BANQUET TO THE MINISTER FOR LANDS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11153, 20 December 1901, Page 6

BANQUET TO THE MINISTER FOR LANDS.

NTKECH BY SIB JOSEPH WARD.: (PBESS ABSOCUII6x TELEOiUK.} .. ..OAMARUi December ,19. At "ie /complimentary banquet to the Hon. -T...Y. Duncan to-night, Sir Joseph" Ward, to the toast of,the Ministry, shared in the desire to do honour to a member who had climbed to the position of administrator of a great department, which had been presided over by a man who had made his name known far and wide. It was to the credit of Oamarn. that it should have as a member a'Minister called upon to carry on the great, work -of land administration. Around Oamarn was to be scan the- effect of acquisition of estates for settlement. That policy must be continued while there were women and children for whom homes were needed, and while there were large estates. Hβ defended bor-' rowing so long as there were settlers, who required.means .of communication. He referred to what had been done in Japan in 1 the way of providing means of communication and defence, which had raised the .country to therank.of a great Power.' As trustees the Ministry were bound to follow ~ that Example, and provide for the complete defence of the colony. When they sent men across the sea to the assistance of the Mother Country they took upon themselves a .eerip,us responsibility. The eyes of.the world were directed to the colony! Should the Mother Country become involved JJ"ew Zealand would have to defend itself, and they were therefore bound to make pro* vision for a complete defence. Unless the people were prepared to say that they would have no more toads or railways, and that no means should be-given , to. settlers to get their produce to the seaboard, they w.otud have to continue to bonwr. The Minister for Lands had received last year applications for a million.poctnds for roads and bridges, and the Government had been compelled to cut down the expenditure to the lowest possible limits. Referring to the talk of the increase of debt and taxation, he defied anyone to point to a single statute since the introducticp , of the graduated land tax which imposed an additional taxation on the "people. On the'other hand, they had granted remissions amounting to £300,000. The increase in the amount of receipts from the Customs was hot due to an increase in taxation, but to larger importations and purchases, which indicated that the. incomes of the people were higher, and the purchasing power greater. Though , the public debt had been increased no additional burden had been pat upon* the people for the rate of interest per "nead had been reduced. Referring to the allegation that the legislation of the Ministry was injurious to the colony, and set class against class, he said the people were so well informed that no Government would risk Ms reputation by proposing any such legislation. Sir Joseph spoke at some length, his speech being mainly a repetitiop of that delivered at Gore on Tuesday night.- '• * -