Mr BUCHANAN, M.H.R., AT CARTERTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4251, 24 October 1892, Page 2

Mr BUCHANAN, M.H.R., AT CARTERTON.

The Lyceum Hall, Carterton, was well-611ed on Saturday evening last ' with electors of the Wairarapa constituency, to hear MrW. 0. Buchanan, M.H.E., deliver the firat of his postsessional addresses. j Mr A, Booth, Mayor of Carterton* was voted to the chair. Mr Buchanan, in hia opening remarks, said ho was pleased to see the chair occupied by one who filled his position us Mayor of Carterton bo worthily, and alluded in feeling torms to the late Mr Fairbrother, who, on so many previous occasions, had pre* sided at his meetings. He ex« pressed thanks for the very kind, reception lie had met on big return from England by everv resident in the district. When he went away, it was not because he wanted to go, but because his health absolutely needed it; and that had been his only reason for failin/ito meet the eleotors before last He had returned with renewed health and strength, and wis glad to be able to again take a part in public duties, which he always bad done during bis residence in the district. (A|n plause), Duringhis travels he had seen a very great deal, and he feared in the short time at his disposal ha shovel, find a dilh'culty in touching on mafy subjects with sufficient clearness. He bad always been anxious to see the

ORCHARDS OF TASMANIA, and if possible to take a leaf out of the book of tho Taamanian fruit-growers, He was charmed with what he saw, and on his arrival in London made full enquiries into the fruit trade. He would, however, speak of that later on, He would not.detain them with a description of Melbourno, the noxt place visited, with all iu marvels, except to say that after an absence of thirty-five years he found, some remarkable changes. What struck him most was the uneasy feeling among business mon who were asking what was coming, The

PROTECTION POiaW had massed an enormous number of people in Melbourne, while country settlement Was nogleoted. He also saw ample evidence of Ibe results of a policy whioh allowed the building of railways where they would do as well in twenty years hence. In we case a small line had been nWe by blasting through the solid roclrat enormous expense, and now, to curtail expenses, only one train a day ran over the line, and that started at four in the morning. They were inclined to go Bomewhat in this direction in New Zealand. The railway returns of Victoria showed after paying interest and charges, a deficit of £480,000, while the total deficit of the year's Budget was one and a ■ quarter millions, Over-borrowing and overspending had brought Victoria to these Btraighta, THE DAIRY FACTORIES of that Colony were another point of interest. The batter industry had gone ahead by leaps and bounds, and he was much struck by the large quantity turned out daily. Small creameries situated at varioue points, some 200 • miles' distant from Melbourne, sent cream to the central factory and from there the butler was sent in cool chambers to LonSLn; He would not detain them with* a details of his journey, On arrival in London he followed up the Dairy Industry and was, thoroughly charmed with the statement of brokers and salesmen all round, that New Zealand butter and cheese was not second to any in the world. (Applauße.) The difficulty was that so little was sent. Butter he alluded to more especially than oheese. Ho had met an Auckland settler named Mr fieynolds, who was now receiving produce from Auckland direct, and doing great good explaining the position and resources of Australasia in general and New Zealand in particular, Some of our New Zealand cheese factories were very well known, especially Dalefield, owing to the large quantities Bent Homo from there. All that was required was to send nothing but tho best of everything, As b proof of the development New Zealand was capable of, he would mention that a little country like Denmark sent four and a | half million pounds worth of butter and one and a half million ponds worth of ham and bacon to London yearly, while New Zealand only Bent to the value of £236,000. Their country was gifted with far greater natural advantages than Denmark and they would at once see what New Zealand was capable of. (Applause.) He had seen

TASJIANIAN APPLES sido by Bide with New Zealand apples, and found that a great portion of the latter arrived in a condition fit only for pig feed. They were damaged in transit through improper packing while the Tasmanian fruit, although inferior to our own, arrived in good condition and sold well, There was a great future for New Zealand fruit with proper care. The FROZEN MEAT trade was well established and it was unnecassary to say anything about that, He had done the best a settlor in indifferent health could do, and be was sure the electors would gfabim credit for that, He was much *iiok when visiting the London docks at the great quantities of goods from all quartets of the globe, continuously pouring in, and found that it was tho good quality article that was demanded and which commanded the price, He advised New Zealanders to always bear this in mind and send the best. Economy in labour and the use of tho latest appliances was necessary to compete in tho London martyi with the low rate of wages paid o?& Continent. In some cases only from 1h lOd to 2s lOd per day being paid, Another thing had become forcibly impressed on him and that was the necessity for honesty in their dealt ings, in the letter and in the spirit, Mr Buchanan here quoted at length from the Public Works Statement, in which the Minister had said that everyone at Home Bpoke in the most glowing terms of New Zealand and her people. He (Mr Buchanan) had not been met with tbia in London, Business men hadasked him how it was they, lingHftmen, the same as themselves, could go so far as to put suoh a law on their statute book, as the Land and Income Tax, a tax both "dishonest and unfair." He had combated the statement as well as he could, fie briefly sketched his journey across the Atlantio and over the con" tinentof America to California, He said he was sorry to find the trade between California and the oolonies almost at an end, owing to the protective policy adopted in Australia, The steamers could not run much longer unless New Zealand increased the subsidy, and they could not afford to do that, He thought that in the future, the main commpiwtion with,

tlie Old World would bo by moans of fast stoarner to Sydney. Ho next referred to the last election and the meoting of Parliament in January following. Ho commented strongly on tho drawing of two honorariums in the faco of tho pledges raado by members lo go in for strict economy. Speaking of the

labour momliers he said this was the first New Zealand Parliament in which they had sat, and although many people wera alarmed at their return, he had considered that many of them were capable of doing good work, and this had been proved, Certainly they had conducted themselves better than some of the older members, who had during last session caused scenes nover before witnessed inN.Z. Legislature. Ho would next touch the

LAND and ikoome tax, All know that he had always expressed a preference for the Property Tax, giving as his reason that it did not tax people for what tlmy did not own, but taxed everybody for what was owned. The Properly Tax had faults in its administration, principally through unfair valuations, and this had been its doath warrant, Being one of the persons popularly known asa "social pest," people mightsay ho was prejudiced in favor of (ho Property Tax, He supposed he was,

like other people, liable to prejudice, * but his prejudice could not be on account of the way the Laud and Income Tax would affect him, as he did not think he would have to pay more under it than under the Property Tax. Improvements wero dealt wilh lightly by the Land and Income Tax, and bo had alwayß gone in largely for improvements on his land. Ho was quite willing to let it go on for a few years and see the effect. He then explained the working of the Land and Income Tax at length, giving several illustrations showing how hard it pressed on the landowner in comparison with the man drawing - Ms regular income from other sources; how tho landowner, who was unfortunately mortgaged, paid taxes for what he did not own, and how unfair it was to firms working land together only one exemption being allowed, whereas ill trading firms each partner was exempted up to £3OO. He characterised the measure as a tax on a

man's value as a citizen and on bis industry. The man drawing an incomo was infinitely better off than tho farmer, At a meeting of farmers recently held in Canterbury, a series of resolutions complaining of the way the tax oppressed ihcm, was passed, It was shown that under the thirteen degrees of progressive taxation to which they were subject, they paid equal to an income of St' in the I on their incomes. This simply meant ruination, It was not a personal question with him, lie had always given his opinions as an honest man, Sometimes (hey wero unpopular, but that he could not help. He waß always glad to see the burden of taxation lifted from the shoulders of the people, LAND. A special feature in the past had been the absolutely optional system of i obtaining land in this colony, either for cash or under the defered payment and perpetual lease systems, He had always strongly advocated the freehold system, as he believed the true Jjriton always looked forward to possessing his freehold, Many had come from Home with the sole idea of obtaining land of their own, The present Government had done everything in their power to destroy tbe freehold. When appealed to on Ihe question, the people had shown their feeling on tho matter in the byeelections, which bad taken place during his absence in England, At the Bruce election Mr Adams bad said that if his opponent would pledge himself to support the Hon J, McKenzio in his Land Bill, and the Government in their taxation proposals, he would withdraw in his favor. This offer was refused, and the country electors showed whatthey thought of it by returning the Oppositionist by a majority of 500 votes. In the other case, a supporter of the present Government went against hisparty on tho measures mentioned, and spoke in favor of tho freehold at each of his

meetings, The provisions of the Land Bill were such that the poor smuggling sottler was driven to take up a lease in perpetuity instead of a 25 years' lease with the right of purchase be> cause the rent had been fixed at 4 per cent, in the former and 5 per cent, in the latter. He had, with the minority, done his best to get both tcnuros put on the same footing; The Government excused the abolition of the deferred payment system on the ground that it was dying out in favor of perpetual lease, This was not true as figures would show, He waned them that, unless they looked out, they would lose all freeholds, Another phase of thequeßtion was where was the money coming from to survey and road the country, unless land was sold for cash as in the past. The result would be more borrowing in the London market and were they going to sanction that ? LABOH BILLS. A special Committee had been set up last session to deal with Labor Bills. He bad (he honor to be chosen as one of that committee. He explained the working of the different Bills passed, stating that the Workmen's Lien Bill, Employers Liability Aot, and the Factories Aotwere useful measures, He thought the Shop Hours and Shop Assistants' Bill was likely lo prove a hardship to email people who gained their bread by keeping email general shops, The Servants Registry Bill was useful as it would prevent many doubtful people, who now kept registry offices.from making exorbitant obarges, The Board and Lodgina, House Bill, which did not paes, was a measure of a vexatious nature. Another Bill which passed the House and was rejected by the Legislative Council, was the Industrial Conciliation Bill, It was intonded to cope with labor difficulties, and provont a repetition of thoserioiifl troubles which occurred some time ago. He did not agree with everything in the Bill but bad " agreed to differ" on some points and the Bill passed. He felt certain that if a Board of Concil-

iation had been Bet to work, it would have been very useful in the event of a similar trouble arising to that of 1800. The Government, however, wanted a Court of Arbitration in addition, Objections were made to this on several grounds. He had objected, holding that the greatest value should be attached to the liberty of the subject and each side be left perfectly free to use its own judgment. A Court of Arbitration could not enforce its decrees, and could not compel a man to work for 5s a day if bo felt ho wanted 7s or Bs, Surely both employer and employed should understand their position best without a Court of Arbitration, He was in favour of a Board of Conciliation, but was against the; eatablisbmentof Courts of Arbitration, The Eight Hours Bill was also again before Parliament, The opinion of

members generally, was that eight hours praotioally constituted a day's work in Now Zealand, except in exceptional instances, He was sorry that tho Legislative Council did not see fit to pass it. LABOUR BUREAU. A great many people had condemned the Labour Bureau, but ho had never done so, because ho believod tho Government could do good with it. Everything depended on how it was conducted, If made a more political machine to shift men about the country to gain elections, the peoplo would coiiile.nu it, hut if used fairly it should do good work, He had his doubts about it but would await events, CO-OI'EHATIVE SYSTEM. Thcj had heard tales of men employed on tho co-operntivo works, leaving employment and making from 15s to 20s a day, andjalso other tales about men being oppressed by the Government and tinablo to make 5a or Cs a day, The truth probably lay between tho two extremes, Ho had lot work on the co-operative system on a number of occasions, sometimes with tb» greatest success and at other times be found the men did not agree, This was the same with the Government. For bis part he was content to let ihe matior work itself out, and await results, He "would now just make a short allusion to tho

FINANCIAL POSITION. When tho last Government wont outthero was a deficit of half a million, Each year since then a steady surplus had been shown which he considered was matter for congratulation, It was proposed to take from this year's surplus of .£330,000, £200,000 for public works, But what were the works 1 .£20,000 was set down for the Qrpjmoutli-Holdtika railwtiy; £17,000 for the Grah'injstown railway—a lino that would never pay for grease for the wheels. Large sums were also set down for other lailways in tho Auckland district, Were they going to submit to heavy taxation lor the sake of carrying on such Public Works, nut of ft surplus from taxation? He had Bpoken strongly against this course, (Applause.

THE OUTLOOK, A Protection Committeo had proposed putting a duty of one pound a ton on all raw iron imported, and he was satisfied that next year Bills would bo introduced proposing new taxation on many articles of life, He should oppose such measures all ho could, If there was a surplus taxation should be reduced, not increased. The only sum be hud been able to get placid on the Estimates for the South Wairarapa, was £250 for a much-needed road lo the Coast, Why, therefore, should other districts tret large sums spent sin:ply to please members, as the Grahamstown-Te Arolia Railway, for instance ? They would agreo with him in resisting the placing of further taxation on their shoulders, He was not in favour of borrowing at the present time, but in due course it might be advisablo to borrow to complete the Eketahuna-Woodville railway and for tho purpose of roading. He had a good deal more to say, but as the hour was advanced would not detain his hearers any longer. He then thanked tho electors for the patient hearing given bim and invited questions. He always had and always should do bis best lor tho district both in and out of Parliament, (Prolonged applause.)

QUESTIONS, Mr Hugben asked why Mr Buchanan had presented Mr Coleman Phillips petition asking for £5,000. _ Mr Buchanan explained that it was bis duty to present any petition offered to him os member for the district, providing it was couched in respectful terms. He was merely the agent to band the petition over to the House and bad not advocated Mr Phillips' cause, The petition did not ask for £5,000 but for the restitution of land upon which £5,000 had been spent in improvements, He did not consider he was encouraging dummyism by presenting the petition. Mr Dickson wished to know whether Mr Phillips, or any of his relations, forfeited the sections,

Mr Buchanan said they did as the petition was not-granted, No more questions being put Mr W. Booth proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Buchanan, He was sure they wore all glad to get the details of Mr Buchanan's experiences in Tasmania and London. Ho thought they could do with less law making, Members had voted themselves extra pay and they ought to do better work for it. Electors in the Wairarapa were fortunate in being represented by one who was thoroughly honest and whose heart was in the right place, Mr Callister seconded, and after Mr Buchanan had replied to Mr \V. Booth, the meeting closed with a yote of thanks to the chair.