The Star. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 15, 1893. Mr Meredith's Address.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4593, 15 March 1893, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 15, 1893. Mr Meredith's Address.

The member for Ashley on Monday evening gave hia constituents an account of his stewardship, of which certainly he has no reason to be ashamed. He gave hia hearers some idea of the work that a representative has to do, and proved conclusively that a member's life in "Wellington iB by no means devoted to pleasure. This part of his address was a forcible reason for the increase in the amount of the remuneration given to the representatives. His description of what h»d been achieved by the present Government was an eloquent answer to the leader of the Opposition, who will give no credit to Mr Ballance's finance, or the Ministerial measures, for the present prosperous condition of the Colony. "What that prosperous condition is Mr Meredith summed up briefly but strongly. The national debt, he said, had been reduced by £117,282 ; the revenue had exceeded the estimate by £87,287; the charge for interest and Binking fund had been reduced by £67,000; the expenditure was less than the estimate by £26,584; there had been the smallest unauthorised expenditure known during the laßt seventeen years ; the accumulations in the Banks amounted to £15,811,729 j exports exceeded imports by £3,062,548; the influx of population exceeded the exodus; the rate of interest was lower tban it had ever been ; settlement on the land was on the increase, and the resources of the Colony were being developed. Altogether there was a solid monument of retrenchment, economy, progress and prosperity, reflecting the highest | credit on the people and the Government of the Colony. And this is the result of the management of our affairs by a Liberal administration during less than one Parliament — surely a record upon the credit of which the Ballance Government can with confidence go to the country at the general election ! In reply to the oft-repeated cry of the injustice done to farmers by the new system of taxation, Mr Meredith quoted statistics which showed that nearly 20,000 small farmers are relieved from taxation, and almost as many more are much lees burdened now than they were under the old system. Nearly 50 per cent of the landholders are relieved wholly or in part, and they who are relieved are those on whom the former burden bore with crushing weight. To prevent the burden thus taken off their shoulders from being placed on the shoulders of the general public, already sufficiently loaded by indirect taxation, the holders of large farmß have had their taxes increased ; but the increase becomes considerable only when the land iB held in exceptionally large blocks. In Mb remarks referring to the ' Eailway Commissioners, Mr Meredith showed that fairness which makes his criticism so valuable. While not agreeing with those who think that the Commissioners have failed in their management, he admits that revenue, though an important matter, is not everything, and that the railways should be used for the development of the 3ountry. The anomaly of a large traffic jutting up the country roads alongside of the railways, on which empty trucks are running* could not be overlooked by him ivhen addressing those who are familiar ' v

with it. The record he quoted of the working of the Bureau of Industry and Labour was a very strong argument in favour of the practical benefit the labouring classes have received from their frienda now in office. As to the Cheviot estate, his glowing description of the capital bargain the Government has made, while it showed the ardour of an enthusiast, must convince the most sceptical that it was founded on the unassailable proof gained by actual inspection. Mr Bolleeton spoke of the sale 'by the owners as satisfactory to the sellers, and has lately even admitted that the Government has not made a very bad bargain. . But Mr Meredith, comes nearer the mark when he says that probably some Land Companies would give the Government £100,000 on the bargain. Equally cheering was Mr Meredith's analysis of the Land Settlement Association formed in his district. Fourteen members were farmers with a capital ranging from J6BOO to JB1500 ; eight were farm labourers and sis were artisans. No loafers or agitators amongst theße! A very good conclusion to a very good speech! .