THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9327, 30 January 1896, Page 3

THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS.

ADDRESS AT HUNTLEY. (press association telegram.) AUCKLAND, January 29. The Hon. A. J. Cadmai met with an enthusiastic receptiou at Huntley last evening, when he addressed a large audience of his constituents iv Ralph's Hali. After touching on tha question of party government, he said that next sessiou one of the moat important of the questions to be dealt with would be that oi local government, and there would doubtieas be a great coniiict of opinion upou such matters as those relating to hospital and charitable aid rates as between town and couotry. It seemed absolutely necessary that something should be done, for they found ib required no less than 14,000 members of local bodies to do the business of these bodies in this young colony. Another question which would agaiu be raised was the referendum, aud be believed the principle would ultimately be embodied in the law of the land. For instance, the Bill providing for rating upoa unimproved values had been passed twice by the House of Representatives and ac often thrown out by the Council. The Bill would be again introduced, and such a matter was one that might well be settled by means of the referendum. The Minister then proceeded to deal with the question of railway management. He admitted that the Cabinet were at one time divided as to the advisability of taking over the railways »nd completely abolishiug the Commissioners. Hβ himself was rather in favour of the State being content with having a representative on the Board. However.it was eventually decided to place the lines uuder Government control. With regard to the Vaile system, he 'intended, before be proceeded South, to give Mr Vaile an afternoon, so that he might go into toe whole question with him (Air Cadtnan). It would not, of courso, be for him {tiiv Cidman) to decide upon anything ; that would be a matter for the Cabiuet to deal with. He would not say what might be done, but he was determined to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the details of Mc Vaile's proposals. He had noticed that in Hungary the zinc system had recently been overhauled, and the charges for goods had been materially increased. The Agent-General had been requested to get full particulars concerning the Hungarian zoue system, and he hoped this information would be available iv time for consideration next session. Aβ to lubour matters, he would only say that the Government did not intend to stop. They would proceed but would proceed steadily. If new proposals were to work well they must be introduced gradually sothatall concerned should have an opportunity of becoming couversaut with them, when they were called upon to obey them after they had been adopted as the law of the laud. The Government would not stand still, bufc, without making sudden or alarming chaugea, would do their utmost for the welfare of the industrial classes. Coming to the coal industry, Mr Cadman said it was generally believed that the importation of Newcastle coal was on the increase. This, however, was a mistake, at any rate aa far as the Auokland district waa concerned ; for last year the amount of Newcastle coal imported in this part of the colony had fallen to the extent of 4000 tons. While the amount of imported coal had decreased the export had increased. He would encourage gold prospecting on Crown lands. He would now Bay a few words about the recent Banking legislation. The Government had been very severely criticised for the action they had taken; but ho ventured to say that if they had not faced the difficulty, and .allowed the colony to take certain respousibilities, the ontcry would have been even greater. If the Bank of New Zealand had closed its doors every, industry in the colony 'would have suffered. Of course it would be eorae time before the complete result of the aotioa of the Government could be arrived at. It now remained for the Realisation Board to do it 3 work, and he believed the work would be done satisfactorily. The Government would probably purchase, at a reaiionable price, many of the estates suitable tor settlement. He did not think there was a reasonable man in the couutry who would now advise Ministers to go hack on what had been done for the. Bank, and let that institution fall. Mr Cadmau devoted some time to considering the position of the Civil Service, makiDg special reference to the increases which had been made. He quoted figures to show that the Government had not beeu guilty of anything like extravagance. The present Government had, perhaps, been the most-abused Ministry that had ever held office in the colony. Some of their opponents were at last taking up a fair and friendly attitude, and were no longer taunting them for their lack of education. The Government had initiated many new departures, and had beeu called upon to. act in several special emergencies, and they had shown thab they were able to grapple with these difficult questions successfully. ■ Then again they had been charged with borrowing ; but little had been said as to how the so-called borrowed money had been speut. As a matter of fact the colony would not have to pay a cent for interest. After dealing with other matters which had arisen during last session he asked if the people of the couutry were prepared to go back on what the Government had done with regard to landlegislation, advances to settlere, banking legislation, and other important measures. ' He believed that the couatry was not. If the people were prepared to abandon these departures, they would have a chauce of saying so at the. next election. He would be prepared to go out of office at any moment if Parliament desired to put in another Liberal Miniatry, but he. would kick hard against befng turned out to give place to a Conservative administration which had not the eupporb of the majority of the people of the colony. Mr Cadman coucluded by hoping that he had given satisfaction as the member for the district; he believed that he hod. The Minister resumed his seat amid loud applause. A vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Cadman was passed unanimously amid loud applause; Mr Cadman will visit other patta of the Waikato during the next few days, and will address another meeting of his constituents at Hamilton on Monday nest.