ON THE HUSTINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 267, 4 November 1908, Page 4

ON THE HUSTINGS.

THE EGAIONT SEAT. AIR. C. A. WILKINSON AT I'UNCAREHU. Air. U. A. Wilkinson, one of the Opposition candidates for the Eginout seat, addressed a largely-attended meeting at I'lingarehu last Wednesday, his .s-poech being delivered in a very clear and forcible manner, which evidently appealed to the audience. Air. Simmons was in the chair. Air, Wilkinson opened his speech oy congratulating the setticl's on the good prospects for the coining season. lit this, respect tile district was very for-

innate. Where wool and flax were the i principal products conditions were not so favourable. From litis lie drew the conclusion that we should be careful in both public and private allairs, because it could not be expected that Tarau.tki people would always have high prices for their products. Tile first requisite in any country, lie said, was a good Government, ami the next a good Opposition, which would keep even a go id Government up to the mark. The present (iovernnieut had practically unlimited control, and needed a check veiy badiv. If elected he would try to serve the constituency faithfully and well, and i though he conceived a politician's livsl \ duty was to the Dominion he would not neglect the district in any way. lie - was utterly opposed to the Government, • eliielly because of its finance. As a •' strong Opposition would tend to' good -', gi.'Virnment. lie thought the district i should reiurn an Oppositionist. At, Elthain the Prime Alinisler hud • declared that it made him ill to hear '.■ people compare the indebtedness of litis '> country with Australia. If the position 5 was good, whv did comparison make S'i'l ■• Joseph illV * The fact was that Sir ! " Joseph objected to criticism, especially '" of linance.' This country was depend •tit

on the money-lenders of the Old Country when it wished to borrvw, aid without borrowing there would have been a good many more changes of Government than had taken plnoe. Borrowing led to extravagance. On the ground of linance he appealed to his hearers to assist in turning the Government out of ollice as .soon as possible. Sir Joseph Ward took credit for having paid £300,000 oil' the public debt within the last two years. To make such a statement was an insult to the, intelligence of the audience in view of t'ie fact that in those two years £4,154,41)0 had been bofrowed, making a net increase to the debt in those two years of £3,854,-100. Why, the Government could have paid oil' any .sunt by borrowing sufficiently. hi 18111, when the Liberal Administration assumed office, the net public debt was £37,343,0)0, and at the end of the last financial year, after seventeen years' tenure of ollice, that Administration showed a I debt of £03,524,000, or an increase of £20,181,000. It was only fair, how-

L cvcr, to pay that of this £4,315.000 had been raised for advances to settlers mid workers—a procedure lie perfectly approved. If all the money had been so well spent as this there would have been no trouble at all. There remained a balance, upon which the people of the Dominion had to pay interest, of £21,80(1,000. In addition there had been spent sums aggregating £(>,430.n00 advanced from the Consolidated Fund .to the Public Works Fund. Therefore a total of t'2S.-J!)li.0(l(l, excluding the. advances to settlers, had keen spent on works which were claimed to he reproductive, and this should have left no burden on the people. Some of the money had certainly been spent reproductive! y. a- fur in-tame the following]

amounts: Native land purchases, C715,-lllll>. land settlement Q. 040,000, loans to local bodies £2.003,000. advances to dairv factories under £2-000, railways , i:!0.2li4,000, telegraph extensions C 573.0011. These sums totalled C20.103.00U. leaving a balance of loan moneys of 17.5113.000, or a yearly deficit over the seventeen years of £4(it,000 in place of the surplus that was so .proudly boasted of. The uiircpriiduc--live expenditure included the following amounts: Scenery preservation £20.0011. lighthouses, etc. £142.000, increase bv loan conversions 1748.000, naval an 1 military settlers C 27.000. development of jrohllields £22.">.000. They would notice how the vote for goldlields compared with that to dairy companies, and the dairy companies were expected to return (he , C2OOO advanced to them, while the money advanced to the gohllichls would never lie returned. 11l 1S!II the debt per head was (net) U.V.I Us. It was now C7l per head, an increase of £ll lis. although during that period the population increased ov about 324.0110. and it was a period of high prices and general prosperity. The country owed .">l millions in London, three in Australia and !)',;. in New Zealand, and were being renewed at heavy expense, 'flic following amounts were to fall due within three'years:—This year V/ 3 llidlion-. next year over two millions, ami the vear a'i'ter three millions, or 7'/. millions in three years. In the event of their not. getting thai 7'/. millions could wo pav H? We could not, and it «as no wonder Sir Joseph Ward vyas anxious that Hie financial position should not be criticised for fear of offending the English money lenders, 'fie greater pari of the money obtained in the Dominion had been taken from the l'osl Office Savings Hank at a low ra'e of interest- at a lower rate of interest than that paid to (he outside money lenders. Over two millions had lieen taken at as low as three per cent, 'fhe net interest oiitlav for I MIS lec-

elusive of what was collected from the Lands for Settlement. Account and Advances to Settlers Department £HW,0001 was C2.157.0U0. This enormous interest charge more than totalled the whole cost of working three departments. Railways, Defence, and the Legislature, and absorbed a quarter of I I".' revenue. H averaged £2 8s 2d per head per annum, or for a family of five, a man. his wife, and three children, £.ll. Mr. Wilkinso,, said that in this country there was no system of sinking fund except in the case of two very early loans, and no scheme for 'repayment except by borrowing. If the Governmeit lent money to anyone it wanted a sinking fund. ' Mr. Dive had condemned the Covernmi.'iit for charging the people 15s a head too much when it had a .surplu-s. | Surelv .Mr. Dive could not have gone [ into the position. The speaker emphatically declared that, there was no suv-

■ pills. Mr. Wilkin strongly condemned I ■ extravagance in the erection of public i hnihinncs, railway construct ioii ( . etc.. and cited instance's.. Customs furnished : six times more than the land tax ami ■ ten times more than the income lax. ■ The bulk of the taxation was thcroio-e derived from Cu-luiiis. farmers usual!'.' were live traders, bin be would like to , point out thai tree trade would lie a danger to them. If they lost the three millions at present raised through Customs, a determined effort woul.d lie made to raise the bulk of that amount li i the land, farmers should be very careful indeed in advocating free trade. Til'", ll'-dod more revenue instead . I liiil.rriiie. wilh what lliev bad. The Custom-' enabled them to eive preference lo liritain. which took the bulk of their goods, 'thai he was thoroughly in favor ot. lie was in favor of reciprocity also with the other iJriliMl possesions if fair terms could be arranged and he looked forward to the day when, thev woifTd" trade fairly ami openly with the'different, sections of their (treat Kmpit'e. Tiie tariff allowed them to nurse industries wliich employed great numbers of people and he thought if was possible in a fair way to build up national industries. They wanted to make this a .self-contained country as far ks I possible, and farmers .should' consider that in the towns of New Zealand they had one of the lineal markets tiny could possibly have, lie was a linn believer in the flec-

I liolil, co«j>li-il with (lie system ol ca-y | pamicnls I'nr the people' wild took up laiiil. lie did nol believe in ilovcrnmcnt tenancy. The main point was to g't I iicoplc'on I lie land. The l.i.p. tenants .should lie given tli« freehold, plus (lip one per (rut. lliev Imil nut paid I'm- some Unio pn-t. (oivc'riiiiicnt liuicl should '<• oll'crccl at the lowest possible pviee and on (he easiest terms, and the genuine set Hers should lie encouraged as inu.'i as possible. At. (he Millie lime, liny shuuhl prevent flu- aggregation of large estates hv the uradunled Ihn or I he reins. I ol' 'the Slate to lran-I'er land '■' of .-'■■ r- Iha'l ■ 1,. ■ I | ( liuillill (he <:..•.: eilll-rllt V,.|, l|o,y «I.»i-. : r j .s.imeihim; it ha.l until iveenllv ben I vcr> lax in (hi- mailer. 11',. .Tel mi.l l'|."iio;,| lie- ,„,.-„! • -.;,--| ~f ~,h:a!b,:i. .--|..-.-i:iltv (he l„„l!„,d of! H- !► ■ • ii:e eanil.il value a- based ,„i fiej M.ll'iie,- value.' .Mr. Wilkinson helieve.l in ! M mi.re comprehensive .lrl'enee schcni-.j iiiul favored cninMiiHii; with Au-lralia |„ provide naval defence. We shoull he prepared to die i„r this litlle eoun-j try. which was the grandest little cmintrv in the world. Every man shuuhl | he (rained tu light ill defence uf his'

home. He believed in old age pensions, but advocated reform of the system i; o as to reward thrift. He believed in the bare majority on the licensing question, and was opposed to the co-operative system.

Air. Wilkinson also addressed meetings at Oaonui, Rahottt, Newall road, and Opua road. His wanner of handling his subjects evidently appealed strong.;/ to his hearers.

TARANAKI ELECTION. Air. C. li. Bellringer addressed the j electors at Bolf Block on Monday night. There was a large attendance. Mr. Rice presided. Air. Bellringer, in explaining and defending the land policy of the Government., said he strongly supported the breaking -up of large estates, so as lo make the land available for the people. To advocate, as one of the candidates had, that the. Government should dispose of all Crown lands before acquiring estates under the Land for Settlements Act, was to adopt the Opposition policy in its entirety. It was absolutely Incompatible with professions of Liberalism. To drive the sons of farmers and others info t'hc backbloeks while these large (-states remained undisturbed was. Co say the least of it, not lilt accord with tiie Government uoli:y. A vote of thanks was unanimously carried.

A correspondent writes:—Air Alalone met the electors at Upper Alangoiei school on Monday night last. Air AlcAlister was in the chair. was only a fair attendance of electors. Tiiuy however, gave Air Alalone a most attentive hearing and accorded him a vote of thanks for his speech. The chairman, who by the way is evidently a thinker and no mean wit, was paid the usual compliment.

"Are you in favour of a lax upon! .bachelor's':" Air A. E. Glover (Auckland Central) was asked on Thursday night, lie replied, amidst a, general shout of laughter, "While 1 am a great friend of the ladies, 1 can fissure you that some of Hie bachelors are taxed enough when they a.:e married." "Tiie young people of New Zealand are as good as those of any other country," said Mr Lawry in his address to tiie electors of Parnell, "and. especially the girls. iLaugfiter.) I cannot understand the young man who would not far rather srlecl his wife from amongst the girls of this country. (Audible chuckles.) Compare litem with the girls at Home-cross-eyed, screwed-up, consumptive daughters of fashion and idleness, and no more lit to follow up woman s occupation of matrimony and liier duty i>f maternity, than an unsophisticated pullet to scratch worms for a family of thirteen chickens." (Laugh-

tor.) The Haivkc's Day Herald makes the following comment on Sir William Kussell's speech at Hastings on Thursday uveraing:—-"Sir William llnascll deliver-' ed what was easily the best speech we have 'heard, in this part of the country for a'long lime. Jt was the speech of a man who has convictions and whose grasp of the political situation is urnterly. When we compare it with the speeches of some of the candidates who have previously spoken, who have ma V, themselves muutnpieces for the usual Ministerial platitudes, it is dillicull to conceive that there mould be any hesitation on the part of the electors of IfawkeVJJay in returning him to parliament. If' men like Sir William Russell are not wanted in the House we are sorry for the constituencies. It seems to us better to have a staunch Oppositionist with his experience than a Ciovci-ninent man, who has neither the ability to make uiiusclt leit in Parliament,"

A llowcry speaker is -Mr. Albert lidward Clmcr, who is standing against ilr Alfred Kidd for Auckland City Central. In concluding his first address to the electors on Thursday night he said: —"1 have nailed my colours to 'th: mast, and if you will assist me ia attaining tile crowning glory of iny life. J can assure you your trust will not be misplaced. (Applause.) lam proud to see Unit J have achieved the regard., the esteem, and the love of many ,'it the electors of Auckland Central. That is far mure precious to me titan gold." I Laughter and Apph.uoe.) He went, o.i to say that if returned he could assire them that naught should occur to make them rue their decision. (Prolonged applause.) A (piaint speech was made by Mrs. Anderson at a meeting of ladies held at Taradale to support Mr ,1. Vigor Brown's

candidature for the Napier seat. Mrs. Anderson was appointed chairwoman, and in introducing the candidate said: "Ladies, ive are here assembled to further the interests of the candidature of Mr .1. \igor lirown. It gives great pleasure to see so many present, and I feel coulhlcilt we shall semi our man i i with Hying colours. Before leaving home II chanced to be dyeing a blouse for election day. and happened to read tin: label, and even the maker of Maypole soap recommends brown to stand sun, rain, and wind without cliangiig colour, ami I am sure our worthy candidate will do likewise. Kven if they do throw mud a brown coat won't show the slain, and remember, ladies, brown is the predominant colour this

season, and keep it so. I now have much pleasure in inlroducingMr Jlrown who will whisper sweet things to us.' Speaking at Tenmka, Mr Massoy said the Liberalism of the men in power did

not ling [rue, and Hie talked of Sir Harry .Ukinson's attempts prior to ISIIO to lesfore the country's linaiices.

Sir Joseph Ward referring to these remarks on Friday night, said the fads

wcrc on record in Hansard, and were known lu many people. The Conservatives had run away, and had left Sir Harry Atkinson to face his task alone. 'The iuen w h o ] llH [ culuc lo pi,,, ass j s t. ii'iiei! of lli« then Prime Minister liail been men like John Dalhtnce, lficha.'d John Keddon. and the speaker nimself. who had sunk party quarrels for the lime being, and when the work of recovery had been done had walked back into opposition. That had been true patriotism. The people should know that the Liberal Party had stood belliind Sir Harry Atkinson in restoring New Zealand's liiiaiife. (Applause.) Would anyone in New Zealand say that the railways should not he owned h.v Hie Stale, that, the Stale should not keep down insurance rates, and the State should not provide cheap coal ! asked the I'rjinv Minister at Temuka on Kriday. and then continued : Kvervono believed hi those forms of State enterprise, and it must-be admitted that the ventures were Socialistic. The counl:y supported that, form of Socialism, but it. Mood beside the (ioyeriiment in'objecting I" the for f Socialism that meant bankrupting X,.„- Zealand by attempting to purchase all tile land, all tiie industries, all t'he property. Xo financiers in the world would lend Xew Zealand one penny for such a purpo-.c. j "nd it would hi' as absurd as it would' he disastrous to take the advice of .'■'•mo simple peopj,, and (~v |„ ,„. lk .. money wilh a printing press. A code of honor should exist anionttsl public men. and when Ihe (.'uvorii'iuciit lied made its position abundantly Hear as far as -high-lax. Socialism, an,l Inn I

iiiilionali-in w, re concerned liie Opposition shoiihl not continue to make statements that, were untrue in every wav. One Minister believed in the sinejo-tak. (is he had a right to, bui the ('lovernment did not. Were ~,,, opinions of one MimMcv („ iiilliiem-i" the whole tlovernmeirt which had declared it-, policy with perfect clearness? ; >m h Tionsen.se should n„i be talked all over New Zealand.

A budding ■Auckland politician with the appropriate cognnnivn 'Wake, asked by an elector if hc\,.,s in favor of conscription said "no" but lie was in favor of subscription— towards candidates' electioneering expenses. Xo-bodv took the hint. Mr Wake admitted (hat lie was once in the police force, hut left, because he diil not agree with the methods of his .superior oll'.ccr.

due of i|„. hesi-canva-scd electorates in N'eiv Zealand iuus„ ho the Kgmont electorate, for with four candidates in the Held a.id intcresl running high iu the licensing p„!| a „.„„■ ,|,,,i „f lilm , and ell'ort iius been expended ill placing electors on the roll a.nl there lias been a steailv adilition of names, righ! to the hour ul Ihe poll closed on Saturdav '.light. I'raoiically every person t|iiiiMlied to vote whose name did not iipp-nr ] on (he main roll has been visilcd l.v representatives of one parly or another and in almost, all of fire few case-, wh,-c names have been left oil' the rolls if has happened that Ibe voter-, ill |,oss,. | m -c beea away from |i,„„e „|„,.i (be canvassers ealh-d and iiave bee.i 100 apathetic to lake file nccc.-arv steps themselves l» have their mil,ics p„{ ~a. A ~ Willi) names appear on (he rolls, and .interest in ih- contest is so u.T-ii thai it is ~-,;■,,c10d thai if Hie weal a,-r i- -ood n\v-r .".HI)!) will p.d1,.. Ariius.