THE PREMIER BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS. Government Policy. [BY TELEGRAPH, UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION] Leeston, Thursday.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1232, 22 May 1880, Page 2

THE PREMIER BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS. Government Policy. [BY TELEGRAPH, UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION] Leeston, Thursday.

The Premier addressed the electors of Selwyn District this evening at the Town Hall Leeston. There was a largo attendance. Mr. W. J. Bluett occupied the chair. The Hon Mr. Hall, having apologised for not giving his constituents longer notice of his attention to addi'ess them, said that before he went into general matters he would refer to one or two local questions. He would first siy he was deeply indebted to his constituents for their kindness in troubling him bo little with local claims. There was a question of a bridge, which was very much required, no doubt ; but in the present financial condition of the colony he could not ask his colleagues to allot money. Arrangements might, however, be made with the County Council to levy tolls for this purpose, and such a course he would J support. Another requirement was the erection of protective works at Rakaia, and, with reference to this, he would suggest that the Board should appoint an engineer, the Government another, and taey would then have an opinion whether really the works being carried out were detrimental to the protective works, He would now have to refer to a somewhat personal matter. On the last occasion when he addressed them, he referred as little as possible to Sir George Grey, He (Mr. Hall) would endeavour to do the same on the present occasion. He did not refer specially to what Sir George Grey had said at Christchurch, but in his speech at the Thames he did not seem to be able to get over the circumstance of his (Mr. Hall's) having left the Upper House. Sir Georgp Grey said that it was not the only time that he (Mr. Hall) had done this. Certainly not, for when he did so the first time it was Sir George Grey who had helped h im to do it. He (Mr, Hall) did not care how much Sir George sp<>ke about him, but he objected when he called his constitnentf, first, a " rotten borough," and then spoke of them as ' • farmers liviner in an obscure village. " (Laughter.) But to come to a comparison. On the electoral roll of the district which Sir George Grey represented there were 4416 electors, and 850 weie not properly qualified. A large number had no qualifications at all, and a number of Maori men and women on the roll were dead. Under these circumstancei it was somewh it invidious for that gentleman to spe-ik about '* rotten boroughs, *' especially when Selwyn bad not, as rotten boroughs generally did, a^ked for any favours. Had the Selwyn electors not elected a man who was the means of putting him out, L?e3ton would be a splendid district, having splendid children, in which he would take the most marvellous interest, and their father^ aud mothers would be told that all their sons would be made colonial governors. Some of the statements by Sir Georg-e Grey were stioli utter rubbish that they would only go down with crowded meetings at the Oddfellows' Hall, where only one side of the question was heard. As to such rubbish as being a ruler of men, he (Mr. Hall) would always be satisfied to be a servant to them. (Cheers.) He had always done hii best to help the colony in which he had laboured as his home, find he would continue to help it forward as much as lay m his power. (Cheers.) With regard to Sir George Grey haviDg said that he (Mr. Hall) had sent down to the telegraph office to find out what telegrams hid been sent, he (Mr. Hall) would say that that w.is a deliberate falsehood. Government officials were allowed to frank telegrams sent on public service. On the motion of the member for Cheviot ( \lr. Siundeis), who h-icl been informed that pvivati telegram-* had been sent for election puipOoP*, after conMdor.ition the Government agreed to the telegrams being Ho (Mr Hill) took the precaution to go tlirouj' ' them bef iro ho Lxid them on the table. Tliis stitjme^t, by Sir Geor.re Grey, was unworthy a public man. With reference to bis speaking 1 in an obscure village, when be tiavolled lie did .>c as fin ordinary pissong-er by the steamer, but when Sir George Grey went, anywhere, it was by a Government ste-imer, at the public ex; en«e. So far as Sir George Grey's remarks, that it was the intenti' n of the present Governmentto alter the present Education Act, and other matters which have appeared in print, b;ing thrown out as ieelers of their future intentions the-e were all false. Sir George Grey did not, at the Christchurch meeting, explain anything about his ha\ing sent home for (i.OOO paupers, and at a tune wh°n he must have known that the labour market in the. colony could not absorb them. These despatches would never have been known, had they not have bee., unearthed by the present Government, on going into office. He would now t u*n to more pVasant matters "When ho (Mr Hall) went to Wellington, he wib asked to move a vote of waxit-of-coufidcnce, which was carried by two votes. He was then asked to form a Government, which he did, consisting of gentlemen well known to be imb-ied with true Liberal principles. Before they had time to make their policy known, they were met by a motion of want-of-confidence. Such treatment of a new Government was unparelleled, and the Government were bound to use the forms of the House to enable them to learn a little of native and other records before they allowed the motion to come on. The result was, that some of the Opposition came over. About the compact with Auckland members, of which they had heard so much, the more Sir George Grey asked for it, the more Government kept it back, and when it became known, it was shown to be purely that Government would allow of inquires being made of alledged wrongs done to Auckland Government had then a majority of two, and business went on. The Government after this introduced in one week a Bill to effect electoral reform, about which the Grey Government had been talking for two years. When the Government had introduced this Bill, they considered that property should be represented, and Parliament thought so too, and it became law. Anyone believing they had a right to be registered, could to to the office, put in their claim, and be put on the roll at once. This was a more liberal bill than they had heard of before. Other bills having reference to electoral reform were brought up, but time did not admit of their being passed. The Government found on inquiry into the financial state of the colony, that the deficiency was £900,000, and now they found it was actually £200,000 over the estimates given by Major Atkinson, and yet in the face of these facts it was said in certain quarters that Government were endeavoring to create a panic. "With regard to the loan, the Government

found that tha colony was already liable for a million of money, and in June for public works it would be liable for another million, and for native lands £11,000 or £12,000, They would thus understand that taking over the Government under such circumstances was a most unconviable task. Government having estimated what the real deficiency was and the amount of the estimated expenditure, they determined, by reducing that expenditure, to put the colony on a sound financial basis. (Cheers). Tho Government, to do this, determined to increase the duties ad valorem (which did not press on the working class), and on spirits, and if the latter pressed on the working classes he did not object. (Cheers). They were told that they should have increased the land tax, and obtained the revenue from the "unearned increment." Now, he had had a table prepared which showed there were only 446 properties in the whole of New Zealand worth £20,000, and at 10 per cent, these would have simply produced £100,000, which would have required a large percentage to collect. And it must not be forgotten that there were not many properties in the colony which were not mortgaged. In the debate on the Property Assessment Bill in the House, Sir George Grey, speaking of a means of increasing the revenue, wished them to stop the payment of their interest to the colonial debentureholder to the extent of 20 per cent., and the widows and orphans, for whom Sir George Grey professed so great a regard, would not feel it all ! The Government could not agree to such a partial repudiation of the New Zealand debt, and that was what it virtually came to. When he last addressed them in that hall, the proposal met with approval that the holders of property should pay a fair tax for protection of that property. The tax had been called inquisitorial by those who could make political capital out of the . tax ; but, if it was so, the odium should rest on those who had bequeathed the deficiency, and had necessitated its being imposed. It was shown that the tax rested on the mass of the people, but if it did so it was evident that the mass of the people held property to the value of £500 ; and if the residents in the "obscure village " of Leeston felt the tax harshly, he was glad, under the circumstances, that this was the case. Under the land tax, those who had lent money on mortgage were not touched, but by the property tax thty had to pay their shai'e (Applause). He was not going to anticipate the Colonial Treasurer's Statement, which would be made in a few days, yet, although there was a great gap between the estimated receipts and expenditure, he did not think the prospects were now so gloomy as had been anticipated, and by strict economy they would at no distant date be in a sound financial position. Now, about reductions which have been promised by Government as soon as possible, consistent with efficiency of the public service. On the railways the saving on train mileage for the present year had been £21,000 ; staff reductions, £7,000 ; by the use of native coal, £5,500; total, £36,500, meaning an increase of 17 per cent, on the net revenue, and of nearly a-half per cent, on the whole of the cost of construction. Further reductions were also in progress, so they would gee that the Minister for Public Works had kept his word. With regard to the Post and Telegraph service under his (Mr Hall's) supervision, he had been able to effect a small saving by doing away with some unnecessary postal services ; but if so many of the Post and Telegraph offices as did not pay their cost were to be done away with there would be great public outcry. Through the action of Sir J. Vogel at home on the inscription of New Zealand stock, a considerable saving would be effected to the colony. Arrangements had been made which would spread the loan expenditure over three years, during which time they were bound not to again go on the London market. They had had a remarkable speech about savings that might have been affected by the Government. The speech was of that virtuous political gentleman, Mi* Montgomery : but that gentleman, virtuous ns lie was, could, when it "suited him, roll a log as neatly as any gentleman of his (Mr Hall's) acquaintance. (Liuejhter.) An instance of this was shown when Mr Montgomery found that a new post-office was required at Akar^a. Mr Hill then referred to the Native Department, and after showing that the natives had been pampered by feeding and otheiwisc, he said that, while keeping watch over them, the Government were leaving them alone, and by transfering gradually the money of the department to the Lands and Justice Departments, the Government hoped eventually to improve thp Native Department as it at present existed, off the face of the earth. (Cheers.) New he would t^ll them something 1 of the reduction* effected by the present Government. The savn<rs in a number of offices, and pensioners dispensed with, had been 117, besides a number of vacancies not filled up. The number of officers whose s ilaiies had been reduced was 76. The nninunf of the native vote for salaries in 1871-SO wi- £15,164, which had been udirodby £6527, or about 43 per cent. Th" -avinti-j on the Civil list have been £1 '76. With regiid to the contingent expenditure, which was completely under the control of the Native Minister, during 1 1h? last fifteen months the amount voted for this expenditure was £2600, but would they think that the actual expenditure was £18 000, and contingencies ? If the native lands purchased were included, tho amount would be i' 30,000, and heavy accounts were still coming 1 . He would liioiiti'm one little circumstance to show the Native Contingent expenditure. A short time '-in^e an account was received from an Auckland jeweller for polishing two pieces of greenstone for a Maori chief. The amount w hich would be required in future for this department would not exceed £3000. The amount actually allowed and inclined during the present Administration would not exceed £428. The staff of the Land Purchase Department hsd been reduced from £10,000 to £4708. They heard a good deal of the Waimate Plains difficulty. Many promises made to the Maoris had not been carried out, -and the Maoris were allowed to settle unmolested on disputed lands, and by these means difficulties had arisen. Government had obtained the services of two able gentlemen as Commissioners to inquire into the grievances of the natives, and finding a lot of men in barracks at Wellington, who were costing as much, money as they would in camp, the Government had moved them to the land where they had been engapred making a road which would open up 110,000 acres of forest and splendid wheat- growing land ; but not at the ridiculous cost of £600 per day, which they had heard of. The Government had obtained this success without resorting to bloodshed, and he was sure this policy met with the approral of the whole colony. (Applause.) Te Whiti, who was an exceedingly clever man finding the road being formed would be carried out, now stated that he "had never said it would rot meet. With regard to the acquirement of Crown lands, greater facilities were nowgiven for this purpose than ever before, and Mr Rolleston had been engaged in going over the whole country to find where these lands would be best available for settlement. He would not trouble them with long lists of figures, but would teU them that, at the present time, there

were 71,370 acres of Crown lands available for settlement, on deferred payment. (Applause.) He would now refer to another matter, of which a great deal had been made — he meant the action of the Government, with regard to district railways. Some of theße lines had been started under the District Railways Act, and the times of depression that followed brought these works to a standstill, to the injury of large and important districts. Authority had been given to Government, at their request, to guarantee the cost of construction. They bad heard that the result of this would bo a charge of hundreds of thousands of pounds to the colony. The fact was that if Government had been called on to act up to the whole of their authority, the amount could not have exceeded £100,000. It was not likely to exceed £60,000, or, at most, £100,000, and up to the present time had been acted on only to the amount of £40,000, and this amount eventually, when the district was opened, would not be one penny of charge to the colony. The Government had been taunted with appointing so many Commissions, but the Government were satisfied to abide by the result. Many of the friends of the Government were members of the Commissions, but if they had all been taken from the Opposition, they would have been similarly taunted. During last session Government proposed introducing bills for the amendment of the Electoral Reform Bills which have been passed last session. A Bill wonld also be introduced for the redistri- * >ution of seats, because the present Bill became unfair through the growth of population. The Government proposed to sweep away existing legislation. With regard to the Native Land question, they would introduce a bill for the amendment of the Native Lands Court, and another for the alienation and purchase of native lands, which would be introduced as soon as possible after Parliament met. He would show them something about injudiciousness of the land purchase by the previous Government. In Auckland, frum 1874 to 1879, 1,153,633 acres had been handed over, and only 671 acres sold : in Taranaki, 122,219 acres had been handed over, and 62,331 sold : in Hawke's Bap, 132,01)0 handed over, and 26,000 sold; in Wellington, 138,300 had been handed over, and 42,000 sold. A large quantity of the land purchased was worthless. A new licensing law would also be brought in, which, while it would not treat the holder* of publicans' licenses as criminals, would enable the ratepayers of a district to vote a license on fair compensation, which the Government could not see their way in fairness to get rid of. Bills for maintenance of hospitals and charitable aid would also be' introduced. Acts would be introduced for the consolidation of sixty of the present statutes on important subjects They had heard there was to be a compact and organised Opposition. He hoped there would t-xist snch an Opposition, which was a most useful body to keep a check on Government. He trusted there would not exist an Opposition which would lose much valuable time in desultory discussion. They had been told that Sir George Grey would sound the keynote of the Opposition, and he had done so by advocating the election of the Governor. This he (Mr Hall) would resist to the utmost, as they could not expect any gentleman to occupy an unbiassed position who had been placed in that position by a party. He (Mr Hall) would never for one moment support a proposition that would end in severance from the mother country and establishment of a petty Republic, and while he lived he should use his utmost endeavors to, live and die under the flag which he had been born under. (Loud applause). If they preferred a Government which did nothingbut go round the country neglecting the state of the finances of the colony while talking of visionary remedies, but a Government which would use their best endeavors to place the colony on a sound financial basis, he would ask their confidence and support, and that of the people generally, for those who were associated with him in carrying on the present Government. He desired to apologise for having addressed them at such length, and thanked them sincerely for the patience with which they had listened to him. Mr Hall resumed his seat amid loud aud continued applause. Among several questions answered by him he said Government had a bill prepared which provided for making the dog tax uniform throughout the colony. Government had also a. Bill Tinder consideration on the question of amending the present Baukruptcy law, but did not say whether it could be reduced during the coming session of Parliament. As to a person being fined £5 for taking a traction engine over the Ashburton bridge, he would make inquires into the matter, and if Se found there was no reabonable objection to engines of this kind crossing over railway bridges, he would give instructions which would prevent a recurrene of the complaint made. Originally it was supposed that the property tax would produce £400,000, but reductions and alteration < had been made in the Act which would reduce the amount by one or twohundied thousand pounds. The amount which had been put up on the estimates fur the improvement to the Grey harbour would, if expended, be oarryiug out a very useful work of gi eat benefit to the colony. The following vote of thanks was parsed amid loud cheering, "That the Hon. John Hall be accorded a hearty vote of thanks, and their continued confidence as member of the Selwyn district for hia able and brilliant address this evening. "