MR VEITCH'S INDEPENDANCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 5 July 1912, Page 4

MR VEITCH'S INDEPENDANCE.

(By Telegraph.) <Special to " Chronicle. *0

WELLINGTON, July 4

During the No-Confidence debate, Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wangan-ui) daid there were some matters in the Governor's Speech with which he -waa pleaded. There were others with which &c was, however, disa-ppointed. He approved of a-reform that -would remedy the great waste..that was going on in local government,. He believed that cheap engineering/was costing iim country more than was our pubKo d^>t. Each little body nad its own Engineer, and there waa a great waste of public mom*y. -._ He * Advocated the cutting -ap of estates in the vicinity of Huaitorville, whioh Vas at,' town that was being smothered by land nionopoly. Iksferring to the oaucus.of the Liberal Party in February, he said it "ire* not a oauous, it was a conferenoe, and he •wished it made clear that although he had reasons for voting with the Government on the present occasion he was pledged to neither party, and would not be ■breaking a pledge* even if ho voted .'for the Opposition. He objected to the ad. vftlo^ean duty on boots. , Mr. Laurensdn: The bootmakere asked for it. .

Mr.. Veitch: I know they did, but I think they made a mistake. ■ Reverting to the .question of..land settlement*, he said that closer settlement should take place where there were .roads and railways. The larger landed: proprietors should be made to move further "back. Ho expressed kwn disappointment that the Government had adopted Wetfarentiart voting instead of proportional wvipresentation. .There was not enough courage and initiative in Parliament. It was too murih inclined to steer a middle course. They should strike out boldly for reforms; * Ho found fault with the'"Government for dronrodng in this Governor's Speech things that wot© ■in the- last Govjsrnor's Speech. Be thouerht the Lecrislativo Oounoril should l>e a.bolished. Ho condemned the pro-fit-sharing system, which -was simply 00-oporative .-piece-work, and worro tifi&n the ordinary r>ieoe-work svfstotn, hecause .the* profits wore divided equally betw<tm the loafers and the man wino worked hard. Commercial Monopoly was, the curse of the age. and »hou3d he met by State monopoly. He oh- , jeoted to the dropping <^f the Sfaato note issue and the . establishment' of farmers' ■To.rwmorntive hfitnty*. WTiv I should "farmers alone have co-operative banks?. Ho referred to t>.i? Bfc».e»s<rtrm.<!f cf tho Hank of Now Zealand. Tt. w'ty* not ripht that ajiy .inatritution shoulfl, take fro*n the pocnTo T>i»>fitg omniip't?no: t-f> fifteen per cent." Tho i bank should bo made a State concern. i He. condemned tho proposed JiVht railI Ti-nv yvftpm. He condemned tho exercise «Ohb Ministerial veto in the "Railway Tfopartment. A great deal of reform ,<was needed in tho Raflhray Department both in connection with the interests of tho .men and of the public. There was so touch discontent in the service that were it not for tho superannuation fund they w<rald not k-ave enough men to run the trains. That was not .what was keeping" them in. Th£y could not aiford to leave, because th^y hjtd their pensions coming to them! " In conclusion ho hoped -there would 'be;-ho general election, and he did/Jttojbf^e-tlio necessity of on©. Soon© arrangement might be made to obviate it. ?bnt if there was to be a general election both sides should first agree to pass a. Proportional Representation BfM.