SIR JOSEPH WARD IN THE SOUTH.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11151, 18 December 1901, Page 8

SIR JOSEPH WARD IN THE SOUTH.

THE NEW POST OFFICE AT GORE. LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. A POLITICAL SPEECH. (PRESS ASSOCIATION - TELEGRAM.) GORE, December 17. In accordance with a promise made to the Mayor of Gore, Sir Joseph Ward arrived here this morning "to lay the foundation stone of the new post office. The occasion was also made the opportunity for the delivery of a political address, and a banquet was held in honour of the occasion. Lady Ward was also present. A large crowd assembled at noon to witness the function at the Post Office; but the people did not manifest any marked enthusiasm. Sir Joseph illustrated the progress which the town had made by comparing the business done by the Post and Telegraph Departments in 1892 with 1900. The letters had increased from 292,513 to 627,770, post cards from 22,581 to 57,057, books from 57,090 to 177,736, newspapers from 211,328 to 553,119, and telegrams from 12,140 to 26,887. Three thousand five hundred letters and 300 telegrams were now handled daily.

After the ceremony the school children sang a couple of songs, and the crowd dispersed alter giving cheers for Sir Joseph and Lady Ward. In the evening the Town Hall was crowded to the doors, and the audience listened attentively to an address lasting for tyro hours. The Mayor occupied the chair, and on the "platform were also the Hon. H. FeldwickjM.L.C, Messrs McNab, Gilfedder, and Hanan, M.'sH.R., Lady Ward, Airs McGibbon, and members of tite local Committee. .

Sir Joseph 'said there were indications of a rapid growth on all sides. The value of land and improvements in Gore had risen from £72,00u in 1888 to £173,000 in 1898, and for the whole of Southland the total capital value of land had ' risen from £8,631,000 in'lß9l to £10,862,000 in 1901. In 1901 the wealth of the' colony was 511085618. There were a great many people who cried aloud to stop borrowing, but they did not realise that this country could never be carried on without borrowing. ' The population was small, but the radlxra.y and telegraph facilities were there for tho-*»,ands more, who would come as time went on. He predicted that great as the , ' progress had been the next 25 years would see an even greater transformation. The debt had been increased in the last 10 years by £10,000,000, but this had been utilised as follows: —£2,700,000 for the purchase of land, £1,205,000 for loans to local bodies, £2,943,333 for advances to settlers, £2,536,000 for public works, and £1,407,700 for the sinking fund. Seven thousand settlers had availed themselves of the money placed at their disposal, and over £85,000' had already been Repaid by the excess of interest alone, and there had not been one loss, made in the whole colony. The expenditure off the last year had been abnormal. The war, the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, '.and grants re education amounting to over £200,000 were non-recurring. He predicted that the year enHing March, 1902,. would show an excess of revenue over expenditure of £500,000. He. referred to the statements concerning the Government's action in discharging workmen engaged on public works, and said the reason was that they found that they were spending the amount voted too quickly, and the only proper course-was 4© reduce the rate of expenditure. Every penny of the amount voted for-public works would be epent in the allotted time. The -rate of interest per ibead of population had fallen from £2 10s 3d in 1895 to £2 6s 6d in 1901, and had fallen each year by a small amount. This "was due to increased population, and the fact that loans had been converted fr.om-.high. rates -of- interest to 3 per oerit. - Sir. Joseph referred-, 1 to the fall in wool and frozen meat, and. said that the same spirit which ihad brought people through similar reverses in years past would enable them to overcome this one. The fact that New-Zealand had floated a loan at .94 while two millions of the New South Wales was still unplaced showed that a high opinion was entertained of the colony's securities, and the fact of the loan having been raised at an unfavourable moment was equal in moral effect to having been raised at par under-normal, circumstances. Coming to postal matters, he said the number of paid telegrams an 1901 was an increase of 359,309 over the previous year, and the increase in received telegrams was £15,109. Comparing the proportion of revenue and expenditure in tihis department' with England,-the said New, Zealand was 12.2Q per cent, to the good. He protested against tLte absurd statement that nothing had been done for settlers, and after enumerating various 'direct remissions xnade, said they totaled £248,000, oateide of the benefits of advamoes to aettJefsV He deprecated raising tihe cry of ifomn and country, and said farmers ihad a perfect right to fom a union to better themselves, and so had town workers. ' T&e aim should, be to (bring about a higher condition of affairs for all classes: Referring to -tihe Workers' Compensation Act, IhSa said employers were in a better state, insuring all risks for 10s per £100, than when they had to Tun the "risk of actions at common law for accidents. The farmer dSdaot need to insure unless he liked. One feature which should he corrected was" the dual responsibility whidb ihad caused co mndh misunderstanding. Hβ also mentioned the half-holiday Question, and mid he ihad received notice •that an to be made temporarily dealing with the matter, and he hoped one day would be fixed for the whole colony. Hβ touched on the Federal tariff, end said they most find further markets. Siaty thousand pounds had been provided for" the erection of, cool stores dn South Africa, if their commissioner reported favourably. Tie sum of £30,000 had also «een voted for subsidising a direct line of steamers, if tbey could get them. He said revenue for the eigfofc months of the year was £3,387,300, as against £3,287,000 for the same period last year. In concluding, Sir Joseph held out bright prospects for the future, and believed that New Zealand would rise to a higher and greater level. *

On the motion of Mr W. fMcAra, seconded Jby Mr T. Green, a vote of thanks to Sir Joseph Ward, and confidence in t&e ■Ministry, was carried by acclamation, and Tvith some enthusiasm. ■ '