POLITICAL.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9432, 2 June 1896, Page 5

POLITICAL.

MR G. J. SMITH AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

Mr G. J. Smith, a member for Christchurch, addressed a meeting of his constituents at the Opera Bouse last uight. There was a large attendance, but the hail was not filled. Hie Worship the Mayor occupied the chair. Mr smith, who was applauded ou risiug, said tu&G be waa gluU, considering the various pbases ot exouemuaL, that so many had come to hear him. JA« mentioned the subjects ou which he would touch, aud aaid Ihttu ho had followed the usual plan of not Having a vote of any kind prepared to be proposed at the end of the meeting. lie ■jousidered that he had carried out the pledges he had given aud had acted in the ueau interests of the constituency, and he trusted that; at the end or the meetiug someone would move a motion either advdfaa or oj ik^AV&i. ii=-st. t,oxi<iia.ecL_ oti Uie ieugch. o£ the e«s^3ion.*t Wfttt tOO loag lOC ttie autouut of work tney ...... i.- § J I -I did. K=a.l uusmesa was transacted quickly b'ac taere wua Coo much time ajiont v trivial matters, tie believed in the "solemn farce " of opening being done away with, aud th»c the Preiniez: ahuuid coins aown witn ilia statement »nd members should s;eo co business at once. l)uriug the Lab session they bad aome import&uc business which wnß trausacted, including the revision of the tariff, wind), if it had been dove proueriy, would nave been good work for yiie'sasawu ; buo 1C was uot. Tne banking legislation would also have boeu enough for ouo session, and cue a there was the licensing qaefc&iou, the cud of which he hoped moou to see after some improvements had beeu made. Xα spe&kiug of tue tiuauce of the colony he kuew he was getciug oa d&ugerous grouud, and opened himself to severe uriCioiauj, but he would cry to explaiu it. The Sutemeut showed that in March there was a vet surplus of £180,024. The ordinary revouue lor the yesw was £4,288,715, while the expenditure was £4,'<ib7 1 0 , 9<4, leaving a balauce of £20,823. To this was to be ad ted the suruluu from the previous year, £290,238, ani then to that nad to be added tue receipts from debeutures, £11,890, making £430.041. The Government transferred £200,017 to the Public Works Account, leaviug the auiplu* of £180,024. Lookiug at the bdlauoe b ou).'ht lorward from tne previous

year of £290,238, and that of the laac year of £180,024, we were really on the year's impactions £110,214 worse off on the 31t;t March, 1895, than we were on the same date of 18ij4. Aa to the public debt of the colony, siuoe 1891 this had increased by £2,291,109. Iv Iti9l the net indebtedness was £37,345,923, while in 1895 it was £39,655,032. 'io uiia had been added since the one and a half milliou loan raised in couueo-

bioa with the advances to settlers, so that the public debt was increased by £3,791,109, besides what might or might nob be lo»6 iv couuecuiou with the Banking legislation. He did not quote these to throw any discredit oa the Government, uut to show how carefully the fiuauces had to be handled during the next few years. Notwitnstanding that the money Had been raised for special works the not indebtedness of the colony had increased, and they had to be careful they did not go iv for a aystetn of extravagance which would run the colony into disaster. He nexc referred to the now notable London speech of the Colonial Treasurer iv connection with the unpledged securities, and remarked that the Conservative papers had made the moat of it, while the Liberal organs had done .their best to explain it. If these securities \vere unpledged, then he could not see the ueceeaity for collecting the iund tax four months earlier than usual. He regretted that the Treasurer's explauatiou oi the matter was so unsatisfactory, and observed that these securities, which included those of the Post office, lαsurauce Department, aud Fublic Trust office, belonged to the people and should not be interfered with by the Government, and so far as they were concerned the statement ought never to have been made by the Treasurer that they were unpledged. Aβ to the bauking legislation, he would say that there was no legislation gone through, Which bail"been - * radFe~cafefuMy considered and more anxiously debated than that of last year, and the majority of the members gave their votes conscientiously in the interests of the colony. He explained the position, and said that taking the pro* perties at their own valuation the colony was iuterested in the Bank to" the tune of £3,355,000. He contended that this was coo much interest to have in an institution which wfts to remain a private one. There had been private institutions and firms which had gone down, but the Government did not come to their relief, and he could not understand why this institution had been singled out to receive this enormous assistance, and still remain a private one. Concerning the Colonial Bank purchase he said he considered that there was not euflicient evidence aa to the position of that Bank and its various debtors; he personally had had quite enough of voting for Banking legislation in a blind manner, and he voted against the Bill for amalgamation. (Applause). He could, with little effort attack the Bank of New Zealand, but the colony had committed itself to it, and as it would be unfair for a member of the House to do so he expressed the hope that we might come out of the affair with as little loss as possible. Iv speaking of the tariff revision he said that to a good many districts it was very disappointing. The Commission had cost £2000, which had been too much to spend on it; its results were nil, and the Government to a very large extent ignored its proposals. The tariff proposals pleased neither the protectionists, the freetraders nor the fairtraders, and he questioned if they pleased the Government itself, looking at the proposals it brought down. Nearly every industry was up in arms and, »a for reduction of taxation, there was none, while Che tariff seemed framed to increase the revenue, i The Treasurer himself anticipated an increase of £10,000. If the Treasurer's sur- ! plus was correct, the finance of the colony was strong • enough and there was no necessity for this taxation. They did nob waut to pub on taxation to raise a surplus. Hβ had proposed a motion in order to get an expression of the House on the tariff, and had he got it he felt sure that the tariff would have had a very bad time. If the policy of the tariff wus the Government policy, then it was a poor, one, for nearly every industry, fairtrader, freetrader, and protectionist was against it. \ The reductions were auoh that the. consumer would not get any benefit, while the increase would press hardly on the, general body of the public Then as for it ruiuing finance, the Treasurer estimated that he would get £10,000, and he (Mr Smith) .underetopd the result would be that he would get between £80,000 and £9Q,P00. The tariff, was full of anomalies, and before it was properly, workable there would have to be a further revision. In reepect to the tariff, he regretted that the country members k had not ahovto mere sympathy with the workers in the towne. He next dealt with the licensing legislation and the treatment of the Premier's Bill by the Legislative Council, and said that that treatment only added to the necessity which existed for reform in connection with the Upper Chamber. Member* had taken whas they could get in the hope that they would get more next session. He explained the amended provieione, and said that he was opposed to the local option poll being taken on the day of the general election. He hoped that next session the three-fifths majority clauee would be struck out and the priuoiple of the bare majority to rule applied to it. (Loud applause.) He here remarked that the prohibitionists did not wish to thrust their views down the throats of the colony. All they aeked was that the people should have the right to decide at the ballot box whether they would or would nob have prohibition. (Applause.) Iv connection with the seizure of the Sinking Funds, he said that this was a way of raising a loan without the sanotion of the House, which ought not to be done. If there was not enough money to carry out public works, and a loan was wanted, then the Government should honestly tell the electors so. In explanation of the Bill he introduced relating to the introduction of the Irieh Text Book into the State schools, he eaid that all he desired by his Bill was that the question should be submitted to the householders to decide if the book should be introduced. He expressed himself ac in favour of the Eleotive Executive Bill of Major Steward, and the Referendum Bill of Mr O , Regan, aad «»

marked that had the principle of the elective Executive been in force some of the

present members who held portfolio* would probably not have received their appointmeats. His contention war that the mem* bers had beeu elected on certain principles which they should stick to, whether they voted for the Government or against it, and then leave the rest to their ooustituencies. (Applause.) He expressed regret that the Government had not taken up the old age pension question ; suggested thai before the unemployed question would be satisfactorily settled it would bo well for a conference to be held of representatives from the different colonies, ao that each could act in unison with the other ; and in the matter of the settlement of the land said that he hoped that the Minister would next session see if land could not be obtained near the centres ot population, for that appeared to him to be one way of largely solviug the uucmployed difficulty. Iv conclusion, he said he trusted that hia attitude had been such that it met with their approval. (Applause.) He had done liifl taiib U sertfe their ihUriiiU. flu ll 1(1 ! sometitnea from fcfc»o 2viiriistc:>- stx&d conscientiously whetT he "wets opposed to 1 r \ «* !]( |t| their proposals. Mc dtu not agree with a grant «ieal of the administration of the present Minintry, and he did not hesitate to say so from the platform, bub when he differed Irom them tie placed the interests of the conatitneucy before thoea of the ocoupunts of the Ministerial Benches—he placed the interests of the colony before those of the Ministry. (Very lou»i applause.) Hβ had endeavoured to carry out the opinions he gnva voice to when he was a candidate, iie could aay he had never broken a single pledge, tnul ho hoped that his actions and his votes met with the approval of his constituents. (Loud applause.) In answer to questions, Mi* Smith said it was primarily the duty of the Government to provide work for the unemployed, bub the local bodies ought to see that men did not starve. He was surprised that the Government had nob ttvken the inaUer up. He approved of the extension of the municipal franchise. lie had voted for a reduction of Dr. Muogragur's salary. He did not believe in ijaoke carrying ou any trading concern, and if 13tvukd advanced more on business or property they should be com* peiled to realise at the cud of a givau period, Ie depended ou what the Govorumcac were going to do whether or uot he worked in harmony with them. He claimed he had supported the Liberal policy && enunciated at the last general elecuon. (Applause.) Hβ was in favour of a Fair Rent Bill and

lease iv perpetuity with revaluation. Ho believed iv »ny man who thought lie w»a falsely imprisoned having an opportunity of nuking au application for a new trial. (So far us lie knew at present, he intended to be a candidate al the q,oxb election. Hβ approved of a book aioul&r to the Irish Text Book being introduced in the schools, bub nob until the people had expressed their opinion on the question. He would nob support a loan during the next session for public works. Mr H. Atkinson moved a vote of confidence in Mr timith.

The mofciou wiva seconded and o&rrieil by acclamation, and the proceedings closed with the usual vote to the chair.