THE HON A. J. ADMAN AT HAMILTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10045, 4 February 1896, Page 5

THE HON A. J. ADMAN AT HAMILTON.

[Bsf IELEfIBAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton, Monday, The Hon. A. J, Caelum addressed a meeting of his constituents this evening in the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton East. There was a large attendance of electors, including a number of ladies. The chair was occupied by His Worship the Mayor (Mr. W.'-Dey), who briefly introduced the hon. gentleman to the meeting. Mr. Cadmnn, whose speech in the greater part was similar to that delivered at Huntly, was. listened to throughout with great attention, and was frequently applauded. Mr. Cadman, on rising to speak, was received with applause. He stated that for the lasb 15 years lie had, with the exception of a few months, represented a mining district, and therefore was more used to talking mining matters, He had already addressed the Thames electors on that subject. To-night he intended to balk more on agricultural subjects and politics in general. Borrowing was the first) subject the hon. gentleman touched on. In explanation of the accusation of borrowing, he quoted numerous figures to show that the present Government, instead of really adding to the public debt, had in reality reduced it by the conversion of loans. The hon, gentleman explained that the conversion of the loans set free the sinking fund, and allowed its expenditure in public works during the lasb five years. Those funds were now noarly at an end, and if money was nob borrowed somewhero there would soon be nothing left to carry on public works with, and the necessity of borrowing shortly must be lookod in the face. It was shown that we have some good assets. Our railway lines, the hon. gentleman stated, were at leasb worth twonty millions, and our telegraph and public buildings were also good assets. The hon. gentleman said thab, though the Finanoial Statement had been strongly criticised by the Government's Conservative friends, they had _ apparently all agreed with it in pieceraoal. It was impossible to please ovorybody, bub he though great credit was due to Mr, Ward for the manner in which he had brought his statements down. The hon. gentlomnn said ib would be cheaper to buy lands in the Waikato than to purchase land in the King Country, for the reason that the railway was already there. Roads and bridges woro there, and, naturally, as soon as the population was increased by settlement on the land the rovonuo would be proportionately increasod. TheGovornmenb were nob purchasing native lands for themselves bu tfor the people, and although a large quantity of land had been thrown open by the Government during the last year bub very few applications for land for settlement had been made. Mr. Cadman stated that ib was rather the irony of fate that a Liberal Government should have to como to the rescue of the Bank of Now Zealand, and they had had all sorts of unpleasant things said to them on the subject. Mr. Cadman explained thab what had been done was for the bonetib of the colony. With regard to the assets of the Bank, of which there aro a number in this districb, in the shape of large estates, ib would be ranch better if tho Government could see their way to purchaso and settle peoplo on them. Mr. Cadman spoko at some length on this subject, and stated thab the number of applications received for employment in the railway department alone was more than sufficient to replace the whole permanent staff ab present employed. Mr. Cadman quoted figures to show thab in the railway, post office, and printing office departments thore was no extravagance in tho paymonb of salaries, and that a very small increase in pay por head por annum soon ran up into thousands, when ib was takon into consideration the large number of officers employed. The Minister spoke shortly on the subject of advances to settlers, and quoted some samples of peculiar requests for loans thab had boon received by bho Government. As regarded, the question of interest he thought they woro doing a wise thing in bringing down the _ rate of interest as low as possible, and giving tho borrowing farmor an opportunity of placing his produce on the besb marketß of the world. Tho lion, gentleman spoke very highly in praise of tho present Minister of Agriculture, who, ho said, had his heart in the work. Figures were quoted to show that noarly 2,000,000 bushels of whoat loss were exported in 1895 than in tho previous year, as well as decreases in tho export of othor produce. The export uf frozen meab and wool was steadily increasing, though the returns for tho formor wero nob increasing proportionately. The export of grain had fallen very considerably, and on the whole tho products were not increasing as they , ought, ond he thought ib was time theso j things wero lookod into. Referring to the j present tariff as affecting tho farmer, Mr. Cadman quoted a number of articles which are now brought into the country free, or the tax on which had boon increased to benefit the agriculturalist. Undor tho present Ministry the Agricultural Department had become a live factor in the land, thore being 38 stock inspectors and 37 rabbit inspectors, besidos veterinary surgeons, fruit and dairy experts, and various othor overseers and inspectors for the bonefib of the farmer. As to the concession of faros on the railway for the benefit of tho country settlers, the hon. gontloman showed that since the Government had control of the railways large concessions on farming implement* and produce had been made. The rates for milk and cream had been also largely reduced, and for last year on the Auckland section had only amounted to £420, and for the whole of the New Zealand railways to a little ovor £1200. Tho carriage of butter on tho Auckland railways last year was 481 tons, of which the freight was a trifle over £1 a-ton, and he thoughb ib would nob booxpodient to make any further reduction, as ib would nob benefib the farmor, bub only the middleman. A reduction of 20 per cent, made on the carriage of sheop was estimated to bring a loss of £7500, bub, contrary to all oxpectabions, tho resnlb for nine months of the year had resulted in a gain of £735 ; bub, on the other side, tho carriage of the extra quantity of stock had necessitated tho expenditure of something like £10,000 on rolling stock. Mr. Cad man hoped things would come out as satisfactory as expected in connection with the production of beetroob sugar, though ib was rather early as yeb to express an opinion on the matter. Referring to the bonus of £50,000 for tho first 10,000 tons of beet sugar produced in the colony, the passing of which Act was thrown out lasb session, ho expected that the Bill would be again brought forward, when perhaps ib would have a better fate. If tho beob roob scheme for the Waikato was going to be a big affair, and nob a wild cab schomo, he would require to have some definite information on the subjecb before he could go into the matter of railway freight. Mr. Tiioa. Cuappell proposod a vote of thanks and confidonoe in Mr. Cadman, this was secondod by Mr. John Steadman and carried unanimously.