MR. MILLS, M H.R., AT WAKEFIELD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 126, 30 May 1893, Page 2

MR. MILLS, M H.R., AT WAKEFIELD.

Mr C. H. Mills,- M.H.R., addressed a ' meeting of hia constituents at Wakefield J yesterday evening ia the Temperance Hal. | Major Fiuuklyn took the ohair, and briefly 1 introduced Mr Mills. 3 Mr Mills, who was received with applause, [ expressed his pleasure at meeting hiß b.*>. - \ Btitueuta, He spoke of the great loss sus--3 taiued by the deaths of Sir Harry Atk-nson * and Mr Billano-?. For the first, though he 1 did not know him intimately, ho always had r a high respeot. With tbo late Premier he ■* hid a olise friendship for two or three I yeirs. Those who knew bim recognised him ' as a born leader, whose whole aspirations > were in the interest-? of the people. lie wt-.s * sure tbat the namea of both wou'd' loog re--3 main green in the memory of the people. ' After Mr B-ilhnce's death it was necessary ' at onoe to ree mstruct the Government. Mr ' Seddon was ablo to do this in twenty-four " hours. He had coma to the conclusion that ! while they were leg'slating for uhoit houra ' Parli inr.nt broke that legislation a'most every night it sat. Ling hours had been tbe ' me ms of wrecking tha live 3 of many of the ' bast statesman. He hoped that step 3 would be taken to shorten the hours. If members understood that the work of the B^ssioa must be done there would ba little obstruction. At late hours legislation of greit importance was dealt with to the detriment of the work Ono of the moit impor'a it measures of last session was the Land Bill. It was a very lengthy Act. Tbe maia provisions of the Aot proved that it was one of the most benevolent measures ever pass.d. The lease for 99 yens was au enormous bo >n to outlying settlers. Ha would like to go further in belpiog them. In bu-*h lands be would like to help the pioneers by allowing them a certain amount of money to nnkd improvements o-n the same terms as grants are made to Icoil bodies. By tbi* in;au3 hard-working m?n migiit tike up land, borrow money, and pay sx per ceut, whidi would repiy capital aud interest in 2(i yoirs. This would; materially increase exports. Many people would re.dilygo on tho land on such terms, and a great beuelis would ba don^. As to th? duration of Parliaments h) thought that the triennial period was too shorr. New members had a great deal toj lrarn, and ab the cud of three yeirs they had just learned their work He thought tbat tho peri-d should be Gve yeara. The Land and lnc -me Tux B:ll wns of great importance. There wa*. a f-i*r oa the part of memb.i*3 of tho Opposition tint we were drifting iuto rum. But these propheoies hid not bejou fuiii.led. It was safer far to prophecy afier the event. Tha new polioy h d now been tried, ani small f irm-?rs fouud that they paid about £70,000 less per annum than formerly. I; would take a great deal to convince a man who formerly paid £10 a year and now paid £2 that we should return to the old system. But he believed that it would be fairer to make all landholders, large and small, pay tlieir share, aad that all .should be relieved from taxes on improvements. He did not think that absentees were fairly taxed. There many holders of small properties who were absentees and many of their farms wero going from bad to worse. He thought that the limit of holding was too high and that the smaller absentees should also be taxed as they were a great nuisance to holders of neighbouring properties. The minimum should be lower than £5000. What his party wished to do do was to put the yoke on the proper shoulders. There could be no disputing the fact that the small holders paid 470,000 less than they did and the larye ones something more. There had beeu much contention about the graduated tax, but it should be remembered that uuder the present system the large holders paid no tax on stock. He had no objection to large holdings so long as the holders attended to their duties and gave employment iv proper propoition. His party looked towards a pure land and income tax without any tax on improvements. All were much pleased that we were not galloping to a deficit, but ambling to a pleasant surplus. Our position was contrasted with that of the other colonies and the Argentine three years ago, and now

aga'n, but this time to our advantage instead of to our disadvantage, ancl it was a pleasure to know that we were looked on as an example to follow. In Australia as in New Zealand misfortune was teaching people to rely on the land and to go further back. With regard to the Cheviot estate much had been said. It had been called a wbite elephant, but he did not not tbink it would prove one. Therwere many applicants for lard on the estite, and much of it waß vtry goo. The land wbb not taken under the Lands for Settlement Act nor by confiscation, lt wns own g to the wide difference between the valuations of the owners nnd of the Government officer*?. The Government Lad three severa valuations made whioh agreed very closely, a d there was every reason to believe that the owners' valuation was far too low. He did not think that it would be much harm if two or three other estates were acquired on similar teims. Thm was much talk about the purchase among people who had never seen the country, but ttiie w»s mere hearßay, aid it would be well not lo jump to conclusions without knowledge. He was qaite sure that the Government bad takeu all proper precautions. There was no confiscation in the case because, as Mr Rolleston Baid, both sides were satisfied. In the Chemis case he bad received a great deal of blame which he did not think he deserved. He had taken action as Chairman of tbe Publio Petitions Committee. At first he had thought that it was mock sentimentality to talk of reprieving the convict Chemis. Butafter going thoroughly and deliberately into the evidence be was convinced tbat the man wbb innocent and that he was unjustly imprisoned. The Committee had asked the Government to review the evidenoe and he had been Bttacked savagely by the Wellington Evening Post, and refused a right of reply. Three years before that time the editor of the paper had done his beßt to prove the innocence of Chemis. He himself was was always able to rake blame because if it was true he deserved it and if r>ot it did little harm. There was no Court of Criminal Appeal and it wbb in the absence of suoh a tribunal that the Committee aoted. Three years ago he bad told the electors that though his ohief attention would be given to tte colony as a whole he would attend to tbe looal wanti of the district. The Government had done several things for the district, but in theße days when borrowing had ceaeed it was very hard to get grants. Laßt year for the Nelaon-Tophouse road, for the Nelßon -Westport Road, Ngatimoti Bridge, Nelson-H tvelcok road and for Beveral other purposes grants hid beeu made. Others were promised and tbe Government had undert-ken to send an expert to Motueka to ccc what could be done to prevent the Banding up of the port, This district had not been treated bb Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, whioh were a net- work of railways. All the ratepayers helped to pay the interest ou debt, and those in this district had a claim for better roads and bridges. S.me members thought tbat there ehould be a revision of the tariff at once, and a committee sat to it quire into the 6ubjeot. He would like to see something like a free breakfast table. But there was a large (-mount of interest to pay, for which a great Bum must be raised, and he thought that tbey should not be iv too great a hurry to leßsea revenue. In addition the looal bodies required assistance iv improving communication. One of the most important bills of next session wou'.d be one dealing with Native lands. The legislation required now Wi.s in his mind not bo much in the interest of the poor natives as in that of the poor white men. The n.tivea could take very good care cf themselvea and were trading on the necessities of the wbite settlers. The natives held about 12,000,000 acres of laud, whioh was far too muoh for their necessities. '1 he Government ought to reserve a sufficient amount of land for the occupation of the natives aud render it inalienable, aud induce them to part with the reßt. The time had oome when tatives Bhould be treated like other people, and should pay similar taxes. As to the Midland Railway, he thought tbat eacb party to a contract should fulfil its undertaking. Last session the Government setup a Committee to deal w th the queEtion,andit weutintolt thoroughly. Evidence was carefully taken, and the Committee did not think that the Company lad any claim to further oonoessions except to aa extension of time, if proper diligence were Bhown, The Company was not coaxed into the contract. It was represented by businees men who knew what they were about. A certain amount of give and tsko might be allowed, but the interests of this end of the line must be attended to as well as those of the Canterbury end. He believed that the Government might be relied on to protect the interests of the district. The Colonial Treasurer predicted a surplus, but that prediction waß exceeded, and the surplus was now over £500,000. The proof of the pudding was the eating of it. The oolony had paid off £200.000 and our debentures were improving in value, clearly Bhowing that our stability was sttalily improving in the opinion of finaLcial circles, Our expjrts laßt year were about £10,000.000, and our imports only between £6,000,000 and -£7.000,000. Private ir-debtedi-eas tras being wiped off and internal prosperity increasing. This also was being done without increasing public indebtedness. Two years ago^-the exodus was going on. Many of the /Sple who went away were our own kith aud kin, but they were returning and bringing othera with them. It would be bad to bring in a large population suddenly without having work for tbem, but he believed that if the Government persevered with ifs policy of opening" up land- there would be work for all. The sooner we tad more people of the right claBS the better for all, Three years ago he said he desire 1 to Bee men in power who would study tue welfare of the people, and not a Government which would be a mere taxing machine. Of Bueh men he believed tbe present Government consisted. He would not suy that they had made no mistakes, but they were such mistakes as all men were liable to, and they might be pardoned. He believed that the j Miuisters were acting for the welfare of the people, and were putting them on the high road to prosperity. We bad not ytt come to the acme of prosperity, but we fhould net be in toa great a hurry, but be warned by what had taken place in Australia and be ready for a rainy day. The Ministers had proved that they weie practical men. When the Cook S:r. it cable wus broken the Government h d s-ivtd much expense by purchasing a fcteamcr, and hajl done the work efficient!**. The mnin idea' of tbe Government and the party was to level upwards ii.etfad r-f ism cb.ys gone past tv level down, The objs.ct was to give gome help to thoso who had to work h.rd and received little pay. So far as tbe legislation of the present Government was concerned he said tl.at it waa in tho inteics*tof the people, and tbe Goven ment hud earned puolio confidence. Ue inte.-.ded to efftr himself is a canddite for re-election. They weuld judge him by his acs iv the past. Lust s-esion he had missed ouly one day of attendance at Parliament, and tb-t was when his mother diid. If returned again le would watch <;vcr tie interests of thedistiietto tbe bear, of hia ability. Mr M*lla concluded by thanking those present for the manner in which they had received him. Tbe Chairman asked whether Mr Mills would help to hr.ye a vote put on the estiinto. for the Wak- fb'.d - 8311 Nevis road. Mc Mills said thut he would dos;>. aud that this vote would have the better chru co of passing as it was of more than local importance, as the work cou'd te extended so ut to form part of a main rond. Mr Avery asked w hether Mr Mils wo^lo -strenuously oppis.i a* y further coi ce?si ns to the Midland Rnilwuy Company t! at die not include the Nehon end as well as thi Mr'Milh said that he certainly would. Mr Avery ssktd whether Mr Mills wou!< oppose a bill simlar to thit of Wt eessioi dealing with the codlin moth. If the bil pnssed not a case of fruit would be sent f ror the Nelson di'stric*-. L'e admitted, howevei that some legislation wps necessary. Mr Mills agreed with the importance 0 the subject, and s\id that tic gecero feeling wa? th-.t 3ome legislation wa required. He desired to assist the frui growers in the matter, as he believed thn the industry wns only in its infancy, an would grow very greatly. He suggeste that tbe fruit growers should meet an make suggestions to the Minister of Agr The Chairman asked Mr Mills wheth he would support the female suffrage. Mr Mills fcaid that he had already giv( proof tiiat he supported female su Itage, and fao did so oa the ground thi

taxation withou was unjust. ALiny women earned their own living, and many men placed their property at the dis • posal of tlieir wives. A great petition was j presented to Parliament by women for the franchise, and to grant it would only be the extension of a piinciple, as women already had votes in municipal matters. Mr Thomas rose to move a resolution, when the Chairman suggested that some other electors might wish to ask questions. Possibly Mr Lindsay might like to do so. Mr Lindsay at first 'declined on the ground that if he began he would have too much to say. Afterwards, however, he asked how the £20 a month honorarium worked ont. He thought that the monthly payment worked badly. A member might draw his salary for eight months and then retire just before a session, when his successor would have to do all the work for much less pay. Mr Mills said that the honorarium was not much of a gift. It cost him * 600 before he got into Parliament, and he would not see much of it back. He thought that the monthly payment was better than payment by session. Under the old system a member might retire immediately after a session, and his successor would have to look after the interests of the constituency for many months without payment. Mr Binds-, y asked whether Mr Mills thought tbat the system of co-operative contracts worked well. He heard that in srme casea men made as much as 13s 4d a day. ar.d in cises wbere they only earned small wages the Government made the sum up to full rates. Mr Mills believtd thoroughly in cooperation. He could not absolutely contradict the statements quoted by Mr Lindsay, but he knew tbat the average payment wub ouly a fair wage, something under 8s a day. It waa quite possible tbat some men by extra exertiots might earn unusually large wages. In further r^ply Mr Mills said that he had not heard of such things as Mr Lindsay quoted. Mr Lindsay aaked whether Mr Mills would support Mr Seddon in abolishing the Railway Commissioners. Mr Mills said that the subject would be brought before Parliament and after hearing evidence for and against he would decide how he would vote. To promise before heaving evidence would be premature. Mr Lindsay thanked Mr Mills for his answer. He was a party man, but a straightforward ono. He moved a vote of thanks to Mr Mills. The motion was not seconded Mr Thomas moved that a hearty vote of thanks be given to Mr Mills and also a vote confidence in him and in the Government as at present constituted. Mr Avery seconded the amendment. The motion was dclared by the chairman to be carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed ihe meeting.