GERALDINE LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1937, 31 August 1889, Page 2

GERALDINE LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY.

There was a very fair attendance of the members of the above society present at the library of the Geraldine Literary Institute on the occasion of the first debate of the above society. Mr J. Aitken, 8.A., president of the society, occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed Mr J. Mundell was voted to the chair to allow of Mr Aitken opening tbe debate. Mr Aitken attacked the policy of the Government, and Mr Webster defended.

Mr Aitken commenced by saying that although attacking the Government he did not intend to identify himself with the Opposition. H e took the policy from the Governor’s speech. One point in that speech was that the reductions made in the civil service had been effected without impairing that service. It was impossible to know in such a short time whether the service was impaired or not. It was only when good men whose salaries had been reduced had had an opportunity of leaving for something better that the service would be impaired. The revenue might well increase, Kew Zealand was the only country in the world where every article that was imported was taxed. Even America and Yic- j toria, both of which were most pronounced protectionist countries, I were not so taxed as ISTew Zealand. In this country even articles said to I be admitted free had to pay a primage I

duty of I per cent, and it was little wonder the revenue increased. It had been decided that a Board of Railway Commissioners should be appointed, and that a person of sufficient ability to manage the railways should be got from the Old Country. Instead of this they coolly appointed the very same railway managers to be managers again. He (the speaker) did not know how Mr McEerrow would turn out, but the reilway I management was in the main the 1 same as it had been before. The Government thus broke faith with the country, As to not being! able to get a good enough man as manager, he could only point | out that the Hew South Wales Government had managed to get a good man to manage their railways. With regard to the Representation Bill, an important part of their policy, he condemned the Hare system and large electorates, as candidates would have to canvass these large districts where formerly they had only to canvass a smaller one. Major Atkinson had played right into the hands of the aristocrats. No person now without money at his back would be able to contest an election. Under the Hare system young and promising men would have vary little chance of showing themselves before the electors at all. He was glad to see that ; the clause which Sir George Grey had so long fought for, namely/ 1 one man one vote,” had been inserted in the Representation Bill. He would like to see the same system carried out in all elections, school committees included. (Hear, hear.) The present session had been so meagre that there was very little to speak about. The Property Tax was opposed to one of the first principles of taxation. One of these first principles was that savings should not be taxed. The Property tax said that when a man’s savings amounted to £SOO he should pay for them. An income tax would be the fairest mode of taxation, small incomes to be exempt. The Government were shirking their duty in not abolishing this unstatesmanlike tax. He next referred to the Education Act of 1877, and said that last session the Government took away a large share of the grant that should have gone to educate the peoples’ children, and they had also abolished the working average, making the teacher’s salary dependant upon the weather. When Major Steward’s Bill, which would have improved the Act, was brought forward this session they let it simply be thrown out, Sir Harry Atkinson filled up the Ministry with the dummies. The Government was really all under one hat. He told a story of how a certain district was supposed to be infested by robbers, how one man always went and bailed up the coaches, &c., and showed a large number of men ready to assist him. They afterwards turned out to have been dummies stuffed with straw. This was exactly what Sir H. Atkinson had done, he had got together a Ministry stuffed with straw. He had only to point to the Ward-Hislop affair and other cases to prove that the Ministry was composed of Sir H. Atkinson and a lot of dummies. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Mr Webster congratulated Mr Aitken for having made the best of a very weak case. It must have struck those present that he had had great difficulty in finding a reason for attacking them. With regard to the taxation he contended that the country had felt the burden but very little. We were suffering from so much misgovernment in the past by other \ Ministries that we could not complain at having to pay a little more in taxation now. Wo must pay for what has been wasted in the past. Constituencies had in the past sent up members to the House pledged to get as much as possible for their own particular district, and the consequence was that the country had now to pay for it. He thought the property tax was about the fairest tax they could have, and to do away with it would put the country to an immense expense. The property tax machinery was also now in perfect working order. Any other tax would be found insufficient. With regard to the „ Representation Bill he thought it probable that if the country had given the system brought forward by Sir H. Atkinson a fair trial it would have been found to work well. He believed a modification of the Hare System would be a benefit to the country at large. He believed in a man of ability being returned to the House, let him be ever so poor. He considered the system of canvassing very objectionable, and would like to see it abolished. He contended that had it not been for the obstruction caused by the Opposition the session would have been productive of an amount of really good work. The Charitable Aid Bill, the 1 Property Tax, and many other measures would have been dealt with. The fight over the Representation Bill was an attempt to repeal the Act that reduced the number of members. The temper of the country was such that it would not suffer such reversals of policy. New Zealand was now making ends meet. He quoted from the Emaneial News of Juno last to show that this was the opinion formed of New Zealand in England. Too splendid surplus shown by tho present Government was almost unprecedented, and deserved their confidence. If they were turned out they would bring in the remnant of a party that were ousted in 1887, and ■

he considered it behoved them to be very careful before they did such a thing as that. (Applause)The Rev. Mr Archibald thought the country was overgoverned and needed rest to recruit itself. Their satisfactory financial position would make him vote for the Government.

Mr Wilson Smith said the policy of the Government was so small that there was little to discuss. Their policy appeared to be to keep in office, _ He had very little confidence in either the Government or the Opposition, He approved of their policy in letting J the present system of taxation alone. He considered an income tax an unfair one and did not believe in the labour of any man being taxed. He thought the duty upon articles that could not be produced in the colony should be reduced. Articles of luxury should be taxed, but tobacco should be reckoned almost a necessity and taxed accordingly. He should vote against the Government.

Mr R. T. Ferguason did not approve of enlarging the constituencies; would bo in favor of an income tax, and would like to see absentees taxed. Thought Protection pressed hardly on the working classes. Would be in favour of keeping up the duty on tobacco. Mr A. Sherratt contended that the rise in wool and grain could not be taken credit for by the Government. It was the improved condition of the country that had made the surplus. He would support the property tax with a moderate income tax, but not a land tax. A man with a quarter-acre section might have £SOOO worth of property, and the land tax did not touch him, but it fell heavily upon the farmer with his few acres of land, who was perhaps living in a mud hut. He was greatly opposed to a man having to pay a shilling to bo placed on the roll, and this with the necessity for signing his name would disfranchise thousands in New Zealand. He agreed that the Ministry were dummies stuffed with straw. He should vote with the Opposition. Mr A. E. Hawkins did not believe the statement as to the surplus. It was all “bunkum”; no surplus ■existed. He should vote with the Opposition. Mr W. S. Maslin never had believed in the Government. They took credit for Liberal movements, but they bad been compelled to carry out these measures, and it was no credit to them. He could not imagine a more illiberal measure than the Representation Bill. It would disfranchise more than half the people, because they would not take the trouble to get themselves put on the roll. It was an essentially retrograde movement. Then with regard to the quota question, the towns very largely supported the country in the matter of education The country schools could not be kept up were it not for the surplus from the town. He thought every man should have one vote and no more. He heartily agreed with the property tax. He contended that the value of property had been increased by the expenditure of public money, and he thought those who had benefited should pay something back again. The wealthy had reaped this benefit, while the poor had got increased taxation on almost everything they used. Messrs Aitken and Webster having each replied to the arguments adduced, a vote was taken, with the result that seven voted for and eight against the Government. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.