ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6063, 23 April 1881, Page 5

ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

"■ ♦ MR. STEVENS AT CHRISTCHURCH. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION*.] Christchckch, Friday. Mr. E. C. J. Stevens addressed a meeting of the electors this evening in the Academy of Music. The Mayor presided. Mr. Stevens commenced by referring to the alterations which had taken place with respect to the electoral franchises. This had been greatly simplified, so much so that it could only be rendered more simple hy confining it to the residential vote. He did not believe that at present the people of this colony were prepared to do away with the property vote in favour of the single residential vote. He was in favour of extending the time of closing the poll from 4 o'clock to 7 o'clock, or even later. Owing to the operation of the Triennial Act, of which he had always been a strong supporter, Parliament, at the furthest, wosld expire iu February next. As to the distribution of seats, it was evident that the great centres of population were unrepresented. This had been a great evil. He did not approve of either of the Bills of the late and present Governments, becauso each proposed to limit the representation of the large centres. He was in favour of population, and population only, being the basis of representation, but this he feared would not be carried for some time to come. He bad recommended that Christehurch should be divided into two districts, returning a member, with one for Sydenham and another for the other, suburbs. He was also in favour of giving another member, but this ho feared would not be done. Referring to financial matters, he contended that the statements of the financial deficit made when the present Government took office had not been exaggerated, but more alarming. Whether that was to be charged on the preceding Government, was quite another matter. (Hear, hear.) No doubt the situation was a grave one, but it had been manfully met; not by any particular section of politicians, but by the country generally. He did not believe there would be a surplus on this year, although he admitted that there would be an apparent one; but they would find when the figures came out that instead of a surplus there would be a deficit, which he estimated would be about £131,000. He wanted to convince the meeting of the necessity of three things that had been done, namely, the reductions the withdrawal of the subsidies, and increased taxation. As to the reductions, he said the public officers were not overpaid: at the same time, from careful investigation of the Estimates, he was convinced that any other system than an all-round reduction ■would have failed. He thought all should share the difficulty in proportion to what they received. They wanted to save money, and any other system than the one which had been adopted would, he was convinced,' have failed. He was always in favour o£ the withdrawal of the subsidies, and was still of the same opinion. He expressed himself strongly in favour of the property tax, which was not so inquisitorial as any other direct tax that could be devised. He was not in favour of an income tax, which was neither so simple nor so efficient as a property tax. iHe admitted that there were certain inequalities on the property tax which required to be remedied, but it was fairer than a land tax, which was most iinequal in its operations, crushing .the unfortunate proprietors, instead of adopting a system which was equitable in operation, and that was the principal reason why he opposed the late Government. Hswas in favour of a property rather than an income tax, because he thought it was much betterto tax the capital employed in any business rather' thaa tax the profits as they might arise. With a property, tax all. that a man had to pay on was the balance of assets over liabilities, whereas under an income tax, in estimating his profits, if the taxpayer did not approve of the valuation, the assessor had power to call on a man to produce his , ; books. Now that he thought was most inquisitorial, much more so than the system of the property tax. He wished to speak on the subject of the land fund, and he was of opinion that that fund ought not to be treated as ordinary revenue, and as such should not go with the ordinary revenue, and as such should not go with the ordinary expenditure. And this, he was happy to say, had been carried into effect. It was a painful thing for a member to have to vote for the reduction of salaries, but what were they to do, especially when they had such an enormous amount to pay yearly for interest? It was also very difficult to approach any other item of expenditure in the way of reduction. For instance, could they reduce the expenditure for the mail service, for railways, for police, and the Resident Magistrate's Courts? No, they were compelled to reduce the salaries. (A "Voice : "Butnottheirownhonorariums." Laughter). He was, however, much afraid that they would reduce the vote for education, and if there was a thing he would lament being reduced more than another, it was the educational vote, as he did not wish the present system of primary education to be impaired. At the same time, he did not say that reductions, might not be made in the cost of the present system without impairing its efficiency, but he hoped and trusted that the system of education would not be much interfered with, and so long as he remained a public man he would do nothing which would tend to impair that system. As to native affairs, he would state that he viewed with great satisfaction the change which had taken place in native matters. Land was being sold ; and, so long as a moderate force was kept up, all danger was at an end ; and Mr. Stevens eulogised the labours of Sir W. Fox and Sir Dillon Bell on the West Coast Commission, the results of which he believed would be most valuable. As to the native lands, he thought that every facility should be given to individualise the titles to native land, and when this was done he thought the native should be allowed to deal with his land as he liked, and that he believed would have the effect of settling a European population in the North Island, and would put an to that intrigue which resulted from" interference by the Government with native lands. Mr. Stevens then proceeded to speak of hospitals and charitable aid; No doubt the Bill o£the Government was a very fair step, in the right direction, and he regretted that they failed to drive that Bill through. He had long felt that hospitals, and other institutions oi a similar character ought to be supported by endowment, and tho last session he drew up a Bill settiug aside one million acres of land as an endowment. Ultimately he carried tho Bill, but he regretted to say that it was thrown out iu the Legislative Council by a very larsre majority. Hp had .no hope of a similar measure being carried, and lie really did not know what they were to do with the matter unless they drew on the consolidated, fund, and that, he thought, was hardly desirable. In conclusion, Air. Stevens expressed his belief in I the soundness of , the colony. He believed that better times were coming. All they wanted was plucky resolution to meet thenexpenditure, and this he • believed they would do. What he particularly wished was to caution them to be careful iu future H3 to their expenditure. No doubt the country was going ahead, and therefore he felt the utmost confidence in the future, believing that they would not bo always under ■. a cloud, but would do well if they ; only exercised prudence; He had now ' touched on moat of tho topics of public in- \ terest, and it now remained fur the electors to say at a future time who should be the men to carry out the policy which they approved. (Cheers.) ' In reply to a question as to the railway to the West Coast of the Middle Island, Mr. Stevens said that he. was prepared to approved of certain concessions iu land being given for such an object. . A number of other questions of little importance were asked, after which a vote of ■ thanks and coufideiico was passed, and. the meeting separated.