Parliament. In his opinion there were in that city at least 20,000 men and women over the age of 21 jusfc as much entitled to vote in the Council elections as the present small number of 4000. (Applause.) Those who rented houses had really to pay rates, for the reason that an owner in assessing rent took into consideration the tolal cost of the place, including rates. Therefore he maintained that the man or woman who paid the rent, which really included the rates, had as muoh right to vote as the owner himself. (Applause.) When the question of voting for a loan for a water supply or for lighting, &c, was decided and the scheme was carried out, the land- , lord usually raised the rents, and the tenant really paid for those improvements. Everyone had a vote to return men to Parliament charged with the highest responsibilities, but at present only the few could vote for councillors and mayors. They had been following on the obsolete lines of the Mother Country, and the sooner they struck out on new lines for themselves the better. EXTENSION OF MUNICIPAL FBAVOHISE. The Government therefore pro* posed that for borough and county elections those on the electoral roll for not less than 12 mouths, have

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their names placed on a roll to be called a roll for local bodies for the time befog. The absentee question and non-voting on loan questions often resulted in the Btopping of very necessary works. He was of opinion that every property-owner or lessee should have a vote on drainage and sanitary and water supply questions, and that the majority should decide, irrespective of absentees or those who may abstain from voting. He would draw the line between representation and vot- - log for loans. Any person who had been a householder for twelve months in a district and on the roll for that district, and any property-owner and lessee should elect members of local bodies, and in respect of loans under the Loans to Local Bodies Act the voting shall be decided simply by a majority. of those whd record their votes, irrespective, of absentees or non-voters, or the value of the properties of those voting. (Applause.) RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES. The Government had been urged on one hand to making the rating on unimproved values compulsory, while the large owners said the people should judge. So far as tried the system had worked well, and he believed it would commend itself to the people of the colony. He was not prepared to force the msasure on local bodies, but would not allow absentees to stop it. Irrespective of value or numbers on the roll, the majority should poll " yes "or •• no* ' for the principle. In the boroughs progress had been kept back in many cases because the landowners had stood in their own light. The present law said there must be value and numbers represented at the poll, j That principle could not be carried j out, because the people selfishly j refused to vote. He hoped next session to have it on the statute book that the majority shall settle it once and for all, and that it would serviceable to the colony. THE LIQUOR QUESTION. Another question most interesting and perhaps, from a party standpoint, a dangerous one was the liquor question. The extreme pro- j hibitionists and the Opposition .were ; united in one object, to put out the j present Government. It was an unholy alliance, and except on the one point they had not an idea in common, and the union would be a cat and dog one. The Government would carry out the wishes of the people, but it was never intended that one section of the people should eternally be at the . throats of the other. People could not prosper under such conditions, and there ; ought to be an end to it, and the j law laid down and complied with. I The present strife disturbed political j life and was a misfortune to the ; colony v and the sooner it ended the , better for all parties. The Govern- j ment was now blamed for its nio3t advanoed legislation, and was also said to ba in league with the trade. Prohibitionists went to England and America and extolled our legislation. The Government wished to administer the law fairly, but not harshly. Liquor, wherever sold, must be under control, but there must be some certainty. He looked on it as a side issue of the question, and it should be dealt with accordingly. STATE FIRE INSURANCE. The time has arrived for a State fire insurance scheme. As premiums were too high in New Zealand, the State must step in and bring them down, as it had done the rates of interest. ACCIDENT INSURANCE. He considered that the time was ripe for a State accident insurance system. There would be little risk, and great benefit, and half the premiums now paid would suffice and leave a profit. If relief could be given to the workers with fair security, a good deal of friction would be removed. A number of other important matters having been dealth with, the meeting concluded by passing a unanimous vote of thanks for the address, and confidence in the Government. — Press Association.

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