PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3694, 13 February 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENT OUT OF SESSION

ME D. STEWART AT DUNEDIN.

[By TKtKOBAPU.] DUNEDIN, Fan. 12. Mr Btowart addrossod his constituents iv tho Temperance Hall this ovoning— MrKuith Ramsay in tho chair. Ho began by saying that tho present Parliament was a good representative body,, and roforrod to tho necessity of a strong Opposition as a chock against improper administration. His address dealt with four subjocts— tho change of Govornmont, reforms of tho soaeion, taxation, and tho administration of tho present Ministry, After describing tho ovonts which led to tho deposition of tho Groy Govornmont, ho oxproßscd strong dissatisfaction with Tamodna and Mr Masters. In adopting the courso ho had dono Mr Stewart; oleimed that ho had carriod out logically tho line of action ho had laid down for Liihsolf during tho general olootion. Although ho had then expressed himself as an Anti-Greyito ho had, at his various meetings, expressed his intention of supporting' Mr Macandrow. Aftor the No-oonfldonco motion was carriod, Mr> Fulton and Mr M'Oaughan camo to him, and spoke to him with regard to giving support to Mr Macaudrew, and, bolioviug that there was a general desire in that direotien, he had docidod to givo a general support to the tnomborfor Port Chalmers, Thero was no question of office with him (Mr Stewart). Ho had never intended to accept office under the Hon J, Hall, and ho had no oxpootation of obtaining office under MrMaoandrew, Boforo many more days of tho session had gono over, Mr Fulton , had apparently changed his mind, and Mr M'Oaughan only supported Mr Macandrow for a limitod period. Withrogard to tho oleotion potition against Sir George Groy, ho eaid that ho had novor been asked by Mr Kiohardeon to act for him. They had had casual .- conventions on board a stoamer, when Mr Riohardson was returning from Wollington to get up his potition against Sir George Groy. Mr Richardson then told him that ho had had sovoral opinions on tho question, but he neither encouraged him nor disoouragod him in presenting the petition, meroly saying that it scorned from counsels' opinions that there might bo a fair caso, and subsequently, in Bpeaking with him on the subject, Mr Richardson disavowed all knowlodge or connection with paragraphs that had been going the round, oharging him (Mr Stewart) with having advised him to present tho petition. After the matter had been disposed of, ho had boon coniplimontod by both sides on tho way .he had,oonducted tho casofor Sir Gcorgo Groy. He had no desire to act for Sir Georgo ; at tho same time, ho was nob awaro of any oiroumetauoee which prevented him from doing bo, and ho accordingly consented. Ho could safely say that tho statements oiroulated concerning the proceedings on the Election Petitions Committee had been greatly distorted and exaggerated. Ho regarded tho present Ministry as a renewal of tho continuous Ministry which had proved so obnoxious to tho Colony, ond which had been broken up bj tho Grey Ministry . Tho present Ministry were in sympathy with tho woalthy class of tho Colony as distinguished from the great body of tho peoplo. The measures of reform passed during tho lato session, shohas tho Triennial Parliaments and the Registration of Eleotors Bills, woro moasures of the Grey Ministry. The Redistribution of Soatfl Bill, which had beon promised by tho 'present Ministry, had beon purposely shelved. Tho taxation sohomo of tho present Government was unwise, and caloulatod to seriously affect the prosperity of the Colony. Our property tax was taken from*. the Now York State modol. Ho quoted Amorioan writers to show that that model was gonerally condemned, the preforenoo being given to the Ponnsylvanian system, because it taxed real estate alone. The tax would bo found to bo oxponeivo to colleot, oapablo of boing defeated, and extremely obnoxious in oolleoting. It •was unfair to ask the owners of property to value it, as they had. very extravagant notions of its real value, and tho honest would have to pay for tho dishonest. Tho Bill as originally introduced was flaunted boforo the publio as an air round property tax, whoroas arbitrary exceptions ' had beon made by tho oxemption of agricultural implements, and of snips, whilst household furniture was subject to taxation. The Ministry had dono wrong in resisting and defeating nis attempt to exempt furniture and othor artioles of aomestio use from taxation. Ono of tho great objeots of tho Property Tax Bill was to got rid of tho land tax, whioh had had tho indiroot effect of breaking un several largo estates whioh, instead of being owned by one person, might be settled on by 200 or 300 families. In this country tho industrial state should bo fully represented and developed, and pommoroe and manufactures bo encouraged. Unless that was attended to the Colony would drift into a more agricultural settlement, and would not attain to that groatness necessary for its pormanont prosperity. Ho inatanoed tho strides Sootland had made after tho Union, when the restrictions on hor manufactures were set froo, and said that Ireland had boon fettered by unjust restrictions of hor right to manufacturo what hor pooplo preferred. Tho constant changes boing mado in our system of taxation woro open to great objection, as oaloulatod to unsettlo business and disturb tho value of proporty. Tho Auckland compact was marked by Mr Hall as private, though it foliited to the disposal of oertain publio moneys. It was most improper for any Governmont to entor into compaote relating to the publio affairs of the Colony, and to attempt to conceal the contents of such compact from the representatives of the pooplo. Considering tho outcry whioh tho Government mado from time to time about tho depressed financial condition of tho Colony, it was very strango that thoy should attompt to saddlo it with a neodless liability of about half a million, inoro especially as wo wore likely to have many domands, for more pressing and more legitimato for works of a publio character. Tho District; Railway proposals ho oharaotorised as oonoeivod and brought forth in a job. Tho Houso was rogularly taken by surprise. The eohomo was kopt dark till the last hours of tho soaeion, and although tho Governmont woro bound, in bringing suoh important proposals undor tho considoration of the House, .to havo furnished tho Houso with all particulars regarding those interestod in tho linos and their cost, &c, nono of that information had , been forthcoming, and consequently tho Houso was not in a position to decido whether or not it was desirable to take overany of tho lines. In his opinion Sir Goorgo Groy had fought nobly against tho action of tho Governmont, and in this connection, and af>or careful observation of several othor matters, ho (Mr Stewart) had beon forced to tho conclusion that Sir Goorgo had beon greatly nmroprosonfcod in tho past. Although opposed gonerally to tho district railway sohomo as advocated by tho Government, no was propared to admit that it was desirablo that tho Colony should take over a fow of tho lines. Hoinstancod particularly tho Waimoa Plains, which tho Government must tako over unleßS they wantod private ontcrpriso to Becuro tho ontiro traffic of tho Lakes diatriot. But tho construction of some of thoso privato linoa had boon ontorod upon purely for privato roasons and to benofit a fow individuals. If suoh lines wero taken ' ovor, the porsons adjoioing tho properties through which tho lino passed, would iucosBantly clamour to havo tho rating powor taken away, and that would bo followed by asking that tho railway should bo placed on a , footing of porfcot equality with tho other publio linos. Tho Ministry had mado a very serious mistake in jeopardising tho secrecy of i tho Tolograph. Department. Although ho quito i admitted that Mr 1101 l did not intentionally do bo, yet through ovor much zeal in endeavouring to sheet homo tho ohargo i nguinat his predecessor in office, ho had acted ■ in Biioh a mannor as to attack tho confidence : which tho publio ho.reaftor would placo in tho i Tolograph Department until tho law was i altorod. Concerning Iho charges brought i against tho previous Ministry, thoy had boon ; groatly exaggerated. Somo of them had not boon substantiated, and tho hopes which wero raised by tho accusations mado ngninot tho i Groy Ministry had not boon realised. Unduo i attempts had boon mado by tho proaent ; Ministry to lowor tho Oolonv'u fiuancitil position, bo that thoy might bo credited with i having retrieved it. Great rovolations woro i

threatened, and extravagant insertions nnulo, until people catno to bulioro that terrible oxtrnvngnnco Iml taken place j hub wliaf. transpired \vnß only tlint tlioro was a doficit, principally (Mused by tlio very ferious fulling oft that veeultod from tho general depression, and was not due to any nets of the Governmeal. Tho prosperity which had now set in, the propprcts of a good, harvest, and advantogcous wool markol, and of an easier money nmrkot, should not ho attributed 'to tho action of any Government, but to altogether independent actions. Very little, whs uccomplißhnd in tho way of legal roforms during tho lato 808« ion. Tho Government looked with suspicion on any legal rofonuD introduced by Opposition mem bora. It scorned to be a awo of fearing tho Greek even if ho bore gifts. Iv some- instances paltry opposition was shown to measures which should havo met with encouragement from tho' Ministerial benches. Ho severely commented on tho way information affecting tho Public Works estimates had beon purposely withheld. For instanco, there vtero expensive railway works on tho West Coast towards tho Bullor and a wildornosß, while tho itoms roads and bridgos in unsettled districts, £59,999 $ roads, bridges and wharves in the North Island, £50,099; roads and bridgos north of Auckland, £65,999, .woro all highly unsatisfactory. Thoy givo to tho Ministry of tho day enormous power in controlling any weak mombers. Tucststem of log-rolling whioh provailod last session enablod tho Government to carry everything thoy proposed, and led to tho utmost domoraliisation. and bo disgusted a good many membors, who wero glad to loavo tho Ilouae, Boeing that it was almost hopeless to do nny good. Had Sir George Groy stooped to such promises us woro givon to Mr Masters to seouro his voto,or had ho helped certain members to acquire titles to Maori lands, ho m'ght have still been Proraior, and continued to be so until the end of his days. Mr A. 0. Begg proposed, and Mr H. Hooy seconded—" That this meeting whilst thanking Mr » Stewart for his address cannot express their confidence in him as a representative of tho oity of Dunedin." Mr T. Bracken proposed, aud Mr J. Robin jeoonded an amendment— " That this meeting thanks Mr Stewart for his address, and expresses its confidence in him as a ronroseutativo for tho city." Only three hands were held up for the amendment, tho rest voting for the motion. Thoro woro not more than 70 persons present when the voting took plaoo, though somo A6O had been prosont.