SPEECH BY PREMIER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 February 1908, Page 6

SPEECH BY PREMIER.

THE FINANCIAL POSITION. SPECIAL VOTE FOR BACK-BLOCK ROADS. ■ GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OUTLINED. ; (nr TELEGBAPII—SrECIAIi: CORRESPONDENT.) . , -'Auckland,"' February 7." ■■ ' Sir Joseph Ward addressed ; a ' crowded meeting of Auckland;citizens in the. Royal Albert Hall to-night.' The Mayor of Auckland (Mr. A. Myers).'presided. ' The Premier, who was. enthusiastically, received,'said that in the last session of Parliament 7S:.public Bills ; were passed. Though tho session*, was ■ the- longest ori ;record, , there was no attempt by the, Government to drive legislation at a fast pace. .-In tho early part of the session members never applied themselves ' to' work with tho .same'zest as'; they did later on!. The only remedy for this would bo to begin the. session:earlier. jri .the year, and sit ; for five or. six moiitlis; but this,' lie did' not think, would commend 1 ' itself either to Parliament or the public. '..It.was. not true that the Government -had held back all thc important' Bills'. They wero.'ready at the commencemont,- and,, so far as. tlie Government was'concerned, could'hav'e,been' passed in-the first, month of'the. session.'. .. . ■ .native land—two; Bullion 1 ; ACRES TO BE OPENED. The importance of Land , and Income .Assessment Act not, yet: realised by tho public. An effort would .be made to prevent tho growth in this; Dominion'.of large land-holdings to the detriment.. o.f tho people, and to build up the, prosperity'of both town and country... Another matter .'fh'at'"'Was • 'calculated'to- liave a wonderful; effect upon, the progress, of the country was'the'Native'Land Laws Act of hist sfssion. .ThejNativo Land Royal Commission set tip-, last- year had had uiider consideration so far about; two million a'crcs of-land. Seven reports-had been submitted, and: others'were for presentation 1 and. the Commission'..'-:infofmed ; him that- iby' March next, sevci'v6tKers would .be ;subimtted. The policy of protecting Native jinterests, of providing, sufficient land -for. thoir use, and of making the.-balanco available for European settlement was being prosecuted vigorously 'and intelligently. ; The Commission would have to deaKwith' between four and five million acres of;land, exclusive 1 of- hilltops and useless ,land- ; under the' Act of last . session, • :--a.nd .-,.; :oK>-:; .this at; least two million acreSvWo'uld b.e/n-vailAble for 'European settlement. , This ,'meairt' fresh life, fresh .vigour,- fresh.liomes-'for^^ piTdple, lurtiier enterprise for Europeans, aud-nc\v avenues for the investment of'money.'Thc.;fact. should be recognised that there ..were people, wlio hold strong . views oil both . sides of- the -land tenure question. ; That, bciiig so, the only possible course ] was "compromised ;The laws 'of ■ last session 'miist "have-a vfair and full trial-.before , its effects ;-were, judged, and, ih; the, meantime it -was doing, a,great deal .'of' good. - j-. ;. 'Ok "': - .-' ; V ENDOWMBNT. CUSTOMS'' CONCESSIONS.; • ■ ' . .. . .With regard to.thp .endowinpilt" system.for. education and,old ago : peiisioris!,,-seven .million acres of land had -been seti'ias.idp;--and. thi3might bo iricreased-to nin6 : millij)ri acres.-■-In view, of tho increase, of the cost 4 bif that followed the-growth.of population,' legislation - of 19.07 . Would,"; fif.t-ir /.years, hence.' .be adjudged to have' been,;far-sighted andwise: ; Last session the Government did what .no, previous :Govornnie!it-here;:or.: elsewhere,-in the colonies have ever ,-'ddrioii:iirvrectuoing -tlio Customs tariff, by £405)000." :Tlie greater proportion of this liad. been saved .by, the work-. ing 1 masses of the people. -' On food the con- ■ cessions'; amounted to £272.333'. per",annum', on articles of clothing £69,750, on articles used'--'in/i'int|t)st^ li , say that was not" a courageous act on 'the 'part bf : '"tho.:Go'vc'rnme.ntj,;..

• , EXTENDED; StJPiiR-ANXUATI ON. --Every'^branch.,of . the: public ; service ; 'was being . classified 111 order- to secure: uniform treatment "of 1 public . employees;. ■ : A ''superannuation system was invaluable, both td employees and the public..-;- Next • year he proposed to ask Parliament to pass an Act providing !also for; superannuation of employees of municipalities, County, Councils, Harbour Boards,ltoad ' Boards, etc., upon a proper basis. 'Furthermore; there ought to bo established "a : system of/annuitieswhich' any. "member' of.'tho public'could purchase, ;so as to place themselves in .as good a-position as the public; servants. Provision ■■■would': probably; be mado'sfor this-tlirp'ugh. the life; assurance offices.. In. view.' of- the idccreascjjftn' the'.'birth-rate;..' the. question ;.'pf > iiifiiiit, life protection was'of paramount importance. and there were a number ,!ofearnest- women throughout New Zealand . who were co-opera-ting with public officials, in carrying' Outf thespirit of tno Act: of. last-session. ' • .BUOYANT'REVEM-J —KIALW US ' , ARRA NCil'J) .' , Coming to tho ' question i of. . finance, ; Sir .Joseph Ward showed that' the 'revenue! for the 'ten 1 months< ended.'January 31-' amounted 'to '£6,944,718, au : increase of £521,87" over the previous corresponding period, pud £1.225.600 better: than • the ■<April to'; Janiiary period' : of ■ rjOC>7. The estimated 'revenue; for the current .year, was .£'8,200,000. .. v Already tjie Treasury had received; ■■•: up;'to -January 31,£6,944,718. Adding to" this an - amount ■'equarto ;th"o'receipts;of February and March : next, .-we bad a total revenue, .of, ..£8,880,111,; : aii ..-'increase of. £GSOJ.II;V..; In . ; yicw: : of continued:. taoyancy. : -lie ; qould' safely- set down , t-ho' excess'i oP revenue-at the'.eiid "of'-tho financial'yea'r'.'at '£750,000. ;This was truly a' wonderful result-, and its_ nature' and importance, could . not, ba over-estimated'.. Tho .financial, cyclono;/ in .America;; had not touched New Zealand, and'Jie. was'.p.trsuadp'l . tliat' it '.would' not inever . been -- so'- strojig/' as ! . at' pre-,' ;'serit. 1 All • tho" loan .moneys" authorised -Jby' r Parliament last.'sessiou'.had been.vSUCGolsfully raised. A million carrying '011 fur.-; tlier was actually,'arYaiigbd for . before, tlio Act' had' recoiyed; tho Governor'ssignature,' and tho'-' money was in tho; Treasury a few . days later. " Within 'three years nearly eight millions sterling wpiild re-j quiro to bo raised- for renowal cf existing ' loans. Already-- he" had .-niado ■ arraug?ment3 for all renewals of amounts falling duo 111 the current year, and up to the end of. the, coming year, on favourable terms. .'Of this £2,500,000 fell duo 'during, the-current year, and had: been • fully -arranged for/, Of tlireo millions falling duo in 1908-9,; about 0110 and a half millions, had; been arranged for, and tho •'.balance- was . under negotiation',', whilo amounts due up:to 1910 :had also bcemconsidered..''. ". RAILWAY!?. ' Sir Joseph Ward stated -that he: had no doubt ,'tho prediction of the -Minister • for Public WorkSj that the" North Island ,Main Trunk line will be open -Jjy the end of .tho present: year,:-will b'o fulfilled;.'-The Government had to acquire tho Wellington-: Jlana•watu- Railway, and it-was desirous. of.meeting the directors of tho company .in order to expedite the. purchase.", , : j ' ROADS After summarising the-work of-the-Roads Department for tho last six-; years,- Sir Joseph pointed, out .that'tlio total ways and means furnished for roads this year is £528,318, the biggest' amotiiit- ; th<it;ha'd furnished under' this heading .for: a- number of years.- This yeaiy wo. wore .•going to'' finish tho Main Trunk Railway)- and yet. liavo a balance of £750,000 at the end of the year. Ho, felt that. tho_ Government should lriako n new departure'with rogardto .the' roads in tho back-blocks of the coitntry-Ji' Thorcfore; 110 proposed /to-;ask: the - Government^;to;^''sot aside a special, £200,000 a ; ytar'-.for fivo years,-find map, out', in . advance tho .roadman - which. it' was to bp', expended yearly, pro-' vido for..'sqmo of. tho -most,necessitous roads in the country... ; i." POPULATION., . The position of population question-was-not; . ' satisfnbtory. .'.Thdv-iticrcasc l from 'every source this year' was'SO'OO' less than the. increase last ;year, .viz;, 2;25; per cent:, as against 3.26 ih tho previous year. '' IJ'e was' strongly against bringing large numbers of immigrants.from, tlio % .Old buj,-we,ought, to continue. the 'present system of assisting in a moderate-way to bring suitable: men .• and'• wome'u ito' ■ the 'Dominion.

Some.' people were trying to. stop even, this being doue, btifc thc-.cftcct' of the ,st<jppag<v of immigration would be that there liouia not bp sufficient population. to ,consume our'owa manufactures. ; : ')■ '•■ ■, '.- ... ' ~.' . 'V, TELE(SR^Ij-BOYS.' " Referring to ,the' alleged sweating of graph- boys • in. Auckland, Sir Joseph.;' said .that. on. lookin£,;.into;.the.' matter Jie,,had found' that,';through . a ■ mistake .of anf.olHcar,, seven' boysj had not been, paid for. rover.' time earned,., but;. to . regulations,, had - been allowod- tirae'ofc instead/. Within - two hours'.- sifter•'Jiis'-'an-ital:'in Aucklandrhe ascertained, the position, and gave instriK>_ tions that the overtimo.should bo paid. :• THE CHINESE. . i -Coming to'the question orChineie'rimmigratipn,:.Sir.. Joseph War,d said .ho did. not think that, -in view of:- the- edubation' test provided for ; last, session, many Chinamen . would,come; into thp country.'.;, Iri.theyogetablb . grbwiii2 trade . the"'. Chinese had novf practicallyexcludedEuropeans. What' h«i. would suggest- is. that ;-there should be ;8' State- market garden in each of .the-four centres,- where , should bb ; utilised the . mar- . r je<l .prisoners: and' youths in -..'gaols,-, crediting', theiii with the- value',, of their work,; and ;de- . voting half• their^'earnings■■'.to'", the. niaintcn,ancp of wives.'or. relatives; • : . - old age pensions; / -Last-session lie had, promised,.to - look intor | tho working of'the old age- pensions system during recess. was now doing,'- and next session ho would bo able to make propositions to Parliament that' would,-consider . ably - improve the- Working 1 of <tho system. L MAIL SERVICES: ' As to the'-San Francisco/'mail service,' he, had been advised that it. was .likely the United , States Congress' would: pais an-.in- • : creased subsidy Bill, and that the mail service would be resumed. Unless, however, the Government were satisfied that: the steamers put on tho ljne were •; satisfactory \ and capi able of carrying l on tho servico. pfoperlyj it would not commit itself to.u-sing it for.mails.iTho Government, was trying to get- an, allrod. route. Ho quite recognised that tho 'Frisco route was the. fastest' for,both mails and .passengers.. It would pay . the, country well to have'both .lines if they, could bo,got 'on fair terms. .' . ' . - . - THE G 0 ; POLICY. The -Government were, not revolutionary. Socialists, nor wero they, hide-bound' inwho looked upon State action r and 'enterprise, as a pornicious,.short!" cut to tho . iiuillenrijura. : Social evils must .be, dpalt with. Tho.v .wero : far;, away from advocating' .the principle: of every- man .fpr ' liimself. They , were■ widely",divided from- the.men 'who distrusted .' all ',' Stato,- action, -wlio wanted unlimited freedom'. . from,, .all '.i .forms.' . of .- Stato activity ...'. and'; ■■ ■ .'restriction. ■•They. : ;were y' neither), ■ .Conservatives.'; .nor. ■revolutionary, Socialists.'.:,- .:They-believed that by and ;'.through. ! ';the:,: ,State and... the Vprfidenl lisc. of.- its .power- anil influence, equal opportunity could be secured, for. all; . that, every poor man's sot, could; be as; well equippedin.'.education as the richest; that Pyory: man who =was -willing..could.;be, taught ia trade or settled.on..a picce of land; iby and through the State sweating and other, forms: of oppression* could : lie .. stamped , out-; .that a fair wage and healthy,'conditions: of labour .could; be secured to all; that'-the ..-highest positions' in. the 'land should be open /.to all ~ in-" 'accordance', with .V their .-personal efforts-- t0..; attaiiv; them; that . by; the State alone: .cbuidV.-'mon'opol'es..' be . prevented t and,, eradicated';, that; Vatf'regulation - all'our,'. ..main: products'coulu be'improved -.1% quality " and .exported to - markets;; that: every legiti- :. mate. ,effort i on sound - practical . lines. should be made tovhelp our producers, workers, and ■trader's, to\ get the.-fml^result-'of their, labour .and; ; ,cn'tprprjs6 1 ,,-"that; w<s,::should;-!.'ri6t j . sefc ;capital.-aiid -laboVir ;'nt, .each: other's' throats, but should help .to mutual -adjustment and .co-operation between-them; tbafcby,prudence, in 'our,-legislation' the.-:trouble and strife 1 should,:be Under ;process- of < law and, I reason;, and ■ not,' undcrj ;tbe old barbaric, conditions ;o£ money-;Versus-physical forces. .These ' 'other • objectf, .w-ereji embodied., lri-j oiie greftt' cafdiiial: aim,' riz. : ,! to pursue with • ■ firmness and; caution .' the,, object -of " making :our people as a .wholol ' and not anyjclassi . ; happier' and wealthier. v 'Their. aim as ; a party .was. to help'; as far as . Government;• action . ■ could the largest-possiblovnumber-of., families to iitt ain . sijfficient, incomes, to , increase, tho - with; .which, these .incomes coiild. be relied upon, aiid to protect tho ..'purchasing' power of these incomes, against - unfair, pricep due to. rings, moiiopplies, and^legal- privileges. : 'r •' ■;.: ■: