Ministerial Statements.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 59, 25 January 1895, Page 3

Ministerial Statements.

THE PREMIER AT NAPIER. The Premier addressed a most enthusiastic and crowded audience on Monday night at the Gaiety Tin atre, Napier, the Mayor presiding. The Premier said that one reason for his visit and his speech was that he wished to dispel some gross misrepresentations of the actions of the Government which had been perpetrated by the Conservative press. Ministers were perfectly right to defend themselves against glaring and frequent misrepresentations. Probably the audience were under the belief that he (the Premier) was speaking that night freely and unfettered. Perhaps he was, as far as they were concerned; but the people of other centres would not obtain a clear and accurate idea of his exposition of the Government's intentions and actions. On the last occasion he spoke at Napier, the first time as Premier cf New Zealand, he had been limited to 1500 words, and on the present occasion only new matter was to be sent, and as the epitome of his utterances would be filtered through the bands of press agents representing a journal bitterly opposed to the Government, it was not likely the people of New Zealand would feel satisfied with the work of the Government, or place any confidence in it. The Conservative organs had great power, and subordinated all other interests in order to abuse the Ministry, and they were doing a grievous injury to the colony at Home and abroad. CAPTAIN RUSSELL. Referring to the Opposition, the Premier said that the member for Hawke's Bay, Captain Russell, in a recent speech, had designated him (the Premier) " a charlatan," "an imposter," " the Scqnah of Politics." These terms of endearment did no harm. He did not claim to bo a gentleman by birth and education, but simply a man of the people. (Applause.) If he had indulged in personal abuse, the general opinion would bo that it was, only to be expected. However, the unexpected sometimes happened. On a certain occasion in 1888 Captain Russell, after actually calling Sir Harry Atkinson a footpad. a few months subsequently sat along side and followed him as a colleague. Did coming events now cast their shadows before them ? Captain Russell would not find him so forgiving as Sir Harry Atkinson had bfen. THE OPPOSITION IN POWER.

Captain Russell had said that his own party were the family practitioners, who had been deserted for a Sequah. If they went back a few years, when the family practitioners controlled the State, they would find that when the patients' interests should have been concerned, the lifeblood of the country had been drained, and that everything had been taken for the doctors' own emolument. There had been land monopoly and money monopoly, and the burden of taxation had been cast on the people. This had been the prescription of the family practitioners, and the result of this policy was a general stampede from the colony in 1887, 1888, 1889, and 1890. The change was opportune and wras needed. (Applause.) WHAT HAD OCCURRED IN HAWKE'S BAY. The "depression and the unemployed difficulty had been especially accutein Hawke's Bay. A recent return, giving the number of freeholders of country land in Hawke's Bay, in areas ranging from 1000 to 100,000 acres, showed that 124 persons owned 1,431,301 acres, valued at £4,397,275, and of the unimproved value of £2,770,738. After this statement, it would be an insult to the intelligence of those present to explain the real cause of the grievance. The great depression in Hawke's Bay, as compared with other districts, was entirely due to the inability of the province to increase its population and prosperity, and place settlers on the land, owing to the land being utilised to feed sheep and cattle. The antidote was to acquire these areas, and to subdivide them into small farms. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

To enable this to be done, the Land for Settlement Bill, unanimously endorsed at the last general elections, had been introduced, aud soon the sufferings of the people would be alleviated, and the congested state of the large towns relieved. This state of things, while prevailing more particularly in Hawke's Bay, was also affecting several other provinces. The large areas of native land remaining locked up had also a great deal to do with the depression, but the recent Act would tend to remove this drag on the wheel of progress. The Bill had had been strenuously opposed, and the Government had been accused of borrowing a quarter of a million to squander, instead of acquiring land for settlement. The opposition to this measure was chiefly voiced by the land sharks and Pakeha-Maoris, who saw big fees and large sums of money slipping from their grasp, and by the large land owners, who saw the blow at monopoly. To show the attention the Government paid to the acquisition of native lands, the Premier said that up to the 81st March next the Government would have acquired 1,740,000 acres, as compared with 78,000 acres purchased by the Atkinson Government between 1887 and 1890. At the last general election the country had voted emphatically in favour of the rating of the unimproved value; yet they had seen the Legislative Council reject the measure in direct violation of the wish of the people. The Premier pointed out the great benefit to be derived by the owners of large tracts of unimproved land by the thrift of their neighbours. The tax on the unimproved value was a great and equitable change, and must corao. In refusing to give effect, to the wishes of the people, the Council were only preparing the rod with which to whip them selves.

CilllAP MONEY SCHEME, Then th cheap money scheme had been initiated by the Government last session, for a number of ye'«rs past many husbands hud been toiling and wives slaving on small settlements, being slowly bufc surely overwbo'rned by usurious rates of interest charged for money they had be n compelled to borrow to keep the farm together. To remove this yoke from around the neck of struggling settlers, and enable them to enjoy a fair late of interest, the cheap money scheme had been brought into force. Its beneficial effect was already apparent in the reduced and reasonable interest asked on loans outside the State ; ancl now settlers find their families had the opportunity of enjoying homes which had been acquired after many years' toil and difficulties. These usurious rates of interest had been a blot on New Zealand for years past. The dark cloud had now been broken, and the silver lining gleamed in the distance. The money-lenders were furious, because their death i low had dealt, even while they endeavoured to use the scheme as a lever to injure the credit of the colony, both at Home and abroad, characterising the action of the Government as reckless borrowing. THE BANK GUARANTEE. The Premier also defended the action of the Government in reference to the guarantee to the Bank »,f New Zealand, saying that if the step had not been taken disaster would have overwhelmed the whole colony. The country had splendid security for the two millions which had been advanced, and it would undoubtedly receive its own at the expiration of ten years. The very people who now accused the Government of recklessness and huge borrowing in connection with this guarantee are the most benefited by the step, and but for the Act would soon have been overtaken by ruin. CONSOLS. The scheme of consols had been introduced in order to encourage thrifty people, and give them safe and good investment for their savings. It was an extension cf the priuciple of the Post Office Savings Bank, which had been so largely resorted to during the recent panics. THE LABOR LAWS. Referring to the labour legislation, Premier said that the Goverment had been condemned because they had passed certain legislation. They were bound to do this in order to keep pace with the times. What had been done in this respect w : as really a safeguard to property owners, and the latter should be the last to decry this legistion. It was the duty of the State to teach the workers and toilers that impartial arbitration and justice, rather than bloodshed and strife, were the proper means to settle disputes between employers and employees. The employees should resort to an impartial tribunal to settle disputes, instead of to the outrages which were constantly occurring in Ihe Mother Country, America, and other countries. He believed that every- right-thinkiug employer was in entire sympathy with the legislation which had been placed on the Statute Book. (Applause.)