POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10625, 28 May 1896, Page 2

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

MR MCGtttßfi AT TAfclKt ftOAB. j |FEOM OUft OWU CIOKfeESPONfIEKf |. Mr F. McGuire, M.H.R., addressed the eleotore at the Town Hall, Tariki, on May Sioth. Mr T. Uonaldson was voted to the chair. The attendance was large, inelud ing a number bf ladles. Mr McGuire congratulated tile people on hnving erected such a magnificent hall and on the progress of the place. He spoke of the long session and late hour-, and unnecessary Legislation. He also gave a graphic account of a Special Settlement 45 miles inland of Stanford. fle spoke strongly In favour of the independence of magistrates; th^fc it was essential to 1 the welUbeing of Hew Zea-, land, tliat all classes should have .implicit confidence in the iitipilf tial administration of justice in the codris of the colony j that the tenure of office of District Court Judges and Magistrates should be i during ability and good behavior, and not, as at present, during the pleasure of the ministry ot the day; that the salaries of Judges and Magistrates should be adequate' and fixed by act of Parliament. The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act Amendment, he described as a social question which affected the people and he therefore voted for giving the people full power to deal with it. He went fully into the harbor question, and was very severe on the Colonial Treasurer and Mr Seddon. He read a leader from the London Financial Times of April 7th, headed " New Zealand and her Credit," describing the New Plymouth business as a scandalous affair, and it went on to say that it wi'l be a long time ere English investors are willing to accept the Unsupported word tit a New Zealand politician again. He spoke at length on the abolition of party government, on self-reliance, on the opening up of Crown land. He pointed out the reason why the Minister of Lttrid's special settlements Were a failure. He treat fully inio the tinkering which took place with the tariff during last session, and he pointed out to the satisfaction of the meeting how merchants, from the facility given them by the Government, made large sums of money. He described the effect of the indiscreet speech of Mr Ward before the London Chamber of Commerce, and that it required a Publio Securities Act to be passed in order to restore confidence to insurers in the Government Insurance, Public Trust, and Post-office Savings Bank. He described the Public Securities Act as a public apology for Mr Ward's speech. He hoped that never again would any Minister of the Crown or member of Parliament make sujh an indiscreet and misleading speech as that made by the Colonial Treasurer in London. Mr McGuire then went into the increase of the public debt of the colony and spoke at considerable length upon the matter, also on the Advances to Settlers He voted for the measure, but he' feared it was not the success the Government claimed for it, in consequence of mal-administration. Ho pointed out that the revenue was decreasing, and as a proof he mentioned the railway returns from 1893 to 1895, showing a falling off off of £30,000, although the mileage was increased by 107 miles, and the capital value from £15,760,000 in 1893 to £16,142,000 in 1895.' The Customs yielded in 1893 £1,665,000, and in 1895 only £1,569,000, a falling off of £95,000. From 1892 to '95 imports decroaaed by £543,000 and exports by £709,000 giving, a total falling off of £1,352,000. He opposed the increase of the Custom tarriff; the Government said they only wanted to raise £10,300, yet the increase for the first quarter was £32,000, and the second quarter £22,000, an increaso <br the half year of £54,000, taken out of the pockets of those loa-tt able to bear it ; and yet their Government boasted that it did nothing but what was in the true interests of the people. Ho said the object of the new tariff was, if possible, to create a surplus which the Government supplemented by seising the Sinking Funds to Local Bodies. He spoke at considerable length on the Banking Legislation of 1894-5, also on the Single Tax, giving one or two illustrations which were very much to the point, and appreciated by the meeting. He dwelt on the personnel of the Government, how they dub themselves true Liber ile, - calling everyone who differed with them Tories or Conservatives. He said the Government had promised to bring back prosperity ; to make work more plentiful and wages higher and people more prosperous and happy. He proved that wages had fallen ; that work was more difficult to obtain ; and that the' people W6re less prosperous and happy. But what was the position of the Ministry and i he members of the House? The' members' salaries were increased from! £150 to £240 ; as a set off the Ministers" increased their travelling allowances. Ho went fully into the Imperial guaranteed debentures of 1863 and the sinking fund. He spoke for two hours, and answered, questions satisfactorily. He was frequently applauded during his address, and received a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.