Untitled

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8621, 2 November 1894, Page 4

(Mr Willis's address continued fromp»ge 2.)

Crown Lauds of the l diitriot. The competent valuers.' It is said that we hat* no nght.to.take property in thji way.batbe maintained it was perfeotly legitimate.! If a railway were wanted land was taken under the Piiblio Works Act, or 'an ordinary toad or water supply if ere taken^ipu]Urly j therefore he thought that the precedent ,wai established, and it was perfeotly legitimate and right to take land where the interests of tho people demanded it. Authority was given to borrow a quarter of a million'for the purpose; of buying these lands. That amount was very tmall indeed, and it would bo a long time'before the land reverted baok to the Crown.' He would have preferred to have seen four or fire millions spent in that way. He thought there was nothing could make the colony more suocesiful thun obtaining tb!e lands for tho people. It was the way to promote prosperity, in wbioh instead of large nurabon of people wanting employment there would be ample work for all.' ' When the Bill was 'going through the Housa 1 it was tubjeoted to fierce opposition. The result, one would naturally think, was that those against it would do their very best to oppose it. But this was not so. When the division actually took place there were only seven against it, while 52 voted for it.' Thuo showing that although ready to condemn it the Opposition dare not opposo the wishes of the people.

He would point out'the success attendant on the settlement of the Cheviot Estate, although the purohase was attaoked again and again by the opponent* otthe Government. 16 had been Haiti that^ettlers were giving up their holdings. But what were the facts. Up to the present time applications were coming in thicker than the Government could supply, and settlement iwas taking place at a rapid rate. This did .not look as though they would throrf lip their allotments.' His -'opinion ' v to the success of the Cheviot experiment was that there wasW'doubt at all of the wisdom of the Government in taking this land in {the way that they did. Captain Russell wai one of the' foremost in denunciation. 'He (Captain- iHu'ssell) had .said he mat the greatest Liberal in the House. He had condemned manufacture! and said he was sorry l to see young people employed' in factories, because it was rery bod for their health. He (Mr Willis) considered this a very extraordinary statement for Captain Russell to make, as he was praotically pc leader of the land monopolist party. He, who': has a fence running round his property jf or miles and miles in extent, fays to the faotory, hands— Breathe the free oir of Heaven, but you must do so outside of my fence. 'Mr Willis, howover, regretted that this Bill went through the House Without a clause for compulsory revaluation. He thought that where people got land at a low,rate of interest that when it increased in value it was only fair that the colony should reap the bonefit. Ho and other mombers of the House had spoken in very strong term* of this. The feeling was no strong that 'ft be- ( came necessary to hold' a obaicub, and they, met the Minister of Lands, who, said thai he was in favor of a 1 revaluation, but that | the Bill had boon thrown out for a number of years in the Upper House, and if they included a now clause in the Bill the Upper Home would throw it out again. If they got this Bill passed the Minister said he would then, he hoped, be able to make the leases subject to revaluation. ' It was in oonsequenoeof thisthatthoy finally gave way and allowed the Bill to pass in its present form. It was said that these large landowners had borne the beat and burden of the day, but he contended it was the poorer settlers who were aotuaHr entitled to this orodit. That being so, it was quite right that the people should now declare that the time had come when the State should resume possession of these large properties.

CONSOLS BIKD.

A very great; deal of discussion took place over this Bill, the oMect of which was to afford .facilities for the investment of siringi so that people may invest money receiving interest at 4 per cent. As pointed out by the Colonial Treasurer the money had to 1 be raised in some way or other in order to have available a little floating cash. When this Bill was proposed 'about nineteen members waited on the Colonial Treasurer and said they would not support it unless it was safeguarded, and the money put to a separate aooounb called the N.Z. Consols Account. It has been said > that the collection of thelandtaxinadvanoewai a moat unfair and unjust thing to do, but there was a precedent for it. Major Atkinson on several occasion! colleoted the Property Tax six or eight months in advance. If it were unjust for them to do this in the case of the Land Tax was it not equally s> iv Major Atkinson's case, and yet nothing; was said about it. But in the caie of the" Liberal Government there is raised the ory immediately that it would be an injusticemoney taken from the farmers in thii fashion. There was another polioy Bill, the LAUDS' IHPBOVBKBHT AND HATIYH AOQUI-

sixiotr Bin,.

This was for the purpose of borrowing a quarter of a million of money annually for acquiring Native Lands, and a quarter of a million for the purpose of construction of roadi and bridges on Grown Lands and the preparation of lands for lettloment. Thii Sill was of great importance to the Wanganui district. Wanganm for many years has been a mere atrip on the Coast. It w«b only of late years — during the time of the Ballance administration— that 'the Waimarino was purchased, that land which was 10 strongly condemned by Mr Brvoe'.' All that land now was available for settlement parposes and we were beginning to fed the benefit of it. He (Mr Willis) thought that if we cohM »till go on with the good work large blooks of land would be acquired, and ■ettlement wonld take place in consequence. When the Bill came before the House 42 to 7 wai the division list, and no division wai taken on the third reading beoanse it was known 'that the Bill was of so useful a kind that at the last moment'the courage of those who had opposed it failed them, and they offered no further opposition. BOTEBBMBMT ADVAHOBB TO BUTTIES B Bill had for its object the borrowing of money at the rate of ona and a half millions a year to lend to settlers at a low rate of interest. In, stead of farmers having to pay as they did by this Bill they would be able to borrow snms of money from £35 to £2500, and ou that they would pay only 6 per cent. ; 5 per cent, was for interest, and the other 1 per cent, was to go to a sinking fund. In 37 years the whole of the debt would be wiped out. There could be no doubt whatever that the Bill would be a very great boon to ■ettlers. When wejconiider the largo number of struggling settlers who cannot get small loans he thought there could be no question this polioy of the Government is one that should be highly commended. Every lawyer in the House, with one exception, was opposed to this measure simply because they themselves were interested in lending money. A large number of members of the opposition were interested in large estates and loan societies, and they said if the Governmont lent money what would bfcome of tho societies ? The Home had nothing to do with that, its object being to help tho farmers. This measure was carried by 36 to 11.

THB B4MK OV KKW ZBAI&ND OOAB4KTBB. Although the Government were attacked on that measure by the Opposition their oouraga failed them. He comidered the Government hftd averted a orieie of vory great; moment to New Zealand. If the Bank of New Zealand had gone other institutions -would have followed, and thero ii no saying what would have oobd the end of it. He thought the prompt action of the Government was one of the most statesmanlike and oommendable that was done by the Government daring the last session. The Opposition have been adversely oriticisine in every possible way, thereby injuring tho BanVs credit. The Colonial Treasnrer had ■aid that instead of these attacks being made upon the Banks members should try and legislate in a way whioh would still further tend to strengthen it. GOVBBHHBHT BAILWATS. He had always been in favour of the Go-* vernmenl resuming posoessiou of tho rail, ways, nndwhon the proposal to have them vested in the three Commuilonws, with a Minister having a seat and oasting vote, the Houso considered that the time hod come when the State should again resume posiei. .ion The result was that the railways will aeain be banded oier to the Government —with whioh the Government should never have parted. Therailways were originally constructed for the purpose of opemngup land as an improved system of roads. They were not started for the purpose of money m»king, and he thought cireum.ta&oe* would show that that was an injurious .ystem to work on. A. an example he quoted the whits pine timber trade. He tried to induce the Commissioners to carry white pine timber at the same late as firewood, but th»y refuted. They said that the luggestion was » polioy proposal, and

that the authority of the Government 1 would h»T« to be obtained. Had the railways been in the possession oft the State, tbis question would have been JcoDiideretl,' and the Home would probably hare'deoided that although at the reduced rate of freight possibly onlr a imall profit would hare been made, yet it would hare given* emplojm«nt to ■< large number of men.' He ,be?ieved that the 'Commissioners {did' what they believed to be the belt inlthe' interests of the colony, bnt their only objeot was to make a profit, and the queition of polioy nover .eptered into their plani of management. He was satisfied that greater satisfaction was being shown by. employers under the new system. The Government measures, although severely cnticiied by the press of the colony (whose iutoreat lay I with the monied clan mainly), were for the best interest* of the colony, ffhe .QoTOtnmoat had reoeired the most-b itter and hostile opposition throughout, bat >he would say this for the Opjwßitiod.that they did notihoW anything like f&otical oppoiition. The GoTornmenfc, it was true, had inoreased the debt of \h« colony slightly, but in no other preceding Gorernment had the increase been leu. The small inoraase was due to converting loans, thereby greatly reduoing interest. In proof >of this he would state that the grois indebtedness per head on every person in the colony was reduced from £61 19s id to £53 17s. Tbo Gorernment wers ottaoked on what were called their borrowing proposals, They were said to be a non borrowing GoTernmenl, und were oharged therefore with inconsistency. The borrowing proposals ot this G-oyernmeqli were of an altogether Bif < f orent character from those oft the i old Atkinson 'System. It was not to'ba spent reoilenly on public works, bub would 'be invested in such a way as to permit Of it being recouped, and would therefore'remain to the credit of the oolony.

BIILWAY CONSTBOOTIOir.

He intended to give some details of the Midland Railway proposals, but time would not permit. Suffice it to say, that he opposed strongly the proposal to 'spend this £620,000, and regarded the whole thing as » huge pieoe_ofjobbejry v _.jf the .proposal were- brought up »g»in,-he~would oppose it. He did not think the colony, after the completion,,of some,, small gtps, required more railways, arid could very well afiord to wait till more prosperous times before attempting further railway oonstrootion. He had only a word or two to say with regard to the'i'i W 7><l " . -''

mCbkbiso- jiil.

As they wore aware, a great deal of time ;-w«i.-lostoT>er-i6, and to have pushed through woul&iave involved the undivided' work of three months at" least* The measure wu diaoussed for, -three- nights, during whioh time lomethiri" lift 800 amendments were brought down, snd after their three Bight*' discussion ■ they had.' reached Vonly: the twelfth olause out of 925. The Premier 'tried to suit himself to tho oiroumstanoes, and when there appeared a probability of a deadlook over this clause (which .dealt with the 1 question of the constitution of the committee), he suggested that it be left to the last, and that they go on with the other clauses. 'But the Prohibitionists said, " No, we'll fight it out." 'Hence it proceeded no furthor. The Premier wu again 1 charged with insinoerity on this matter, but that charge was unfounded. He (Mr: Willii) would support any measure which had.a ,tendenoy in the! dirsotion •of ■ suppreiring drunkenness, but would not be one of those who wouldy-by tot of Parliament, say a man must not have his glass of beet. (Applause), He wished to refer briefly to the

SfiBOKAHT-AT-ABMa

•question, This was the great attack of the session. 'The Government were attacked on this question on two phsjei. Firstly, the refleotion on the oharacter of Colonel ITrasea. It was' said that certain things had taken plaoe 20 or 30 yean ago wbioh morally disqualified Colonel JPraseVs appointment. But the fact 'tW'he had been three times Mayor for the ' Thames, three times elected to a seat in the House, among tbo members of which ha wsi highly re* speoted, and had the entree of Government Home, disproved completely those, assertions. In addition, hi was to recoive only £200 a year, as against £25Q'or £300 paid to his predebesaora. To mch an extent were these attacks osrried that those opposing the appointment' were called, the "honest members of the House/t he inferenoe being that those who Toted for the appointment were dishonest members, and pictures of "those who voted for the tiergeant-at-Arms appointment" wore sent ont. Tie second phase of the question wai the Disqualification Act. It was fsid that the Government bad no right under this Act to make the appointment, whioh proTided that no perron who had not ceased to be a member for twelve months oonld hold a Government position. As a matter of faot Colonel Frazor's pay only commenced at the end of the twelve months. The Opposition blamed the Government for not passing a ihorfc Bill felting aside this particular part of the Disqualification Bill in this case, but' he oontended the amwer was complete. If the voice of the House demonstrated that they were prepared to appoint Colonel Eraser to the' post without' salary for 13 months, the Government were entitled to do, it, and the necessity for a Bill setting aiide the Disqualification Aot did not exist. There was another point. 'It would generally be expected that those gentlemen who were so indignant pver tins matter would themselves be very virtuous, and would never attempt anything of the kind, i But what did they find? During the Atkinson Administration, and when v great many of tbeso gentlemen were importers of that Government, Mr Moss was appointed Resident Agent at Baratonga at a cost of £500 a year. They did not give him a salary, ho being then a- member, but they gave him "travelling expenies" amounting fo £600. Whioh was the worse notion, he aiked, this oi tbe appointment of Colonel- Stager, whose salary was not to commence till the end of twelve months from the time of his ceasing to be a member P

thi hub inns.

Oa this questiou a great daal could be said on both sides. It shortened debates in some cases, and in others it did not. It was amusing to note the rapid manner in which the epoeohes on the seoond reading of, Bills were delivered, but Ministers hod to tear through their speeches, and had not opportunities of fully explaining the measures. Every speaker had his eye on the olook, and the instant the bell rang be had to take his seat.

THE WOEK OP THB SBBSIOK

had be»n very heavy, especially on Committees. No one excepting those aotuslly engaged could form an adequate idea. The House frequently sat till four or fire in the morning, and meirborihad co attend to Committees from 10 to lunch time, and then again in the House from 2.30 to 5.30, and from 7.30 to well on ia the morning again, this oontinuing day after day. < Members would often talk for no other reason than filling Hansard, and well on in the evening finding a Bill under discussion very little advanced, the Minister in charge would be oompelled to put his foot down and tell members that they must sit until the measure was got through. Notwithstanding the attacks made against the present Government, if they were defeated whero would they get a better? Not from the Liberal benohes, and if selected from the Opposition he »»s quite certain the interests of the colony would not be looked after as they had been by the present Government. The past session had been a most trying time for Ministers, but they were firm and honest in their endeavour to oarryon the government of tho country in a statesmanlike manner. Captain Russell, speaking on the Appropriation Bill, referred to the Opposition as being sans teeth, sang eyes, sans everything, but he (Mr Willis) thought that although there was some truth in that statement, yet but when he said the Opposition were sans teeth he was not quite correct. The toeth were there, although well worn down by »ge, and something of the old bulldog remained. If they hod only the power, they would legislate as heretofore, in the interests of the momed class. If He (Mr Willis) wore convinced that the Government did not endeavour to aot up to their profusions, he would be the first to vote for their removal. The gloomy forebodings of the Opposition were always to the fore. When the Property Tax was abolished and the Land and Income Tax substituted,it was predioted that the colony was rushing to ruin. But that prediction was not fulfilled. Those who condemned it at the time' would be very sorry now so see things revert to the old state. Farmers were now five times better off. It was tho large landholder who had to pay under the Lacd Tax, and it is they who cry out and try ss far as possible by their iofluenoe to decry the usefulness of the Government measures. In plaoe of driving capital from the country* the cheap money scheme *[\\ induce its

inflow in 1111 * 1 - w»t' ia^whioh money-lenders wonld never 1 ,have done for, the people of Hew Zealand. t>aptap?Busieiyn Speaking „__ fti'tHbie Billij iniibnit^th»t;fli>,at«tribu-w-(ion of this money would be iualfonbeiY totKe Government supporteri I .'," WWIe he I wh firing away on one lide, ihefhid Sir ' Bobsrt Bktnt on tbtf pt^,Trltb'l#oljiur(!M pf'^fpqilf to" the 1 YioWn."' lfc:BeeTei, Minister for Edaoation.diipelled thoio assertion* by showing conclusively thstinthe distribution of monies the oßnititiienoiei of the Oppoiition memberf hid been fairly dealt with. Indeed, when'~the/Brtiaittei cams dewh mant of the 1 Government [sup* porters expressed disappointment bcbijW their 1 districts Hod not nsoewad one'tulfVE what 'ther oxpeoted. Captain 'Btutell attacked' the Government? on tioir borrow* ing > proposals, charging them with incontistenoy.- bufc_ in ao doing he leemi to hvre besome oWivioui to the f aot tb»t he (Osptain .Buiieli), id «p«aking to hii eleaton in 1887, proposed a loan of twenty, million!. (A.pplau>s). Thii w*!t the man who'oried out againit the borrowing propoiali of the Gorernment. It appeared very maoh like Satan reproWag sin. With regard to the lystem of oarrjing on ' pobho wobks on or bxtbvxmb. He considered it the legitimate way of carrying on the public worki. He did not T»nt to lee more money borrowed for the purpoie o£ carryiog on Publio V^oris. If the Government were ,- not fo permit tar* pluues for this purpose or to rtjie loam where, he wonld esk, win the money to oome from ? In dull timei'iuoh »• that jest paved thronßh •' the Gorernment wat tbound to iuff«r, but still the Government was no more reiponiible fo'r the low prioei of produce ■'than it wonld bare been »• • sponaible for an earthquake. - > , XOOH, HiTTEBS. The total amount ,ot> the. J&rtimjtM for thit rdtitiiot wm ■ £18,600 . (Rfkjfcionlari of whioh have already been given). < -When the Estimates were framed the »am of £160 wai iot' down for the improvement of the river. He felt dubesrtetned at thii, but went to the, Minuter and, urged 2pon him Btronfely the j ait chimi of the^njuiui Biver. He felt -he war <not .begging in thii mutter, at ■ 'the Biver mint be the great central route,,, »nd it opened up moh • vaat tract, of Crown Land. He was tucoeiiful mi hiring .another £1000 placed on the Eitiinates, bo that! there wh now £1160 available for river .deepening. When thii amount, w*» expended he did not think there would, be muohfearbat that the boats,woald be able to navigate the rivor^retly, and he trusted thi«, would be so, aud,that Mr HatrioVi ; new ,boat of would be able to reaoh the ,np;riyer lettlementiieaaily. Although,pppo»ed,to,hlm at the leitelection, he would lay that #Cr Hatrick had ihown an.- amount .ofieijterpriie which muifc add to. the prosperity^ of the dutrict. ' • . C, „ , v „ L IK.OOHOtjffpibK • ,„; he would: say t^at dnribg.thei time he had been in 'the Hotuo, 'he hadf done ihis belt, He.ha.d Written ibmething. like 800 letter* in answer, to thoig written! tp him,' and no one could aay that he had left' unanswered any correspondence. He wm sorry that local bodies bad not-oommunioatod with hini more than they had done. When 00m of » character affecting 'local bodies were before the House he would hive preferred »n opinion at'to what- was oonsidernd beat for the district. Bat, posiibly, they' had done' hint' the honour of .leaving puoh matters .to his 'good' sense andijuagmenfc, - He thanked them fdr their patient-hearing, ' and; although he wonld have wished to have) spoken a gnat deal more fully, time would hot permit.' The Government, U he'had said before, had worked hoheatlj''fd'r thebeit interest' of the colony, and 'although at timei._it had a rough and ready way of dealing with questions, and 'lacking that suave, ' poliihed way which oharaotertied Mr'Bal'lance yet there hadbeen a ragged honeity aad outepokenntßs' whio'h he/ arid- he 7 beliavod every person in the colony ,'had'reason. to be satisfied with. "'V ;l , ,r lT > , . / .._ „ ' ■

1 Qvsmom. ■ 1j *', • " Mr 'Willis then resumed, hi»^. seat '^midst applause, and baring signified hie willingness to answer any question*,' put^ohia.Mr Morgan asked him ,for hit opinion 'in the Ppmobaka. purohase. Mr .Willis replied that this questiou had been fully diiouued. It wag as to whether the price paid was too high.' In his opinion it was. > But that wag no fault of the Ministers, but rather, of tho valuers. , ■ , , . i t Mr Morgan— l* that your opinion after reading the evidence ? _ ," „ Mr Willis said it was. The, Opposition hud exonerated the Minister from blame in thii matter, and the lubject ! wai oorreotly put by the Minuter, in replying when he said thai: he could not be eipectedto-aot at land valuer. - ,','.- Mr Allen asked Mr Willis his opinion on / the'Wangaehu and Pipiriki roads',? , ; , In reply, Mr Willis said the troable > in t the> past was wishing for too many roads. , His. effort was to gel cne ohief road to the interior, and that was the Pipirih Rptd. Ht would like to tee the Wangaehu Rotd completed,, and if the Wangaehiii/ County Counoil had shown half oi.muob. energy v they might have done, it "woufd hare been to their credit. There wu a limited amount si 'money available, aadihefaad obtained £BCoofor this Pipiriki ,Roid. /N.?xti.year he would try for the Wangiehiißo&d, bat would pot risk losing ,batb, grants thii' yearby advocating both. The WanK»ehu' Valley road was, a goqd useful one, but watsteondary in importance to the other. The Pipiriki Road, .opened up a , large amount, of Crown land, which the Wangaehu Road did not touch, it going to Waioru $nd thence to Tokaanu, and the ttaffla would ,be ,only limited. He contended that the main rood to the interior was the Wanganui- Pipiriki and Field's Traok, when it oau be made into?? dray road.. lAt the same time 'lie should ende»your'to, .induoe the Government to . assist on the Wangaehu Road,. and he be- j lieved the settlers deserved it. „, „ g Mr Morgan— On how .many commitieei v Wai Mr Willis? „ , „, ' Mr Willis said be,waion one only , and found, that quite sufficient. Jt wai the Publio (Petitions, Committee, whioh had I something like 360 petitions bifore it, every one of -which wan .dealt with. He. oon» sidered it; ,be^ter to be, on ; one oommittoo only and to attend to his work than, on 12 or 13 andloqk into eagh for. a moment only, in order; t to, make a quorum. , Mr Allen laid that on two former ooo»- | sioas he had ridden long distances to opposeI Mr Willis at the elections, but v others had 'done, he had dunged hit opinion, and propoied $o aik the meeting to., pas* & resolution of oonfldenoe in and. thanks to Mr Willis. , He was not going into the merits or demerits of the Government measures—it was. not hijiplaoe to do so. On two or three points ' he differed from Mr Willis, but on the whole the polioy of theGovernment he entirely approved of. They do not go as far as he (Mr Allen) would. He was a Radical of Radicals, and would govery much further in the direction of land nationalisation. With regard to the Wangaehu Road Valley question,' he entirely disagreed with Mr.WiDis, but they would never get a man wirh whom they entirely tgreod. .If .they could agree with ninetenths of what he said they could well afford to let the other tenth ."slide. He would move - that this 'meeting pass a resolution thanking Mr Willis for his address end expressing confidence in him for what he ha* done. The motion was]goeonded by Mr Pinches, and on being put was cartiei unanimously. ' ■ ■ A vote of thank* to the ohair terminated the meeting,