POLITICAL ADDRESS

Temuka Leader, Issue 2351, 3 May 1892, Page 3

POLITICAL ADDRESS

Sir John Hall addressed the electors at Leeston on Thursday night. There was a fair attendance, and a vote of thanks and confidence was passed without dissent. He said that the change of the electoral boundaries? had actod op Bljosipere like dynamite and split it all to pieces. Ho did not agree that this was a Government manoeuvre, though they were no doubt capable of much wickedness. The fault lay in the law, which sacrificed everything to equality of population, The Premier’s speeches in their abuse of tljo Legislative Council and their endeavour tp set class against class were unworthy of his position, and the cause of distrust both in and out of the colony. Mr speech at Christchurch yA 3 H r f » Msh<A }cye|. The surplus lor 1891-2 was to Atkinsouiau finance. ie p ro ! perty tax. being left in operation fov the last year credit was duo to the late. Government. Of rqtrpuphment there was little evidence. The Atkinson Government had }eft a million in sinking fund and loan moneys which was all voted

away last session, and we were galloping to a loan against the wishes of the electors at last election. He strongly condemned the vote for the Thames railway as a political job. He contrasted the bearing of the new taxation on land and on personal property in order to show how milch more heavily it bore on the former. He could see no reason why in the matter of a graduated tax, there should be such a difference between personal and landed property. The tax on improvements he condemned as impolitic a nd un j ust,and he said that in the Financial Statement it was even proposed to make improvements pay a graduated tax. Mr Ballanco’s argument that the large improvers u could aflord it ” he declared to be the morality of a highwayman. Hansard, as well as the Act, showed distinctly that ministers proposed to tax money lent on debentures twice over. On the discouragement of capital he said that the statements of ministers were contradictory, and that there was no doubt that capital was being withdrawn. The rise in interest would fall on those least able to bear it. He cited figures to show the enormous areas of Crown land sold during the Grey Administration, when largo estates were acquired, and said that Mr Ballance spoke of these sales with approval. The amendment of the Electoral Law had been sacrificed by Government insisting on a residential qualification being the only one. He argued strongly for the representation of minorities. The objectors he said were not Liberals but Tories clinging to a monopoly of power. The progress of the women’s suffrage question had been satisfactory, and he was confident that it would be law before the present Parliament expired. An important question before the country was the attack on the Legislative Council. The Council had not resisted the will of the people, only that of the Premier. The duty of a second chamber was to give the people an opportunity for considering and deciding such questions. He stated that the number of present members of the Legislative Council appointed by the two parties was about equal. He admitted Mr Reeves’ claim that the Government should have a fallowing, but denied its right to swamp the Council. He quoted extracts to show that “ a single assembly was the most perfect organisation of despotism.” He did not consider that Ministers had a right to be consulted about the selection of a Governor. The Governor, to be impartial, should owe nothing to any political paity in the colony. This claim would reach to others of far reachind consequence. It was everybody’s interest and wish to have the Crown lands settled, the only difference was as to how best to do it. Mr Richardson’s plan to give freedom of choice had been very successful. The present Ministers preached freehold to country settlers, and leasehold to town audiences; meantime, by farm homestead associations, they were forcing leasehold on the colony. It was premature to say that Mr McKenzie’s administration was a success. He quoted a friend who had been invited to join such an association to show that they were formed largely by speculators, many of whom would not settle on land. The eyes would be picked out of blocks and settlement hindered. He would vote for a continuance of the right of freehold; the leaseholders would themselves demand it.