THE PREMIER AT LEESTON.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 121, 21 November 1881, Page 2

THE PREMIER AT LEESTON.

[By. Tblbqeaph.J i united pbbss association, j Lbestok, 19th Fovcmber. The Premier (Hon. John Hall) addressed his Selwyn constituents at Leoston on Saturday night. The Town Hall was crowded. Mr. W. J. 6. Bluett occupied the ohair. Mr. Hall said that the last session was remarkable for the waste of time in long speeches and for the importance of the work done, especially in completing the system of electoral reform. The .Representation Act did justice to Otago and Canterbury, although it had lost to the Government some of their support. He would be ready to do the same justice to the North Island when it became entitled to increased representation. He spoke also of the importance of the Railways Construct on, Licenting, and Eabbit Acts. The Government had reduced the Estimates by .£300,000, and in this and other ways had been enabled to make important remissions in the Customs duties, and to reduce the rate of the Property Tax. At some length he dofended the principle and incidence of the Property Tax. Thero were great practical difficulties in the way of an income tax It would have to be intolerably inquisitorial, or else largo evasions would be made. The Property lax waa the iairest in principle and the most economical in practice. He quoted figures to Bhow that a ten per cent, land tax would only yield J254,000 a year supposing the laud to be unencumbered, and this amount would not warrant the imposition of a tax vicious in principle. If a progressive land tax was meant to seize land which had been sold, nothing could be more UDJust. J and should bear its fair share ot public burthens, but they should not attempt confiscation. 'I ho quantity of Crown land open for sale wai about eight millions of acres, and three millions more in Otago would shortly bo open, so it was not necessary, in order to provide for settlement, to impose any tax to " burst up " big estates. There was n» danger ot any scarcity of land for the purposes of settlement, and no necessity for coercive legislation. The Government intended to introduce next session the Entail Hill and Distraint for Kent Abolition BiJl rejected by the Legislative Council last session ; also a bill to allow tenants to remove buildings erected by them on making srood any damage oatiBed by such removal. While, for obvious reasons, he could not definitely reveal the plans of the Government on that occasion, he would Bay that their pol'cy must be one of progress, so as to adapt the political institutions of the colony to its rapidly changing circumstances, to provide for settlement, and to develop the resources of the country without inceisantly tinkering with the Constitution. Ho dissented from the limitation of the franchise to oae vote. Property should be represented, and there was no fear of its being over-represented in the colony. He thought a leaseholder's franchise should be given, and speaking for himself, that women having a property qualification Bhould be allowed to vote. A fuller consideration of the question of reforming the Legislative Council led him to the conclusion that the Upper Chamber should be elected, but on a wider basis than he suggested in his speech of May last. The basis should be a property qualification, and the elections should be conducted on Hare's system. The number of members for each island ehonld be equal. The leugth of speeches iv Parliament had become intolerable, and some limitation was really neceßeary, as well as a provision againßt stonewalling and systematic obstruction by a minority. One of the first duties of the new House would be to so alter the rules of Parliamentary procedure as to render scandalous scenes, such as those of last session, impossible in future. The object of the demand for local government legislation raised by Sir George Grey, Mr. Ormoud, and others waa to get up a good eleotion cry. No two of them agreed as to what waa wanted, and there had been no response from the country. No doubt somo improvements were needed in the present system. Small towns should have Boards, and in rural districts greater elasticity should be givon to the County and Road Board system, sj a^ to enable the p.'ople t3 decide under which form their local affairs should be administered. Many powers formerly held by the Superintendents should also bo delegated o local governing bodies. The Government proposed to givelocal bodies power to rate Crown and native lands, and that if a district raised one-fourth of the coat of a main road, the State should find three-fourths, and that for making the district roads the State should lend money to the local bodies, repayable in instalments extending over 13 years. The Government had not stopped public works, but had simply tried to extend the expenditure of the balance of the last loan over a period for which it had to la6t. Next session they wonld bring down a carefolly-prepared scheme for further necessary works, for which the colonial debt could be justifiably increased. He defended the land policy of the Government, and opposed the idei of leasing instead of selling lands He reviewed the Native question at some length, and coßgratulated the oountry on what the Government had accomplished in reference to the matter. No want of consideration would be shown to th 9 fair claims of the natives when they submitted to the law. He also warmly eulogised the conduce of tli9 volunteers. His platform was one of snbetantial, safe, and steady progress in developing the resources of the colony, not one of deceiving people by a blaze of prosperity through the lavish expenditure of borrowed money, to be atoned for by a long period of depression. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously. Marton, 19th November. Sir William Fox addressed a crowded meeting last night, and reeaived a unanimous vote of thanks. Dunedin, 19th November. Mr. Fish received a v«te of confidence at the South Ward last night. He declared he would BHpport the Government generally, but censured them for not acting earlier on Mr. Bryo«'s advice. He was an uncompromising' tree trader, a secularist in education, and would vigorously oppose local option unless accompanied by compensation. Mr. E B. Cargill will contest the election for Central Dunedin against Mr. Bastings. Timaku, This Daz. Dr. Fisher, a candidate for Gladstone, received a vote of confidence from the electors at Pleasant Point last night- Mr. Clements, solicitor, is out for Waimato. Hamilton, This Dat. Mr. Whitaker addressed a meeting of Pukukura, Pukurimu, and Cambridge West electors, at Cambridge West Schoolaoose on Saturday night. The candidate announced bis intention of offering the Government continued support. On the motion of Mr. Francis Hicks, seconded by Mr. James Keily, a vote of confidence was carried.

It isn't because a woman is exactly afraid of a cow that she rnns away and screams. It is because gored dresses ara not fashienable.