The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1886. SIR JULIUS VOGEL’S SPEECH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1519, 30 November 1886, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1886. SIR JULIUS VOGEL’S SPEECH.

Last Frb’nv ■ vening Sir Julius Yogel paid bu long-promised visit to Tuapeka, in Otago, and addressed ft meeting there. The speeeb was so meagre that those present were not able to restrain therrselvos from giving expression to their disappointment with it, and the seconder of the vote of thanks said it was not worthy of the high position held by the speaker. The bint was so broad that Sir Julius felt it necessary to apologise, and to explain that be did not think it wise to disclose the policy of the Government at present. The speech was certainly a miserable fiasco, Sir Julius Yogel can make as good a speech as any man in New Zealand, but, as if language bad been given to him to conceal bis thoughts, be only referred to a few local matters, told mining anecdotes, buttered up the representatives of the district, and wound up with some reference to one or two topics of general interest. Nothing was said about the depression ; in fact, it would seem as if everything appeared to the ministerial eye painted in roseate colors, and wearing the benignant smile of unparalelled prosperity. Even the anticipated deficit was nothing to give him the least concern. He said :

“ It is an open secret that the revenue has not kept up to the amount it was expected to yield. The chief fall has been in customs revenue, and you are all aware that it is in oonseqence principally of the more temperate habits of the people of the country. It would be a strange thing to call that a misfortune, because it is clear if the money is not spent in strong drink there mutt be more to contribute to taxation in other ways. Another cause of the falling off is in the ad valorem duties, which have yielded less because there has been a reduction in the cost of the imports brought into the colony. Whether this is a cause for congratulation or not depends upon your opinion as to the development of local industries. But if through the cheapness of imports there is a loss to the customs, it is easy to see that consumers have not only been paying a less amount for the imports but also less duties. So 1 cannot think it an unmixed misfortune. I only refer to it to say that the Government are making it an object to retrench as far as possible in all directions the expenditure of the colony—as far, that is to say, as it can be done consistently with the efficiency of the public service, and I think 1 may add with fairness to the country districts in the way of giving them privileges of a similar character to those which the large towns enjoy. But I need scarcely tell you that if each of the members of the House bad to decide upon what should be the expenditure within their own districts, there would be no retrenchment, but a large increase of expenditure. On the other hand, if each member was allowed to decide what should be the expenditure within the district for which he was not a representative, there would no doubr. be a great amount of economy and probably an equal amount of discontent. (Hear, hear.) ” It would not hare been a misfortune if the people bad become temperate cat of eboice, bat when we know that it is absolute want of money that bas contracted their spending powers, we cannot at all congratulate the country on the result. Sir Julius Vogel blunders egregiously in believing that the money which the people have not spent in drink is still in the colony. It is not, for the reason that if the people have been so abstemious, it is because they have not had the money with which to purchase drink. His reference to the way in which other countries have been pouring into this colony their surplus of cheap rubbishy goods is also worthy of some consideration. It comes to this. Factories in England after having made a season’s profit on their goods find it necessary to dispose of the suplus remaining on their hands, and they sell them to this colony at less than they would sell them in England. In this way they ruin local industries, and this is one of the things we ought to guard against. We ought to protect our local industries against rubbish of this kind. On the question of farther borrowing he was more explicit. He said : 11 If I bad spoken to you last year I should have gone very largely into the question of the construction of railways and of future lines ; but there bas been a change since then. The last loan brought forward by the Government did not yield a price which the colony bad a right to consider satisfactory, and I am of opinion that the House will consider it wise for some time to come to carry only to completion the railways which ate now authorised, and to abstain as far as possible from going to the London market for fresh loans.” (Applause.) This alone was satisfactory. Borrowing has come to an end for some lime. To stop borrowing is possible now, because we shall have the money of the West Coast railway in London, and we shall be able to tide over the difficulty by careful management. This contraction of Sir Julius Vogel’s ideas will be received with gladness throughout the colony, and it will greatly assist in the Ministry establishing themselves in the confidence of the country. The great objection against the present Ministry has been all along that the chief feature of their policy had been more borrowed money, otherwise they are very capable and very good administrators. This objection is removed ; they mean to oease borrowing and to settle down into practical people bent on developing the industrial resources of the colony. Under these circumstances we see no reason why the colony should not still repose confidence in them, and place them in a more independent position than ever next election. We should be glad to see this, lor certainly uow they are the best team ws could place in power. *