TUAPEKA ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 201, 19 May 1908, Page 7

TUAPEKA ELECTION.

SPEECH BY MR. R. SCOTT. ' OPPOSED TO THE GOVERNMENT.' (nY TELEGRAPH;—PRESS AESOOIATIOtj.) " v \ Horlot, May 18. . .Mr. Robt. Scott, a candidate for the Tuapeka seat, ■ addressed the electors at Henot to-night, and was-.accorded a foatient hearing.. Ho referred to the' I ,late member (Mr., Bennett) aa a straightforward) honest mail of ;firm. convictions, who had died full' of years and honour. : He spoke, as a farmer to farmers. He was opposed to tho present Government, but did hot pledge himself to always support the Oppo*sition. : If the Government forwarded', measures for: the /good of. the people,. he would support such measures. Ho opposed the Government because its land ■: legislation,, its methods of retaining power, and its policy of opportunism, arid sail-trimming to the .Way the wind blow. As a farmer, he knew the freehold system was best, for the .'young .men about to settle on the land, Town people could not understand what his section; meant ! to; tho'.man on the land. All Crown land should be disposed of under the\optional >system. Leasehold should be merely a steppmgstono for' people getting on the land. 'He was against large estates, and believed they were doomed. .Ho would support a measuro by which people could go on the land and riot pay rent, for 'tho' : ' first, four v years: \ 'City : dwellers dictated terms of tenure, 1 how to-crop, and thoiextent.of.holding?;;but the man 011 the laud know .best, and should have the biggest say. He pointed out that taxation had increased notwithstanding tho increased population. ■ The Dominion was increasing her debt, but not getting value for her money. Ho was opposed 'to 'the parliamentary franchise; being extended to borough, city, and pbunty councils or. boards, and believed tlio people should elect their own representatives to tho JJpper House. He believedm an assisted; imm'igratioii .scheme and a sum being placed on the Estimates fo? prospecting. He read the opinions of Ministers oh the land question, but men who'had not boen on the laiid 'had little' conception' of what was required by tho farfners of the country. Much of tho money spent on j public Works iii the country had not been judiciously expended. Some of the public buildings were wooden, and in a .few years they would bo. worthless as assets, 4nd yet the people would still have to pay intorcst on them. In tlio Commonwealth 12s. in tho £ of borrowed money had been spent on reproductive works, and. iii New- Zealand 7s. in the ■£. :In tho Commonwealth .Is. 6d. in the £ had been spent'.. on j unrenroductive ; works, .and in New Zealahd 7s. . Ho fiivoiircd every publicity being civen to the /acqonnts of tho State. It would prevent sUch a thing as was .discovered last/ session, when it was' proved that an official had for years received travelling allowance, though he, seldom left Wellington. Ho Cohsidered that' much of tlio legislation of last sessioh was Socialistic.: ,It seemed.,to;him - tho. Socialists and Single-taxers wero going hand in hand with the Government, and if tho Government was giving them support, it would moan that bofpre long, it would bo allied to Socialists in some form or other, and that would lie a bad thing, for tho settlers of the Dominion.

In reply to questions, Mr. Scott said .lie was opposedto Bible-rdndmg in schools. Ho sunoortetl old ago-pensions,". Sir. Scott was accorded a unanimous rofcd of thanks for his address.