THE HON. MR. RICHARDSON AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5681, 14 June 1879, Page 3

THE HON. MR. RICHARDSON AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Christchurch, Friday.

The Hon. E. Eiohardson, M.H.E. for Christchurch City, addressed his constituents this evening at the Odd Fellows' Hall. The Mayor occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance. The Hon. Mr. Eiohardson said that he had asked them to meet him that evening according to custom, as he believed it was better for a representative to meet his constituents late, or just before the- next session, unless under exceptional circumstances, such as great political excitement or some important point. When he last addressed them the Premier had just completed his . “stumping tour,” and had made many promises, which, • if fulfilled, . would have been of great benefit to the colony. He had . gone to Wellington, endeavoring to tako up an independent position in the House, and if the Government really fulfilled their promises he had intended to support them in any measures calculated to do good to the colony. When he went up, he found that it was no uncommon thing for Ministers being about the colony so much, or for one or more of the Ministers to get up and oppose measures introduced by the Ministry. This, of course, made it most embarrassing for those who, like himself, went up to take an independent course. He had supported the Electoral Bill. Although ho thought it did not redeem the promise of the Government, it stiff was a good one, and he hoped it would be improved in committee. There were many alterations which were an improvement on the present system—notably the registering of votes at any time, and doing away with public nominations, which, under the ballot, was a delusion. He . looked upon the of seats, so far . :as regarded Canterbury, as being the most important thing that could be done, as Canterbury was now greatly under-repre-sented. As regarded the Maori dual vote, he could say that Government, if this were done, could influence eleven electorates. He would never support a Bill of that sort, and he was quite sure they never would ask him to. (Cheers.) He must say he preferred Mr. Whitaker's Bill to that of the Government, as it consolidated all the laws as regards elections into one Act, and took the question of disputed elections out of the arena of politics, and put it into the Supreme Court. As regarded the representation of minorities, he thought that same system—perhaps the three cornered system —would be introduced. He should be found supporting any scheme brought in by tho Government for extending the franchise. As regards taxation he was of opinion that, with our burdens, we could not afford any reductions in taxation. As regarded what had been done in the way of tho reduction of taxation, he considered it would have been better to have swept away the - duty altogether. He held that neither by the reduction of the duty on tea or sugar was the consumer benefitted. The only persons receiving benefit were the merchants and large employers of labor. As regarded the Land Tax, they might say he was opposed to it, as he considered this was a tax which should have been levied by the local bodies. What he was in favor of was a Property Tax, exempting smaller holders, but making the rest pay a fair share towards the cost of the government of the country. He looked upon tho exemption of mortgages as an injustice, because they taxed the owners of land which was mortgaged, and allowed tho man who lent money tn go free. Another thing was that the valuation under this tax had been made last January, when tho value of property was at its highest, which he considered was unfair, as at tho time of a general depression like this it would bo found to be a very great hardship. One tax on land he thought might; be introduced with good effect, and that was unoccupied land, where large tracts had been purchased for speculative purposes, and locked up from settlement. He thought that it should be a progressive tax, so as to make, an owner improve his land, :or sell it. This was the only direct taxation on land he would favor. He had opposed tho Companies Bill because it

proposed to tax the industries of the country, and also the Beer Bill because it taxed the consumer. A Trades Union Bill had been introduced, and had been considered carefully. As regards education, it had always been, aud still was his opinion that Government should provide a free, secular, and compulsory system, leaving the denominations to provide religious education. The experiment of direct steam communication had been tried, and he thought they ought to be satisfied with what they had got. For ids own part he should always oppose the expenditure of a large sum of money for the mere pleasure of two or three steamers visiting their port occasionally. As regarded the advertising by the Government only in papers of a particular line of policy he was opposed to it, because the public had a right to have the widest possible publicity given to contracts for public works. As regarded the next session, he might say it was greatly to be desired that an organised Opposition should bo formed. The Premier of the colony had only last session taken up a most peculiar position of refusing to accept amendments from any one except their own supporters. This was a state of things which he trusted would never occur again. As regarded public works, he might say that as the expectation of the Government was that there was nothing but a new loan for it, aud as ho had great faith iu the resources of the colony, he should be found supporting it, as no doubt many of the other members would also be found supporting it. He would then contend that, so long as money borrowed was spent iu reproductive works, there could be no fear in increased borrowing. Mr. Maoandrew had claimed for himself the credit of having instituted a new policy of Public Works that policy was to make railways out of the land. In 1871 Sir Julius Vogel wished to bring in this very policy, and said that not a mile of railway should be made unless the land was set apart for it. Mr. Macandrew was a determined opponent of this very scheme, and it was owing to his opposition, and that of those who worked with him, that railways were paid for out of borrowed money. It therefore seemed to him to be hardly fair for Mr. Macandrew, while falling back on Sir Julius Vogel’s policy, to take credit for having propounded a new one. He was scarcely satisfied with the Government proposals in tin's matter, as they had had the Tapanui job, and later still the Thames-Waikato railway, neither of which had been authorised by Parliament, or dealt with by the Legislature, When the House met he should feel it his duty to bring the matter up, to see whether the Government could be allowed to play such pranks with the public money without the consent of Parliament, as they had done with regard to the ThamesWaikato railway. The plan of railway construction as proposed by the Government was one of the most extraordinaryJhe had ever seen, and Jwas rejected by all sides of the House. However he hoped that the modification made iu it would yet be of use. He must say that the companies who had started to form lines under the District Railways Act had a failclaim on the Government to pay for them, because the Government had taken over lines in other parts of the colony, which really came under the Act. He thought this was going back to the old state of things, of training up the people to rely upon Government to do everything instead of stimulating the people to do something for themselves. As regarded the administration of railways, he thought a hard aud fast rule of charging the same rate of carriage all over tho colony had acted moat injuriously, In Tiraaru alone, he knew that revenue to the amount of at least £20,000 had been lost for want of making a slight reduction, and grain to the value of £IOO,OOO had been prevented from being shipped at Lyttelton. There was no distinct statement of what the Government intended to do next session. One important measure was the redistribution of seats, and no Government could remain in power which was opposed to this. (Cheers.) The only utterances that had been made were by Sir George Grey, at the Thames, and by Mr. Stout, at Dunedin. The former had spoken of the introduction of a system of triennial Parliaments. Personally he (Mr, Richardson) felt. inclined to support this, as be thought much good could be done by having elections oftener. Reference had been lately made by the Press as to the forthcoming measures of the Government. Regarding the Licensing Bill, many of its provisions were so opposed to the opinions of several members of the Government that he could not regard it as their measure so much as Mr. Stout's. With regard to temperance advocates, he would urge the advantage of not. making immediate demands ou the Legislature. The more moderate they were the more they were likely to get. In many of the existing licensed houses, the compounds sold to the public were no doubt largely adulterated, and he hoped that iu a new Licensing Bill there would be proper provisions for punishing licensed victuallers who Infringed the law in this respect. Mr. Richardson then touched on . the question of colonial defence, and while expressing his gratification that tho guns which the Government had ordered from Home had arrived, yet he thought it a great pity that the Government had not availed themselves of the services of eminent 1 engineers who were available, as to the sites where they should he placed. He approached the native difficulty. with great uneasiness. Things were in a critical state, and it would take all the care and foresight of the Government to prevent further trouble. Mr. Richardson then sketched the situation of native affairs since 1872, and applauded the policy of Sir Donald Maclean. It was the belief iii the native triind that that policy would be reversed when Sir George Gray came into power ; that he believed was the origin of the present disturbance. The native race could not regard the daws the same as the white community, and any attempt to govern both races under one law was, of necessity, a cause of trouble, and would be for. some time.' In conclusion, Mr. Richardson said he had been put down as an obstructionist, but he did not think ho deserved the title. He had been largely engaged in connection with many public works. If they had been profitable to him, they had also been for the benefit of the country, and he had helped to develope its resources. He could also refer to works which had been carried out in Lyttelton under his eye, ns Chairman of the Harbor Board, as a proof that he had always had the interest of his constituents at heart.

At the conclusion of his address, which lasted an hour and a half, a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence was passed to Mr. Eiohardson.