SIR JOHN HALL AT LEESTON.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9268, 30 April 1892, Page 3

SIR JOHN HALL AT LEESTON.

[BY TELEGRAPH.] Chbiotchdboh, Friday. Blr John Hall addressed bis constituents at leeston to-night. There was a fair attendance, and a vote of thanks and confidence was passed without dißsent. Be said be bad been prevented by a severe attack of influenza and its effects from addressing his constituents at an earlier period of the recess. The usual change of electoral boandaries iiad aoted on toe Ellesmere Lake district, and split it to pieeea. He did not agree that this was a Government mancenvre, though they were capable of much wickedness. No donbt the fault lay in the law which naerificed everything to equality of population. The Premier's speeches respecting the Legislative Council and hla endeavor to set class against class were unworthy of bis position, and were a cause of distrust both in and oat of the colony. Mr Beeves's speech at Christchurch was on a higher level. The surplus fer 1891 92 was owing to the Atkinsoninn finance, and to the property tax being left in operation fast year. Tbe credit was dne to the late Government. Of retrenchment last session there was little evidence. The Atkinson Government bad left a million of sinking f nnd and loan money, which was all voted away last session. Tbe colony was galloping to a loan against tbe wishes of the eleotors at the last election. Sir John atrongly condemned tho vote for the Thames railway as a political job. He contrasted the bearing of tbe new taxation on land and on personal property in order V to show how much more heavily it bore on the former. He could Bee no reason why in the matter of a graduated tax there should be such difference between personal and landed property. The tax on improvements Sir John condemned as impolitic and unjußt, and he said that in the Flnanoiai (Statement it was even proposed to make improvement* pay a pradtiated. tax. Mr BalJanoe'a argument f fett large loproTWi could »ffgi4 it, be

I declared to be the morality of a highway I man, Hansard as well tw the Act showed distinctly that Ministers proposed to tax money lent on debentures twice over. On tho discouragement of capital Sit John siid that the statements of Ministers were contradictory, and tin re was no doubt thai capital was being withdrawn. The rise in the rate of interest) wnnld fall on those least able to bear it. He cited figures to show the enormous areas of Crown land that were sold during the Grey administration, when large estates were acquired, and said that Mr Ballance spoke of those sales with approval. One amendment of the electoral law had been sacrificed by the Government insisting on the residential qualification being the only one. Sir John argned Btropgly in favor of the representation of minorities, the objectors to which were, be said, not Liberals, bnt Tories, claiming the monopoly of power. The progress of the woman suffrage qnestion had been satisfactory, and he was confident that it would be law before tho present Parliament expired. The most important qnestion before the colony was the attask on the Legislative Conncil. That branch of the Legislature had not resisted the will of the people, bnt only tho will of the Premier, which on the freehold question was not the will of the people. The duty of a second Chamber was to give the people an opportunity for considering aid deciding such a question. The number of the present members of the Legislative Conncil appointed by the two parties were about equal. Sir John admitted Mrßeeves's claim that the Government should hare a following, but he denied the Government's right to swamp the Conncil. Sir John quoted M. Laveleye's statement that' a single Assembly was " a most perfect organisation of despotism." He did not consider Ministers had a right to be consulted « about the selection of a Governor. To be impartial the Governor should owe nothing to any political party in the colony. This claim of tho finllance Government would lead to others of far-reaching consequences. It was everybody's interest and wish to have the Crown lands settled. The only difference was as to how it was best to do it. Mr ! Richardson's plan to give treedom of choice had been very successful. The present Minister preached freehold to country settlers, and leasehold only to town audiences, and in the meantime by farm and homestead associations they wero forcing leaseholds on the colony. It was premature to say that Mr M'Kenzie's administration was successful. Sir John mentioned a friend who had been invited to join such an association to show that those associations were formed largely by speculators, many of whom would not settle on the land. The eyes would be picked out of a block and settlement hindered. He wonld vote for the continuance of the right of freehold. The leaseholders would themselves demand it.