POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9335, 19 October 1893, Page 6

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

HON. MR. ROLLESTON AT AKAROA. SCATHING CRITICISM OP THE GOVERNMENT. [bt telegraph.— association.] Akaroa, Wednesday. The Hon. W. Rollestoh, who is a candidate for the Ellesmere electorate, addressed a large meeting of electors at the Oddfellows' Hall, Akaroa, last night. A large number of ladies were present, and alter referring to his long connection with the district and the interest he had taken in it, Mr. Rolleston reviewed the difficult circumstances through which the colony had been passing, socially, financially, and politically, during the period of the last Parliament. Comparing its position with that of the other colonies, on the wholeNewZealandmight,he said, congratulate herself socially. There had not been the some extravagance of thought and act, fanned by designing stump orators, the curse of Democracy, as in other parts of the world. Elsewhere the maritime strike had cost £500,000 to the working classes, and the Broken Hill strike £200,000. Here common sense brought speedier adjustment. Political power and privileges were extended over a wider area and a peaceful solution of the conflict of labour and capital would come about. Financially, thanks to the prudent policy of the Atkinson Government, endorsed by the people, and partially adopted, though without acknowledgment by the succeeding Government, the storm which had burst in Australia found New Zealand sailing with a close-roefed sail and though the colony was suffering they were avoiding any extreme disaster.

the shibboleth of EXTREMISTS. The party now in power, though they had taken up the shibboleth of extremists, .had been checked partially by the constitution of their party, which was largely out of sympathy with them, partly by a vigilant and strong, though numerically weak, Opposition, and mainly by the robust common sense of a practical community. Parliament had been wasting time waiting for the revival of sober-mindedness. Little had been done. The Government had been content to pose as champions of theories of fads. The two features of the Parliament were, first, change of the incidence of taxation, and second, enfranchisement of women. The latter they (the Government) had done their best to prevent. They succeeded in one session, but in the last the bottom fell out of their intrigues. The finance had been dealt with in a blundering fashion, and had left the fair distribution of burdens untouched, while confidence had been shaken to the prejudice of industry and enterprise. The next Parliament would look for something better than stump oratory and silly denunciation of capital pandering to cupidity and ignorance. PLAYING WITH honour. He then illustrated his meaning by showing how the Government had dealt with taxation, played with the honor of New Zealand ; , private ownership should be done away i with. A general attack had been made on ! capital invested in land, and the Govern- | ment led on the cry of "social pests," and adjusted the taxation very unevenly between town and country. Suburban residences, luxurious buildings, went scot free; a proposal to exempt agricultural improvements, and land used for productive industries, would he said have been reasonable. The taxation of men on their debts was utterly unreasonable; as to graduation, whatever might be said on the principle, it was inexpedient. Taken with the exemption, it worked unfairly in many cases. Exemptions more than covered increased graduation. It was unfair that graduations should only be. on the land.

JUSTICE WANTED. What was wanted was justice as between all classes; no penal taxation or unequal incidence between town and country. On the land question again practical success had been spoiled by importation of impracticable theories. Government did not realise that capital and labour must go hand in hand if settlement was to be successful. Speculative associations, organised bodies of middlemen were taking the place of direct dealing with Government. The lucky lottery bag was loading to dummyism. Revenue was lost in favour of speculators taking land to get increased prices ; perpetual lease and revenue for local government wore set aside ; the whole land legislation was in an almost inextricable entanglement.

MISCHIEVOUS APPEAL TO CUPIDITY. The Land for Settlement Bill, as brought in, was a mischievous appeal to cupidity. There was plenty of land in the market. If acquisition was compulsory it must not be at the will of a Minister, bat as in the case of railways, by Parliament. A feeling of insecurity had been engendered which damaged values, made it hard, to get accommodation. Co-operative works were another instance of the adoption of crude theories as a supposed antidote to the evils of competition. Government had given their adhesion to the theory that the State was bound to find work for all, and entered upon a system which if not kept within bounds would sap the self-reliance of the community. There came an influx of population, and they ran back on what they had said. A VOTE-CATCHING NET. The Public Works Statement he said was brought down in tho last hours of Parliament. All control of Parliament over the Estimates was gone. Members whose districts were provided for knew what was coming. It was a broadcast system of catching votes by local works. The not ?üblic debt had been steadily increasing, he plea of non-borrowing had been entirely disproved by the figures. There had been steady increase of the public debt. BORROWING IN THE FCTURE. Treasury Bills issued hitherto in relief of revenue were becoming short-dated debentures, and would become part of the public debt. Public Works expenditure had been authorised in excess of the Public Works Funds to the extent of £120,000. Railway management had been a success formerly, and the present system had not had a fa'r trial. The Premier had grossly misrepresented and maligned absent men. No change ought to be made without consulting the people. The principles to be established were Ministerial responsibility for Estimates and for guiding legislation through tho House, Parliamentary control by statute of the administration, and financial control by audit. The labour legislation had been described as a complete "fiasco," and entirely unsatisfactory to the industrial classes. The proposals in some cases were as vexatious as those of the noxious weeds to the farmers. He discussed the Arbitration and Conciliation Bill, the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill, the Workmen Wages, and the Conspiracy Bills, and thon gave his views on the Alcoholic Liquor Bill, which was given in Hansard No. 22, and reiterated his adherence to the existing system of education.

A REASONABLE POLICY. He finally concluded by laying down the principles which guided himself and those working with him. They were—(l) equality of all classes before the law. The Legislature and the Government should represent all the constituent elements of the nation, not merely a numerical majority of the inhabitants; no town v. country nor labour v. capital; equal rights should be accorded to all classes, and there should be fair and equal, not punitive, taxation ; (2) individual freedom as distinguished from socialistic views, freedom of trade as opposed to selfishness of protection ; freedom of thought and freedom of action so long as no injury is done to a man's neighbours; (3) avoiding the degrading influence of paternalism ; (4) setting up a strong system of local government, with, so far as possible, local endowments; (5) land revenue brought into capital account and devoted to developing the land; (6) •an elective Legislative Council. Their policy, the policy of' those with him (the speaker), was one of progress and liberation, all classes working together for the common good and looking forward to the time " when man and man the world o'er shall brothers be for a* that." No questions were asked, and a motion of thanks and confidence in the speaker was all but unanimously carried, an amendment of thanks only not even being seconded. .■--■•»-"