THE HON. MR MITCHELSON AT MOUNT EDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 13 November 1890, Page 17

THE HON. MR MITCHELSON AT MOUNT EDEN.

Auckland, November 7. The Hon. E. Mitchelson, who is a candidate for Eden, addressed the electors of that district to-night at Mount Eden. There was a crowded audience. Mr Mitchelson said that when the present Government took office, the whole colony was suffering from financial and commercial depression, and it was very gratifying to find that the bountiful resources of the colony bad enabled it, out of revenue, to remit £3,325,000 to London as interest payments during two and a-half years, to pay off £120,000 of the deficit of 1888, and to have on 31st March last a surplus of £36,000. During the last three years, the experience of the colony in financial matters had been critical, but; the present Government by prudence and economy had been able to bring the ship of State out of considerable danger into the haven of safety, and it required only a few more years of economy, prudence, and foresight to restore the colony to the proud position of being the most prosperous in the Australian group. Mr Mitchelson blamed the Opposition for their obstruction during the last session, and went on to speak of land settlement, urging that the land policy of the Government had been more successful than that of any previous Ministry, and had been the means of settling a larger number of people upon the land during its first three years than ever before. With regard to Native lands, it was felt,. b_y', the Natives that they did not get such prices from the Government as they could fgom outeide purchasers, but the Government, paid ,sucjb a price as would not prevent them, .frp.m,, offering land for settlement at reasonable fates, and thereby kept it from passing^j^o the^andß of speculators. The question, .p.f^takipg t Native lands would soon have,, t9u.be, |a,qe^ li bu£ the Governmentcouldnotno^^^ii^thatquestion as the present time, >as_, pot, opportune," The Government bad.d.epidcjdjjp far as they.were concerned, that no ?fur|;^r, borrowing should take place onthe^on^qn; in^ket ,'during ihe next Parliameas,,bvrt,ttie:ney Pa^liam^ntiwo'uli have to coaster .^hejjier i^spogld npt have to borrow in the..., colony ffo of Native, .landfi, ap4-fpr,the,,pu.rnpse of opening up large. tra.css of .Cjpwn lands "before, sale. Mr MitchelsqA,, „majn,tain?d ,/jihaJ;., those who said that,, a,, reduction Jo, t,lje, extent of frojn. .-£300,000, \o~. £1,000,000, could be a'ocompjis.h.ed,. had not; gojje/rfw.efully.. into the,;/anes,t?qn, „,.The, ,pov^ftm,^at. .were stijl waW»g,Re{!uefc!Qn.s wb.or.ever. they .were possible, but they did not consider the cry for retrenchment was genuine, because of the number of applications made by members laafc session.

for expenditure in their various districts. If any greater reduction was to be made, considerable sacrifice would have to take place in the conveniences of the people. He had previously told them that he was opposed to the property tax and would not support it if be could see some other tax which could be substituted for it, and those were still his views ; but as the Government could not do without the amonnt of revenue obtained from that tax they could not see their way to abolish it. Any reduction of taxation ia the present financial condition of the colony was impossible while existing services had to be provided for. It was said that the property tax had driven money out of the country; but there was more money in New Zealand to-day than ever before, and this money could be obtained at a lower rate of interest. The Government believed that the school ages should be raised to six years, and if that were done and the capitation reduced by ss, as had been suggested during last session, a saving of at least £75,000 per annum would be effected. Mr Mitchelson, in conclusion, said that confidence had been restored in the colony, and outside of it, notwithstanding what was said by pessimists, and the Government had largely reduced the public expenditure, whilst the exports had enormously increased. All that was to be done now was to encourage land settlement and to economise and be prudent in all works. Mr Mitchelsos received a vote of confidence, an amendment, that he be given a vote of thanks only, being rejected by a large majority.