PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3588, 31 March 1886, Page 3

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION.

THE HON. WILLIAM ROLLESTON AT TEMUKA. The Hon. William Bolleston, Member of the House of Representatives for Geraldine, addressed his constituents of the Temuka district m the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, last evening. There was a very largo attendance of electors, and Mr K. F. Gray, Chairman of the Town Board, occupied the chair. The Chairman shortly introduced Mr Rolleston, for whom he bespoke a fair and patient hearing, such as he had always received hitherto. Mr Rolleaton then came forward amid great applause, and spoke as follows : — Mr Chairman and gentlemen, — I postponed asking you to meet me till the harvest wbb over, believing that this would best suit your convenience. In tho meantime, there ha 3 been no lack of political oxcitement. MINISTEBS' MOVEMENTS. Ministers havo been starring it about the provinces after the manner of a variety troupe, and there was no need for lesser lights liko myself to appear on tho stage. Tueir utterances havo been amusing if not instructive from their diversity of opinions — opinions which wero invariably individual and m no way binding on the Cabinet. In tho early part of the recess they amused themselvcsand the public with running down their predecessors as men "who had not been intent on business so much as on weathering the session." There wa3 a grim jocosenes3 about this from men who had just emerged from a still-born session m respect of men who, during their term of office, had reformed the whole electoral law. put an end to the native difficulty, amended and liberalised the land law, and changed the incidence of taxation, putting it upon the shoulders of those best ablo to bear it. Lately we have had a now sensation m the form of threats of an immediate dissolution — a piece of political finesse, which on tho part of Ministers of the Crown might bo thought to exceed the bounds of constitutional propriety. No one with a moderate knowledge of constitutional practice could think a dissolution probable. However, that is all gone by, and the mild pressure which this threat, and that of the absorption of the North Island Railway loan, were expected to exercise upon weak men, has done no harm and no good. It reminds one of the trick played by jockeys on the course of shaking their whip m front of tho noses of the horses carrying other colours. THE POLITICAL POSITION. I feel «ome difficulty m describing the political position — the position of parties — during last session. There seemed to be a complete upsettal by party Government ; indeed there can be no doubt that a great wrong is generally done by coalition. Principles are compromised and vigorous watchfulness is abandoned. For my port I think that grounds for two parties always exist, and that it ia to be regretted whan for temporary expediency tho natural antagoniem which i 3 an essential feature of Parliamentry Government is merged and lost m a Coalition Mini3try. Just let us see what is understood or has been understood among parties at Home. In England Toryism has been defined by Mr Gladstone to be: "Distrust o£ tho people qualified by fear"; and Liberalism "Trust of the people qualified by prudence." Here nil are Liberals ; none would confess to anything else. (Hear, hear.) All have the people on their lips and their banners, but there is a wide difference constituting a bisis for two parties m the way m which natural interests are needed. In older countries you have privileges, hereditary power and vested interests struggling against the greatest good of. the greatest number. Hero the old foes appear with new faces. Instead of Kings with thoir armies and the old forms of tyranny and injustice, you find subtler inlluence3 at work which aro no less the foes of freedom and popular rights. The two sides will always range — on the one hand thoso who fight tho battle of liberty on behalf of the greatest number ; on the other hand, those who blindly sacrifice the many m the eeliish interest of companies, speculators and i monopolists. The battle wiil atill bo fought m our Parliament over questions like education, the land lawa, district railways, and a hundred others where the claims of property and persons conflict. HIS ACTIOKB LAfIT SESSION, Having said this much, you will follow me m the^iaws I took m tho last aud previous Be3sion with regard to such matters ns the Xand Bill on the one hand where I was m accord with Miowtera or some of them, and on the other with regard to the Meiggs contract, the district railway* purchase, the customs tariff, the property tux, and proposals for large borrowing. It would occupy the ■wholo evening if 1 were to go through the troubles which befel the Government consequent on the wide differences of opinion whicli existed among themselves and their following on matters of principle, when the only point on which tho latter agreed was tha keeping of Ministers m and their policy out, a course of procedure very humiliating to both partie?, and certainly at variance ■with all constitutional practice. The result of the session wa3 a feeling of discomfituro and dissatisfaction on the part of Miniiiterj, which was freely admitted by one of their number. They had come into office ■with promises of retrenchment. There wjs to bo a saving of £100,000. Last, session closed without any reduction of expenditure having been effected. Nominally, tho Estimates showed a reduction m the .Armed Constabulary expenditure, but really it was a transfer to loan of what had previously been paid out of revenuo. In like manner Parliamentary expenditure, had been removed from the Estimates and placod cs permanent appropriations. A saving of £7000 on surveys was partly accounted for by charges on ether departments, for which votes wero not taken, and partly was a reduction of a necessary Bcrvico. Tho education vote wav to be cut clown ; the property tax was to be abolished, a3 it was said to bo crushing out tho lifo of tho peoplo. The results you havo. The Otago Central Bailway contract was to bo finished to tbo Stratb-Taierj m two years,

but to ;ny mind it will take two years longer yet. EATTWAY BOAEDB. Tho railway management was to bo supplanted by the constitution of Boards. The experiment, I thiuk, which has been tried with the Government insurance department, and hns turned out so unhappily will, m my opinion, be a warning against such o proposal being entertained. (Hear, hear.) HOSPITALS AND CHARITABtE AID. With regard to the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill, my feeling was thut, faulty and ill-conßtructed as it was, the only thing to be done was to endeavour to amend it, and put it into better shape, and I helped m that direction as much as I could, it has only ono good point about it, that it is a step to tho localisation of the administration of this most difficult question. Tho manner m which those engaged m local affairs have set themselves to work out tho problem, m spite of blundering legislation, is one of the most encouraging features m the public lifo of the colony (applause). I now come to what is really the great question of the day, the great and most important question of the day, viz., the GENEBAL BISOBOANIZATION OF TBADB Which prevails m this Colony is common with the rest of the worldv Itia largely due to three causes — (L) Exceßßive borrowing causing temporary inflation and subsequent prostration, and collapse ; (2) unproductive expenditure voted m the colony, and m the countries which .would if not crippled by this cause give a better market for our productions ; (3) to reckless speculation and monopoly m land. The accumulation of capital and the latest facility of borrowing, are, doubtless, the great rocks ahead in' the way of good government and the social progress of the country. In old days tyrants and standing armies rode roughshod over the people at large. Now an adventurer with borrowed millions m hi 3 budget ; with the support of rings and companies can corrupt legislatures and choke the expression of the popular will. Now privately half of our population may become, aye, and is becoming, the slave of moneylending corporations — a landlordism of the worst character. A man who ought to have only 100 acres of land takes 200 and so on. A bud harvest and low price 3 land him m difficulties. The embarrassed borrower and the money-lender support the public man who will create a temporary inflation by large public borrowing. His schemes involving largo present expenditure and postponed payment; increasing tho cost of tho necessaries of life to the masses of tho peoplo ; are supported by all the recklessness and improvidence which can bebrought to bear upon them. Public men will not as a rule be much wiser than those they represent, and you see how closely public and private borrowing are connected. I won't trouble you with elaborate figures to show tho precise amount of our public and private indebtedness. It comes to a total of over 70 millions, a very heavy strain upon our resources when the interest has to be paid through our exports. I do not look gloomily upon our position, though I think it fraught with great danger. I havo great faith iv what has been called the buoyancy and elasticity of our resources if we will give the country fair play. But Ido not look on that buoyancy and elasticity as a ground for further largely increasing our liabilities. This would be like tho dram drinker who drowns tho thirst caused by one dram by taking another. (Laughter.) THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. The policy of tho Government, as ptit forth m the recess, is to revive tho public works part of tho public works and immigration schemes of 1870, to initiate large new works, and to push them to completion 03 speedily as possible, charging, I presumo, as indicated by tho Treasurer, tho interest during construction upon loan. At the same lime taxation of an indirect character is to bo increased through tho Customs. I cannot conceive a worse or more dangerous policy. It is no time for increased taxation, and I am entirely opposed to interference with the free course of trade through tho Customs. The flag to be flown is, I understand, protection and public works. Bad, as I believe such interference to be at any timo, it is worse at a lime when trade is disorganised by disproportionate production. (Elear, hear.) Tho enormous increase of production is really an increase of wealth, largely benefiting mankind generally. There is no such thing as over-production, but time is required to make the country adopt itself to n. different price level, to adjust the irregularities which ariso m production consequent upon the enormous and sudden expansion caused by improved machinery, facilities of transit, and other cause 3. The employment of taxation for other purposes than raising revenue, is wrong m principle, and leads to endless complications. Wo want no borrowing m casej of thut for which revenue without increased taxation will provido interest. Tho collection of that revenue is now too heavily taxing industry, and the borrowing which wa3 contract, d by tho lato government to one million a year ought, m my opinion, to be furthercontracted. With regard to tho Customs, I will be no party to making them tho means of interference with trado to any greater extent thnn 13 now unfortunately the case. I wish that the exigencies of tho country admitted of a lar?e reduction m indirect taxation, and I would lose no opportunity of voting m that direction. (Applause.) To New Zealand ns the trading centre of these seas such a policy if possible would be invaluable. SEW WOBKS. To the initiation of large new works at the present timo I am entirely opposed. We have hundreds of miles of railway which are not discharging their full functions of arterial means of communication, from the undeveloped state of the country through which they pass, from the monopoly of the adjacent lands, and from other causes. Iv proportion to its population, tho larger works m New Zealand are far m advanco of the settlement whicli 13 necessary for their proper utilisation. If without an increase of population you lrew awny existing population from tho settled districts by the spending of borrowed money, you simply postpone the settlement of tho difficulties which aye arising from imperfect road communication and the monopoly of land. If it comes to choosing between new railways and now road 3 feeding existir » railways m districts already partially occ pied, I should unhesitatingly prefer tho latter. (Hear, hear.) THE EOADS AND DBIDOE3 CONSTEUCTION ACT Was no doubt faulty m several particulars and required immediate amendment. Its repeal was a great blunder, and already the Govern- [ ment aro finding this out. It could not con- . tinuo dependent on tho land fund, and all moneys provided under it should be repayable by sinking fund— both interest f.nd sinking . fund to be provided by rates on lauded pro- , LOCAt FINANCE. , The local finance proposals of tho Govcrn- | ment lust session were justly and universally . condemned. Thp proposal was to set aside , £3CO,f 00 a yenr m subsidies for 25 years, and j to allow the local bodies to anticipate by , borrowing, which would havo involved an . increase of indebtedness to the extent of '. seven millions, the adoption of which would , no doubt have been forced on the colony. , Tho (Jove^nmpnt will no doubt have to deal I with this question neifc session. , HIS PBOPOSALS. [ You will gather from my remarks that my , mind runs m the direction of assisting the . existing population iv developing more fully . the resource* of the country to which our . railways already give access. That wo ref quire no nostrums — do large borrowing. . The remedies lio to our hand ; economy, re- , trenchment, industry, aro common-place \ terms. We like more showy remedies than , washing m Jordan. It 13 a hard road to , travel. The wealth we create ourselves is far . beforo that wo borrow and spend from out- | tiders : easy come, easy go. (Laughter.) I THE LAND QUESTION. i The monopoly m land i 3 being attacked m ■ various* ways. The Land Bill of last year i carrier-forward tho principles which I had t embodied m previous enactments, and which i will prevent monopoly m lamia now m the • hands of the Crown. With regard to the , resumption of land already parted with, all r thinking p»oplo aro coming to the conclusion t that Buch a course is justifiable m the public , interest for purposes of settlement, and can F be done without injustico to existing holders ) when the necessity arises. No plan has yet ) been worked out pf a. satisfactory character. , It is plain to me that if land js tak_en for

settlement it must be done by Act of Parliament m the same way as land is taken for railways, and that it cannot be left to the individual judgment of Ministers to tako or not to take. The general feeling with regard to tlin purchases of the insurance dopartment shows how distrustful tho public would bo of private or semi -private dealing I cannot thiuk that Sir George Grey's plan m its present shape is workable, and the proposal to issue bonds is to my mind highly objectionable. One feature of the caso was dealt with by the Railway Improved Lands Bill of 1883, a Bill which was submitted to Parliament by the Government of which I was a member. (Hear, hear.) In accordanco with that no future railways would be takon through large estate?, doubling their value, without due security being taken from the Owners for the settlement of population on the land. (Applause.) The formation of co-operative land societies on tho same footing as building societies is anol her remedy of great value. The tondency is too much to cry to Jupiter when our own efforts would better effect what we require. Co-operation, cash payments, and organisation seem to me to be watchwords embodying the policy of the working classes. (Loud applause.) THE EAST AND VTEST COAST BAILWAT. Time will not admit of my going at length into tho question of the Meiggs contract as proposed by the Government for the adoption of the House. Its general features were that the Government was to give a guarantee of £97,000 a year for 20 years at 2J per cent on £3,8fi0,000, Government also paying any deficit on working oxpenses. Half the annual payments were to be a charge on the provincial district of Canterbury north of tho Ranuitata, and on Kelson and Westland. This was to form a model for future railways. Ifc is enough now for mo to say that, m. common with a large majority of the House, I was astounded that such a proposal could be seriously recommended for adoption. The Houso lost all faith m tho Government dealing fairly with the malter, and it refused even to consider any further concessions than those which were authorised by the Act of 183-i. That Act had gone to tho utmost limit which was thought justifiable, and there was at this very time a contract m force with a body of gentlemen m Christchurch m terms of the Act. Ministers then not unnaturally cast about them for some way to escape out of their dilemma, and adopted the i>ot uncommon courso of asking for a Committee to consider matters. The House, however, did not feel nt all inclined to relegate such a thing to a Committee, nnd refused tho proposal ; as I think rightly. (Heav, hear.) I will not, however, further trouble you with respect to this rnilivay. CONCLUSION. I think now, Mr Chairman, that I have pretty well touched upon all (lie important matters. I have not entered upon any locul questions, but I shall bo most happy to answer any questions upon them that any elector may ask me. (Apphutse.) In conclusion, Sir Chairman and gentlemen, I have to thank you very much for the attention you have given mo, and also for attending m such large numbers this evening ; a fact which is extremely gratifying to me. (Loud and prolonged applause ) BErI.IES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to Mr Lcvens who asked, was Mr Bollcston m fiivor of establishing a colonial mint? Mr Rollustoii snid ho wns not familiar with this subject and could not, therefore, givo an opinion about it. He imagined there would be some advantages were a mint established, but as the question was purely a treasury question he could not give an opinion on it. (Ucar, hear.) In reply to Mr Hedges Mr Hollcston paid he did not think a loan bill of, e.i.v. five millions ought to pn33 through the House next session. (Applause.) He did not think the borrowing of a million to lend cut to small fanners would do much good; it would bo n mere drop m the bucket, 110 would be very gliul to support any scheme that could be devised to assist small farmers, but at the present time ho confessed he could not see liow a scheme to ussist such colonists financially could be arranged. Mr Twomey then eamo forward, nnd as Mr Eolleston admitted lie was not familiar with his (Mr Twomey's) scheme, he explained that what he advocated was for tho Government to establish a bank, and advance moneys to farmers, tho advances to bo, however, only two-lhirda of tho value of the property tho money was advanced upon. Mr I womey wns about to enter fully into the details of his scheme, but the meeting getting obstructive, he desisted. J!r Rolleoton promised to give Mr Twomey's scheme some attention, and wished to say nothing at all that would detract from it, but ;is ho had been pressed to givo a definite answer about it, would do so. That wa3 lie dill not see how it could wc-ik cut, and would, therefore, not be inclined to pledge his support to it. To liis mind very g-cat difficulties stood m the way of tho scheme ; :ir greater difficulties than Mr Twomey seemed to him to bo aware of. (£l<>ar, ' hear.) Continuing, and answering a further question of Mr Twomey's, Mr Bollcston said ho n,',' r eed tlmt tho question how to meet our liabilities ;it Homo was a very serious one, and for that very reason he was extremely anxious that borrowing should bo contracted and retrenchment practised as much us possible ; that a course Bhould be taken similar to tlmt of a private individual when he found that his circumstances demanded great circumspection. (Ap plause.) As to the question where was the money to pay interest to come from if the colony stopped borrowing, Mr Rollcston said to his mind itwa3 not right to borrow money to p:iy interest nfc all. (Hear, hear) If it was the caso as Mr Twomey said that the Government had to borrow to pay interest they were doing to his (Mr Rolleston's) mind a thing that would land tho co'ony m very serious difficulties. He belioved such a sta'e of things could bo averted by everyone adopting a course of prudence. (Apnhuso ) However, he would be no party to precipitating a. stale of national bankruptcy, but would if he thought it necessary and right advocate borrowing ; not otherwise. (Hear, henr.) Mr Twomey was then proceeding to put some further questions to Mr Rolleston, but tho meeting would not hear him, and he, therefore, had to retire, which he did umid groans, applause and hisses. In reply to Mr Metson, Mr Rolleston said his opinion was that the income tax m New Zealand would not work very fairly ; it would mainly full upo.. Bank and Government oiricci-3, and iv few other people. In his opinion tho property tux was tho fairest tax. (Hear, hear ) In reply to Mr iec, Mr Rolleston said he would enquire into the working of the Bankruptcy Act, nnd if ho found it wns working unsatisfactorily, as stated by Mr Lee, lie would on arrival m "Wellington, do his best to get it amended. He also promised to present a petition to the House bearing on the working of the Act, as signed by the tradesmen of Temukn. (Hear, hear.) In reply to an elector, Mr Kolle.-ton said it would not pay tho Government at the present time to go m for generally buying up largo c^t'vtes. If, na the questioner suggested, tho Government should buy properties at the property tax valuation, ho thought they would have to give moro money for them than he (Mr Kolleston) would liko to sco llieua give. In reply to a further que3tion, Mr Holleston said he was a freetrader by conviction. (Heir, hear.) In reply to Mr Lee, Mr Rollcaton said tho hw provided that when a Government servant, filed his schedule he should be struck off the list of Civil servants. It was, therefore, not necessary for him to move m this direction. rOTB OF TIIANR9 'AND CONFIDENCE. Mr Twomey then yoso and said he wished to propose a vote of thanks to and confidence m Mr Kolleston. He did not, however, move the voto heartily — Cries of " Don't movo it at all," " Sit down," " Chuck him out'" and great uproar, amid which Mr Rutland got on the stage and aaid — Mr Chairman and gentlemen, I rise to propose a very hearty vote of thanks to and confidence m our member, tho Hon. W. Bolleston, and I do it most heartily. Mr Lee seconded Mr Rutland's motion, and m doing so said they oughtall to bo very proud of their member, who was a gentleman all could approach and eonvereo freely with on all subjects that affected their district and tho colony generally. Mr Twomey yet again essayed to speak, remarking something to the effect that he had an amendment to propose, but the meeting howled him down.

. Mr K. F. Gray (tho Chairman) then put Mr Rutland's motion, which was carried amid tremendous applause. Three cheers for thoir member followed, and amid the musical strains of " For he's a jolly good fellow," Mr Rolleston tbat.ke(l the electors for thoir vote, and proposed a vole of thanks to tho Chairman. The meeting then lerminated. (By. Tkleghafii.)