MR STOUT IN INVERCARGILL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2261, 3 April 1886, Page 2

MR STOUT IN INVERCARGILL.

(United Press Association.) Inveboaroih,, April 1. In response to ail invitation by the citizens, Mr Stout' addressed a mooting to-night on the political situation. The Theatre was crowded, the Mayor being in tho chair. The Premier said that it was his duty and privilege to meet his fellow colonists to discuss political questions, and he had never shirked such an invitation. He did not intend to repeat what he had said elsewhere, nor to criticise others, to whom he gave credit for as sincere desires as hiß for the Colony's progress, although he might differ from them as to the mode of action. Proceeding to speak of the land laws, lie said' his views on the subject had varied for a great number of yeijrs, and wero'gtill the same as those lie had m tljq Utago Provincial Council,' and in fjrat session of Parliament. -Hq' recognised then that land was not like' other property, and he was glad to see that his views were not |now considered subversive of society, but-must be carried out for the general good of tho

community. He could not cease to -legislate for land and leave it to great owners to be its wasters. The State had a right to control occupation and its modes.

There .veru millioiiß of acres to dispose of, | and the land laws should he framed so as to be beneficial to the: whole raco. To do this they must assure tho cultivator of his holding. . Ho had no sympathy with the cry of common holding in land, which would destroy all individual character and stop all progress. , With the enormous area of Crown and Native Land still available, it was folly to propose to buy up large estates. Those who talked of a quit rent system were, strange to say, those who opposed Government in making the Land Act of last session more liberal than it is. He gave Sir George Grey credit for the beat and- most humane intentions, but his quit rent was not adapted to the Colony. The Cape quit rent on ten million acres'was was jonly L 7040, and it was not perpetual, as many could buy the freehold at any time by paying twenty pound quit rent down. The fact that the average holding at the Caoe was 6000 acres, as against 600 in New Zealand, showed that the quit rent system did not tend to put people on tho land. As a matter of fact, the individual holdings at the Cape were larger than in Britian, for 16,000 peoplo monopolised 83,000,000 acres, and did not produce as much wool as Otago and Southland. Quit rent had nothing to do with the occupation of land, and was not a perpetual tenure. The proposal to buy up private , estates would never work, as farmers could not afford to pay five per cent on the cost, of some of it, It was strange that Sir George Grey voted against tho Government's proposal to buy land for working men's settlements in tho vicinity of towns, although he was now prepared to buy large estates, in closing this portion of his address the Premier said they must agitate until it was recognised that the State should conI trol land, make laws to govern how il should be dealt with and cultivated. We •have thirty-three million acres, and il would be time onough to buy private estates when those were disposed of, Having spoken in defence of aland as against a property tax, Mr Stout ther went on to combat tho idea that Govern ment should start a State bank, and issue a paper currency. Up to a certain poinl paper money was as good as gold, and the State might prohibit banks fron issuing notes and issue them itself, but al the outside only one million would bi available, as they could not go on increas ing tho currency year after year. Tin only advantage would, therefore, be ; million loan, so to apeak, withou interest, for which great risks wouli be run and expenses incurred in establish ing banks and offices. Inflation of papei money might follow. It had done soil all other countries that had adopted tin System, and was a source of c;rave danger It was absurd to imagino that they couk make the Colony prosperous by means o a printing press and bale of paper. The; might as well think of a merchant raakinj himself prosperous by signing prjmissorj notes, whioh were a species of pape: money. ' Speaking of the policy of th Government, Mr Stout said that depves sion certainly existed, but they had seei a great deal worse time 3. In proof, li stated that the property tax return showed an increase of L 0,000,000 durin the last three years. It was true tlia prices of produce were lower than the had ever been before, and that farmer, had gone too freely to money-lenders but their case was not hopeless, and hi hoped they had got a lesson which tho; would remember for all tune. The de pression could not bo cured by an; Government, although there had been i cry on which the Atkinson Governnien got into office In 1879. Ho showed tlia the less Government did for the peopl the better it was for them. Thoso win advised the people to lean on an Act o Parliament or a vote of the House ad vised them to lean on a broken reed They must be thrifty and diligent and depression would pass away, Refei ring to the Public Works policy of tho Go vernment lie said Government had set th expenditure at one and a half millions pe annum, which was considerably less thai the previous Government had expended and they would do better still if Govern ment were rid of tho responsibility fo; public buildings and roads and bridges which were unfairly swallowing up th Public Works Fund. There was mis apprehension as to the effect of Captaii Russell's amendment reducing expendi turo by half a million. It did not meai cessation of work ix\ tho year just expired but prevented Government from going oi with contraota at this season. Bub fo Captain Russell, Government would mm have been finding work for tho unem ployed on contracts instead of on tin relief system now in vogue, Looking t< the future, they must bo careful not t< borrow enormous sums. No matter whai tho depression might be, they should nol go in for an expensive scheme, In fact he thought tho time had nearly arrivec when tho colony must begin to edge off it borrowing. He contonded that tho cost ol roads and bridges and buildings shoulc come out of revenue, but it was difficuli to get Parliament to see it, arid until tin electors say "We will not look to Govern ment for such work," it would be impos Bible to reduce tM Public Woify expenditure. The present Government havo reduced public expenditure mor< than any that went before, one would dc more in that direction if people would sel ■the example by doing with lesaVaid fron the General Government. Until they stofc rid of that system of spoiloation thej would have no reform. Major Atkinson had said that tho present Government gol a surplus by taking the sinking fund, bul he (Mr Stout) would ask why lie did nol do it instead of giving bills for hii deficits that had to bo renewed. Majoi Atkinson had predicted a large deficit thii year, but it did not exist. Deficits foi two million had been added to the public debt in 1879. This, he held, was mosl Unfair to our aucconeors, but there was nc other way out of the difficulty. Speaking of retrenchment, he asked what district in Southland would be prepared to give up its member in order to save expense .1 Not one. He was not an advocate of extreme Protection, but Customs' duties were required for revenue, and in imposing these they should have an eye to aiding native industries. Having touched on the desire of the Government to give tho education system a more practical turn by teaching drawing and scientific work, Mr Stout went on to speak on tho native land question, upholding the action of the Governmentand Mr Ballance, as the only way to settle tho matter. It rested with the middle island representatives whether the Native Land Bill should pass, and he contended that the righteousness which exalts a nation should be applied to dealing with the Natives. In conclusion he asked his hearers to sift all schemes laid before them with an eye to future generations. If so, they would have a pure state of publio morality, without which they could not expect purity in party or in Government, Mr Stout answered a largo number of questions. At the close,' the thanks of' the meeting'were accorded to him for. liis prompt response to their invitation, it was further resolyed that he had expressed ccj]pen<}ed themselves to tho'jje present, antl were sueh as to ehtjfclfl the Government,' pf picti Mr! Stoyt was Premier, to a continuance pj public confidence. Tlie qiotiop was ijnafle by Mr Joyce, M,H.R., and carried unanimously, The meeting was very orderly and cordial.