POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 116, 6 November 1911, Page 7

POLITICAL.

f THE STRATFORD SEAT. | MB. J. B. HINE, M.P., AT STRATFORD. Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., the Opposition candidate for the Stratford seat, addressed his constituents and the electors of Stratford 1 in the Town Hull on Friday evening. There was a packed house. Mr. J. Masters, Mayor of Stratford, presided, and in bespeaking for the candidate a fair and impartial hearing, expressed his own pleasure and that of the people generally at the recovery of Mr. Hine's health to such an extent as to permit of his appearing before them that night, and the hope that he would be able to see the campaign through. PERSONAL. Mr. Hine's friends gave him rousing cheers as he took the platform, and the reception was most cordial. The candidate commenced by expressing his regret that illness had caused him to delay even for three days the opening of his campaign, for every day counted just now. He desired also to publicly express his appreciation of the kind and sympathetic enquiries and messages he had reeived, from friend and foe alike, adding that these were political foes only, for outside of politics he had no foes. (Applause.) BREAKDOWN OF THE MINISTRY. Coming to general politics, Mr. Hine ■said lie hoped that the platform V e would present in the course of his ad- i dress and his criticism of the Govern-! meiit would compel his hearers to vote at the coming election in favor of the Reform Party's candidate. The past ses-. sion, he said, had been remarkable in J many features, but most remarkable for j the .breakdown of the Ministry. *The| first breakdown was when Mr. Hogg, was "ignominiously fired out," and then Inst session there came the voluntary retirement of Mr. Fowlds. Mr. Fowlds, he said, had been a good administrator of his department, and he felt sure that | he must be missed in the Cabinet. That gentleman, in explaining his reasons for his retirement, had 1 said that the Government had departed from the principles and traditions of true liberalism. What could they think of Ministers who had time after time pocketed their defeatß in order to stick to office? They had not that honor which should attach to real statesmen, the honor of announcing) a policy and standing by it. A few days! before Mr. Fowld's retirement the Gov- j eminent had been defeated on its Town Planning Bill, and had withdrawn it. j Memburs had never seen it again, so now i were left still without means of control! of slum building and other evils. Other] instances might be cited to show the) flabby backbone of the Ministry. Mr. j Hine said that instead of reading criticisms of the Government by membars of the Opposition he would read ex-1 tracts from criticisms voiced by the mem* I bers of the Liberal Party in the House. Mr. Poole had complained that the ] Ministry was the laughing-stock of the people. Mr. Hogg had charged the Government with ignominious climbing I and = aliaiidfflimtat of principle. Mr.; Ross complained that he now felt none of his former pride in the Government,, and Mr. Graham said that the present j Oabinet wHis the most incongruous one he had seen in his sixteen years in the I House. | A BENEFICENT MEASURE. j Mr. Hine gave the. Premier and his' colleagues credit for the introduction of the Widows' Pensions Bill, to provide; pensions for widows left with children to support, the pensions being graduated in proportion to the number of children dependent on the widow. But most of the Bills introduced were but amendments of previous legislation, and the number of them showed that the system <'»f rushing liills through the House in the dying hours of the session was bad, the members having no time to fully consider arid amend the Bills brought down, with the result that experience brought to notice those .Haws which would have been noticed' when the Bill was before Parliament had reasonable time been allowed for debating it. The members had had many Government Bills circulated' during the session and then, when they had made themselves familiar with them they found the Government had no intention of going on! with them. Mr. Hine was of opinion that Government measures should be thought out during the recess and initro-j duced in Parliament in the .first three weeks of the session. He considered the I administration of the affairs of the j country was not carried out on good' business lines. He was aware, however,! that his hearers did not want a con-j timious criticism of the Government, but' rather to know what the Reform Party] would do if returned to power. He them read the following platform of THE REFORM PARTY.Finance.— (1). Reform of the financial system of the Dominion by instituting a thorough investigation into t'he Dominion's finances with a view to keep! borrowing within reasonable bounds, and I of providing against wasteful exp-MidM ture. 1 (2). Reform of the fiscal system of! the Dominion by reducing taxation wherever possible, in order to lessen the cost of living. Land. —Reform of the land system of' the Dominion (a) by giving all facilities I possible to men of small capital to set on the land by means of the leasehold, as the stepping-stone to the freehold if' they so desire it; (b) by giving the! option of the freehold to tenants of I Crown lands in 'l.i.p. at the original | value, plus the difference between the: rental on o.r.p. and the 1.i.p.; (c) by giving the option of freehold to tenants! on settlement hjnd on l.i.p. at the original \ value; (d) by providing for limitation of area to effectually prevent aggregation;' (e) by providing that the money derived I Imm the saiie of the freehold lie utilised | for the acquisition of further land for settlement. '

Native Lands.—Reform of the native' land legislation (a) by a determined and; sustained effort to settle the native land i (|\iestion: (1>) by the rapid individualisa-1 lion of native hind wherever possible; ; (c) by affording the native race the <om-j mon privilege of dispo-ing under proper t safeguard of their land which is not re-j quired for their personal use; (d) by | making provision against the creation of large holdings; (c) by promoting i legislation Iwvii.g for its ultimate aim \ the placing of the natives in the same j posiMon a-, the Euro;.can-, with the same privilege- and responsibilities. Legislative Council. ■-Reform of the legislative Council, by replacing the present nominative Council with one elected on the -ame franchise as the House of Representatives, on the proportional sy-tcm of voting by larger electoral! s.

Civil Service.—Reform of the Civil Per-1 ; vice (a) by improving the conditions I 1 governing the employment of civil ser- ] ' vants; (b) by eliminating political inllucncc and patronage; (c) .by providing, that all appointments and promotions | shall I,"' mad" and regulated bv a board ; r diivily l<> Parliament and I absolutely i'ree from .Ministerial control; (d) by granting to the civil servants the right of appeal to a competent tribunal from a decision of the board. | I Local Government. —The reform of, local government in the rural districts | of the Dominion by giving extended

powers and assured finance, thus making it unnecessary for them to depend, to the wiiiio extent as at present, on the , wasteful and unsatisfactory system of t Parliamentary grants for public works. Reform of tlu» municipal legislation of the Dominion by promoting a town planning scheme to meet tlw future requirements of the towns of the Dominion, Industrial and Social Legislation.—i Reform of the Old Age Pensions Age by making a qualifying age for the pension foir women 00 years instead of 05; (b) reform of the industrial system of the Dominion by promoting legislation in favor of compulsory insurance against I sickness and) unemployment. I

Reform of the economic system of the Dominion in the direction of promoting industrial peace and restoring public conlidence in order to encourage local industries

TOO MUCH IiURROWIXG. They wanted particulars of the cost of Government loan tr;i n-iu'tions, and this the people were entitled to have, but the Government declined to give tlie returns though frequently asked in the House for them. One Opposition member had endeavored to have legislation enacted to compel such returns to be brought down within twelve mon/ths. The Government members vetoed that scheme. And they vetoed a further resolution to fix the term at two years. About eighteen years ago Sir Joseph Ward had said', as a member of the Seddon-Wa/rd Government: "The Government .believed that borrowing was not necessary, and had decided to conduct the business of the country without recourse to it." They soon' went back 'Ol that, borrowing at first about a i illion a year. The late Mr. Seddon i\id considered a million and a half was • .ilTicient to borrow annually, but the j. resent Administration needed six and a half millions a year, it seemed. The members of the Government party were continually saying, "It's all very well for yau to'complain that the Government is borrowing too much, but why don't the Opposition members vote against the loans?" As far as lie was concerned he | coidd say' he ltad opposed several loan schemes, of which he mentioned the Gov-1 ernment's- water power scheme. He had voted for a.-reduction of the borrowing proposals of the past session, not be- 1 cause he considered the country could cease borrowing altogether, but because he • considered the Government had too much borftiwing power. He had also supported Mr. Pearce's amendment to reduce the jjroposed iy 2 millions loan by £2oo,ooo'us an indication that the Government's borrowing powers were far in excess of what the Dominion could stand. He had found that Cabinet! could borrow ae much as £7,440,000 this year without submission to Parliament, and in addition Treasury bills up to a million could be issued ill anticipation of revenue. The onlv portion of this possible borrowing which had" been before Parliament last year fes the iy 2 millions loan. The -moneys -which could be raised by Cabinet as lie had just stated were:— Advances fo Settlers (balance unraised in previous years), £1,500,000; Advances to Workers, £750,000; local authorities, £1,000;000; 'guaranteed mining advances, £20,000; laud for settlement, £500,000 (balance'''unirtiised in previous years); purchase of native land, £500,000; aid to , public ..works, £1,500,000; water power, £S<W',OQO; Dreadnought, £879,750; railways, £75,000; llutt railway and road, £10,000; scenery preservation, £G0,00O; Bills, £ 1,000,000; a total of £8,544,750. 'taxation-. Mr. llimi'siiid the Government claimed to havw made great remissions of taxation, but tin; fact remained that we were more heavily -taxed per head than the people of Australia, and the qost of living had hfemtsed. Sir John Findlay had attributed 'the increased cost of living toiinoimpoWes-. .-That gentleman had last sessioViiM&duced a Hill to control combines, iings, <uid trusts, but lie had neglected .to'Uake action in regard to the W a "ring" of merchants who were 1 ojfe?ating iu conjunction with a sii/iui' rcfittiAjV Company to keep up the pricji; ofiyiigUri- even though his attention had -bcert%awn to the matter by a WidiKngtow merchant, in a letter. Tlie matter''h>atl' l -s»ibse<juently been mentioned ill' tin!'-HoVise to the Premier, and he, t00( jiromLM<s<r thai the matter would receive..lattentioii,' biit nothing had been lone.' Tlia.t' nelgtet would cost the people of this.Dofniilloira million a year! What did tliej" thiiik-'df :: a Government which "■as, .working: !i li?nid-in-hand with the trusts: 'ta. fticrtes j the price of the working . inahV:»ii)gaH' : ' As for the Reform Party's'• ld&is<'4n the matter of Customs taxation, in giving special earning under £3 a week,, if they hall families. The matter leeded only alv'-aiSfiiarial investigation to leciide.. 'liowi fcwcfi'. a- system would be •rorked-. ; ; rf LICENSING LAWS. Tlie : Pai'liimeu't' 5 just closing its term isid made sercirU amendments in the icensingf laws; 'tfnrt, (me 're'sult''was that it this trieil'Mal jioll the National Prolibitlon issue WcSiifd be submitted to the leople for decision. Tliis proposal when ir,st submitted to Parliament had confined provision | for a 55 per cent, maority, and those -members with 110icense .synip|ttlri(ii!hailed this with gladless. Put there mustf have been a >ower greater- ,tban the 110-license mem>ers, ;foT> fchfc 'Prtniier declared he had 10 lio^)»pfiv«arr|jii%I'that clause, and' vithdrew it.;- So -.tfiey still had that 1 I'i'eat handicap 'of, a .three-fi.ftlis majority 0 fighit. HeJlad'advocated national pro-' libitiou 'Oii/U. harelma'jority long ago,' )ut he woiilfl.go further 'and give a bare, najority on the;."local option poll as ; veil. This; threp-fifths majority business ] viia really, ipinfn'ity/ rule, anil illogical 1 lid- undemocratic. In three vcars' time; hey would jffttbaWy'have t-he* Trade ask-; ng -for a; bale '.majority, too. | WKOT- COA§T LEASES. I Mr. Dine sh-id 1 - jtlie ;Daily News had icon good enough 1 to devote a leading rtiele to tlie Taranaki members and heir attitude td\va.rds the proposal to

1 give the \\ est Coast Settlement Reserves tenants the right of renewal of their | leases. lie was glad to see a Daily ! Xews reporto' present, for he would be able to take down wiia-t was said and reI P t« hi» thief. • The paper had said: I "When the Xuttte Lands Claims A<l ju.stI ment Rill \viis : before the House last j week, the member for Egmont tried to get a eluasc inserted to have the posi- | txn of the \\ est Coast Settlement lessees , reeoiisideTid'witli « view to giving them j perpetual right of renewal. The proposal J was resisted'by tlie Maori members, and | wa.s Joat on the voices. Sir James Car- .' r,, W is ' ai( ' lie waii prepared to repeat his ofler of a coiiimission to enquire into the ,Lposition of the lenses, though, he re > marked. it had been refused when pre v torn sly made., lie \vpuld ( lie added, leav< _ it to the toiiunissipn 'to decide upon t fair compensation. for improvements. Tin

Taira.na'ki members were, in our opinion, ill-«(lvised ncit to, immediately accept the oiler lor the setting up of a commission. The subject is, without doubt, one for investigation by .a, commission." . . "The subject is an important ono, and should be tackled by a commission without delay. .In not taking advantage of the oiler of the (iovermnunt to establish such a, commission the ' Taranaki members did not show much regard for those | of their constituents who are affected and are seekiiig relief. Perhaps the i members will have something to say in* explanation of their conduct in 'con-;

nection with this matter during the next few weeks."

The position was that a certain number of lessees of native kiwis in Taranaki had no right to the renewal of their leases, and they were continually asking for renewal. Mr. Dive had tried to have a clause inserted in the Bill giving these lessees perpetual rights of •renewal. That Bill was not lost on the voices. The Hon. James Carroll and Mr. Ngiata made 'brilliant speeches on behalf of the Maori owners, and the question went to a division. Messrs. Dive, Okey, i and Pearce voted for the amendment, I but he (the speaker) voted against it, believing that the Maoris were entitled to every consideration ami that if these lands jwere leased to Kuropeans under | certain conditions those conditions should be fulfilled. "But whom do you think they dragged into the lobby with them? They dragged iri the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie, who, because there were a few native reserves in the Egmont electorate, voted against his party in order to appease a few lessees." That was a point that the Daily News had not been aware of on the previous day when it published an article lauding the Hon. Mackenzie to the skies. MAORI LANDS.

It was urged in some quarters that the Maoris had very little land left. He luul found there were still 5,206,000 acres of land, in the hands of the natives. It would be the Reform Party's business, if returned, to bring that land into occupation, which would have the effect of increasing the revenue and increasing the trade of the Dominion.

Discussing the Mokau land transaction, by which a speculator was enabled to buy up tremendous areas o-f native land, which would be sold at a big increase to settlers, and the attempt of the Taupo Timber Company to obtain permission to buy up another .big Maori block, Mr. Hine made the point tliat Mr. Dalziell, a partner of Sir John Findlay, the At-torney-General, was concerned in both applications. He thought it would better that Mr. Dalziell should not be able, as solicitor to a syndicate, to buy' up 50,000 acres, or as chairman of a company to try to buy up 200,000 acres of native land near Taupo. The Mokau land transaction was made possible by a clause enabling an Or<ler-in-Council to be gazetted permitting such a sale. If the Government knew of the impending Mokau transaction when it passed that clause, it was very wrong. And the method of passing the clause was wrong in any case, for it had been brought down by the Government during the final rush of the session, when the members had no chance of considering what its effect would be. The Government, he said 1 , ,posed as the opponents of land aggregation. Did the passing of this clause look like it? And let them listen to this—every Taranaki man, woman, and child was interested. Sir Joseph Ward had stated in the House that one of the reasons why the Government had not purchased the Mokau block was that when they sold it again for settlement the New Plymouth Harbor Board would have to get 25 per cent, d the revenue. Evidently, from the Premier's point of view, the fact that the rates would help the development of Taranaki's harbor made it a losing transaction. Another point to consider was tliat if the Crown Had bought the block—and, of course, they could have bought it just as simply as anyone else—the State would have retained all the mineral rights, but when the company offered it for sale they would retain all mineral rights for themselves. They ail knew how rich in mineral wealth was the Mokau district, admittedly containing big deposits of good coal, said by some to be also goldbearing, and with petroleum possibilities as well. The speculators were now to have the advantage of all this, and the bona fide, settlers would not receive the land on such favoralble terms as if there were no profit-making syndicate between the native owners and the ultimate occupiers.

; LAND TENURE. As 'for land tenure generally, they were all pretty solid in Taranaki for the freehold. He was too, for he believed every man should have the right to obtain the freehold of the land on which he lived and worked. They had heard any amount about land administration lately, but the present Government had no definite land polity. Who was the ; best land administrator that New Zea- ; land ever had? (An elector: Mr. Rolleston.) Undoubtedly he was, and who brought down the deferred payment sys- , tem? (The same, elector: Mr. Rollesi ton.) And who was copying it to-dav? ! (The same elector: Mr.'Massey.) No, Sir Joseph Ward was copying it, as had . been shown 'by a Bill introduced late in • the session bv the Premier but not proceeded with. The deferred payment sys- , tem had been a splendid policy for honest settlers, and many pioneer .settlers who I had made their homes around Stratford | would bear him out in this. (Hear, hear.) ,

' j WAGES OF PUBLIC SERVANTS. I Hine referred to the provision made in the Supplementary Estimates for an increase in salaries in every department of the public service, and, as usual, the largest increases went to the highest salaried men. He considered it a disgrace to make these increases of pay right on the eve of an election. If the men were entitled to the rise—and he felt that in the lower-paid grades of the service they were deserved—they : were entitled to it earlier, but (lie Government had kfipt the inwa.se back until the elections were near. (A voice: j We don't mind that, so long as we get it.) "That's only human nature," said t Hine, and upon my word, I'm sorry for human nature sometimes." After , last election, he pointed out, the cry was , letieufchment. 1 hen eight or nine bun- ; dred civil servants got their walking : tickets, and were told to go on the land up the Main Trunk line. Four went, I but three had since .left! He laid stress on the fact that the eight shillings a day men on tlhe permanent way got a rise of only 2%d a, day under the recent scheme of increases, so that married men now got 8s fid a day. The single men, however, still got the bare eight shillings. The big increases had gone to the £7OO, £BOO, and ,C!i()() a year officials. If the Reform .Party came into power those men would get no increases. : They would more likilv have their .' salaries comsidera'bly reduced, so that the condition of the men in the lower grades of the service could be improved. Member after member had drawn the attention of the Minister of ; Railways to the necessity for better wages to these men, but had received ! the answer that t.ho schemes as suh- ; j mittvil involved the expenditure of i

j .C 100,000, and he could not increase it. j The reduction of the big salary in- ' ( reuses in favor of the. poorly paid ones ' | wtus suggested, but the Minister said iit was too late now to do that. It was ■ a fact to be considered, said Mr. Hine. i that the majority of the increases I | would go to the railwaymen in the workshop®, and these were situated in | electorates represented by Mr. Millar i and other Government members. He hoped that electors would, as the result of the present political turmoil, I bring about a better state of affairs. ; lie hoped Mr. Millar would get kicked . out. He hoped to see Sir John Findlay | defeated in Parnell, too. He hoped their J next-door neighbor, Mr. McKenzie, would get kicked out. Her hoped Mr. McNab ' would fail, too.' (A voice: He got the Mokau; that's enough for him.)

A RADICAL REFORM PARTY. It was urged that the Reform Party would cut down wages. Could anyone point to any single instance in which hie had favored reducing wages? It seemed, that tftvey !ia<l to answer for some of the alleged sins of the old Conservative Party. 'But he wanted the electors to understand that the band of members in the Reform Party were not the successors of the old Conservative Party, but men who were more radical in many lines than the present so-called! Liberal Party; and if their leaders did not toe the mark and go on Liberal principles they would not give those leaders their support <as promised. But he would put l out the Ward administration at any cost. He would even join hands with the Labor Party to put out the Ward administration—(Hear, hear.)—for he believed the present Government had outlived its usefulness, and its administration was not clean. He wanted a square deal for every man, and would be satisfied with that. (Applause.) "THE lIINE CHARGES." Mr. Iline touched briefly on the commission set up to investigate his charges of Tammanyism against the Government. He considered his purpose had been accomplished, and he was satisfied that he had done the right thing. (Hear, hear.) The Government members said the Opposition made vague charges, that they were given to inuendo and misrepresentation, but that would not come up to the scratch. No one could say he had been afraid to toe the line, anyhow, If ever his Party had a chance to look into the Departmental pigeonholes, including those of the Treasury, they would find more instances of Tammanyism "'than were ever dreamed of bv him. ■ UXSPEXT MILLIONS.

He complained of the neglect of the Government to spent its roads 'and I bridges allocations. Three years ago the Premier had got power to borrow an extra million to be spent in an extra vigorous public works policy at the rate of £250,000 a year. Why, last year only £210,000 had been voted less tlian the quarter of a million which was supposed to be extra, and only £83,000 wa3 spent. Of the whole million authorised by the people only £400,000 had been spent. " PICKINGS." Of course there were ''pickings." The Chief Justice's £401!) for the Native Land Commission, on top of his salary of £2OOO a year, was a picking. And •Mr. Xgata got "pickings" out of the same commission amounting to £1945 for assisting the Chief Justice. On a minor railway commission north of Auckland, two Government members besides the guinea a day travelling expenses—the limit allowed by law to members of Parliament in addition to the honorarium—were voted £l5O in the Supplementary Estimates. It was for the electors to say whether a party which promoted "pickings" should stay in office, or whether the Reform Party should sweep the stable clean. STRATFORD-ONGARTJE RAILWAY. lie was proud and glad to see the progress made on the Stratford-Ongarue railway, not because he whs the member for the district, but because it was an acknowledgment of the great progress of the district and the public spirited-. toss of its people. He was glad to see that Cabinet had approved plans of the section as far as Tahora. Soon the line' would tap the coalfields, and Stratford would become a great distributing centre, with immense possibilities. Soon it would be the grand junction—"Change here for Auckland!" "Change here for Xew Plymouth!" "Change here for Opunake!" (Cheering.)

(Mr. Time then returned .his sinee're thanks to his constituents for having honored him three years ago. He trusted that he had given every consideration to their requirements. He realised his shortcomings, hut he had done his best and wJint 1k» believed to he the best for the people. He appreciated tho fact that tli" Stratford seat was a new scat wlven he von it. und lie handed it hack feeling tint, lie had carried out his duties faitht'ullv, pud wifli (he iiope that others who iMiyht !i;ild i f ' in 'he future would do 111"i.■ dnl v as fi< it lifullv as he had attempted to do. He honed tlvit hj» would fw'iri' a renewal of their co;ii!i!< n?c oil polliny-da v.

The candidate resumed his ?cat amidst prolonged iheernv.'. QCKSTTOX:-"'-.

'"Mr. S. Chirk a->ked to he informed 'of the. cost of the Iline Commission. Mr. iliine said the amount voted was £150.0, of which only £540 had been spent. An elector said the story was being circulated that the cost was .-£IO,OOO.

TTe did not ■■subscribe to the opinion exnrcr'sed 1 l),v "Mr. UcC'luggage that the public-houses should have seven years' grace before closing in the event of national prohibition being carried. He maid the term allowed by present legislation was four or four and a half years, and that was a fair thing. He wouldn't listen t'o a seven years' term,

On the motion' of Mr. 0. Sangster. n hriirtv vote of thanks was accorded Mr. 11 i !i A iirr Ins ddrc* a'ld i]tr nxoniiion further allirmed that in the opinion of the meeting the time had arrived when the Dominion should'have a change of Government.

The meeting closed with an inharmonious exhibition at the back, an attempt to strike of "He's a jolly good fellow"

by one. or two voices being drowned by noises which suggested the presence of a number of motor Ihorni, The cheering, however, was renewed.