MR BALLANCE AT WANGANUI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 8 May 1890, Page 24

MR BALLANCE AT WANGANUI.

Wanganui, May 7.

The Hon. Mr J. Ballance addressed his consti. tuents this evening. The mayor occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance.

In opening, Mr Ballance said it was his intention to give a short account of the business transacted in P&rliainenb last session, not restricting himself to the measures that had been passed, but including also those that were thrown out— a work, in the opinion of some, just as useful as the constructive work. First of all he would say that they had been looking for some declaration of policy on the part of the Government, but up to this they had received nothing of the kind. It was much to be regretted that the Premier's health precluded him from addressing his constituents, or from appearing before a public meeting. There was no one in Parliament who would not like, ou personal grounds, to see him able to take a share in the work of public politics, but if the Premier was unable to discharge this duty burely some of his colleagues could do it for hinv, Mr Hislop, it was true, had lately appeared at Oamaru, but he did nothing except barb at the heels of Sir Robert Stout", and give no inkling of the policy of the Government next session It was said that next session would be a short one, that no great questions would be brought before the House, and that they would soon be sent about their business. Referring to last session, Mr Ballance said it began with a long discussion on Representation, the issue of town and country being aroused, and he explained at some length the details by which the basis of representation was arrived at, showing how the members for second-rate towns having thrown in their lot with the country representatives, were in the long run disappointed by them. He objected, on principle, to any difference being made between voters in town or country, holding that there should be equal electoral districts, i and that all should have the same voting power. I It was contended by the country party that

people in town had greater intelligence and better facilities for getting together, but be maintained that where there were so many small townships and a number of large centres of population as in the old country, practically speaking, the intelligence was equally diffused over the whole country. Reference was made m passing to the old soldiers' graves and the licensing laws, and he then went on to refer to the allocation of a sum of £300 000 or £400,000 for the purchase 3 Native lands along the line of the North Uand Trunk railway. When the present Government took office they declared they were S to open up lands to private person?, as the measure* of the previous Government stopped settlement, but they found that this could not Rt e ft f R °n e f ILTm 9 uen . Cß ° f ti»e unsatisfactory state of the titles of Native lands. Though this sum had been set aside, nothing had befn ol jSonffi wL 6 TChaS-fT ChaS -f into effeofc - A Yarn of £29,000 was made available for purchase in other parts of the colony, but they had donS nothing in the way of purchasing land for pur! poses of settlement, their only transaction beT s the expenditure of £300,000 on the Rotonm leases, which the Natives were now tS to repudiate. During the session they PateS un a number of Native titles, and since then the Government had appointed Mr Edwards as a commissioner, at a salary of £1500, to go into titles He believed they could get plenty o? men at £600 quite as capable for the work Yl Edwards refused to accept tbe post nnless he were made a judge of tho Supreme Court-an appointment which the speaker considered Jegaland unjustifiable. The Criminal Evidence Act, introduced by Mr Hutchison, was referred to as a step in advance of any coloaies or of tho mother country, and as one likely to bo followed elsewhere. The Ward-Hislop incident, was alluded to at length, and the action of the Opposition in criticising Mr Hislop's conduct was commended. One act of last session was the appointment of the Sweating Commission, which was moved for by two members of the Opposunon. This would, he thought, be laoro far-reaching m its effect than any meaßU re that had been carried for years, for he held that they could not afford at this time of day especially considering the attitude of labour all over the world, to allow the stigma to rest on the colony that they were laying the foundation of a system that was condemned by every civilised nation. Tho inquiry would bring to light the grievances, if any, that existed, and that was the only way of adjusting wrongs. The question was one affecting everyone, whether capitalist or labourer, as no capitalist could feel safe while the great bulk of the people who were entrusted with_ the franchise were dissatisfied with the relations existing between them. Passing on to the measures that had been thrown out Mr Ballance alluded first to the Hare system of representation, pointing out that it was beyond the comprehension of the average elector and that the size ef the districts would have been a great drawback to young politicians and candidates who were not wealthy. The Electors' Registration Bill had been thrown out, as the present law was more simple; and the Corrupt Practices Bill because it favoured wealthier candidates, and because it wonld entail hardship upon those who were without carriages and other luxuries of their own. Ho was of opinion than an improvement could be made on the present law, but he objected to revolutionary and reactionary legislation, and thought they should follow the constitutional practice of England, and as far as possible give equal electoral districts and single electorates. He believed that by tbe destruction of these bills the Opposition had earned the gratitude of tbe colony. It had been charged against th 9 Opposition that they had thrown out tho Charitable Aid Bill, but this was not so. It had been condemned all over the colony, and the Minister in charge had not the boldness to bring it on for the second reading. They had rejected a proposal to construct a number of railways, which were to have been provided for by kauri forest revenues, because they knew that there were no such revenues, and that in 1891 the advances would have been consolidated and further borrowing taken place ; and they thought that if borrowing was intended it should be done openly and not sub rosa. He had opposed an attempt to raise the school age and not to take free education above tbe Fourth Standard, on the grounds that the children of the working classes had to go to school at a very early age, as they could not be kept there any length of time, and that the benefits of the higher standards were mainly availed of by persona who were unable to pay school fees. He had supported the Private Schoolr Bill, which applied principally to the Catholics, and enabled their schools in the large centres of population to be aided by public grants. He was opposed to denominational education, but he did not think that this measure would have the effect of introducing it. On the contrary, it would create a much greater interest in tbe present system and tend to strengthen it. He had put this matter fairly before them, as he might be accused of having changed his opinions. He was not aware that he had done bo, as he had always maintained that it was their duty to encourage the system which would enable the blessings of education to be imparted to the whole population of the colony. Ho had voted for tho Eight Hours Bill, but in his opinion it would be better for the unions by combination to secure this boon than to attempt to get it by legislation. Ho did not hold tho Government responsible for the Railway Employes Bill, it having been introduced by them at the request of the Railway Commissioners, but he had opposed it as being most unfair and unjust in its provisions. The measure had been universally condemned by the employes, and was not likely to be reintroduced. He had been blamed for elating that it had been the iatention of the Railway Commissioners to reduce wages, and he was still assured on the most positive information that this had been their intention, but instead of doing so they had adopted the tactics of employing boy labour, which he believed to be dangerous to the public. It was said that next session would be a short one. Whether it was or not the Opposition would not delay the business, and if the Government had no policy the sooner they went to the country the better, so that they might fight out their principles at the hustings. He had been, and was still, opposed to the reduction of the members, not because it meant a loss of 24 seats, but because ib was a retrograde step. At present there wag no community of interests in many of the constituencies, and •with? settlement going on and population increasing, he thought the numbers might have remained as they were. He condemned the proposal to create a partially-paia force at t\ c four large centres and to abolish the country volunteers. The colony could not afford any increased expenditure in this direction, and he thought that with the protection of the British fleet, for which they were to pay £25,000 a year, the colony was safe fronVany attack by Russia. With respect to borrowing, he thought they should stop borrowing entirely for a time, and he pointed out that the fluctuations in the colony's credit in London were mainly due to the " bulling " and " bearing " of large syndicates who used the colony to their own advantage. The cry of Belling the railways had been introduced by those who were desirous of doing away

with the property tar, and he was astonished that Mr Bryce at Waikato had advocated selling them. If the agitation by the employes was to go on, he (Mr Ballance) considered it wiser to remove the grievances and retain the railways, reducing the rates on produce whenever possible, as he was quite sure that if the railways passed into thehandsof syndicates they would not be run for the benefit of the colony. He objected to this colony entering into an Australasian federation. He thought they should look to the mother country and retain their right to a voice in the affairs of the Empire when the time came for strengthening the bonds that at present existed. He did not think that the colony could etand the heavy loss that the reduction in ocean postage would mean, and he believed that a preferable reform would be a penny postage when the colony could afford it. Referring to the single tax, he could not see that it was practicable, and he did not think the time had come for the substitution of a land and income tax for the property tax, but he thought that under the latter, agricultural improvements and machinery should be exempted up to £2000. He also believed that the tax should be graduated, for he thought the great estates of this country were one of the causes of New Zealaud standing still, and he pointed out to those who argued that at the death of the present owners the estates were split up, that this was not correct, as was shown by iecent estates being left in trust. With respect to the reductions of the customs, he thought that if th«y had a surplus they could not do better than

reduce the duties on the necessaries of life, instancing tea as a sample. So far as the protective tariff had gone it had worked well, but he thought the time had come when its irregularities should be revised, and the duties on the raw material, as far as possible, done away with. Coming to .the land administration, Mr Ballance spokeatconsiderablelengthonthe policy of the present Government, and pointed out that selling 200-acre blocks of land did not encourage settlement, and was not good in the long run for labour. With regard to the village settlement scheme, many would imagine, he said, that they had only established four or five settlements, whereas there were no fewer than 62 in the colony; and not a single complaint had been heard against those in the South Island, but because two of the settlements north of Auckland required assistance for a year or two, the system was condemned as a failure. With respecfrto these settlements he pointed out that they had placed 9QO sons of settlers and heads of families on them, and not a single word had been said against them. He believed the stoppage of that system had more to do with the departure of 10,000 people who left the colony than all other causes put together, because the present system of putting up lands left men without the hope of getting a place to settle down in. He maintained that these two systems properly carried out would do a great deal to induce a spirit of confidence in the colony. In conclusion, he thanked them for the confidence they had shown to him in the past, and said that so long as they were satisfied to return him he would endeavour to do his duty.

Aiter a few questions had been asked, the speaker received an unanimous vote of confidence and thanks.