THE I\Y£RCAKGILL SfiAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2855, 2 December 1908, Page 88

THE I\Y£RCAKGILL SfiAT.

MR J. A. HANAN'S POSITION. THE MEMBER INTERVIEWED. Mr J. A. Hanan, M.P., on his return to Dunedin on iNov. 27 from the north,' was interviewed by a representative 'of this journal, and was questioned as to the truth of the rumour ihat he might deoline ieelection in order that the Hon. R. M'Nab might stand for his seat. Mr Hanan stated that a rumour to that effect had been circulated at Invercargill, and that he had been asked, among others," by the chairman of hie committee if there was any truth in the statement. He had replied that he had not been asked to do anj» such thing, nor did he intend to, do bo. He had been nine years in the House, and it was not likely that he was goin^r to throw these nine years away, as well as three years' further tenure. When in Christchurch Jie had found that this rumour had reached there, and the Christohurch members whom he» had met had mentioned it to him, stating 1 that they could hardly believe that there was any truth in such a statement. He (Mr Hanan) had assured them that they were perfectly right in their opinions as to there being no grcund for this report. Mr Hanan on to say that when m. Wellington he had been interviewed by two newspaper representatives, and to eaoh of them he had given an emphatic denial to the suggestion, and had also explained to them how he thought the rumour had originated. As to the suggestion that he was going to the- Upper House, Mr Han«n remarked that had he wished a. seat in the Upper House, seeing that there was a vacancy, he could have put forward his claim to such a position before the elections, and his claims, by reason of his length of service and his services, would be paramount. That disposed of the suggestion that he, had he retired — which he had never thought of doing,— would have accepted the position in the Upper House, had it been offered to him. "I think," said Mr Hanan, "that in fairness to me, and in accordance^ with journalistic practice, the newspaper correspondents who circulated this groundless rumour should have in the first instance communicated with me." It is said that you are an aspirant for Ministerial honours, suggested our reporter. "My name," replied Mr Hanan, " has boon mentioned in your paper, and in other journals, but I have not made representation, nor attempted to bring any influence to bear on the Prime Minister in, regard to any claim that I may have." Asked what he thought of the results of the election, Mr Hanan stated tfiat while he regretted the loss to the House of some of the members, he believed that on the whole, from the- Liberal party's standpoint, the result was satisfactory. One effect, speaking as a Radical, would be to harden up the Radical element in the House and in the country. The Radical and Democratic sections of the House would be numerically as strong as ever, and in debating power its strength had certainly not been diminished. To the question, Do you think the Opposition will sue coed in netting the option, of the freehold granted to all Crown tenants? Mr Hanan replied: "No, I don't think so. There are enough Radicals in th» House, apart from other members who would oppose it, to successfully block any such proposal. You can depend upon it, wo won Id fight night and day against any retrospective land legislation? New Zealand is a democratic country, and the electors as a whole will not allow of any going back in respee"t to progressive Liberal legislation. As a matter of fact, I look forward to a continuance of a steady, safe, and a reasonably progressive policy of legislation, dealing: with those questions of the day that are wit-bin the realms of practical polities. Political and social progress, as you know, is never by leaps and bounds. Who will be the new Minister?? was the next question. Mr Hauan replied: "I prefer not to ex- 1 press an opinion on that subject just yet." The Prime Minister will have a difficult task bjfore him? Mr Hanan : " Yes ; that 16 if you have regard to the number of aspirant*. But 1 think he will get over the difficulty, and I should be much mistaken if he does not, as he did when ho constituted his firefc Ministry, surround himself with strong men." ,- What about borrowing? Mr Hanan said: "1 think it is desirable to gradually taper eff or curtail it. In one of my speeches I pointed out that jf members, their consnituenfe, anJ the newspaper in their [ii strict? u.-.uM to wmo extent ceaee pres--in,<.C t!io (To\sri"n?nt to make provision for i-i up ei'rii- of expenditures there would! not W tho n- -.-I' 1 , to borrow to the same r-xtont. The Uo\«_rriinen's cannot go on r.rlrf-imi'ly making large appropriation* on .vork-3 a-, i'- has done in the past." Mr 'liir.m: v.r-nt en to say that he believed ■hat son, "thing should b3 done to relieve o seme extent tho House of its works iinctlon-: — -that is to say. roads, bridges, >te. A comprehensive loc&l government neasrure of reform in connection, with the : ystern of local government was badly iee<J.ed. Tho tim--> had arrhed for local jfovernment work to he- <!c'ne on wider and! 'reer lines. In New South Wales they hadf :ack!cd this question, and iocal govem■n»nt reform had, among other thing*, aeen «<Joptod on tho basis of a defined >ystem for allocation for votes or Sub-j'-cbes for lotai bodies. He thought a eatiHiattory .scheme could be evolved, and mother te^ential would be making for am issured finance for local - bodice. Lmbl

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"todies would have to exercise a little more self-reliance, and not come to the Government clamouring for so many votes for roads awf bridges. The question was a difficult one, but it wouid have to be faced. N On being questioned concerning our State departments, Mr Han-an said that we must be careful to see that some State depart- \ ments were so ma-naged that their revenues would not be depleted to such an extent by concessions, etc., bsimg made that they would become a burden to the people instead of suoceseful undertakings. ' There were some irresponsibLe and thoughtless persons who made demand for the reduction, or the abolitk»n,''of certain charges, freights, and fares, in regard to our State serTioes which, if given effect to, would v.-reck financially some of out important and useful State ventures.