The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 208, 7 April 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1877.

Tu 10 address of the Hon. W. Fox to his Wanganui constituents will have enabled electors to judge of the manner in which that gentleman will bo likely to vote on such of the leading political questions as may happen to be brought before Parliament during the next session. From the Chronicle report of the address wc gather that the lion, gentleman fully endorses the action of Parliament regarding the abolition of provincial institutions. Up to 1870 he was himself one of the leaders, and it may be added, one of the ablest of the leaders of the provincialist party. With the introduction of the Immigration and Public Works policy and the necessity for borrowing money to cany out proposed railway and other works, the conviction forced itself upon him, that the days of provincialism were numbered. Ho was of opinion that provincial institutions had no longer the power properly to execute the functions with which the new policy would ncccssavllly invest them. He said “ It would be the height of absurdity, for instance, for the general government to borrow largo sums of money and hand the same over to the provincial bodies to spend. Such would be simply insane and preposterous.” That conviction gradually forced itself on Parliament, and in 1874 a resolution proposing the abolition of all the provinces in the North Island was carried by a majority of 40 to 17. No doubt Mr. Fox bad much to do in bringing about that change of opinion. He threw himself with all heartiness into the Vogel scheme. Sir Julius Vogel has publicly acknowledged, and in handsome terms, his indebtedness to Mr Fox for giving the weight of his influence to the policy immigrated in 1870. Mr Fox has no intention of supporting- a retrogressive policy such as striving for a renewal of provincial institutions, as some people desire, would bo, nor will ho support insular separation. (Vhile inclined to think that Parliament had hardly been successful in legislation last session in the matter of local self government, Mr Fox was still in favour of the action taken and in the admistration of local affairs being confided to the people. Ho was in favour of Road Boards continuing in existence and would give them increased powers, and he was of opinion that the Comity Council system could be judiciously modified so that the Road Boards could act harmoniously with them. Al

though somewhat premature and necessarilly imperfect, still the County Council system was looked upon as a step in the right direction, and ho regarded it with favour. Mr .Pox said reform was needed as to the system of selling Government lands. “ Ills view was, that wherever the Government had legal possession of the land purchased from the native owners, they should, prior to its re-sale by auction, construct roads through it, and add the cost to the price of the land, to which amount its actual value would be more than enhanced. On the security of the land, provided the purchase had been legally completed, and the title was satisfactory, the Government would have no difficulty iiv obtaining loans, even were the land to be sold on deferred payments, extending, say, up to seven years, as there would be a positive certainty of the money being repaid when duo.” Sir Fox contended that the Land Fund should not be looked upon as ordinary revenue, and said it was a great mistake to do so. Purchasers had a perfect right to expect a return of a large proportion of land fund in the shape of public works. An amount equal to two-thirds of the purchase money should be devoted to the construction of roads and bridges, and the introduction of immigrants. After giving his view of the land compact between the North and South .Island, which was unfavourable to Auckland, the lion, gentleman said, “ Eventually there would be a larger land fund in the North than in the South Island, and he should certainly oppose the appropriation of the returns of laud sales to any but legitimate purposes.” Mr Fox spoke warmly in favour of special settlements, and referred with pride to the baud of colonists who settled with himself in New Zealand some thirty years ago. They had but one idea, and 11 that was to colom'se and to assist in making New Zealand the most flourishing and prosperous, as it was the most fertile and salubrious, of the dependencies of Great Britain.” He referred to the New Zealand Company, lormed in London, as one of the oldest and most successful special settlement organisations in the colony. Taranaki, Nelson, and Canterbury avovo special settlements. Otago, also a special settlement, Avas admittedly the most progressive in New Zealand, and was proud of its origin as a special settlement, and Avas uoav the foremost in the colony. The Fielding settlement lead spent some £OO,OOO Avithin its domain, and had introduced .some 1,000 immigrants. Mr Fox Avas very clear in the enunciation of ids views on tiie Education question, the great difficulty of Avhieb Avas that Avhich related to religious teaching. He said, u If religious teaching Avore left to the parents, the children, and the teachers, there Avon Id be little or no difficulty about it ; but the difficulty is caused by the interference of the clergy and of that class of society Avbicli does not send its children to the common schools—-the wealthier class, Avhich fills so many scats in the Legislature.” After enumerating the difficulties Avhich beset the Government In attempting to deal Avith this question —-by Bible readers, pure and simple, on the one hand, and Dcnominaiionalists and Secularists on the other—the lion, gentleman said, “ his aim Avould ever bo directed towards securing a thorough and liberal education, Avitliout Avhich, Avith our truly republican institutions, avc could never prosper. He Avould be, therefore, understood to say that if the system could not be successfully introduced, through the opposition of a section of the House, of having the Bible road, Avith the stipulation of ‘ conscience clauses,’ lie would bo found supporting secular education.” Mr Fox took a very hopeful A’ieAV of the financial state of the colony, and was heavy on “ croakers,” who Avere always ready Avith their forebodings of evil to come. He said, “ The country is eminently prosperous, nor is there even the remotest possibility of the interest on the loans not being paid. NotAvitbstanding the doleful predictions in which some love to indulge, have not loans to the extent of two and a half millions been taken up within the last six Aveoks, Avliile a million and a quarter Avas arranged for a short time previously. Could there be any more direct evidence of the substantiality of our financial position than tins feature.” In spite of all croaking, Ncav Zealand stocks Avc.ro quoted at satisfactory rates, Avhich shoAvod the leading English financiers had confidence in Ncav Zealand securities. It avoulc bo not loss satisfactory to the public at large than to Mr Enx to learn that “ Quite lately, in Wellington, lie Avas told by two Ministers, that there were uoav quite sufficient funds to complete all the Avorks undertaken Avithin the next lavo years.” Mr Fox believes in public works being pushed on, and that if Government arc careful and prudent, there will bo no necessity for borroAving for some time to come. lie said the railway to MauaAvatu and Wellington and to Taranaki must be completed as rapidly ns possible. In regard to Bejiartmental sendees it Avas considered there Avas plenty of room for reform, as late governments had been far too lax and indifferent. He Avould insist upon exercisingcconomy consiscnt Avith efficiency in every official department. Mr Fox made a feAv remarks on Friendly Societies Avhich wall no doubt help to remove the strong prejudice which generally exists against government interference. Late investigation in Great Britain have shown the necessity there Avas for stepsbeing taken to place Friendly Societies on a sounder financial basis. Ho would

endeavour to carry out four tilings with regard to Friendly Societies’ “ Kogulation of rales, annual audit, quinquennial estimate of assets, and Actuary’s valuation ” No sound socletii s wuiud object to such interference. Mr Fox referred to the Liquor Traffic Jails of Mr Stout and Sir Wilfred Lawson, and pointed out a slight difference winch existed ,between them, which was that in the former a hare majority of the ratepayers could refuse their sanction to a public house existing in their neighbourhood; while in the latter case, two-thirds is considered sufficient. The hon. gentleman would zealously support any bill which would enable the people to have a voice in such matters. The speech just delivered iu Wanganui will be read with interest all over the colony, and will help on the growing confidence as to the sound financial condition and vast resources of this highly favoured colony. Wo have endeavoured briefly to indicate the leading features of the address, which at the best can give but a faint idea of what was actually said.