The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 126, 28 May 1881, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1881.

In accordance with his advertised promise, Mr .f. C. Richmond last evening addressed the electors in the* Provincial ll all. A report of his speech will be found elsewhere, but we purpose here to touch briefly upon its main points and general scope. Speaking, as he was, in the hall whose name recalls them, it was natural that ho should begin by referring to the abolished Provinces. While regretting their abolition, he maintained that it was a necessity which might have been foreseen from the outset, for it wa3 evident that the gift of the land fund to the infant provinces was incompatible with the unity of the colony, and the introduction of Sir Julius Voxel's scheme of public works was their death knell. The land fund, Mr Richmond considers to be the patrimony of the oolony, and the squandering of it as ordinary , revenue appears to him, as it must to every prudent man, the very greatest folly. When Sir Geo. Grey in his recent speech alluded to the acquirement of large estates by single individuals, wo might have expected from one who aspires to the highest position in the colony a practical remedy, .something more than a ridiculous complaint about, babies being bora into the wovM -rrttnbut landed estates— especially from one who denounces the law of entail. But we have long despaired of a coherent policy coming from that quarter. Mr Richmond considers the real remedy to be a permanent land tax, which he looks upon as a perpetual rent charge taken by the State from the land. He is of opinion that the property tax falls less keavily on the working classes than any other tax which could be devised, and believes that it is, on the whole, borne cheerfully by those at whom it strikes most directly J and he showed by a rough ana'ysia of the incidence of existing taxes, which, ao far as we are aware, is novel, and is certainly instructive, that while those who are exempt from the property tax pay some £2 4a per heal io other taxes, those who are liable to property tax pay altogether no less than £H & head. Mr Richmond ii opposed to the present introduction of the Bible into the State schools, but looks forward to the time when sectarian bitterness shall have subsided, and "the book of the world" again take its place in education. He is in favor of the restoration of the Volunteer capitation allowance as foon as the state of the finances will admit of ifc, as ho considers an efficient Volunteer force a necessity to the colony, but he considers that there should also be increased efficiency. We are glad to find that Mr Richmond also advocates some measure restrictive of Chinese immigration. He tbinkß that Ihe colony, if it has aot the j power to act ia that direction, should and ' can obtain it from the Imperial Government. He supports the Hall Ministry for its careful administration and genuine retrenchment, and is oppofisd to the return to power of Sir George Grey and Mr Macandrew, who, whatever their other qualifications may be, have shown their absolute incapacity to deal with finance, or, in other words, with the firat and vital question o? the day. The people having now, he said, obtained their charter — manhood suffrage, triennial Parliaments, payment of members, &c. — it ia the pressing duty of every member of the community to use that charter, and thereby to perform his part in extiicadng the colony from its difficulties. Mr Richmond concluded with an appeal to all classes and to all persona to work together in the matter. This indeed was the key note of hia address, and bound together bis opinions into a consistent whole. True Liberalism can find no support in, but revolts against, class bitterness, and he deeply regretted that this bitterness should be so persistently inculcated and fomented by Sir George Grey. Moro generosity, more mutual confidence between the different classes and localities which, together, form, as he putg it, the " Socialism " of New Zealand, w our first necessity, and the remedy lies in the i hands of ths people. '