Mr Stevens at Foxton.

Manawatu Herald, 13 November 1902, Page 2

Mr Stevens at Foxton.

Last night Mr Stevens addressed a meeting at the Public Hall, His Worship the Mayor took the chair and briefly introduced the candidate.

Mr Stevens, who was warmly applauded, said it Was always a pleasure to him to address a Foxton audience, as those who differed with him were still his friends. He was now no longer an M.H.R, and handed back the trust they had reposed in him for the past six years. He had endeavoured to assist all legislation that he hoped would be of value to the people. He had had to apologise for not having made his presessional speech, but he was very busy in attending to a War Office contract. On every occasion that he had been desired to attend at Foxton he had always come, and had induced Ministers of the Crown to come and see for themselves. He would if returned again have the pleasure of believing he had the confidence of the electors because he had done his duty to the colony and the best interests of the district. Mr Vile endeavoured to lead the electors to believe that the Government had neglected the district. Ho said the accumulated surplus amounted to £2,100,000, which, divided by 70 for each electorate, would give £BO,OOO for each electorate. It will be necessary for Mr Vile before he becomes Colonial Treasurer to learn to add correctly, which his addition of the items is not. He omitted to add £46 for the Horowhenua Beach Road, £2OO for the ShannonEketahuna track, and' £650 for the Ihakara Reserve, making £904, and in addition, two estates had bean purchased at £15,400 and £20,900 respectively, all the sums making together £52,868 which had been spent in the electorate. The land he (Mr Vile) was living on was purchased from the Crown, and, adding this to other amounts, we had had £22,000 in excess of what he says is oar fair share. But money could not be allotted in this manner, as how could we get our Main Trunk Line and other public works. Mr Vile says he is an Independent Liberal. On being asked, he said he would vote against the Government He feared he would hold an unenviable position. In the House of Parliament there were two rooms, the Government whips', room and the Opposition whips’ room, and between these two rooms there was a lavatory, on the door of which there were three pegs. The member who did not belong to any party hung his bat there and they designated him as belonging to the Washhouse party (laughter). ( , , The great question exercising people is Land and its tenure. He thought everyone should have the right to purchase. The occupation with right of purchase is not the tenure that is best at the start of settling. Those who had taken land up to now with the right of purchase has not been so satisfactory as under the perpetual lease system. During the present year 612 persons had selected 96,885 acres on deferred payment, paying a rental of £4551, and the arrears amounted to £872. On tbs perpetual lease 980 tenants had settled on 204,841 acres, paying a rental of £7742, and their arrears amounted to £B3S. On occupation with right of purchase 3477 persons took up 935,286 acres, with a rental of £34,733, and the arrears were £3102. On the lease m perpetuity, with no right of purchase, 80,288 selected 956,390 acres, paying a rental of £80,462, and their arrears was only £2050 aa against the arrears of £3012 of those who had the right of purchase. What was the use of the right of purchase to people who were unable to pay their rent ? So the experience of the last 10 years had shown that those who had selected without the right of purchase had paid their rent more frequently than those who had the right of purchase. He said let the people have the land on the system they liked, as people will prosper if they are happy. Many people laid the blame upon the Government for the harassing to which settlers were sometimes subjected, but it was not necessarily the fault of Ministers, but rather of those who were employed in carrying out the subordinate work of land administration. He knew from experience that settlers were subjected to annoyances and their legs literally swathed with yards and yards of red tape. (Applause.) Coming to the question as to how farmers have.been treated by the present Government, he said the Press of this colony, or at any rate, a certain section of it, had never been tired of bemoaning the heavy taxation placed upon the producers and would lead them to believe they were the most down trodden people in the world. He hoped to be able to show that such was'not the case. The Press of the colony was opposed to the party in power and therefore considered that any stick was good enough with which to beat a dog. The burdens placed upon producers were said to be enormous. Now he would read them a list of exemptions of articles from taxation, the whole of which were regularly used by the farming class. These were:—Sheep dip, rock salt, scrub extermination, butter and cheese cloth. All machinery for agricultural purposes, including chaffcutters, corn-crushers, tilt-rakes, fittings for threshing mills, forgings for ploughs. All agricultural implements, axes and hatchets, spades, shovels and

forks, picks, mattocks and scythes, sheep shears, butchers’ saws and cleavers, trace and plough chains, portable engines and traction engines, reapers and binders, mowing machines, discs for harrows, mould boards and plough shares, plough harrows and combine threshers, riddles and sieves, ’ coolers for dairying purposes, churns and hair sieves, bags, sacks and binder twine wool packs and pockets and fencing wire of all kinds. Before the present Administration passed the Land and Income Tax, it had been urged in the Press that the THE FARMER'S BABY , _ was the most down-trodden creature it was possible to imagine. According to the article it incurred a debt of £6O 4s 1 id on birth, and a share of the taxation, amounting to an annual charge of £2 6s 2d. The parent, it was presumed, owned 250 acres, valued at £1750, stock and household furniture £IOO, making a total of /3140. Subtracting £SOO exemption, the tax on the £1640 would be £6 16s Bd. Now he would show how the present Government treated the baby. Let them presume the same area of land, but valued at £1976, with the improvements worth £itia, and the unimproved value £766. Taking from the latter sum £SOO exemption, left £266 on which land tax had to be paid at one penny in the pound. The amount would be £1 as 2d instead of £6 t6s ad, showing, he should imagine, a suffi-. dent margin on which to feed the baby. What complaint has a farmer to make to this ? Out ol 9000 landowners not more than 13,000 pay land tax, and no farmer pays income on profits derived from the land. He would ask was the farmer badiy treated when he paid no duty on such neces- ‘ sary articles as he had enumerated ? In addition to these a further exemption had been made. This was a return showing articles which have been imported and placed on the free list under the headings of “ Agricultural Machinery” and. “Agricultural Implements ” since the passing of the Customs Duties Act Amendment Act, 1900. I would ask if the Opposition were returned would they repeal the Advances to Settlers, Lands for Settlement, Old Age Pensions, Land Act, and the Land and Income Tax Act. These measures have made the people more prosperous than any In Hi* Majesty’s dominions. Why do the people object to the legislation ? because they _ had great money institutions at their back who objected to the assistance being given. It is said we want honest administration. Have any of the candidates been able to point out where there had been dishonesty ? Such a statement is a mere assertion. It is perfectly clear while the present Party had been in power for the last ten years, in no instance has one been able to say theta has been dishonesty. Some members have attempted with garbled accounts to suggest the Government had been cooking accounts. We had the attempt to disparage Mr Seddon as to the £3OOO obtained for the Coronation contingent. Let those who are opposed to the present Party bring down a policy which they could put forward as a reason for a change. . , In regard to Flax, he mentioned that during his time as representative he did his best to assist the industry. He thought much credit was due to the employees who worked at low rates when flax was low. He referred to the unsatisfactory grading by merchants, and pointed out the advantages the millers bad gained by the appointment of Government graders. He did his share towards inducing the Government to make these appointments. During the coming contest we have to consider whether we are reasonably satisfied with the administration of the past ten years, or think that those who would not abolish the Acts of so much value, are likely to administer them better than tha authors, of them. We had better stick te the deil we know than rush to the one we know not of. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. Who established the Cooling Stores? What was the state of that industry,; some years ago before butter was exported that had been made on a scientific system? Judging from the accounts received or it and the prices it brought, it must have been used more for the purpose of engine and cartwheel grease, whereas to-day the out ter sent from New Zealand (thanks to the clever and capable men who bad been brought to the country to teach farmers to make butter according to a correct method) was equal to that from any other country in the world. The British public took a long time to become accustomed to an article, and they had for a long time been accustomed to the butter imported from Cork and Denmark, but now New Zealand imported butter was selling side by side and on equal terms with them. Who had they to thank for this ? The government in introducing experts had done much for butter, saving us from the loss on wool. Whatever may occur in the future, if returned it matters not whether an elector had supported me or not, I hope to treat all alike, and have fair play to all parties concerned. (Applause.) Questions. Mr Thynne—Are you in favour of the line from Foxton to Greatford being made, and will you help ? • Mr Stevens—l was anxious that the loop line should be made, and when a company was proposed to be made I was anxious to see it, provided when the Main Trunk Line is made it will be imperative on the Government to make this line themselves as a saving of 14 miles must be seen to. We must complete the Main Lines first. If elected he was in favour of urging the Government to make the line from Greatford to Levin. Mr Alcorn—Do you think the members of the late parliament are worth the extra stipend paid them ? Mr Stevens—He would have to have the members arrainged before him before he could value them. Mrjonson—Can anything be done to the river ? Mr Stevens—l have endeavoured to get the Government to improve the river, and they have snagged it and there are punts getting ready for dredging. He woulch if shewa advis*

able, do his bast to improve the bar. Mr Shadbolt—Can tenants be defended who lease railway reserves ? Mr Stevens—The railway leases can only be for short terms as the land may be wanted. If advised I would have done my best to get yon justice. Mr Hennessy referred to the assistance Mr Stevens had given to the passing of loans to Local Bodies Amendment Act, and to the improvement of the wharf.

Mr Spelman moved a vote of thanks and confidence, which was seconded by Mr Speirs, who remarked that Mr Stevens had done a lot for Foxton. (Applause.) _____