SPEECH BY HON. W. P. REEVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8811, 26 February 1892, Page 5

SPEECH BY HON. W. P. REEVES.

[Br TELEGRAPH. PRESS .ASSOCIATION.] Christcuuroh, Thursday. The Hon. W. P. Reeves addressed a meeting of his constituents to-night, and was received with great enthusiasm. He began by paying a high tribute to Mr. Perceval, his former colleague in the representation of Christchurch, and as Agent-General.

NATIVE DEPARTMENT. Referring to the break-up of the Native Department, ho said that the title of Native Minister came to his department, but did nob come to him. As for the notion that Mr. Cadman had been slighted, or that his department had been taken away from him on account of his views on the Stratford country, that country had no more to do with the Native Department than Tenterden Steeple with the Goodwin Sands. No one had a greater appreciation of Mr. Cadhis colleagues, and many of the details or the re-arrangement had been suggested by him. In the interests of the natives it was demanded that they should have.a representative in the Cabinet who thoroughly understood thom, and could talk with them in their own tongue. He was sure the colony would have no reason to regret the appointment to that position of Mr. Carroll.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Regarding the Legislative Council appointments, he said that the Government, which had tho support ot the people and a majority in the Lower Chamber, had a right to have sufficient representation in the Upper Chamber to ensure a fair measure of support there. He denied that the Government had any desire to swamp the Chamber, though it was an admitted constitutional principle that the Government had the right, under certain circumstances, bo swamp an Upper Chamber. No one knew, no one had the right to know, the actual nature of the proposals laid before the Governor by Mr. Ballance in regard to tho Council. The Government did not mean to be daunted by the action of the Upper House last session, and meant to take every constitutional step they wore entitled to take to ensure that tho voice of the people was obeyed.

RETRENCHMENT. In regard to legislation, tho Opposition liar! asked how the Government could profess to have retrenched when tho expenditure of the year was more than that of the previous one. There were many changes over which the Government had no control, such as contributing to the Australian naval defence, and inierost on loan raised by the last Government. Tho Hovernment claimed, however, to have effected reductions on the permanent departmental expenditure of £45,000 per year. This was a reduction on recurrent expenditure, and it was better to effect a saving on expenses which occurred year after year than on those which were non-recurrent. It was true that the annual appropriation this year was £2,013,000 against £1,981, last year, but departmental expenditure this year was £1,15)11,000, against £1,244,000 last year. In the annual expenditure wis included tho cost of working the railways which were not under tbo control of the Government, and which cost £23,000 mora this year than last.

THE OPPOSITION'. Ho defended tho Government from the charge of tyrannising over the Opposition, and depriving them of liberty of speach. He said that the Opposition, if not 60 numerous as previous Oppositions, were not deficient in talking power. Mr. Rollestou at Hnlswell, had been reported as saying the colony was galloping to a deficit. If he Government were comfortably ambling to a surplus the Government was worthy of confidence and Mr. Rolleston was not. He (Mr. Reeves) was not going to prophecy, but tho colony would know in a few weeks what its position was, and lie waited with confidence the publication of the country's balance-sheet.

Til GOVERNMENT POLICY. Replying to the Argus' remark that New Zealand appeared to have been given over to "seven devils of Socialism, "he paid that in New Zealand people who had a delusion that the air around them was filled with devils were usually taken up, and remanded for medical treatment. He said that the people of New Zealand had a right to resent this sort of talk. The Jeremiads, predictions, and denunciations which wore constantly inllictod on them in some quarters, he believed would lie amply resonted at the next cloction. It had been at first stated that under the land anil income tax everybody wonl.l have to pay twice as much as before, and afterwards it was said that the Government would not be able to get the necessary revenue by The fact was that while a small class would have to pay more langoly a very deserving class would pay a great deal less. As to not obtaining revenue lie would not prophesy, but would say that the Government were confident that they would get sufficient revenue. As some of the Opposition prophecies had already failed he asked the people to discredit the others. He quoted statistics of recent land sales in Canterbury, to show that the bottom has not been knocked out of the land market. Was it likely, ho asked, that shrewd and experienced men such as those who had recently bought Achray and Hawkswoof, would have increased their already largo possessions if the policy of the Government was going to back down farmers, ruin industry, drive away capital, and ruin large landholders? As a set-off to the witticisms of the Melbourne Argus, he quoted an article from the Melbourne Age, which commented very favourably on the actions of the present Government.

ENGLISH CRITICISM. He pointed out that colonial opinion in England was absentee opinion, and that the Government did not expect their taxation policy would be popular with absentees. The underlying fallacy of all English newspaper criticisms was that, the critics did not know that a graduated land tax was levied on bare land values, and not on the whole value of an estate. One of the unfairest omissions of the critics was that they did nob notice that not only was the new tax nob levied on live stock, but that the old tax was taken <>|f it.

SOCIALISTIC LEGISLATION'. The Government had been accused of legislating solely in the interests of the working class, of socialistic legislation. Certain measures of a socialistic character had been .passed last session, but there had been no Government in New Zealand which had not passed socialistic legislation. If they took the scientific definition of socialistic legislation, that is, what interfered with private industry, they would see that much of the most valuable legtslation passed in the colony was socialistic. The State education system, State railway, post-oflice, telegraph offices, life insurance, and many other institutions were socialistic. The State already interfered with almost every profession, and with people in almost every relation in life. Importing labourers in by gone years to interfere with the labour market was socialistic, yet Conservatives had not opposed it. Spending a few thousands to send goods to Chicago Exhibition was interference with private enterprise. There had been plenty of that sort of Socialism in the legislation of the present Government, and a good thing too. Of Socialism such as was advocated by Carl Marx, Lasalle, and Bellamy there was no trace in tho legislation of that Government.

CLASS LEGISLATION. As fro class legislation, he would point out that the Government's principal measures, the Land and Income tax, reform of the Upper House, Auctioneers and Dentists' Bills, penny post, Land for Settlements Bill, Water Supply Bill, Birds and Rabbits Nuisance Acts, and others could not be called measures proposed in the special interests of the working' classes, while the totalizator taxation, and Directors' Liability Bills were, he was sorry to say, measures which affected all classes. It had been said, on the other hand, that the Government had done nothing for the working classes, bub were the Factories

Act, the Truck Act, and the Employers' Liability Act nothing ? Nob only in legislation had the Government attended to the interests of the workers, they had attended them also in administration. The Government had abolished sub-contracts on public works, and had introduced co-operative contractsandthe labour bureau. There had been such a number of men to get work under the co-operative contract, that as a rule it was unnecessary to advertise for them. The Government thought that by circulating labour throughout the colony by means of labour bureaus they were erecting a barrier against revolution, for revolutions were scarce among people who had plenty to do and plenty to eat. He stated that many men came to the bureau who wanted no assistance, bub information where they were likely to get work, and it was a feather in the cap of the bureau that these men trusted it. The best proof of the success of the bureau was that the men sent out to work did not come back. It had sent out 2215 men, 700 of them to co-operative contracts on Government railways, and the balance bo private employers.

LAND SETTLEMENT. In settling the country the Minister of Lands had done good work. The number of persons settled on the land under the ordinary methods during the past twelve months about equalled that of the preceding, but in addition 1072 selectors had been placed on 210,737 acres under the co-operative settlement system. .No fewer than 85 runs of an aggregate area of 419,722 acres had been opened for settlement in twelve months, and notice Co that effect had been served on runholders. Thirty-four of these runs were in Southland ; 43, of an area of 242,000 acres, in Otago ; and 8, of a total area of 25,000 acres, in Canterbury.

DRIVING OUT CAPITAL. In reply to the statement that capital was being driven out of the colony, he said that no capital had left New Zealand whose departure would do harm to the coiotiy. The rates of interest would be rising, whereas they were falling. A respectable moneylender had advertised money to lend at 5f per cent., and he knew of money to lend at SJ. He did not think that the Opposition was intentionally misleading the public as to the colony's position, but they were frightening themselves with bogies of their own creation. The Liberal party of New Zealand was now stronger than it had over been before. It had more solidarity, and its members were beginning to look at questions from a broad national point of view, instead of a mete local point of view. Mr. Reeves, who had been warmly applauded during his speech, concluded amid loud applause. A vote of thanks to Mr. Reeves, and of confidence in him and the present Government was moved by Mr. A. Loughrey, and declared carried unanimously. Cheers were given for Mr. Reeves and tho Government.