MR BRYCE AT WAVERLEY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7491, 1 June 1885, Page 2

MR BRYCE AT WAVERLEY.

(UNITED FBBSS ASSOCIATION,! . Patea, May 31. Mr Bryce addressed a well-attended meet* ing of h s constituents last night at Waverley. He said he last addreised them as a Minister of the Crown, but now ns a member of Her Majesty’s Opposition. They would remember, on the House meeting after, last general election, the Atkinson Government resigned without waiting for a vote. Mr Thomson, in his address at Otago, had taken occasion to state that the fact of their resigning without bringing a motion before the House was a proof that they ought to have resigned the previous session. He held that it did not follow that because they resigned after the election they were too weak during the pre* vioos session. On their resignation whal was substantially the present Government took office, but they had been defeated by a larger majority than any previous Ministry ever bad, and yet practically the gsmi Government as that was now In office. Mr Thomson, who unved the resolution, tried to form a Governm nt, but failed. Sir George Grey also failed, and Major Atkinson formed a Government which was defeated by a majority of eight. Then Mr A St >ut formed a Government, and virtually told the House “ take us or chaos,” 1 The present Government took means to secure their tenancy. They loudly declared tint dreadful disclosures were going to bo made, and that these were of so importent a nature that nothing but physical fores would remove them from the Government beeches, but when the disclosures were male they turne&ont all moonshine. For farther security the Government introduced what they called “Policy Bills,” ths District Railway Bil l , the East and Weit Coast Railway Construction Bill, the Westport Colliery and Grey mouth Harbor Bills—Bills which were in the direct interest of members or members’ friends, and gave the Hmse to understand that these Bills must stand or fall, ’as a whole. The result was that if you were interested in one, you must vote for the lot, or imperil the one in which you were interested. Such a huge piece of log-rolliog was never known in the Colony befo*e, and that was saying a great deal. These policy Bills really formed the work of the session. He would touch ou the more salient points of the District Railway Bill, which authorised the lease or purchase of railways. The district railways had been formed by large speculating companies, which had, curiously enough, both aacceas and failure, They were formed to enhance the value of property through which they passed, and had been successful. As going concern*, they were found not to piy. Now that the com : panics objects bad been attained they come to Government, and say, take over the lines. The lines might have been taken over, but it should be on terms favorable. to the Colony, At present, he understood that the value was not the cost, but the coat with arrears of rates superadded. These companies had got a vote of the ratepayers, but the shareholders and ratepayers were almost the same, and it did not add to hia comfort to find Sir Julius Vogel a shareholder and chairm in : of directors of one of these companies, and Stout the solicitor. Ho would not say any thing- corrupt was done, bat it did not add to his comfort to find the necessary power to arrange, . on behalf of the Company, rest with these meml er<». The Government BUI was rejected la the Upper House, but so anxious were they to get it passed that G>vernment really re-embodied the Bill by resolutions, and asked the H u?o to pass them, and the Hons? did so. Many members disliked the BUI, but would not vo?e against it for fear of throwing out the others they wanted. The East and West C wst Railway Construction BUlproposed form a huge company to make this line. Xt was strange that a Govirnment which professed to be anxious to conserve the lands of the Crown should be prepared to grant, a million to a million and a half acres to a syndicate. He took exception to the statement that the laud was bad and rocky. It certainly contained valuable coalfields, and they might tap valuable minerals. The BillaUo had * provision that, if the ‘ land in the vicinity were not s&ffi.dent to pay half the cost of construction, land might be taken elsewhere. Such a policy be held to be bad In principle, acd not to bs tolerated for a nnment. Ba% in addition, there was a provi ion that Government might take over the railway when completed, and give the company 35 per cent, of the gross earnings, without regard to whether the railway paid or not. Ha contended that any Minister who would advocate such a thing bad not the interest of the Colony at heart. In addition to these policy Bills, the present Government was to put straight the fiuance. Th's was terribly wr»ng, and must be put straight in a satisfactory way. How this had been done had been explained by Mr Thomson. The following authority was taken for borrowing For the North Island -Trunk Railway £1,000,000 ; loan of 1834, £l,f>oo,ooo ; loan to the extent of the accrued sinking fund, £2,792,803, and loan to the extent of the sinking fond of this year, £244.000. In addition to this direct loan, there was authority for indirect borrowing power for the Westport Colliery, £500,000 ; guarantee on debentures, £160,000; Otago Harbor Board, £750,000, brir ging the total amono* of h.-tr wing au’horiaed in session to £3,436,808. AU except the million for the North Hand Railway wa* authorised last session. The philosopher's stone, which was to save the Colony £244,000 a year, turned - out to be seizing the sinking food. An old Dan bound ns to pay the jinking fund ®ach year out of revenue, but to

S\Ve the Colony from paying this Sir Julias Vogel borrowed on debenture* for the reve me, and added the debenture* to the debt of the Colony. . This was done to restore confidence. • Sir Julias Vogel argued that the higher the transfer value of land the ; better. That was not the settlers* view. To them land- was worth what they could make out of it an I no more. As soon as yon went beyond this yon g it a fictitious value and an unsound position. Debentures had been issued to the amiunt of £247,700 for the purpose of raising m may for the Consolidated Fund, in order to p*y the slaking fund, This Was to enable the C deny to advance .By leap} V 1 I Vogel prSnlisei when Mr Stoat went to Dunedin he was expected to explain the local government scheme, but he made a very weak speech and netflr mentioned local govetnmbnt, This .Surprised everybody* and Sir Julius Vogeltdld a great deal ab‘>nt loo\l government. H-i described the present form with very ihmdt attentions, and called it a new measure. The Whole Colony was waiting to see how it was proposed to make the local Boards an assured income; When described it not very assured, os it cOa* elated of subsidies bti a eliding Scale, which must be voted by the Assembly if, aod when, it liked. The new system was worse than the present, and woujd end in complete disappointment. The Premier was HorrUUd £200,006 being spent ori fials. In tiie repeal of the Road* and Bridge* Act the Government was not acting in sympathy with the settler?. It was said that power was to be given to Native Com? mittees to deal with titles to land. Is was the merest folly to deal with Native land before the title . was deterniined! It was a, most grievous wrong to the Colony to go on with the Central Railway route with no prospect of definite settlement, tbns largely increasing the value of land for the Native owners, who were not liable to taxation. He waa a North Island man, bat said moat emphatic ally that not a sod ought to have been turned till satisfactory titles to the land through which the line passed had been obtained. To the present irritation on the East Coast he did not attach much importance, if the Natives were firmly dealt with. He would simply enforce the law with them as with Europeans. If this were firmly and fairly done no harm would pome. No amount of palaver could take the place of enforcing the law. He would touch briefly on finance, but would not bother the m?e tag with figures. He was sorry be could not take so hopeful a view.as Major Atki> son. He observed A greater tendency in the men of to-day to fly financial kites than to dig Colonial potatoes. /-Unless that ■ disposition took a turn for the better, he codld.fiot held feeling Chat the Colony was in a serious portion. If prosperity was to be secured, a different plan woiild Have to be adopted tbtth that being pfiraued .By the present Government. It Had lived, politically, on eXolting expectations which cbiild not be realised, and it would die, politically, of the disappointed hopes it had created. A vote of confidence [ was carried unanimously.