THE HON T. FERGUS AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6767, 24 May 1890, Page 2

THE HON T. FERGUS AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

'■ — "*— : ■ (per press association). Qtjeenstown, May 22. The Hon T. Fergus addressed his constituents in the Town Hall this evening. He said he would not take up their time with a review of the past session, as the Opposition had not said anything in the shape of criticism that required an answer. He devoted some time to reply to , the attacks on the financial aiminht a'ion of the Government. He congratulated the meeting on the fact that after every legitimate demand had been met there was a surplus on the past year's operations of L 115.174. Regarding the work of the inoomlng {session, he stated that Government intended to ask the sanction of the Parliament for setting apart a sum of money for meeting the requirements of the colony in additional school buildings, and for setting apart a portion of the revenue for the classification of Inmates of asylums. Referring to the Incidence of taxation, he declared that it would be absurd at present to make any change and that it was the duty of the Government to i see, that in future borrowing by local bodies, loans are Issued under such restric- | tions that local bodies obtain money on more reasonable terms than at present. He was strongly of the opinion that local self government was overdone in the colony, and Government had under consideration measures for the amalgamation of some local bodies on the West Coast, giving them greater power than at the present time, and enabling them to put their finances on a more sound and proper basis. Regarding the land question he intimated that Government was of opinion that the time had arrived when they Bbonid secure such land as they possibly could when it came on the market ; raising money far payment by the issue of land debentures to be a first charge on the land when sold or settled, and- to construct roads through the land for its settlement out of the money raised by the road debentures. He indicated that the question*; would have to be faced of how to make available for settlement large tracts of country that had fallen ihto the hands of loan companies. Regarding charitable aid, Government were 'firmly convinced that the bill introduced last session was an equitable solution of the difficulty. He was lon« of the opinion that the existence of the Gold Duty waa a relict of barbarism, and he thought the time had come for its abolition. To make good the revenue that would be lost through the abolition of the duty he suggested the adoption of a plan by N which local bodies would be authorised .to rate m'ning claims up to a maximum annual value to be fixed by Government, thus forcing mining speculators,' who held claims for sheperding purposes, to contribute to the revenue. Government Intended to Bubmlb a bill for the classification of the Poßtal and Telegraph department under which officers would rise aooording to service and merit.

and the subject of similarly, 'classifying teachers, as civil servants was occupying the attention of Government. Before he believed in federation, and before he believed that the other colonies were sinoere in a desire for federation, they should take off and not put on taxes on our national jproduots. A vote of confidencei waßunahimouslyJpaßsed.