POLITICAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5567, 16 May 1896, Page 7

POLITICAL.

MR W. W. TANNER AT LINWOOD,

Mr W. W. Tanner, M.H.R. for Avon, addressed a meeting in the Phillipstown Schoolroom, Linwood, last night. There was an attendance of about one hundred and fifty, and Mr A. Marshall, Mayor of Linwood, occupied the chair.

Mr Tanner, at the outset of his address, ! dealt with the Bank of New Zealand legis- j lation, which he explained at length, j Referring to the licensing question, he j pointed outtheefiect of thelegislationof last ■ session, which, he said, was of vital impor- ; tance to Linwood, inasmuch as it was now absolutely impossible to establish a licensed house within the borough. He was still strongly in favour of a bare majority. With regard tourfche tariff question, he. maintained that the opinion, he • had expressed at, .Woolston : a Qionth ago,that no large increase/ •• of • revenue would -be iyoia, the revised, tariff, had been /inp]y ; , borne; out ..by the? statement of /the, Colonial Tresumreifeat. NeW-P lymouth the other night, in • which - he gave the total increase for the past year at .£70,000. When it was remembered that the previous year showed a decline of -£96,000, the readjusted tariff.simply maintained the status quo. He dealt largely with the question of finance, and in answer to the j charge that the accounts' of the colony were 1 not sufficiently explicit, he quoted several { passages from the Financial Statements of j 1880-82, 1887,1 888, and 1890, all by Sir H. Atkinson, showing that that gentleman I introduced the present system of national accounts— a system which remained in force to this day. He criticised the reproaches which had been heaped on the Minister of Lands for passing the- Dairy Industry Bill, and reminded the audience that since this legislation New Zealand dairy produce, owing to the effective system of grading, had reached the highest price of foreign-made butter in the London ' market. The Minister, he said, was resolved that the dairy expor/o should not be ruined by irresponsible' persons in- the manner in which the flax .trade ; had been practically ruined. • He Wrongly resented the pro-' posal of Captain Russell to relegate, the formation of workmen's villages outside the towns to the local bodies; -• -He quoted numerous instances; in which the local bodies had failed to exercise the powers conferred on them by Parliament. He referred to the statement of the Opposition speakers that their first duty, before formulating a policy, was to "restore confidence. He (Mr Tanner) asked whether confidence in the Government and the colony was higher or lower than in the disastrous years 1887 to 1891, when fifteen thousand of pur people under a Conservative Administration were lost to the colony. He referred to the enormous activity displayed locally in the building trade and the continued introduction of foreign capital into the mining industry as proving, that both with local and foreign capitalists confidence in the future of the colony was as high as it had been at any time for a dozen years past. He had represented the electoral district of Avon for six years and before the close of the present year he had every confidence of being elected to represent the electors for another term. (Loud applause and cries of " No.") He. had ! served them loyally for six years, and had | always endeavoured to dp his best in the interests of the electors and the colony. (Applause.) At the conclusion, of his address Mr Tanner answered a number of questions, some of which were asked by persons who were not electors of the Avon district. He had always supported an Eight Hours' Bill, and was in favour of old age pensions. He would support any measure to bring high schools under popular control. Members of Parliament never received any fees for sitting on committees. Mr F. Denham moved — " That a vote of thanks be passed to Mr Tanner for his address." . Mr J. Jamieson seconded the motion. Mr F. W. Staples moved as an amendment—" That a hearty vote 61: thanks and confidence be accorded to Mr Tanner and a vote of confidence be passed in the Government." „'••'•■ '■■■ . Mr H. Winchester seconded the amendment, which was carried, seven hands being held up against it. On the motion of Mr Tanner, a vote of thanks was passed to the . Chairman, and the meeting closed. [Per Press Association.] STRATFORD, Mat 15. The Hon J. G. Ward addressed a public meeting here last night, and spoke for two and a half hours, replying fully to the criticisms of Captain Russell and Sir R. Stout. He was received enthusiastically, and at the conclusion was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks, and of qou- | fidence in the Government. Mr Ward spoke at Eltham in the afternoon, when he received a vote of confidence. \ WANGANUI, May 15. The Colonial Treasurer delivered an address to a large public meeting to-night. : He defended his . own actions and the actions of the Governmeis?fc,-and criticised j at length the criticisms of their opponents. | He was listened to attentively, and at the '; conclusion of his speech was accorded. a ' vote of thanks, and a vote of confidence in the Ministry was passed. .