MR F. A. WHITAKER, M.H.R., BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1837, 15 April 1884, Page 2

MR F. A. WHITAKER, M.H.R., BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

♦— . The member of Wai pa, Mr F. A. Wl itaker, addressed a meeting of his constituents at the Public Hall, Kihikihi, on Saturday evening last. There were over a a hundred persons in the room, and a most attentive hearing was accorded Mr Whitaker. The chair was occupied by Mr J. Farrell, chairman of the Town Board, who in a brief introductory speech bespoke a fair and impartial hearing f( r their member. At the request of Mr Whitaker. he aKo read a letter from Mr John Hutclunson, of Or.ikau, in which that gentleman regretted th.it owing to his recent accident, lie was not able to be pre&enf- at the meeting. He, however, trusted that Mr Whitaker would have a successful meeting. Mr Whitaker, who on coming fonuud was received with applause, baid ho would like in the first place to explain cleaily the character in which he appeared before them. A gieat deal had been said lately thioughout the colony concerning the approach of ageneral election, and he would like to disabuse their minds of .my idea that he \\ as therein connection with thatevtsnt. He did not come before them in the capacity of a candidate seeking election ; they met as the representative and the electois af the Waipa District. He had thought, and would continue to think that until the right time came, theie should not be any attempt to stir up feeling* of party strife. Hib sole object in meeting them was to place before then, ceitam mattein in which they weie inteie&ted and to give his views in respect to certain questions of impoit.mce to them and to the couutiy. He tfould be as brief as possible in his lein.uk.s, because he found that it wasfai butter on occasions of this kind to give to every person an oppoitunity, — he would not say of airing his guevances,— but ot unbuithening his. mind by asking questions. He intended, therefoie, meiely to touch upon a few laige subjects affecting their welfaie, and he trusted tint whatevoi motion it might seem fit to them to make at the close of the meeting, it would have lefeience not to the future, but to himself as then representative, as a member who had done certain things and may have left undone ceitam others.

The Enlargement of the District. He hart had the honour of rcpiesenting th.it constituency since the year 1879, and up to the piesent time it had been Ins custom to deliver his addresses at Hamilton, which up to the passing of the Act for the re-distubution of seats had been the centre of the distiict. Hut the Representation Act had gieatly alteied the boundaues of his distnet, so that now they extended horn the Waikato Heads in the Noith to Tar.maki m the South. Formeily the confiscation hue formed the southern boundary, but now it included all that magnificent terutorv known as the "King Countiy.'' Of tins immense and gi owing distiict Kihikiln, which they fomieily legarded as a fiontiei town, was now the centie. The whole thing had been changed, the gieat countiy lound about them was .tbout to be opened up by toads <md lailw.iys, and he tiustecl eie long to see the population of the disti ict laigely incieased by settlement upon the land. (Loud applause). -For this leason he had thought it only light and fair that »n the present occasion Ins should addicss his constituents at Kilukihi. By so doing lie hoped also to be able to know more about the wants of the district. He had thought it light to call his constituents togi>thei nisi now because theio wcie tin cc or four \ery important matteus agitating the public mind, matteis which left loom foi conjeetuinig that eio long there would bo a gieat disiupt'on of parties, and the beginning of a new eia m politics.

Possibilities of the Future. He could see plainly that politics were not going in the same groove as foinierly. The lemaiks which he would offei on the tlnee or four subjects he meant to talk about, would pio\e to them that the promises lie had made to follow the pieseut Government could be no longer binding if cci tain things were canied, 01 attempted to be aimed out. Tn his opinion the retncnient from politics of the late Piemiei, Sir Fiederiek Whitakei, would have a gi eater effect uuon politics than many people supposed. Su Kicdeiiokwas almost the list tie which kept tl c Noith and the South together. He was a statesman -w ho had taken colonial views of things and his dep.uture ficmi politics would be felt. Theie had always been a tugging between the Noith and South, and it might befoie long be necessary to face the questions imolved in their ditfeiences. It was not his intention to enter at any length into the

past. The Past. Meetings such as this had come to be consideied by some people as occasions upon which a membei should "gi\o an account of his ,tewaidship ;" but as a niattei of fact it was not necessai y that a uienibei should take up the time of his constituents in that way. People in these days geneially lead the newsp, peis, aud they weie quite as well ported up m the affau- of Pailiament as their niembeis could ho])e to make them. He could onlj say that he had continued to follow the p'.uty of letienchmcnt, lefoini and law and older. With seveial of tl)ipaity's measiues he had disagieed, and weie they le-introduced he would disagiee with them again, but so fai as ti ose gentlemen had acted dining the two tensions of the piesent Pailiament, he mu-t say that he could not see anyone bettei 01 animated with a greatei desiie to sei\e the ])übhc. He not only believed them to be the best men, but he did not think that in the piesent House there was anybody else capable of taking the leins, keeping the House together, and cairying out such a policy of retrenchment as he believed the piosent Government did cany out. The olectous should not be led away and deceived by speeches made in other paits of the colony, in which the Government was said to be guilty of the giossest abuses and extravagance, and so on. It was his business to take them behind the .scenes as far as lie could, and he wai ned them to take such statements as those he had refeiied to cum giano salis. Theie was a paity seeking to escape from its own lesponsibihties, which was doing all in its power to bring disci edit upon the paitj in powei. It was true there was at present a deficit in the levenue, but it was nothing like 10 seiious a deficit as other Governments had made, and, besides, it could be much more easily accounted for. It must not be forgotten that the present Government had made several impoitant financial operations. When they came into power the land fund was appropriated loyally, and was not, as now, colonial propel ty. The present Ministry weie also the first to separate the teiritoiial revenue fiom the consolidated revenue. By this means the Treasurer's budget could not be made to look as well as formerly, but the reform was effected nevertheless, and now the land fund was, applied to its legitimate purposes, and the charges for interest, &c, were met out of oidinary revenue. Formeily. too, it had been the custom to charge the cost of defence to loan account, it being thought that as it was necessity to the speedy settlement of the country that the natives should be kept quiet, the money lequisite to maintain the colonial forces should come fiom that source. But the present Government had done away with that system, and the cost of keeping up the Aimed Constabulary Force came out of the consolidated revenue. If they would take these facts into consideration they would find that the deficit was by no means to be justly attributed either to extravagance or carelessness-. It was true that fiom various aauses there had last year be?.n a serious falling off in the revenue. These causes were explained by the Colonial Treasurer ; he might be right, and he might be wrong ; he (the speaker) was not prepared to say which, but as in his relations with Major Atkinson he had always found that gentleman to be honest, he was quite prepared to believe him in the present instance. (Hear, hear.) One thing was quite clear; the deficit was not the result of extravagance. The Government, whatever else it might be, wab a very careful and very economical one, and he had followed them loyally for that reason alone ; such traits were by no means common to Governments. Nevertheless he was inclined to think that the Government would have to go to the country before long. If they went to the country with a policy suited to the requirements of the colony, with sound views on the questions of railway management and education forinstance, if in short their policy was a straightforward one, he could assure his hearers that in all other respects the members of the Government were as good men as be had ever met during the whole course jf his life. But, if their policy was not the

reverse ; they must be turned out. If defeated during tli3 coming session, the Government, follow ing 1 a well fjefined piecedent, would not resign, but would ask for and would obtain a dtssolut on. In that case the general elections would probably take place in August. He did not say that events would tako th'b turn, but there were strong indications that they would. Government lad made and were m.ikins* certain \ery important changes, and he was son yto say that lie did not agree to imny of them. He w mid tell them why.

Theßai'.w y Tariff. The othoi diy there was indued to the public a ii' w radwav tuiff, compiled, he supposed, b' the Minister for Public Works. Now b'jfiui h ■ wjnt into this question, he de-'ued to *ay tli.it thf gentleman who now held thas imp irt.uit poitfolio commanded his entue reipect and e\en admit ation. He was a young man, a. Colonial, and by hin ovn inesistable energy and industry had r lised himself tirst to the position of a successful merchant in Auckluid, and sub^e luently to the rank of a Minister of the Ciown. If they were to li.ive free institutions at all they must be of Mich a characti-i a-, will euable them 'o elect men for the community not dependent upon biith or foitune to fill the highest offices m the land, (Applause) That being so, he now felt at liberty to criticise Mr Mitchi'lson's railway tariff, and first of all lie would say that it presses entuely upon the faimei. and operates to the ad\;mtage of dwelleis in towns. When the levisiou of the taiiff was hist spoken of in connection with the grain rates in Canterbury, it was thought that the Government was meiely going to ieve>tto the old chaiges, so that theie should be no distinctions ; but it was found that the levi.sion meant a good deal moie, it meant an increase in all the rate* which affected the the farmers, upon whom it preyed peculiaily hard. The effect of the tariff also on local centies of population Mich as Hamilton, Ngamawahia, and Te Awatnutu, would be disastrous. Anything, whether it was a i ail way tauff 01 uiythiug else which tended to contie population in the luge towns inustpiove a cm se to the c >untry. History toM them that so long as the bone .md sinew of the countiy was not diawn into the Luge centies of population, a state lcniained pio-peious ; when the iever>e obtained the period of decadence set in. It was a gieat mistake to cmsh out the life of little centies. He contended that the piesent railway tauft tended in that dhection. The taiiff between, say, Hamilton and Onehunga or Auckland was ciuite different from that which was in foice between the local centies. In the former case the oidmaiv r.ite was charged, in the latter a 1a te and a quai ter. Now supposing a pei son in Auckland w ished to get a ton of potatoes* from Ivihikihi, he would only ha\e to pay I ( 'd per mile ; but supposing somebody m Hamilton wished to get a ton from the same place, ho "ould have to pay 4^l pei mile,— thiee times the late. Such a tariff as this would go a long way to cmsh local centies out of existence. (Applause). Regarding the question of mainues, — a veiy unpoitant item— the minimum used to be two ton» ; it was now four tons, and the rate had been increased fiom 11s to 14*, including a chaige of lb for loadinc. Now, what was the me of taxing such an iiiticlo? When theie were so many pioducts which could not be laiscd without maimie, anyone ought to -,cc that by cairynig it at a clioap late the railways would be sowing the seed of tutiue tiaffic. (Hear, hear.) What he had said concerning potatoes applied of couise to gram, hay, stiaw, chaff, &c. They had all piobably seen a lettei m the papeis on the subiecc of the now tarifr firm the pen of Mr Vaile. Now, although he (Mr Whitaker) did not agiee. with eveiythn>£ Mr Vaile said, his figuie* wt-\e lehable, and he wa> pretty right when he said that the whole of the money lequued to make up the railway d -ficit is to come out < f the pockets of t l ie fainiei- Let them lo')k at the cattle late-. The old late was ■V.h 2d per tiuck, and the iilw late was .">()> 3d. Ljt them look at Class JS, winch consists only of farineis 1 pioduce. Any of the aiticles enumerated in this class can be sent through to Auckland at taiiff rates, aud the mci chain to whom they are consigned takes dehveiy at the station in Auckland. In Auckland the faru.er purchases cci tain Roods which he requites ; he has to take delivery fiom the mei chant, and the goods landed .it tie nearest lailway station to Ins farm aie chaiged a late and aquaitei. Thus the mci chant gets all the advantage. He would g'\o them anothei instance, to show in a stiongoi light the absiudity of the pieseuttaiiff and ltscjntialising tendency. Two tons of potatoes c mid be sent from Te Aw.unutu to Auckland foi 14s od, but if consigned to Newniaikot the fieiglit chaige would amount to l"s lid. It was ob\ious that such a tariff as this must pi ess far too hea\ ily upon the faimeis, and, he lepeated, it would tend to miss the population in the large towns. It was obsious that if the colony was to go on iv the much of pi ogress, the. people must be settled on the land; it would uevei d'> foi e\erybody to msli to Auckland and the othei laige cities to become cleiks and shop assistants. He tiaced half the, e\ilsinthe coiiutiy to this cause. \'ct nothing would so smely tend to dtive the people to the towns as the want of cheap and efficient c immunication between the faun and the market. He trusted the (-ioverumeut would see its way to make a change for the bettei iv this regard; otherwise lv v/ould \ote against them on this question. As he had something to say on another important question, he would sum up his nn pressions of the tanff in a _ fe.v Aroids, and give them his candid opinion about it. After very mature thought on he subject he had aimed at the conclusion t Kit it was quite imp )->sible to work any lailway sy&te n undei political pressure. To be maniged efficiently the railways ought to be undei the contiol of anon-politi-cal b >nids, having, of couise, due regard to economy. The (-loveinment could manage the lines well enough if it was not obliged to give way to the clamouis of paities. Vi toria was trying the expeiiment of managing her lailways by a uon-politic.il boaid, and so far it had pio\ed a decided success. He advocated such a boatd for New Zealand. Of course, this board would be under the contiol of the (government to some extent, but Ministeis would not be able to inteifeie with the tiriff, and the members of the boaid would hold office during good behaviour. They would then have men administering the railway who would go round and see to the requirements of the diffeient districts, and, without introducing a diffeiemial tanff, make it their bu.sine&s to fostei the ti.ide* which gave promise of affoiding revenue. He (the speaker) had honestly striven to discover the rationale of the tariff, but if anybody could understand it in twelve hours, he would be a much stnaiter man than he wa>. In his opinion it was impossible to discovei any system in it The Premier, in his Hawera speech, said the tariff was a question for grave consideration and discussion. Well, he had given it consideration, and he was there now to discuss it with his constituents.

Education. Another matter t mched on in the Hawera speech, as indicating the coming policy, was the question of education. The Premier considered the present education system unsa-t'sfactoiy. Majoi Atkinson was prepaied to accept it at present, but it was unsatisfactory. Now he (Mr Whitakor) read this in the light of pievious experience. He knew very well what the prominent people in the House thought about it, and when he read that passage in the Premier's speech he knew the cloven hoof was sticking out somewhere. When he first became a follower of the party now in power, a \ery strong supporter of the present education system, Mr Swanson, told him to | be very careful about it, as he was not certain of the Government. He (the speaker) replied that he thought the Government was all right on that question, but at the instance of Mr Swanson he went to the then Premier, Sir John Hall, and got a pledge from him, that the present education system should not be interfered with. Three or four members of the present Ministry held views antagonistic to and were dissatisfied wilh the present system. Now he did not wish to hurt anybody's feelings, — nothing c-uld be further from his thoughts — but this system should not be altered at the present time. It was no use mincing matteis. As they knew several attacks had been inadB upon the system, and one member had. very nearly succeeded in carrying a motion against it. Mr P. McCaughan came down with a proposition to reduce the education vote by £30,000, but fortunately his motive was seen through. His object was to kill the system by starving it ; Once the principle of reducing the vote crept in there would very soon have baeu nothing left. Last year a committee had been appointed to enquire into the whole question and some of the highest authorities in the land gave evidence. This committee or another would probably sit again. It was known that further attacks would be made

and openly stated that an attempt would be made to upset this system, and introduce denominationahsm. He knew the Premier was not "sound on the goose." Tim was another question upon which, if the Pi emier's speech indicated the coming policy of the Government, he must vote against them. (Applause). If they persisted in an attempt to carry out these views, he should be compelled, however reluctantly, to withdraw his support from them. lie knew of nothing elso half so important to the State as education. It was no i^e to give liberty to the people unless they gave them education as well; they mut-t not put *h.u p-edged tool* into the h uuJs of children, but into those of men, fitted to understand their proper uses. (Applause). He had heaid it said that the result ot this universal education would be tli.it by-and-bye theie would be no lower clashes left, nobody to do ,uiy of the s >-called menial officer, no workingmen ; but he had always leplied, "Yet-, there would.'" It would, however, be a case of the *urvival of th'j fittest, and the weakest would go to the null. What ho contended for was this : Let every man, whatever his rauk in life, hi-, advantages t>f biith and fortune may be, have a fair chance, and let the battle be to the stiong, and the race to the swift. (Applause).

Co-operation. There was another matter which he intended to have said a few words upon. It .v.ii a subject winch at the present tune was greatly agitating the public luiud. He alluded to co-operation. The object of those who sought to introduce the c)• operative piinciple into the commercial economy of the district, was> to do away with the middle men who now reaped such large profits from the producer. He believed co-opeia-tion would be a luling piiuciple in the future ; they would adopt co-operation because they would benefit largely by it. It was necesbary to preserve the equilibiium of society.

The Trunk Railway. As lie had already remarked, he would rather answer question than addiesh audiences, but he had still a few woid& to s.iy about the question of pushing foi waul the railway through the heait of the countiy. When the million loan was authored for the construction of the Noith Island Tiunk Kail way, a clau->e was hiscited at the last moment to the effect timt the money should not be iait.ed until the (lovemmeut was m a position to lay befoie Pailiamont complete plans of the pi oposed loute with estimate of cost &c. Thu> was inoiethan a yoai and a half ago. One instalment of the three million loan had been spent, and the second million was now being disbursed, and the tin'C had ai rived when the special loan bhould be laised, lest in another Paihament the \otmg power of the south might perhaps succeed in preventing the construction of the line altogethei. Tt was the duty of every member in the Auckland district to insist that the loan hhould be raised during the ne\t session. It was most impoitnnt to this pai t of the island that this railway should be completed. Southerners often sneeied at the Northern lines and the low 1 ate of interest on co-.t of conati uction ictuiued by them, but the sneer w.u> undesei \ cd. It was unjust that the South should have a completed system of railways while the Xoith was served by more fragments, w Inch could not bo expected to pay until the> were linked together. So long as t'nc system lemained broken up tiieie could be no through rates Mid it was well known that long distances and tin ough r.itcs paid the best. He thought, considering everything, that the Northern railways had done remarkably well. The inteiests of thcNoith Island generally, and of thidistiict in paiticular, required that the trunk line should be constructed, and he would uige the other meinbsis to join with Inn in moving the (iroveinnieiit to piocu'd with its construction forthwith. (Applause^.

Conclusion. He would not trouble them with any more subjects. He was going down to Wellington to tight the battles which he hid fought peicefully with them that night. He had spoken of the questions which, in his opinion, would come before the House, and he could only assure them that if an> turn he consideied then interests to b3 at stake lie should not stray from the path of duty. He hoped that if they hid any uiatteis to biing bafoie him they would do so, and it only 1 em lined for him, in conclusion, to thank them foi the patient and attentiNC heating accorded to him. Mr Whitaker then lesumed his .seat amid applause.

Questions. Mr Grace «aid there was a road leading southwards from Kihikilii m.nkorl on the maps as a Government ro.ul. The local bodies could not spend money upon it. He wished to know if Mi Wlnt'iker would use his endeavours to get a siuu put on the estimates to make the road pi acticable. Mr Whitaker s,ud the lequest w.vs a fait and le.isonable one. The Government had taken upon itself the responsibility or unking loads tin ouprh native country. He had no doubt that Mr Whyfce would assist him in his endeavour to comply with the wishes of the people. In answer to Mr Moody, Mr Whitaker said the matter of the ten aoie jeserve in Kihikihi vested in the Alexandra Tovn Boaid had occupied bib attention. Ho lecoguihcd the justice of the claim ■which the Kihikihi people put forth to ha\e the leserve handed ovei to them, but it would be nnjust to take the land from Alexandia without an equivalent being giAen for it. What he would piopo^e was tins, that the Government, which was the party to blame, should hand over the reserve to the Kihikihi Town Bo.ud, giving Ale\andia land of equal value in exchange. (Heai, hear.) In reply to fuither questions by Mi Moody, Mr Whitaker said ho had voted against the reduction of the Aimed Con stabulaiy because the question had been made a paity one. If a man had a party it was liecessaiy that he should stick to that pai ty. When a motion was brought fonvai d in the spii it which animated the movei of this one, he would be bound to vote against it. He did not vote with a view to burke euquh y. He was not aware that the Police foicegot "long seivice pay," but if they did he thought the Aimed Constabulary should be treated in the .same way. Mr Ellis w ished to know which side of the Roils? they might e\pei t t ) see Mr Whitaker during the coining session. Mr Wliifcaker said he had aheady in founed the meeting upon this point. If the Government did not attempt to thwart measures calculated to benefit the country, he would suppoit it; if it did he would oppose it. It was well understood that no new party could be formed out of the piesont Houmj, but nevt Parliament might ■witness gieat changes. When the pioper time came he would be happy to answer the question more fully. Mr Ellis : Supposing the questions to which you refer are made paity questions, will you vote against them ? Mr Whitaker : Certainly, that is what I meant. There is a gi eat deal of difference between the question of reducing the constabulary force, and that of alteiing our education system. If the Government attack the latter it would be depaiting from the policy which gained my support. (Applause). Mr Moncrieff wished to know whether Mr Whitaker was in fa\our of one loute more than another for the Grand Trunk Railway '! Mr Whitaker said his own predilection." led him to favour the Taranaki route, but in any case the line would go via Te Awanmtu. When the engineer's reports, estimates, &c, weie brought down, if there was anything like equality between the cost he would certainly support that between Taranaki and Te Awanmtu. - In answer to the same gentleman, Mr Whitaker promised to use his efforts to get a bridge erected over the Puniu at the most convenient place for connecting Kihikihi with the " King Country." Mr Ellis desired to know whether Mr Whitaker shared the opinions of the Premier in regard to the need of obtaining a better title than freehold. Mr Whitaker said the Premier meant nationalisation of the land. He would vote for any measure which had for its object the settlement of people on the lands of the country, but he would oppose the nationalisation scheme. He did not want to see a race of State pensioners taking the place of the sturdy band of freeholders. He had already informed Major Atkinson that he would not support him on this point. The Premier had tried to change his (the speaker's) views, but had not succeeded. (Applause.) Mr Gresham wished to know whether Mr Whitaker would pledge himself to go to the poll. Mr Whitaker said he would not pledge himself to anything of the kind. This was not an electioneering meeting ; but he had

his intention to go to the poll, and *if possible to win. (L/heers.) Mr Greaham wanted to know what Mr Whitakpr had done for the Working man. Mr Whitiker said, a great many things. He had supported the extension of the franchise, .and the Triennial Parliaments \it. He had given employment to a great many working men, and he could say that he had treated thorn ai men, <*nd not, as it was the fashion of some people to do, as dogs. (Applause.) Mr Gresham wished to know whether Mr Whitaker considered his action in voting for the expenditure of £20,000 on the alterations to, and enlargement of the Parliament Hou*e consistent with his advocacy of retrenchment ? Mr Whitaker certainly thought po. He uitedfor the expenditure for the sake of sa\ing the lives <>f about ninety of the most talented man in the colony. (A laugh.) It was quite possible that Mr Greshatn did not know that mauy of the members were dying of fever ; some had died. The buildings were old and absolutely rotten, and the constitutions of the strongest men were bieakiug down. Mr Whitaker then described the ordinary life of a member, attending daily and nightly sittings of /the House. The alterations and improvements lecently effected were necessary to the health, nay, the life of the members who continually lan the risk of being struck down by typhoid fe\er. (Hear, hear.) Mr Gresham asked a number of other questions of no great public interest, concerning the pay of the Thames Volunteer^ the Rotorua Railway directors and the Rotorua leaseholder. On the question of the Thames Volunteers, Mr Whitaker said he had pleaded their cau^e, but he walked out of the House when the dnision was taken because, for reasons aheidy given, he did not consider it right to embairass the Government on a question of that kind. He sympathised with the Rotoiua Railway diiectors, but said ho believed they had now come to a .satisfactory airangement with the Government. He did n'.t think the question of a land ta\ would come up during the next session. When the elections came round he would bepieparedto give them his views on tin- ~nl)ject. Then I using no further questions, Mr 0. J. Thomas moved "That this meeting e\ pi esses its thanks to, and confidence in Mr F. A. Whitaker as the representathu of the district." Mi W. H. Grace seconded. Mr Thomas Giesham moved, as an amendment, "That this meeting considers that it would be inexpedient and undesirable that Mi F. A. Whitaker should again contest the seat for Wai pa." Mr Foibos Gordon seconded. For the amendment tin cc 01 four hands were held up, and it was declaied to have been lost. Mr Ellis then moved, as a further amendment, '' That the thanks of this meeting be given to Mr Whitaker for his address." This was seconded by Mr Kennedy. For the amendment 14 voted, and for the original motion over 20, but it is probable that many of those who voted were not counted, o\\ ing to the bad light in the hall. The result was greeetd with loud and prolonged applause. On the motion of Mr Whitaker, a hearty vote of thanks m, is passed to the chairman, and the meeting then terminated.