THE PREMIER AT AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 12

THE PREMIER AT AUCKLAND.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION. AUCKLAND, May 31.

The Hon. the Premier addressed the citizens of Auckland to-night in the Choral Hall. The Mayor (Mr Goldie) presided. The hall was crowded, and hundreds were unable to obtain admission. The Hon. Thomas Thompson (Minister for Justice), Hon. Messrs M'Cullough, Swanson, and Jennings, M.L.C.'s, and Messrs J. J. Holland and Crowther, M.H.R.'s, were on the platform.

The Premier was received with great cheering. He said lie was grateful for the magnificent meeting that faced him, while hundreds could not get in. It showed that the people were now taking an interest in the politics of their country. They had lately been hearing the great guns and pop guns. The leader of the Opposition in politeness in his speech in Auckland began well but ended badly in assailing a public officer — Mr John King — whom he knew would not reply to him. In Auckland he (the speaker) was termed the Right Hon. Dr Seddon, but at the Thames he was only " Dick Seddon " in the mouth of Captain Russell. The further the gallant Captain got from Auckland the furtherNie fell from grace. He then referred to Mr Bollard's statements that the surplus was made up of unexpended public works votes, and denied its accuracy. The leader of the Opposition had bitterly opposed the Land for Settlements Act. He (tho Premier) had been endeavouring for years to get the Opposition on a platform, and having got them there they were now on their marrow bones and said they would accept the acts of the Government. He referred to the charges re his Jubilee visit Home and explained them. It was said his bank book had been swelled by the trip. He denied that, and did not care if his bank book was nailed to the Speaker's chair. That was his position. If he had sufficient to meet the wants of himself and family that was sufficient for him. He referred to Canada's treatment of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the action of the leader of the Opposition in that colony by way of contrast. If the Opposition could not devise a policy, let them remain , in the cold* shades of opposition till they did devise one. He then outlined the proposed legislation for the session. There would be a Workmen's Compensation for Accidents Bill on the lines of the Imperial act, and accident insurance. The Government found such companies making great i profits in England, shares going up im- j mensely. The Government, he believed, could do an accident insurance business at j 25 per cent, under the present rates. The j Advances to Settlers Act would be amended to provide for a return of •£ per cent. , ov 4J, per cent, interest on the regular payment of j the interest. There will be an extension of loans to urban and suburban properties so as to put town people on the same footing as the country settler. The Land for Settlements Act Amendment Bill would provide for tho compulsoiy talcing up of land in boroughs and town districts for workmen's villages. As the Opposition favoured workmen's villages, he hoped the measure would be passed into iaw. It was intended to provide inland penny postage. At first he expected a loss "of £70,000, but it would ultimately be recouped. With regard to old-age pensions, but slight amendment was necessary. If a person who otherwise would have qualified went Home or elsewhere merely on a visit, and stayed more than two years, he was barred from getting a pension. In this respect the act required some amendment, so as not to occlude such a case. Other measures would be a Local Government Bill, Mining Act Amendment (providing for accidents, framed on similar lines i to the Coal Mines Act), Asiatic Restriction Bill, Electoral Ai_t Amendment (to ensure correct returns at the ballot under both the electoral and licensing laws of the colony), provision for landless Natives, slaughtering and inspection of dairies (so as to give people good meat and good milk}, a referendum (providing for one vole only in deciding on the levy of special rates for loans by local bodies), parliamentary undersecretaries on the lines Sir George Grey recommended, technical education (to aid the working classes and remove a reproach from the colony), and labour laws completion. Wherever the people put their money or invested, the Government should audit the books of companies. A time was coming 1 when it would be necessary to determine by law the legal rate of interest. The Government got a glimpse of some business of companies, and when a man paid 150 per cent, for money he was better without it. He then referred to the exodus during the Atkinson Administration, and said when Captain Russell alluded to these people as being many of them " waifs and strays," such a statement was insulting, and degrading to their flesh and blood — husbands, brothers, and «ons. But there was worse to follow. Mr Duthie said " many of them were spielers and blacklegs." Captain Russell said at Cambridge they 'should send members to Parliament who were apt to go into society. He said our young men would not go into Parliament to associate -with scallawags. The Tories called honest people obliged to go to Australia "waifs and strays, ' and members of Parliament scallawags. The New Zealand Parliament was the foremost in Australasia. Turning to the public works expenditure, the Premier contrasted three years' expenditure of the Atkinson Administration with three years' expenditure of the Liberal Administration. The Government had experts out on the railway routes, the central and Stratford, and would^SSve reports ready for Parliament. He had an open mind as to either route. All that would influence him was the best line as regards opening up the country, financial grounds, and speediness of travel. He wished a line constructed which would redound to the credit of the Administration of which he was the head. They would not have railway construction without increasing the national debt. There were men returned in Auckland to Parliament pledged against borrow- | injj, yet they were the first to

go up the back stairs to Ministers and; ask for roads and bridges. tTo be logical, ' they should have been driven down the stairs again. All these demands meant money, and large sums. The Pre-< mier then referred to railway management, and declared that the reforms made in the administration would never have been ac-i complished by the railway commissioners. The Government had made large reductions in the tariff, and would make still more. If the railways paid 3 per^ cent, that was sufficient, and the balance of the earnings should go in concessions. Mr Cadman, the Minister for Railways, through ill-health was obliged to give up office, but if they had commissioners there >was no one he would better like to see as one of the board of commissioners. As to the 'Frisco mail service, Auckland was entitled to the port; of call, and should have been the terminus, leaving Australia to make her own connection as she thought fit. Our Island trads was again increasing, which had boon falling off. He thought a 'Frisco monthly mail service was sufficient. , Wellington had suffered severely from the cessation of the Vancouver service, but he hoped a connection for her would yet be got. Auckland would never lose the port of call of the 'Frisco mail service as long as his Administration existed, or he had a voice to speak for her. He wanted also an all-red cable line. Referring to the land and income tar versus the property tax, the Premier said the leader of the Opposition wanted to bring the small settler into the vortex of taxation, and abolish the exemptions. If Captain Russell would make that an issue of the elections, he would fight him tmi. What the Government did was to make wealth bear its burden, and the Opposition wanted to shift the incidence of taxation from the propertied classes to the industrial masses. He challenged Captain Russell's figures re the land and income tax, but said figures were not the strong point of the leader of the Opposition. He denounced the property tax as crippling industry and discouraging thrift. The Premier read a return, purporting to show the under valuation of estates ,in the past .for taxing purposes to the extent of llundveds of thousands of pounds. Captain Russeli was right when he said he was afraid land had not contributed its share of the burdens of the State. The Premier referred to great corporations and huge blocks of land held by them. For the first time in the history of the colony the exports over imports had been so much4 n excess as to pay interest on the national debt. He then proceeded to show what assets represented the addition made to the national debt. For advances to settlers they had not lost a penny, but had £12,000 to credit, and had £2 security for every £1 advanced. Public money wa3 not now used in roading private estates or making railways to them which raised their value from 30s to £-20 per acre. It was used for legitimate public works, and the Government would go on, as in the past, fostering* a public prosperity which he believed would last for years to come. The Premier contradicted the statement as to the poor rate of wao;es to co-operatives. A return from the Undersecretary skuwed that wages averaged 6s 8d per day in all weathers. It was stated that the Government had brought men from Canterbury to Patea and the adjoining district. He telegraphed to the Labour Bureau, and was informed the statement was untrue, as no men had- been sent; there. As to the accusation that lie (the Premier) made his surplus by under-esti-mating his receipts and over-estimating Ins expenditure, it was simply an insult to common sense ,to utter such nonsense." Referring to the Assets Board and Captain Russell's charges as to non-realisation, the Premier said properties were sold ? to 16th May, 1898, to the extent of £412,059. The Premier defended the lease in perpetuity as against the freehold, and said the Government would stand firm and go out of office rather than be a party to a system which would prevent poor men from getting on the . land. The Premier concluded by explaining the marine scandal, and defending the action of the Government in the matter. As regards the old-age pension scheme, he had taken a vote of £90,000, and in the financial year had only paid £3000, carrying £87,000 "forward. The leader of the Opposition said the act was an abortion, and yet the leader of the Opposition said he was willing to let it stand, and work an abortion. The claims "would not for years amount tc more than £150,000. In future it would be paid, not out of the surplus, but out of the ordinary^ revenue, like the pensions of civil servants. The Premier then referred to the Legislative Council and elective members, and condemned the proposal as illiberal,, as a poor man with ability, but with little money, would nevei have a show. The Premier concluded, amid great cheering, by urging the people to stand by a Government which was working in the interests of *the democracy of the colony. The Premier spoke for three hours and aquarter, ending at 11.15 p.m.

Mr M' Arthur moved, and Mr Archibald, of Mangere, seconded, the following resolution,' which was unanimously carried : — " That this meeting of Auckland citizens expresses its thanks to the Right Hon. R. 3. Seddon, Premier, lor the very able ad.dress," and the meeting also resolved to place on record its continued confidence in the policy and administration of the present Government.

Mr Vincent Stuekey Lean, barrister, who died at Clevedon, at the age of 79, has, it is stated, left £50,000 to the city of Bristol for its public libraries, between £20,000 and £30,000 to Muller's Orphan Asylum, and £50,000 to the British Museum.

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