The General Elections.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12116, 6 November 1902, Page 6

The General Elections.

MR JENNINGS AT LEPPJOIIVON. Mr Jennings, a caaididate for the Egmont constituency, addressed a well attended meeting in the Lepperton Public Hall on Wednesday evening. Mr Penlington occupied the chair. PERSONAL. Referring to statements that had been circulated to prejudice his candidature for the Egmont seat, Mr Jennings said that he was a native of New Zealand, his people having been in the Auckland district since 1845. Before they were driven into town by the Maoris, he had worked on his family's farm, and it was therefore no " impudent presumption" on his part to seek election for an agricultural constituency. He had sacrificed his seat in the Legislative Council because he felt that with ten years experience as a legislator he could be of more use to the people in the House of Representatives. During his time in the Council he had helped to pass six Bills dealing with Taranaki— the Egmont National Park Bill, Patea Harbour Board Extension, Hawera Betterment, Hawera Hospital, Kairanga County and a Bill dealing with the Opunake County Council. He had also defended the Farmers' . Union in the Legislative Council against the attacks made on it by extreme Labour representatives, and had strongly represented the difficulties of back block settlers in the matter of deficient roads and railways. HIS OPPONENTS. Mr Hursthouse was standing as an opponent of the present Government, and -therefore of their policy. His party had been in power during the depression and destitution that reigned in 1888-89, when 13,000 people left New Zealand for, Australia because the Atkinson Government was too timid to remedy matters. He himself (the speaker), was a supporter of the party that brougjit progress and prosperity to the colony, and especially to Taranaki. Mr, Leech was an Independent, and if elected would be relegated to a | corner by himself, and finally discarded from political life, as Mr (Hutchison and Mr Pirani, both able men, had been. Even if he got into the House, any good Mr Leech might be able to do for his district would be nullified by his attitude as an Independent. A man could not possibly go a middle course in Parliament. That was perhaps unfortunate, but it was the case. As for the assertion I that farmers were not sufficiently represented he read a list of 25 members in the last session who were directly interested in farming. THE ADVANCES TO SETTLERS The Advances to Settlers Department had lent about £4,000,000 to settlers in New Zealand,. " In Taranaki alone, nearly £700,000 had been advanced, but he would put it at £600,000 at 5 per cent. Before the Act came into force in 1894, the average rate was eight tier cent. The difference- in interest on £600,000 for 5 years between 5 per cent, and 8 ,per cent, was £90,000 which, had gone into the pockets of ,the. Taranaki farmers instead', of the usurous money-lenders. The farmers of.. Taranaki should remember the party that had the courage of their convictions, and placed this Act on the Statute Book despite- the pessimists and the financial institutions that were opposed to it. Again, nearly half a million had been given to the agricultural population in such concessions as lree carriage of lime, reductions in- railway freights, and in fostering the cheap shipment of frozen meat. He asked them to remember this, and not to be "blinded by the Opposition Press which circulates so freely in this district." Let them remember what had already been! done and stick to the party that did it. ' . LAND TENURES. ' . He was a strong believer in the freehold tenure, and pinned his faith to it, because small freeholds made a happy contented and prosperous people. It was the small peasant proprietors of Normanby that paid .France's indemnity to Germany in 1870. He would also support the three existing tenures— cash purchase, occupation with right of purchase, and lease in perpetuity — because the statistics of land taken up till last September showed that the optional system was appreciated. He, however, advised every person to secure a bit of freehold for themselves and children, because all the land would soon be swallowed up by people from other countries who were being attracted by . New Zealand's prosperity. 1 Freeholds were still open ior selection in Taranaki but lands containing minerals should be kept for the whole of the people and not sold to anyone. PUBLIC DEBT. He had himself at one time been timorous about the colony's borrowing, as when Mr Ballance called him to the Legislative Council he felt that we should be self-restraint, and if money was needed, it should be raised in the colony. Experience, however, had shown that this could not be done and we had to borrow. But out of 14 millione borrowed by the present Government, close on 10 millions were profit-earning. ' The interest - bearing amounts were :— £2,772,716 for land for settlement ; £2,740,000 for advances to settlers, £1,419,100 for loans to local bodies, £500,000 for Bank of New Zealand preferential shares ; £500,000 fotf land improvement, £468,324 for N.Z. consols ; £47,000 for district railways, £1,320,000 for additions to open loans, (this was Mr Jenning's statement, and "loans" also occurred in his notes of his speech, but probably "open ,ines" was meant), £1781 for the dairy industry. The borrowed money which was not interest - earning to nearly 4 millions, but of this £3,260,000 was expended on the . purchase of Native lands, pushing on railways and roads. The money was therefore spent on the interests of the colony and would soon earn interest. The contolidated revenue for the last year showed an enormous increase of nearly 2 millions, despite concessions on the railways of £510, 000, in Customs oi £735,000, in the post and telegraph services of £18, 000 and in the mortgage tax of £21, 000 being a total of £1,433,000. This showed that though the Government did impose taxation, they gave concessions when possible.

DAIRY SCHOOLS. Farmers should agitate for the, establishment of agricultural and. dairy schools, especially in Taranaki; Belgium had lft o r 12 agricultural colleges, and as the young people were taught the latest ideas, they were enabled to hold the markets of the world. If a pound of butter could be made from 2 gallons instead of 2£ gallons of milk, that would mean a vast sum of money in Tara- • naki. SPOILS TO THE VICTORS." .. He repudiated the assertion that the Liberal Party had abused their into Government positions. Under power by pushing their own friends Conservative rulej the Civil Service had been locked-up 'or people who tnought themselves superior to the ordinary people, but now it was open to all. When the Continuous Ministry was in power, it had the Bank of New Zealand "under its thumb," and if anyone opposed the Governmeat politically, he had no ~ chance of getting an advance from the Bank. The present Government was above the petty feelings of pettifogging politicians, and irrespective of political feeling did the right thing. This was proved by Mr Haselden who had publicly stated that a member who opposed the Government could get as much for his district as a supporter of the Ministry. This was also proved by such appointments as those of , Sir Robert Stout, Mr Hogben, ' Dr. Valentine and Colonel Dayies. PAST LEGISLATION. The speaker went on to enumerate Acts which he had helped, to pass, such as the Lands for Settlements, Local. Option, Female Franchise, Advances to Settlers, and Workers' Compensation for Accidents. The latter measure had been supported by such Conservatives 5 as Lord Salisbury and Mr Chamberlain and . the need for it was shown by the factthat in 1900 in England, 4093 workmen had been killed and 84,476 injur r cd' at their occupations * The casualties in the Boer War, or the number pi deaths caused by ' drink. Would not compare with these, figures... Previous to the passing of the Act .in New Zealand, ..if a man injured, they had to send round the hat, and then they did not get much, but now if the bread-winner was cut off, ' his wife; and family were at least partially provided for. , With regard to agricultural labourers, he held that farmers were just as humane as pthet employers, and tha/fe they,' would not object to paying £1 for a pdlicy which would cover, not one casual hand as had been stated, but 20, Besides, farmers and their families': might drift to the towns,, and therefore the attempt- to set town against . country was discreditable, and dishonest. - The of producer . and consumer should be reconciled as much , as possible. He warned the ; farmers not to be hoodwinked by keener, politicians than themselves. He asserted unhesitatingly that the. National .Association, had.; starjbed tile Farmers'' Union. The ex-" ecutive of that Union had said that its members were not to take, any part in party politics, and yet it had ' already nhosen three Conserpatlve : candidates. He asked hi* audience not to be idrawn into a mesh that * would do injury to themselves.; and the country; ■= , • . ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION. - * The industries of the colony were expanding despite predictions of the effect of /the Conciliatain and - Arbitration Act. Arbitration was better than strikes, and America, which he feared was on the verge of a civil war, and > where the power of . Hhe President was nothing compared to that of the multi - millionaire, . would regret that it had ntf Arbitration Act. ; . Certainly the Act : .was being abused at present, because extreme labour agitators, in order to get into political power, would use his fellow - workers, but the good sense of the latter would lead them .to discard these agitators and sup- ' port men; who were clearly working in their interests. " H • VALUATION AND ROADS. It was not right that people de- 4 void of knowledge and experience should be appointed valuators.- He had heard that some men had made valuations of properties when they had never been on the spot. A farmer should be appointed to the Assessment Court tq safeguard farmers' - interests. As for roads, no satisfactory solution would be arrived at till a light line of railway was constructed to the Mountain and metal ■was carried free to central depots for the County Councils and Road Boards to utilise. The Government had air ready • spent £200,000 on Taranaki roads, and yet metal was needed. THE PREMIER. After referring to the growth of the dairy and timber industries in Taranaki. Mr Jennings dealt with the reports that Mr Seddon intended to leave New Zealand. These reports had been circulated to disintegrate the Liberal Party. The Premier's interests were centred in the colony and he intended to stop here. Also, ac did not need any break on; he was too great and too strong a man. He had proved himself the greatest and ablest man that - had j gone to Great Britain. Mr Seddon ' could afford to be scornful because he j was "on the. top of the heap . and I meant to stay there." When the i whole world was going rise up aj gainst the Empire, the Premier had , seen the opportunity and took it. | DEFENCE. • The expenditure on defence and big guns for the ports which rapidly became obsolete, was wrong. The proper thing was to give a larger subsidy ,to the Australasian squadron. Instead of expensive imported officers with cocked hat and gold braid, he ! would utilise local men. He would 1 encourage rifle clubs by supplying rifles and ammunition cheap, and giv-' i ing cheap railway fares and prizes for rifle competitions. He would also , abolish the small standing army that ? j was now growing up. - r •■ ' MISCELLANEOUS. 1 In settling back blocks, the Canadian system of a peppercorn rental for 3 years should be adopted. Doctors for sparse districts should be subsidised. An official like the Public Trustee should be appointed to reduce the cost of transferring properties that had been sold. A training ship for boys, to replace Burni ham and Stoke, which he had long i

advocated, seemed, from the Premlei's speech at Auckland, to be near at hand. Mr Jennings advocated that land grants in both islands should be given to the Friendly Societies where they could place their old members, and orphans. The Legislative Council should be elected by the people, as the nominated system was wrong in an advanced democracy. Some of the "lifers" in the Council were too old for politfcs and should be at home by their fire sides. ' Against the colony's drbt of 52 millions were 300 millions of assets. The principle of the Railway Superannuation Bill was to help those that helped themselves and he hoiH-d there would soon be a similar qrovision for teachers. The Old Age Pensions Act had curtailed wasteful expenditure on charitable aid which had been supporting loafers, who were now driven off to work for themselves. As things were going on well in the colony, he urged people to let things remain as they were. If they interfered, they might get into the turmoil and chaos that Xustralia was now in. More attention should be paid to Taranaki s scenery. The Government Tourist Department had diverted the tourist traffic to the Wanganui River, but the beauties of the Mokau and the Mountain should be exploited. 41so old historical spots like Sentry Hill should be preserved. The farmers should keep agitating till the Mokau lime was brought free for them as was done in Wellington and the South Tsland. Mr Jennings concluded by urging that the time had arrived for a Nationalist Party In New Zealand to work for the good of all and hand down to their children "a land unrivalled in the whole or the British hemisphere."

QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, Mr Jennings said he would not favour subsidies to private schools. He would submit the question of Bible reading m schools to a referendum though personally he thought the proper pla^e for such teaching was in the home and in Sunday schools. He would not extend the Old Age Pension 10s a week till the colony's finances could sland it. Main arterial roads should be maintained out of the consolidated revenue. He would support the restoration of the deferred payment system. Lime should be stored in handy places for use when needed by farmers. The Government should build the railway to Mokau, but if it did not do so, a private company should be allowed to build it provided the rights of the people W ere conserved. The +^ov cr nment should not unduly prevent the acquire ment of the freehold; but the Kawhia lands were rightly withdrawn from sale because they were supposed to contain minerals. He understood they were now being prospected and a report would shortly be available. He was not prepared to say whether the Government should charge the same rgte of interest to tenants under the perpetual lease as to those under lease in perdetuity, but he would reduce the rate to 3 or 2 per cent if the colony's finances could stand it. In reply to a question whether, if defeated in this election, he would take a seat in the Upper House, he said that he would not. He would either go farming or back to printing, unless the Legislative Council was made elective, when he mie;ht offer himself to the people. \sked if he was in favour of 'one McNab's Absolute Majority BUI' he said he had asked one of his o - Pnonenfs who favoured the absolute maiority to stand aside, and let him and Mr Hursthouse fight out the election, and thert ho would see an absolute majority. On the motion of Messrs Heslop and Wright, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Jennings. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting.