The Manawatu Seat.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8141, 15 November 1905, Page 3

The Manawatu Seat.

Mr Vile at 'Hougotoa,

There was a very good attendance of electors at Rongotea on Monday night when Mr J. Vile, M.H.E., a candidate for the Manawatu seat, delivered an address on political matters. Mr Penny presided and briefly introduced tbe speaker.

'ihe latter spoke in his opening remarks in eulogistic tsrms of the reception he had met. with all over the district, stating it had been most satisfactory. Continuing he said Government was making a very keen contest of the election, with the idea of finding out their position. He was now after three years' experience a stronger opponent of tho Government than he was three years ago, because of tbe injustice that bad beeo done throughout the whole colony. Inferring to Mr Massey's work as Leader of the Opppoaition he said he was in every way a political leader and a worthy man. (Applause). He was a strong fighter and a determined opponent of the Government, and the Premier was well aware of it. Ho objected to the one-sided legislation that in many instances marked the work of the present Government. Referring to the Licensing Bill, he said it possessed the same blots in it that had existed in the previous measures brought down by the Government in this connection. He still favoured reduction as he had the last time he sought their support. On the old age pension question, he said Government bad been forced to make wider and better provision for those coming within its scope. He had, however, voted against the increase from £1Q to £2Q per year as it would have, meant an increase of £50,000 per year. of the electors' money. During the next year the pension would cost the ratepayers £350,000. He denied stating what Mr Stevens had attributed to him, that the Opposition would reduce the.Old Age pension. He approved of the Teachers' Superannuation scheme,' but thought that in the end it would prove a failure. Referring to the Lands for Settlement Extension Bill, he said the action of the Premier was meant to bluff the people of the colony and to infer that he was in favour of the freehold. However it only showed the " Yes-No" policy of the present Government upon the question referred to. He expressed the opinion that settlement in the colony would have been accelerated if Government had spent more money upon "roads and bridges. Government claimed they were responsible for the progress of the colony, but he contended tbe freezer and the separator were responsible. He was a freeholder and voted consistently on the question. He ridiculed the Land Commission as a waste of money, though the Colonial Treasurer took good care they didnot find out how much it had coßt. As far as he was concerned he was confirmed in his opinion of the necessity of the freehold. He referred to the modifications with regard to the Criminal Code Act Amendment Bill forced upon Government by the members of the Opposition after a most protracted sitting. He said the Opposition had opposed the original provisions of the Bill and the amendments that were made in the Bill before it became law. The Agricultural. I Implements Importation and Sale Bill had been amended by the efforts of the Opposition in that it was made a bonus Bill with a different board, and he thought they did well in fighting the principle of the Bill from the standpoint of freedom of trade. Alluding to the Civil Servants Classfication Bill he said he did not think the Bill was a fair one and it was a question of spoils to the victors, Government, it seemed to him, having provided for their friends whom they wished to make secure between tie session and the election. The Maori Lands Administration Bill for the purpose of controlling the native lands of the colony was opposed by him under its first provisions, but the Bill was to be given a trial. He characterised the Bill so far as ■ tho native lands were concerned as an improvement on previous efforts in this directionand they had to thank thb Opposition for the improvements in. it. Other Bills touched upon were the Motueka Harbour Bill and the Hokitika Harbour Bill, the action of the Government being condemned in each instance. He accuses Government of placing appropriation on the estimates for electioneering purposes, and undertook to say that, not one half of it would be spent. He alluded in scathing terms to the Ivote of £129,000 to the Westland, Kelson and Maiiborough districts, more than one-fourth of the total vote, and added the public funds of the colony were being utilised to keep a Tammany Government in power. He said the colony was at present prosperous, but he thought a time would come when a change must take place in the present administration, otherwise we would wait until there were such results that would land us in a nice box. He quoted returns showing the amount expended per head in the various parts of the colony, ihe audience receiving with sarcastic laughter the great comparative difference in favour of Westland electorate and the rest of the colony. Beferring to the colony's " bloated surplus" he said he believed, with many others, that it did not exist. Alluding to the amount set down for railway maintenance (£350,000 , he said that the proper thing to have done was to maintain them f torn the surplus. He still thought Government was building too many railways, and they were all political railways. He thought the ' Main Trunk lines should be finished first—(applause)—and then the side lines could be thought of, but again it was a question of spoils to the victors. Since going into office Government had spent fully £12,000,000 in public works, and if he knew anything about it we had not received 15s in the £1 value for the work done. He referred to the great increase of the public debt to £63,000,000 odd, including £3,000,000 to be spent this year. In a further reference to the railways, he said that after paying interest a sum of £350,000 had to be borrowed to carry on with, consequently the railways were only producing an indirect revenue and not a direct one; because they could not carry on without borrowed money. On the Lands for Settlement Act he said the proper thing to do was to give the freehold to settlers. He eulogised tbe action of the Opposition in forcing the reduction of duty on many necessities in life, but pointed out that generally the Customs duties had increased £1 Is 3d per head since the early days, of the Government's career. He enumerated the several votes he had obtained and had also asked for in connection with the district, and. promised, if returned,|?to continue to do his best 'to get the EoDgotea post office and other

local requirements. He warmly .denied a statement made that he belonged.to a 5s per day party. (A voice : Prove your word; where is your evidence). "My word is my bond," said Mr Vile. (Applause;. " I can produce men from the Pahiatua district who will prove that I not only paid good wages, but gave a bonus at ihe end of the year." (Applause). The* statement was made because he belonged to the Opposition, and he threw it back with disdain at those who made it. He eulogised the calibre of. the Opposition party and conclndea'his remarks amid applause. Replying, to questions, Mr Vile said he was in favour of submitting the Bible-in-Schools question to a referendum.

Asked if he was in favour of forcing a private holder of property to dispose of his leased land to his tenant, if desired, he said that he did not think that such should be forced upon a property owner. In this matter the State could not be compared with a private property owner; he thought a man who had large interests in the colony was entitled to two votes as compared with the one of a " swagger " whom he probably had to teed ; he was not in favour of State aid to Catholic schools; he believed in a system of endowment for' primary schools and thought too much was spent in secondary education, our first obj-ct was primary education ; beyond a small subsidy for freezing and grading butter, Government had not done anything for the dairying industry since the inception of the Dairying Industry Bill; he was not aware the Opposition had voted against that bill when it was brought down because he was not then in the House; he was in favour of the Great-ford-Levin railway, but at the same time thought the main trunk line should be completed befove side lines were pushed on ; he was in favour of freetrade and would like to see something more than a threat from the Harvester Trust before ho would be in favour of a iprotective tariff.

On the motion of Mr H. Hunt, seconded by Mr Perry, the candidate was accorded a \ote of thanks and confidence.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.