THE PREMIER AT INVERCARGILL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1488, 3 April 1886, Page 3

THE PREMIER AT INVERCARGILL.

Tbe Hod. R. Stoat addressed a meeting at Invercargill on last Thursday evening. He was exceedingly well received. THE LAND QUESTION. He condemned Sir George Grey'a proposal, and said that while they bad ■uch large areas of Crown lands yet unsold it was folly to buy up large estates,

STATE BAKE. V He said the only advantage to be gamed by a National Bank would be a loan of £2,000,000 a year, while great risks would be run, and expenses incurred, in establishing Banks, THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. Speaking of the policy of the Go- , remanent, Mr Stout said that depression certainly existed, but they had seen great deal worse times. Id proof of this, he stated that the property tax returns showed an Ucrease of lis millions daring the last three years. Trie, that the prices of produce were lower than they had ever been be- . fore, and that farmers had gone too freely to money-lenders, but the ease was not hopeless, and be hoped they had got a lesson they would remember for all time, The depression could not be cured by Government, although that bad been the cry on which tbe Atkinson Govern-, ment got into offica in 1879. He held that the less the Government did • for the people the better, Those who encouraged the people to lean on an Act of Parliament, or a vote of the House, advised them to lean on a broken reed. They must be thrifty and diligent, aDd depression would pass away. Referring to the public works policy of the Government, he said tbe Government had kept the expenditure at one and a-ha!f millions per annum, which was considerably less than the previous Government had expended, and they would do better still if they got rid of their responsibility for public buildings, and roads and bridges, which were unfairly swallowing up the Public Works Fund. There was a misapprehension as to the effect of Captain Russell's amendment reducing the expenditure by half a million. It did not mean the cessation of-work in the year just expired, but it prevented tbe Government from going on ; with contract?. At this 6eason, but for Captain Rassell's motion, Government would now have been finding work for the unemployed on contracts instead of the relief system in vogns. Looking to the future expenditure, they must be careful not to borrow enormous sums. No matter what depression, they should not go in for an extensive scheme ; in fact, he thought -the time bad nearly arrived when the colony must begin to " edge off " in borrowing. He contended that the cost of roads and bridges and public buildings should come out of the revenue, bat it was difficult to get Parliament to see it, and until the electors said, " we will not look to the Government for such works, 1 ' it would be impossible to reduce the public works expenditure. Government had reduced the public expenditure more than any that went before them, and. would do more in that direction if the people would set the example by doing with less aid from the General Government. Until we got rid of that system of Spoliation we tbonld have no reform. Major Atkinson had said that the present Government got a surplus by tak'ing the sinking fund. He (Mr Stout) .'would ask why he did not do it instead of giving bills for his deficits, that bad -to be renewed ? Major Atkinson bed a.large deficit this year, but if did oot exist. Deficits to the amount of two millions had been added to the public debt in 1879. This, he held, was most unfair to their successors, but there was no other way out of the difficulty. Speaking of retrenchment, he asked what district in Southland would be prepared to give up its member in order to cave expense ; Not one. PBOTBOTION, ETC, He was not an advocate of extreme Protection, but Customs duties were required for revenue, and in imposing theisf we should have an eye to aiding native industries. Having touched on Government's desire to give education system a more practical tarn by teaching drawing and scientific works, Mr Stout went on to speak on the Native }and. question, upholding the action of Government and Mr Ballance as the only way to settle the matter, It rested with the Middle Island representatives whether the Native Land Bill should pass, and be contended that tue;righteoußness which exalts a nation should be applied to dealing with the Natives. In conclusion he asked his bearers to sift all scberue laid before them with an eye to fatqre generations. A vote of confidence was carried.