ADDRESS BY MR A. J. CADMAN. M.H.R. AT PAEROA.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 260, 2 May 1888, Page 2

ADDRESS BY MR A. J. CADMAN. M.H.R. AT PAEROA.

On S.'ifctmbiy evening l.isfc Mr A. JOailmnn, the member for the Ji strict, nddressed his Ohinomuti constituents in ] Vrou Public Hall. There was a faiily Inrjjc attendance nnd on the motion of Messrs Mayuirc ami Thorp, Mr W. G, Nicholls (County Chairman) was called upon to prcsiilo ; who ihoreupon briefly iutrmiiii'pil thp speaker of the overling 1 . J\lr Cji'imnn, who wns received with cheers, paid that, it 'vas his intention to tfive the niiilipncc a brief resume of the p.i-t pcs-ion nivi a forecast of the i'omin# one. Although not a supporter <»f tho. prp«»enfc Ministry, ho was yet not •a kroner opponenr., nor greatly in fnvour <>t nnstinof (hpm, a 4?a 4 ? they deserved credit in manj wayi. rpniPmherpd tho war cry uf the outset of the prospnt 'itarltaiiient. It was Retrenchment and

Pi emotion. IT** wishe lin I'mw how (he prnmi.* 1^ nf the ilon^ to the country M been carried out as to this war-cry. Beside* promising; 1 rptrpnchmpnfc and an a'ter.'iiion of i lio t.uiff they had also promised greif; things in the amendment of native and rrfilway matters. What had been done; ? As to the great savin? which the Government had proposed to make in gubernatorial, qenernl and departmental retrenchment, what had been the outcome ! Government hft'l simply retrenched with one hand am? incurred fresh liabilities with the other. The abolition of tlie Crown and Native 7^nd Rating Act was pimply a lmgcsophis^'V. It was not a real savin? but a transfer of liability from the general to tho local governments. Then the snle of the ministerial residences at Wellington, which realised a few thousand in cash, brought with it a liability for rent of other residences for Ministeis of £1200 per annum. Coitain Havings had also been made on the defence yotc but this was nullified by Ihe Australasian defence scheme by which the colony will have to pay as its shnic of n system of Federal Defence at least £15,000 per annum even in lime of peace. Taking the tout ensemble of the matter there had really been no actual Having in the expenses of Government, The Government however derived some credit for the alteration of the laud laws by which buyers might purchase on their own terms, but a mistake had been made in (he suspension of the Village Settlement Scheme. Tn reference to the proposed Kail way lveform which constituted a nun political Board of Management, he was ;tt present rather doubtful of its actual effect. Time would chow, however, and he hoped it would turn out well. The tarilT had not been interfered with by the new Government inasmuch as an alteration would undoubtedly <<plit up the Government whose principal supporters were freetraders. Tf his constituents would watch closely coming events, they would find that the rock upon which the Cabinet would split would he the Tariff Bill. Extracts from Ministers speeches were then feiul by Mr Cadman which plainly showed that most of the Ministers were at variance with Sh' Harry Atkinson on this question, lie had marvelled at their adherence and thought that some of them must have .sacrificed their principles to their portlolios. With reference to the alteration in native matte is which the Government termed " temporary ' lie stigmatised as " trumpery." The proposed alteration which came at the end of the session was "imply (o albw those behind the throne to got n ]] tl>nt, they required done. Sir H. Atkinson wns given to understand that the Opposition would stoncnnll it if it came up, and he accordingly dropp-d it. A more satisfactory Bill will be introduced next session. The present Ministry, «aid the speaker, do not seem to have the necessary inte'-pst in mining matfer c , which was to bo re gretted. The Representation Bill i* another measure which will greatly affect Ohinemuii a? it h quite possible that the Thames Boroneh and Coromaudel will be united nnd Ohinemuri put into Wniknfo. Tt will be for the Ohinomuri people to raise stieiiuous objections to be placed in together witk an agricultural cr>mmnni\v with whom there is no common bond of interest. Mr Cadman considered that a large reduction could be made in the salaries of clerks and officials connected with the sitting of Parliament including the speakers of both Houses, Chairmen of Committees, Hansard staff, etc., etc. These officials are paid £18,500 per annum for three months work per year. This should be amended. With special reference to Ohinomuri matters, the tenure of the Paeroa township would be on a better footing when the new N. L, Act was passed. He had hoped also to assist the Agricultural section lessees to obtain their freehold", but the Minister for Lands had acted most unsatisfactorily in the; matter. He was, himself, in favour of the free siffc of the surface to settlers on ihe gold fields. As regards the vexed question ol Protection he wns certainly in favour of raising a portion of the revenue by a tarilT which should be amended so as to protect native industries. In answer to questions he hoped that before long a Warden's Court would be constituted in Ohincmuvi. He was most certainly in favour of it, and wns now doing his best to get it granted. He was fn favonv of the purchase of the Marototo gold field from the natives. Mr Cadman also answered satisfactorily several questions having reference to the Thames Harbour Board jurisdiction. .Several other matters were placed before the member which were duly received nnd answered. Mr Cadman sat down amidst great .•'pplause. On the motion of Messrs T. E. Shaw and John Byrne a hearty vote of confidence nnd thanks was unanimously carried. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings.