SHE GOVERNMENT DEFENCE

West Coast Times, Issue 10533, 17 July 1897, Page 4

SHE GOVERNMENT DEFENCE

MR HALL-JONES AT NEW PLYMOUTH. [Per United Press Association.! New Plymouth, July 16. Hon. Hall-Jones visited the petroleum wo; Ls this afternoon and expressed himSBif highly pleased with what he saw. Tn night he delivered a speech at the Alexandra Hall. He said he was pleased with Taranaki. It was diffierent to the district he came fro-n as his dis rict was blocked up L-v large blocks of land held by wealthy men, Taranaki, fortunately, was cut up.into small holdings. He referred to the enormous growth" of the dairy industry in. this district. His Government had assisted the. farmers more than any otherGovernment. For five years under the previous Government only £23,000 had been spent in roads and bridges in Taran aki, whereas last year no less than £38,000 had been spent here. The Opposition never attacked rile policy measures of the Government, that is they never dared to say they would repeal a aingle T&oUqy measure Government had passed.

Thj Opposition war : tor over speaking of corruption in the administration o£ the Government but they could never prove a single instance of corruption. The return from th^ railwaysjast year waa gre^t er than avar aud yielded a larger per centageof interest than in any previous year. That result was achieved despite the large- concessions granted by the Minister for Railways. The railway traffic had largely increased, so much so that a large amount of new rolling stock was needed and Government would make provision for rolling stock next session. He claimed that his Governmeut had taken duties off the nece3suie3 ot life, increased the duties on luxuries and made the people pay duty who could afford it. The Land for Settlement Act proved beneficial to the working classes. During the past year 51,000 acres had baen settled upon by small farmers under this Act. The opponents of the Government said thcro was a los 3 made under the Lands for Settloment Act but he claimed there was a profit. The Government Advances to Settlers Act had also proved beneficial, nearly all the money raised by Government having been advanced to settlers in small sums. He also referred to the labor legislation and old age pensions, and held that the colony was in a better position now than it had been for many years, which was largely due to the good administration of the Government. A vote of thanks and confidence in the Government was carried unanimously.