POLITICAL SPEECHES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 112, 7 November 1908, Page 9

POLITICAL SPEECHES.

THE OTAKI SEAT. MR. BYRON BROWN AT PORIRUA. Last night some forty electors attended at the Porirua Hall, to listen to an address by Mr. Byron Brown, who is contesting the Otaki seat against the sitting member, Mr. W. H. Field. Mr. G. Stevens was in the chair. The candidate, in the course of a brief address, said this was the twenty-ninth address he had made in his campaign. He had had nothing but the most successful meetings throughout the electorate, and he hud not yet had a personal question asked him. He wanted to reply to Mr. Field on the subject of taxation, and in doing so he would only use figures taken from official records. Since 1896 the taxation per head had increased from £3 7s Id to £5 4s, as /shown by the Year 800k — 35s 3d per head in the last twelve years, or a total increase of a million and a half. The question they had to consider was whether ■we could afford to pay such an amount, in view of the fact that our prosperity was declining. The whole of that increase — or, at any rate, the greater part of it — came through the Customs. He had made a careful study of the new tariff, and found that while the remissions totalled £300,000, there were £400,000 of imposts, chiefly in regard to the preferential tariff. And while the Prime Minister claimed that the concessions amounted to £300,000, Mr. Field claimed that they\ amounted to £600,000. He quoted last session's Budget to show that the Customs duty collected the previous year was £162,525 greater than the previous year, -and he stated that the tax on dairying and mining machinery had been increased from 5 to 20 per cent. Sugar machinery, locomotives, sawmtlling machinery, workers' boots and shoes, had been charged an extra duty, in some cases being increased from nil to 20 per cent., while felt slippers and other footwear had been increased from 20 to 125 per cent. The poor man's bicycle had a tax of 20 pter cent on it, while half of the rich man's motor-car came in duty free. The duty on silks, satins, and so on was reduced. The poor man's packet tea paid 2d a lb., while the rich man who could get his tea in bulk was let off duty altogether. Three and a half millions of the total taxation last year came from the Customs, while tho land tax only, accounted for about half a million, anq[ the income tax for £200,000. He advocated, therefore, large remissions in Customs dues, and an increase of the income tax, so as to get at the rich man. At' present the individual got exemption up to £300, while the dairy company had to pay on Its income, however small, and that tax had to bo paid before there could be any division of profits. As a matter of fact too much, revenue had been collected from ths people for years past. There was no reason why the Government should have a surplus, and he urged that if the' Government in the time of its prosperity had reduced its surplus and remitted taxation it would have bsen much better for tne people. PUBLIC WORKS FUND. Dealing with the Public Works Fund, Mr. Brown said that the Treasury is absolutely depleted of funds at the present time, and it was doubtful if the Government would be able to borrow as well as in the past. The same remark applied to the Advances to Setlers Department, \rhich placed a limit of £500 on its loans. At Levin there were 19 settleis who liad been promised loans and built houses for themselves, and yet they could not get the amount of the loafts that had been passed. As to ;land values^ he sajd that money could not be raised' on the basis of the Government valuation, and lie urged that the Government should not value lands beyond the basis on which money could be borrowed. The valuations had been increased' so as to show an excess of assets over liabilities, for the putpose of hoodwinking the British moneylender, and he believed that, when next the Prime Minister went on the British money market Jie would not receive more than £86 or £88 for every £100 borrowed. RAILWAYS. As to railways ho contended that the time had come when business men should bs put into the controlling position — that they should b» -managed by a. non-politica! board. Last year the railway earnings were £200,000 short of the amount required for the payment of interest That amount had to be mado good by the people. For years nothing had been written off foi- depreciation ; if such a state existed m a private firm and bankruptcy ensued, the principals would probably get into gaol. 'Che earning power of the South Island railways had decreased while that in the North Island had increased during the past yeai. The report ot last year showed that the net re-venue- eaming3 last year were only £61 more than for the past year, in spito of a great expenditure incurred ; such a state of affairs could not possibly exist in a private enterprise. Also the South Island got 661 more employees, although th« business done was much loss, and h« contended that many of those men got their billets because of promises that had been made to membors, and not because their services were required. In Australia the railways were being run by commissioners, with satisfactory results. CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. He advocated the establishment of a Civil Service Board. At present meu /wert© given billets on account of favouritism, and he urged that under a {board! tho very best men would be- selected for the positions. Until we had a Civil Service Board the service would never be in a satisfactory position. FINjANCES. Regarding the 'financial position, he said the banks had been of late years putting their houses In order, evidently reeling that the Dominion could not go on for ever as it had been going. The banks had 'at present practically closed down on everybody, and no one could open a debit account, notwithstanding the fact that there was plenty of money in reserve. That meant that the banks realised that lean years had to be faced, and they had prepared for the trouble to come. v The interest on our year's national debt was £3,000,000 a year, and unless the excess of imports over exports was over that amount, tho country suffered. For the first time tho difference had been on the wrong siHe, and the country had to face a difference o* half a million. The remedy was self-reliance, but he contended that Sir Joseph Ward was not the person to carry on a selfreliant policy, and he quoted from The Post to show that for thu firht time for many years our expenditure has been greater than our revenue. WANTED— STRONG INDEPENDENT PEOPLE. The position- necessitated strong in- ' dependent people being put into Parliament — men who would not be servile followers of tho Government, but men who would face the position fairly and squarely, and do the best they could in the interests of the country. In conclusion he expressed the opinion that he would win, relying, as he did, on a strong vote in the northern portion ot the electorate. (Applause.) Mr. Drown was uccoided a vote of thaakg for bu eddrisii*