MR HALL AT LEESTON.

Patea Mail, 23 November 1881, Page 3

MR HALL AT LEESTON.

Mr Hall in addressing his constituents at Leeston on the 20tb, said last session was remarkable for the waste of time, the long speeches, and the importance of the work done, especially in the compulsory system of electoral reform. The Representation Act did justice to Otago and Canterbmy, although at the cost of Government support. He would be ready to do the same justice to the North Island when it became entitled to it. Ho spoke also of the importance of the Railways Construction and Licensing and Rabbit Acts. The Government had reduced the estimates by £300,000, and in this and other ways they had been enabled to make important remissions in the Customs duties, and to reduce the rate of the Property Tax. He defended the principle and incidence of the Property Tax, and said there were great difficulties in the way of an Income Tax. He quoted figures to show that a ten per cent. Land Tax would only yield £64,000 a year, supposing the land to be unencumbered, and this amount would not warrant the imposition of a tax vicious in principle. The quantity of Crown land open for sale was about eight millions, and three millions more in Otago would shortly be open, so it was not necessary in order to provide for settlement to impose any tax to burst up big estates. Government intended to introduce the Entail Bill, and the Distress for Rent Bill, rejected by the Council last session; also a Bill to allow tenants to remove buildings erected by them, on making good any damage caused by such removal. He could not definitely reveal the plans of the Government, but their policy must be one of progress, so as to adapt political institutions to rapidly changing circumstances, provide for settlement, and divert the resources of the country, without incessant tinkering of the constitution. Property should be represented, a lease-holder’s franchise should be given, and women having a property qualification should be allowed to vote. Further consideration led him to conclude that the Legislative Council should be elective, on the basis of property qualification, elections to be conducted on Hare’s s}'stem, with equal number of members for each Island. One of the first duties of the new House would be to so alter the rules as to render scandalous scenes such as those of last session impossible. The object of the demand for local Government legislation raised by Sir George Grey, Mr OrmondJ and others, was to get up a good election cry. No two of them agreed as to what was wanted, and there had been ho response from the country. No doubt improvements were wanted. Small towns should have boards, and in rural districts greater elasticity should bo given to the county and road boards so as to enable people to judge under which form their local affairs should be administered. Many powers formerly held by Superintendents should also be delegated to local governing bodies. The Government proposed to give power to rate Crown and Native lands, and that if a district raised one-fourth of the cost of a main road the State should find three-fourths, and that for making district roads the State should lend money to the local bodies, repayable in instalments extending over 13 years. Government had not stopped public works, but simply tried to extend expenditure of the balance of the loan over the period for which it had to last. Next session they would bring down a carefullyprepared scheme for further, necessary works, for which the colonial debt could be justifiably increased. He defended the land policy of the Government, and opposed the idea of leasing instead of selling the land. He reviewed the native question at length, arid congratulated the country on what, the Government had accomplished in it. No want of consideration would be shown to the fair claims of the natives when they submitted to the law. He warmly eulogised the conduct of the Volunteers. His platform was one of substantial, safe, and steady progress in developing the resources of the colony—not one .of deceiving the people by a blaze of prosperity through lavish expenditure of borrowed money, to be followed by a long period of depression. A vote .of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously. - -