THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1893.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2515, 13 June 1893, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1893.

MR RHODES ON THE SURPLUS. 0« last Thursday evening, at Temuka, Mr Rhodes told his constituents that the surplus was due to the finance of the late Sir H. Atkinson, and when asked “ How long are we to expect the ghost of Sir Harry Atkinson to preside over our finances ?” he was so affected that he could not attempt to answer the question. The question was not in good taste, certainly ; but what was it to Mr Rhodes’s conduct in robbing the late John Ballance of any credit for the splendid financial results produced. According to Mr Rhodes’s own utterances, the Property Tax had been abolished, and the Land and Income Tax has been collected partly from a different class of people, yet it was all Sir Harry Atkinson’s work. The late Mr Ballance deserved no credit for it. There is only two ways of explaining this: either Mr Rhodes is a very silly man himself, or else ho believes that his constituents are as stupid as their own cattle and, sheep. The story of New Zealand finance for the larf seven years is asfollows “ In 1886 the . Stout-Vogel (Joyernment introduced a bill to increase Chistoms duties, in order to get sufficient to pay their way. Parliament thro* Ottt the Bill, and the cry of “Keep the Minis*7 » n * ® n< * e . ir ™ ea ’ sures out,” was raised by i- cobie Mackenzie, Mr Rolleston, and other freetraders. Now the effect of the freetrade madness of these gentlemen was to add h»]f a million of money to the debt of the colony, for in 1887, when Sir Harry Atkinson took over the government of istry there was a deficit of £92,000. the colony from the Stout-Vogel MinThe late Mr Ballance, who was then leader of the Opposition, warned Sir Harry to provide at once for the falling revenue by increasing the Customs duties, but he refused to do so because the majority of his supporters consisted of men like Mr Rhodes and Mr Scobie Mackenzie, who were wedded to freetrade, and would not support him. Sir Harry Atkinson delayed taking action until 1888, as the freetraders would not support him, with the result that he had a deficit of £528,000. Of this £400,000 was added to the debt of the colony, and £28,000 was raised by means of the primage duty. And this is what we owe to the freetraders—half a xxxillion additional indebtedness. In 1888, however, Sir Harry saw he could not go on at this rate, and

so he introduced practically the same measure as the Stout-Vogel Government had brought in two years before. Messrs Rhodes, Scobie Mackenzie & Go., offered strenuous opposition to it, and only for the Liberal party it would have been rejected as it had been in 1886. The majority of Sir Harry Atkinson’s supporters were freetraders, and they voted against him to a man, but the Hill was passed by the help of the Liberals. Thus the Bill was first introduced by the StoutVogel Government and rejected; then it was brought forward by Sir Hrrry Atkinson and carried with the assistance of Mr Ballance and the Liberal party, and this is the same measure which is now called “ Sir Harry Atkinson’s finance,” and this is what all admit has reinstated confidence, produced the surplus, and made the colony prosperous. Wo challenge, Mr Bhodes, Mr Rolleston, or any one else to prove that this- is not correct, and if so. Who ought to get credit for it 1 Who first introduced the measure! The i-ibersls, led by Sir Robert Stout. Who helped Sir Harry Atkinson to carry it 1 The Liberal party, led by the late John Ballance. Who opposed it, and thus caused half a million to be added to the public debt of the colony 1 Mr Rhodes and his friends. He said so himself last Thursday evening, and yet he and his friends have the unspeakable assurance to turn round now aud try to rob the Liberal party of the credit of it. Mr Rhodes’s conduct needs no further comment, but we would ask farmers and others as well, how long will they put up with being treated like children, and told fairy tales like this ? We charge Mr Rhodes, Mr Rolleston, aud those who generally vote with them, with having done all they possibly could to prevent either the Stout-Vogel Minisriy or the late Sir Harry Atkinson carrying the measure which they now assert has saved the colony; we further charge them with having, through thus opposing the measure, been the cause of adding £400,000 to the debt of the colony, and we ask our readers to reflect on these f icts—for facts, indisputable facts, they are—and say will they repose confidence in the Liberal party, who have made the country prosperous, or in the party who worked hard to ruin it 1

MR BHODES AND THE TEMUKA LEADER. Wb learn that many people do not understand the meaning of the attack Mr Rhodes made on the Tbmuka Leader in hia recent speech. The 1 circumstances are as follows :—When Constable Morton left Temuka, those who attended the sale of his furniture had an opportunity of seeing the miserable accommodation the police station afforded, and we published an article calling attention to it. We sent this article to the Hon. Mr Seddon, who immediately telegraphed to Mr Inspector Pender to report on the subject. A week or so afterwards a Government engineer came to Temuka, and he recommended that £3OO should be speut on the improvements. Everything was thus settled long before the meeting of Parliament, but no sooner did Mr Rhodes take his seat in the House than he asked the Minister a question about the Temuka police station. This appeared very ridiculous to us, who had done the woak, and we published a short paragraph making fun of him for trying to secure credit for work which another had done. This paragraph got Mr Rhodes’s ire up, and this is what he referred to last Thursday evening. We should not have taken any notice of it, only for the fact that Mr Rhodes could not even discuss this trifling matter without letting his spiteful hatred of the Government bq seen. He said the cause of the delay in getting the work done was either due to the Temuka Leader stopping it or to the Government keeping back the money to swell the surplus. Fancy that the Government should keep back the paltry sura of £3OO to swell a surplus of over half a million ! The idea is too ridiculous, but if Mr Rhodes would like to know the cause of the delay we shall tell him. In last November Mr Twomey met the Honorable Mr Sendon in Christchurch, and represented to him that the Temuba Post office was nearly as much in need of repairs as the Police Station. Just about that time the engineer in charge of the Canterbury district was removed, and some delay occurred through this. On the 7th of last March, however, two Government officers, one of whom was Mr Ussher, Government engineer, visited Temuka, aud inspected both the Police Station and the Post Office. The result is that the Post Uffice as well as the Police Station is going to be repaired, aud that is what caused the delay. The Police Station was delayed on account of the Post Office. The best thing Mr Rhodes can do now is to bring the Post Office up in Parliament, aud make people believe that he got it done. When Mr Rhodes was elected for Gladstone tho people of Fairlie Creek wanted to get a Court held there once a mouth Mr Rhodes represented thedistrict for three years, and though his friends wm in power Fairlie Creek got no court. Major Steward was elected for the district last, election, and a few mouths afterwards, Fairlie Creek not only had a court, but had also the telephone extended to Burke’s Pass. Mr Rhodes bewailed the fact that there was uo in this district for settlement, but q 0 same opportunities as Maj,7" steward, who has had large tracts of land opt.’ 10 ** in the Wairaate district, ou which large numbers of Temuka people have gone to live. There was no Crown Lands in Waimate, but Major Steward got the Government to give some land in exchange for education reserves, and thus made the settlement. There is the differeice between a member who looks after the interests of the district, and one who does not. Major Steward made laud for settlement in Waimate; Mr Rhodes is very sorry that nothing has been done for this district, and we feel jertain nothing will be done so long as he f(sprt,s?nts it. These are all facts, aud if Mr Rhodes show that we have said anything which is net- true we are willing to publish any correction he may write.