SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9044, 10 March 1908, Page 6

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

WEALTH OF THE DOMINION. NEED FOR ROADS. BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION". AUCKLAND, March 9. The. Premier attended a demonstration at Papakura, promoted by the Onehunga branch of the Liberal and Labour Federation on Saturday. In the evening Sir Joseph delivered an address in the public hall. Referring to financial matters, he said New Zealand was not heavily taxed, although opponents of the Government declared to the contrary. The average wealth per head- man, woman and child —was £347 —the highest in the world. It was a fallacy that the indebtedness per head was of the heaviest. There was a lot to be grateful about when one considered the advance made by New Zealand with a population under one million. The debt per head was a useless method of reasoning, for the Government owned large areas of land, which, together with advances to settlers, came out of borrowed moneys. Not a shilling had been lost out of the moneys advanced to settlers, amounting in all to some six milions, and were they to be told that this was a portion of their indebtedness?

During the last ten or twelve years the only tax placed on the people was a graduated land tax. This only deals with those possessed of over £40,000 worth of property. Against this reductions in railway rates amounted to £850,000, the Customs tariff had been reduced by £405,000, postal and telegraphic charges by £275,000, and sheep tax by £20,000, the total reduction of charges in the public services being one and a half millions.

During his recent travels he was astonished at the vastness of our resources. There was no doubt but that in the future, with scientific aplication, the north would carry a large population. The country was not yet fully roaded or bridged; neither had it sufficient railways. Under the circumstances it would be moral cowardice not to approach the situation or to deny to those out in the country facilities enjoyed by those in towns. In} doing this it was necessary to be prudent over borrowed money and its expenditure. Notwithstanding wild and unfair criticism, the Government was pledged to country and town as a whole, to make the conditions so that the; poorest son or daughter would be placed on conditions equal to the richest son or daughter in the country in getting about or on the land. (Applause).

A vote of thanks to the Premier, coupled with confidence in the Government, was carried unanimously.