THE COMING ELECTIONS

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 60, 24 November 1896, Page 3

THE COMING ELECTIONS

MR LANG AT HAMILTON. Mr La.vu addressed a large meeting at Hamilton East on Saturday nigh!. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Uey) took the chair and briefly introduced the speaker and asked for him a fair and attentive hearing. Mr Lang, on rising, was cordially received. His speech covered very much the same ground as in the address delivered by him at Mercer, and reported in our issue of the 14th inst. The first subject touched upon was the BANKIMi LEGISLATION. He said that in his opinion it would have been better that the Bank should have been allowed to fall, and commented severely on the fact that Parliament had either been wilfully deceived or what was the same in effect, Ministers had failed to grasp the position, as they represented to the House they had done. It was urged in support of State Fire lusurance that the companies by combination had practically established a monopoly, in bis opinion the concentration of the banking business of the colony in one large institution, controlled bv an unscrupulous ministry would be a very much more dangerous monopoly. The Committee appointed to inquire into the affairs of the Banks and the action of Ministers throughout the business ended as everybody anticipated, in the report submitted not being worth the paper it was written on. It would have been properly numed the " Tar and Feathering Committee." The whole of the proceedings were governed by two Ministers and with the exception of one man the efforts of their servile followers were in the direction of blackening the characters of men who in former times had been connected with the Bank, the object being to screen the present generation. THE LOAN HILL. Mr Lang said he had opposed this Bill because he w as unable to support it as a whole. The Premier had mentioned his name as being one of the members who had voted for previous loans and charged liiin with incinsistency. He forgot, however, to mention that the Bills he referred to wee stated by him not to be borrowing Bills. He would gladly have voted for the roads and bridges appropriation, and would have givui Ministers half a million to get them through the elections. They had talked much about trusting the people. Why did they not trust the people in this respect ? He repeated his remarks to the effect that the votes for railways distributed over all the lines would be of no practical benefit. It was absurd to state, as had the Minister for Lands, that it was inconsistent of a member to vote agtvnst a Loan Bill, and when that Bill was passed, in spite of his protest and vote, to ask tint some of the money should be expended on necessary work within his electorate Do Ministers mean to say that a member is to get nothing for his constituency, if he votes against a Loan Bill. He agreed with the vote for the Thermal Springs, as he looked upon them as a splendid advertising medium, independent of the direct advantage the country derived from the expenditure of tourists. Milling also called attention to the necessity of adding to the Sanatorium to the extent of adding a ward and employing an extra nurse, so that casts of accident and acute sickness could be dealt with, in place of as at present those cases being sent to the Waikato Hospital, which added to their suffering and sometimes endangered their lives. He disapproved of the CJOLDKIKLDS VOTK. He thought if there was one industry which did not require Government assistance it was goldmining. The vote hitherto had been about twenty-five to thirty thousand per annum. HOKITTKA OiAOL. Mr Lung then referred to the Hokitika Gaol incident, and pointed out that each prisoner confined in it cost the country £l3O 10s in salaries of officials, whereas the cost per head in Auckland was £4O. In the £136 l!>s was not included the cost of maintenance, so that each of those prisoners cost the country £.'• per week for board and lodging. The supporters of the Government have termed this a most disgraceful business. faik KENT hill. Mr Lang said that the prop'r name for this Bill should be the " Break Bargain Bill," and illustrated the probable effects of the Bill at some length. Cn the one side he pointed out that an owner might let his land to an iuconpetcnt farmer, and the yield from the land in consequence become .'ess : the tenant in that c ise would apply to have his rent reduced as he was not making 80 much money out of the land as immediately subsequent to taking it over, or the price of produce and stock may have fallen in the meantime. O.i the other hand, if land were taken up by a competent and hard working mau, and the price of produce and stock went up in price, the landlord could cime to him and ask more rent. In either case protest as to the injustice of the demand would be useless, each party in turn would point to the clauses of the Act. It was never supposed by tiny one that the Bill would piss ; it was simply a show Bill for electioneering purposes. 1)1,1) AGE PENSIONS. Mr Lang repexted his remarks made at Mercer on this question, aud again pointed out that there was no provision contained in the measure for providing the money. The Premier gave a very long list of taxes, which night 1)2 imposed for the purpose. The whole outcome has been that provision Ins been made for the registration of the names of men over (io years of age. In his mind it amounted only to " Playing at Old Age Pensions." OLD SOLDIERS CLAIMS. Nothing had been done in this matter except appointing a Commissioner to report. In the meantime many of the old veterans were dying off. OKCIIAIID AND (JAIIDKN PESTS. This Bill he characterised as useless and vexatious, except in so far as it applied to the extirpation of phylloxera. He thought the Government should have refrained from legislating until they had discovered a mode of cure. ABSURD BILLS*. They must not judge of the measures brought down by the Government by the shape they assume after they have been amended by the Opposition and the Upper House. He could assure them that some of I hem in their original shape were quite as absurd as the celebrated " Manglers'and Washers' Bill." Take the MASTER AND AI'I'KKXTICKS KILL. The crux of this Bill was clause 7. Under this a young person is defined as one under '2O years, and another clause provided that no young person should he employed unless he or she were an apprentice. In the cise of dressmakers a girl must be apprenticed for three years and may enter upon her apprenticeship at 14 She therefore would have served her term at, 17. What is she to do until she reaches -20 years of a»e? She is not an apprentice, but is still a young person, to employ her therefore would be illegal. Then again the Bill provided that there should only be one' apprentice to four journeymen. This means that no man in a country district or anywhere else could employ two boys ttuliss he iiad a staff of eight journeymen. Where was the man who could employ eight journeymen in a country district '! If this Bill hod passed the result would have been that journeymen's wages would have to come down, or the trade shut down altogether. Again supposing a blacksmith during the busy season was overwhelmed with work he could not employ a youth of 1!) to assist him. These Bills were brought in at the instigation cf a noisy few. The position reminded the speaker of an anecdote about frogs. " A man in

Canada was about to entertain some French friends and asked a farmer if he could supply him with some froEP. He replied yes, with ten cart loads if you want them. The. order was given for lOdoz. The farmer returned in a feu days with '2 do/, and said be could not get any more ami that, he had been misled as to the numbers by the terrible noise they made." LOAN'S TO SETTLEKS. Mr Lam; said the scheme bad not proved a success, as was sohwn by tin 1 fact that the Government could not get rid of the money, and pointed out that if the effect hid been to leduce interest the rate would be lower in New Zealand thin Austnia. The idea wim to aid strangling settbis. The attempt to get Parliament to consent to advane -s up to £SOOO was not in keeping. Tiny had succeeded in yetting the sum inerea el to £4OOO I'.KKTKIIOT 1'.11.L. Mr Lang said that tie Beetroot Hill h id been shamefully neglected by the Government. He bad succeeded in getting it luoiight in on the roqu sition of a majority of the llotise. If in'rodnced at an earlier stagH nf the session it wculd have bad a good chance of pu.-sin". CKMII'KKATIVK WOKKS. Ife did not believe in this sy-tem. He p.eferrcd t'e letting of wink in small contracts and notgiv ngit to men selected at the Ijure.u. He thought all should have a little. Wba' would people think if the local bodies gave all their work to a select few. Mr Hayes : That is what they are doing with the newspapers ? Mr Laos : I did not intend to refer to this question. Mr Chappell : But you referred to it in the House ''. Mr Lang thought the 1 -ast .'aid about the newspaper bus ness the better filithe Government. He had no objection to express his opinion on the matter. He considered the fiction it the Government in connection with the printing of the rolls the most disgraceful thing he had known s'nee he had been in Parliament, and more than th's the Government hart confessed as much. The Prcnrcr's last words were, " It was only a matter of £20," an admission that the Government had pail a higher ptice for work than was necessary in order to reward a political supporter. The " sweating excuse was n'l nonsense, as they had accepted a lower t irieo from a political sup porter in Wanganui. (This reply was greeted with long and vociferous cheering). LOCAL GOVERNMENT HILL. No progress had been made with this Bill, although it was one of the policy measures which the Government assured before the elections they were going to face. NATIVE LAND LEGISLATIONThe Government made boast that they had acquired thousands of acres of land from the Natives, but where the nsu if the land was not ocenpie I. They made a great pretence of looking after the poor Natives, but the way in which they were doing this was by compelling them to sell at '2s that fur which others would give £'2. The nitive ui.wadays was quite capable of taking care of himself. STNIIKY .lATTKKS. A Bill called the Contracts, Tenders and Works Bill was introduced. This would have compelled any small farmer who might tike a contract'and who was used to working on his farm from daylight to dark from working after 5 o'clock. The object in fanners taking such contracts is to earn their money as quickly as possible and get back to their own land. The Mining Bill soucht to take away the privileges of landowners. This be thought defenceless. The Horowhenua Bill did actually deprive a man of land he held under the land transfer title. It was stated that the laud was procured by fraud. Whether this was so or not there was no means of knowing, as the man was not allowed an opportunity to defend himself. The taking of the census was opposed by the Government. If t'.iey had succeeded in this the South Island would have had three more votes and the North three less than they have now, a difference of six votes on division. The new tariff had increased the Customs duties by £8."),000. CONCLUSION. He bad been returned as an independent member. He was accused of having voted too much against the Government to be an independent mau. Ho had conscientiously done his best for the colony and his constituency, and if again returned he would do the same. He would vote for every measure on its merits. He thanked the audience for the courteous attention they had given him. Mr Lang spoke for nearly two hours, and on resuming his seat was greeted with long, continued cheers. The Chairman then announced that Mr Lang was prepared to answer any questions that might be put to him. QUESTIONS. Mr John Steadman : If you had your own way at the next election what Acts that have ben passed during the pj.st three sessions would you have repealed. A Voice : All. Mr Lang said that if the gentleman would hand up the statutes for these years he would go through them and tell him, but he could not do so from memory, as there were 270 Acts passed in that time, many of which had objectionable features. Mr Thos. Chappell : How many times have you voted with and how many times have you voted against the Seddon Government. Mr Lang, in replying, said that he really could not tell, lie hid never considered whether he was voting with or against Air Seddon. He had always voted on the measures on their merits and not on sides. His votes would all be found recorded in Hansard, and it could be that on many occasions he had voted with Mr Seddon and other Government supporters. If the questioner were really anxious to know the exact number of times, he could find it from Hansard. Was it 10 to 1 ? !\lr Lang said he did not know if it was 10 to 1 or 20 to ], and he did not care. If he considered a measure good he voted for it, and if bad against it, never considering whether it was for or against, Mr Seddon. (Applause). Mr Alex. Smith : If you are elected, Do you intend to represent the constituents or the interests of The Waikato Augus •>. This, replied Mr Lang, seems to be a burning question in this district. If he saw any unjust act being perpetrated he would always raise his voice to oppose it whether (lone by the Annus or anyone else. Rev. J. J. Mather, in asking Mr Lang a question commenced with a preamble but was interrupted with loud cries of "Question, We don't want a speech," etc., but at the chairman's request the Rev. gentleman was allowed to proceed after assuring the meeting that he was sober. He said that he gathered from Mr Lang's speech that he was oppose:! to monopolies and stated that the brewers held the largest monopoly in New Zealand, finishing up by asking •' Are you a prohibitionist '! " Mr Lang said be thought his views on Jlis question were well known, and as he had duglt with it at considerable length previously he had not touched on it that evening, but in answer to the question he would siy •' No, I am not a Prohibitionist." (Prolonged Applause'). He did not know that the brewers held the biggest monopoly in the colony, but he thought the prohibitionists wcr* trying to create one. He had always taken up the position of doing .ill he colli I to reduce iii'einperance and mitigate the evils of the trade, but be thought the extreme prohibitionists were doine; more harm than good, and if they had tried tn remove the evils of the trade instead of trying In sweep it out altogether, it would be in a better position than il

is to-day. The prohibitionists weie slaudeting the country in trying to make it out as drunken, whereas statistics showed it to be the most sober country of any" where tin! l'.ritish Hag flies. (Chen's). He did not wish to flatter the country Ills, but. he thought he colli.l just'y -itv there were l:ot glowing up a~ dmnkaiiK Then. w:is lie wouhl admit a grout ilea' <>f c il in ouni'ietion with the drink traffic, but it was greatly cxaucera'ed by prohibitionists, and the condition is being vastly improved. In reply to a series of questions, MiLang siid that no doubt, why the miners on the West Coast got more wages than those at the Thames, was thai the West (.'oast, as lie had pointed out, was generally well favoured, and why the Town Clink at Hamilton received more salary than the one at Ouehung.i he supposed Wris because he w,is a latter man. (Loud laughter). He was not there to an-wor for the laxity of previous governments in not attending to the old soldiers' claims during the 30 years that had e'apscd since tlie Maori war. All Governments had faults but the present one most of all. (Applause ) He could not vouch for any .statements made by Sir Robert Stout on the question of advances to settlers. He could not say anything with reference to freeholds in Waikiito or to how ninny properties in the district were mortgaged. (Rev. Mather interjected: "'1 he law says tin; mortgagee is the freeholder," amid loud cries of dissent ) The amount lent I y the Advances to Settlers Board was under .Co,ooo in the old Waikato electorate and a little over £IO,OOO in the old Wnipa Electorate, as shown by the latest returns published. Mr .J. A. Young asked if he was correctly reported as saying at Mercer that the amount lent in Waipa was only £."ioo, to which Mr Lang replied that the mistake was a reporter's or printer's error as would be seen by anyone with a little common sense.

In reply to a further question by Mr Young as to whether it was not his duty as a public man to correct misstatements made concerning him in the Press, Mr Lang said that if he had done so during the last, session very little of his services would have been available for his constituents, as almost the whole of his t me would have been taken up in writing letters to correct misstatements made concerning him by a paper published not many miles away. Rev. Mather : Is it not a fact that the present Government have opened up more miles of road than any other ?

Mr Lang said that the Government were opening up many new roads but whether they were settling the land was another question. They had put many settlers on the land on paper but they did not exist in reality. He referred to a special settlement he had visited to which twenty three families had been sent from Canterbury, but at the time of Jlis visit only one-third of these remained and they were so dissatisfied that they would probably leave. Replying to other questions Mr Lang sa-d that the list Governments had managed to carry on with the late tariff which the present Government proposed to reduce, but in reality increased the taxation under that head by about £BO,OOO. He had nothing personally against the gentlemen composing the Hanking Committee bur. he did not think it. right that a case should be tried by pcrsoiis who were prejudiced and interested.

In reply to a young man who announced himself as a Lite t admirer of the Premier, Mr Ling said that Mr Seddon himself had been unable to suggest a suitable scheme for providing a fund in connection with the Old Age Pensions and surely the speaker could not be expected to succeed when so clever a man as the Premier bail failed. (Laughter.) Rev. J. J. Mather asked Mr Lang if he thought it would have been better blithe Bank of New Zealand to have gone into liquidation than for the Government to intei fere.

Mr Lang said he thought it would have been better if the Government had not interfered in the matter, and the Bank had done as the Banks in Australia did. The country woul-1 now be in a better position. The end of the banking business bad not conic yet.

Mr J. A. YOllll2 : Dots Mr Lang think be is consistent in saying the Advances to Settlers scheme is a failure, and finding fault with the Government for trying to lend the money in large sums ?

The scheme, Mr Lang, pointed out was a failure, as the Board were unable to lend the money they had aot. Why he found fault with the Government for trying to lend the money in large sums was because they had in trod need the scheme ostensibly to provide money for small farmers, but a man who could borrow CoOCO. the sum the Government wished to make the maximum, could not. by any means be called a small farmer. Mr.J. A. Young asked if Mr Lang was in favour of all the schools in the country being thrown open. This" Mr Lang thought was hardly practicable a* present owing to the expense, but ho was in favour of giving every child a ehjaioe to rise to the highest position, and he would be glad to see the brightest lisc. (Applause). In reply to Mr Hohbs, Mr Lang said he was in favour of free, compulsory and nnsectarian education. (Applause). Rev. J. J. Mather : Do you believe in elective J.P.s.

Mr Lang had not aiven the matter great consideration, but be thought unfit men were just as likely to be elected, as to be appointed under the pre'cut system. Mr Mather said he knew J.l'.s. appointed by the Atkinson Government who could not pass the third standard. Mr Hohbs asked Mr Ling if he thought the Government should get great credit for making six miles of railway at Rotortia in three years, and Mr Lang replied that he would be sorry to take away from the Government any credit that they deserved. (Laughter). In reply to the Rev. Mr Mather as to whether it would not be better to have the licenses derived from public-houses handed to the Charitable Aid Heard than to the local bodies,

Mr Lang said if this were done there might be some difficulty in getting the roads properly made. The local bodies contributed out of their funds to charitable aid, and some of the money derived from license fees went this way.

Mr Lang, replying to Mr Hobbs, said gross libels had been circulated concerning Bellamy's. As far as he bad seen there was very moderate drinking there, and he thought the members of the two Houses would compare favourably with any other body of men for sobriety. (Applause). Mr Andrew Primrose, chairman of the Waikato County Council, said that as all the questions seemed to be at an and he had great pleasure in moving a beany vote of thanks to Mr Lang for his interesting and instructive speech, and that this meeting expresses its unlimited confidence in him as their representative in the House at Wellington. (Prolonged applause). Jn seconding the motion, Mr Samuel Steele said three years ago he had advocated Mr Lang's cause, but there was no necessity for doing that now, as the speech he had just given proved he was well able to do so himself.

Mr Thos. Chappell. in moving an amendment, said that Mr Lang was en titled to a vote cf thanks for his speech, but not of confidence, as he did not represent the Liberal portion of the electors, ami he moved accordingly. lie proceeded to read some figures, but owing to the interruptions and inteijeotions they e.onhl not be followed The amendment was seconded by Mr John Steadman.

The Mayor first put the amendment and then the original motion, and declared the 'atler carried on the voice..;,

The usual compliment to the chair closed the meeting. On Friday night Mr Lang addressed a meeting at Huluinui. On the motion of Mr Z-Mias Owen, seconded by Mr W. Manktelow, he was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and c infidciicc.