POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4541, 17 May 1889, Page 3

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

♦ MB. B. TURNBULL BBFOBE HI3 CONSTITUENTS. Mr Bichard Tnrnbull, M.H.K. for Timorn, addressed a meeting of his constituents m the Assembly Rooms last etening. His Worship the Mayor, Mr D. M. Boas, presided. There was only a moderate number present when the proceedings commenced at half-past seTen. The hour fixed was perhaps rather early, for others kept coming m till after eight o'clock, when there were about 250 present. His Worship the Bfayor expressed hia pleasure at being called upon to preside. He drew a few contrasts between New Zealand and some of tho Australian colonies, and referred to the present Australian demand for New Zealand produce, and to the agitation m Canada for the institution of commercial relations with New Zealand, as proofs of the growing importance of New Zealand. This importance would he foresaw be much and immeafetely increased on the successful completion of the Panama Canal — a matter of tim« only. For the improved position of New Zealand thanks were largely due to skilful legislation, and among those who had had to do with that legislation, not least prominent for energy and experience, was the member for Timaru, for whom he had tho pleasure of asking a patient hearing. Mr Turnbull at the outset alluded (o the emadnesi of the meeting as a sign of the apathy which generally characterised political life when an election was not near. The adoption of the proposed modiScntion of the Hare system would, be thought, correct that, and put more vigour into politic*. Kfon public men did not display that energy m public matters which they ought to do, and if tho constituencies were made larger the best men might be led to spend more time among the people. Ho looked upon it as a great misfortune that Sir Bobert Stout was now out of harness, and at prosent did not intend to return to the House, for beside him, and the members of the Government, there was no man able to take tho lead, and go round and addrsis the people. In the present Opposition Mr Ballance alone could be looked upon as a mail of political influence, ability, and knowledge. Sir George Grey was now becoming physically incapabla of the work ho referred to. At present, unfortuu*Mj r , there was no real Opposition party, no Opposition policy to gather members together; unfortunately, because a good Opposition !• the life of the country. He would not refer to the doings of the past session, because tho papers gave ■ach excellent reports that his hearers were well informed of what had been done. Indeed, it would be much, better, m his opinion, for the GoTernment to subsidise the papers, and do away with Barnard. ij>, hpwover, must apologise for his absence at tie 4°»P of the session, when » rote was taken on a resolution to appropriate £10,000 tot fcbfi purchase of lands for Tillage settlement*. B» expl«in«l bow he came to bo absent, and that the motion »M a surprise. It was strongly opposed, anrl aspccUUy by none more stoutly than Mr Thompson, ojorober y for Marsden, who declared that the scum »f Auckland bad been sent to the Tillage «pfctlements m that district. He was mfldji pleated to find from a recent spcjch by Mr Thompson that he had changed that opinion. He said that he had ju§tsp*rjt some time amonj»«t them, and a finer class of men he would not wish to see) their misfortune was that the soil they wero placed upon was not worth 7s 6d an acre. The member (or Gladstone also [opposed the motion on a con»titut[onal ground, and there really was something m his objection that they shonld not ignore the £egi»la/,iyo Council by dealing with such a matter by resolution instead of by Bill. Ho (Mr Turnbull) .considered the Tillage settlements the life of the country £o f> certain extent, as giving men a chance to make a living. When the Premier iv here tli» other day he had accompanied him to Beacooiflflld, and Sir Harry Atkinson could not but admit that the place was m a splendid condition, and U>» oontfntment of the people, but bia practical good sej?«e pointed out the two defects m the settle roont— the plofci jyere too small, and there wore too many peopjj together for them s.ll to find work m the neighbourhood. If tho settlements wore not too large, and wore place! on good l«,nd, ho would support tho extension of tho sclkiih *ith all h'« strength. The Premier had protniiad to extend it, and ho would warmly support ijim. Bcspocling the attempt to restore the m«wjier of members to 91, Mr Turnbull said ho Uni yotud for the reduction to 70 ; ho ha/1 even advocated a reduction to 50. Ho was still of opinion that 70 pa« '|»'t< ; uiioujh to do Hip ijUßiuosa of tliu coutuV,7 (Apjaiu^si}, and if any attempt was made to upset thut (Ki/j;;L'omont, ho would oppose it. Sir Kobort Stout »(.» opposed to largo constituencies as opponetf to the •'nterents of democracy, but he (Mr Turnbull) div y f a',

largo constituencies limited the choice of candidates to wealthy men. It was true election expenses wore increased, but an electoral law would probably be passed to reduce the expenses. He did not fear that the country constituencies were antagonistic to Ike democracy; he believed country people were as liberal as any one who could be called a democrat. He considered that the payment of members •hould be increased so that a representative could devote the whole of his time, if neces•ary, to the interests of his constituency ; if that were expected of him £150 was a mero sham. Mr Turnbull next referred to the proposed amendments m the Rules of Procedure proposed by the Premier last session, regarding which proposal it had been said the Opposition behaved m a disgraceful manner, and the Premier could not proceed with it. As a matter of fact many members of the Government party contributed to its defeat. The rules required some amendment to prevent" Btone-walling," which was now carried to an excessive extent, and over quite trivial matters. Occasions did arise when stonewalling was justifiable, and some really useful speeches had been made m the course of a stone-wall, but the system was abused. Its abuse could be very easily cheeked. There must bo twenty membors m the House or any Bill before it would be loBt ; and consequently they might see twenty members asleep on the benches or whiling away the time m any about nothing at nil. This could be prevontod by a rule that would close a speaker's mouth if the bell were rung twice to call a House together. The other alterations proposed he did not consider necessary. 'Ihe chairman had referred to charitable aid. It would be useless for him to enter into that subject as he did not know what the new Bill would be. It had always appeared to him that thoso who caused the necessity for charitable aid should pay for it. There were 3000 people m New Zealand who owned the half of the colony ; these should pay the taxation required to support those who were distressed through their notion, for much of the poverty existing was caused by the people being shut off the land. Not every man who was walking about the streets m idleness wos fit to go upon tho land, but a great many of thorn were, and they could not get on the land. He would be prepared to move an amendment to any Charitable Aid Bill on the- lines of the present one, " I hat the large owners of hind bear the burden of maintaining tbe poor." The land was the source of the wealth of the country, and he failed to see why any man should monopolise it. The limo had come whon there should be some limit fixed to the amount of land a person should hold ; not by direct legislation, but by taxation. The principal thing he wished to speak of was the condition oi the conntry. He must speak of it m a way that might be used against him m the future, but he must cay what hereally thought about it. The Ministerial papers and others interested m property were making a great boast of the prosperous condition of the conntry at present, of how exports were increasing, and of how well the revenue from taxation had come up to anticipations. One leading journal went so far as to say that as the exports for the last quarter had been three millions they would reach 1-t millions for the year. The increase m exports for the quarter was easily understood. There was a panic m shipping circles. Everjbody thought there was not another ship to be got, produce wont up and everyone was anxious to get it shipped away, and the consequence was that the whole of the wool was shipped m one quarter instead of its exportation being spread over a longer time. The grain was similarly hurried aw»y. This increase m exports was no proof of additional prosperity. Of course there was additional haste m shipping owing >o the falling off m the bread supply m Australia, which gave a spurt to New Zealand for a time. Ho wns sorry that this had been lost ; that people had been so mislead by the Press to expect famine prices. This was great foolishness, and those who advised the farmers m thnt way must haro been aware that it wa« foolish, with India and California ready to furnish supplies. New Zealand had Bhut herself out of the market by excessive anticipations. As to tbe satisfaction expressed with tho way the revenue had cosno m, nothing else could hare taken place. If so much taxation is put on, and is collected day by day, it mu«t come m, but that does not show that tho country is pro«porous. The :ondition of tho country was worse now than it was a year ugo. (1 yoico : I don't believe it.) Look, even now, so soon after the wool and harvest seasons, at the number of men walking about seeking employment and nnable to get it. How many families were there sufforing m Ti-naru from distress, but made no outcry about it P There was a great deal of diitrefs existing at this early reason ; what winter would bo like remained to be seen. It was no use talking about re. rival [oi trade aod prosperity ; it oould not come. Our great export, wool, was not employing so much labour as it did ten years ugo. A littlo extra labour might be employed m agriculture, but the introduction of maobinery so lessened the demand for labour that .i»rieulttire was »not of so much benefit to the country as it used to be. Those were the chief things the :ountry had to depend upen, to provide (he interest on the Government debt of 38 millions and the other millions borrowed by tho people themselves. Calculate tho interest and it would bo seen that the colony could not progress. What was the use of talking about the want of population ? Where hart the population gone sinoe ho last spoke ? Driven away by lack of employment. There never could be employment for all so long as the raw material continued to be exported. There wan so liltlo labour required to produce either whnat or wool. Tako a station : how few men wero employed upon it, and besides the shearing there was only tho carting to the steamer. The three and a half millions that the wool oiport was reckoned at left nothing behind it, especially after the interest on tho station mortgages had gone to England. That three and a half millions ougbt to mako six millions at the very least, and this wns allowed to slip through our fingers. The colony produced about 90 million pounds of wool apd consumed about 3 million pounds, and after sending fl;is away as raw material had to pay about 2o p£r cent to get it back again. Protection could 'Jo no good, Tho country would not consume all its raw matorial, if nob worked up, and it would not, bi exported, because labour was so much cheaper m other countries. We were, thereloio, compelled to export our wool raw. Why was labour dear m Now Zealand ? Becauio the climate yaj unhealthy, like Panama ? Because tho population w»i too fow 't Yet population vis leaving for )i>ck of employment. There was no r£«4on whnleyer for labour being dearer than elsowhare except the enormous taxation which fell upon the masa of the people. If they thought this over seriously tlioy muet find that to bo tho only roaion. The enormous taxation was tho reason that irfgej yQfP high and that tho colony had ilo send away \tipo pay material. This, instead of employing SOQ.OQQ pooplo. opfgbt I to employ til millions. England produced j 1\ million! worth of iron pro. Imagine: England exporting that iron ore ray ; thei Queen's throne would not b» worth three months' purchase. England would bo ruined. England would make a very bad bargain if sha exchanged a year's out-put of iron ore, worth seven and a half millions, for all the gold New Zealand bad ever produced — forty-Ovo millions worth. Think yhci) Jabotir our raw material would abtort, and wliajt a banefit a wiser policy would confer by ketping Jjin£ jasatorial jn tho country, 'flint was tho secret' of England's success ; that 7i millions worth of irffn employed a very large portion of the population. Of course wool was Dot so good as iron ore m that respect, yet tho working up of tho wool yould make this one of the moit prosperous \ QoupL/cfo} m the world. It could not bo forked "up! on aceouol'of the enormous taxation on the poopV. This assertion, might injure him m tho future, but he must pay it for ha believed it was truo. Let each ono think it out for himsejf. Hjgh taxation mado hieh wages absolutely nooeesorj". Jlr Turnbull then gave some illustrations of tho difference between tho cost of Vivlog m Now Zealand and at Horns, m food, clothing, and rent. A labjuring man who only got threo days 1 work a v?otk was worso off than a l»Cv£rur at, Home. Taxation through tho Oustums yw nnculiar m thin that the first payment did not t&vfcy^o wholo. Tho draper mnit|havc extra cnpilnl on account 0? tho duty, n nd must thuroforo have extra protlt, and iv e?m» cueci ILj U* was multiplied indirectly to

an extraordinary extent. In England the policy was to concentrate the Customs' taxation upon as few articles as possible. The New Zealuiid tariff comprised no less than 230 particles. If Sew Zealand wanted to compete with other peoples, she must sweep away all taxation through tho Customs except that on spirits, wine, and tobacco, things on which it would be no hardship to pay taxes. Wages were not so high now as people said. If anyone advertised a situation vacant, at say £75 a year, lie would get that room half full of applicants ; if he advertised £100, ho would need the drill-ahed to receive them all ia. Wages wero not so great as they were said to be, and men deluded themselves into the belief that they wero getting good wages when m reality they were getting less serviceable wages than an artizan at Home. A now policy must be adopted j a policy of bringing people here with capital, to start factories, people who would couio with their money and not want the interest sent Homo ; ani m a very few years the country would make more progress limn m a hundred years ut the present rato. The enormous taxation upon tho people now shutout much capital, and kept our resources, our coal and iron for instance, lying idle, and our Si millions' worth of wool, worth no more than 34 millions, when it ought to bo mads worth many times that sum. If such a policy were established there would bo no need to seek foreign markets for wheat or flour ; farms and niilla might be trebled m number, and then there would not be too much food for the people m the country. All this was shut out, and the people were paying heavy taxes to keep the country m a elate of stagnation, when the whole course of things might be widely different. This was worth thinking about. There was an alternative policy, the reduction of theaizeof holdings by laying oppressive taxation upon large holdings so that the land might be brought within tho reach of overyono. Agriculture employed a groat many, but look at the difference m the value of the products ; a pound of wool was worth a shilling, a pound of wheat but a half-penny. There must be an immense amount of land now under sheep which was fit for agriculture. There had been 8,000,000 acres cold, and only 800,000 were under agriculture, the balanco was used for gruzing. " Morton's Kncyclopodia of Agriculture," showed that arable farming employs threo times the labour, nnd produces eight times the food that pastoral farming does, but because it docs not employ labour, men who have not suflicient capital to do anything better with their large holdings shut them up for sheep walks. Tho distribution of the purchased land m the colony was very unequal. 33,000 people held lauds valued at £20,000,000 ; these included the moßt valuable farms, thoße under 640 acres. Companies held lands worth £4,000,000. Then 3(100 persons held lands valued at £29,000 000. If land waa really the only source of wealth, should any person have Biich an extraordinary monopoly of it ? He would not take away an acre from any man, by force. If he chose to bear a share of the expenses of the country m proportion to the share of it he hold, well and good. He was shutting up wealth ; neither getting it himself nor allowing anyone else to get it. That waa why agriculture was less extensively carried ou than it might be ; people could get land. "Go and get Government land," said some. But tho Government land that was left— in this island — was not worth 5s an acre. In the North Island there was a considerable quantity still available, which employed a good deal of labour, because before it could be used it must be cleared of bush, but when cleared it gave a speedy return. Grass could bo sown after burning,and the land would carry five sheep to the acre m winter and eight m summer. It took money, however, to go there, and therewas plenty of room for all our people here as yet. Look at one of the largo runs near hore, a run carrying 45,000 sheep, employing only nine single men all the year round. '1 he average taxation being £3 per head, that run yitldod to the Government £27 a year. The same land would carry 3000 people, yielding a revenuo of £9000 a year m taxation. People should not be allowed to hold vast freeholds, hindering the country by loss of revenue, without contributing something extra to tho burdens of the country. Until there arose a well-tleGned party to carry out these principles there was no hope of prosperity returning. f his agricultural policy, howover, woull not employ many more people, it would only increado the exports. It was not likely that any proposal would be made to mend matters; wo should simply be expeoled to go on as ut present. If tho lattor policy wero adoptod, where, it would bo asked, would the money come from for tho .purposes of theGovernment ? This wae a serious question, but there was no use m seeing lions m tho path where there were none. The people were required to find about a million and a half per annum. At the present spirits, winea, and tobacco, paid £600,000 a yeur. a large proportion of tho whole. Tlieeo taxeß could be very well tept on. Tho very fact of reducing taxation generally would allow tho large salaries paid to Government officers to be reduced ; the cost of living would be reduced, m proportion, — by about 23 per cent, for although all articles wore not taxed at that rate, the indirect multiplication of taxation must bring tho average up to 25 per cent. A tax should be placed upon mortgages, a tax which should hays taken the place of some of those imposed last session, The mortgagee reminded him of the busy bee that "gathers honey all tUe day and oits it up at night." With this difference, that it was not tho mortgagee but the mortgager who did the gathering, the mortgagee doing nothing but (be eating. (daughter and applause.) Mortgagees bad been the greatest curse to this country. They induced men of energy and excitable men to take their mocpy, but m taking tho money they must take all the risk, and whatever happened tho mortgagee must be "secured." How many a man who waß now pennileis would havo had a house of his own, or a farm of his own, but for tlu'so people ? Bring m legitimate capital tv much as they pleased, but theso money-lending drones who stayed m tho hive and ate tho honey they did not gather, wero tho greatest curse of tho country. He would put a tax of o lulf per cent on mortgages, which would produce £170,000 or nearly. Then, with freo ports trade would be much increased ; the railways would pay much better, and m Stoad of being workod at a loss would soon pay 10 per i<ont, pyen at low rates. The railways ought to pay fjf the government of the country. They had cost a largo sum of money, but less than English lines cost, and they ought to bo able to travel upon them ut Bogliah rates. With the Customs tax on spirits, wines, and tobacco, and n tax on mortgages, thero would not bo such a serious deficiency as might bo imagined. This policy coi^ld not bo adopted now, the peoplo wero pot ripe' for it, ii'it m fhe course of years it would be adopted, In the !iioainii 4 ,0 t]ip colony must blunder along as it his blundered hitherto. Mr Turnbull then closed his address, having spoken about an hour. In reply to questions, Afr Turnbull snid that taxation wag true land nationalisation. He «v not m favour of supporting a State Bank,' unless fMe Government hud, liko the bapk's, tho sorerqigp's' "behind f hep noteo. A St»tp bank "imply meant that they jnuif |.".ke the Government, nof^ for work donu, and m hit opinion this waa ft method pf obtaining n forced loan. It was a mistako on tho pnpt of Mr Bourne (tho queationer) when he said that any private individual could coin money. As to the locking up of the land, ho (Mr Turnbull) admitted that it had been a mistake, but all they nov could do, would bo to devißo means to have it properly settled, In reply U> Captain Jones, of the fire brigade, Mr '.furnblity said that he was m favour of sub■idisiDg firo b'rjg'a'clo'i, lie L».J p.uppnrtril such a matter loit tension, and bad thought it voty foolish when such a. subsidy wol knuoked oft. In- reply to the chairman, Mr Turnbull said that ho was corlninly not m favour of tollini; the railways to an English or to any other Bjndicato. Ho ajirdn'giy niajntoined that m tho course of a few years,' if a proper pohey was adopt or], the railways could be made to pay all (-1)8 expenses of government, and were tb» very best asset that the colony could possibly havo. In asking I his ijupsti'iu if r Hoss said that m soiling tho railway! to a oyudinalo tho colony coul'i, ho duro fay, net about £800,001) of a profll. At any ruto it seemed cortain that if tho railwajs were thrown on the market to-morrow, they would realise such a sum as would greatly reduce the publio debt. Mr Turnbull than, m reply lo Mr Heslan, juur., euid that he was opposed

v to selling the railways to the English Governi meet. In reply to Mr Owers, Mr Turnbull i repeated that portion of his addreßS referring f to taxation on wines, spirits, and tobacco, and r said that necessarily thero would have to be ] a transition period, should tho lioe of taxation , that he had spoken of ever be brought about. 1 The chairman then formally proposed a t vote of thanks to Mr Turnbul! for his ad- • dresß, and of confidence m him as their repro- ) scntatiro. (Loud applause.) ; The motion was seconded by Mr Heelan < and by Mr D. Owers. The latter gentleman > said that the interests of the electors of i Timaru were quito safe m the hands of Mr ■ Turnbull. Be (Mr Owers) would like to see a change of Glovcrnmont, but was Quito sure i (hat they could not. have a bettor man than i Mr Turnbull to represent them. (Prolonged applause.) Mr Turnbdll, m thanking them for the vote, said that he felt very much fluttered at wlmf. Mr Ovrnrj had -ail Mr Turnbull added that if n well-defined policy was brought forward- embracing such proposal for instauce as an income arid land tax —by a parly he would support them m every way, but he was not simply going to turn out one set of men for tho purposeof putting another set m. If such had been his desire ho could have done it last tession, for on a motion by Mr McKenzie the Opposition had a majority of two. Had iio then done so, what would have been the consequence? Why, Messrs MeKenzie and Menteath would hare gone would havo bcon politically excited when there was not the slightest occasion for it. Ho would not loud himself to anything of that kind. A party with a well-defined lino of policy would havo his warm support, but as to turning men out for the purposo of putting others m at tho same salary, ho would do no such thing. (Applause.) He then moved v cordial voto of thanks to the mayor for presiding, which was carried with applause, and tho meeting closed.