The Politician.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 220, 27 November 1875, Page 22

The Politician.

POST-SESSIONAL SPEECHES

SIR DILLON BELL AT WAIKOUAITT Dun 10 din, Friday.

Sir Dillon Doll addressed the electors of Wailcouaiti last night. Ho said that at the general elections lie intended coming forward as a candidate for Wailcouaiti. He had at one time intended to retire from parliamentary duties, but he had changed his mind, principally because he thought at this dillicult period every man of experience should not shrink from offering his services to the country. Deferring to the future construction of the Government of the colony, lie had thought it was because of the existence of that question that he asked their suffrages, as they were in duty bound to re-elect members furnished with skill, experience, and patriotism. Of course the great unquestionable cause of the present crisis was the financial position of the colony. The Public Accounts Committee, of which he, was a member, never realised four or five years ago bow quickly under the system of local pressure the money borrowed under the public works scheme was being swallowed up. While the expenditure was going on at this rapid rate, and the public revenue of the coiony was increasing, the revenues of the provinces were dwindling, until at last, with the exception of Otago and Canterbury, all the provinces had to be carried on by the General Government. That reached a climax, when the Assembly, in an excess of provincial enthusiasm, agreed to the provinces being allowed to borrow. There were some members of the Assembly ■who were determined to put a spoke in that wheel, believing that the time would soon come when it would be hard enough to keep the colonial finance right. The Legislative Council now gained the respect of the whole colony by putting an end to that proposal. He argued that if the provinces could not exist by their own effort without borrowing or obtaining aid from the General Government, they could serve no good purpose by continuing to exist at all. Of course Otago and Canterbury always were able to hold their own, and formed an exception to this state of affairs. There was nothing to prevent Otago and Canterbury retaining their Provincial Governments, and any part of the colony retaining them where the people would pay for that form of government ; but those who had studied the financial position could not but turn a deaf car to the request to continue the present state of affairs. The great question now was, what shall bo done in the future ? That was the responsibility the electors had, and that is the responsibility that will rest with their representatives. He did not believe the Local Government Bill would be accepted by the Assembly. It was not sufficient. What was wanted was to maintain the expenditure in the provinces, and administration in the same way as hitherto, without the expense and worry of the political part of the provincial system. There were very few who believed that the old provincial system could be maintained. Not a single man in the colony, with brains in his head, discussed the possibility of such a thing. There was not the ghost of a chance of the colony being divided into two or four provinces, with a federal Government. The theory was not a bad one, but it was impracticable ; first there was the public creditor to be provided for, and then interest and sinking fund, and after the absolutely necessary departments were provided for, there would be scarcely anything left. Then let them look at the voting power that would probably be in favor of such a proposal. For all the central provinces it would be more convenient to govern from Wellington, and the representatives of these provinces would vote dead against such a proposal. If they had two provinces for tire Middle Island the one difficulty would arise, consequently the proposal was utterly impracticable. Before the last session of the Assembly lie expressed the opinion, which lie still held, that it was unnecessary to entirely abolish the Provincial Councils, blit that they should strip them of Legislative functions, and convert them into boards of works. The thing lie would do if returned would be to try to unite the Otago interests in the General Assembly. The Otago interests had not been united in the past ; they had regularly in the past been humbugged. He was not free to say anything about theresult of communications which he had had with leading men in the province, but he had hopes that such an opinion would he effected. With regard to the land question, the opinion of the people had been undoubtedly expressed in favor of the sale of land on deferred payments. As he told the House of Representatives last session, when the system was first introduced, lie • was opposed to it, seeing the extent of duininyism which prevailed under it in Victoria ; but seeing that settlement had been successfully effected under the system in Otago since its introduction, he would withdraw all opposition to the desired payment system. In reply to questions Sir F. D. Bell said there was an idea abroad tlm-t the pastoral leases could pay a great deal more rent than they do at present for their runs. Such an idea was a great mistake. There were only two ways by which a reasonable rent could be received from the waste lands, namely, they should ho divided into smaller areas, and fixed tenures should lie given. If the runs wore cut up and no fixity of tenure were given, no higher rent would bo obtained. Speaking as a pastoral tenant, lie never saw a greater mistake than was made by those who altered the land laws, because they played into the hands of the worst class of monopolists. What ho was afraid of, as a public man, was that when the lease foil in no political men would ho found courageous enough to propose a fixity of tenure. He would lie in favor of a Bill proposity to cut up the runs when the leases fell in, and to give

fixity of tenure. Ho did not think the system of balloting hitherto existing in connection with deferred payments had ended successfully. He thought it had done a great deal of harm. Reasonable runholders never objected to land being taken up for bona fide settlement, but they did object to their runs being broken up to allow capitalists to buy large blocks. There was no class in the country more interested in the settlement of agricultural land than the runholders. To men of property, it was their interest to see the number of taxable colonists increased, as future taxation must fall on property. He also stated he was opposed to the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage Bill. A vote of confidence was proposed in the speaker, but was negatived, and a motion that Bell be thanked for his address was carried by a large majority.

MR. BRUCE AT WAIMATE

Ti.maru, Monday. Mr. Bruce addressed the Gladstone electors at Waiinate, on Saturday night, and declared himself an Abolitionist to the backbone, in favor of the unity of the colony, with a central Government, and local government by Shire Councils. He thought on the expiration of the pastoral leases, the runs should be let by public tender. That the railways as soon as completed should be let to private companies, supervised by an engineer-in-chief. He promised to advocate several local reforms. Mr. Studholme replied at some length as to the pastoral leases, declaring that no one could compete with the squatter for these runs without ruining themselves, and said he agreed with Bruce on most points, but did not think him the best man for the district. Mr. Teschmaker would have much more weight in the House. A vote of confidence in Bruce was put to the meeting, and amid great uproar the Chairman declared it carried; many voices crying “ No.” MR. CUTHBERTSON AT INVERCARGILL. Invercargill, Saturday. Cuthbertson addressed a large and influential meeting of electors on Friday evening. The Mayor occupied the chair. In his introductory remarks Cuthbertson referred at some length to the changes in the House at the beginning of the session, nine seats having been altered, and also to the changes in the Ministry and changes in parties, Stafford being on the side of the Ministry, and an Opposition being formed, with Grey as leader. The public works policy, he said, was no longer the bone of contention, but had been acquiesced in by all. The constitutional changes were now the real dividing element. The two parts being provincialists and abolitionists; the effect of this state of parties was perceptible in all the debates on every subject. Charges of corruption were freely made against the Government, and the negotiation of the loan was condemned. The charges of corruption were illustrated by reference to the Piako Swamp transaction, of which lie gave details, showing that a select committee had exonerated the Government from blame in the matter, notwithstanding which, Grey had repeated the charges the day after the report had been adopted by the House. The Treasurer’s financial statement had been received with approval from all sides of the House. It was clear, satisfactory, and honest. It showed that the negotiations for the four million loan had been a successful operation ; the average cost of the loan was £5 15s. lOd. per cent., and of all loans £5 Os. 7d. per cent. When the public works policy commenced, the calculation was that money would cost from 5h per cent to 6 per cent. There was, therefore, no cause for disappointment. Mr. Cuthbertson then referred to the amount of the debt, annual charges for interest, revenue, &c., remarking that on the whole the financial position was very satisfactory. He regretted that the Qualification of Electors Bill had not passed ; it had received his warmest support. He had also supported the Representation of Lodgers Franchise, Registration of Electors, Registration of Births, and several local Acts. He then referred to the fact that he had voted against Government in the matter of the San Francisco mail service, believing that they had done wrong in exceeding the authority of the House. He had supported the extension of the deferred payment system in Otago, and he was no new convert to the settlement of the people on the land. The Abolition Bill was next referred to. Objections had been raised that it was not in the interest of the people, and that delay was needed. These objections had been pressed by twenty-three members, who voted against the Bill. Of these, seventeen were directly interested in provincialism. The system of double government was pernicious and fatal to the interests of the colony as a whole, fatal to the success of colonial finances, in respect to which the time had come for simplification. The Abolition Bill really meant the extension of the system of local endowments, local bodies, and localisation of land fund, the simplification of finance and administration of Government and retrenchment. In conclusion, Mr. Cuthbertson said a single-minded view to the public interest had been the motive of his action. Whether elected again or not would rest with the constituency. In any case he would always feel he had had the honor of serving the public for three years faithfully and industriously to the utmost of his ability, without fear or favor, with a single aim, to go on what seemed to be the right path, both as the representative of an important local constituency and a member of the supreme council of one of the most interesting and progressive colonies in the Australasian group. After a number of questions had boon answered, the following motion was proposed : —“ That the vote given by Cuthbertson on the abolition question was contrary to the wishes of the electors and against their interests, and that they withdraw confidence from him.” Only about a dozen hands were held up for the motion. An amendment thanking him for his manly and straighfonvard address was carried enthusiastically.

BANQUET TO MR. REID. Dunedin, Wednesday. The banquet to Mr. Reid, which was held last evening in the DriJlshed, at Mosgiol, was attended by fully 150 persons from all parts of the district, while there were a good many visitors from Dunedin. The chair was occupied by .James Allan, M.R.C., who was supported on his right by the guest of the evening, Sir J. Richardson, Mr. .las. Green, and Mr. Stout, and on his left, the Superintendent, A. Todd, senior ; Turnbull, and Davie. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts, Mr. Reid, in response to that of his health, said he had always taken pride in representing an important district like that of Taieri. He next addressed himself at considerable length to a review and criticism of the arguments advanced by the Press, and the supporters of the Abolition Bill and argued, in effect, that Otago hail nothing to gain and everything to lose from the measure. The Opposition had been blamed because they did not propose a scheme, it was the duty of the Government when they undertook to entirely sweep away the present system to bring forward a matured scheme to supersede that system. They had not done so, for the local Government Bill of last session proposed to establish a far less liberal system than that existing already under the road boards Ordinance. The Superintendent (partly as a member for Port Chalmers, and partly as representing the province), proposed a board of works for Otago. There was as much difference between that scheme and the scheme of the General Government, as there was between day and night. Were those who wrote up the Government scheme prepared to support that scheme ? A great deal of nonsense was being talked as to what was to supersede the present system. He did not mean to say it was so perfect as they might have it. Some of the provinces—Taranaki, for instance—might be abolished with great advantage to all concerned. There was much in the idea of the Superintendent of having a federal government for the two islands. That would confine itself simply to collecting revenues sufficient to defray the expense of the federal government itself, and for meeting the claims of the public creditors. There was nothing to prevent such a scheme of government, nor would it be objectionable to the outside creditor. It then should be left to each island to undertake, through its Provincial Council, those matters which more essentially were of a character that was not federal, such as roads, railways, the administration of waste lands, and all other matters that were not purely federal. The question of the number of provinces he was not going to touch upon. He thought it very likely that for a time at least two in each island would be better. If the Taieri district could be content without being made a province, the wishes of such provinces as Taranaki could be without injury acceded to. They could be abolished as provincial entities and be attached to the larger provinces. One word before he sat down : It behoved the electors to consider very seriously what action they intended to take with regard to the Abolition Bill. By them it would be determined whether our institutions were to be such as were fitting for a free, intelligent, self-reliant, active, and vigorous people, or whether they were to be such as would make the people callous and indifferent to their political privileges, and, by becoming these, to react injuriously upon our race. Sir J. L. C. Richardson, in replying to “Oar institutions, social and political,” declared himself a progressive Constitutionalist and a Separationist. Separation could be easily effected. What was required was the men who would go in for it. (Cheers.) “ New Zealand, past and present,” “ New Zealand’s future prospects,” “Visitors,” and other minor toasts followed, and the company left by a special train for town at 11.40.