THE PAHIATUA SEAT.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 98, 23 October 1908, Page 5

THE PAHIATUA SEAT.

: . MU ROSS AT WAION^-; ■ i Mr* Ross, M.P., for Pahiatua, atf-« dressed St meeting of electors in the school at Waione on .Wednesday eHriing. . Mr Newman, J. P., was voted to 'the' chairs - ; -- '; Mr Ross said lie was pleased once agsin to be afforded an opportunity of meeting the electors \and bringing Ins; political principles and conduct during;; the, pgst .thr£e-v.£ea"rsvits their representative in Parliament under review. He hoped and was.(Confident of receiving (in even larger measijrja than ho had previously done) a renewal of JJ their,.; po'tifidence ■ '-^vhich wp-iild permit of, hjs doing such service; to the electorate and to the country; as an increased \ experience in matters affecting their interest and a riper knowledge of ;the larger political questions influencing the natonal life of the dominion encouraged him to believe he could do. The past three years had not been devoid of- incidents worthy of notice. They had had , TWO PARTICULARLY PROSPEROUS YEARS, but the fall in the price of wool and the backwash of the American' crisis were at present causing grave iricon-v venience and anxiety to all clases of the. community. ' ; f" The nett loss to the sheep farmers of our dominion last year on wool and: mutton exported was 633 :as compared with the preceediiig' year. Qr, in other words,, settlers had this year received only 15s 9d in the £1 on- -the previous year's income.: Our dairy farmers -.had stiff ered considerably by the particularly dry season : experienced, . biit , owing to the excellent price ruling for butter their income had increased by £158,922, as compared with last year. Those engaged in the .flaxmi'lling business had been badly hit, the total shrinkage being £162,171, or a, decrease of /3s 7d in the £1 oh their incomes. THE WIDESPREAD BUSH FIRES were responsible for a very considerable outlay by pur settlers in renewing fences and resowing the burnt areas. He was glad to say that he had been able to visit most ,of those within the fire zone during the'progress or immediately after the conflagijatiori and that he was the first ■ member of Parliament to get into touch with the Government and receive a reply as to what help would bo given to those requiring it. ;The Government had supplied seed at cost price, and given three years' credit free of interest to those financially embarrassed. Personally, he would sooner have seen the seed supplied to everyone who chose to have it on conditions that six per cent, interest was charged on the P.N. This would have relieved the GovernI inent of the necessity of discrimina- | ting between persons. The interest have fixed that. - No one 1 who could pay cash or make arrange- | ments with his merchant would then have wanted the Government seed. ■*"Kie present temporary : . , TIGHTNESS OF MONEY had brought prominently under our notice once again the great service rendered to the colony by those who initiated the Advances to Settlers' Department, it being in his opinion the keystone of the edifice OT the agrao-ian legislation which had been built up" in . this . country during the last fifteen years or more by the Liberal Government. Had it not been for the existence of the Advances to Settlers' Department many of our best settlers would, during the past few months, have been entirely-' at the - mercy of the Banks and financial institutions. While not wishing to cast any reflections on these institutions he would quote from a speech delivered in Parliament by the Prime Minister on the 24th July last: / "Now I 'want. to refer to the position in connection with the financial ] position within»the domain. I hold in my hand five or six circulars out of a number which were sent out by private money-lenders institutions at the time when the American financial disturbances occurred. Here is a statement from one of the circulars sent out in January of this year, when the financial troubles outside New Zealand were very great : 'Kindly let me know at once if you desire and agree to such extension at such rate, and I will send you a deed .of extension for signature by you. You cwill incur no. legal expenses in arranging the extension of the mortgage. If such extension of the mortgage is not arranged, the company will be compelled to consider the question of requiring the repayment at once of the principal moneys.' The extension was to be for three or five years. Ido not want tp ,give the names of the institutions away. I do not wish to do what is unfair to any institution. Every one of them was the same — that was, there was an increase in the rates of interest, and an increase in the term of years to which they were prepared to renew the loan. From the circulars it was not a case of money being short arid requesting. the loan to terminate . It was. entirely a question of an increased rate, and an increased period of years at the increased rate, thus conclusively showing that thoy anticipated a drop in interest before long, but that their borrowers were to -be .tied at the higher ra,te> for a considerable period after the drop takes place. During all this period what was tho attitude of the Advances to Settlers Department, the creation of which was so strongly opposed by the leader .of the Opposition and honorable gentlemen opposite?' There was during the last twelve months — that was, up to the 30th June— £1,623,515 authorised as advances to settlers, and actually completed on- that date advances to 2875 settlers of £1,439,953, apart altogether from the large amount that has been advanced to Avorkers for the erection of their dwellings in towns and cities. And there are clients in some lending institutions in Wellington tho principals of which have been doing all they can — in a very unfair way sometimes — to injure this Government. I say. that with a full knowledge of what I am talking about, because Ihave information in my hands. Their clients, I say, came to thfl Advances to Settlers Department and arranged for their lo*ns.»intoany cases. W|*.en.

tho institutions found that the Advances to Settlers Department ~~ prepared to lend >+-* : ■■«* " money. '+.*•--' - _.ioir clients the I . ..' ..Aiey^tried to keep them at the old rate of interest ; : bht; of course, -- their clients were not to be had in ; this way. Wo have one instance in which an unfortunate woman, at tb£ Hutt was called upon to repay " a small loan, bearing 5 per cjnt. 'in- » terest, and was called ; utjbn to pay " 7i per cent, for an extended term _ of years, or to pay off the principal *• ai once. The unfortunate woman coif d not afford* to pay 7$ per cent. ' Tho amount that she wanted was be- . yond ' the legal amount that the Ad- ' vances to Settlers Board could adf? vauce. The Board ' agreed to. adit- vance up to- the limit authorised by ;■ the Act, but this was £50 below the ' mortgage that the woman was called upon to pay. To the credit, however, of the Superintendent of the Department and a few of his. friends be it said, they got together £50- in * order to make up tho balance, and the woman was saved, and all this in the face of the fact that some of the most experienced and ablest men; in. the financial world-believe that high , rates of interest for money cannot long continue. I say also I could show you case after case.whero it was found that these institutions were not asking for the payment of the money owing to the shortage of. funds, but were asking for an extension at a high rate of interest and a , renewal for a period of years at the lngh.Vate, I -can show you case after base' where some'ipf these instiyJ tu tions, as soon as tho Advances; to. Sottlers agreed to take the loan, invited these people to stay where they were, but naturally they refused to do SO."- ' . "■'■■ '■ : ■:' . THE CABINET. The great leader of that party which gave vs -most of our humane and beneficent- legislation had gone fiom us, but; we still had in our midst the man to whom we owed much as the author of that cheap, money scheme. He referred io SirJoseph Ward, our Prime 'Minister and leader of the party to which Mr Ross belonged. Since Sir Joseph Ward's succession to the Premiership changes had 'been made in the Cab-.' met by the retirement of Messrs Duncan and Mills, and the elevation; of Messrs Fowlds Millar, and McNab. Country settlers had lost a real sterling friend .when they lost old Tom Duncan as Minister of Agriculture. In Mr McNab they had, however, an able administrator, highly educated, a great worker, and a farmer, but unfortunately a South .Islander with only a limited knowledge of the conditions under which occupiers of the soil in tho North Island live and labour. Mr McNab was, however, doing his best to become acquainted with conditions generally, and his trip to Waikato, Taumarunui and the North of Auckland last year had had a great effect, and all that was now necessary to complete that education was a trip through the Pahiatua backblocks in midwinter or early spring. Mr Miller had proved himself to-be ai strong man and worthy of his place in jtho Cabinet, jfche masterly way in which he had handled the tariff revision in 1907, and his subsequent handling of that difficult and -complicated subject "Labour Legislation," had gained for him the confidence of both sides of the House. His amended Arbitration Act had convinced tho country that he was capable of holding the balance fairly between employers and employees, and showed conclusively what little truth or reality there was in 'attributing to him or the Government gen- J erally, socialistic or class leanings, i Tho courage displayed by the Government in handling this delicate and complex question, involving not only tho treatment of great interests, but also of great principles '" must commend itself to the intelligent and thoughtful portion of the community and should effectually put an end to those suggestions— imputing to the Government a disposition to pander to. a class because of some supposed political advantage to the detriment of other classes in the community. No one who was watching the march of political events throughout the

civilised world c6uld but acknowledge that there was A FORCE KNOCKING AT TH E -' DOOR — ■•"» wove-rnme-nts, demanding mca" and Still moro recognition, and _.u-Vcrnment. that was stronp- enou <rh .to", withstand that "co^ste^f' demand' keep socialism ir cm t c j- was tne .best Government f^^ (50untry> and the Jjiueiai government was doing tnat,^ _„ : was a mistaken, idea to • ln VLg.],ne that New Zealand was tho ; only part- of the world where ' ad.vaai.c------3 ed labour legislation was inexistence. 1 Why, 'in -'old- England -itself -t'Orday, ■ this class of: legislation was in somo r :-. respects more -advanced thah.in this } dominion. Referring to -: [ •-■ MND LEGISLATION Mr Ross went on to say lie had been I returned as a freeholder aiid 'had ; since been afforded many opportunities in Parliament of giving evidence [ of the faith that was : withiii him, and ' he felt sure that his attitude on that } question alone had , won him many j friends among the farming community, not only within his own elector- ~ ate, but throughout the dominion. . During His first session iii Parlia- [ ment the Government had introduced y a Land Bill embodying three principies, Endowment, Limitation .of } Area, and Tenure, Prior to the Bill coming down he had given the l .Government' a gentle hint of what his . attitude would be by asking- them [. "whether the Government would, ■ .when framing their Land Bill and and other legislation,-' consider the ( advisableness of bringing all native. •, rural lands other than those in occupaiicy and:' being farmed by natives: and all the educational •and other eri- | .dowments of rural lands under the operation of "the -\ Land: Act by .placing them, on tFie 'market under the optional system of. devoting the mon-' '* eys so -.''obtained . irom'.. time to time- to' the purchase of .town -lands, which . could be made inalienable and leased on short terms (14 to 21 years) to town advocates of land nationalisation, thiis securing for. education, hospital and . charitable: aid and old age pensions and-' the' natives the full unearned increment, at the same time • giving to each section of the community the tenure they advocated— that is to say, optional freehold^ to the farmer and short-term leasehold with r.e-raluation io the townsman." This suggestion met with .strong disapproval at the hands of leasehold representatives of city constituencies, who objected ,to being dosed with their own. physic . On the Bill being circulated and introduced, .Mr Ross gave notice on. the 6th October, 1 ( J06, to move, on the motion for the second reading of the Bill, that the proposals contained in the Bill were unsatisfactory, ... 'inasmuch., as they did not contain provision for granting the freehold to Crown tenants at the original value. The Bill', was dropped, and wisely too, because no power on earth could have, forced it through the House, thus proving beyond question that though one party may, because of its overwhelming strength and numbers, dominate and control the situation; yet on a vital question affecting great .interests on which it had pledged itself to

a certain course, it may nevertheless be compelled by the spirited and determined conduct of a section of its members to recede from its position and eventually recognise that so.jnd principle as well as sound sense lie in another direction. The point wr. ; one of great interest, and desen- "•!<.; of close attention when so much v.-a-j being said about strengthening :~-i Opposition that had long ceas< ■} to exercise any material influence/ i tiie course of. political events, and that, too, not so much becauso of its numerical weakness) but rather because it had lost the confidence of the country, and had in fact passed out of serious thought as a political factor in the dominion. But regardless of the WEAKNESS OF THIS VANISHING OPPOSITION and its utter inability to do anything beyond feebly attempting to clog the wheels of ; progress,- you had. had before you iv this last. Parliament the spectacle of a. -great party— the strongest that has ever directed the affairs of this country — being, compelled by presstire from" within its own ranks to abandon -a course which it had jniblioly and repeatedly ■pledged, -itself .to 'f0110w,. .-" He was, of '■ course, now referring; to the- surrender of. the Government ,on the" Land Bill — a .surrender "brought about: entirely through the action of. Liberal members'.; representing agrarian interests. " . ..;.," '\. ..". 'i This would have occurred, had the. Opposition' been even smaller, than, it it at present, or had it not "existed at all. This would enable you to understand both the nonsense and ihe misleading purpose of ..the cry that the Opposition .should .be strengthened; , To do SO would be an act of mischievous folly, which he was certain the country -.had. no intention of -committing itself to. There were in the ranks of. the Liberal Party men of progressive principles representing, country constitiitiences, who could be depended on i absolutely to safeguard the interests of their constitxients regardless altogether of party consideration. You had seen that in the case ofthe Land Bill, and you would see it again should the occasion arise calling for such action. Tho duty of country settlers was to RETURN MEN OF LIBERAL PRINCIPLES who, while they would not permit .of any interference with- the inalienable right -of every man to own the land he tilled and lived :on, -would yet in all matters of sound and sensible x>rogress be found advancing, and not hindering, onward movement. Though he was, as they knew, a member of the Liberal Party, yet he would not allow that fact to stand between him and such action as he deemed to be necessary in order to prevent any undue invasion or interference .with the rights of. any class in the community. Among the legislation of importance to country settlers passed in 1906 was an amendment of the GOVERNMENT VALUATION -OF LAND ACT, by . which provision was made for local authorities being represented on Assessment Courts. This was certainly a step iii the . right direction, but there still remained ample scope for further amendments. He viewed with alarm the system of basing valuations on ficticious values, which had been brought about by speculation, in land, and he hoped to see some more system introduced. He had, during last session, endeavoured to get an alteration in the law in the direction of basing values on what the land was capable of producing, instead of on sale values, as at present. The Government were to be congratulated on the step forward that they had taken in connection with the ROADING OF THE BACK-BLOCKS and the raising of a million of money for that purpose, " and their prposal to spend it at the rate of £250,000 per annum. This subject, although perhaps not of much importance to townspeople, was of the very greatest importance to country' settlers. Many a man who to-day was battling through mud, fighting hard for himself and his family — so that those who were near and dear to him would have' a home of their own — would hail with delight the new order of things, and look forward in anticipation to the better conditions that accompany an improved roading and bridging of outlying districts. During last session an amendment to the Old Ag© Pensions Act had been placed on the statute book, further liberalising the original measure in the direction of removing the disability under which those who had been fortunate enough to provide a little home for themselves laboured. The clause disqualifying for five years a pensioner who made a lapse in sobriety was now reduced to twelve months. The Education Amendment Act of last session was a particularly welcome measure. It 'protected the salaries of teachers against an unexpected reduction through any sudden drop which might take place through an epidemic, illness, or other cause. It raised the standard salaries of teachers of small schools in the backblocks to at least within measureable distance of a living wage, and made provision for a more equitable system of promotion. He had overy confidence that with a liberal interpretation aud administration by Education Boards THE CAUSE OF EDUCATION would be materially advanced, particularly in outlying and sparsely settled districts. The reduction in the rates of interest, on loans granted under the Amendment Act introduced . by the Government last session had proved a great boom to the settlers, and had given satisfaction to the ratepayers of the areas over which it had been necessary to borrow money to make roads, bridges, and carry out other public works. He believed that the FINANCIAL DEPRESSION uoav being experienced was of a temporary character, and there was still a lengthened period of prosperity in front of them, and that with a continuance of our judiciously progressive policy — embracing the vigorous development of our great natural re--1 sources, the opening up of our native

and Crown lands, the advance of closer settlement, and the employment of all those beneficial agencies which tho Liberal Government had called into existence, we would still roritimie to maintain 'that' Same high standard of in-dividual comfort and national, progress that it ha'd.boe-iiour »nod fortune to enjoy for so many years. In reply to a question bearing- on the financial position of the' Akitio County Council, -Mr Ross read correspondence .he had received from ther Prime Minister, also a letter from the secretary of the Hawke's Bay Dairy Company (an accredited accountant) certifying that the figures and facts contained in a letter from Mr ROSS to the Akitio County Council, dated 18th May, were' the same as to Sir. Joseph Ward. - : : ...;.■ THANKS AND CONFIDENCE. Mr Ross received a good hearing, and on the motion of Messrs Melma nche ancLFerrick, was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. ■ ' 'i '"' ''■— «» -.-■■