THE PREMIRE AT OPUNAKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10362, 17 May 1895, Page 2

THE PREMIRE AT OPUNAKE

(Peb United Pbess Association.) ! ■■.■'■■■ Haweha, May 16. The Hon. Mr Seddon arrived at Opun'ake at 6 30 on Wednesday evening, aud shortly-after 8 o'clock addressed a large meeting. The Chairman read an addres3 from the Town Board representing the people of the district. 'Ehe address among other-things sa\d :,—'' t lThe Administration of tUe-West Coast sSemsnt Reserve Act 1892 ' is not giving that satisfaction which was anticipated wheu p*6sed. Theprincipal source of dissatisfaction arises from the fact that the Public Trustee performs all.-sets, solely iv the interests of the Natives, and altogether regardless of consideration for European lessees, wit'a whom he states he is in no way concerned." Th« Hon. Mr Seddon said, as tD the Public Trustee, he found that the settlers did not realise that the trustee was bound to carry oat the law, or be actionable for breach of trust. If the lav/ was defective, then the duty of the Legislature was to amend the law, but it was not the trustee who .was to blame. The present lav? was far in.advance of the previous law in the interest of tenants. ' Men who were owners of freehold :\u& left it iv the hands of a trustee would ■■■■ expect the trustee to watch their interests and kesp within the four corners of the law. This-was all the Public Trustee waa doing in resoeob of Native lands. ■■•■-.. , i The Premier theu proceeded •to deliver a political address, first complaining of the ptraonal tone adopted towards the Ministry by its opponents, espscinlly by the pr<rss of the colony, which coodernnad the policy of the Gov&rnment—a policy which had bean in the imteraate of the masnes and had raised the colony in the eyes cf the world. When the Bailance Government took effico, psoole were leaving the colony and the unfair property tax was in force; but that had all now been cbaoged. Four hundred smail farmers who paid property tax were exempted under the land tax* yeb last year they had a surplus of £20,000 on the land and income tax ; apd as wealth increased the revecue from thiH source would grow. The taxation was now paid more by professional men and. companies, and,less by farmers. He quoted figures to show that the present Government had put on the land in 1894- more settlers than wore put oa the land in 1891, but the area settled was small ar, which he held proved that the Government were promoting small settlements satisfactorily. He denied that the. Government had any antagonism to the freehold system, for their Land Act gave a choice of tenure ta selectors. He explained the Landß for Settlement Act, and claimed that the power taken by the Government in that act had not been abused. He ju*tmVd ' .ils passage by reference to ' large estates in Canterbury, Ofcago, and, Hawke's Bay. Ii was ssid that capital would be driven s£wa,y, bat) that Wis ridiculous, for capita] wonld not ba afc.tid to come to a country where the people were happy aad conteuted. Sines the present Government came into office the rate of interest hid fallen at lea't 2 per cent population had increased by 59,422 souls, and the indebtedness had been reduced by £5 per •head of the population. As to the surplus, he repeated th» ngana given at Msrton, »nd while admitting that the surplus of last year I and sinking mouey were brought forward and maue part of the prenent year's receipts, said snch had been the practice of ail governments. Were it not for these aids Sir 11/ A.tkiuson's BurolusßS would have been deficits. He next Sfjoke on the subject of Native land legislation. He defended ttie civil service appoictm-ents, but paid, the. qualifications beinjf equal, ha woulc give an appointment to a friend rather than a foe. On one occasion they had made a mietaks in appointing Mr Campbell ao Crown wager;" but the appoint muni; waa made od Mr George Hutchison's recommfiudatioD, and when censure came Mr Hutchison was not man enough ta say a word in defence or explanation, leaving the I Government to bear the brunt of a bad appointment. Referring to the cheap money scheme, he said as it caina into full ocoration tha colony would beneiit to the extent of a million a year by the saving of interest. He de'endedthe Pom^hiika pupafcase and the Frassr appoint-, ment. Speaking of the recent loan; he said its success did away vrith the cry that the Government were destroying the credit of the colony. New Zealand was the only colony that had dared to ask for a 3 per cent, loan, and it was offered four times over at 4£ per cent, beyoud the price tie Government were willing to take. The colony's debt was large, but its assets were great, for the railways aud postal ;md telegraph" service alone would be sufficient if realised to pay off all the indebtedness. He defended Mr Ward's action in going to London, and said the reticence of taß Government in reference to his mission was justified. He defended the general trend of the policy of the Government as Hkely to diffuse wealth and advantage amons bhe many without depriving a few of the results of their care and thrift. With the help of the people they | would maintain s. policy which had been a success in the colony and was beiug copied by I other colonies aod the nations of the world. The Premier, who spoke for over two hours, was loudly applauded, and received a hearty I vote of thanks.

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