SIR JULIUS VOGEL AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1318, 21 March 1885, Page 3

SIR JULIUS VOGEL AT CHRISTCHURCH.

The Hon, Sir Julius Vogel, M.H.R., last Thursday evening addressed the electors of Christchurch North in the Queen's Theatre. About 3500 persons were present, including a large number of ladies, who occupied seats in the gallery. The Mayor of Christchurch presided, and briefly introduced the speaker. After a few remarks he said that in this colony party struggles were something like a farce, there being no distinct lines as in an older country. Thus party has no real existence, and so they found gentlemen who could not work together one year doing so later on. Sir Julius Vogel then referred to what took place during last session. Major Atkinson took a dignified stand as leader of the Opposition, and did not obstruct business when out of office. After a Voview of the measures passed last session he .referred to the financial arrangements of the colony, and said many difficulties met the Government when the question was taken in hand. In the first place they had to meet the engagements of their predecessors, and relieve the colony from the burden of raising money, time after time, and then paying it away into a sinking fund. They were told that it would be disastrous to the credit of the colony to abolish the sinking fund, but such was not the case, as evidenced by the success of the last million loan. He then proceeded to show the work they had done since Parliament was prorogued. The Minister for Education found a large amount of work to ■ do in his department, and had further decided to establish a system of technical education, so that boys will be aught that there is something beyond mere literary attainments to be sought after in education. The Colonial Secretary had dealt with the arrangements relating to sheep and live stock, which he found in a terrible state of inefficiency. He had also found it necessary to take in hand the subject of charitable aid. The Minister for Public Works was endeavoring to effect reforms in the department under bis control, especially in the management of our railways. Tenders had been called for and accepted for the manufacture of locomotives in the colony, and Messrs Scott Bros., of Christchurch, had been able to wrest the prize from the hands of the rest of the colony. Air Ballance, in hit dealings with native affairs had attained a status with the natives which no other Minister ever did. Mr Bryce’s style was a harsh one ; he had an iron hand, and he made no effort to conceal it under a velvet glove, Mr Ballance has both, and has shown the natives that we do not wish to rule harshly, but to do justice to both races. Mr Ballance is an enthusiast on the question of settling people on the land of the colony. The defence of the colony had assumed particular importance, and the Government were of opinion that it ia their duty to prepare by the next session of the House a plan for the defence of the principal ports of the colony. In the meantime they were doing all they could before Parliament meets. It was time to cease trusting to the chance that no hostilities would break out, or to the chance that, no Power would molest us. It was time for us to take steps of selfpreservation, as the other colonies are doing or have done, He also refen ed to the work of Messrs Tole and Larnach and said he had not been idle during the recess, having never had less than 70 hour's work each week since the House adjourned. He had, he added, put into shape the postal arrangements with Great Britain and opened up negotiations for purchase the district railways. The next Industrial Exhibition would have to be held in Christchurch or Dunedin. He would favor the former. There were two most important interests in the colony which have hitherto been neglected ; The fisheries and forests of the colony. In the former there were vast sources of

wealth waiting developement, the industry of fish curing and preserving needing only some slight assistance at the start to become what it is in other countries—a source of employment to the people and profit to the colony. The manner in which the forests of the colony are being destroyed without the slightest attempt to replenish them was a sin, and they would ask the House to deal with the question next session. CHEAP MONEY. Referring to cheap money he said that he would in no way pledge the Government. The question was one of vital importance to the colony, and needed to be approached with great care. It was very hard upon small farmers and those who desired to possess a small area of land that they should have to pay such high rates of interest as they do at present. Many plans had been suggested to remedy the evil, but the difficulties with which it is surrounded had not been fully considered. Nothing could be more disastrous to any country than a forced paper currency, and the experience of those who know anything of such a condition goes to prove that the prices of good# go up, and the value of the paper goes down, and the one desire of a country which under pressure has introduced sueh a currency is to redeem the paper and return to gold. It is not at all likely that such a system will be adopted here, and further, Government entering into the market would not increase the volume of money in circulation, but simply reduce the power of the existing banking institutions to assist their constituents. The land banks of Germany would not appear to suit the requirements of the colony. They were instituted for the purpose of enabling peasant holdings to be converted into fixed freeholds, but no similar conditions exist here. There might be legislation in the direction of obtaining money which could be granted in small sums (but only in small amounts) and under certain conditions by which small farmers could get the money at or 6 per cent., but it must be borne in mind that ibis would not clash with the business of the large and powerful companies, which did not care for this class of business. If such companies (which were a great and felt power) opposed the scheme, however, it could not be got through the House. A system of guaranteed mortgage debentures might be constituted, and, if so, it would be hailed with pleasure.

FEDERATION.

Ho then went on to explain his views on Federation, and sta f ed that the Bill now before the, Imperial Parliament was not satisfactory. It deprived the colonies of legislative independence, and if they knew anything of the Parliaments of New Zealand or those of the other colonies, they knew there was no measure of even the humblest description which they would be willing to delegate to the final legislation of any two men assisted by shoals of man from outside the colony. He had recently spoken to a member of the Victorian Legislature, who had assured him that in that colony it was not so understood, and that if it were the people would not be in its favor. He was convinced that if the Bill pawed it would be a dead letter, and if the colonies were asked to renounce, once and for all, their final legislation on a number of most important subjects in favor of a single Chamber with only two representatives from itself with a number of representatives from say Western Australia and Fiji, the answer would, he thought, be a refusal. What the New Zealand Government had asked the other colonies to agree to in the matter was that the Federal Parliament shou'd have power to initiate and complete Bills, but that these Bills should have no effect in any particular colony until adopted by the Legislature of that colony.

CUSTOMS DUTIES,

He had said before that he was neither a free-trader nor a protectionist. The Customs tariff should ba for revenue, purposes, and therefore industries should not bo made to depend upon it, as it would be necessarily of a fluctuating character. He would say to those friends who go strongly Directed to Customs duties, and who he noticed were generally importers, that a more logical tax than Customs could scarcely be imposed. He recognised the fact that the masses were the real source of power, and upon their prosperity depended the prosperity of the colony. The Government did not want the colony to show only that false splendour resulting from the display of wealth by a few rich people, they wanted to see wealth distributed in a large number of hands, and to see thousands of prosperous and happy homes. In answer to questions he said that the defence proposals of the Government depended largely upon the assistance of the volunteers, and every effort would be made to raise the force to the highest pitch of efficiency. Government thought that tire whole system of taxation should be revised. Ho could not go with the Roman Catholics in believing that they had a right to resist the payment of taxes which six-sevenths of the population believed necessary. He had been elected on promising to support the national system of education, and had he changed his views thereon he would have told the electors so, and asked whether they still wished him to represent them. Still he thought it was a question whether it might not be desirable in the future to consider if there were any danger of a race of children growing up without any belief in religion. Differences between sects prevented religious teaching in State schools at present, but it would be a bad thing if people of no religion crept in between the quarrels of sects, and children grew up believing in no religion. If the future population of New Zealand was to be like that it would be a very unhappy population. It would be better for the European population of the colonies to become extinct and give place again to the Maoris than for it tho grow up believing in no God and no religion. (Loud Applause). Those who had the interests of religion at heart, no matter what theii creed, should not let disputes between themselves interfere with those interests. If children were taught religion at home that was tho best plan, but if that were not done it might be necessary to consider (he subject in future. He was in favour of giving compensation to publicans who might be deprived of their business by any local option rote. Perhaps it might be desirable that Parliament should not always meet in the same centre- He was in favor of extending the franchise to women. Legislation prescribing Saturday half-holidays had been made in the

interests of employees, therefore the power of altering the day should not rest with the employers, though if it were more for the benefit of employees that it should be held on another day, employers might be allowed to have the liberty of altering it.

Mr T. I. Joynt moved and Dr. Frankish seconded—“ That this meeting thanks Sir Julius Yogel for the very able and important address which be has delivered this evening, and wishes to express its feeling that Sir Julius Vogel fully merits and possesses the confidence of the electots.” Carried with enthusiasm. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.