The Acting-Premier’s Speech.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43088, 4 May 1907, Page 2

The Acting-Premier’s Speech.

A RECORD SURPLUS

TIMARU, This Day.

The Acting-Premier addressed his constituents last night. He announced a surplus of £717,825. The increases under various headings were as follows : Customs £243,629, stamps (including post and telegraph receipts) £164,464, Land Tax £61,586, Income Tax £16,061, beer duty £9,447, railways £282,974, registration and other fees £11,222, marine £4,152,

miscellaneous £31,074, territorial revenue £4,903, total increase £814,716. The only decreases shown were in deferred payment of land sales £2.978 and pas'oral runs rents £11,812. The total increase of £814,716 was a record for the colony. The railway traffic was abnormal as well as the custom receipts. Eegarding the recent labour trouble he thought the men and unions foolish not to pay the fines as the lawmust be enforced. He thought the Arbitration Act regulations required amending in that direction, and that the cam. would be dealt with in reas nable time; he thought within a month. He claimed that the land for settlement policy had been productive of more good to the colony than any measure he knew of. He defended the land pr >posals now before the country. With regard to the tariff, the Government desired to take duty off the necessaries of life as an offset against the increased cost of living in other directions, and also to foster certain deserving colonial industries. The Legislative Council appointments had beon subjected to rnnch criticisrq but he considex-ed that in the Upper House there was a very good selection, numbering men from many professions, such as were able to carry out by means of their wide experience, the largely revisory work of the Leg'sla* tive Assembly. Ia conclusion, Mr Hall Jobss said the Government would go on in future with its present policy. He did not think people would want to change the medical officer who had brought them through a critical time for a possible quack. With increased population, increased industries, increased development the prosperoxs New Zealand of to- day would not be recognisable in the more prosperous New Zealand of ten years hence. The meeting passed a vote of thanks to Mr IlaLbJones and confidence in the Government of which he is a member, j