Sir Robert Stoat in Dunedin

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 86, 27 January 1887, Page 3

Sir Robert Stoat in Dunedin

f PEft UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.} Dunedin, January 25. fsr Ifcobert Stout addressed the electors of Dunedin East in Old Knox Church this evening. Sir Robert Stout preceded his remarks by saying that it would be impossible for him to discuss the whole of the subjects on which he wished to speak in one address; therefore he would have to meet them a, second time, as he had done last year. Were he simply to formulate what he believed to be the policy of the Administration, and pass over in sileace what was done last session of Parliament, he would be acting unfairly toward himself and toward his constituents ; toward the Government and toward the Opposition,. Depression had not been confined to New Zealand. In this Colony there had- b«en a falling off in the revenue, and he was specially gratified to find that less money had been spent in intoxicants. A great advance had been made in this Colony in this respect, which was due to the temperance people. Another falling off was in the prices of goods. The Customs revenue was based on the prices which goods realised. There had not been less food consumed or fewer goods for clothing imported, and the main fall was not in the volume of goods, but from the fact that prices had decreased. Th« cry of economy last session was raised by those who wished to displace the Government, fie fully recognised that if this Colony was to assume the position of a progressive colony, the strictest care was necessary' on the part of the Government, and the people must be prepared for less help from Government. As to the business of last session, he first dealt with Native matters, a question which unfortunately got little consideration in the South Island. The Maoris recognised that they had been treated by the present Government with justice and mercy, and last session, for the first time in the history of the Colony, the four Maori members were found supporting the Government. The Native schools were recognised, and he was glad to say that under Mr Pope's able management great results were being reaped from Native schools in Native localities. Native children were also being taught English, and if this had been done forty years ago there would not have been the trouble that had been seen in New Zealand. He next dealt with the local government proposals of last session. Colonising functions were undertaken, and it was recognised that unless the Colonial Government was to become a huge board of roads and bridges the responsibility of maintaining them must be cast on local bodies. This had been dene by the mearure passed last session, and members, especially those from country districts, many of whom opposed the Government, admitted that the measure had been well devised, and they were cordially supported, with the result that it passed withou' acclamation. This Bill would enable tho General Government to resist all claims for roads and bridges aud ho hoped would put aud end to a system not unknown even in our House of Representatives, which \ras properly known as log - rolliug. "Whilst he recognised that New Zealand, considering its position, climate, and soil, must for a long time remain eminently an agricultural and pastoral country. Without manufactures, a pastoral country, would be lowered. While, therefore, this country for years to come must remain a pastoral and agricultural country, they must not allow other industries to be neglected ; and he claimed that, as a Government, his administration had used both energy and industry in the promotion of other industries. They had accepted tenders in this country for work formerly done at Home, and tried to give an impetus to native production. He admitted that the tariff required revision, but in its revision it would not do to ignore local industries if they were to have a chance of surviving in our midst. Then in the railway tariff the present administration had granted the agricultural and pastoral settlers a bonus of something like £75,000 a year in reduction of fares. It would be mischievous to teach the people that the railways were only required to pay the cost of their working, and that the r«st of the colony was to be taxed to pay interest on the cost of construction. Next they came to retrenchment ; a question on which a want of confidence motion was based last session. Retrenchment in the public service could only come in two ways . — First, that the General Government work was lessened, and second, that payment for this work was lessened. Before economy could be got in the public service the people must demand it by being prepared to put up with fewer conveniences than they now possessed. There was true retrenchment to be brought about. If they wished to cheapen the Civil Service they must proceed on some system, not neglecting the rights that had grown up with old servants, but on a systematic /plan that would be fair. He had promised that the expenses of the ' Government should be reduced, but there were some departments that could not be reduced. For example, in the Educational Department, though they had reduced the clerical expenses in the Wellington office, the General Education Department would go on increasing as the number of children increased. But Government this year would be able to show very large savings in the public expenditure. On the vote for working railways a large saving would be shown in the Estimates for the past twelve months. A small reduction would also be shown in the Justice Department. In the Native Department there would be a saving of at least £10,000. There would be a saving in the Mines Department, in the Customs, in the Colonial Secretary's Department, and in fact in every department of Government, so that when

the estimates next year come down, instead of a saving of £20,000 or £30,000, as he had promised in the house, they would be able to show one of double that amount. If members next session would assist Ministers instead of scrambling for office, still further reductions would be made. The education system had been strengthened by a small vote that was given for technical education. Lot reference to railway construction and in reference to loans he had no new policy to enunciate. He had stated that the time of our borrowing must soon cease, and he was still convinced that if we were to provide, not for a mere temporary prosperity, but for permanent stability in our finance borrowing must cease. (Continued cheers.) Some hpeople were rather surprised last session when Ministers came down, not with proposals for a ten million 'loan, as they had fondly imagined, but for a million and a half. He believed that next year they ought to be able to do without a loan. They must take a new departure in New Zealand finance, and though it might cause additional taxation for a few years and entail some additional hardships, we must depend on ourselves and not rely on the foreign moneylender for assistance. He did not know whether we could finish to a paying point, or rather he should say to a working point, some of the railways in hand without an additional loan, but even if it were necessary to raise a small loan for that purpose, we should no longer depend on the London market. Loans for public buildings should be wiped out at once. He knew of no more imprudent finance than borrowing for wooden buildings, which in 25 or 30 years would not represent the capital at all. He regretted that some people who professed to be true Golonists were constantly denouncing this country. He ventured to say that the people of this colony were anxious to fulfil their engagements, and that there was no countiy in the world better able to fulfil its engagements than New Zealand. What he proposed might entail additional taxation upon the people, and many districts might not get works that thoy naturally expected, but he asked 'the people to put up with some hardships, in older that they might raise the financial standard of the Colony, and that they might as colonists, set their childron an example of self-reliance in not having to depend on outside aid for their prosperity. He did not believe that the prosperity of this Colony was to come from borrowed money or paper money, but, if the Colony was to progress, it would be by the work and thrift of its colonists. He hoped to he able to pass a Representation Bill next session. The leading principle of the measure was based on population, and for the life of him he could not understand what other basis anj' man could find. In order that his Bill should not lead to a fight in the House every three or four years, he proposed last session that a Board should be provided, and that after every census this Board should alter boundaries in accordance with the population. Had this Bill got into committee it would never have been carried, because some members who voted for it said openly in the lobbies that in committee they would vote against the population basis, as they wished some modification for country districts. He was willing to allow an advantage to scattered country districts, but otherwise would stick to the population basis. He was opposed to single electorates, and hoped that in the new Representation Bill the cities and some of the suburban districts would be welded together. This would give minorities a fair chance of representation. In conclusion, Sir Bobert Stout said that the outlook was more favorable for the Colony than for some time previously. He advocated a policy of self-reliance — a national policy. A' vote of confidence in Sir Robert Stout was accorded by acclamation.