THE WAIRAPAPA SEAT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3012, 8 October 1908, Page 5

THE WAIRAPAPA SEAT.

MR W. C. BUCHANAN AT FERNRIDGE. Mr Buchanan addressed the electors of Fernridge in the Upper Plain Schoolroom last evening. There was an attendant cf about thirty persons, the chair being occupied by Mr W. J. Welch, who formally introduced fhe candidate to his audience.

Mr Buchanan's opening remarks were on similar lines to those ac his meeting at Miki Miki. The speaker said that so far as his work as a public man was concerned, he thought he could claim that he devoted more i time to public affairs almost than to his own. He again referred to the ma"-.ner in which electorates were cut about to meet the demands of the population in respect of an equi-dis-tribution for electoral purposes. Although the settlers he was addressing might feel put about at having been severed from the Mastcrton electorate, it was really the only way out of the difficulty unless Masterr.on itself was cut in half. Touching on land matters, the speaker said that in 1902 there was a majority in favour of freehold in he House. The then Premier (Mr Seddori) was doubtful about which p«rty ho would support th' 3 town or the cojutrv. The Land Commission followed, costing the country about £IO,OOO, which reported in favour of the optional freehold. Naturally a Bill in support of the recommendations was anticipated, but io e came. In 1905 came the general < lections, and subsequently the letrulatirm for locking "p the huge area of land for educat'on and ewhwrmnt purposes. The position so far at the two Premiers was concerned was that Mr Seddon was the dog which wagged the seven Cabinet tails, while Sir Joseph Ward was the dog wagged by the seven tails. The sp akor thought it would be a sorry day for New Zealand if ever it had to rely solely fur revenue for. education and rid age pen?iors I'pon the land' set for their endowment. Again referring to the graduated tax, Mr Buchanan said he kiew settlers paving as much as £5,000 per year under this "confiscation" tax. He thought it was a great sham? that settlers who had taken up land in the rough in the eariy days, and ' ad greatly improved it, should have it taken from thein by "confiscilion" legislation. This year the Government had found that no less than £117,000 more was paid in laud tax tlvin in a r y previous year. The candidate said that little else could be expected from the present Ministry, the opinions of mpmbers of which the speaker quoted to show how strongly such members felt in favour of lax ng land. One had even gone so far as to s.iv that he would run the railways cf the Dominion free to all who them, and make the railways pay bv means of taxation of land vilu23. Mr Buchanan quoted various instances to show how settlers were taxed at lessened expense to the urban population, a system against which the speaker stated he had always protested. Regarding the "tHihoa" policy of dealing with Native lands, Buchanan said the only way he cculd account for it was because the Native Minister was noted for being one of these whose policy was never to do to-day what could be put off till tomorrow. (Laughter.) j The question of roads and bridges j was not now a vital one for settlers j in and around Masterton, though in the real backblocks country it was still a very real difficulty. In regard to the expenditure under this head, the Goven ment had broken faith year after year in a characteristic way. The speaker laid special stress on the tendency of tie appropriation for roads and bridges to lall oft" each year until election year, \yJUn the uiual promise was made of a big expenditure—a promise never fulfilled. Lavish trouble an'l expense was gona to on the other hand to accoipir.osate the tourist. An extract fiom a r,ort£sem paper was quoted to show how much liberality was shown to the tourist in the way of providing him .with accommodation, the extract describing the new bath house at Rotorui. Mr Buchanan said he wondered how the backblock settllr felt when he read such matter, and contemplated his own immediate surroundings. The candidate's remarks undtr this head met with expressions of apnroval. Mr Buchanan also criticised the large amount (£80,000) spent on the Dunedin railway station, and the proposed expenditure in regard to the Parliamentary Buildings, Government offices, and a Governcr's residence. The estimated cost of the latter projects was about half a million, and it was well-known that estimates of architects ware usually on the low side.

Coming to finanical matters, Mr Buchanan said that a while back a financial crash was experienced in the United States. The Opposition at once urged caution in the matter of public expenditure, to meet any depression which might follow in Naw Zealand. They were accused of crying "stinking fish," but the recent remarks of the Chairman of the Bank of New Zealand —a bank in which the Government of New Zealand were largely interestedbore out exactly what the Opposition had anticipated, that sympathetic depression would follow in New Zealand. As a matter of fact the fall in the amount received in New Zealand last year from its produce was about £4,0*00i000; the drop in wool alone representing £3.000,000; and in butter about £300,000. The speaker said ; he was not opposed to borrowing—he himself had 1 borrowed as a'settler—but he had always done so with' caution, and this was what he contended the Government of the'country should do. He trusted New Zealand was in for better times in theimmediate future. Mr Buchanan then passed on to labour matters. While it was agreed that farm labourers should have tlie right to form a unioi. as well as any other class of workers, it would also be admitted that it was impossible for a Court to lay down hard and fast rules for the guidance of farm labour. The speaker had never been opposed to unions, believing that where persons had interests in common they should unite to protect themselves. He quoted Parliamentary extracts to show that his attitude had always been in favour of conciliation as opposed to compulsory arbitration. New Zealand, the boasted "land without strikes," had been more racked with

i strikes during the past two years than any other country in the world in proportion to population. Members of the Cabinet had made great professions about "obedience tn the law," even though impusoriment of strikers resulted, but bis hearers knew with how much fidelity they had adhered to their professions. I Referring to the amending Bill I brought down this session, the speaker created considerable interest and amusement by displaying a copy of the Bill with the new portion tinted red. the excised portion ti< ted black, and the original portions left uncoloured, ver> little of the 1 tier being, of course, showing. Thisv-as the Bill, the speaker siid, which (he Government brought down wiin a great flourish, stating that they l ad solvi d the difficulty of the breaking down of the Aef, and sj forth The speaker thought no good was going to arise 'from compulsory arbitration, but he had some faith in tho provision of the amending legislation providing for conciliation He luHeved that in most cases a?ieements between men and employers wuuid be come to. Tf e trouble in the labour world was rf; lly th'j. p.-eser.ce in it of rank Socialists. H did not believe in Socialism, and thought it would be a bad thing if eve.- the Domifion was ruled under Socialism. A lot bad been heard about the increased co t of living, and the effect of tariffs upon it. When the most recent tariff reforms were under discussion ,by the House, the Opposition had opposed decreases in dity on sich articles as si'k, satin?, plushea,-etc!, and supported strongly any reduction affecting the welfare of farmers. When the tariff was finally fixed, Mr Massey challenged the Premier to show one single item, excepting staples, where a reduction had been made in the <>uty which would be of benefit to the farming community. Coming to th* Second Bal'ot Bill, the speaker said that New Zealand was the land of experiments, and the •government was never tired of experimenting, taking a pride in the bul:-:ihfcSß of the yearly volume of statutes. What/ had done the Old Country. Australia, and New Zealand itstlf for many yearns was not now good enough for our Dominion. He referred scathingly to the "tyrannous" attempts made to gag the Press and the public under the Bill, stating that what the Government had strenuously attempted might have been expected from, say, the Kaiser, or the Czar of Russia. It was, moreover, most unfair to candidates for country electorates to ext ect them to cover within a week the large districts comprised in the constituency. Mr Buchanan prophesied that the Act would be a short lived one, as it failad to reuogniFe the principle.that the minority had rights. Personally, he believed strongly i.t proportional representation —that the Opposition should have representation in the House in pro portion 11 the number of its sup porters throughout the Dominion The cardidste referred again to educational matters, advocating strongly the improvement of the condition cf country school stall's. His remarks on this poin-t were approved by his hear ; ers. Ths Shearers Accommodation Bill was a source of no little humcu! to the alienee. Mr Buchanan s.tatii'g, when dealing with it, that i' had rot <?v°n be?n asked for by tlu shear*im thdmselve.-'. The spanker had always found s'reare-s fn:r men to deal with, arid not ■' xp?cting >vu*i the Bill propositi to p*o\i'' j.oi them. Socialism vves the r.ext Subject dealt with, ths speaker quoting instance.-; of luw the Government's Social efforts i i co d dealing so far had work-.d nut in practice. Comparisons were made to show that what the Government members, v.ho favoured Socialism, were advccati..g was a sjs'.m of ''G:\crnment stroke,". (Laug!t.:r) Hospital I.J C..citable Aid administration were the next touched upon, Mr Eucl.anan cjr.tendirg that local government was what WS3 wanted in this district, and had been wanteu, so far as Charitable AiJ w?s concerned, since 1855. The speaker ,asked, where was the Bill affecting this matter which was to have been brought down by the House this session? It had never come down, and he hoped that whoever was returned for the electorate he would never cease to advocate local government in both Hospital and Charitable Aid matters.' . ;

The legislation passed last year in respect of bookmakers betting on racecourses was trenchantly criticised, the speaker hoping it wo .Id soon be effaced from the Statute Book. Mr Buchanan then resumed his scat amid prolonged applause. The chairman invited questions, but none were asked.

Mr D. McGregor, sen., in moving a hearty vote of thinks to the candidate, said that while the district had felt a little sore at being cut out of its old electorate, settlers felt pleased that on the otner hand they had such a vutsran politician and settler as a candidate. Mr McGregor said he was sure the settlers present felt that the time had come when men should be returned to Parliament who had a stake in the country, and not politicians of the carpet-bag variety. Mr Buchanan was, he thought, a most desirable representative, and the speaker had great pleasure in moving a hearty, vote of thanks to him for his able address.

Mr F. Evans seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously, loud applause following, besides vociferous expressions of approval. The candidate briefly thanked the meeting for its patient md sympathetic hearing, and the vote of thanks, and moved a comp'imentary Vote to the chair, which was carried by acclamation.

ADDRESS AT KAITUNA. Mr Buchanan addressed a meeting at Kaituna on Tuesday night, the attendance being excellent. Mr W. L. Falconer occupied the chair. The speech was on the lines of that delivered at Miki Miki, and was sympathetically received by the audience, various questions being satisfactoi'ily answered. Mr Buchanan was ac corded a heavy vote of thanks at the conclusion.