THE WAIKATO ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8680, 24 September 1891, Page 5

THE WAIKATO ELECTION.

MR.-LAKE AT HAMILTON.

THE HON. JOHN BR YCE ADDRESSES

THE ELECTORS. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

- Hamilton, Wednesday. Last night there was a crowded meeting of the electors of the district to receive the Hon. John Bryce and Mr. IS. Lake, one of the candidates for tho forthcoming election. The meeting was held in the Public and Volunteer Hall, more than 200 being present, despite the rain which fellfrom dusk till about ten o'clock. Mr. R.F. Sandesin the absence of the Mayor presided. The chairman called upon Mr. Bryce, who was present, to take a seat'upon the platform. Mr. Bryce having done so, three cheers were called for and heartily givon. Mr. Lake said as regards tho monetary position of the colony it was tho old old tale — increasing deficit. The two main points of the Government policy wore the Land Bills and the new taxation proposals. After making such an outcry about the working man there was, nevertheless, nothing in the Financial Statement proposed that could benefit him — no proposed decrease in the Customs, which would better his condition by lowering duties on the necessaries of life. The question of the land was bound up with the taxation proposals. Mr. Lake referred to the liberal land laws as they stood up to the present session of Parliament, allowing the acquisition of the freehold. The main feature of the Government land laws was the doing away with the freehold, a suicidal proposal, for the acquisition of a freehold was what attracted a man here and kept him here. It was more than doubtful whether the colony would ever recover its land revenue under the perpetual lease system. He deprecated the doing away with the cash purchase of land. Monopoly had occurred in tho past lie admitted. The Government claimed the right of possessing the land, but to go about its acquisition by forco, by actual confiscation, as tho land tax attempted to do, was vicious in principle, unjust, and not to be borne. (Loud cheers.) The proposed land tax would indeed have to be recast to make it practically workable.' It was sought to exempt the small farmer, but to increase it by a graduated tax on large estates. He remembered how years ago the Land Association Company's property, the Piako estate, kept Hamilton going, and enabled many small men to settle upon and cultivate their farms. (Cheers.) Other large properties in the district were doing tho same thing now. Mr. Ballance had only got in the tain end of the wedge, and it would be driven home until the big estates had been burst up, and the smaller ones would then follow. Ho did not object to the land tax as a means of raising revenue, but ho did object to it as a means ; for burstingup big estates. A land tax was always supposed to be a tax on the value of the land without improvements, but one clause in the new. Act counted all improvements made ten years ago as natural value of the land. Without loan, the land fund having come to an end, he did not see where the money was to come from to survey, make roads, etc., for the opening up of now blocks. The Government proposed to place £50,000 at the disposal of the Minister for this purpose. It would be easy to bring political influence to boar on tho expenditure of this money on tin irresponsible Minister of Works. The survey and opening of lands had always been done at a loss, and how land already burdened with these charges was to recoup the £50,000, borrowed on its security for distribution amongst local bodies to do this work, he could not see. As regards Federation there was much to bo said on either side. It would bo well if we could keep the trade already employed between Auckland and Sydney, but the Australian colonies asked too much in return for what we might gain. His belief was New Zealand would be very unwise to take any steps towards entering into Federation witn the Australian colonies, with a Victorian Tariff common to the colonies against the world. The loss of population he did not look upon as so much to be dreaded, our market lay outside ISlcw Zealand, and so long as we had sufficient labour, we should not suffer much if our population were really less. He did not think there was much room for reduction in_ the Governmental administration. Something might be done with respect to the education expenses. We had much to be proud of in the system, but lie feared it would fall from its own weight. Whether a reduction could be made by cutting off free primary education after the fourth standard, I lie could not say, but some reduction in the t cost of education must be made. He believed that the secondary education endowment should be colonialiscd. Mr. Lake then said ho should bo happy to answer any questions. Calls having bean made for Mr. Bryce, that gentleman proceeded, amidst prolonged cheering, to say that it would bo better to put any questions desired by Mr. Lake, and then he would have much pleasure in addressing them. In answer to a question why the working man had to clear the furze on one-half of the street, and the Government and the rich men were not called upon to do their share, Mr. Lake said lie was sorry to say there was no power to make the Crown clear the furze adjoining its lands. Mr. Lake, in answer to another question, said lie felt strongly against the increased payment of members. He was strongly opposed to it, as breeding a class of professional politicians. If the State were to pay more than mere expenses at Wellington, that is to say what would cover election expenses, etc., he did not see why it should not be called upon to compensate defeated candidates. He would be sorry to see the State providing means to encourage a class of professional politicians, who when they came back from Wellington should take off their .coats and go to work instead of being provided with the means of living in idleness. He was not in favour of Vailc's railway scheme. He could never understand it, and would not support what he could not understand. (Cheers.) In answer to a question, Mr. Lake said he was in favour of female suffrage. He was not in favour of such a shop Hours Bill as went up to the Upper House. Mr. Lang (chairman Waipa County) proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Lake for his address, and of confidence in him as their representative. Mr. Lake was an honest, straightforward, hard-working man, who had served them well and favourably in a previous Parliament. It was necessary that they should, in the present position of tho colony, return independent and able men. Mr. T. Cassidy seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Lake returned thanks, assuring the meeting that, if returned, he should so act as to deserve their confidence. Mr. Bryce, having been again called upon, rose and said lie had come up to the district to bid them a farewell good-byo, and to thank them for the kindness which they had always shown him.' Ho referred to the circumstance which had brought about a severance between himself and the Assembly. He had for 25 years endeavoured to maintain the honor and dignity ot Parliament, and they could understand how severe a blow it was to him to have received such injustice at the hands of a majority of the House. After that vote ho was bound to do something. The .question was what to do? There was nothing for him to apologise for, nothing to explain, nothing to withdraw. The Speaker had never called upon him to do so. The initiative came on a motion from Mr. Ballance to take the words down, although up to then tho Speaker never stated that the words used were unparliamentary. The words wore somehow, got into the hands of tho Speaker. He had then to leave tho House, knowing that he was not in conflict with the Speaker, who had even said that the words wero not unparliamentary. When ho returned to the House, lie found that he had been tried unheard, and condemned. Mr. Ballance and one of his colleagues had asked him to withdraw the words, but not the Speaker. He had to do something ; he could not apologise, for he felt he had done nothing to apologise for, and the Speaker had declared the words inoffensive. If ho had returned to tho House next day, the Speaker would have read the condemnation, and he (Mr. Bryce) would have laid himself under further humiliation. His only course was to resign. It was not one of the Government who proposed the vote of censure. That was proposed by Mr. Rees, who has had his reward in the Chairmanship of Committees, worth £400 a year. Mr. Fish seconded it. lie, too, was a candidate, but,the chairmanship was not given to him. Oh, no ! he was not sharp enough - to propose but only to second the vote of censure; Mr. Bryce referred to the staunch and loyal way in which he had been upheld by his party. He had been accused of vanity in resigning as he had done If it was vanity to save his own honour and that of his constituents, then lie was proud of and gloried in such vanity. (Prolonged cheers.) Ho had found that .the people of New Zealand had shown him clearly enough that they upheld him in his course of action. Ho bade, them a hearty farewell. He should always have a warm corner in his heart for this district, and the people of Waikato. He believed, lie could even now do them a servivc. He hoped they would appreciate the' last service he could do them us respects the Government and the choice of a member. They must put into Parliament a pledged Oppositionist. The present Government and members were, eleoted on pronounced lines—retrenchment and non-borrowing. -The Government was borrowing now largely, but by concealed devices, hidden from the eyes of tho people. If a loan were necessary, it should bo raised

openly, and not 111 a way that only an expert could, .detect. ; Proposals in tho . Public Works Statement snowed that they were leading lip to a largo policy of borrowing. Their so-called retrenchment wuu not retrenchment at all. Their extravagances far more than balanced any retrenchment they mJjjht have made. Candidates were bound .to offer themselves as unhesitatingly and. unswervingly opposed to such a Government. "An independent. candidate " was a nonentity. The time for such men had gone by. He must go into the lobby with the Government or with the Opposition. If you do not send in (said Mr. Bryce) such a man as Mr. Lake, who will take a side, better in such case, I say, support a Government candidate. Vote for no man who poses as an "independent candidate." Mr. Lake will be admitted by every one in the district sis a straight man. You know his energy. He never spares himselvcs iii his services to his friend or to his constituency. In ability ho would be far more than an average member of the House, Mr. Bryce again thanked his late - constituents for their kindness and sympathy, and sat down amid loud and prolonged cheering. Mr. George Edgecumbe thought that this meeting should put on record its opinion of Mr. Bryce as their late representative, and proposed, "That this meeting sympathises with Mr. Bryce in the unmerited injustice endeavoured to be put upon him by the Government, and desires to place on record its unabated confidence in him." The resolution was seconded by Captain Runoiman, and carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the proceedings. , Arrangements had been made for seating a number of ladies, but owing to the very heavy rain which fell such accommodation was rendered unnecessary, r ■ V