MR. W. G. BASSETT AT SEDGEBROOK.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12648, 8 November 1905, Page 2

MR. W. G. BASSETT AT SEDGEBROOK.

The electors of this suburb met Mr. Bassett on Monday night. Mr. R. B. Horsjey was elected to the chair. The candidate dealt with a number of political questions of interest. . Speaking on tho old age pension ? he said the recent action of the Premier on this question reminded him of an old dog that camo under his notice some years ago. This animal had occasion daily to cross a wide tidal river, but before entering the water he made a careful study of the direction of the current. If it ran down he quietly walked up the river bank and entered at a point that would enable him, with a straight swim, to reach his objective on the other side, but if the current ran up he would pursue the opposite course. ■ His calculations were wonderfully accurate, and seldom failed to land him at the desired' point. He said the Premier, in discussing the Old Age Pension Bill on tho 7th July last, in the House, condemned Mr. Massey's proposal to make tho scheme universal, and in a long speech bristling with an array of figures, he sought to prove it impracticable. Mr. Bassett then quoted the following extracts from the Premier's speech:—"Are you prepared, even supposing that you devoted the whole of tho surplus of £761,000, and that there was to be a continuous surplus of that amount —aro you prepared to add another half-million by way of taxation for the sole purpose of paying a universal pension? My own view is that tho moment you attempt to levy additional taxation for the old age pension, that moment you break down the entiro pensions scheme, and it is simply the beginning of the end. That is my view of the question, and I have held it from the commencement, and I adhero to it to-day." And, again, in the saros debate, the Premier said: "1 have desired to be liberal and just to tho old folk 7 but we must consider the taxpayers, and wo must consider our position in dealing with this matter, and to go much further would not, in the opinion of the Government, be justifiable." And again: "And I trust at all events that I have convinced honoui&blo members that we are reasonable in what we are proposing, and that it would not be wise at the present juncture to attempt to go farther. I believe that if a poll of the peoplo of this colony were taken tomorrow you would find a large major ity supporting the proposal now submitted; but if you were to ask the people generally to support proposals for a universal pension with contributions, or with specific taxation oil behalf of tho pension, my own opiuion is you would find a large majority would ]jo opposed to it, and probably it might be the means of breaking down the old ago pension scheme." The speaker contrasted this with the ooening remarka of Mr. Massey's speech^ in the sa,mo debate, which was as fallows.------"I do not intend to discuss the proposah put forward by the Premier at any length, but I just wish to say that-. I regret exceedingly that tho Constitution Act and the Standin;; Orders of tho House mako it impcwble for any private member to move an amendment in favour of the universal system, becauso I feel oonfident th-it the fooling on tho part of the public is far stronger. in~-f avour of the. .universal system than of tho present system, andl believe that a very great deal moro can bj said in favour of it." Mr. Ba&sett then asked his'hearers to bear in mind the Premier's words of July last, which ho had just quoted, an-1 listen carefully to the utterance of the same Premier speaking in Wellington only last vcek: "He was now going to announce what was perhaps the boldest scheme ever put before the electors of New Zealand. Sir Harry Atkinson had tried to introduce a compulsory scheme of insurance. No such scho.mo v.as practicablo or workable in a sei'C governing colony. What he did think was possible, and what he and his colleagues intended devoting their best interests towards encouraging, was a national pension scheme, applicable to every soul in New Zealand." Evidently, said Mr. Bassett, the sagacious Premier notes tho current flowing Muss .v-'.vrml, hence his latest move. Tho meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the candidate and also to the chair.