PRE-SESSIONAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5311, 24 June 1904, Page 6

PRE-SESSIONAL.

AIR BUCHANAN AT CARTERTON. (From Our Own Corro-pondoni.) Thursday. Air AY. C. Buchanan. Al.ll.l!.. gave a pro-sessional address at Carterton last nigbl before .1 large audience. Mr Buchanan sincerely regretted the indisposition of Mr .-eddon, bin imped ui see him restored to Jus usual health ami vigour and ready to take his .seat in the House on Tuesday. The .speaker referred to the groat waste of time during the session, the blame of which was thrust on iho Opposition, lie refuted this charge, and .said the blame was due to Ale Seddon and his supporters. While the lir.st part of the session was, wasted in trifling arguments, the business at. the latter end was rushed through ill a discreditable wry. He quoted figures from ••Hansard” in support olj, bis argument, and stated not ono Bill had been blocked by the Opposition. Largo sums of money were vot-] od whore more consideration should j have boon given, and in ninny cases these voles wore literally rushed i through. Air Buchanan said bo was] in sympathy with the principle of preferential trade, but it was a matter tint needed proper consideration. As regards tho Bank of Now Zealand, bo would liko to sea it free from Government patronage, ami become a strong, independent, business concern _ on tho lines of other commercial institutions. The speaker briefly referred to bush and swamp lands. Ho was in favour of allowing settlors to go upon heavy bush lands without paying rent or rates for four years, on light bush or swamp tree for throe years, and on scrub lands free for three'years. Ho was not .satisfied with the State Fire Insurance Act, but was glad to bo able to help to pass mi amendment to the accident insurance scheme. He considered the Government hast v. in increasing by one half per cent, the interest on loans to local bodies. Ho was strongly in favour ol reforming the Upper Chamber so as to bring it more in touch with the people, and not elect men who had no legislative ability or political knowledge, as was now the case. Ho also objected to members being on several committees. Some members were on half a dozen committees, and had to rush from one door to the other to make up quorums. Was that a proper way to conduct tho business of tho House? Ho would also liko to see more men elected fit to represent the country. In regard to financial matters, he said they were to be congratulated on tho position ot the country, but at tho same time a great deal of money was expended recklessly. Air Buchanan blamed the Government for not taking more stringent measures to stay the spread ot anthrax. It had been stated all over tho colony that tho Opposition wished to destroy the leasehold and thus deprive a poor man from getting on the land. He denied this, and said it was simply a miserable redherring” drawn across the scent to distort the real issue. Mr Buchanan then referred to what lie termed the ‘'licensing tangle.” and protested that tho law had not been amended to enable a fresh poll to bo taken in the void licensing polls of Bruce, Chalmers and Newtown. Finally, Air Buchanan intimated his intention of standing for Parliament as long as he was possibly able The speaker was frequently applauded, and at the conclusion was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. AIR MAJOR AT HA.WERA. . MESS ASSOCIATION. „ HAWEIRA. Juno 23. All Major, M.H.R., concluded a tour of bis electorate with a meeting m Hawera last evening, at the conclusion of which a vote of thanks and confidence was carried.