THE HON. MR LARNACH AT LAWRENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 23

THE HON. MR LARNACH AT LAWRENCE.

The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, a candidate for t the Tuapeka seat, addressed the electors at • Lawrence on Monday evening, when the Mayor > (Mr J. Chalmers) presided: From the report ' in the Taapeka Timeswe give the followingsummary:— ; Mr* Lahnach, who was cordially received, , referred with regret to the death of the late member, Mr Fyke, and went on to say that he would not have been a jcandidate had he not - been requisitioned by "many responsible electors in many paits of the district, and that at the last moment he had been pressed by the Government to come forward ia. their interest. He had been on the side of the party at present in power since he became connected with politics in 1875, and it was he who first; pub the Liberal Government in power in this colony, for in 1877 he .carried a vote of noconfiderce against the Atkimon Government and put in their place, with Sir George Grey as Premier, the first Liberal Government that had ever been in power in tho country. Ho regarded the taxation of the country as excesaivo aud was opposed to further borrowing. The land and income tax he regarded as one of the Government's best measures, and one which he hoped they would graduate still further. The taxation did not bear at all fairly or equally on those who were best able to bear it. The larger the f state the less taxation perjure that was applied to it. A remedy should be found, and ha believed the Government wuuld introduce a measure this session that would - compel tho owners of large areas ,to contribute to tho revenue according to their ability. Ho should like to see the Government in a position to compel the owners of large estates to take a reasonable price for their land ia districts where settlement was blocked ; and where they refused to accept such terms, then the Government should step in and, take the land from them. He advocated that the graduated tax should go on step by step, and continue its leaps until the taxation en small and large freeholds was thoroughly equalised. There was no mistake about his principles or bis ideas on that question. He was prepared to adopt very drastic measures in order to help the people to get land and put an end to the present gigantic land monopolies that existed. The railways 6hould be conducted more in the interests of the people rather tban for tho purpose of raiting a large revenue. He believed that the Railway Commiseioncrs, in their desire to show a good balance sheet at the end of the year, were very apt to shut their eyes to the requirement? of the industries of the colony. He instanced the case of a farmer who had taken grain from Kingston to Dunedin by rail, at the cost of 4£d per bushel, so that the farmer could not have more that Is 6d per bushel for his labour. Ho thought that in the harvest time, when trucks were carrying produce down to tbe seaboard, these trucks should not be run back empty. Why should they not carry back at a nominal rata lime or some other kind of manure to fertilise aud enrich the land ? It was altogether wrong that railways should be used as they were. Why should they not carry back what would help to make the land more reproductive, and that, too, for little or nothing ? By doing bo they would, by increasing the productiveness of the soil, be assisting to produce more freight thereafter, and co .-well tLeir own revenue. He had nothing to say to the commissioners' balance sheet, but thtre should be means, h« thought, for ascertaining exactly the condition

of the railway plant, machinery generally, and roads throughout the colony, so that the anxiety to show a big revenue might not result in the value of the railways deteriorating. To make provision against anything happening, he would be in favour of the appointment of a competent officer, who would be independent of the authority of the commissioners, for the purpose of ensuting that the plant, machinery, and roads were kept in good repair and not permitted to suffer by the desire to produce large receipts for the annual balance sheets. Mr Larnach explained his reference to the selling of the railways in 1890, and said he would say again that if the Government was unable to manage our railways satisfactorily it would be better to sell them. He had always taken a deep interest in the mining industry, and during the time he was Minister for Mines he had done his best to accelerate its progress and to help the miners as far as his powers and his resources allowed him. Mining was at ones a healthy and a scientific occupation, and some of their young men should be taught and encouraged to adapt themselves to mining instead of hankering after life in the towns. He should like to see more done in making tracks and conserving water in this part of the country, and in assisting, to prospect the country, and he could assure them that he would always be found befriending and aiding the mining industry. He thought the Alcoholic Liquor Act of last session went far enough, and it should have a fair trial. He believed in liberal laws, cheap postage and reciprocity between the colonies, with the view of some federation following. He was in favour of maintaining intact the present system of national education in the colony. At the same time he had very great sympathy for a large portion of the population who had done so much for themselves in establishing private schools, and he hoped some day to see some means by which the colony would be able to give them recompense. But he would not support any scheme or proposal that would be likely to interfere with the national system at present established. But the denominationalists had his sympathy ; for they had certainly done a very great deal for themselves. He would like to see some money spent on technical education. The kind of Liberalism he proposed was " do to others as you would be done by." Another very good > maxim was " mind your own business." A vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously.