MR ORMOND AT NAPIER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 810, 9 September 1887, Page 31

MR ORMOND AT NAPIER.

(united press association.) Napier, September 6. Mr Ormond addressed the electors at the Gaiety Theatre to-night. His Worship the Mayor was in the chair. The Theatre was densely packed, and about 309 ladies were present in the dress circle. A novel feature in the election meeting was the introduction of the Garrison Band, which played for half an hour on the stage previous to the commencement of the meeting. Mr Ormond said the electors of Napier had lately been addressed by two of the greatest orators of Ne.v Zealand—Sir Robert Stout and Sir George Grey, and he pointed out that the latter was the orator who was following the advocate round the country, giving his views in opposition to those of the Premier, although both were supposed to belong to the Bame side in politics. Referring to his former opponent (Mr Sheehan), he said that gentleman was as , formidable an opponent as any man could have, and he felt that when the Napier people chose him in preference to that gentleman it was because they were in accord with the opinions he expressed to the electors. (Cries of "No.”) Well, he was elected by a majority of the people, and surely that proved it. He wished to state he was an opponent of the present Government, and he would prove to them that Ministers were not entitled to the support of the people. Coming to Sir Robert Stout’s recent speech at Napier, he said he knew nothing of such a policy as the Premier had sketched out for the Opposition. He claimed that he had faithfully tried to carry out every promise he had made at the last election. He wished

to say that he had been offered a prominent position in every one of the Alinistries that had been forined since 18S4, but ho had declined to take office because he was pledged to a particular policy, which he should then have been unable to carry out. Had he joined tbo Stout-Yogel Government, he would never have been a party to tlio introduction of such a shameful measure as the District Railways Bill. Another measure passed in ISB4 was the Alialand Railway Bill : but this was not such a shameful job as the District Railways Bill; besides, a powerful party in the House had combined to stop all useful legislation till that railway was agreed to. Although he was not in favor of giving away 2,500,000 acres of land, still that was preferable to raising a loan for the construction of the line. Referring to Sir Robert Stout’s statement that his Government was going to be turned out because they increased the property-tax, he pointed out that one of the first acts of the present Government was to reduce property-tax three-fifths of a penny. He gave the history of the District Railways Bill at some length,, and said there was no interest of the people of New Zealand connected with that measure. He denounced the Waimea Plains Railway, aud the connection of members of the present Government with that scheme. Those gentle- I men who were themselves associated with it j brought down the District Railways Bill, by J which the colonists of New Zealand were deprived of a large amount: Referring to Mr Meiggs’ proposal, he said the whole sense of Parliament rose against such an iniquitous proposal as was made by Sir Julius Vogel, and it was agreed; on all sides that the men who were capable of making such an outrageous proposal were not worthy of the confidence of the country. He (Mr Ormond) left the present Government ranks because they had failed to carry out their promises in reference to taxation ; they had perpetrated a property-tax after counting tho noes, and finding a majority of the House was in favor of it. Their plain duty was to bring down their taxation proposals and have gone to the country on them. He sketched the history of last session, and said Sir Julius Vogel had again to ask for a large increase of taxation, and still there were no " leaps and bounds.” The Opposition had determined there should be no fresh taxation, and that wa3 the issue on which the present election was taking place, viz., whether there should be an increase of taxation or whether an extravagant governmental expenditure should continue. He had been asked why he (Air Ormond) had not down a land tax, but that Bhowed gross ignorance on the part of those who asked the question. The simple reason was,there was a large majority of the House against that tax, and it was the duty of the Government, who were a 3 much pledged to that tax as he was,to have brought it down and taken their stand on it. As to retrenchment, he had heard it stated by many of his constituents that retrenchment should commence at the top. He fully agreed with that view, and it was on that account he had moved in the matter last session. He saw there no desire of the Government to retrench in any direction, and their proposals in that direction were not likely to meet the demands of the people of New Zealand at the present time. Referring to the savings claimed by Sir Julius Vogel, he said there was considerable amusement caused in the House by the character of the savings claimed to the extent j of £150,009. The savings were merely nonrecurrent votes, and were only of a bogus character. It was true Ministers now talked of great retrenchment, but they should have done that before they were condemned. He (Mr Ormond) claimed that great reductions could be made, and they should commence at the top of the tree. For instance, the salary and allowance to the Governor of £10,200 %vas altogether beyond the resources of the Colony at present. He entirely disclaimed any intention of reflecting on the present representative of Her Majesty, who was a high-minded English gentleman, and was deservedly held in great respect by colonists. Regarding the honorarium, he believed that £IOO per annum was ample for all purposes, and if he ; went back to Wellington he should endeavor reduce those two items. I He would ask whether a Government who proposed to reduce their own salaries by only 7J per cent were carrying out a system of retrenchment which -the Colony required. He quoted the total of Ministers’ salaries and allowances for the _ past year, and said those were sums paid to gentlemen who said the cry of retrenchment was only an echo of the Opposition. The Government had abused their trust, and were not deserving of the confidence of the country. Among other retrenchments the Native Office would have to be abolished, and the new Parliament would almost certainly insist on that humbug being done away with. Another means of retrenchment would be through the Crown and Native lands rates, as he thought the time had come when those who held property should pay for it. Ho also held that great reductions conld be made _ in the education vote without at all impairing the efficiency of that great boon to the people of the Colony. The Opposition believed retrenchment conld be effected.to the extent of £200,000. He (Mr Ormond) thought that a quarter of a millon could be saved to the country, and their efforts would be directed to bringing their expenses within theirincome. He should be only too happy to promote a land tax if a majority of Parliament could be obtained for it. Ha believed that substantial reductions in expenditure, by men who would take the places of the present Government, would lead to the restoration of the finances of the country. He did not see how borrowing oould stop at present, and he failed to see how gentlemen who advocated a total cessation of borrowing justified their statement. They could not stop the works at 1 present in progress, neither conld they throw such a large number of men out of employment, which would certainly happen if borrowing were to cease. He referred to the eloquent speech made by the Premier, when he spoke of tapering off borrowing, but at the same time he made some insane proposals for the construction of certain lines of railways, which, however, Parliament would not agree to. He wished to say that it was due to the personal hostility of the Premier that the Napier-Woodville line was not pushed on at a quicker rate than had been done, and he asserted unhesitatingly that if the present

Government had not been in office that line would have been completed before now, and fully two-thirds of the House were in favor of completing such a reproductive line as that would have been to the Colony. Another reason why borrowing could not be stopped, was because the Colony had a very large landed estate, and it was evident new country could nob be opened for settlement unless wise and legitimate borrowing were made to promote that settlement. He believed the time was coming wheu the Colony would insist on the land being settled, and he should have poor hopes of the country if it refused to settle the laud in a legitimate manner. He differed absolutely from the present Government in their system of land settlement, and any Govern- , ment giving effect to the present Liberal Land Act were bound to administer it as Parliament intended. The Government were settliug land on fads of their own, and they were bringing grave trouble on the country by their action in this respect. The Land Acqnsition Bill would never be successful ;it was a bogus Bill which could never be given effect to. The village settlement scheme was a fad of the Government’s, which, however, Sir Julius Vogel did not believe in, aud said it was humbug. He (Mr Ormond) w*s not averse to the system of village settlements, but objected to tho ■ manner i>V vvMch the Government were carrying them oi-,6. Many of those settlers had been pl-mteU in an unfortunate position, and so surely a i the Government money ceased, so surely would those settlers again swell the ranks of the unemployed. If the Government had done their duty, and-allowed freehold settlement to go on side by side with their own fad 3, the effect might have been different, and the country would not be called on bo- pay such large amounts a 3 they would now have to do in order to gratify the fads of the Premier and the Alinister for Lands, He claimed that the special settlements whichhe(Mr Ormond) started in the Seventy-A/lile Bush were as successful as auy in the Colony, because local knowledge was brought to bear on them. Ho held that every inducement 3’nould be held out to those who were willing to settle on laud, and freehold should be eiu couraged in all directions. Tho asfenedpayment system should also be encouraged in a liberal manner, but it should be a freehold system. He did not want perpetual leasing, which was perpetual humbug. He hoped that the remarks made recently by Alajor Atkinsomthat Sir George Grey would probably visit England and Ireland to induce people there with a little capital to come out to New Zealand, .would come about, as he | believed it would have a beneficial effect. Referring to education, it was ungenerous of Sir Robert Stout to say that the Opposition were trying to destroy the Education Act. Why he (Mr Ormond) was a member of the Government who introduced that Act. The Opposition had no intention whatever of doing anything to injure the system. He agreed it was unfair that they should go on year after year taxing a number of their fellow settlers for education in which they could nob participate. He now wished to say he was in favor of giving aid according to results in large centres to the Roman Catholic portion of the community. When the Bill was passed he held the same opinion as ho did now, and he fought out the question with the Ministry when the Bill was introduced. JBe considered that the proposal that a higher standard could be dispensed with was an illiberal one, and he would not favor it. As to the school age question, he was not able to agree that the age could fairly be raised to seven years, but it was a question whether or not by raising the age to six years any hardships would be put on the people. He was not quite sure this was absolutely practicable, but as far as he had inquired, he thought it would be. It rested somewhat with the people themselves to assist in education retrenchment, aud by this means alone £42,000 would be saved. The capitation vote might be reduced from £4 to £3 15s, which would result in a saying of £21,000. He was not committed to the reduction of age to six years, but if it could bo applied with advantage ho thought the people should assist in it. He absolutely repudiated the assertion of the Premier that the Opposition were in favor of reducing wages of the working classes. Any attempt to reduce the smaller branches of the Civil Service, such as the Post and Telegraph offices, would be an unjust action. but certain amalgamations in the service could be made with advantage. As to Sir Robert Stout’s Civil Service Bill, if the Opposition had passed it as introduced it would have been a most degrading measure, and the most deserving lads would not be nominated, but those would be nominated who would bring the most votes. He again reminded the meeting that the present election was being fought on.the question of additional taxation and also the settlement of the land. If electors only did their duty a great future was before tbe country. A large number of questions were asked, and a vote of thanks and confidence was declared carried by the Mayor. The meeting lasted till nearly half-past 11 o’clock.