ADDRESS BY THE PREMIER. Dunedin, Jan. 22.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 87, 31 January 1885, Page 6

ADDRESS BY THE PREMIER. Dunedin, Jan. 22.

The Hon. R. Stout addressed his constituents of Dunedin East at the North Dunedin Drill-shed last evening. Mr Stout, after a reference to his treatment by the local press, said he would give a review of the past session. When the House met they found there were four parties. There was a compact body who recognised Major Atkinson as a leader, another compact body who recognised Sir Julius Vogel as a leader, and another party who followed Sir George Grey, and a fourth who looked to Messrs Macandrew and Montgomery. Amongst the followers of Ma^or Atkinson wero Liborals and Conservatives, and so it was with the followers of Sir Julius Vogcl. Those who followed Sir Georgo Grey were all Liberals, and those who followed Messrs Montgomery and Macandrew were almost entirely Liberals also. The Atkinson Government, finding themselves in a minority, resigned after the session opened, and tho question then arose, how was a stable Government to be formed? How was a coalition to be brought about ? Some wero anxious that a Vogcl- Atkinson alliance should be formed. Others in tiio House thought a sufficiently strong Liberal Government could bo formed, but after much consideration he himself came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to form a stable Liberal Administration. He recognised that in the present Houso tho true Liberal party had not a majority. A Government had to be formed out of tho Opposition, and how was that to bo set about ? The Governor sent for Sir J. Vogel. It was discovered soon afterwardsthat many were dissatisfied -nith the new Government. Some did not approve of it because it was not a purely Liberal Government; some, perhaps, because they were not in ie, and others were against it because of their acquaintance with Parliamentary history, and of the necessity of coalition. A notfee of a vote of want of confidence was given , He soon saw that the Government was in a minority, and as soon as he did so ho determined to force a vote. He did not delay to angle for support as did tho "Hall Government in 1579. Ho challenged a division, and the Government were defeated. Then another Atkinson Administration was formed, which lasted only a very short time, and then was also defeated. He moved the vote of want of confidence, and that being carried, the Governor entrusted to him the task of forming an Administration. He found great difficulty in the task . He could not form a Liberal Goveminent, and his onlychance was acoalitiouIt was, he held, the duty of those who wdttt returned to that House pledged to bring about a change of Ministry, to sink all minor differences. The present Parliament •sv as not so Radical as he would like it to be, or as he thought it good for thy country it ought to be, but that was the fault of the constituencies. He might be asked why was a change of Government necessary at all? He had never preached the doctrine that a change of Government could alter the condition of the colony from one of depression to one of prosperity. That was the cry in 1577, when they were told, put out the Grey Government and the country will blossom like the rose. The Grey Government were put out, but there was not a rose to be seen. So ho said it was not a change of Government that was to lead the country from depression to prosperity, but he did not think it a wise thing in any Government to give way to gloomy forebodings ; and again he thought it not a wise thing to continue any administration in power for too long a time.

Tlio San Francisco Mail Contract. He would take two things to show how much better a strong administration could deal with things than a weak one. Fiist, there was the San Francisco contract. That contract reflected no credit upon the administration which entered into it. It was entirely a one sided contract, and Sydney had much the best of it. Though Sydney was made the terminus of the steamer, which only made a brief passing visit to Auckland, yet Sydney had to pay only half the subsidy of New Zealand. But that was not all. The contract was so drawn up that at the end of November, ISSI, Sydney could get out of the contract by giving notice, but New Zealand was bound for another year. The Sydney Government had attempted something like sharp practice in the matter. They had given notice to discontinue the contract, and then, behind New Zealand's back, had tried to arrange to have the service continued, and to pay only half their former subsidy. So if that had been successful, New Zealand would have had to pay tour times as much subsidy as Sydney. A weak administration would have given in on this point, but his Government had been able to f-ay to Sydney that they had withdrawn from the contract, and that if they wanted fresh arrangements they would have to come to New Zealand. Then the Sydney Government wished to withdraw the notice they ga.e of their discontinuance from the contract, but his Government would not alUw this, and the result was that they had forced the Sydney Government to give in, and by that one administrative act had saved the colony £9,000. Next lie referred to what happened during the term of office o£ the short-lived Atkinson Ministry in remitting money home to England. Their Government had caused a loss to the colony of £2,000, so that by the first Stout- Vogel Government being put out of office the colony lost £2,000. After alluding to the various measures he had introduced and supported, he said he wished to say a few words on the question of land administration, for a great deal depended on its ad* ministration. He had seen it stated in one newspaper during the short time Mx Ballance had been in office that he did not understand the land administration. Well, he (the speaker) only wished everyone understood the matter as well. What had Mr Ballance done? There were several blocks of land which had been set aside especially in the North Island, which could only be taken up by small farming associations, with no man holding more than 150 acres, and it was provided that each such holder should settle on at least one-half of hia holding, and if he could not do so, he must find a substituto who would. By this means effectual settlement would be provided, and of a far more satisfactory nature than under the present deferred payment system.

The Work of the Session. He had not time to deal with the various measures passed during the last session of Parliament, and must skip them over summarily, but would say a few words about some measures that did not pass. He regretted that Mr Barren's Plural Voting Bill and Mr Bradshaws Eight Hour Bill did not pass, believing that both were absolutely necessary. He thought that with the manufactories that were springing up the eight hour system should be maintained. That meant risk of Sunday labour, and this season also made him advocate in the House that there should be no Sunday labour. He did not object to people enjoying themselves in any way they pleased, but he objected to the hourg for working being extended, holding that it

was necessary for the physical health and moral well-being of the people that there should be no infraction of the present custom. He wished to say a word or two with reference to the Legislative Council. His views with respect to that Chamber had not altered for many years. He had not changed a whit. Ho had long hold that two Chambers were unnecessary. At the same time we had two Chambers, and tho colony was not ripe for one only, thoroforo it was desirable that the Legislative Council should be made more efficient, and ho believed one way to make it moro efficient would be to olect the_ members for five or seven years, instead of appointing them for life. (Applause.) If that wore done, new blood would be got into the Chamber, and, he hoped, better legislators. Having spoken somewhat of tho acts of last session, he wished to touch upon some parts of administration. Firstly, he desired to deal eonerally with the public works, and in so doing ho wished to" sco how far the Government had been able to carry out two ideas he advocated at the general election. The first was the appointment, in connection with the Kailway Department, of a Board of Supervisors, to whom tho men might appeal if wrongfully dismissed. A board of this kind had been appointed in Christchnrch, and in two or three weeks ho hoped that thore would bo similar boards in Dunedin and the various parts of the colony. Thcso would bo benefiting to the Government as well as to the men. A guarantee* would bo offered that good men and good workmen would not bo dismissed oxcept for good cause. At any rate, they could rely on maintaining their position, and tho Minister for Public Works would bo rclioved of a great deal of the work and annoyance which he had been subjected to. Thon, the Government encouraged the manufacture in the colony of all work which could bo done at anything like a reasonable iigure. (Hoar, hear.) In this respect the present Government had done moro during their short term of oHice in the manufacturing of ironworks than had been dono for fivo years previously. Then, as to Mr Balknce's Department of Native Lands, Armod Constabulary or Defence, and Immigration, there would be shown a saving next session of something like i' 50,000 to £SO,OOO. Of course, in effecting a departmental saving of that kind, the Government might bo said to have acted harshly towards certain individuals ; but unless something untoward happened before the end of the year, a departmental saving of A'Bo,ooo would be shown.

The Native Administration. Then, in dealing with the natives, the Government had treated them humanely, but with strict justice, and in the same manner as they would have treated Europeans ; and at the end of the session it was found that no special Peace Preservation Act had been necessary. At the same time 'the natives had been found to be friendly, . and Mr Ballance, when he visited Wan- 1 ganui, was well received. The Premier alluded to the conduct of Wahanui before the House, and referred generally to the changed attitude of the natives during the present administration. He was heartily applauded when speaking of the graceful action of his Government in restoring the pensions to Ropata and Major Kemp. He said that recently the Maoris had been treated as men. They had been treated with firmness, and not as slaves, the Government merely wishing to act fairly towards them. He had a right to claim that their native administration so far had been fair. Never during his administration had he signed any document with greater pleasure than that^whieh prohibited drink being sold to the Maoris over the greater portion of the North Island, unless by special Act of Parliament. By this means of entirely prohibiting the natives from obtaining any alcoholic liquors, they were doing something to preserve them, and were shoving something more than sentimental love for their brown brothers in trying to save them and their children from the curse that had cursed them, and was cursing the Europeans also. (Great applause. )

Tlio Samoan Question. lie now came to two questions of importance, viz., the question of confederation and that of local government, and he was exceedingly sorry that the time at his command would only permit of his giving a brief sketch of hid views thereon. With reference to confederation he must admit that he had modified hid views since ho had last met them on this platform. He had then looked forward to New Zealand confederating with neighbouring colonies, and even in time with England ; but he now thought that this idea of Australian federation was premature. He had found the Atkinson party endeavouring to unite Australasia, and resolved to help them to do what they thought was best for the colony. The Federation" Council Bill provided that there should be a Council for the whole of Australasia, which should deal with all questions affecting them respectively, and all the limitation he asked was that anything passed by that Council should not be confirmed unless passed by this colony. What would be their future position in the Pacific? As to Samoa and Tonga, the present Government felt they should be under British rule, and it was desirable that New Guinea should be so also. It might be afeked what was the objection to German and French colonisation in the Paciiic, and he would take up this position, that it meant that if England were entangled in a state of war it would be changed to the Pacific. They all knew that when there was fear of war with Russia, men-of-war belonging to that nation were found in Japanese, Chinese, and nearer waters, and if they allowed such colonisations to spring up, the result would be that these colonies would experience all the horrors of war. It was with the Government not a question of lust for territory, nor did they object to German colonists. They had paid the passage hero of German colonists, and assisted them in every way to settle down. They had never raised the question of the nationality of any colonist who came to these shores ; but if they provided coaling ports and naval stations for foreign nations they would be inviting something against themselves which would necessitate the presence of a large fleet in the Pacific. The duty of the colony was to do everything to prevent such a state of things. As to the Samoan affair, the Government had received letters from that island stating'that an agitation was going on to get the kingdom joined to Great Britain, The Samoans wished to become either part of New Zealand or part of the | British Empire. As soon as the officers of the German man-of-war stationed there knew that the Samoans were asking for annexation they forced the King to make a treaty with them. A good deal had been said about the New Zealand Government sending a steamer to annex Samoa, but all they really did was to arrange to sand the flinemoa to ascertain the state of feeling in Samoa. They did not disclose what they were doing until they received from Lord Derby an answer to a message which they had sent to him stating the position of affairs. His reply was that, seeing that Samoa was an independent State, New Zealand could not interfere. But Lord Derby did more than this, though it had nofc been made public till now. He had sent

H.M.S. Miranda from Sydney to Samoa. The English Government ought to have long ago annexed Samoa and Tonga, as they did theFijilslands,andfb was to be regretted that English statesmon had not looked far enough ahead. It would have been for the advantage of the whole Pacific if those islands had been welded in one confederation, which should ultimately include England and America. Though the New Zealand Parliament objected to federation at present, ho considered it was not their duty to stand aloof from the rest of the colonies, but unite with Australia in a sort of legalised convention, which would enable the colonies to unite on things which they needed. Now, coming to the question of

Local Government, j ho thought tlie colony committed a huge mistake in passing tho Abolition of the Provinces Act. He could not say that the provincial system was perfect, but he thought it should have been taken as it , oxisted, and adapted as the altering cir- j cumstances of the colony required, and all ho Avould say was that tho present system of local governrnont was imperfect, and such was tho case in all countrios. The problem of local governmont was just as great a difficulty in England and olsowhere as they found it themselves. What he proposed was not to do away with existing institutions, but take them and utilise them as necessary, lie would do away with ridings, boroughs, and counties, and ho would have all institutions throughout the colony included under ono pattern. The present system ( could not possibly continue, and as an instance of tho last loan of .C 1.500,000,. 500,000, they found that £700,000 only was devoted to railways, while upwards of £520,000 was devoted to roads, bridges, &c. The Government could not work efficiently if it had to pay all that for roads and such works, and it bore out what he had said long ago, that they wero simply shifting the construction of roads and bridges from the provincial to the General Government. Since the year 1577 the oxpondituvo on roads and bridges had risen from £Sl,ooo to 1325,000 for the year. The finances of the colony could not stand that. Tho amount spent in that way last year was larger than tho whole spent in a similar manner by New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Wostern Australia put (together. He thought he had said enough to show that the S3'stem had entirely broken down. Another matter in a terriblo mess was that of

Hospital and Charitable Aid. There was no rule or regulation aliko in any two places. The remedy for these things must bo a large system of grouping of districts. There must be an aggregation of somo of tho counties together, so that they could deal generally on certain subjects. Some might say that this would be a return to provincialism, but he held that it would not. He gave some details as to the working of tho system of aggregation, and added that the Government woro now doing tho best they could, but that it was impossible for any contral Government to manage tho many local concerns they were called upon to undertake. [ No questions were asked, and it was unanimously rosolved, on Mi- Reeves's ; motion, " That this meeting pass a hearty 1 vote of thanks to the lion, the Premier for his able address:, and that; the electors of Dunedin East continuo to entertain the fullest confidence in him as their represen- ! tativo."