MR. BALANCE BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4937, 18 January 1877, Page 2

MR. BALANCE BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

BY TELEGRAPH. Marion, Wednesday. Mr. Ballance addressed his constituents at Marton last night. The Town Hall was crowded, and the audience enthusiastic. In reference to the events of the session, Mr. Ballance said it was soon evident that the country had returned a large majority in favor of abolition. The Counties Bill was intended to confer large powers of local administration, and it would probably be found that Councils would be entirely entrusted with the control of education and other important functions. The principal question was one of great difficulty, the difference between exports and imports had been balanced in the past few years by loans. The consequence was an artificial prosperity and a Customs revenue which could not be maintained. It was remarkable that in the financial year 1575-8 the imports had fallen nearly a million. They would, he believed, still continue to decline, until they fell to the normal standard, which in the seven years ending 1872 showed the imports to be about 5 per cent more than the exports. While the position of the colony he believed was sound, the Government were experiencing a financial crisis. The public works had not become reproductive to a material extent, and the re-arrangement of finance consequent on abolition would exhibit a deficiency. Though the Government were earnestly devoting themselves to retrenchment he did not believe that that alone would be sufficient to make ends meet. In fact he said that fresh taxation would have to be faced next session. Where was the wealth which ought to be called upon to yield it ? The Customs could bear no more, while an income tax would be unpopular, and justly so. His opinion was that a land tax would be one of the fairest. Land had greatly increased in value in consequence of expenditure on public works, and if it was just that some portion of the unearned wealth should be contributed to the necessities of the colony, small proprietors should bo exempt, as they were already large contributors through the Customs to the revenue. He thought the Government had overlooked the great colonising principle of co-operating under, that while liberal concessions were made to speculators like Feilding and Broomhall, who brought out a needy and indifferent class of immigrants, the young men of the colony, as well as those now employed on the public works, received no encouragement to establish homes. The power of association among these had actually been discouraged. If the Government did not immediately reverse their policy the colony would witness an exodus of a class which no immigrants would compensate for. Mr. Ballance said the chairmen of the County Councils should be ex officio members of the Waste Lauds Boards, and small farm associations should be permitted,

under certain restrictions, to take up unsurveyed blocks, County Councils having power to advance the cost of survey. The supply o£ land would thus be made equal to the demand. Referring to the personnel of the Government, he said that the accession of Mr. Whitaker was a violation of the modem practices of party government, and tended to extinguish the proper enthusiasm of the party. Precedence was yielded to a Minister who confessed that, he awaited the opportunity of deserting the Government and joining the party which might have a majority for the disruption of the colony. He thought the price paid for Mr. Whitaker was more than he was worth. Mr. Ballanoe expressed confidence in the last accession to the Ministry, Mr. Reid, who was a conscientious and able administrator, who had no mental reservation. Altogether he had confidence in the good intention and honesty of the present administration. On the subject of Sir Julius Vogel’s resignation, he believed that his health and circumstances were a complete justification, but considered it inexpedient of him to resign in the middle of the session. It was a shallow contention that Sir Julius Vogel was bound to see through the policy, and absurd when urged, by the party trying to drive him from, office. The policy of representative government should not depend on the life or action of one man. After an exhaustive speech of an hour and a half, a vote of confidence and thanks to Mr. Ballance was unanimously carried amidst loud applause.