PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 21, 19 July 1911, Page 3

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESS

MR. 11IXK AT INGLEWOOD. Mr. J. IV Him-. M.P. for StmUonl. addressed the electors at Inglewood last night. There was a large attendance. Mr. Hine said that it was unnecessary for him to say how pleased he was to meet the electors, not because he was anxious to speechify, but because he considered it his duty, as member for the district, to render an account of his stewardship in the position of responsibility he had been entrusted with. During his short Parliamentary experience he had realised that the position was no sinecure, nor could any member who was trying to carry out his duties faithfully say otherwise. In the first place, the electors expected their member to take an active and intelligent interest in all matters that made for the welfare of the country and district, to be the medium by which all the requirements of the district were brought under the notice' of the proper authorities, and was expected to see that all these wants were supplied. The great danger of this doctrine was that sometimes a member was judged by what he could do for his electorate, and the greater and higher duties he had to perform—that which affected the progress and prosperity of the whole of New Zealand—was lost sight of.

GOVERNMENT TACTICS CRITICISED. There was one matter about which he desired to say a few words before touching on the various questions discussed I last session, and that was the Govern-! ment's method of carrying on the business, and the manner in which Parliament's functions were usurped, ft must, be evident to nil who read that there was something seriously wrong with the methods adopted, otherwise it would not be so constantly necessary to amend the Acts just recently placed on the Statute Rook. He was quite sure that this was due to the hasty way in which the Bills were rushed through the House, and the Government had the whole responsibility and blame. The reason was not far to seek. It was due to the great waste of time during the early parts of the sessions and then forcing so many Rills through at the end with a rush. "Just imagine! We had 184 Rills last year in a session of less than 100 days, and amongst these were bills of great importance to the Dominion, such as Rills relating to Education, Defence. Gaming, Licensing, Legislature, Local Bodies' Loans, Finance, Land and Income Tax, National Provid»nt Fund, State Guarantees, Public Dtbt Extinction. Aid to Water Power, ■ Jjinds Laws Amendment, and others. And I ask you. Is it to be wondered at that slipshod legislation resulted? Nat israil you ask, 'Who is responsible?' ■ Am! some say, 'Roth sides." It's nothing of the sort. I unhesitating say it is the Government's fault, and theirs only. They have the control of the order paper, and can jnggl.e it as suits their purpose. This order paper is prepared and presented on the authority of the Government, and circulated to members in the I morning."

Those members who were watching the fioveniment proposals closely would work hard to make themselves conversant with the subjects placed at the top of the order paper, and then when the House met, the Prime Minister would very blandly inform the assembly that he proposed to postpone the debate on Xos. 1, 2, 3, 4. 5 and 0, and would take Nos. 7 and 8, and probably 9. This was met at once by objections from the Leader of the Opposition, on the grounds that no one was prepared to debate the subject proposed to be taken; in fact, probably no one had any knowledge that they were going to be on the order paper until the day before, but the Government knew what they wanted. A measure -passed without criticism, and with a docile following, their point was easily gamed. These tactics are invariably adopted when the Government desired a measure to pass without any keen criticism. The statement absolved the Opposition from any blame as to wasting tune. Then, again, often enough there were not any Bills ready, so the (.overnment would bring down a departmental report, and then there would follow a continuous reiteration of statements regarding the matter contained in the report, carried on almost solely from the Government side of the House He proposed to review a few of the most important Bills, such as those under the beading, of Gaming. National irovulent, Incensing. Public Debt and Defence.

THE CAM I XT, BILL. Taking the fi rsv , the Gaming Bill. Tins proposed to repeal that iniquitous pieee of business, the licensing of the bookmaker, which had been legalised by the Government a few vears before This matter was first introduced by Mr Newman, member for Manawatn. an Oppositionist, but who. of course, had to give way to the Ministerial svstem of grab, and had to content himself by helping to place bis measure on the Statute Book under the name of its adopted parents, the Liberal Government. During bis election campaign lie denounced the action of the Government in licensing the bookmaker, and it was great satisfaction to him to know that these men had no longer any legal status. Whether they wore non-existent was a very moot point, but they were subject to verv heavy penalties if convicted. Whilst this matter was before the House the question of the abolition of the totalisalor was also considered, and whilst be had no sympathy with gambling or the totalisator. he was convinced that it would have been a mistake to attempt to abolish the bookmaker and the totalisator at the same time. They must first rid the country of the greater evil the man who gave his clients time to pay. and the man who catered for and enticed the youths to bet in a small war.

licensing. The licensing question also caused a strong feeling throughout the Dominion, and amongst the members, although the Government brought in a proposal to reduce the majority necessary to carry no-license or national prohibition, they very soon gave way to the pressure from the Trade, and intimated to the House that it was impossible to alter the majority question.. However one important change was made, and that was the additional question to be submitted to the people next December Hie question of national prohibition. I Ins would be taken on a separate voting paper, and was in no way connected with the local option poll. For national prohibition Hie same majority of votes three-fifths of the whole of the voters' was required, and on this point he was strongly of opinion that a minority of the voters should not control the question. Tt was against all principles of justice, liberalism or ilemocnicy, andanv opportunity he bad of voting on any amendment of the law would go in the direction of inserting the words, ''bare majority." DEFENCE. There was also the question of the defence or the Dominion, and following Lord Kitchener's recommendation, they had now compulsory military training for the voutli of this country. ' He knew of no other method that would do more for the strengthening of the national

life than a well-defined course of discipline for our boys. New Zealand was extremely fortunate in obtaining the. services of such a man as General Godley to put into operation the new scheme, as he appeared to have a faculty ■for grasping the sentiment and ideas of the colonial boy, and, with a ready support from the parents of the eligible boys, success would reward the Genenal's work.

Just here he would draw attention to the fact that these measures, of which he had puat been speaking about, gaming, licensing and defence, were all nonparty measures. The last one, defence, had been advocated soundly for some years by the Opposition, and the party was pleased to have assisted in placing it amongst the laws of the Dominion. NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND.

This measure was enacted to encourage thrift amongst our people, and although limited in its scope, offered to certain persons the opportunity to provide against want in old age. Briefly put, the measure enabled persons contributing small weekly sums to obtain a pension varying from 10s per week to 40s per week, according to the amount paid in by the contributor, and the payment was guaranteed by the State. This measure in a small way followed the proposals of the late Sir Harry Atkinson, the great difference being that Sir Harry's scheme was meant for all, but this Act applied only to those persons between the ages of 16 and 45 years, and wflro were earning less than £4 per week. PURLIC DEBT EXTINCTION. In regard to the Public Debt Extinction Fund he must confess his great disappointment on this matter. He was a firm believer in sinking funds if on a proper basis, but to suggest that a fund should be set aside to accumulate in 75 years sufficient to liquidate pur indebtedness was the essence of nonsense. The Prime Minister had absorbed all the sinking funds that were then in existence into the new scheme, and no doubt as time went on the absorption would again take place. THE "HINE CHARGES."

"Then there are the 'Hine charges! and in connection with this matter I desire to draw your attention to the remarkable change of front on the part of the Government. When first I made the statement in the House that 'Tain-1 many had a grip of the politics of the country,' there was such a howl from the Governirlent side of the House; they held up their hands in well-feigned horror, at the same time expressing their opinion that my statement was a slur and a slander on every member of Parliament. They talked—as they always talk—about iimendo and misrepresentation, were anxious to have the names to bandy about, and hoped such a case of infamy would not go unpunished. />Rut what a change took place after the Parliamentary Committee was set up, and the Government was found to be implicated in some cases! Then the whole endeavor of the Government Party was to belittle the charges, to burke the question, and to protect the offenders. But in spite of all intrigue tJic committee was compelled by the weight of evidence to bring down a report recommending legislation to be passed preventing such transactions in the future. I am not'going into any lengthy quotations from the evidence, but I cannot let this address go by without letting you know the difficulties a private member has in attempting to traverse any wrongdoing on the part of the Government. Take for instance the Te Akau case. Strong influence was brought to bear on certain witnesses to. try and prevent their giving evidence, and in some instances were very successful. In connection with the Te Akau block, let me say that in spite of the way in wbich we pride ourselves of having dealt fairly with the natives, the evidence before the committee showed that Ministers of the Crown had dealt unfairly with a certain tribe, with the object of securing the lands they held. Then, again, in the Fla.vbourne case, a man named Tattle, formerly a clerk in Dr. Findlay's office, was engaged and received £631 for 200 days' work, and what the work was no one seemed to know. One witness said he helped the cook and groom sometimes. And Dr. Findlay was counsel for the Crown in this ease, and signed vouchers for payments. Then there was the Nai Nai estate purchased by the Crown. In this case the valuer for the Land Purchase Board was instructed to make a report and valuation, his value being £BO per acre. Attempts were made to obtain a higher valuation, but no evidence was tendered to show any , other valuer's report. Ultimately, without any further valuation, the estate was purchased for £l5O per acre, and it is to-day being used as grazing land. , It have not the slightest doubt but what. j my action in revealing the condition of J things as existing in prominent places will have your most generous approval and support, and I believe the result of the enquiry will be a determination on the part of the people of the Dominion to return men to Parliament who are determined 1 at all costs to uphold the dignity of Parliament and the maintenance of a high standard of public life, and who will insist upon the country knowing the true position of all public transactions. (To be concluded in next issue.)