MR. WITHY IN SYDNEY. HIS VIEWS ON NEW ZEALAND.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 313, 3 November 1888, Page 6

MR. WITHY IN SYDNEY. HIS VIEWS ON NEW ZEALAND.

j Thk "Sydney Evening News" says: Among the visitors to Sydney the other day was Mr E. Withy, M.H.R. for Newton, Auckland, who, accompanied by his wife, arrived in the s.s. Mararoa. He is a gentleman who, from his outspoken and common-sense treatment of tho questions of the day, has gained for himself a large influence in the political life of the colony. He is a retired wealthy shipbuilder fiom Yorkshire, and at the last genoval election, when the Vogel Ministry was ousted, defeated the then Minister for Justice (Hon. J. A. Tole). A representative olthe "Evening News " met Mr Withy as he was taking his sout in tho express for Melbourne yesterday^ and a shore conversation took pla.ee, of, 'which tho following is the substance : ' What do you think ol tho present position ol New Zealand ? Well, I hardly like to answer such a question or even give any definite opinion. 1 met my constituents just before leaving, and you are welcome to a copy ot a verbatim report of the address taken down by a member of tho " Hansard" stutf. I came out to the colony only four yeais ago as an emigrant to bring up and settle my tamily, and 1 certainly think that 1 could not have done better. '• in your opinion is the colony too much in, c^ebt, or will it be able to meet its engaceuients?' ' \ It is no doubt at present suffering like any tractebinaiiS who ffiuijd that lie had made Coo manvfbad debts, but I do pot go t>o far as to &ay that the bmden oi' public debt will provo too much for the couutiy to bear. The fault of the present ciisis lies principally in the Government of the day, who at the present time go in far too much for voting "large sums ot money for tho repair of existing roads, and the construction ot' others that tho country could well do without. Are you a fiee-trader or protectionist ? Moab decidedly I am a believer in tree trade. What do you think of the present protective tariff ? Without wishing to enter info the various items it is certainly more protective than my views on the question allow me to support. Ol the whole House (numbering 91) we have noc more than twentylive Iree-traders. Theie were a number who took up the cry at the hustings, but it was only an Election dodge, and in principle they were really modified protectionists. Although I vote for the present tariff, I only did so in support of the Government, as i felt that if they vacated the benches we should have an out-and-out protection Ministry in. My vote, there! ore, was really against the principles T have just enunciated. Will the piesent Ministry hold office long '! I think they will afc least hold their seat to the end ot the present Fai liament. >Sir Harry Atkinson, in my opinion, is not the man for the present state ot the affairs of the country. He lacks power, and waits too much to see which way the cat will jump ; that is his way ot grasping the situation. He is far -too politic altogether. As a debater, I give him all credit, and his powers in the House in this direction are very gieat indeed. His knowledge of the politics of the colony f,or a number of years assists him greatly ; but the man who is wanted requires more .force »and "go" to wield the helm of State. Has Major Atkinson a good Ministry along with him ? With the exception uf Mi Mitchelson, all his colleagues are young members, who have never *k>een in office before. 1 do not for one moment believe that they are meie ciphers ; but then without some of the great knowledge and experience that the Major possesses their influence as Ministers of the Crown mußt bo weakened. Kindly express your views on the land question. That is a very vexed question at the present time, and one that gives a great deal of trouble. For my own parr, i believe in the nationalisation of the land. For the simple reason that if you place a man upon the land leally without capital, alter he has paid tor the soil, how can you expect him to stop there and cultivate it without money? The present system is a new one, and is giving good results. It was passed by the Ministry now in office. It is ditlerent Irom that of the preceding (government, as it gives the intending tenant the option of . .three systems — perpetual lease, deterred p"ayment, and homestead or village settlement. Each ot these modes of tenure have their advantages, but the success of any of them is not very apparent at the present day. i& the reduction oi the number of members likely to be a good measure? Reducing the House irom 91 to 75 will undoubtedly do good, but I would go so far as to bring the number down to 50. Are times likely to improve in N.Z. ? If the Government exercise extreme care m the spending of the money, and do away with the wages class I have alluded to (I have got a good deal of odium cast upon "me for this view, and been called " skintiin,t,", > &c s )' l think that the colony will rec'ovcr itself a'nd bec'qme prosperous again. Will you be returning soon to New Zealand ? I catch the Orient steamer at Melbourne and visit Britain. If the Paris Exhibition opens at the date expected I will remain to see it, and then return to the colony tor the next session of Parliament. As the train was now in motion our representative had to hurriedly thank Mr Withy lor his courtesy, and wish him hon voynrje on his trip to Europe.