POLITICAL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 139, 29 May 1914, Page 5

POLITICAL.

PREMIER AT BALCLUTHA. [her press association.] Balelutha, May 28. The Prime. Minister addressed a crowded meeting at Balelutha tonight ,;ui<l was accorded a very cordial welcome and a patient hearing. Mr. .Massey broke, no new ground. In the course of his remarks, which lasted about two hours, he referred to the improved condition of matters under the Land Act, this subject occupying nearly half the time he was speaking. Other matters dealt with were finance, loans raised at Home, advances to settlers and others, the providing of workers’ homes in town and country, the Public Service Board, immigration, and the necessity for an increased population. Ai the conclusion of his address he received a vote of thanks and confidence, which was carried with slight dissent. Thereafter he was entertained, at a social.

FINANCE MINISTER AT LAWRENCE. Lawrence, May 28. The Hon. J. Allen addressed a meeting of his constituents here this evening. He pointed <nu that the. surplus fcr the year, amounting to £126.505, did nut include cash derived from sales and from deferred payment sales, .-ill the cash ircm sales of laud had been credited to the Land for Settlements Account, the gain being oxer £135,000. The public would thus see how mucn stronger this account was than it had ever been before. There had been an all-rcund increase in pensions -.f £32,000. As for these people who cried out about the defence expenditure, he was sure they would be pleased to kno'w there had beer, it dceiease in the expenditure oi £16.698. The Government had done several things to make the burden oi living easier for those who found themselves in difficulties. For instance, provision had been made to give the Lafld Tax Commissioner power to grant a ’-emission from the land tax tc widows with children. Provision had also been made in regard to income tax for an additional exemption of £25 for each child de pendent on a parent. The taxation on flax lands was amended. Loans for depreciation on machinery and plants had been increased from 2[. to 5 per cent, thus removing leg! timate grievances. These reforms should tend to reduce the cosi. ot living, to some people ut any rate. The public should not place too much importance on the reduction of the Customs duty as a means of reducing the cost of Hying. Ttus was very largely an electioneering cry", tin the question of defence the Minister said the Government policy was to train men for the British navy and nothing else at the present time. Air. Massey had said that he pronosed to ask Parliament to supplyone cruiser nt a cost of from £400.000 to £500,000, but he had no doubt Air. -Massey would not press that question this session, as a conference was to bo called in London next year. A vote cf thanks and confidence was carried unanimously.

MI! ATMORE AT CHRIST- ’ ’ CHURCH.

Cnristchnrcli. Alay 28. Mr. H. Atmore. ALP. for Nelson, addressed a largeiv-at-tended meeting in the Choral Hall to-night m support cf the Liberal campaign. He received a good hearing, and at the close of the meeting was acccrdeu a vote of thanks and coniiacnce. An amendment of thanks only, proposed by a Social Dcmoeiat, was rejecied. HON. W. FRASER IN TARANAKI lIRKT SOD OF GPUNAKI RAILWAY. ' Hawera, Alay 28. The eereim nv of turning the first sod of the railway which is, to com met with the main hue at Te Roti was performed by the Hon. Xx ■ Fivscr in glorious v-. ceither <uid 111 the presence of a large number -i settler.-; from al! | aits of Hie proviiH’C*. i lit Minister .siu<l i-he luu v. a- <ne "f t tie most important in Hie Dominion. and he recognised llial it was of enormous importance t.i th< .millers of the district. Hr v.i.’ild do what he con'd to have it finished within a reasimable time, but th.e progress made would depend upon the amount voted by Par lianicm. The Minister was presented with a beautiful silver mxstand in commemoration cf the occasion. Suhsequt ally Mr. Eraser was tenth- . < d a complimentary luncheon in the Town ball, where there was a representative gathering. Ai’terwarifc the Minister motored io Eltharn.

Till: PROMISED LICENSED BILL. Invercargill, Afay 28. Mr. Mtiisey received several deputations this morning on local matters. and left before noon by special train for Balchitha. One deputation from the No-license party urged upon the Piemier the necessity of having the promised Licensing Pill introduced early in the session, and sagger-teil that in the event of national prohibition being carried the time elapsing before it fould come into operation should be reduced from two years to one year. [Note: The, period fixed m the amending Act of 1910 is four years.] It also pointed out the mgistrate’s decision in the recent liquor case Police v. Coleman, proprietor of the Club Hotel. There hud been a good deal of indignation tn Nolicense circles m connection with the matter. There was likely to be an appeal, and should the Supreme Court uphold the judgment delivered in the lower court it suggested that the law shoutld be amended. The Prime Minister said the Licensing Bill would be introduced early so that every member would have an opportunity of expressing an opinion on it. Every member was pledged to a certain course of aelicn, and the bill would have a fair ami strong run. Referring to the question of lapse of time, he stated it no-license or national prohibit icu wi re carried there would be a very important change in the finance of rhe country, and referred to the reduct ion that would follow in the revenue. Four years might be too long, but anything less than two years would not be reasonable. As to the. recent judgment referred to. the Government could not interfere with it, I lit after the appeal had gone through the Supreme Court. the (lo>eiTinent could, if necessary, introduce legislation.

TIME LIMIT AND THE REVEN I E TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—W hen at last it has been determined to “ destory them that destroy the earth.” why should the process bo so I ar arrested as to unduly prolong their existence Yet

that is precisely what the four years time notice is to do on behalf of that arch-destroyer, the liquor monopoly in this Dominion. When the fiat for its destruction has been pronounced, it may not take effect either immediately, or within a reasonable time, nut only at the end of a period which, in these sxxift and sure days, can only be regarded as unreasonably lengthy. It'is asserted that this period is required fc.r adjustment of the national finances necessitated by the loss of the revenue of £900,000 derived from the liquor traffic. But is it. In all Other cases xvhen fiscal changes have had to be made, no lengthy time has been taken to effect all necessary mutations. M’hen it was decided to establish compulsory’ military' training in New Zealand aiul it became necessary to prc.vide for a sum running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to do so, Imvx' long did it take to make the requisite financial arrangements nationally. Hoxx- would the Government "of that day have fared it it had proposed that a period or *°y r years should be taken in which to devise a scheme of taxation to meet the expenditure on that score ! AVimld it not have been held in scorn and contempt by an outraged public who would demand and obtain more capable men to prox ide for the country’s monetary np ™ ;; ir) respect >.f military training ? I here are proposals at present betore the country to expend further hundreds of thousands of pounds to build a war vessel, and incur additional expenditure of a permanent charactvi amounting to £lOO,OOO .or so per annum in connection with our naxa. defences. Dare the Government hint at postponement of these proposals for a period of years whilst they shall cast about for some way, easy and pleasant for preference, ot getting the funds for giving effect to them, and seriouskv expect to be permitted to retain their governance of this country xyhile their search is proceeding I Not much. There is no need whatever for delayin the adjustment of the revenue. A satisfactory scheme of adjustment; can easily be devised by any really competent Alinister of Finance in the recess between the expiry- of one session of Parliament and the beginning of the next. —1 am. etc., A LABOURER, (One who expects a square deal from the Massey Government) Clive, May 28, 1914. BIBLE IN .SCHOOLS.

EMBARRASSING TO CANDIDATES. OTHER POLITICAL ISSUES • OVERSHADOWED. Wellington, Alay 26. A statement regarding the Bible in (Schools organisation made by Canon chief organiser to the central committee, suggests that the coming political struggle at the hustings is likely to be complicated tc an extent highly embarrassing to candidates, who naturally wish to secure a verdict upon the issues submitted by the parties noxv represented in Parliament. Canon Garland declared that the churches, which speak for seventy-four per cent cf the population, had had their action endorsed by their representative governing bodies. In addition 14U.000 electors had become members of the League by signing a request for a referendum on the League’s proposals. As to an inters sting point. raised by th.e League’s opponents in connection xvith these cards, Canon Garland, though suggesting that the critics were making an incredible reflection upon the intelligence of those who had signed, added: ‘The League is quite prepared to cancel the membership of any person who. having pervious!;- signed the card, signifies in writing a desire to withdraw from membership, and without making any reflection will consider such person as entitled to change his opinion.'’ The referendum, he pointed put, would provide a way of ascertaining public feeling absolutely safe from the possibility of misrc presentation. If the League’s opponents prevented this referendum being taken they would simply force the question before the electors in such a prominent fashion that it would outweigh political party questions and even overshadow other qne.--t.ions. The League had in a sn< <-t time rallied th.e majority of Christian congregations around it and acquired a membership of 140,0i:0, and had in active operation 465 committees from north to South of the Domimon. M hen to the Bible in schools effort the prohibition ‘- thousand vote ” campaign is added it will be seen that the unfortunate candidates are to have imposed upon th< in this time a formidable set of confusing issues.' DUNEDIN CENTRAL SEAT. Dimedin. May 28. Mr. John McDonald. ex-Mayor of the City, has decided to contest the Dunedin Central seat at the General Election.