REFORM POLICY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8343, 1 February 1913, Page 15

REFORM POLICY

MR FISHER’S EXPOSITION. NO PATRONAGE AND BETTER PAY. HELP FOR STRUGGLING SETTLERS. Press xVssociation. HOKITIKA, January 31. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister of Marino, addressed a largely-at-tended meeting hero to-night under the auspices of the local branch of tho New Zealand Political Reform League. The Mayor presided, and the meeting was an enthusiastic one. The Minister compared the Government’s present majority with its big minority sorao years ago. He referred to the Prime Minister as being a courageous statesman, and said that although some people differed with Mr Massey’s politics they could not say lie was not every inch a man. Mr Fisher replied to critics who said that tho Government represented tho squatters’ interest by stating that these gentlemen supported both sides of tho House. He contended that tho Dominion was capable of holding at least five times its present number of people. CIVIL SERVICE. Referring to the Civil Service, Mr Fisher said that when tho Government had come into office it was laid down that those in tho State employ should receive what they were entitled to. In this connection he mentioned that when ho went into the question of tho wages of those employed in tho Printing Department, of which he was in charge, it was found that women who had worked there for as long as twentysix years were only receiving £9O per annum. Ho contended that a living wage should be paid to all, and should be sufficient to enable a man to keep his wife and family in comfort and to provide for them in sickness. The system which had been in vogue was wrong and rotten, and would have to be changed. The opponents of tho Government had preached tho doctrine of soup kitchens, and that the Massey party would bo paying 3s Cd per day to navvies. He pointed out that during their first session £28,000 had been added to the salaries of civ.. servants, and those in the railway service were receiving £12,000 per annum more than they had been paid during tho time tho so-callad Liberal party was in power. These increases had been withheld in order that tho railways should become more popular with tho people. Ho mentioned that Mr Myers, although he was a political opponent, deserved the credit of ncreasing tho salaries to part of the sum mentioned. PAYMENT ACCORDING TO WORK. Next year, the Minister hoped, the salaries would bo further increased. Wages should not only be paid according to ability but proportionately to tho hazardous nature of tho employment. He instanced underground work, which should be specially well paid for, for the reason that a man at any time

may contract a disease or lose a limb and thus be incapacitated for such occupations. He contended that a man should be well rewarded. They had been told that if a Government wished to remain in power it was necessary for it to bo on good terms with the public. His Government wished this to be the case; but so long as it was in power it was going to carry out the laws of tho country and everybody was going to .bo treated alike. PENSION REFORMS. Tho Minister wont on to deal with the Old Ago Pensions, Widows’ Pensions, and Military Pension Acts, and said that one of the reforms that would be carried out was the granting of pensions to women of sixty years of ago instead of sixty-five as heretofore. Under the Military Pensions Act those old veterans who had fought for their country would be entitled Vo £36 per annum. The Government had already received 500 applications, and these had been satisfied. Tho late Government had distributed the sura of £350 among veterans as a result of inquiry into such cases for something like four years. In the meantime many worthy old men who should have been assisted had died paupers. Ho referred to Sir Joseph Ward politically, and said that as a politician the late leader of the Liberal Party was a complete failure ; but he deserved great credit for rising in the Civil Service as ho had done, ultimately attaining tho high position of PostmasterGeneral. RAILWAY MATTERS. The Minister touched upon the railways, and remarked that the Government wanted a man to take charge of them. The salary of £3OOO per annum was offered for the position, and ho contended that if tho successful man was worth his salt ho would save the £3OOO in the first month after his appointment. “NO TIME” FOR TOUTS. The question of political patronage was referred to, the speaker remarking that the political tout was nearly as extinct as the moa, and ho felt sure that his demise would be recorded when tho Civil Service Commissioners took office on April Ist. He did not believe in Ministers giving positions to their relatives, and ho declared: “Wo would not give them if we were asked to.” They had no time for tho man who sat on a Minister’s doorsteps, and this class of individual in the service was .no doubt feeling very miserable. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tho speaker referred to the practice of appointing members to the Upper House. He never did believe in the system, and tho Government wanted the people to. have a vote, as was tho case with the Lower House. TO BREAK UP LAND MONOPOLY. Land legislation was briefly referred to, Tho Government wanted to break up tho land monopoly, and thus provide for tho smaller settler. Mr Fisher said he would recommend tho Prime Minister to experiment with some swamp land which had been brought under his notice that day. Ho felt sure that if such areas were drained and cultivated it would be valuable farming country. If half the money spent on their public buildings had been expended in improving land on tho West Coast it would have resulted more beneficially to the people. It was tho business of tho State to

I experiment and demonstrate to tho I people what could be done with land j such as existed on the West Coast. I FINANCE. I Referring to finance, -Mr Fisher said ' the Hon. James Allen had gone Home to provide lor a loan of A 175.000 to meet present requirements. In addition to this tho Minister of Finance had to arrange for sixteen millions of loans falling duo during tho next three ; years. “In 1929,'’ said the Minister, j "loans totalling twenty-nine millions will ! have to be arranged for, while in 1940 another sixteen millions will fall due.” He remarked that the difficulties in regard to finance were very considerable, as China, Turkey, Roumania, Servia, and other countries would also he looking for dollars at tho present time. Ho said that it was not because tho security offered by tho Do--1 minion was not good enough. It was tip-top; tho railways alone represented : millions’ worth, and if any person 1 purchased them for £60,000,000 he j would get them cheap. I “SECRET PAYMENTS.” | Tho Minister dealt with tho question j of secret payments, which he said had done a great deal of damage. All vouchers were now open in Wellington for public inspection. This had not been tho case with the previous Administration. Mr Fisher concluded by saying that every district would now be treated on its merits, and he favoured assisting the struggling settler rather than those in prosperous districts. The Prime Minister would shortly visit the district, and probably tho visit would ho followed by one from the Minister of Public Works and Minos, t and ho was sure their requirements would be fully I considered. Tho speaker on resuming his seat was accorded an ovation. Tho chairman staled that the Minister would reply to any questions, several of which were forthcoming and answered satisfactorily. A resolution was carried unanimously expressing confidence in tho Reform Government and approval of its legislation and administration.