POST-SESSIONAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7297, 17 October 1891, Page 4

POST-SESSIONAL.

I THE HON W. BOLLEsTON AT HALSWELL. Last night, the Hon W. Rollesfcon, leader of the Opposition, addressed his constituents at the Ealswell schoolroom. There was a good attendance. The chair was taken by the Hon E. Gray, who briefly introduced the speaker. The Hon W. Rolleaton, who, on rising, was loudly applauded, spoke to the following effect :— THE LAST BXBBION. He was there to give an account of hia own actions as their representative, and the history of the last session, which, in his opinion, had been one of great promise and little performance. In his opinion, the result of the session had been very much ory and very little wool. THE PREMIER'S SPEECH. Mr Ballance's Wanganui speech was of somewhat an apologetic character, and in his (Mr Eolleston's) opinion, it denoted a feeling of weakness. Mr fiallance dealt with the criticisms that had been passed on Mr Seddon'a travelling allowances. Never had a Miniater'a travelling allowances reached bo high i a sum. Mr Ballance aaid that the travelling allowances of the Ministers had not exceeded the limit eet by the Act. But that was a weak defence, from an economic Government. Mr Seddon had said that he waa going to make no promises. But what had been the result of hia peregrination ? Take the railways. One would have thought that a nonborrowing Minister would not have undertaken any railways that would not be completed. But the lines which the

\ Government proposed were Buck as would .not be completed, and the additions now I to be made would not not pay for grease to the wheels. Was that economical or prudent? He did not think bo. His belief was that the whole of the proposals 1 of the Government tended to farther borrowing. Further borrowing meant further taxation. But be (Mr Eolleston) contended that New Zealand could not stand any more taxation. On the contrary, the taxation should be made lighter. (Applause.) FINANCIAL POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. He came now to the financial policy of the Government. He did not think that there had been any demand for the change from the Property tax to the Land and • Income tax. ("Oh, yea.") He admitted that there was a difference of opinion on that subject, but he was expressing his own. The incidence of the Property tax was really on men of wealth, yet the Government proposed to change that incidence on the plea that the wealthy escaped. THE EXODUS. After carefully considering the whole question of the Government finance, he had come to the conclusion that the Government proposals were calculated to stop the influx of capital and to paralyse industry. He saw that the newspapers showed that capital was already being withdrawn from the Colony. The people would follow capital. During last year 1700 to 1800 people left the Colony more than arrived ; but during the last four months that the last Government held office the tide had turned. On the other hand, during the past few months 6000 had been lost to the Colony. Mr Ballance had jauntily said that the big estates would not be sent out of the country. Nobody supposed that they would. But how was prosperity to be brought about except by the harmonious agreement of land, labour and capital ? The principle enunciated by the Government of the use of taxation for other than revenue purposes was likely to be mischievous to the community. The result might not affect his constituents at the present moment. The small farmers were not going to be taxed immediately and directly to a larger extent than hitherto, but the earnings of people settled on the land were going to be taxed differently from the earnings of the people in the towns. He had ,no particular sympathy with absentees, but he could not agree with those who said that they were traitors to the coantry and should be punished. By the proposals of the Government, commercial .confidence in the Colony had been shaken to its foundation. THE LAND BILL. There was another gveat Liberal measure about which he had something to say. ?hat measure, they had been told, was to Bolve the problem of the unemployed. He was speaking of the Land Sill. Now, that Bill was mostly a consolidating measure. So far as the proposals in it were new they were not good, and so far as they were good they were not new. PUBLIC WOBKB BTATEMENT. He came now to the question of the Public Works Statement. In that there was a proposal which would nave pnt the railway management into the handß of the Minister for Public Works. The Opposition thought it most improper that the Bill constituting the Railway Commissioners should be modified in such an unconstitutional manner. He thought it would be a great misfortune that the experiment of the Commissioners should be interfered with before the time appointed by the Legislature had expired. HUMBUG.If he had spoken strongly, it was because he thought that the people of New Zealand were at present living in an' atmosphere of humbug. The position was not new, but years ago had been aptly described by Lowell the American poet who had just died. In the Biglow papers, the pious editor cried— " I dv believe in being this Or that, as it may happen, One way or t'other, handiest is, To ketch the people nappin'. It aint by principles nor men My prudent course is steadied. I scent which pays the best, and then Go into it bald-headed. In short, I firmly dv believe ' In humbug generally, For it's a thing that I perceive. To be of solid valley. This hath my faithful shepherd been, In pastures sweet hath led me, And this '11 keep the people green, To feed as they have fed me." It seemed to him that the people were being played with by politicians. He had spoken on party lines, because he believed the party he was connected with had the true interests of the country at heart, and because he had still ringing in his ears the parting words of his late leader, Mrßryce : — " I would enjoin upon you as a party to use your energies and your devotion in the interests of the country, and not in a narrow sense. Treat the claims of every class in the community with the utmost consideration* and the utmost justice. Treat the weak with generosity, the strong with courage, and so you will be doing your duty to the country, to your constituents and yourselves." He believed the party had done good service in the best interests of the country. (Applause.) Mr Charles Lewis moved — " That this meeting gives Mr Rolleston a hearty vote of thanks for his past services, and expresses its continued confidence in him." (Applause.) Mr John Ferguson seconded the motion. Mr Beere criticised at some length Mr Bolleston's speech.

The motion was carried, with one dissentient.

Mr Eolleston acknowledged the vote, and proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

This was carried by acclamation, and closed the proceedings.