MR THOS. MACKENZIE AT GLENKENICH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 30 October 1890, Page 27

MR THOS. MACKENZIE AT GLENKENICH.

Mr Thomas Mackenzie commenced his electoral campaign on Monday evening last, when he addressed the electors in the North Glenkenich schoolhouse. Notwithstanding the fact that the night was wet and stormy in the extreme, a goodly number assembled at the appointed hour and gave him a hearty reception. The audience comprised several ladies who braved the elements, and had the honour of being the first of their sex to hear Mr Mackenzie discourse on matters political. Mr D. Robertson occupied the chair, and with a few appropriate remarks introduced the speaker. The following are a few notes of the address : — He began by explaining his reasons for entering into political life. He recognised that the expenditure of the colony from loans and revenues was far in excess of what the country could afford, quoting figures to b«ar out this contention. If this expenditure continued, an indebtedness would be created of so great a magnitude that the future of this colony would be imperilled. The chief plank of his platform in seeking the

suffrages!^ the electors in 1887 was that expenditure from loan should be substantially reduced ; that the ordinary revenue of the country should be made to meet the ordinary outlay of the country ; and it the House would not agree to tho necessary retrenchment, the position should be boldly faced and taxation put on to meet the difference. He quoted the results of the last financial year and contrasted it with the results of the financial year 1887, and showed that the 1887 public works expenditure was £1,409,000. The expenditure from the same fund for 1890 was £410,000, £28,000 of which went to the purchase of Native lands. That the ordinary expenditure from revenue, excluding interest, sinking fund, the civil vote, and land fund, was in 1887 £2,523,000, and for the same departments in 1890 £2,346,000. In order to make the accounts really fair comparatively, £113,900 was charged in 1887 against loan which in 1890 was charged against revenue. That difference will bring out a diminished expenditure of £291,000 in these services to the credit of 1890. From what is called No. 1 loan account a sum of £595,000 was spont in 1887, and from the same fund in 1890 only £123,000 was spent. The moneys from this account were not spent upon railways, nor for roads to open up Crown lands for sale. These figures he felt satisfied would show that the' House had determined upon a new policy. He then went on to speak on the subject of taxation and said that the people of the country could not expect lessened taxation, concurrent with a sound finance, showing most conclusively that if tho Government charged to revenues many services hitherto charged against loan, they would require every penny of revenue at present raised. He condemned Protection, asserting that it simply increased the cost of production without increasing the value of our products. He supported the property tax in preference to a land tax, as it carried out most nearly the great principle of all taxation — namely, making property contribute in proportion to its means. He contended if the property tax were abolished all personal property in New Zealand would be freed from taxation, and as the revenue would not stand diminution, the amount formerly contributed by £39,000,000 of personal property would require to be borne either by land or customs revenues, which was clearly taking taxation off the shoulders of those best able to bear it and placing it upon the backs of those least able to bear it, as the wealthiest people in New 7ealand were not landowners. In support of this contention he quoted from Mr Sperrey's property tax returns to show that 30 men in New Zealand owned property above the value of £200,000, and of this number 23 had wealth — not in land, but in personal property — of a total value of £20,000,000. These men, if the land tax was introduced and the property tax abolished, would escape taxation. He next referred briefly to the land policy of the Government, and asserted that it required amending in the direction of lessening the area that one person could acquire in any land district. The time had now arrived when the State should limit the area that a man could acquire, either from the State oi from private indivdualp. and so stop the system of absorption, which bad proved such a curse in the mother country. Mr Mackenzie next referred to the mail service and the various bills that had been before the House, dwelling for a time upon a measure called tho Truck Bill, which he had been greatly blamed for opposing. He quoted one of the clauses to show the absurdity of the measure. This clause provided that an employer should not supply his workmen with anything (barring certain things exempted), and if he did supply them with goods he was not permitted to deduct the value of these goods from the wage 3 due to the workman. That part of the clause he did not take so much objection to as the unjust provision following it, which provided that an employer, after paying his workmen, should not be allowed to recover at law the amount due to him by the said workman. He (the speaker) would not promise to do any more in the future than he had done in the past. The only royal road to success was the old method of industry, economy, and work. The country was prosperous; our exports were exceeding our imports now by millions, and these millions were going to pay our indebtedness. He could make no great promises as to aid. The larger constituencies, he hoped, would abolish localism, which had been the ourse of New Zealand in the past, and bring men to Parliament pledged to do their best for the good of the colony. In reply to questions, Mr Mackenzie said : I am in favour of a reduction of railway rates, and consider that the charges for carriage of stock, wool, &c, are at present too high. On two occasions I formed one of deputations to the commissioners, and urged upon them the desirability of reducing these charges. Would favour a graduated scale, whereby produce might be conveyed cheap when the market price for such is low. A universal mileage rate would not answer, as when lines run along the sea-board the tariff must be sufficiently low to ensure traffic. Were charges on the inland lines brought to the same level the railways would run at a great loss, and more taxation would be necessary. Would not favour womanhood suffrage, and did not think that it was wanted. Women might object to the responsibilities they would incur on account of it. They would render themselves liable to be called upon to form part or a whole of a jury, and would be eligible as candidates for parliamentary honours. The men had become sufficiently demoralised by politics, and it would be unwise to have women exposed to such chances of contamination. At the conclusion of the address, on the motion of Mr A. Ross, seconded by Mr M Williams, the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. In replying, Mr Mackenzie expressed himself as highly pleased with his reception. It is evident that he has made many friends, and on any future occasion, when he is opposcl for a parliamentary seat, he will be strongly supported in the district.