Parliament Out of Session.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6233, 4 June 1890, Page 2

Parliament Out of Session.

MR BUTTON, M.H.R., AT GERALDINE,

On Monday evening last Mr Buxton addressed his constituents in tho Oddfellows’ Hall, Geraldine. Mr W. S. Maslin, chairman of tho Town Board, presided. There was a large attendance. The chairman having briefly introduced the member for Bangitata, Mr Buxton, who was received with applause, spoke as follows : —Mr Chairman and gentlemen,—l am glad of the opportunity of addressing you once more, and perhaps it will be the third and last time , of doing so as your member for the Bangitata electorate. I am most happy to say that I have some good news to tell you, and will note a few of the events of the past session and what you will be interested in. One of the first duties which we had to perform at the beginning of last session was the appointing of a leader for the Opposition, as up to that time we had no recognised leader. We had our rules in the House to govern us in our business as the Opposition. We had managed our business previously by means of a committee which we did not find so successful as if wo had a loader. We had one in our mind and fixed on the Hon. J. Ballance, and on our asking him to become our leader he at last consented to take up that position, and during the whole of the session we were completely satisfied at the manner in which he conducted the business of the Opposition, and I am sure we could not have found a better man. One of our first Bills of any importance was tho TEIENNIAL LICENSING DILL. This had been before the House on several i previous occasions, and I strongly opposed it. , I was in hopes that when it came before the 1 committee of the whole House, I should have been sucoessful in getting a clause inserted whereby women would be permitted to vote in the same way as men. We all tried our best but were unsuccessful. Another Bill introduced was THE EIGHT HOLES BILL. To my mind this would not bo of much importance to Canterbury, and I considered it to bo a useless measure, and spoke against it on its second reading. It was a short end concise Bill, and was to the effect that one day’s work should consist of eight hours, and forty eight hours for each week. The member for Sydenham, who had charge of the Bill, would not permit of any alterations being made in it. We, as farmers, know that the Bill was objectionable, having horses to be attended to before men commenced their work, and afterwards also, and who so able to attend to them but those who work with them. If the men had only to work them eight hours, farmers would have to employ other men to attend to them both before and after their day’s work was done. The Bill would thus interfere with the ordinary routine of labour. Then there wore those who worked with machinery, and several other kinds of work. In the sawmills men would have to see to the machinery before they commenced their proper work at 8 o’clock. Then there were domestic servants and many others that the operations of tho Bill would interfere with. I opposed the ( Bill on principle, as I considered it only a catch for tho working classes. If my constituents desire that legislation should take . place in the direction indicated by the Bill, ) I hope they will communicate their wishes to i me. I think it is against employers and employees alike. If people agree te work certain hours a day by all means let them do so. I do not feel inclined to support the measure if it be brought up again. Then THE HAEB SYSTEM Of voting came up before the House. It caused considerable discussion, and I am of the same opinion still, against it, for it tends to bring in an aristocratic government. I now know more of this Bill than I did when I was last before you. It would be the means of electors voting for men whom they knew nothing about. For instance, what would you know of persons who solicited your suffrages, who lived in Dunedin or other far away places. My impression is that when you send men to Parliament you should know something of their private character. This Bill ought never io becumo law, and I feel inclined still to oppose it. THE EEPEESENTATION BILL.

The Representation Bill proper came down soon after the Hare Bill was dropped. It was discussed at some length. The principle and objects of the Bill were in regard to the quota, and it was ultimately decided that twenty-eight should be the quota. During that tremendous debate and stonewalling the members had a wearisome and trying time of it, and I sat there the whole time most uncomfortable whilst listening to some of the most outrageous remarks that some city men made use of, but I don’t think they meant all they said. Perhaps they thought to rouse up the country members, for they called them a lot of clodhoppers and country bumpkins who know not the requirements of the country at large. One night I took the opportunity to rise after Sir George Grey had spoken hard things against the country people, and I told them it was hard indeed to hear the country people abused; that I was a farmer and representative of one of the best farming districts in the colony ; representing men of means and intelligence ; men well capable of understanding the necessities of the colony. I certainly felt riled at them and called them sooty-faced townsmen, and to call my constituents clodhoppers, I was surprised and ashamed of them. I told them that even the servants of my constituents were superior to many of the towns-people, for after their work was done they read the papers, thus becoming acquainted with the politics of the day, which was very different to towns-people who after their dinner went to the concert hall or the theatre without ever troubling themselves about their country and its necessities. Some were in convulsions whilst I spoke and others were very wroth, and amongst these was one gentleman who wrote to the Lyttelton Times about mo, and amongst other things he said: “The idea of the member for Geraldine following Sir John Hall, Oh, where is Rolleston!’’ Ho made one mistake even in these remarks, because I am not the member for Geraldine, but for Rangitata. One of the best features of the Bill was that for one man there was but one vole. Some people don’t admire this. My reason for admiring it is this. Under the old law some persons who have property in seven or eight electoral districts would consequently have a right to vote in each could he have the time to do so. If a man had 10,000 acres he could vote for ten men, or if he had 8000 acres he could vote for eight men. But the one vote for the one man was quite the best. Suppose a man hud a large number of men iu his employ, say 100, they are by their labour furnishing him with funds to pay all the dues on his farm, and it is from the bone and sinew of these men whereby he can pay his way and wages. Ho is supplied by them, and they are the producers of his wealth. They have an equal right to vote as well as the owner of the properly.

THE OTAGO CEKTHAL EAXLWAT BILE Was another important measure. I opposed it, although I strongly advocated it daring the previous session, when the member for

Dunstan, who had charge of tho Bill, suggested that the railway should be placed in the hands of a syndicate, like tho Midland Railway, and I considered it would be better for the country and advantageous to New Zealand in the course of time, and it might perhaps not pay now but would afterwards. Last session the Premier brought in a Bill of a different character, to the effect that £15,000 should be given from the unallocated loan in hand, and £200,030 borrowed from the trust funds of the colony. This did not suit the House. They were opposed to borrowing behind the curtain, and it was not right to use the trust funds and involve the country in this way. It was simply borrowing money not Jeasily understood, and they would eventually have to borrow more London. The railway would be built on borrowed capital; the land sold to speculators, and then sold to lona fide settlers at advanced value. To my mind the railway should not be built out of the trust funds. If they must borrow money let them, as the Hon. Mr Bal lance says, do so openly and let it be done in a straightforward way. In my mind public works should not go on to any great extent, but as they are now doing. If they did go on to any great extent the money would have 1 1 come from the consolidated fund, and increase the liability of the colony. THE CALII’OENIAN THISTLE BILL. I opposed this Bill. 1 had spoken to you before about it. To ray mind it would not be advantageous. It would bo using public money in the wrong direction. The farmer should keep his own land clear. If the Bill became law they must have inspectors appointed to inspect the land. I believe the Californian thistle, so called, to be nothing more than the old English thistle. I have had it on my own farm for the last two years, and always cut it down before it blooms, ard it does no harm. If' the Bill became law, it would be a waste of public money and do no good. If my constituents wish me to take no notice of the Bill I will stand against it still. THE PEOPEETT TAX. Many persons wish to have a land and income tax instead of the Property Tax, I have listened to all the arguments raised in their favour, but I am still of. the opinion that the Property Tax is tho best thing that the country can have, for as it is now framed it is a land tax. It leaves every man free who has not more] than £3OO after all his debts are paid. He does not pay any property tax, but all do so whose property is worth more than £SOO. It taxes property holders and the wealthy. Some say why not tax those under the £300? But they pay more in accordance with their income, through the Customs to the revenue of the colony, than those above £SOO, and if they pay more in proportion to their income it must be fair to them. I have not as yet seen my way to do justice to all in regard to this Bill, but it is the best tax we can have at the present time. It a land tax were found to be best for the tillers of the soil and the industrial classes, let us have it ; but if we crush these we crush the wealth-producers of the land. There is only one class who can escape paying the Property Tax, and that is those land owners who reside in the Old Country and live on the money and interest they receive from their estates in New Zealand. THE EDUCATION PBANCHISE. This was another Bill placed before us during last session, but, unfortunately, it did not pass. Plurality of voting has been tho means of causing serious disturbances in some places Several persons think a householder should only give one vote for each of seven candidates for election on the school committee, and in this I quite agree. It has passed the lower House three or four times, but has always been thrown out in the Council. I feel sure that tho member for Waimate will not put the Bill aside, but will keep on urging it each session till it becomes law. LAND ACTS. These Acts have been amended again and again. It is a moat difficult matter to legislate upon. Mauy of the members, myself included, think that as the Acts are at present they are advantageous to the country, but instead of the land being purchased by men of small means it is bought up by men of capital who obtain large areas. It seems to me almost impossible to prevent a man of money from buying what he likes. There’s a law made whereof if a man wants a small section he puts in his ticket in the lottery as it wore, but Jones and Robinson who live close by also want it. They put in their claim and deposit. But then again there is a wealthy man with several sons and daughters. He wants this section also and puts in his claim as well as the sons and daughters. He has, say, twelve chances against Jones, Robinson, or the man with small means. When the ticket is drawn it is found to be that of one of the wealthy man’s daughters, who gets the section and afterwards transfers it to her father. Jones and Robinson then go home and say, “ When can the poor man get a piece of land.” Faults in tbe Act come before Government every time we meet in Parliament. The electors need not think the members are not trying to bring about a better state of things. We have friends of the working man in the House, men of wealth, who will do their best for them and are endeavouring to get the land laws altered. When we goto Parliament next time, some may propose that we set aside a sum of money to get immigrants from tbe Old Country. Our land laws have driven small capitalists and working men from the shores of New Zealand, because they could not obtain small sections of land to settle upon, and they would gladly return here could they get some land and remunerative labour. I will oppose tho getting of immigrants from the Old Country. BIBLE BEADING IN SCHOOLS.

There wore two or three other measures of importance that came before the House, and amongst these was the Bible Reading in Schools Bill. Sir Robert Stout had said ho hoped the members would not be gulled, when the land laws were considered, in regard to the reading of the Bible in schools. I was sorry the reading of the Bible in schools was not allowed, because it is a matter of great importance to the colony. Morally it is so, and I believe a large number of young men at the present day suffer because it is not read in schools. I will do my best to get it introduced into the schools of the colony. We have a Bill proposed for consideration during next session. It is a very short one. The second clause proposes that the committee of any school district under the Act of 1887 may allow the Bible to be read in the schools without comment within school hours. The third clause provides that when comment is allowed it must be of an unsectarian character, and suitable to the capability of the children to understand it. With the Bill there are suggestions as to what parts of the Bible should be read. I should oppose any comment on the Bible, or religious teaching in schools, because it would cause disturbances amongst the children and also amongst families. The fourth clause enacts that it be read either at the beginning or close of the school time, and to be inserted in the time table. Any child may be withdrawn during such reading if it be at the desire of the parent or guardian. One reason why I am in favour of the Bible is that if something in this direction be not done our educational system will bo materially interfered with. Several clergymen of the Church of England are anxious’about it, and if our legislature will not dp something the Church will inter, fere. PBIVATE SCHOOLS BILL. I had been threatened that it I took the stand I intended to take, and stood again for Parliament I should be rejected. I took my stand and voted for the Bill. I did not do it in the dark. Some people told me I voted for it in order to catch the Catholic vote. I think the Catholics themselves would scorn such an action. I voted for it because I believed it to be right. The Bill had been altered to what it originally was named, and is now called the Private Schools Bill. Its purport is to give assistance to those schools whose teaching comes up to the standard of the State schools, and are inspected by the Board of Education inspectors, without favouring one or tho other. It is but reasonable to give them that which is just and right; to give them a capitation to assist them in their schools. Suppose we as Protestants were living in a Catholic country and were iu the minority as regards population,"and we wished our children to be

taught in the Protestant fai}h. We should Hunk it not wrong to ask support for our childrenin that direction. What is right for me to ask of the Roman Catholics, the same is right for them to ask of Protestants. I will do right in the sight of God and man in the House, or I will not be there at all. Wo are not doing right to the Roman Catholics. 'lhey would be inspected by our inspectors and under State control, and we should give them half what it costs us to educate our own children. Whether Igo to Parliament again or not I consider it nothing but right they should hare it, GERALDINE SCHOOL SITE EMPOWERING BILL. Ttere is a matter which concerns all those residing in Geraldine You are aware that during last session a Bill came before Parliament, purporting to give power to sell your public school building and reserves, and for the money thus obtained to be put into a now building to be ereoted on another site. I was placed in a most difficult position in regard to it. Some wanted the present site, whore the present building is being ereeied, to be sold, and some argued that the present site was the best site and that it would be wrong to get another. I was in a dilemma. I wanted to do that which was right to Geraldine. When I heard that the Local Bills Committee had struck out the 4th clause, I sent the information to several of the principal residents in Geraldine. Some of the members were in favour of having it struck out, and the South Canterbury Board of Education a'so. Many of you told me to proceed with the Bill and not have it struck out. I thought I would try the members themselves and see if I could get the whole Bill passed. Many shook their heads, and I found that if the clause were not struck out it would not bo passed, and if it did they were sure that it would not pass in the Legislalive Council. I went to the Education Department and the Lands Department to try if power could be given to dispose of the old buildings and land without a Bill, and I found that it could not. But I found that if the Bill wore passed, the people of Geraldine could get the site where the building is now in course of erection, sold after the Bill had passed into lay. Previous ,to the Bill being passed no one could sell the old site. I wrote to the chairman of the School Committee here to send me the fullest information on the matter ; first ns to where the new site you proposed to purchase was situate, the area of the new site, and the price of it. To this I got no reply, and I did not know where you wanted the new site, if you sold the site where you are now building, and there was not even a petition sent mo. I tiien wont to work and was successful in getting the Bill passed into law. The Hon. Mr Acland assisted me in getting it passed in the Council, and I hope you are now satisfied. I went to see the site to-day, and when you have the wild Irishmen and scrub cleared off and the land drained it will be a pretty site, and I wish you every success in the matter. I have not such faith in the colony as some have, but I don’t think we are moving fast. Wo have borrowed two millions of money during the past three years. This is all gone and Ministers are looking about for more money. I hope the country won’t permit more borrowing. These are my views and ideas, and I am now willing to answer any questions I am able to. Mr Buxton resumed hia seat amidst considerable applause. Mr G. Taylor remarked that there had lately been a meeting of-the chairmen of the various County Councils. Ihey are in a financial difficulty, and passed resolutions that Parliament be asked to allow them to increase their rating power, their present power being Is in the £. Are you in favour of this ?

Mr Buxton : I should most certainly oppose it. There will be a meeting to morrow afternoon, at the Geraldine Bead Board office, at which I hope to be present. I think our local bodies hare borrowed too much and should be very careful Mr G. Taylor : You are in favour of the reading of the Bible in schools, and the Private Schools Bill. If the followers of Confucius,, Hindoos, and other religious bodies, were to ask for assistance for their schools in the colony, would you be in favour of granting aid to them. Mr Buxton : It is not at all probable that anything such as that will take place. It puts me in mind of a woman whose husband found her crying one day, and he asked her what she was crying for. To this she replied, “ I was thinking that if our Willie was sitting there and a flitch of bacon hanging over his head were to drop on him and kill him, we should lose both.” Such is my opinion in regard to the money allocated for educational purposes. Mr Taylor : I ask you a plain question. If you are in favour of one denomination receiving aid for their schools, surely you are for another.

Mr Buxton : I have carefully read all the clauses of the Bill which provide for aid for any school that complies with the clauses of the present Act in regard to inspection and passing the standards as therein required. Mr W. Helem : How does the property tax affect the companies in the colony ? Mr Buxton : They have to pay tax upon all the property they have here, but the proceeds they receive on rent or profit are not touched by the Property Tax. Mr F. Wilson Smith : Can you inform your constituents if you will stand for the next Parliament ?

Mr Buxton : If you wish me to there is no doubt but what I will.

A few more questions of not much import- 1 ance having been asked and satisfactorily replied to by Mr Buxton, the chairman moved a vote of thanks to him, remarking that he (the chairman) was greatly eurprised at the aptitude with which Mr Buxton had explained political matters, and at the manner iu which he had acquired such knowledge. It showed that he had devoted much time to them, and whether they agreed with him or not he had told them straight out what his opinions were. The vote was seconded by Mr W. Helem and carried by acclamation. Mr Buxton, in reply, said he had tried to do iu the past what he believed to be right, and hoped to do the same when he returned to Wellington. He did not wish the favour of rich or poor, one creed or another. He liked to do that which was right. Those who were opposed to his going to Parliament had since treated him moat courteously, and if at any time they saw anything that would be of advantage to tho colony he hoped they would let him know. He moved a vote of thanks to the chair. The meeting then closed.

(By Telegraph.)

WELLINGTON, June 3,

Addressing his constituents at Ashurst, Mr McArthur supported the property tax, and said that the adoption of a single tax would injure tho settlement of the land. Referring to the surplus of £115,000, he argued that if the ordinary debts of the colony were paid there would be no surplus. If Sir Harry Atkinson retired he would prefer Mr Bryce to Sir John Hall as Premier. He was opposed to the Government Hospitals Bill. A vote of confidence was carried.