PRE- SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 112, 13 May 1899, Page 5

PRE- SESSIONAL ADDRESSES .

THE PREMIER AT EKETAIIUNA. HJS STATEMENT OF FINANCES. A SURPLUS OF £495,000. [|!T TEI-EGItAL'H — I'RKgS ASSOCIATION.] Eketaiixtxa. Tins Hay. The Premici addressed :i large galheri'.'i; in Telling's Hall, Ekeiuhuna, last night, Llr. Joseph Smith, J.P., presiding. , Mr. Seddon, who had a hearty reception, said he had been Availing for the Opposition to take the platform. They had done no at List, and Avhat a sorry exhibition they had made ! They assumed an appearance of mystery, but had no policy to disclose. The people had a I'ight to know Avhetber they meant to continue or rcvciHC the present policy. In the past the country had suffered, and the people had a right to knoAV whether this Avas to be repeated. At Nelson, Avhen apked Avhal Avas proposed, Mr. Duthie replied that they wanted to knoAV too much. At Wcsly'ort) .Uie same; gentleman insulted the generous and hospitable Maori by denouncing "nigger landlords." They had seen the sons and daughters of NeAV Zealand driven aAvay by hard times, and attracted again from Australia by improved legislation and better opportunities, and these people Mr. Duthie called "spielers apd blacklegs." There was a difference of opuror, between Mr. Rolleston and Captain Russell and other leading Conservatives as regards :iie hasehold and freehold tenure. Speaking of Messrs. Hutchison and Buchanan, the speaker said the people Avere Avitnessing the antics of a political Svengali, and the Opposition low comedian. Referring to the Marine Scandal, he remarked that the Hon. Mr. Hall- Jones Avas quite incapable of the charges laid to his account. Up to 31st March, 1899, the Advances to Settlers Office had received 9032 applications, totalling £2,957,526. Of these, 7070 advances had been authorised, amounting to £2,073,423. There had so far been no losses. It AA-as intended to go further, and give advances on suburban and township properties, and to give those Avho paid their interest punctually a rebate of one-half per cent. The cheap money scheme had saved settlers about a million sterling, a year, and had altogether altered the relationship between borrower and. lender. Did his hearers know, asked Mr. Seddon, that for years they had been in the hands of monopolists, and had not been receiving a fair price for their sheep and cattle, and other produce? Sheep ■ had been sent from the Wairarapa to Canterbury, and after paying for freight and other charges, they brought 2s a head more than if they had been sold in the Wairarapa. It AA'as an unholy condition of things that people should be iri the hands of companies Avhich would continue to keep down the prices and make the settlers suffer. He and mamtaers of his Party Avould do their best to break doAvn that monopoly, and if it could not be done otherwise, they would have to establish freezing chambers of their own. Referring tp the Manawatu Railway, he remarked that if it was taken over the indebtedness of the colony would be increased by, three-quarters of a million. He gave the company every credit for its enterprise, but in the face of facts he had become aware of he was nofc prepared to purchase the concern. Goming to the financial position of the colony, the Premier estimated that there Avould be a surplus of about half a million sterling, The receipts had amounted to £5,186,423, au excess of £217,428 over the estimate. The actual surplus was £495,861. The figures shoAyed that the spending poAver of the people Avas increasing, and the country yvas still prosperous. The Hon.,W. Rolleston had admitted that the country Avas never more prosperous than to-day, but he forgot to add ''thanks to the Seddon Government." The figures were as follows:— Estimate for the year, £4,969,000 ; actual receipts, £5,186,428; amount received in excess, of estimates, £217,428. This excess Avas made up as follows :— Customs, £30,018 : stamps, £9400; Laud and Income Tax, £20,<333; beer duty, £5213; railways, £95,507 ; territorial, £46,799 ; other receipts, £6958. The estimated' expenditure was £4,902,750, and actual .amount expended £4,858,511. - The public debt on 31st Marph, 1898 was £44,963,424, and on 31st March, 1899, £46,938,006, an increase for the year of £1,974,582, made up as follows: — Loaus to local bodies, £73,900; lands for settlement, £499,000; New Zealand consols, £29,740; aid to public Avorks, of™'™!?' advance^ to settlers, i<ooo,ooo. *■ , Referring to the expenditure on old age pensions, the Premier said the pensions granted up to 31st March amounted to £128,273 for the year, the amounts being— For Auckland, £31,000; Otago, £31,000>;. Canterbury, £24,000; Wellington, £14,000; Westland, £11,000; Nefcon, £9000; Hawkes Bay, £3000; NeAV Plymouth, £3000; Marl borough, £2000. The average pension wa* 5 per cent, under £18 a year. Besides the number mentioned about 400 pensions had been granted up to the end of April. Fifty-one of the claimants had died, and it seemed most likely that for a considerable time the deaths would equal the number of neAA' claimants. Tha Premier, Afrho spoke for over three hours, concluded with an impressive appeal in vindication of the provision made in jbhis colony for the a^ed popr. A vote of thanks to the Premier and of continued confidence in the Government was carried amidst enthusiasm, and the proceedings terminated, Neav Plymouth, Tjjis Day. Captain Russell spoke in. the Theatre Royal last night, on lines similar to his speeches Avhjch have already been reported. He wa-s exceptionally Avell received. He Avas not in favour of the elective Executive, and considered Prohibition Avas not necessary in this colpny, and the people were temperate. At the conclusion a motion of no-confi-dence in the Government was rejected, afld a vote of thanks was carried almost unanimously. • Hearty cheers, intermingled Avith slight hooting, A\ r ere given for Captain Russell. Mr. H. A. Field Avas to have addressed the Porirua electors on Thursday night, but the weather proved so bad that it was decided to postpone the meeting. Mr. Field will, as advertised, speak at Porirua on Thursday next, and at the Upper Hutt on Saturday next. The City electors -will be ' addressed by Mr. J. Hulcheson, M.H.R., at a meeting to be held in the Exchange Hall on Wednesday next. The Premier is to speak ut Dannevirke to-night, and will visit Ormondville on Monday.