ARRIVAL AT MILTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 17

ARRIVAL AT MILTON.

A s]3ecial train with the Premier and party on board left Lawi-enc© at a quarter to 0. On arrival at Milton a number of tho residents met Mr Seddon with hearty cheers, and welcomed him to the district. la reply to a request to give an address in Milton Mr Seddon agreed to do so, but on reconsideration he wired to the Mayor that there would not be sufficient time to give proper notice to ensure a good meeting and do justice to the outlying districts. He would, therefore, for the present postpone speaking there.

AT KAITANGATA

Notwithstanding the rain a large crowd had assembled at the railway station when the Premier's train arrived ' shortly before half-past 11. Some words of welcome to Mr Seddon were expressed by Mr C. E. Yates (Mayor of the" borough), Mr F. T. Poole (on behalf of the Liberal and Labour Federation), and Mr J. Hollows (on behalf of the miners). In reply, Mr Sbddon said it afforded him threat uleasiue to be with them once more. Kaitangala had a very warm corner in his heart, and on each anil every occasion on which he had como among them he had received a renewal of friendship and pleasant associations of many years' standing —(Applause.) He thanked them for the kind welcome iliev had given to him. Three heavtv (hoc* were given for the Premier, and thiee for Mrs Seddon.

DEPUTATIOXP.

A number of ip~,idopt o vaited on llr Soddon at fhe Bridgo Hotel to bring some local matters before him. Thpre were present: Mr C. E. Yates (Mayor), Dr James

Fitzgerald, Messrs A. Blackie, T. Barclay, A. Morrison, R. Lee, W. Duncan, D. M'lnnes (president Miners' Union), J. Hollows (secretary Miners' Union), D. Alexander, J. Coulter, R. Aiichison, F. T. Poole, and others.

Mr Yates said that the borough had borrowed £2000 under the Loans to Local Bodies Act for street-making. They would like the Government to give them a subsidy on the amount, even 25 per cent., to enable them to carry the work further. In reply to the Premier, the Mayor said that the present rate was Is 3d in the pound, which brought in £400. The rents from the coal company were £150. The total revenue of the borough was between £600 and £700. The district was a long way from any locality where metal could be obtained. Mr Seddon said that if the Government commenced to subsidise moneys spent on street-making in one place it would find it difficult to refuse it in another, and the surplus would soon disappear. Each, community was supposed to make its own streets and maintain them. He believed that the present principle of subsidy was wi'ong. The "basis was fallacious. He thought subsidies ought to be given on a graduated scale, in accordance with the amount rated. Those who rated themselves most should receive most encouragement from the Government. As it was now, a county or borough thai, rated itself for a nominal sum received its subsidy. There ought to be a graduation and a classification. The matter of making roads, it seemed to him, was one for adjustment between the county and the borough. If the particulars of the request were sent to him he would forward a final reply to the request.

Mr Blaokie and Dr Fitzgciald spoke of the Technical School. It was stated that tho building had been erected, and the school committee would now like the Government to equip the school. The committee had raised £50 for the purpose. Tiie total cost would possibly be £150. Mr Seddon said that the money spent on the building was unprofitable tvntil thp building itself was eauipped, and he did not want to see public moneys giving no return. He was delighted to know that the local people had done so much in past to help the cause of technical education in the district. He 'knew tlie community, and be «aid that to have found £70 was a very creditable performance, and spokf volumes for Ihe people. He would deal immediately with the quesiion. and instruct the department to proceed with the equipment of the <s"hool. There hnd been a siim of £50 raised locally, and he would give pound for pound on that amount for equinroont. and i* moro was required he wouH pivp -pound fnr wound on another sum ■620 locally ra'^efl so that in all thei'e would lie £140 nro-v irlpd for enuipment.

THE MIXERS* UNIOX.

Mes«rs M'lnnes, Hollows, and Alexander brought, some important questions before Mr Seddon on behalf of the Miners' Union.

Mr Hollows said that in the first place, they desired an amendment of the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act. A .fixed sum should bo stated to be given to the ncxt-of-kin in case of death from accident. It would be preferable to computing the amount on the average earnings for the three years prior to death.

Mr Seddon said a miner might go into a mine and be killed next day. If an amount were fixed arbitrarily there would be a heavy liability on the part of the mine-owner, who would have received no profit from the man's labour.

Mr Hollows said a value should be placed on a life. There had been difficulty in the past in getting at the average earnings

Mr Seddon suggested that a minimum might b<? fixed. A life was worth so much, and in case of death those dependent on the life remained.

Mr Hollows said that was what he v.»as aiming at.

Mr Seddon said he would consider the matter in that light.

Mr Hollows then a^ked if anything could be done in regard to prompt payments under tlie act. A man was killed in October last, and hi^ widow and family lereived no compensation uniil the end of March fast. J-7V- believed the insurance company- cau=p-d the de'av.

Mr Seddon hoped the company wou'd he nioio expeditious in the future. Of cour=o, all precautions liad to he taken that ihe money did noi o<-> (o the iving people. He sujrgest^d that where Il'e >- c a dmibt the money should lie prld iv.io the hands of a thiul p*u!\. -o llut --Mi.Mhir.:? mitMtf be allowed fo t!'e -ufTi' c. - to n.cot ine^-i"a; neep=^iti"=

Mr Hollow- -a hi (lirv j!->o tl"='iod ph amendment of i'ic Aibif ration and Conciliaiion Ad They .-^ed that iho Government Uiould tnke t-o that ilie necci&aiy piocciinio- to file, a dispute befoie {he rnmr 'hould 1/" a=i -> mi,!e as po^iibl" and cieaily defined. Mr Soddon thi- wa^ tlie point thai came up in the recent decision in tho

Arbitration Court in Auckland. There ! were matters that were so important to the main body that it wae considered well that they should be confirmed before final action was taken, and that was the intention of Parliament. The manner of confirming might perhaps load 'to inconvenience and delay, and possibly some amendment was required in that respect, but where a matter was of great moment to the whole of the men in a union they ought to have an opportunity of confirming. If the request of the deputation was that action should be taken as quickly as was consistent with proper consultation he was with them. Ke believed it was a good thing to give men a chance to think over any important, decision at which they arrived. It might; be that at a meeting they would be influenced by a powerful speaker, and that next day, when they had calmly considered the case by themselves, they would bo sorry for their action. Mr Hollows brought up another matter. The union would like tho act to be amended so as to give statutory preference to Atnionists. At Kaitangata, he said, they had unconditional preference, but there were places where the workers did not have that privilege. Mr Seddon : Have you brought the question under the notice of your member? — (Laughter.) Mr Hollows : Unfortunately. I was absent when Mr Allen was here, or I should have done so. Mr Seddon said it was proper that .'t should be brought under Mr Allen's notice. Parliament was called together to deal with this and all other matters. Ho thought it was a question on which the public mind required educating. After some conversation with the men, Mr Seddon said it was a matter that was left to the court, and what the deputation was telling him was, in effect, that the court in dealing with the question had not, in their opinion, done justice to the unions. ~Mv Hollows: That is so. Mr Soddon said that the opinion of Parliament, as the House was now constituted, was that the matter should be dealb with by, the court, and not fixed arbitrarily by act. There were many things to con sider in it. Unions might be restrictive, and not allow men to come into their unions, which would mean that men would not get employment. In the country districts especially there was a strong feeling in respect to it, and it was a matter that, in the interests of the workers themselves, required to be very carefully handled. Under the interpretation of Judge Williams as the act originally stood it seemed to work fairly satisfactorily. The Parliament gave discretionary power to the Arbitration Court, and while theie might be some , cases where there had been dissatisfaction, in other cases it seemed to be working all right. It waj a matter in which the unions ought to be very careful, and not cause too much irritation; if they could avoid it. As Minister of Labour, he wished to go as far as_ public opinion would carry him. and he said (hat they must educate public opinion on the matter. Public opinion was not with the unions on this question so far. They had evidence of that as good as any he could tell them. One of the first thoy wanted f.o convert to it was their member, and he hoped they would convert him the next time he came round.

In the afternoon Mr Seddon visited the public school, addressing the children and inspecting the gymnasium.

A PUBLIC ADDRESS.

A public meeting was held in the evening in the Presbyterian Church Hal). Althoxigh the night was miserably cold and wet there was a very large attendance. There were 50 visitors from Stirling, Ba!cluiha, Wangaloa, Inchchitha, and other parts of the surrounding district. Tho chair was occupied by Mr Yates, Mayor of Kaitansata. Mr Seddon. who was warmly received, said it was hip duty that night to defend the Government against attacks that had bscn made on it. There were those who did not -eiuplc to level La«ele>a= charges against tha Government, and he had to .-ay that the member for Bruco. judged hy luV speech*"-, and by flic inferences he dew. wa« li>c most unscrupulous of the opponents of the- Government — (Applause.) It would appeal a= if >orp<Hhing had so ursjrd rl)-r> hon. member thai instead of mi Pi - o\ m» ho seemed to he <;i<-iiic: wav to this weaklier, and the only way ho (Mr Seddon) could account fo • it. was this: He *ous-!.i (o be the LencW of the Opposition, a ,1(1 ie n,n ty eeWfprl In.-- ju'iioj-. tlto Whip, anil a~ Afr Allen crrnld not \ory wp.'l vent b.^ M'icoii on h's leader, Jo lei.lee! it ou tin' Hove nincni. The ("Jo\ cv.nncnt \va« iL\lK>\ =ifHv i-ih^. Tf , 1(0-0,1 ],;,„ a . 1( j ir 'VI not inii'ro t!"> U,u or <,v<.o>*.l in ihe Mi!iiil-->-f - lApphu-e ) While on ihe i:e-r."!-iw that n'ulit hr. uvant a f I'i.o same I' l " 1 t>> carry tl-e -.\ar into the enemy's (-i.il p. iid let the counxry imow -what ifee Opposition was drrrlng at. Tissue

ihose who cared not how they injured the ' * country,- or what means they employed, so long as they could get on the Treasury benches. He held that in any country there ought to be between the two great parties lines upon which both parties couid go where the interests of the country Were at stake. — (Applause.) In that respect . the Opposition members were callous. They systematically endeavoured to injure the .credit of the colony — (applause), — and smong those who had persistently done this whenever tho opportunity offered was the member for Brace, Mr James Allen. — " (Applause, and a Voice: "A good man, too.") He would be a much better man if he would show more patriotism and keep within correct lines when dealing with the finances of the country. — (Applause.) Mr Duthio was also a bifcter Oppositionist, but ; he was just to the country. He said that • fehe character of Parliament; was clean, and that the Government had given what had been the desire of the. large proportion of 1 'the population. He also said he believed th© position of the liabilities and assets •was correctly set forth, but there should .- - be no mystery^ about it. Yet Mr Allen would have the" people believe that by a 7 system of bookkeeping the accounts were not properly kept, and that there was no eurplus. No o-ne knew better than Mr - AUen that during the administration of the Liberal party there had been surpluses of ..five millions, and £4,355,000 had been . - transferred to the Public Works Fund. — • (Applause.) It was for the people to judge -" between those two leading members of the Opposition, , and he (Mr Seddon) said that Mr Duthie was perfectly correct. — (Applause.) Mr Allen at his meeting in Milton quoted certain opinions] by. English judges. The fact was that what Mr Allen referred •to was the purchase of shares at a premium, which no doubt was done to increase the investments and keep up the value of the shares. How different was the position of the New Zealand loan agents, who invested £50,000 in the- colony's owai stock, and at a, price below par. Mr Allen knew that, because the House had to -rote the difference. Notwithstanding that, Mr Allen - • had said that judges in Great Britain had expressed in no unmeasured terms their opinion of the action of the New - Zealand Government. 'He (Mr Seddon) challenged Mr Allen or any other member - ~ of the Opposition, or any man living, to • show that at any time any judge in the , Mother Country had expressed any opinion - whatever in. respect to any financial transaction of the New Zealand Government. — ■ (Applause.) The opinions expressed by the judges were in reference to the transactions of companies for the purpose of keeping the prices o£ shares above par value. Therefore, Mr Allen, when before his constituents, had done a, serious wrong to the ' colony. Mr Alien was very careful in his quotations to save himself,' but the inferenoe was sought to be created, and it was created, because he (Mr Seddon) had read in journals outside Otago that the judges had expressed their opinion upon this transaction, and had applied in very strong terms to it, and that the Government who had been guilty of this should suffer extinction. Mr Allen's statement, he asserted, . was made deliberately to injure the credit .„ of the colony, — (Applause.) What good ©bjeofc could be gained by it? It meant that the very men who supported Mr Allen would be the first to suffer from it. — (Applause.) The higher the credit of the colony the more money they would get at a 'low -rate of interest, and the greater would be the prosperity of the country; and it was to be regretted that gentlemen, for party purposes and seeking to get on the Treasury benches, should make such a "terrible sacrifice of their country. — (Applause.) Mr Allen had also referred to indiscreet legislation. What was he aiming at? He was aiming at the Arbitration and Conciliation Act — (applause)— and the Compensation to Workers Act. — (Applause.) The Old-age Pensions Act was also indiscreet, according to Mr Allen and the members of the Opposition. Had they noi done their best to prevent this legislation? The legislation ihe Government had passed in ordf-r to lift the farmers ftom the condition in which they had been placed by the Conservatives was, according to Mr Massey and Mr Allen, indiscreet legislation. — (Applause.) As a matter of fact, how did the credit of the Government stand? Tho last time it wanted a million loan it was offered two millions and a-half. and had to close applications two days before the time. He was happy to say that financially he was on velvet. — (Applause.) He would not jdirulge State secrets, but in the course of a day or two he might give Mr Allen and his friends some information that would astonish them, and would prove that the credit of the colony was much higher than that of any of the other colonies. — (Applause.) Regarding Mr Lewis's recent re- i marks on the divisions on the Public Revenues BiH, Mr Seddon said he wished io give an emphatic denial to the hon. gentle- 1 man's statements. Ec adhered to what he 1 had said before as to the division lists, and i went on io say that when Mr Lewis made < such a charge against him it came with ] bad grace from him that he should keep j back the fact that he (Mr fcseddon) spoke 1 only of the members of the Opposition ] proper.— (Appku^e ) I'.lr" Allen had naked. 1 "[f there was a surplus, why not reduce ( faxndon'r"' Mr A!'e:i know that HvnHon 1 had hcnu reduced. He tuew that the 1

Government had transferred over four millions to the Public Works Fund. He knew where the money had gone, and he knew it was not a system or bookkeeping. The Government had reduced the Customs tanif in 1895 and 1900— viz., £I,6oo,ooo.—(Applause.) In addition concessions had been given oa the railways to farmers and others to the extent ot £600,000.— (Applause.) His answer, then, to Mr Allen's statement was that taxation had been reduced, and if the Government came to the conclusion that there snouid be a further reduction in indirect taxation, and submitted proposals to give a free breakfast table, who would object? The Opposition. They said, " If the Government takes it off one thing it will increase another; it will increase the graduated land tax, and we must not allow that."— (Applause.) Speaking further on taxation, Mr Seddon said that if ever he brought in an amended tariff he believed he would lessen the duty on tobacco. — (Applause.) In respect to the land question, Mr Allen had said very guardedly that there were some members of the Opposition who were not in favour of taking land eompulsorily. Was Mr Allen alluding to his leader? He must have been. And if the leader was not m favour of taking estates for close settlement the rank and file must follow the leader. It meant that they were now practically proposing to repeal the Land for Settlements . Act. What would they give in return? They said that for the future, using the language of the Opposition, before an estate was purchased the proposal should oome before Parliament. The purcha-so of the Greenfield Estate, purchased the other day, could not have- been effected without going before Parliament. What would happen? The gentlemen referred to by Mr Allen would block the purchase of the land, and that was why they proposed it. If there was one thing above all others that would improve the position of the country, it was the purchase of large estates and the promotion of close settlement. — (Applause.) Speaking of the Land Commission, Mr Seddon said its report would be presented to Parliament in due course. So far as he was concerned he had an open mind, and he would be sorry to see the sturdy settlers of the Colony taking steps which would be to their permanent injury. — (Applause.) So long as he was able or had a voice to raise he would insist on the people of the country obtaining a lease of Crown lands and a lease of lands under the Land for Settlements Act. — (Applause.) Thousands of people were in a jiosition of independence to-day who had no money when they went on the land under the leasing system, and if was unjust on their part that they should now kick away the ladder by which they had risen to affluence and say that no other poor man should have a chance. — (Applause.) He thought the agitation that was going on would lead to the abolition of the leasehold system, and if it did it would a sorry day for the country. Referring to the coal mining industry, he quoted figures to show that the output of coal in the colony last year was 1.537,838 tons. The number of ooaL leases in the colony was 163, and the number of coal miners employed was 3288. In this connection there was a matter that demanded immediate investigation. Last year tie colony imported from New South Wale 3 the follow- • ing tonnage of coal : —Auckland, 22,898; " Gisborne, 5788; Wellington, 18,322; Napier, 8642; Kaipara, 3802; Wanganui 7015; Lyt- < telton, 49,061; Timaru, 9549; Oamaru, f 1646; Dunedin. 15,269; Invercargi'll. 4370; i Picton, 1199 ; Greymouth, 24 ; or a total of - Newcastle coal of 146,615 tons. Surely tha t j would give food for reflection. 'The coal : sold from the Kaitangata mine in the >var < would be 26,000 tons less than what had I been imported into New Zealand. Why ] should New Zealand, a coal-producing ; country, be importing coal to the extent of I 150.000 tons a year? If the work of pro- i ducing that amount were carried on in the ( colony it would provide work for 400 men. ( A remedy must be looked for. In the case s of Dunedin, 15,000 tons of coal were im- 1 ported. As faras household coal was con- ! i cernfd the Kaitansrata coal was equal to ■ f anything that could be sot. Let them con- c trast th<^ railage from Kaitangata to Dun- } edin with the ship's freight from New ] South Wales to New Zealand, and he onuld j not understand why there should be 15.000 \ tons^ of Newcastle coal used. His own i opinion was that it was not what was paid i to tb-p minora. He believed the rate:; ob- ? tainecT by tho miners in New South Wales t wore hi«h^r than tho rates in Kairangrata. c Where, then, was the 'eakage? Be thought « ir was in the cost of delivery. — (Appfauso.) r Ho had heard with regret that there wrrp c merchants in Dunodin who preferred and 2 pressed the =>a'p of Newcastle coal as against p the sale of N^w Zeahnd coal. It was I a great pity. The collateral advantage of \ iuivine the money kept within th-o colony v and the employment; of thp people of the I colony ought fn overwei<?-h any little a business that 'might be done by importers, li He intended to have searching inauiry inad<» v to ascertain how it was that in a coal n country liko New Zealand tn<?v wore- im- n porting so h»avilv from Australia. — 'Ap- ' a plauso.) Tho fr'-' they imported flio mcr-e t ivr.ik there would ]p f •<• t!;o roal nvners r He wanted to obtain a rotui'-f to those a vho ha r J inve^i-rr] money r\ orrA iiiin^ — apv'-ii^e) — and lie !ia<! no c 7 *>ubt a lomedv ■voi.l-1 bp f< nod nr- if ih it )I>p pi. -<-'•>(• -ip. 'ortunata c&n.'iciui of th 112s would Lo v

slopped. What had been the result ol the Government's progressive legislation as far as the Bruce County was concerned. Between 1899 and 1904- the population of the county had increased from 7728 to 8162. The- unimproved value of land from £696,293 to £807,012 ; the value of improvements from £417.101 to £471,977; the capital value from £1,113,394- to £1,278,989; the land in sown grasses from 110,271 acres to 112.027 acres. Horses and cattle had also increased. In the Borough of Eaitangata the population had gone up from 1400 to 2000 ; the unimproved value of land from £27.933 to £28,037; tho value of improvements from £32,095 to £34-,483; and the capital value from £59,958 to £62,520. Some of these increases were for six years. Had the legislation of the Government improved the position of the neople? Yes, it had. In Auckland there were 1176 factories, with 10,275 employees; in Wellington 789 factories, with 7501 employees ; in Dunedin 761 factories, with 6b21 employees ; and in Christchurch 1123 factories, with 11,290 employees. In conclusion Mr Seddon said he was sure that the member representing the district did not represent the feelings of the majority of the people of Kaitangata, and asked them all to bind together for the common good and contentment and happiness of their colony. — (Applause.) Mr F. T. Poole moved a hearty vote _of thanks to the Premier for his able address, and of entire confidence in the present Government and its administration. Mr E. Waters seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr Seddon then pr-e&ented to the Kaitangata branchy of the Liberal and Labour League a eharaer of incorporation, which was accepted by Mr Poole on behalf of the branch. The next function was the presentation by the Premier of certificates to members of the Ambulance Association who passed the December examination. The list was as follows : — First aid certificates : Thos. Barclay, Chas. Wilson, J. W. Lccait : second aid (advanced) : J. Sarjeant. P. Brady, H. Williams, H. Frazcr, ' R. Henderson, Thos. Espie; medallion, Thos. Hamilton . The mee-tin? closed at 20 minutes past 11 with cheers for the Premier. Subsequently Mr Seddon was entertained at a banquet in the Masonic Hall. To-morrow night Mr Seddon speaks at Tapanui, and reaches Dunedin by the early express on Friday.