MR. STAFFORD, M.H.R, AT TIMARU.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 116, 28 April 1870, Page 5

MR. STAFFORD, M.H.R, AT TIMARU.

From the "Daily Times" report of Mr. Stafford's speech, we make a few extracts. The speech occupied five columns in the " Times " of Friday last, and was transmitted to that journal by telegraph, occupying nine hours and three quarters in its transmission. After a general introduction and making special reference to Timaru affairs, Mr. Stafford said :—: — "It has been by continual agitation thatall important reforms have been obtained. I have found that to be the case throughout the world ever since I have given attention to public affairs ; but I am sorry to say that I have never known an important reformation or social amelioration which was not the result of long and continued agitation. I have never known one spontaneously and freely accorded by existing authorities. The existing system, whatever it may be, creates necessarily a number of vested interests, and those vested interests do not like to be disturbed, whether they call themselves Conservatives, Whigs, or Radicals. In fact the most determined Radical is generally Conservative to the extent of not liking to see his own»system disturbed, or any of his privileges taken away. The existing system in New Zealand has created a great many interests. There are a great many men who depend upon ! the maintenance of the existing state of affairs in the provinces, and they will therefore fight almost to the death ito maintain it. Even if three-fourths

of the constituencies desired to abolish the provinces to-morrow, the provinces would not be abolished until after a long and bitter struggle." On the subject of roads and bridges and public works generally Mr. Stafford said : " 1 do not think it should be that the development of this country and tho means of obtaining a safe and rapid mode of communication between all parts of the colony should depend upon the caprice of one or two individuals. (The speaker here referred to Superintendents.) I should like to see such a system estabblished, as part of the policy of the colony, as would insure that every dangerous river between Southland and Auckland should be bridged, and that every road necessary should be made across wet ground, or any ground that impeded transit . I want to see the con ntry brought together, and it is not the least matter to me, looking at it from a national point of view, from which our children will look at it -I say it is no satisfaction to me to know that one particular part of the country may have a few good bridges, when, passing over an arbitrary line made in the Survey Office by a stroke of the pen, I come to a road that is absolutely impassable and rivers that are every day dangerous to life. That is not a pleasant reflection to me. We have isolated ourselves from the home community, and it would seem that we are determined to isolate ourselves more from each other here. In this country— a country which I have no hesitation in saying nature and God intended should carry five and twenty millions of people in health, wealth, and a contented state of life, being a country two million acres larger than Great Britain and Ireland, and having a climate much superior, and a soil equally if not more productive — there is only a population of a quarter of a million. In the old country, they have thirty millions, with great pressure and want amongst them. The smallness of the population here is not owing to the lack of fertility in the soil, but to the form of the constitution growing up. When we know we have two million acres greater area here, and a climate where human being 3 can live at a greater altitude than in Great Britain, 1 do not see why we should stop at a quarter of a million of people, but should endeavour to build \ip in the South Sea, the home of a nation, happy, prosperous, and contented. It appears to me that we are determined to sit down under a system that resembles a man having to cross a dangerous river, and first binding his hands and feet. We have bound our hands and feet — determined to live in a small, petty, isolated manner, with the petty aims and the petty ends of petty states. — (Applause and laughter.) The policy I should like to see north and south i 3 the policy I have stated, namely, to open and people all parts of the country simul-taneously—-to open up the country for settlement and increase its population." The immigration question is one upon which Mr. Stafford is equally at home. He says -" We have heard a goou many speeches and allusions to the question of immigration. Now, a great addition to the population of the country is absolutely necessary, in order that it may achieve the position nature intended for it in our generation. But I shall never be a party to shovel people within our borders and then abandon them, or to vote sums of money by way of loan, to be expended for those purposes by the provinces. I Avant to see a well-con-sidered system laid down, which will involva the completion of a chain of public works from Auckland to the Bluff, and contemporaneously involve the introduction of persons who, by means of such works, may obtain engagements for at least from six to twelve months, leaviKg them free at the same time to leave in order to adopt permanent industries. 1 do not want to make slaves of them. That is foreign to ourselves, and would only recoil on the heads of those who attempted it. But I desire to see the honest, hard-working people of the old country, who ask uothing more than ' a fair day's wages for a fair day's work,' coming out here, and us saying to them, ' we will employ you for a specified time, and give you the means of settling yourselves.' I would employ them on the great arterial works of the colony, at least the bulk of them, but not them exclusively, because I would not refuse labour to any man who wanted it. I have said that while I believe a system of that sort is essential if the country would prosper, I should not be a party to immigration or public works being carried out by provincial loans for that purpose, because many of the provinces are absolutely incapable of giving security for loans. After the sacrifices the colony has made to consolidate loans and place them on a proper footing on tho London Exchange, it is absurd to think that provinces will be allowed to borrow unless security be given for the loans they propose. The majority of the provinces are unable to give that, and therefore to adopt such a system as I have indicated, by the agency of the provinces, is simply to say that a large portion of New Zealand is not be-peopled or opened up for settlement. There is another reason why I am opposed to the sanctioning of any such loans to the provinces. It would lead to the system known by the American term, imported into our language (I only wish that we could adopt some of their good measures, as well as their slang), and known as " log rolling." There would be such log rolling as to which province should get a loan, and to what amount, that it would be impossible for a fair and impartial Government to exist. There is still another reason, and perhaps the most important of all, why I should entertain the objection I have mentioned — it would be perpetuating the vicious system of having one party to lay taxes upon the people, and anotheir irresponsible body to spend them." Taxation is a subject on which Mr. Stafford is equally sound. " You will not," he says, " have an economical system of Government so long as you do not bring the taxpayers face to face with the man who spends the money. — (Applause.) We have never had that system, and under the system of allowing provinces to incur further debts we shall never have it. I am aware there are parties who come up to the Assembly with large tails behind them — and some of the Superintendents did have large tails — complaining to the Government of the day that money must be found for them. They do not say that they are fond of taxation — that

would be an unpopular cry— but they say. ' You must find us a certain amount of money fco spend ; we don't say how you are to find it, that is your affair.' So long as there are hvo treasuries in the country, that system will increase — increase until it strangles us." Although he (Mr. Stafford) believed the Government were doing their best to establish peace, still by certain acts they had laid themselves open to animadversion. He referred to the difference between their professions and their practice. They promised to give £150,000 of war, or peace, as it was indifferently called. They sent a large expedition to Wunganui and Taupo under Major Kemp and Topia. At Opotiki they took some prisoners and followed Te Kooti. That was an aggressive measure, but it was, he thought, a proper one. But to say that their policy differs from that of the late Government, while each was determined to hunt down Te Kooti, dead or alive, is scarcely correct. Let us call things by their plain proper names, and say that it is the conquest of peace which the present Government are following. Gentlemen, they profess a defensive policy, and yet they send out the largest body of men which has ever been sent. He honoured them for being bolder than their pi-ofes-sions. But do not let us suppose that the professions they made are in accordance Avith the course they are pursuing. If he thought the Government wero likely to change their opinions upon provincial matters as they have done with regard to Native affairs, he should be one of their strongest supporters, but he believed they dare not do it. They arc supported by the majority of the Superintendents and Provincial Executives who come up at the rate of three and four at a time, and they are bound to govern as the strings are pulled by their friends. The present Constitution is that you will not have from the Government any change. After finishing his address, Mr. Stafford, in reply to a question on the subject of Land Revenue, to which he had not made any reference in his speech, said there was practically no land fund. In Auckland there was only a very small quantity of land to be sold. Taranaki had much very fine land, but it was known as confiscated and belonged to the colony. From Wellington no land fund could be expected. When land funds were mentioned therefore it practically meant Canterbury and Otago. Nelson and Marlborough had very little land, and although Southland had a large quantity, it was deeply involved in debt, for which the land would have to pay. He thought that the land fund should be applicable to places where it had arisen, and that what was called a land fund was not a land revenue, but a contribution from a number of persons to be devoted to the improvement of the Common Instate in the district where that Land Fund accrued — (applause) — otherwise it would be neither fair nor equitable. When he said, that the General Government should have the control of Public Works, he referred to arterial communication, and such works as Harbours, also to Immigration and Police, ihe latter of which he had previously ommittcd to mention. These should be carried out by a Colonial Loan. The work should not bo limited to one spot, but should go all over the country, to open up the land wherever it was worth opening up, and the Land Fund shotild be left alone. — (Applause.)