MR G. J. SMITH AT THE TUAM STREET HALL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9012, 26 January 1895, Page 8

MR G. J. SMITH AT THE TUAM STREET HALL.

Mr G. J. Smith, one of the members for Christchurch, addressed a imeeting of hie constituents at the Tuam street Hall last night. There was a large attendance, the hall being filled, and the audience including many "ladies. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and opened t&Vmeeting. 3lr Smith, who was received with pro*, longed applause, explained briefly why he had not earlier addressed hia constituents, one excuse being that he h-\d hoped to hear or read a criticism of the senior member, Mr Re<sYe3, and he was anxious to know what impression the last session of Parliament had had upon that gentleman. Having referred to his (Mr Smith's) election fpiedges, ho said that he could now, without hesitation and withI out foar of contradiction, Bay that he still held the views lie held before elected, and he had acted consistently in accordance wich them. (Applause.) If ! his constituents agreed with, hie actions and hia opiuious aud gave him a vote of confidence, he would esteem it an honour to receive the vote, but if, on the other hand, they decided tbao he had not fulfilled nis ' pledges and had betrayed the trust reposed ! in him, he would bow to their decision. Coming to the session, he said that there had not been that improvement in administration, nor was there that purity in the legislation which was expected to have been i the effect of women's vote, but before the next general election the wonrfen of the colony would uuderstaud sufficient; of politics to understand who were the men moat fitted to repreaent them in the House. (Applause.) The new Liberals members were supposed to be filled with enthusiasm to legislate in the best interests of the colony. Had the results given satisfaction? (Voices —"No, no.") Was the country satisfied with all the Acts of last session. (Voices again—" No, no.") He ventured also to say no, and predict that a day of reaction would . come. (Applause.) Then the Standing Orders had bson amended, and he asked it the alterations had been successful 1 For answer he would refer them to Hansard. The members were eighteeu weeks in Wellington, and the work done did not justify the expenditure in *time and money. A most striking feature of the whole session, and that which struck him with dismay, was the recklessness which members showed in dealing' with larga sums of money, and in pledging the credit of the colony. (Applause.) Upon the Banking legislation of the colony he said he desired to give Government overy credit for their acjtion. They took a bold stand and, provided the information they had justified the course, they did a wise thing, but as to whether that informa-. tiou was reliable they thamselves were the sole judges. He was of opinion, however, that it would have been better to have known the assets and liabilities first, and then taken the whole thing over as a State Bank, and would oppose any farther obligations beiug thrown on the country unless the Bank of New Zeala id became the property of the country. He opposed the proposal to amend the Bank Note Issue Act of 1893, further than it had been amended, as the amendments in connection with the proposed Bank amalgamation | would have taken away a certain necessary safeguard from the colony. Mr Saunders voted against the amalgamation, as did member after member, and it was. not carried into effect. (Applause.) He next told his audience how the Government Advances to Settlers Bill was introduced, how it was passed, and what were its weak points. As passed it was limited in its operations, but though the House refused to accept the reduction .of the high advance of £5000 to £2500 a Conservative Upper House made the reduction. (Applause.) lie had never dreamt that Buij.ll settlers woro those who, on a twothirds valuation, could borrow £5009. Such settlers he believed were able to look after themselves. He considered £2500 was too , high, and tried to get it reduced to £1000. But he musn'fc do it; he wae not at the time a, true, Liberal.- ■ (Load applause.) He wished the, amount to be raieed each year had been reduced- to half a million and hoped that the Colonial-Trea-surer's margiu of 1 per cent, interest would bo ,sufficient to meet expenses, bnt if, the colon} , were saved from heavy loss it would Jba a most remarkable fact. Ho also saw no reason why town laadiand property should be excluded, or why they 'should be left to -the tender mercies of the money-lenders. 'He opposed the Consols Bill, and, in explaining its bad features, said he had come to the conclusion that it was not in .the best interests of the colony ; it mas, playing into the hands of capitalists, and would tie up money, as . the 4 per cent. Consols issued for forty years would .probably be of no benefit to those who could not afford to hold them for that time, aud there was also a report that a Bank. had invested £150,000 in Now Zealand consols, and that the £150,000 had been deposited in the Colonial Bank for a term of years. If that were so then a breach of faith had boon committed. (Hear, hear.) The Lands for Settlement Bill generally met with -hie approval, and he was glad it had become law. There were some clauses to which he and others objected.. One was the appointment of the member of the district to a seat ,on the Board, and the other waa the "eternal lease." A caucus was held over the matter at which the Minister of Lands triumphed over the members of the House who had pledged themselves to support a ! re valuation.clause. They promised to support the " eternal lease" on receiving a promise that they should debate an. abstract motion during the session, which by-the-by never came. (Laughter aud applause.)' The : Minister also contended the power under , 'the Bill was given to obtain land within { 1 four or five miles of towns for small allot- ' i menb. It appeared to him tkab so far as' Christchurch at least was concerned that ! either the power did not exist or the Minister did not choose to exercise It. He was of opinion that the " eternal lease" principle would have to be altered next session' if members werejto redeem their > pledges to. their constituents. (Applause.) In connection with the railways, he said he did not believe in their being vested u in threo Commissioners, but considered that political control pure and simple was worse.; (Hear, hear.) He had given the Labour Bills his eupport, and hoped that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act would prevent the troublesome strikes of tho past. The members for Canterbury as well as the people of Canterbury regretted th,at the Midland Railway Bill was defeated. He also regretted that the Nelson men went over to the Northern, and hoped that the claim for damages which had been" made would bo settled in an amioable manner. .He explained what had occurred respecting the revision of the tariff and the appointment of a Royal Commission, and. pointed-out that what was wanted was not a protective tariff bat one, which would give greater encouragement to our local industries without putting, extra burdens on the consumer, The Committee to whom the old age pension echerae wae referred had nob sufficient time to deal with it, and recommended tho appointment of a Royal Commission, .which was not granted, bnt the Government had since indicated that the question would be taken up next session. He hoped ~ the Government would propound & (practicable scheme. Concerning finance, he aaid that at the lost election neither candidates nor electors anticipated the proposals that were submitted. The Ballance policy was one of non-borrow-ing and eelf-reliauce, with which he was in Accord. During the last session authority was taken to raise £4,250,000, exclusive.of the B>nk guarantee, which brought the total up to £6,250,000.. This £4,250,000 at 4 per i;ent, meant £170,000 a year interest which had to be provided for, Buch a state of things wag.a. eprious one, and one that the' electors should weigh well in their minds. (Applause.) Bearing in mind that the land tax iud to, be collected . four months before the ordinary time, was such financing sound pr waa it In his opinion it was qof; only plunging, but reckless plunging, (Loud applause.) Speaking upon the Ciergcant-at-Arma affairafter sketching its history—he said the appointment and the resolution of appoint* znent was 'ft deliberate evasion of tho statute law of ,tha colony, an evasion of which the Premier of this colony should not have been guilty, (Very loud applause,) They were told that the - Conservative* ha<| done certain things, well jn th,g part of the gopctry from wftich he came, two. wrongs did not make a right —(loud applause)—and if.. gentlemen wished to

retain their self-respect it was time they saw that their hands were clean, no matter whose were dirty. (Applause.) He voted against the appointment, aud he thought he voted right. (Renewed applause.) This and the 21st clause business all tended to show to members that unless the electors insisted upon purity in our colonial legislation, we should have the objectionablo American Tammany ring here. Alluding to the 21st clause of the Licensing Aot, he said it was inserted between the time of the judgment in Christchuroh and the sitting of the Appeal Court to render the judgment in Christchurch non-efierjtive. Tho result was that the appeal had gone to the Privy Council, but whether it would be fought out or nob he could not say. The question arose who framed the clause, and 'who was guilty of playing with justice in this manuer. iA Voice—" That was to be proved. Mr P. H. D. Bell, solicitor for , the liquor ring, said that sooner than have done such a thing he would have had his hand .burned off. That gentleman was a Conservative, and he (tho speaker) had always found him a man of honour. (Applause.) The Premier was charged with the offcneo of framing and having the clause inserted, aud an enquiry was asked for and refused. He (Mr Smith) asked his auditors lo contrast that with the Poraahaka business, over which an, investigation was held because certain allegations had boeu made against a Minister at* the elections, and the Committee acquitted the Minister of corruption. There could be only one construction placed on the refusal of Sir Robert Stout's request for an investigation, and that was that the Premier did nob care to have the investigation held. (Loud applause.) This was another reason why the oleotors and people ehould insist upon purity in high places. (Loud applause.) The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Bill was to come up in an amended form, but it was presented in a stylo which, to his mind, showed that ib was never intended to be. passed, and if he doubted the sincerity of the Premier on this matter it was because he had had ocoaaion to do it on some other matters. . The statement was made that members were to be allowed to vote as they pleased on the question. That was a nice abatement to make. They were allowed to vobe as they pleased on that question, but to vote as they were told on others. (Loud laughter and applause/. If the Premier wanted the Bill through he would have put on his boots like, he did on other occasions and have sent ib through. Bub when. Mr Lattry, the Government whip, gob stuck the Premier gave him the tip and helped him so that bo could stonewalL ' (Laughter). Upon the Licensing Bill it had been reckoned that 315 speeches were made by 47 members, and of that number 72 speeches wero made by members more or less in touch with Temperance sentiment. Party Government, as carried on in Parliarneuc, was to his mind a curse to the coumry, and should be swept away, and Messrs Steward and O'Regan deserved some credit for the Bills they introduced, which unfortunately were thrown out mainly through the exertions of Ministers who lobbied against them. By doing away with party Government, he did nob mean doing away, with parties, because as long as reforms had to be., made there would be parties to make them. Bnb d uriog last session party Government was carried to, excess and members were driven again and { again to vote against their conviction to save the Ministry. It appeared to him that if the representatives of tho people were to be waxen figures to dance when the stringwas pulled all that wonld need to be done would be to advertise " for members of the House i. brains aro not required, and private judgment is strictly barred." (Laughter and applause.) He claimed, without fear of contradiction, he had aoted and voted in accordance with, the Liberal principles he enunciated at the elections. (Applause.) But he had had this indignity pub upon him. He had been excluded from a meeting of the Liberal party in the House of Representatives by direction of the Premier, because he chose to dare that gentleman's anger and vote against a deliberate violation of the. Disqualification Act; because he dared to exercise his private judgment on some nf the policy measure?. Was the Premier to be judge of bis Liberalism ? -(Voices— *< No, no.") No. He accepted the judgment of the electors of his constituency, and that only. (Very loud applause.) He. was nob afraid. He would live, notwithstanding the Premier's attaok, and proved by his vote and.his action he was -entitled to rank among the Liberals of the colony. (Renewed applause.) The present leaders of the Liberal party were' responsible for the suspicion and wanb of confidence that was beginning to pervade the country, and unless those gentlemen changed their tactics, the inevitable result must follow. If men tried to force the 'representatives of the people to act in their interests instead of the interests of the colony, they -would be replaced by others, for let it be understood that the.Liberals in the House were- quite capable of forming another parly that would insist in the name of the people on purity of Government.. But he had greater faitn in the representatives of the people than to think that they would consent to be driven for another session.as they were during the' last,.and. that before they meet their constituencies next year they .would rise to the .dignity of their position and record their votes as men and as representatives, irrespective of the wish of any man or any particular sebof men. With euoh a House, with confidence in themselves and with the colony we possessed, there was, in his opinion, nothing to prevent New Zealand from keoping in the front rank of the Australian colonies. (Prolonged applause). Iv answer to questions, Mr Smith said in the matter of the unemployed ho wonld prefer giving a man work to making him a pauper. Pensions ought nob to be less thau 163 or £1 a week to be of any practical service. To The. Government Life Insur.ment there ehould be attached afire insurance . department. He would support a State fire insurance scheme. The Shops and Shop Assistants Bill should be amended to enable a poll being taken to decide on .which day the holiday should take place. He claimed to be a Liberal. If Mr Seddon brought in liberal measures in the .interests of the country,he would support, that gentleman, if otherwise he would oppose him. He (AjEr.Smith) went to Wellington for his ! constituents, not necessarily to keep Mr ] Seddon in power. He would support the*' Eight Hours Bill and a Bill to give one man one vote on licensing matters. On the motion of Mr Bix/bcIiIFFs, seconded i by Mr Sdaw, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence ia Mr Smith was carried by acclamation. , ,* . . The usual compliment to the chair closed , the meeting.*