Mr John Stevens at Foxton.

Manawatu Herald, 13 June 1899, Page 2

Mr John Stevens at Foxton.

Saturday night is not a satisfactory one to hold a public meeting, owing to the stores being open, and last Saturday night being both dark and wet, it was surprising to see how many attended at the Publio Hall to listen to Mr John Stevens, M.H.R The Mayor was voted to the ohaii and remarked that Mr John Steven? did not need any introduction, and owing to the well-known orderly character of the public it was no necessary to ask for a fair and im partial .hearing. He had no inten tion of making a speech but would mention among the many wants of ; the district the need of a light rail- ! way to the sea beach and also a shed on the wharf. Mr John Stevens, who was well received on rising, said he believed tbat as the audience was not a large one it showed that they had not much to grumble afc, as whenever dissatisfaction exited the public took care lo let it be known. He spoke of the friendly manner he hud always been met by the Foxton people and the friendly spirit he had always been received by a Foxtou audience. Ir was known that tbe opponent* of the Government had been seeking to oust them upon the oharge of maladministration, but the charge*, were simply that money had been paid away without the vote of Par liament having been first obtained. The Opposition, if this wa* corrup tion had been pqually corrupt, bit he showed by the relation of certain facts that thi3 action of anticipating ths power of Parliament had re suited in the saving of large sunn of public money. Tbat this was so was shown by Parliament having voted the sums required. He wou'd claim that lhe present Governm?n' was as pure a3 any Government there had been in the colony, and thafc was the reason he gave it hi* support. In past administration 0 Captain Russell had spent certain sums, which the speaker particu lariaed, amounting to some £88,000 without having first obtained a vote from Parliament, but this was no more corrupt .than tbe action of the Government,' and Parliament had sanctioned the payment of these sums. The action of the Government in the . erection of the parlia i ment building* was quite right and in accord wih precedent. The Opposition claimed that they would administer the laws better than the Government, but they had said thafc if returned to powei fchey would not repeal any Act passed by the present Governn^nt. This was all very well, but all would see that it musfc stand fco reason that those who had framed and passrd these measures would have fche m^s interest and sympathy with them and were therefore the "best person* to whom fco entrust their administration." The Government had introducer! legislation dealing wifch labour, undar which the labourer was protected from capitalists and had secured the piymeuG of bis wages in cash. Amongst the alterations .he con fcrasted the working of the Liud and Income^ Tax with the old Properly Tax by which, he contended, the burden of taxation had been lifted from the shoulders of the producer? of the colony. The Property Tax penalised the thrifty, and ifc wa* ■jaturally to be feared thafc if thf persons who had passed this Act got into office there was a great probability of having heavier imposts again placed upon them. Speaking upon fche land laws of fche colony the speaker referred fo thp lease in perpetuity, a lease wbich was a grand thing fur the people. yet Captain Russell, Messrs Duthie and Hutchison had said that tbey would give the people tbe freehold rf the land, and from these s'atcm-snts people might be led to believe that

he freehold was not now obtainable. He however explained at length tha regulations which proved how the freehold could be obtaiued. The 999 years lease he thought was a great idvantaga to the occupi r, as he had >nly to pay four per c^nt on the prarie value of the freehold, a sum ',o small that anyone could find the , rent to take up a good slice ov__p_ country and yet retain sufficient capital with wb'ch to stock and improve tbe property. If any parson wished to acquire a freehold he had the choice as to whether he look up an occupation license, with the right * to purchase, of to pay the one per cent less and accept the 999 years lease. This arrangement had the effect of securing the land to the occupier and keeping it free from bank advances or would be land $ monopolisers. It was well known to the speaker, and he expected to many others, instances where a, man had lost all the land he possessed by having been able to mortgage it, and men who had they bad an occupation under the present land system would have been independent to day- * In the 999 years lease was repealed he feared that it would again come to pass that a poor man would be shouldered away by those wh6 had the cash. Great progress had been made in land settlement, though the Opposition were continually quoting figures which showed however only half the question, but as a member Of the Land Board he knew the facts better* and would just place them before them. The Opposition took from the published returns the number of applications and the number of forfeitures, and argued that so many forfeitures meant so much land thrown upon the hands of the Government, this was not so* Supposing tbat 50 applicants had taken up land, and in time 80 of them for* felted their seotions, these were not eft idle as it had been found that tha forfeited ones were soon applied for and occupied. Thus though the number of forfeitures are correctly stated yet the number of seotians again taken up are not mentioned, and he was of the opinion that not ten per cent of the land was void* The security of suoh occupation was dwelt on, and it was shown that the occupier could dispose of his land, if he was desirous of doing so, or compelled by want of funds, and obtain for himself the full value of the improvements he had made. He was strongly of the opinion that such a system should not be altered. As an instance of successful occupation the speaker namid the Cheviot estate which, prior to iis purchase by the Government, had only 78 persons residing on it, had now 2000 persons residing on it doing well, and it had become one of the most prosperous <etthm?nts in the world. During last year 1592 settlers have taken up 399 269 acres. Exclusive of town <nd village lands, pastoral runs, and miscellaneous leases under all n'sf.enn there has been taken up 1.863,716 acres. The number of electors being 2,595. The total and revenue was _J278,799. This he thought was the very' best evidence >f the prosperity of the country. . Miny urged that t&e pustoms duties should be reduced as tbe -.ntals showed an increase, but there hid been no increase on the particular duties, bub the total resulted from the greatly increased volume in trade. . The Government had done much, for in 1895 they revised the duty on fencing wire, which equalled £20,000 a year and (his was^ the sum saved by the occupiers of the land. Under the existing tariff the drinkers of tea had some £60,000 saved to them, therefore it was not correct to say heavier' burdens had been imposed Upon the people, and what buroens^there were are nothing to those borne by the people prior to 1890. Tho increases were gained by the population*, which was flowing to our shores owing to the liberal land laws of the colony,, and he much regretted- that' Mr Duthie had called these people blacklegs and speilers. He very much regretted that the Government had not borrowed sufficient to complete our Main Trunk Lines of Railway. The two lines, one in the South Island from the east to the *vest coast, and one in the North island from Marton to Auckland were the two lines he meant. If the North Island line was made it would pass through a totara forest which would pay the whole cost of making the line if only a tithe of one shilling per hun- , dred feet were charged, and he intended to do all he could to induce the Government to borrow money for these purposes. The Manawatu Railway deserved every encouragement, but he thought all railways should belong to the. State, and he advocated the purchase of this Une by the government, giving instances how the present two charges become a tax upon all those who use the railway beyond Longburn to Wt ilingtpn. ' The Opposition had always been declaring that there was no surplus, that it was a creation of the Treasurer's, but at last Captaiu Russell had admitted there was a surplus, but instead of being the amount stated, was only one'of £60,000. The correct figures were these, the. Colooial Treasurer had estimated the surplus at £500,000, the estimates for the year being: £4,969,000, and <?.«■»■ actual receipts'^ amounted to £5..°:. 4_B showing a sum' of £217,428 in access. The detailed : fi--*+ of such excess being Customs £30,018, ;'£ Stamps £9,400, Land and Income Tax., : £23,533, Beer duty £5,213, Railways £95»507. Territorial revenue £6,799, ;

mt _ m _ 1 _ m _ m _m_mmmi»ammmmaam^ and miscellaneous £6958. There was an increase ot receipts over those of 1897-98 of £198,780. The appropriation from the Consolidated Fund was £4,849,836 with an additional vote for railways ot £52,---920, making a total of £4,902,750. The actual amount expended was £4,858,---511 leaving a balance in hand of £4,239 and making a surplus for the year of £495,861, made up as foilows : — Excess of revenue over expenditure £399,717, balance from last year, after transfer of £425,000 to the Public Works Fund £96,144, making a total of £495,861. These figures had been verified by the Auditor General, an officer not appointed by the Government, but by Parliament, so that the suggestion that these figures and the surplus have been manipulated by the Colonial Treasurer had no foundation in fact. An important measure to a certain section of the people ot this country , had been passed last Session — The Old Age Pensions Act — In his opinion the people who were eligible for a pension, persons who had been 25 years in the colony, and were over 65 years of age, and were needy, were the people the State was bound to consider. It was not however only the old people whom the Act assisted, as this form of relief eased the burden of assistance which younger relatives had previously given. It was well known that everyone would give an old and poor man a meal and help, and if private people acknowledged their responsibility in these matters, why should not the State ? To provide these pensions it would create no further taxation, as, this year the money would be found out by surplus, and would be so found in following years, Everyone pays his portion towards the cost and according to their means by their taxation under the Consolidated Revenue. The Act was fixed for only three years, but he doubted if it would ever be removed 1 from the Statute Book. The returns showed that a total of 7,498 pensions have been issued, causing a total expenditure of £128,000, being distributed a 6 follows :— Auckland £3,100, Canterbury £24,000, Hawke's Bay £2000, Marlborough £200, New Plymouth £3,000, Nelson £9,000, Wellington £14,000, Westland £11,000 and Otago /*aj 000. , The Government had done a great deal for the Dairying industry, much more than had ever been dreamt of by previous Governments. They had imported the most skilled experts to teach settlers the art of making butter, and it had been the means of developing the ways of living to a large number of small farmers. Inspectors had also been appointed to examine stock, and he commended the Government in making these appointments. The interest taken by other colonies in the measure carried out by the Government was shown by the visit of the Victorian representatives, and who were much pleased and surprised by the system the Agricultural Department was worked. Mr Stevens concluded by thanking his audience for their attention, and he announced that though it had been mentioned in the " Advocate," that he would seek the Rangitikei seat, he had no intention of contesting any other seat than the Manawatu one. He hoped that if they believed he had done his duty and been of service they would give him their support, but if on the other hand they thought some other would do better he would bow to their decision. (Applause.) Mr Stevens desired before sitting down to mention that if the Mayor would put the wants on paper he would present them to the Minister of Railways and would do all he could to get their wishes carried out. Mr Thynne said he thought that as this was the first time the public had met Mr Stevens since the contract for the Wirokino Bridge had been let, it would be but right to acknowledge the very able assistance he had at all times rendered to Mr J. R. Stansell. He would therefore move that a vote of thanks for his efforts in helping to get the Wirokino Bridge contract let be passed to Mr John Stevens. Carried by acclamation. Mr Stevens said he was glad to have been able to do what he could but the thanks should be given were due, and a vote of thanks, he thought was due to Mr Stansell, which would be given no doubt the next time they met him in public. He also desired to say that as the bridge was not started on Mr Stansell leaving office the present ' Mayor had done his part, and he had also been able to lend him what aid he could. The people were to be congratulated on having got a bridge after 14 years trying for it. The present contractor was a man of substance and so there was no fear of the bridge not being built, as if he has taken the work too low he has plenty of private means to finish it. Mr G, Hughes wanted to know Mr Steven's views on the reduction of • duties on the necessaries of life ? Mr Stevens. When a revision of the tariff was thought necessary he would be pleased to support any reasonable reduction on the necessaries of life. The Mayor moved a very hearty • vote of thanks, and confidence as our representative to Mr Stevens. He endorsed the remarks of Mr Thynne as to Mr Steven's services in the Wirikino bridge, and as he had also had occasion to visit Wellington twice on the same business Mr Stevens had readily given up the whole time to him. The vote was carried with applause. Mr Stevens again shortly expressed his thanks, and with the usual courtsey to the chair the meeting closed.