The Premier at Duedin

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1335, 25 May 1905, Page 2

The Premier at Duedin

Important Speech

.• Splendid Financial Year

Coming Measures Ontlitieil

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Ddhbwn, thia day. Last night tho Promior addressed one of tho largest and most jnthusiastic meetings soon hote. Horoiterutod that he thought ho could do tho besi for New Zoaland by : remaining in tho colony. Ho oriticisod Mr Massoy's speeches, especially with roi garrt to tho Public Revenues Aot and audit, on similar lines to bis former specehes. As to tho finances of tho colony, tho Premier said that the net surplus for tho 'year was 41761,036. Tho receipts for the year wero: Revenue 17,282,890; sinking fund accretions, 4-63,200; other recoiptß, i 4JU27; total, .t7.847.197. The expenditure was:—Permanent appropriations, £2.670,972; annual appropriations, £3.961,930; total, £6,635,002, Tho oxcess of receipts ovor expenditure was 41711,295. The balance from last year amounted to £49,741, yiolding a surplus of 1761,036. Dealing with tho transfer of tho surplus, tho Promier said that the Government hud transferred from tho ordinary rovenue to the Public Works

Funds since 1892 a Bum of £4,355,000: which meaut a saving to tho colony of £143,000 por annum for intoresfc, The Opposition had tried to hood-rink tho colony by staling that tho Government j was charging expenditure to oapital whioh ought to bo churged to revenue. Mr Mas. «ey knew tho position, and tho Opposition press knew it. The only thing they did not know was that last yoar the Government transferred from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund £600,000. Tho Public Works Fund was not purely a loan fund, for half of it came from tho consolidated revenue, and if the Opposition took nil the money that had bean expended on building): and renewals they would still h,»vo £200,000 left out of tho 4600,000 transferred fnm iho Consolidated Fund.

Speaking on the land question, the Promier said that tho present ravonue from tho land was £483,000, and he asked whore was tho money to coiuofrom if there wero no tenants ? As to granting the freehold, ho had avoided taking up a positive atlhmlo on this question, as he was waiting for further information, and the rights of Mr. Massey must be considered.

Mr Soddon hinted at tho probability of an inereaso in tho graduated land tax. Ho said ho felt satisfied that tho time was not far distant whon Parliament would havo to consider Ihe question of revision of the t -riff, though he himself was averse to tinkering with the Customs tariff.

Referring to old age pensions, he paid that tho Government, were determined, with the aid of Ptihamcnt, to increase tho old aiio ponsions from 7s 6:1 to lO.i per week, which under oxistin« paymoiits meant an additional £94,000 per annum.

Tho Premier finally ouilined the Government programme. Clause 3of the Shops and Offices Act must bo altered, Tho present horns of shop assistants would be maintained, but exemptions in regard to certain trades would havo to bo adjusted. There would be a tenchor's suvomnnuationfuudand Civil Service superannuation fund. Provision would be made for the harnessing of rivers <so as to utilise their motive power. The royalty on timber and flax would bo made looal rovonnc, ami irrigation must bo undermk<m by the State. Thorn must bo a limitation to tho urea of the land that people or coinpunio'i may hold, and moro pns:otnl runs must bo taken for closo settlement, The polioy of tin) Opposition would be n policy of negation and stagnation against progrrss'bn. Tho Premier spike for two hours and a half and was loudly choiiicd at the c'oae of tho address.

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