INTERVIEWED BY THE PREMIER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2569, 10 June 1903, Page 15

INTERVIEWED BY THE PREMIER.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION. WELLINGTON. June 2. Bcfove his departure for the Wcct Coa=t the Premier was interviewed by a Post representative with reference to the proposed legislation for the forthcoming action. He said there wou'd be an inc-rcn^c in the absentee tax, and some anomalies which now e\iot with rp-pect to the a-;»-Mncnt of land values would be removed The di«trbution of New Zealand meat was receiving attention, and he thought when the yohemo was fully elaborated there would be litt!o objection to it. Tho amount involved in opening emporiums at the centres named viould not reach £20,000. Mr Cameron, tho Piocluce Commissioner, will give detail", probably in the form of an addreai to members of Parliament. There would be legislation on the 6ubjoet of c mbines and tru-ts, which would bo rather in tho d'reci'on of regulation than ah=olutc prevention. As to preferential trade, tho Premier said the tncech he dchvereel m Hamilton gives very fully tho mud of the (iovern ment on the subject. As to licensing matters, Mr Si ddon no final elcci-io'i had been arnvod at. No doubt both tl.o " tracio" nnd preliil itioni=t-> will ask for legislation, but thoy are net likely to agrco rs to term«. Tlie (iovernment, did not think it fair that, o\v..u^ to a mistake on the part of a magistrate — ?.*, for instance, in tho ca.o of C'liaimrr — uro porty should be, as the " trade" termed it, "confiscated " If tharo wa? to ho any called confiscation, it was entirely wrong for either the committee or tho magistrate to abrogate to themselves any ugl.t w'mh the Legislature has paid shall bo \co»cd in the people. On that point ho thought tho Legislature would Fj:rak nith no uiicAnain sound, and it would be the duty of the Government to se-e thit tlift people alone should determine what tiie L"gi?Li'urp empowered. Incidentally Mr Scddon rcfonod to I'cpnsing commiLtec^, and remarked that he had come to tho concliwcu Hiat tbe lavwas at fault, in pfaiincj m the l'a."el s of partisans tho administration of a Ipw upon which th?re was stith duer'ity of opinion, buch great int-err-sts were at stake, and t':e well-being of the people was involved Tho Premier further <^id t! at hp intended to go on with the State fiie msuranro c chemc, but the bill would bo a modification on that of laH year. All rpfcrc.'Ke to firo brigades would be e i; minatpd, and a scpara^o mta-i re bo lntioduced dealing v\ith brigades, organ i -at ion, ctp. An arurnding Li"\nd Act would hn in'rochice-d, arcl, lithoped, carried, liberal lsmpr t!ie tonr.> upon which Crown t-enanis would g'-t upon bu*h lri'd-: abo amend'n^ the c-M-luif; law ?- 5 ipg.ir.lr 3nplic.it. on-.. '110 ii'i^-n 1 r-\r -\ «l< m of balloting, he "-aj-, r<qu.n> ejuahfyaig in resspect to giv.njf di=cnmiiiatioa to land

boards and preventing the duplication of applications.