POLITICAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5499, 26 February 1896, Page 4

POLITICAL.

MR G. W. RUSSELL AT ADDINGTON. Mr G. W. Russell, member for Riccarton,

addressed a meeting of his constituents at tho Oddfellows' Hall, Addington, last night. There was a good attendance, the audience including a considerable number of ladies, and the chair was occupied by Mr J. C. Sopp. Mi* Russell Baid that he was somewhat later in coming before them for his postsessional. speech this year than last on account of various reasons. First of all there had been, ever since the House broke up, the reconstruction of tho Cabinet in the air, and he thought it would be proper and right that he should not address his constituents until the reconstruction of the Cabinet had been effected, because from that reconstruction he hoped to be able to glean what was likely to be the future policy and the future ' action of the present Government. There were matters •of-' a private nature that had stood in his way, and finally the interests of Canterbury politics had been centred in the recent election. He had now seized the earliest opportunity to come before them to state as ' fully as he could Ms actions during the late session and to give his opinion as to what should be the future policy of ' this country and especially of the Liberal Party. LOCAL MATTERS. \, In the first place, he wished to refer to one or two local matters. In 7connection with the Christchurch drainage "loan, which had for years past been a .-matter of great importance in his 7 electorate, they had succeeded in getting passed the Local Bodies Loans •'-Conversion Bill, by which the local "bodies were enabled to convert their loans if oppprtunity presented itself. But the. Chri_tch_rch drainage loan stood for 7 at 6 per cent for about another thirty years, and the value of these stocks was so great that for a time it would l>e almost impossible for the loan to be •converted in a way that would make any , -material saving in connection with the -annual charge for interest and sinking fund. It' seemed to him that some plan must be made by which this intolerable burden Should be removed from the backs of the people of Christchurch and the suburban districts. He thought it would be possible, if the Government were to take the matter up seriously, for them to devise a scheme by which local\ bodies' loans throughout the colony might be consolidated, and he thought it would be desirable iri conversion for the Government to consider whether it was not possible to use the. State credit in order to affo-d relief for the local bodies in, tau same way as it was now used to individual farmers under the Advances v to Settlers Act. He had iinsuccessf ully endeavoured to obtain postal boxes in ' Slower Riccarton, , and from the RailwayDepartment an agreement for the express to stop at Addington statipn. Another local matter was the reform of the constitution of the Board of Governors. Before ,_is election he had. pointed out the farcical v __ture of that constitution, in that the ; , mass of the people were entirely unreprec. 'sented in connection with the election of .thet. Board. On the very day the last , session opened the Hon W. P. Reeves, then \ .occupying the post of Minister of Education,, gave notice of a Bill for the pui_>6se > ; : ;6f " tpforming the constitution of the Board. ■/'Of -I- .Governors; arid he (Mr; Russell) felt it!, ■ : vwOuld he presumption on : his part undei* '. "the drcuinßtances to interfere. After' waiting some three weeks ■ and the Bill not appearing, he wrote to Mr Reeves asking him when he proposed to introduce the Bill, and received a reply that the Cabinet had not yet fixed the time for: the discussion of the Bill, that he would let Mr Russell know as socn as possible, and that he hoped to get it passed that session. Nothing was done in the matter, and he presumed that the Cabinet was opposed to the Bill. However, he was informed that the gentleman who had recently been appointed to the Ministry — he referred to Mr Hall- Jones— was himself pledged to support the reform, and he hoped it would be carried. If the Government did not take the matter up next session he would. . ATTITUDE TO THE GOVERNMENT. Prior to his election as a member of the Liberal Party, he thought he had made it clear that he was not going to be bound to any servile following of the Ministry, but that he intended to give them his loyal support in connection with every measure they would introduce of a Liberal character. Ho felt himself free on all matters of minor importance, on all details of Liberal measures, and upon all questions of admin- i istration to exercise a free and unfettered will. Every Liberal proposal had had his unflinching support, but .he could also, claim that where, in his opinion, the Government had shown a tendency to depart from the principles laid down by the illustrious man who founded the present Government— -the Hon John Ballance^-(applause) — he had not failed plainly .to speak his mind and to endeavour to do what he could to make the Liberal Party keep in the path Mr Ballance had set before it. These were the principles which he had supported and ... ,wpuld continue to support. He wished to * deny a report which had been circulated ■ that he would not again stand for Riccarton. As long as Riccarton would stand by him he wouldstandfpr Riccarton— (applause)— and if they chose to change their servant it was their affair, not his. One ofthe diffic ulties a ' member of Parliament had to contend with if he was returned as a party member was that very often "catch questions " would be made use of by the Opposition to endeavour to entangle him, arid sometimes it became the duty of a member to neglect the smaller issue in order to conserve the larger issue of the defeat of his party. A member thus sometimes had . either to accept the responsibility of voting against his party, or he muat speak on one side and vote on the other, or else not vote at all, in which case his constituency was practically disfranchised. His opinion was that party government as now carried on in this country was doomed. (Applause.) Ministers should regard themselves as leaders and mouthpieces, not bosses, of their party. Frequently he had found himself in opposition to the leaders of his party, although he had not voted against the Government when it involved their being turned out of office. One of these cases was in connection with the periodical revaluation of leases in perpetuity, and the Bill was lost by forty-six votes to twentysix. The left wing, as it was called/or tho advanced section of the Liberal Party and some Conservatives had voted for this, and they were not deterred by defeat, but would fight the battle until this bastard' form of tenure— the lease in perpetuity — was entirely abolished, and the unearned increment secured for the people. The Women's Political Rights Bill he introduced last year had been squeezed off the order paper. Another Bill he introduced allowed women to practice the profession of law provided they passed the same tests and examinations as men: He considered the Liberal Party should identify itself with such matters. TH3 F-NAKCIAIi POSITION. During tho last five years the net debt of the colony had risen by -32,282,000. A large portion of this increase had been caused by conversion operations, by purchases of Native lands, land for settlements and in other ways, but the sum he had mentioned was altogether independent of the huge responsibility tlio colony had undertaken in connection with the Banlcof New Zealand. The actual amount which overy man, woman and child, including Maoris and Chinese, in the colony owed

was .£SB lis 6d, and the interest and sinking fund sent daily out of the colony on account of this debt amounted to -24642 155. The taxation per head was £Z 7s Bd, while in Victoria it was only £2 2s 6d and in New South Wales .£2 3s 6d. Such a burden of debt for so small a population should cause the utmost prudence on the part of the Government, and a return to something like the pre-Vogelian days. The colony should do what it could by amalgamating public offices, and wherever possible developing its resources. Two years had shown him that a private member could do little to reduce public expenditure. The people of the colony must take up the matter and make it a question at the general election, otherwise there would be nothing but the old form of extravagance until we should find the burden of the cost of government intolerable. ALLEGED BEIZURR OP SINKING FUNDS. Another matter in which he differed strongly from the Government was the seizure of the sinking funds relating to local bodies' loans. .In 1891 Mr Ballance determined that 1 per cent, including arrears from Feb. 1. 1888, should he set aside for providing a sinking fund, but could not do so for want of the necessary statutory powers. In 1892, "the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Aot was passed, by whioh 2 per cent was set aside for a sinking fund. Early last year -264,000 was in the hands of the Public Trustee for that purpose. He believed he might say that Mr Ward had nothing to do with the seizure of that sinking fund ; it had been done when Mr Ward was in England, and when the Premier was acting as Colonial Treasurer. The -364,000, as well as debentures issued: against -321,000, which was to have been paid in during the present year, making in all -385,000, had been taken i and put into the consolidated revenue, and a promissory note signed by the Colonial Treasurer put in its place. During 1895 Sir Robert Stout, Mr Hutchison and ! members of the Government's own party I urged the Government to state what was the truth in regard to this affair, but thpy refused to do do, and it was only ascertained through Mr Hutchison committing what was technically a breach of privilege: He thought that the Government had acted improperly and unwisely, and though it was shown that they were technically within the law, it was only by a fluke that they were so. By Borne error in the preparation of the Act . the same power had been given with . respect to the accretions of the local bodies sinking fund as existed in respect to the accretions of the State sinking fund. borrowing. It was many years since the colony had 'raised a loan in London for public works; and he would give the Government every credit for the prudence and ability with which they had managed the Public Works Fund so as to avoid borrowing. At the beginning of the present financial year the net balance of the Public Works Fund was .£52,000. There was -3100,000 to the credit of the Lands Improvement Fund, and .£198,000 available for. Native lands for settlement purchases. If the expenditure were continued in the same proportion as last year, even if .£50,000 were taken from the consolidated revenue for public works purposes, they would not be able to carry on; and the question . for the representatives' of the people would be, shall there be a loan? (No.) He recognised that -the work of colonisation, •mustproceedj btiitwe inustact with care. 1 ' -It .might, be nece'raafy to borrow in small sums; for-the purchase of Native lands. and) for-]_nd'imprpv6menti but\they.7must not' go Pri the London -market, and he did not think there wwavs v the slightest idea on the part of the present Government of doing so. (Hear, hear.) ;' PUBLIC wobks expenditure. Canterbury constituted one-fifth of the colony so far as revenue-producing power was concerned, and the time was coming when Canterbury would ask whether the polioy was to bq continued by which it was bled for the^ development of the North Island. During the year ending March 31, 1895, the following amounts had been spent for miscellaneous roads and bridges in the different provincial districts out of the Public Works Fund : — Auckland -327,000, Hawke's Bay .£5300, Taranaki ■£17,900, Wellington -343,400, Marlborough -81241, Westland -82534, Otago and Southland .£25,283, and Canterbury -£1931. (Oh, oh !) In addition to these amounts, .£17,840 had been spent in making roads to the North Island railway, and .£17,576 on roads to open goldfields, not a pennyofwhichhadbeenspentin Canterbury. Could they be surprised if all this public, money was being spent in other parts of the colony and one-fifth of the interest being drawn ' from Canterbury, where no public works were going on, that they had an almost chronic unemployed difficulty in Canterbury ? It was time Canterbury said to the Government — to any Ministry in power : Either localise the responsibility for the loan money you spend by making the districts which get the benefit of the expenditure pay the interest, or give Canterbury a fair share, pro rata according, to population, of all public money spent in the future. (Hear,, hear.) What roads and bridges were to the' North Island, irrigation should be to Canterbury. (Applause.) If one or two millions were spent in putting over the dry plains the water now flowing useless to the sea, the fertility and prosperity of Canterbury would be almost doubled. Again, why should not a large section of Canterbury's population be employed in planting forests in the province which was virtually denuded of timber? There were various parts of the province where light railways might be made and worked to very great advantage, particularly, in opening up lands taken under the Land for Settlements Act. The Government Labour j : Journal for February showed that in January last 2128 men were employed under the co-operative system. Out of that number 1328 were employed by the Survey Department on roads, &c, and three of these were employed in Canterbury. One hundred and nine were employed on the Midland Railway at the Jackson's end, and twenty -four on the Belgrove section, but none in Canterbury. He could not say how many were employed

on public buildings t in Canterbury, for the details were not given. \ Could they wonder that the unemployed difficulty was becoming chronic here ? He believed that the time was coming when this Government, or some other Government, would be compelled to deal with this question on a j proper and systematic basis. (Applause.) the 'midland railway. The Government and the officers whom they had employed deserved more than a word of praise for the result of the Midland Railway arbitration, but the present position- of the line was not as satisfactory as he could wish. Nothing was being done at the Canterbury end yet. He hoped that Mr Hall-Jones, who had systematically opposed the Midland Railway, would, now he had joined the Cabinet, lay all personal feelings aside, and help his colleagues to push on this- work. (Applause.) the banking legislation. After reviewing the legislation in reference to the Bank of New Zealand, Mr ; Russell said that the position of the colony ! in respect to the bank was this :—Properties belonging to the Estates Company, valued at -82,731,000, book value, had been handed over to the Assets Realisation Board for disposal. The bank retained the rest of the properties, trading concerns, &c, for realisation. The whole of the bank's capital— -3900,000 and the first call on the reserve liability, -3450,000, a total of -81,350,000— had been wiped out. There was also o further call after Decemi ber, 1898. The colony last year put in a million of public money, and another million — known as the liquid million — transferred to current business. Then they had another half -millions- worth of preference shares at 3. per cent which the colony had taken up. Thus the whole capital of the bank consisted of two 1 and a half millions, every penny of which belonged to the people of New Zealand. Against that the colony had the amount of a call on the shareholders between June 30 next and Dec. 31, 1897, which might realise £400,000. They had the properties valued at -82,731,000, which might realise -82,000,000. Interest at 3. per cent on the -82,731,000 had to be paid by the Assets Realisation Board to the bank. The colony had to make up any deficiency in the bank's accounts, either on that interest or on the management or sale of the properties. The total liability of the colony in respect of the bank was £5,231,000. Against this was the properties and calls he had mentioned. He looked upon the whole business as very unsatisfactory indeed. 1 ■■ When the matter had been before the House he' had advocated the State taking over the bank. By this he considered the colony would have incurred no more liability, but the people would have had the satisfaction of, having the bank thoroughly wel} managed and participation in any future prosperity of the bank. Besides that, they could have greatly lowered the rates of interest in the country. He believed that the bank was now in a strong, position. He had proposed some amendments to the Bill. One was to the effect that any premium on the sale of the half a million debentures for preference shares should not go into the ordinary coffers of the bank, but should be set aside as a reserve fund. Another was giving the colony the right to retain the guaranteed preference shares/ This was defeated, but he succeeded .in limiting the right of shareholders to receive Shares to six years. Seeingtheheavy liabilities the colony had lujdextaken, he opposed the proposal' to amalgamate the Bank of New, Zealand and tlip Colonial .Bank, ';^iit?^h-jre i y*-B.:aipoweie i behind the throne— a malign influence in connection with the Colonial Bank arid its relation to "Parliament. He referred to the motion that the Disqualification Act should apply either to the Bank of New Zealand or to the Assets Realisation Board, but this was lost, or they would not have had the spectacle of the Premier of the colony acceptingoffice as a member pf the Assets Realisation Board. He regretted that Mr Seddon had thought it necessary to take that position. ' LOCAL GOVERNMENT. : So far as the proposals in the Local Government Bill went towards simplifying local government, it had his support, but he thought the Bill went too far. He favoured tne placing of the functions of County Councils in the hands of Road Boards, but not that suburban boroughs should be forced into the City of Christchurch against the wish of the people themselves. THE LICENSING ACT. . With regard to the licensing question, he had been returned as a three-fifths majority man, and had so acted. He had done his best to get the question settled and. out of the way of the general election. In .this, he so incurred the displeasure of the Premier that Mr Seddon gave him (Mr Russell) the affront of having his name struck off the list bf members of the Conference. It was an affront which he neither forgot nor forgave, and before the session closed he put the Premier in the minority.on three questions, and showed him. that when he tackled the member for Riccarton in that way he had someone to reckon with. THE RECONSTRUCTED CABINET. He could not help reflecting. that the Ministry had been greatly weakened, by the changes that had taken place in the Cabinet since, five years ago, <it had included John Ballance, W. P. Reeves, Sir P. Buckleyand Hon W; Montgomery, every one of whom had since been replaced. In losing Mr Reeves the G overn ment had lost the most brilliant, ready and versatile debater in the House of Representatives. (Applause.) They had also lost what was more important, the only man in the Government who possessed a knowledge of Liberalism in its theoretical, historical and doctrinaire aspects. In Mr Reeves the Labour Party of New Zealand had lost the best, friend they had. . The long experience of Sir Patrick Buckley in managing the Legislative Council gave him an influence with that body which could scarcely be possessed by another, while Mr Montgomery was a gentleman who commanded the- respect of every party. He -considered that the elevation of Mr Carroll to the Ministry was almost a breach of faith with the House. From what he could see of the position, notwithstanding the recent decision of Parliament that six Ministers were sufficient, it appeared likely tliat next session a Bill would be introduced to allow of a seventh, and he should feel it his duty to oppose anything of the kind. Mr Carroll was a|- gentleman of ability and popular. The Hon W. C. Walker would bring tact and an educated mind to thelCabinet, and he always had the respect of the Liberal Party. The Minister of Justice, the Hon W. Hall-Jones, had been a consistent supporter of Liberal principles, but the appointment of the Auckland member of the Ministry, the Hon T. Thompson, was almost an insult to the general bocly of the Liberal Party. From 1887 to 1890 Mr Thompson had opposed almost everj' proposal of Mr Ballance. In 1890 he was returned as a Conservative, and voted in 1891 for the Conservatives in every divisiori taken, and only came into the Liberal Party when he saw it was in the majority. It appeared as if he had been appointed as a counterpoise to Mr HallJones, as their principles were directly opposed. It seemed as though Mr HallJones was appointed to placate tho" prohibitionists and Mr Thompson the liquor trade, who had elected him. His idea was that the reconstruction of the Cabinet did

not indicate that the Government intended to carry out the policy of progression which the Liberal Party had a right to expect. THE GOVERNMENT POLICY. The future policy of the reconstructed Cabinet, a policy which, as Sir Robert Stout had pointed out, had virtually been published before the new Ministers had joined the Cabinet, consisted, to a large extent, of three things— artisans' settlements near towns, an Undesirable Immigrants Bill for keeping out diseased persons and Asiatics, and a Masters and Apprentices Bill. In 1890, when standing for Heathcote, he had suggested a system of artisans' settlements, with cheap trains, near towns, and in the House he had endeavoured to obtain such a system. He would be prepared to give the Government all the support he could, to make the measures workable. (Applause.) THE CHRIBTCHURCH ELECTION. One of the lesson^ of the Christchurch election, was that if the Liberals were to defeat the Conservative Party throughout the colony the split between the general Liberal Party and those of the party who were prohibitionists must be healed by conciliation and reconciliation — (applause) — and he was glad to see tbat on both sides there was a disposition to do this. There must be conciliation j and he would set an example. When elected, about three years ago, he refused to accept prohibition by a bare majority ; though he considered it logical, he did not see whether it was possible or advisable ;to endeavour to enforce it. Nevertheless, he gave a pledge to Mr' Cresswell, the chairman "of his committee, that if he would ; consider the subject, and if at the end of three years he could support prohibition by a bare majority, he would be prepared to do so. He had come to the conclusion, after seeing the conjunction between the Christohurch liquor party and the Conservatives to defeat the Liberal Party, that if he were returned at the next election, it would be as a supporter of prohibition by a bare majority. (Loud, applause.) He appealed to his fellow Liberals throughout Canterbury to give such an utterance on this question at the next election as would be unmistakable. Another lesson of the Christchurch election was that constituencies were demanding a higher standard of fitness than before, and that party ties were being disregarded. A third lesson was that the majority of the Liberal Party, was not satisfied that sufficient progress was being made by the leaders ofthe party; that there must be a further arid more rapid advance. (Applause.) , FUTURE LIBERAL POLICY. The Independent Liberal Party in the House, which last session numbered twenty members, would, he assumed, be increased by about ,five next session, and would occupy "a strong position. He might say what hie thought would be the future policy of the Liberal Party, though, in doing so, he was not attempting to pose as a leader. The lease in perpetuity should beabolished,andthere shpuldbea periodical revaluation of all larid leased by the State without the right of purchase. \The uriemployed difficulty should, be boldly and vigorously faced by means .of village settlements, State farms, and by using the credit of the coloriy in opening up forests, coal-mines, and fisheries, and in other ways. (Applause.) Old-age pensions should 'be granted- as a matter of right. He was opposed '• to giving gome sort of charity to, aged ..people through the friendly societies; r (Applatusis.) A. million acres should be reserved; iii'the North Island as a nucleus for the fund ; a special tax might be laid upon incomes over a certain amount ; and another penny or twopence a pound Customs duty might be laid on tea — the .masses of the people, the workers, must ' be prepared to bear their share of the cost. (Applause.) The' democracy should lay dowu that high schools, colleges and the university, instead of belonging to a privileged class, should be thrown open to the people. (Applause.) In order to prevent" the domination of Parliament, by the Cabinet they must have an elective executive. (Applause.) The democracy should- insist on the cost of government being reduced. He advocated the opening of coal-mines by the State, and pointed out that while Westport coal in Christchurch cost the consumer 35s a ton the miners were only paid 2s 4d to 2s 8d a ton. The Westport Coal Company supplied the Government at the pif 8 mouth at 7s a ton, and the Greymouth Coal Company charged only 8s a ton. At Lyttelton Grey coal was supplied at, 17s a ton, Blackball at 19s 2d, and WestportCardiff at 19s lld, for the railway. West-port-Cardiff-coal was supplied to Addington. Workshops at 15s 2d a ton. The Government should work their mines and carry the coal in their own vessels. (Applause.) In answer to questions Mr Russell said that he had supported Major Steward's Bill for reducing the legal charges on mortgages. He had voted for the Fair Rent Bill, and was pledged to support it. He would support an Eight Hours Bill and the Bill for giving domestic servants a weekly half-holiday. Any proposal by which the minimum wage for girl or boy workers should be 5s per week would receive his hearty support. (Applause.) Mr J. A. Efford moved a vote expressingthanks to Mr Russell for his address and confidence in him as the representative of the Riccarton district. (Applause.) Mrs Roes seconded the ihotion, which was carried unanimously by acclamation. Mr Russell thanked the electors, and moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried, and the meeting closed. Mr Russell will speak at Papanui tonight. ■