POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 850, 9 June 1910, Page 2

POLITICAL.

MR. NEWMAN AT RONGOTEA.

On Saturday night last Mr Newman, M.P. for Manawatu, addressed the electors at Rongotea. Mr Newman prefaced his address by expressing his pleasure at meeting his constituents, and by stating he would never forget the confidence that had been reposed in him by the electors of Rongotea, He said that it would be his constant aim to endeavour to retain the confidence of the settlers and residents of the district. His

address was not to be regarded as a political one in the ordinary sense, but rather a brief account of what occurred last session, and the part he, as the representative of the district, took in the work.

RE GIFT OF A DREADNOUGHT by the Dominion. The House, he said, unanimously approved of that offer, and the country now stood committed to an expenditure of ,£2,000,000 approximately, or double that, if necessary. He said he had supported the Government in this matter, but at the same time he tnought the urgency of the so-called crisis was exaggerated,

and that the hand of Parliament had been forced unnecessarily by Cabinet. He said at that time, and still thought, that it would have been just as valuable an aid if we had spent all that was required

to create a naval base in New Zealand, either at Picton or Wellington. At either of those places large docks could have been provided for repairs and military stores and ammunition for use in time of war. Such a depot would have added enormously to the power of our ships in the Pacific. He believed they would have to be provided in the future. He said that the proposal that Government should adjourn whilst Sir Joseph was away did not meet with his approval. He thought there were men in the Government quite capable of carrying on the business, especially as the Opposition had promised not to take any advantage of the absence of the Premier, If the House had sat and transacted business as it should there would not have been the rushing through of business without due consideration, and with an exhausted House. He quoted the hours at which the House had sat during one week, on one occasion till 5.10 a.m., and he thought it was an abuse of power to ask men to transact business under such circumstances.

He thought such a state of affairs a scandal, and should be removed, and it was the country that would rdo it. Reference was made to the financial depression that existed last year, but thanks to the re-

covery of prices for products the country had floated to better times. He said that the prosperity of the Dominion was, as he had always said, due entirely to the prosperity of the farming community. He eulogised the Premier for his economising action and his effort to save ,£250,000 in the civil service. At the same time it was a striking confirmation of what the Opposition had said, viz., that it was possible to carry on the public service just as well with less ex- . pense. In furtherence of the M economising principles several Departments had been absorbed, but the speaker was unable to sa

how tar it had been carried out.

So far, however, as one could see it was the smaller men who had been retrenched. Men like Mr Donne and Dr Mason had been provided with lucrative positions,

and the action taken was in strong contrast to that of Sir Harry Atkinson, who first reduced his own salary, and then followed with that of the higher officers. The Premier adopted the opposite course, and it did not appeal to the speaker. Government had now announced that with the improvement of the revenue it wa« not intended to carry out the retrenchment policy beyond ,£98,990 (a marked contrast to ,£250,000). Still, the amount was well worth saving, and it was still evidence of the extravagance in the past. Dealing with the Second Ballot, he said that he had always been opposed to it on the ground of the cost and the opportunities it gave for improper influences by Ministers. What occurred at the second ballot in the Rangitikey election confirmed all the worst fears chat had been expressed in this connection. As was generally known, Mr Hockley, the Opposition candidate, won at the first election by a large majority. At the second all the evils and abuses of the system were apparent, the speaker detailing the action of the Ministry in the electorate while the second ballot was still pending. Mr Massey and others helped Mr Hockley, but this, he thought, was a mistake. Reference was made to the strong influence that Ministers could wield whilst the Opposition was confined to its arguments. He would vote for the repeal of the Act which induced such strong assistance from Ministers in support of a man who was a keen freeholder, and this afforded the spectacle of a leasehold government fighting for a freehold candidate. On the question of Defence, he said he hoped Dord Kitchener’s proposals would be given effect to, and he especially hoped that administration in this respect .would be kept free of politics or Ministerial influence. He hoped that we would get a man as good as Colonel Kirkpatrick, who was appointed in the Commonwealth, and that he would be left to do his duty without hindrance. He said that following his usual custom he desired to give the Government credit where possible. He supported the gift of the warship, and approved of the

scheme for internal defence. He heartily approved and admitted the necessity for the organisation of the male population for defence, and believed such training would be for the physical and moral wellbeing of the young people. Passing on, he said that the Land Settlement Finance Act became law almost without alteration, because the Premier intimated that he would regard amendments as hostile. The Act permitted associations of settlers to take up land. The Opposition generally favoured the Bill on account of the freehold proposal embodied in it. General reference was made to the provisions of the Bill, and to the fact that if the Government is satisfied that the price quoted for land was reasonable they will issue guarantee debentures in payment for it. There were two flaws in the Act which had been relerred to by the Opposition, especially by Mr W. Fraser, of Whakatipu. First there was no discrimination in regard to the quality of land, and, secondly, there was, as pointed out by Mr Fraser, the fact that if one member of the association failed to meet his payments the others were liable. He asked how many men would take up land and be responsible for the success of each other member of the association as well as himself. He did not think the scheme would work, and he expected the Act would be altered so that the Public Trustee might manage any sections that were forfeited while a new occupier was found. Referring to the State guaranteed advances, he said it was a new Department created to deal with loans to local bodies. In regard to this he eulogised Sir Julius Vogel’s Bill of xBB6 to encourage the reading and bridging of the back country. It was one of the best Bills ever passed in the history of the Dominion. Under that Act the State paid the sinking fund which, he said, was a statesmanlike course to follow. Under the new Act this was altered, and settlers will receive no assistance for works constructed under this new Act, and will have to pay a higher rate of interest as well as all the sinking fund. This was a retrograde step,and not in the interests of land settlement. He approved, however, of the provisions for removing the old limitation of the Act with regard to sums to be borrowed, and larger sums would now be available if required. The Dominion had borrowed close on ,£14,000,000 for advances to settlers and workers, and for loans to local bodies, and our debt was now £70,000,000. Reference was made to the duty of the Government to make clear annually the full liability under the Government Guarantees Act, and the Opposition will see that this is done. He thought it was a mistaken police that the Government should no longer contribute the sinking fund to local bodies, and he pointedly remarked that it had remained tor the Ward Government to repeal the useful Act of Sir Julius Vogel. They could decide for themselves whether Ward or Vogel was the most truly Liberal statesman in this respect. Reference was made to the Friendly Societies’ Bill that had passed the House almost without alteration. Opposition, however, had been strong to clause 15, which struck at death levies collected by Druids, and it resulted in the Government dropping the clause, and the Bill got through. He thought it a good Bill now, and he would help the Friendly Societies, which were doing splendid work in New Zealand. The Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill was an improvement with the exception of a few clauses. The most objectionable feature was that the members of the Board were to be elected instead of nominated by the contributing bodies , as under the old Act. He had divided the House on the question with the object of retaining the old system, but was defeated. He thought that the elections in this respect would be a great waste of public money which might be better spent. He had a clause added, subclause la, to clause 34, to make itjposssible to strike a rate over a special district for a district nurse. Dealing with finance, he said he had voted for the loans last session. Both sides of the House were in favour of borrowY ing for the development of the back country, but it was the waste in administration, as shown by the possible saving of £250,000 a year, that he objected to. In 16 years up to 1909 the public debt increased from thirty millions to sixty-seven millions, and the debt per head from £SB 2s ?d in 1593 to £7O. In the same period the cost of administration rose from £i,99«.7i6iu 1891-210 in 1908-9, but a portion of the debt was reproductive. Last session another millions was added to the debt, and increased the taxation by about £448,000. He pointed out that the increased debt covered the purchase of the Manawatu railway, £1,000,000, and provision for lands settlement and advances to settlers, etc. The increased taxation provided about £300,000 for defence, which could not be had without paying for it. He considered, however, that strenuous efforts should be made to live within our means, though he approved of expenditure on reproductive works and the general development of the country. He thought the Government should aim at close settlement of the un-« occupied country by freeholders. A material increase ot exports followed the development of the country, and he thought there should be more prudent and economical administration. He congratulated Mr Millar upon his achievements in connection with the railways, but wished it had been done without absorbing the

revenue from the Foxton wharf He also congratulated the Hon. T

MR. NEWMAN AT RONGOTEA.

McKenzie for reducing the cost of the Department of Agriculture from ,£219,690 in 1908-9 to ,£189,914 last year. He pointed out that of 45 members of the Upper House there were only eight laud-owners in the whole House, and seeing that about 90 per cent, of the wealth of the Dominion is from the primary industries that was simply scandalous and accentuated the tact that Government was out of touch with the country. He thought that members of the Upper House should be elected by the people. Speaking on the question of Insurance, he stated that apparently the Government Advances to Settlers Department had apparently divulged such information as enabled the State Fire Insurance Co. to secure settlers’ insurances, and yet with this example in front ol them some people still clamoured for a State Bank. Reference was also made to the treatment accorded to the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Distributing Co. in connection with damages through coal dust arising from State coal, and to the fact that the Hon R. Mackenzie refused to accede to the recommendation of Committee that the matter of damages should be settled by arbitration, notwithstanding the fact that when a plain M.P. the Hon. R. Mackenzie was one of those who signed a letter to the then Minister asking for redress tor the company. Allusion was also made to the number of occasions which the Government had been defeated during last session, which, he suggested, was a question of coming events casting their shadows before them. Referring to the Eund Bill, he said the Bill introduced did not satisfy either side of the House, but in spite of the fact that 56 members of the House were freeholders and 24 leaseholders the Opposition were not able to get a resolution in favour of the freehold passed. It was quite evident that all the forms of the House would be used by the leasehold party to defeat any proposals to extend the freehold tenure. They, with all other country settlers in New Zealand, must be prepared to fight strenuously and with a solid front for the freehold. He thought that on this subject the cities were against the country. Allusion was made to the statement of the Premier that the Government would introduce a measure for the extinction of the public debt in 75 years, but he was sceptical of the possibility of the tact. The scheme required watching, and the crux of the question was who would hold the sinking fund. It should be held independent of the Government of the day, and unless in the care of the Bank of England he considered it an unsound scheme with no other object but to make borrowing easier than now.

Mr Newman concluded his address by an allusion to the proposed telephone between Bulls and Palmerston and the Eevin-Great-ford railway. On the motion of Mr Darragh he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address, which was listened to most attentively.