CHALMERS ELECTORATE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10264, 23 January 1895, Page 2

CHALMERS ELECTORATE.

MB J. A. MILLAR AT NORTH-EAST VALLEY. ffir J. A. Millar, M.H.K., the member for Chalmers, addressed a meeting of his constituent in the\Pullic Hall, Nortfa-Bisfc Valley, last evening. There was a, goou attendance, the hall being fairly vfell filled. The Mayor of North-East Valley (Mr J. -Arthur) presided, and the following gentlemen cseapied setts on the platform : — Messrs William Hutchison and A. Morrison, M.H.RV,,, C. R. Chapman, A. Judge, C.Colelougn, R. Ferguson, A. C. Campbnll, and J. Evans. Au apolosy was received from Mr D. Pinkerton, M.H.K., for his unavoidable absence. The Chaikmak, in introducing Mr Millar, said that he first formed a favouvftble opinion of their representative when some years ago he became acquainted with what he had dona in helping the Uiloresres. That maa work done Tvhon none were looking on to approve^ and he was of opinion that a man who helped the weak was not a bad man to represent any constituency.—(Applauae.) Mr MittAH, after a few preliminary remarKs, went on to speak of the financial policy of the Government. The Bret thing of importauca that engaged the attention of tee Hoaso last cession, he said, was the Financial Statement. Ho supposed his hearers were all pleased to sac that the Colonial Treasurer mst the House with a surplus of £290,000, which ib was decided to apply, as surpasses had hitherto been applied by the present Government, to the carrying on of public works. It had b»cn said that the Government had not followed a selfreliant policy, biit he should endeavour to show that they had, or that wherever they had deviated from each a policy it had been in the | interests of the country for them to do bo Shortly after the House mot. the members were informed that the Bank of New Zealand was in such a position that if the State did not. render it some assistance the doors would closs ceit i morning, and hettid not think thers was a man in the House who would take upon himself the responsibility of refusing to give tha bank * guarantee to enable ib to carry on. The bank conducted nearly two-thirds of the trade of th« colony, and bad no assistance been granted it erary employer who was dependent upon th bank would have had to "shut up shop." Then, if the Bank of Netv Zealand collapsed it would have inevitably involved bringing down the Colonial and National Banks, and tho colony, indeed, would have been in such a state of collapse that it would not have recovered for a considerable leagfchof timo.' The morning after the guarantee was agreed to the papers were nnanimous in approving of. the . action of the House, but since then some of them thought that it would have been better to let the bank go. The proposal to guarantee the bank was not in accordsneo with his views; but if the guarantee were not given he thought a grava wrong would be done to the colony, and hence he voted, for the proposal. It had been aaid that tha giving of this guarantee was borrowing. That, however, was quite a mistake. So far as the colosy was. coucsrned there was a very slight prospect of its even being called upon to pay a panny ; but i? it came to a question of liquidation tha colony would take aver the whole bank an it stood, and we would have what many desired—a State bank.—(Applause.) A bill was also brought down last session to guaraaiee the note issue of all bunks in the event o£_a crisis taking place—that was to say, if the banks were unable to pay in gold thsir notes could be declared legal tender. Ho supported the bill, because it admitted the principle of a State bank. When, however, nnyonfi talked about saeh a thing ib waa said a State b»nlt meant a roll of paper and a printing press; but, etraDge to say, whoa a private individual could not carry oil the State stepped in and performed the functions that he could not perform; aud if it was a gaod thing for the State to do that in a time of crisis, why should not the note issue of the colony be ihe not ■>. issue right through ? He, however, thought thst whon notica was given that the present'act was to be enforced any gold purchased in tho colony should cot be sold to a private bank, but to tha State, bo that the State would be enabled to pay in gold to the amounts it had guaranteed.—(Hear, hear.) As regarded the Shareholders' Guarantee Bill, it was highly necessary that the measure should be passed, otherwise it would have been quite possible tor men of means to have transferred their shares and got oat of their liability. He bow cams to a very importaut matter—the Advances. to Settlers Act; and linre he might point oat that the present Ministry wers frequently condemned for departing from the policy of Mr B&llance. Tee press throughout the colony, however, condemned that policy when Mr Bsllaace was alive. Then why did they, condemn the present Government beoausn they had departed from that- policy ? If that policy was so frightfully bad that it wan going to ruin the country by pursuing it, had not the present Government taken a wise step by departing from it? It was aaid the present Parliament were pledged to non-borrowing. A great many ot the members were, and he was one of those v wfco was opposed to borrowing; but any borrowing that had been decided upon by the present Government had ; been borrowing for reproductive purposes. J?or many years the rates of interest had been very high, and many settlers had borrowed money at rates which, owing to the price of produce, it was^utterly impossible for them to pay. Ruination, indeed, had been staring many of them in the face. In order to meet the circumstances of their case, the Colonial Treasurer introduced a bill to give the Government permission to borrow three millions ot money. The interest on this money ws.3 not to come but of the taxation of the colony, bscause" no money would bo borrowed until there was a sufficient number of applications for money, and the result would be that the individual who borrowed, and not the Sbats, would pay the interest. For tho amount to be lent out the State would have to remit as interest a sum of £105,000 per annum, and at 5 per cent, it would bring in £150,000. The lawyers whom they had been told would receive £500' per annum received 'no salary, but only small fee 3 paid by the borrowers, and he estimated that after the payment of working expenses thera would be a surplus of £45,000 which would go to be re-lent, or for the reduction of taxation, or to the capital account; and in addition there would bo a sinking fund of £30,000 for the purpose of repaying the loan. Under such circumstances did anyone think there could b9 any possible rißk ? It was, however, said that the interest would not be paid. Well, if that w«ro so, the land on which the money was lent mnat become the property of the State, and those Who wanted land purchased for settlement—a polioy the country had emphatically endorsed—could hardly object to a scheme under which land would be acquired at threefif tha of the assessed value. Looked at from any point of view, the scheme was one that must prove highly beneficial to the colony. The fact was the polioy was opposed because it asserted the principle that the Government would have a hand in controlling the finances of the: oolony, and would not allow private individuals, companies, or syndicates to m&ke a corner in money and to extract »py interest they liked. Then the scheme provided that there should ba a great saving in fees to the borrowers. According to the scale provided, law costs on a given amount, instead of being £116s 6d, would be £1 *s, and saving in legal expenses, valuation fee, procuration fee, &c, on a, loan of £2800, would coma to no less a sum than £37 19s. It was eaay to see why there should, be opposition to the scheme from these whose perqnisites were going to be interfered with; but, he would ask, was the scheme not worthy of the support of any man who wished the colony to go ahead?— (Applause.) He believed that in the course of two or thrss years, when the schema had had time to develop, it would be admitted by all fair-thinking colonists to be one of the best schemes ever submitted for ameliorating the cocdition of the unfortunate settlers, and it was one which he hoped would be extended so as to apply to the holders of urban and suburban lands. The Cansols Bill wag not a proposal for further borrowing, but a measure to enable the State to deal in a safer and more satisfactory manner with funds ordinarily entrusted to it. There was at present a sum of about two millions of money in the Post Office Savings Bank, and it was impossible for the colony or for any institution to go on paying 3-£ or 4 per cent, interest on money at call. The Consols Bill provided c, sound security for the investments of the people, and gave the use of the money to the Government for a fixed period. He believed that tha bnlk of the money got by these consols would be used for the purpose of making advances to local bodies, and that was as laudable an object ns could bo selected. Another thing was that any person who had a £5 note could take up one of these consols and then in the face of tho world claim that he had what some people at any rate called a stake in the country. He (Mr Millar) had supported the bill to borrow £250,000 for the acquisition |of private 6statee. When a candidate, he had I mado it q'uita clear that ha favoured the acquisition of large estates. This was highly necessary as land was wanted for settlement, anil to provide this was one of the way* in which to relieve the congested state of labour in the towns. If then vuch estates were to be bought, money must be provided'for their purchase and must be borrowed. He did not quibble us to the use of the word "borrow," but it Teas borrowing in the same way as borrowing for the purpose of making advanceis to settlers. The interest would not fall on the general taxpayer, but would bo charged against the land, and the persons who obtained thfc land thus

acquired would pay the interest on the money

borrowed for tha purpose. Ho hid also deemed it right, for similar reasons, to support the £250,000 for the purchase of Native lands. Another £250,000 hud been provided fer roads. Throughout the colony there had been a crj that the nx&ia roads ought to be taken over by the Crown ; and in connection with the acquisition of estat«3 roadmakiug wts necessary, aad money for thio purpose had to be providod. Ie was probable that a Urge portion of thia money, for expenditure on roads might be charged against lands offered for sale, but if; was inevitable that the State would- have to find interest oil a lar^e portion—probably on £150,000 —of this money, and to that extent borrowing in the ordinary sense of the terui had besa sanctioned by Parliament foi expenditure in a maDner which would leave the taxpayers to pay tha interest. Speaking of the Lund for Settlements Act, Me Millar said he thought it would result in gras.fc benefit to the people of the colony ; and so long as owners of laud were willing; to give their land at a fair valuation, he held it was the duty of the State to pay a. f ß i r valuation for it.— (Applause.) There was one thing in connection ' wish this bill with regard to which, ootno might think he had broken a pledge; and probably he had. He had always been opposed to the lease in perpetuity without a revaluation clause. To his mind it meant uliotiatmg the land of the people for a thousand years; and it was not right to do that. He, however, supported the bill because it contained tho important principle of acquiring land compulsorily ; and he trusted that before the present Parliament expired they would introduce a revaluation clause into thg act. Another very important bill which passed the House last session was that which made provision for annually fixing the unimproved value ef lands, for the purpose of taxation and assessment. He was firmly of opinion that the unimproved value of lands should be taxed. The Upper Bouse, however, threw out the bill. He had not the slightest doubt that it would ba reiotreduced next year, and he would be glad to knew the opinions of local bodies upon it. He considered his duty in the House was to represent his constituency, whatever his own views were • and if the local bodies thought the taxing of the unimproved values on land was not in the interest* of the musicipalities he Wiiuldsink hit own views on the subject. Daring the session there had been important legislatiea s&eetine the dairy industry, and the Government had provided cool chambers for storage in the principal porto, and had made arrangements for grading .butter so as to prevent the! general trade bsing injured by unscrupulous dealers. The labour legislatiea oonsicted mainly of measures that had been before the Parliament and the country for gome time past Tie merits of the Arbitration Bill had been threshed out, and he would only remark that he believed this was the firat compulsory Arbitration Bill in force ,m the colonies, that he trusted good would come of it, and that all should welcome a measure the purport of which was to provida for tha peaceful and judicial settlement of disputes between employers asd employed. The Shop Hour* Bill had been so hacked about that no one could tell exactly what itj effect weald be, and the operation of this measura-should be carefully watched go that ita imperfections might be rectified. The Factories Bill had been amended, a Shipping and Seamen's Bill "passed which j gave some measure of protection to the travelling public and to sesmea, thsngh the bill was not all tnaV could bo desired, aad the old conspiracy laws had bean repeated. The Master and Appren. tice Bill was introduced and read a first time, after which a great deal of evidence relating tc it was taken by the Labour Bills Committee, which would no doubt resulb in the introduction of a fairly workable bill next session. The Undesirable Immigrants Bill was introduced aud withdrawn. ,l The object of this bill ,was re^Uy good. It wa^ ts prevent the introduction oi Chinamen, add others, upon whom Borne restriction should1 be placed; but it went too far and was withdrawn. He believed that next Bession a bill more in accord with what was desired would be introduced. He had the honour of introducing a bill last session fer the purpose of regulating employers' private benefit societies. Tha bill was only carried through its second reading; but he had the assurance of the Ministry that it would receive more favourable consideration next year. He thought it would be necessary for soma steps to be taken next year in regard to the Employe™' Liability Act, so as to prevent employers deducting a certain amount of th« men's wages with the object of making pro* vision for accident, in accordance with the act. The whole iutention of the act was to throwtha onus upon the employer of keeping his machinery or plant in such a condition that, any man could with reasonable care work ia safety. As, however, employers were deducting apart of man's wages, he would introduce an amendment to the act nest session bo as to put a stop to Buoh a state of thingß. Regarding the Alcoholic Liquors Bale Control Bill, his opinion was that the measure should have been read a second time, and then left over till the following year. It was a mistake to. attempt to force a bill through three years before it could oome into operation. No donbt it would coma forward again next session, and he believed an advance would be made ia the temperance movement. He had voted against the abolition of the sale oE liquor in Bellamy's, and in favour of referring the question to the Joint Committee of both Houses. In doing this ho claimed to have acted in accordance with the principle that all concerned should ba ■ consulted. For 30 years the Upper House had had equal rights with the Lower House with respect to Bellamy's, and he considered tha: proposal without reference to the Upper House in this matter improper. He bdieved thai what should ba done was to proclaim Parliament House a special licensing district, and ■to take a vote of members of both Houses on the question as to whether liquors should be sold there. Some amendments had been made in the acts relating to the property of married women and to the maintenance of destitute persons, and an important measure had been passed revesting the management of the railways in the hands of the Government. He bsiieved they would find manifested ft determination to encourage the use of the railways, and- thought that if tha Harbour Board was not careful the whole of the trade would go to the railway. The Tramways Bill he had opposed, it did not appeal to him to be in the interest of Dunedin in any shape or form. To supersede the present tramway system by electricity would withdraw £20,000 a year from circulation in Dtmedm, and £5000 or £6000 would be sent Home every year as interest to a foreign company. If electric motive power was substituted that would mean the abolition of the employment of horse teams and the expenditure on harness, shoeing, feed, &c, and the shareholders who had paid 3s per share would lope all. Tha tramways would pass out of the hands of tha people in Dunedin into the possession of a foreign syndicate, not two minutes' time would be in going from the Monument to the Leitfa, and an accident would suspend the whole of the traffic. The proposal did cofstrike him as being in the interests of Dunedin or the Dunedin district, and therefore he had opposed it, and should do so again if the bill came up. He would like to see the Government bring forward a scheme whereby they would convert the loans and take over the liabilities of Iocr! bodies. These bodies owed £6,000,000, and tha average rate of interest they paid was 6£ pc: cent. Altogether they paid £390,000 a year for interest on loans. If the Government were going to give cheap money to farmers, why should they aot give it to local bodies, because if they did everybody would be relieved of taxation in the shape of rates ? As regarded the question of charitable aid, it was becoming a very heavy tax on some of the local bodies,and ha thought a central board ought to be formed for the purpose of administering such aid, and that the eitry endowments should ba handed over to this board for revenue purposes.—{Applause.) It might be said that this would mean robbing Dunedin, but the question was whether the city had not robbed some other places out of their endowments. In conclusion, Mr Millar said be had honestly tried in the House to carry out his pledges Bnd to further the interests not of one district alone, but of the whole colony, and so long as he bad the honour to represent tlium ha intended to do the same thing, A number of questions havingbeen asked and answered by Mr Millar, Mr D. Thomson moved—"That this meeting desire to th&uk Mr Millar for his address, and also to express their full confidence in him as their representative." Mr J. B. White seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.