THE PREMIER AT HOKITIKA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12036, 7 May 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PREMIER AT HOKITIKA.

A SUM'LUS OF OVKR HALF A MILMO-N. lIOiUTIKA, May 3. The Hon. ihe Premier addressed a crowded meeting in the Town Hall, Hokilika, on the 3rd in?I*,1*, and met with a splendid reception. The Mayor, Mr 11. I-. Michel, presided. We give some extracts from the address. Mr Scddoii lioyjun by referring to the pleasure it gave him to meet them again, and continued: Since 1 last addressed you many and important changes have occurred —.-ome pleasurable, and some tinged with sadness and deep sorrow. Our good and gracious lateen, uf imperishable memory, lias passed away, hut the good works done by her will last for ever. There can be no doubt that her son will prove a worthy King, and follow in her footsteps and rule for ils good the ISritish Kmpire, and on the lines stated when he ascended the throne. We cm with confidence tni).| to our King, ami he may rely upon his, liege and loyal subjects.

KlfiHT YEARS I'HEMIKI!. It has been pleasant io mo. and it miut have been lo my oomliliienls. lo receive congratulation* from all parts of the colony on holding ofliee for mi long a period. Eight weeks was the time given 11.1 when first called upon to form an Administration. I am glad to say that the bitlernr'* thru and for some time. i>\i<ting has passed away, and a better feeling and general conlidcuee exist; and it is in the- best interest-i of (his fair land of ours that this deniable condition of affairs shall continue. Our policy lias been "The land for the people, fair taxation, and industrial pracc," and the remit has been Hint Now Zealand now holds the first place among the colonies of (he liritish Kinpiie. Happiuos and contentment reign inpromc, and there arc greater opportunities, and the outlouk is bright, hopeful, and promising.

BANK 01? NKW ZKALANI). Or.c of the boldest nets ever done by the (iovcrnment was thai of the colony coming to tilt; rctciio of the Dank of Now Zealand. Many unkind ami-bitter things were said, but the rendu have justified the courre then taken. Last year that bank's net profits amounted to £300,000, and although the shareholders may lie some time before! they get interest upon the old and new capital, still their capital is saved, and T do not think that the colony will lose a twopenny piece. To those entrusted with the management o[ the bank I would suggest that after paying the interest on guaranteed stock and the. amount due to the Realisation Board, and in payment of the. interest on preferred shares, they should Ihii year out of the net profits wipe out the Colonial Hank goodwill, debenture conversion account, the Colonial Hank premises, contingent deficits of the Assets Company, and reduction of the value in premise;, furniture, etc. When this has been done they will have a clean balance sheet, and thereafter out of their net profit.- can pay off the difference, between the actual value of the Realisation Hoard's assets and the amount of the debentures issued. And T further sincerely hope that the bank shall lie allowed to work out its own salvation on the liius laid down by the Legislature, and under the present management. RIIVKNIJK AND KXPKNmTTRK. Seeing the financial year closed on the 31st March, you not unnaturally anticipate that I his evening Hip result? for the year will be placed before you. This I will endeavour to do, and in such a way that all will understand. The receipts brought to credit are £6,012,267. The' expenditure ban been f15.479.705. The surplus, or credit balance, is £532,561. We are, therefore, on the year's operation;, over half a million to the good. -(Applause.) .So thai nothing shall lie kept' back, I may state that there was £105,352 brought forward from last year's surplus, after paving over £500,000 to the public works fund. Deducting £105,752 from the credit balance of £533,501, the. amount remaining would be £125,212.— (Applause.) To meet thcfc linrd-to-please critics, deduct also the £52.800 accretion to sinking fund, and there stil! remains £371,412, which even the wishers for n deficit must admit an surpliiF. Their contentions arc fallacious. The amount deducted would remain to credit, and there would still be in Hie Treasury an additional £158,152, and, boldly and without reservation, I announce there is a credit balance, for the year of £532,561 available for distribution by Parliament. If it was a mining or other company, over half a million is there to he paid away in dividends tomorrow.—(Applause.) When it is taken into ennsidcxatihn that remissions by the tariff, railways, reductions in charges, and penny stamp and postal reductions amounted to £250,000, we can congratulate ourselves on si record financial year's wealth. —(Applause.) Bai.an'ce Sheet ok the Ykar 1900. Actual revenue £5,c52.705 Sinking fund accretion 52.£00 Miscellaneous recoveries ... 1,410 Brought forward from last year... 105,352 Total , ... ...£6,012,267 Actual expenditure w., ...£5,479,703 Credit balance £532,564 UNFOUNDED CHAROKS. The Government have been charged with extravagance, and an attempt has bfeu made, to sustain this because in 10 years the expenditure has increased by over one million a year. The detractors of our administration say nothing about the increased revenues, The improved services are liot mentioned. Nothing is said about the increased conveniences necessitated by increased population, the money retiuired for old-age pensions and defence. It is true that the expenditure has increased by £1.163,000 per annum, but the revenues have increased by £1,665.C00.-(Appl iu.se.) The following are the details of the increased expenditure, and alro the increased revenue:— Statement showing the increased expenditure and increased revemio of the principal re-venue-producing departments, 18M-1 compared with 1900. Railway.—lncreased revenue, XO7.U-I. Post and Telegraph.—lncreased revenue, £1G7,855; increased expenditure, £133,7CG. Stamp Department.—lncreased revenue X 199.853; increased exnenditiire, £IMO. Customs.—lncreased revenue, £318,552; decreased expenditure, X' 157. Land Department. — Increased revenue, £70,238; increased expenditure, ea!),:iJD, Taxing Department—lncreased revenue, £111,01); increased expenditure, .CIJ,0I0.• Total increased revenue, ilfili.HH. Total increased expenditure, £G3G,HI2. Increases of new departments:— Kclucation and Churitahle Aid, £115,071; Defcurc and Police, £150,000; Colonial Secretary's and Printing department*, £C 1,583; Old-age Pensions, £197,000; Labour department,'£.=ooo; .Agricultural department, £70,000; Health department and Commerce and Industries. JKOOO; Land Valuation, £30,000; Advances to Settlers, £.!0O0;~lotal, £1,207,391. IMPERIAL AND COLONIAL INTBRKSTS. Year by year, almost imperceptibly and involuntarily, wo are being drawn closer to the mother country. In years gone by when the Imperial Council was mooted, or that the colonies should be consulted in respect to Imperial affairs, or vice versa, the idea was treated with derision. No one could now gainsay the advantage which must nrccsarily arise to those cult'iisted with the Imperial affairs and those entrusted with the government of ]!riti--li dependencies, and great jjood resulted from the conference of Premiers in 1097. The time i:i ripe now for another conference, and mure especially in respect to affairs in South Africa and what is going on in the Ea:-t at the present moment. The changed conditions of affairs, render it necessary that those entrusted with the responsibility should confer at no distant dale. In respect to the settlement, of the people in South Africa, the advice and co-ojii ration of the colonial Ministers would be of advantage to the Imperial authorities. Wc have practically in New Zealand had to go through almost the samo prore.v. Wo have the same class of country to deal with, and when the niilitory stage is passed South Africa will have to be legislated for. and dealt with, and administered on lines similar to those in New Zealand and the other colonic.-. It is wilh some diffidence at the pre: cent juncture 1 sugcest that in respect to trade, commerce, and industry, etc., a royal rominisi'ion rhould be sot up. and that on such a royal commiFiion Canada, India, Australia, and-New Zealand should be represented. At the present time there is a serious and dangerous war proceeding. It is n war of commerce and industries, and I am hound to confess that in this battle we are being worsted. The seriousness of the situation has not yet been sufficiently recognised in the mother country, and unless some change takes place disaster mint overtake the Kmpirc. T:\';e the importation of manufactured goods into the colonies from (lermany, America, and other countries. They are gradually but surely increasing. It is no fault of the colonies, as wo ureter to obtain our goods from Ureal Iliitain. and to keep our trade and commerce within ourselves. lint the British manufacturer must, give us what wo want, and when it is wanted. There seems to be a lack of enterprise on the part of the British manufacturer. Time after time wc have been forced to obtain, against our wills, goods from other countries. Hriiish territory and population arc increasinr; far more in relative proportion than their

output of the British-manufactured avlieles. It tnaltos one feci quite despondent, more particularly when we find ourselves forced into a position of helping to strengthen other behind in commerce, industry, and tr-ilmic.il If we were asked whether we would help to build foreign war vessels would vc ray "Yea"! Emphatically no. And yet we arc doing it every day. Ureal Britain is lagging behind in commerce, industry, and technical education. She is slow to move. But there eon be no doubt that at the root of the puitp-s of (icrinau and American manufacturers at the present time is the educational—scientific and industrial—question; and ihey arc far ahead of (treat Britain in (hose respects. Seeing we cannot gel supplied from (Ileal Britain, we must supply ourselves. We must lake goods from Canada in preference to imparling from America. We must, and are prepared 10, give preference to manufacturers at Home when they ran supply us with what we require, and when we require it. ft is about time those eiifiust"d wilh Hie affairs n( i!u> nation should rnli-c thai the opendoor policv sliould apply to those under tl'e British flag. After the way the door lias been slammed in our faces we should ai least put up a self-preserving fence. COLONIAL INDUSTIUI'S. The time is not far distant when I hope wo shall manufacture our own iron and steel, not only for home requirements, but also for exportation. We have got the coal, lime, and the necessary (luxes, and these within short distances of each oilier: and (here can be no difliculty in obtaining the ucccs-ary capital. We may have to render some little assistance, and it so it would he money well and wisely expended. I do not begrudge the money going out of the colony to the mother country, lint I <lo object to our being forced to obtain our supplies from any nation which bars our products and will not allow a ship carrying the British flag to cuter its harbours, and who, when ashed to t'fciin.-ider the question, alvolnlely refuses to do so. SOCIAL T.KOISLATIOS. The (Invernmcnt policy has always been lo maintain industrial peace, and we shall continue 1 in thi j . Thev found now that New Hi,nth Wales, America, and the mother country are sending commissioners and representatives to the colony to inquire into its legislation, wilh a view of adopting it. The half-holiday has proved of grrnt benefit lo the people, and is very much appreciated. Disaster wai prophesitd when this labour legislation was firfl iiilrmlucrd, lint today it was found that th" action was on right lines. The strike in the iron trade had [novel a great disaster to Ureal Britain during the. last few years. The unfortunate strike in the coal trade Ims crippled this industry. These strikes cannot come here. However, ihe colony will have to go a little farther wilh its legislation The law must protect both employer and employed, end should an employer unlawfully interfere with a man and put him on the roads simply because, he was a Inborn- unionist, the employer would have lo understand thai he must observe the laws. The (Government would continue |o perfect IheiV '.ahour laws so as to give effect lo the will of the people of this colony.