MR ROLLESTON AT AUCKLAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2474, 9 March 1893, Page 4

MR ROLLESTON AT AUCKLAND.

The loader of the Opposition, the Hon. W. Rolleston, addressed a public meeting at the City Hall, Auckland, on Monday night, on political questions. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr W. Crowther» presided. The Hall was crowded. Mr Rolleston said it would be his duty that night to criticise the policy and administration of the Government. He only regi-etted that the Premier, the Hon. J. Ballance, was in such a state of health that ho would not be able to follow him and reply to the criticisms he had to make. He had no apology to oiler for the conduct of the Opposition. The Government of the day had fallen upon good times, and he congratulated it upan the present prosperous condition of the Colony. IS either the exodus nor the reflux was due to the Government of the day. Sir Harry Atkinson had predicted that there would be a reflux, and this had been fully borne out. The prosperity of the country had been steadily progressing during the las* year, irrespective of what the Government was. In only to a limited extent had the Government in its hands the making or the marring of the prosperity of the country. The revenue of the country had increased because the spending power of the country had increased. The people of the country were those who deserved credit for this state of things. The prosperity of the country was assured if the people would rely upon their own industry and refrain from brrowing. The main feature of the financial policy of the Government was the substitution of the Land and Income Tax for the Property Tax. It had been said that he and those who were working with him were desirous of. going back to the Property Tax. However, he had no disposition to go back to the Property Tax, but he would like to see the Land and Income Tax amended until it was a fair tax. He believed that a graduated tax was an inexpedient measure. He

hoped, with the help of the people in the Colony, to ba able so to modify the tax as to make it purely a Land Tax. The reasons why he did not support the present Government were, because he believed that it promised but did not fulfil ; he believed with the present Government that the accumulation of large estates without improvement was an evil—but he did not agree with its measures. Mr Rolleston asked whether the dealings with the Midland Railway Company were not rather in favour of the wealthy classes than in favour of the poor. Under the

new Act he believed speculation and dummyism and the accumulation of large estates would ruin riot. The bona fide settlter did not know his way about when he desired to get land, lie (the speaker), was quite satisfied that a policy which placed between the bona fide

~ xsettler and the Government an association of middlemen was an encouragement to speculation He introduced into t e Land Act the clauses relating to the perpetual leases, and these he was sure wove of benefit to the working men. This system of his secured to the State the unearned increment. He was sorry that the new Liberals seemed to run in the direction of the centralisation of power in Wellington. He believed that it was not a prop-r thing for the State to invite offers of land; but it should decide when to take it, and then only give fair compensation for it. He hoped that the money allotted for land settlement would be expended by the Government in those districts where land was required and not in buying up the estates of certain large landowners. He was not in

favour of bursting up large estates. He •was not going to approve of the purchase of the Cheviot Eestate until he knew more about it, although he believed that where practicable laud should carry men instead of sheep. One thing he saw was that in this transaction both buyers and sellers were eminently satisfied. With regard to the Native lands, the Government had brought down during the last ten days of the session Bills that no one could understand. It was simply madness to leave this matter alone, as there were at present 13,000 cases waiting for investigation. The Native land question was wrapped i?p with the prosperity of the North Island, and indeed of New Zealand, Of all the village settlements in the colony, those formed by Mr Bryce and himself were the most prosperous, and the settlers were oh the l aim and not on paper. The time had c&iiiG when legislation required that the extinction qf Naijye titles should be carried on under a court fitting continuously. He urged them, whatever they did, not to allow their educational system to drop. The Government had

allowed the requirements of education to fall into arrears to such an extent that at least £IOO,OOO was required to put the school buildings into a proper state of efficiency. The masses of the people wore ijable to be led astray by wretched in the great changes that wei'3 at'ptfes*n4 going on. He considered that Parliament 'did right to postpone the consideration of the Gojipj&ation Bill. He failed to understand how the Government had the right to arrogate | tCf itself the leading of the labour 1 movement, He thought the Shop Hours Bill a hast y m & JH-eonceived piece of legislation. With - reference tr» tiw railways, all he knew that been gajd

against the present system was thaV « wan against the spirit of democracy. There was no doubt thnt the question of State interference was corning up., but ho did not consider that the railway could be properly managed when State influence could be brought to bear upon the administration. Large reforms would soon huve to take piace in the Public Trust office. Be wished to see the otate

Departments continued, and to have a fair trial, but ho thought that they should be under the control of the Audit oiiieo, tie wished there was a prospect of

Freetrade in the Colony, but he did not think that they would hastily escape fiom the trammels into which they had fallen. He believed that in reference to tho Legislative Council appointments, the Crown took the proper course. Mr llolleston stated that the Government last year increased the gross public debt by war % 300,000. U e disapproved the cruel, -nd, "In 6«B?£> cases, unjust removal of "- nfliceres te*» Jh.e Civil Service. The ?-.' -V o • ■ "was at p*«s»jjib;.inder a reign Civil bervico V(H f tiwm iti j n of terror. He as.. , t Helping forward progress an J' » which he believed to be in danger * i nv sent.

After a number of questions had been asked and answered by Mr llolleston, a vote of thanks was proposed; but an amendment expressing an assurance that the people of Auckland had implicit confidence in the Ballance Government was also submitted. A lnrge number of hands were held up for both motion and amendment, and as considerable confusion prevailed the Mayor did not declare which had been carried.