Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1886. Mr Beetham at Masterton

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1780, 8 January 1886, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1886. Mr Beetham at Masterton

Ma G. Beetham, M.H.R. for Wairarapa North, addressed his constituents at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday night. There was a large attendance, between three and four hundred electors being present. Mr Mr Caselberg, Mayor of Masterton, was voted to the chair. Mr Beetham said he had told them when they last elected him that he should give the Btont-Yogel Government a fair and fall chance to develop their policy, and to see< what they could do. He bad felt thoroughly that the country, for some reason he could not quite account lor, had become weary of the Atkinson Ministry, and he considered that it was his duty to give the party a thoroughly fair and impartial trial. He was in hopes that the measures they would introduce would prove sound aud good. He never was a blind party man, and believed in giving everybody credit for the best intentions. In referring to the work of last session and referring to the tariff resolutions he expressed himself as against them as he considered that the tariff was already as heavy as they could bear it. He spoke against a protective policy and said if they, as agriculturists, established a protective tariff it would simply mean that they would have to contribute towards the maintenance of a class of men who would, perhaps, be quite as profitably occupied in other pursuits. There was no reason for a protective tariff in New Zealand. They already had an enormous Customs revenue, and duties that varied from one to thirty per cent., and if that was not sufficient protection, they could very well afford to do without it for a time. He referred to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Act, and considered they had now an opportunity to manage their own affairs in this respect. They had their own Hospital district, and whatever was given by the people was subsidised pound for poucd by the Government. Mr Buchanan and himself had very hard work to carry the proposal to establish the Wairarapa as a separate district, and never before had he known two members so badly treated by the Government as they were. With regard to local government he quoted from Sir Julius Vogel’s sentiments, in which he stated that poor districts ought to be specially assisted. He explained the Colo, nialTreasurer's proposals—viz.,(that £300,000 should be set aside out of the colonial fuud to be divided among local bodies as a basis upon which they should borrow, the amount to be apportioned in accordance with the rates raised by these bodies. By this means it was proposed to enable local bodies to borrow from 74 million to 10 million pounds. Had the system been introduced, the impecunious and greedy counties—and with the latter he included the grasping goldfield’s counties would have raised every penny they could, aud before the other counties that were in want of roads could take steps to raise their rates, the Treasury would have been rushed, and the pastoral and agricultural counties that really needed assistance would have had the pleasure of paying debentures. With respect to most of the district railways purchased by the Government he would only characterise the transaction as a swindle. Referring to Captain Russell’s motion he said they had heard a good deal about the policy of the northern members—how they wore censured for voting for a reduction of £300,000 on the estimates. He denied that they were unduly influenced or used as a oat’s paw in voting as they did. Major Atkinson’s resolutions which were strangled in the bud, affirmed the desirability of reducing tue expenditure to one million, so that he went in the same direction as Captain Russell. So far as he and Mr Buchanan were concerned, their course was clear. They had no public works proposals in their district, and had nothing to lose. The only vote they bad was some £14,000 for the Woodville Pahiatua line, and they had no local reasons for not voting lor Captaiu Russell's resolution on broad colonial grounds. His friend Mr Buchanan had almost been burnt in effigy for voting against the North Island Trunk Railway, although he admitted he bad good reasons for doing so. He Mr Beetham had voted for the line on the understanding that certain lands was to be obtained from the Natives. He was aoder tbe impression that about two million acres could have been obtained in this way, aud this would have gone far to have recouped to tbe Colony the cost of the line. The Government, however, had broken faith, and the line was being proceeded with, although no steps had been taken to get the land from the Natives, beyond the amount required for tbe line and stations. The Government would be committed to the annual payment of £60,000 ( Jot thii line, without at) acre a^ubad*

to assist in the repayment ol the money. Mr Beetham explained the alterations brought about by the new Land Bill, but remarked that the Auckland homestead system had worked badly, because of the inferior quality of the land set apart. It was 'rather curious, he said, that the same Government that introduced the Auckland homestead system had raised the price of pastoral land in the Wellington district to 20s and 30a per acre. He predicted that the land set apart for small rnne of 2000 to 5000 acres on perpetual lease would not realise 20s per acre, even although the terms of the lease were very reasonable, viz., 2J per cent on the capital |valne. Looking at the provision for settlement in Queensland and Canada and other parts, he considered the terms in this colony were too severe. In Auckland land could be bought for 5s aa acre, and in Nelson, Hawke’s Bay, &0., the prioeof land was lower than in Wellington. He had remonstrated with Mr Ballance, but his reply was that if this land was not worth £1 it should remain unsold until it was improved in value by roads and population. He differed from these views, for he considered that the sooner they got the people on the lands, the better. The special settlements were going ahead, and he admitted that Mr Ballance had met the popular views, but he was convinced that a leasehold system with the option ol purchase within twelve years would be a far better system. He could picture no worse position than to be placed in the centre of a dense bush without roads. Of course, he and others would do what they could to procure roads, bq£ the special settlers must remember that they were undertaking a grave responsibility. A vote ol thanks was accorded Mr Beetham at the close ol his speech.