THE HON. E. RICHARDSON AT KAIAPOI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7927, 19 July 1887, Page 3

THE HON. E. RICHARDSON AT KAIAPOI.

(Per United Press Association.)

Kaiafoi, July 18.

Tho Minister for Public Works addressed his constituents at Kaiapoi on Monday night. Theru wa3 a large attendance. Mr E. Parnham acted as chairman. The Hon. Mr Richardson, on rising, said that on a former similar occasicn he was fortunate iv not being opposed, and that was one reason why he had determined to again offer himself to the same constituency. Ho then proceeded:—ln 188-1, when I took office, the Government of which I am a member went iv for considerable RETRENCHMENT. Prior to that Major Atkinson had asked for a Royal Commission to report on reductions in the civil service staff, but this report was never produced and our Government had to commence. de now. We felt it was a matter for serious consideration and action. We introduced a bill which met with such opposition that we were only able to get it passed in a very amended form. However, it was a step in the right direction, and the Government deserve great credit for pressing it through. It has been said that this Government have made no economical changes, but thai report is false. Wherever it was possible without weakening, retrenchment hns been the order of the clay. The speaker went into figures to prove that the Estimates had been reduced year by year from £2,270,802 in ISS3-84 to £2,140,GG0 for 1887-88. It had been said that there was no saving effected in the management of railways. This was also false, as shown by the following figures : — The total receipts for 1884-85 amounted to £1,045,712, the total expenditure to £690,020, the total tonnage carried was 1,749,856 tons; while the total receipts for the year 1880-87 amouuted to £998,768, the total expenditure to £699,072, and the total tonnage carried 1,747,754 tons—the tonnage carried and the expenditure for the two periods being practically the same; and the difference in receipts, say £50,000, being mainly owing to reductions made in the rate for local productions, the main portion of this went into the pockets of the farmers. Soon after joining the Ministry, he found out that a considerable saving could be effected in his department without lowering a single salary, and he was happy to say this had been effected. There were still further means of economising on the working expenses. If the railways had been managed this year on the old lines of extravagance, the Estimates would have been greater by quite £100,000. Under this heading he would first touch on defence. It had been said that in this department £50,000 could well be saved out of the £182,000 set down for that purpose. Ido not see how much reduction could be made here. The police costs £100,000, and their numbers can hardly be decreased without a corresponding increase of crime. Volunteers cost £44,000 a year, and the vote for permanent militia is £34,000. To the latter force is committed the defence of the colony, and I think no one would for one moment dream of sacrificing them to economic principles. However, the present Defence Minister is quite alive to the necessity of making reductions wherever practicable, and the matter may well be left in his hands. In the Post and Telegraph department there has been a great increase of work without a corresponding amount of expense. Since 1884 there have been 45 savings banks, 110 telegraph stations, and 160 post offices opened, and the business has increased generally. This is eminently satisfactory, and speaks well for the manner in which the department is managed. Much has been said of retrenchment in legislative expenditure, and no doubt during next session the question will receive duo consideration. In the Education department he had heard persons say that a great saving could be made—£loo,ooo had bean spoken of, —but he was certain it could not be much reduced. The largest part of the expense was the teachers' salaries. They were pMd no more than their services were worth to the country, and he should never go in for cheeseparing economy in a scheme which, as at present managed, was the pride of the colony. Comparing expense of salaries with that of other colonies, he found that they were working cheaper all round than New South Wales. The average of salaries here were lower by 20 per cent., and 30 per cent, lower than Victoria. He believed that the North Canterbury Board were looking into the matter very narrowly to try if it were possible to effect a saving without affecting the efficiency of the scheme. THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS. The hon. gentleman gave some very interesting information, and showed that several of these settlements were doing well and thriving. At the time when the Government first evolved the plan of these settlements the Parliament were not in session, and they took £5000 to try and see what they could do in trying to place some of the unemployed. They adopted this plan, and it had been found to work well. THE TARIFF. In tho last arrangement of this much-vexed question the Government had two things in view. One was to increase the revenue, and the other was to afford the necessary protection to local industries. It was amusing to find after all the outcry made that the revenue from this source was steadily decreasing, and was now less by £30,000 than it was in 1882. Much of this decrease was owing to the people getting more temperate. The falling off of the duties in spirits, wines, and tobacco cost the revenue last year £95,000. If people would only cease to drink strong liquors, they could well afford to pay a much increased tax. Everything that was possible had been done by the Government to foster local industries—for instance, in getting their bridges and locomotives made in the colony. He knew of contracts being at present let to local foundries equal in value to £200,000. They could have got it cheaper by sending Home for it, but would anyone be so foolish as to advocate such an idea ? Frequent applause greeted the hon. gentleman during his speech, at the termination of which a rote of thanks was accorded him.