MR JAMES ALLEN'S TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2935, 15 June 1910, Page 33

MR JAMES ALLEN'S TOUR.

MR ALLEN AT HOKITIKA. ; ' ? REPLY TO SIR J. G. WARD. HOKITIKA, June 10. Despite boisterous and dirty weather Mr J. Allen had a very large meeting at Hokitika this eventing. Be spoke in reply to the Prime Minister, and dealt with the. Government’s treatment of the Dominion newspaper. Sir J. G. Ward had said that the paper was started to oppose the Government’s land policy. What was the Government’s land policy—its back against the door or nailed to the mast? The Dominion , started to give fair play to the other side, and Ministers utilised the people’s taxation to bolster up the Government paper. The Government’s ex- . travagance was exposed, and it was proved by Ministerial administration that £250,000 could be saved without impairing efficiency. Specific instances of extravagance were given, including the financial adviser, Mr Smith, Parliamentary Buildings, and the Native Land Commission, which cost £9812, of which a Minister received ‘ £1945. It was shown that retrenchment was necessary owing to the increase in ex- * peiiditure increasing beyond that in revenue by £376,000. As regards misrepresentation, the Prime Minister was responsible for comparing in his speech at Winton his revenue for the year not with the revenue of the previous year, but with his estimate. As a matter of fact his revenue increased only in three departments, railways contributing £359,000. The magnificent recovery referred to by the Prime Minister in his speech at Winton amounted to £31,667. It was also E Oinked out that the Treasury bills had een reduced to £IOO.OOO on the 31st of March. It was quite likely that they would go up again by June, as happened last year. The cry that the Opposition never helped the Government was quite untrue. For instance, it did so in regard to land settlement, finance, workers’ homes, amendment to the Old-age Pensions Act, education, social legislation, and defence, but no credit was ever given to the Opposition for this or for finding a policy for the Government, and thus keping it in office. No credit was given to the Opposition for having urged the transfer of improper charges on the Public Works Fund to revenue, for assistance in making superannuation schemes sound, for finding a policy for the Government, and in respect to a sinking fund. Loss of parliamentary control was referred to. Mr Allen 'did not oppose borrowing, but opposed the wasteful expenditure of borrowed money. The possible borrowing and guarantees was £8.425,000, and the public works expenditure last year approximated £2,000.000. The cost for railways had risen since 1908 to £2012 per mile, and. judging by his experience in his own district, there was a tremendous waste. The late Mr Seddon had said that a previous continuous Ministry had been kept in office by a lavish expenditure of borrowed money, but this was more true

of the present continuous Ministry. It was like a limpet, obstructing the Ship of State. It had backed down on the Land Bill, on. superannuation, the Knyvett case, and the capitation to school committees, and he propheeiaed that it would back down on the new railway regulations. The injury to the finance of local bodies by repealing the act and the misstatement of the Prime Minister in regard to £BOO,OOO at 3| per cent, without including the 1 per cent, sinking fund were alluded to. Mr Allen referred to the constructive proposition of the Opposition in defence, land, and ether matters, and ended by an appeal to find a real national life feeling in New Zealand. HIS WEST COAST IMPRESSIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 13. Mr James Allen, M.P., for Bruce, who returned this evening from the West Coast after having delivered a political address at Hokitika last Friday evening, speaks highly of the reception accorded him, and of the hospitality extended to him. On Saturday, Mr Allen was in Greymouth, and in the afternoon he visited the State coal mine at Runanga. He reached Otira the same evening, and went to the face of the^Arthur’s Pass tunnel, and saw the tunnel works. Seen by a representative of the Press shortly after his arrival here to-night, Mr Allen gave some impressions of his visit to the Coast. “ The weather in Hokitika on Friday night,” Mr Allen said, “ was extremely bad, and the rain made things wretched. Notwithstanding this, the theatre was practically full, and I was quite astonished to see so large a crowd. It indicated to me the existence of an active political life in the community. Some of those present, including several ladies, came 16 miles to attend the meeting. The audience gave me a very handsome reception, as did also the people on the Coast generally, who were very hospitable to me right through. The attitude of the people of Hokitika and district is' an evidence of what is taking place in other parts of the Dominion. It denotes a very satisfactory state of'affairs. As far as I could judge, the West Coasters are real politicans, who read and study nolitics. Until recently, however. they have not heard Opposition members, and have not seen them, and I think that the real value of the recent Opposition addresses is that the people not only heard Opposition members on the platform, but also had an opportunity of seeing what manner of men they are. I hope and believe that the result has been satisfactory to them. I am sure that it has been so to us. It is Quite a mistake, to by mind, to suppose that the West Coasters are bound hand and foot to the Government in matters political. I am quite sure they are not. They are quite an independent, free people, and ar© not a bit afraid to let their politics be known. I found amongst them generally a very healthy political feeling. They showed a willingness to hear both sides, and I have no hesitation in saying that now that they have heard both sides, they will judge properly. “I had not been on the West Coast for 28 years," Mr Allen said in reply to a question, “ and I need hardly say that things have much altered since then, and the Coast has developed considerably during that period. The sawmilling industry has developed, especially, and has grown to be one of the most important on the Coast. 1 was a little disappointed to find that the land between Greymouth and Hokitika, after being cleared, does not carry grass well, due, I understand, to the existence of a belt of hard cement. South of Hokitika, I was informed, there is good land and good grazing country. Around Hokitika things at present are somewhat dull, owing to the mining industry not developing. Everyone hopes, and I hope too, that the new mining ventures will turn out well, not- only at Ross, but at Rimu, at which last-men-tioned locality a large area will be opened up if the Government does not adopt a dog-in-the-manger policy and block enterprise by not. allowing the water-power to be utilised, which, at present is running to waste. There is little doubt that the position the Government has taken over the water power is blocking enterprise, and something will have to be done to let those who really want to open up mining lands, get the use of the water for mining operations. Once that difficulty is overcome, Hokitika would benefit greatly.” Regarding the Midland Railway, Mr Allen said the work struck him in a more favourable light than he had previously judged. From what he knew of the district in the nast he could now see that the large timber industry would feed the line, and he had no doubt coal from the State Mine will be conveyed over it, and though the grade of the tunnel is fairly heavy, he had no doubt that the Railway Department will be able ! o manage matters in that respect. The mention of the Midland Railway naturally suggested reference to some, remarks made by Mr Adieu at Hokitika regarding Hip increase on the cost of railway era's-’action in the Dominion as compared. . r 1 what it was in 1894. Mr Allen said : " I have no hesitation in saying that there is extravagance going on in regard to railway construction, and, I believe, mismanagement also. I venture to say. that if money had been iudiciously spent in railway construction, the Lawrence-Roxburgh line could have been made to Beaumont for the sum which has been expended on its construction to Big Hill tunnel. Nor have I any hesitation in saying that the line Horn Hokitika south, if it had been constructed on proper principles, could have been taken further south for the same sum of money, and that the people would have been much better satisfied if it had been constructed at less cost per mile, and had been taken further. The increased cost of railway construction is not altogether due to the nature of the country through which the line is made, as witness the line north from Dunedin and the Christ-. church-Lyttelton line. As to the asser-

tion that the Lawrence-Roxburgh line will be a costly one to construct, that is not correct. lam quite sure that it could be constructed to suit the purposes of. the people of the district for £6OOO per mile.” When at Greymouth on Saturday, Mr Allen met the Hon. A. R. Guineas (Speaker of the House of Representatives) and members of the Borough Council, who brought under his notice matters connected with the native leases, on the ground subject to which much of the business part of the town is built They pointed out the difficulties that the town laboured under on account of this tenure. Mr Allen thinks that as the Government has interfered in order to protect the natives, it ought to interfere to protect the white man. It is not to be expected, he remarked, that people will erect good buildings on land leased for 21 years, at the end of which period it is revalued and released with an addition of 5 per cent, on the value of the ground. At the State Coal Mine, Mr Allen was shown over the surface workings oy Mr James Bishop, the manager. These appeared to Mr Allen to be very satisfactory, and the mine appeared to be well equipped. Mr Bishop informed him that the water difficulty in the mine has been largely got over.