THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1893. NEW SOUTH WALES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2534, 27 July 1893, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1893. NEW SOUTH WALES.

Mr Ninan Melville, a member of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, who is at present in this colony lecturing under tho auspices of the temperance p<rty, has been iuterviewed by a representative of tho Otago Daily Times, and a most interesting resume of tho condition of that colony is the result. Tho chief topic discussed was the labor question, which at tho present time appears to be uppermost in tho minds of most people. The Labor Party in Parliament, Mr Melville said, had done nothing in particular, as they divided themselves “ into two equal parts,” but they claimed to have prevented objectionable legislation. There has, however, been passed a One-man-one-vote Bill, which is claimed to be the crowning pieco of legislation of the last session. “Thebill provides for ouc-mau-one-vote, single seats, registration of votes, and a reduction in the number of members by 10. In the first instance electors’ rights will bo issued through the post by registered letter to every elector on the present rolls. Any elector who is not on the present rolls and entitled to vote can procure his right

by applying to the registrar without any payment. The polling is to be all on one bay, and must take place within 28 days after the dissolution of Parliament. The electorate must contain in number between 1800 and 2200 electors. The general opinion as to the effect of this measure is that it will be disastrous in many electorates to the Labor cause, because there is now to be no deposit of £4O, and any person who chooses can become a candidate by securing the signature of six electors. _ Thus, should there be more than one candidate f'6r a seat in the interest of Labor, the inevitable result must be to divide what should be a solid force into one or more parts, and the probable result will be the defeat of the party.” This is a moat important measure. The very thing which the Legislative Council of New Zealand wanted to give women last year is therefore given to everyone in New South Wales, and the result will bo looked to with interest. Whether the electoral-right system or the ballot system is the best is a matter which experience alone can determine. If the electoral system works well there can bo no doubt that it would be the most convrniont. Mr Melville also thinks that the Labor Party will destroy the Oue-man-ouc-vote franchise by running too many candidates. He will find out that he is mistake]). The Labor Parry is now beginning to realise its power, and it means to exercise it. It will be found that even if several candidates offer themselves, only one will bo chosen to represent labor. Mr Melville’s account of how the distress has come about in New South Wales is also very interesting. The Income Tax, which was carried by immense majorities in the Lower House, was rejected by the Legislative Council, and consequently the Government was forced to retrench. The result, of course, was that large numbers wore thrown out of employment. Mr Melville, however, thinks that increased taxation of some kind will be absolutely necessary. No doubt it will. In 1885 Sir Julins Vogel proposed to increase taxation by £IBO,OOO in New Zealand, but the Conservative Party rejected his proposals. Three years afterwards they had to submit to it increased two-fold, and now they are paying three or four times as much as they did then. Thus Nemesis has overtaken them, and it will overtake New South Wales too. Then the building Societies of New South Wales failed, and next the banks, resulting, of course, in a tremendous contraction of public and private expenditure and consequently in great distress, and only for the Government coming to the aid of the banks things would have' been ton times worse. Mr Melville gives many instances of hardship, and mentions that a mine-owner found it necessary to dismiss half his employees, but the workmen asked him to keep them on on half time instead. He refused to do so, and a large number of men were “ called” out. Now this was an act of cruelty. The men were willing to share the work with each other, but the callous-hearted employer, sooner than put himself to any inconvenience, threw half of them on the world. The Government is now providing charitable aid, and many who thought themselves comfortably off are in receipt of it. The Government has also commenced to establish village settlements, and they advance money to enable them to go on the land. Married men get £25, and single men £ls, but the scheme has only been initiated, and its success remains to be seen.