POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 309, 8 June 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

MR BALLANCE BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

~ Wancanci, Thursday. The Hon, John Ballance addressed his constituents last night. The Mayor was in the chair and there was a largo attendance. Mr Ballance referred to the tariff, and in doing so recalled the fact that Sir Harry Atkinson had taken exception to Sir Julius Vogel’s protection policy in 1889, but he had since followed on the same lines. The present Government had accused former Governments of undue expenditure, and had even charged previous Ministers with personal extravagance, but even if those Minis, ters had been guilty of personal extravagance in the way of incurring travelling expenses, not one of them had had the privilege of seeing the Melbourne Cup run at the public expense, Referring to Sir Robert Stout losing his seat, Mr Ballance said that Sir Robert’s absence from the House was a loss to the colony, Sir Harry Atkinson had come into power because he was the only fit man, as Mr Bryce had not won his seat. Sir Harry was not popular with his party, but was recognised as the only one fit to lead them. Mr Ballance attacked the land policy of the government, and maintained that under their regime fewer settlers had been put on the land than when he (Mr B'.llance) was Minister of Lands. Mr Ballance then attacked the proposals of the Government or a reduction in representation, maintaining that the proper way to effect a reduction would be by not increasing the number of representatives as the population increased. As the matter now was, a reduction in the number of members meant greater expense, as the districts would be enlarged. The measure was proposed in order to give greater power to the Conservative or Tory party in the colony. Referring to the suggestion to centralise the management of

education at Wellington, under Mr Fisher’ proposed bill, Mr Ballance said that the ide; oould not work, and it meant doing awai with the local bodies altogether. He urge* the people to oppose such a measure atrenu ously. He considered that the reduotioi in the capitation to Volunteers was ai injustice. If the Volunteers ware no worthy of being allowed the cost of theii clothing they had better be done away witl altogether. Mr Ballance attacked the Gov ernrtjent for their attitude regarding natlv, lands, end stated thaj; their duty was togivi every aid to obtaining lahd fnr ijettienjent With reference to the oft repeated'ohargi made by the present Government against th* Opposition for stonewalling, Mr Ballance asserted that most of the members who had spoken against the Government last session were Government supporters, Mr Ballance justified the Opposition’s stonewalling intht case of the Otago Central Bailway Bill, With. reference to the Chinese Immigration question, he said he hoped to see the present restrictive statute made permanent, as it was clearly the duty of the Government to protect the tradesmen of the colony from the importation of Chinese. The pair Rent Bill was touched upon, and the speaker then prooeeded’ to deal with the tariff. He raid that he and his party thought Protection necessary in t.he iptpreijtß of the colony, and they had therefore supported Sir Harry 4.tkinson’s Tariff Bill, and voted with the Government independently of party feeling. His (Mr Ballance's) village settlement scheme had been pronounced last session an unqualified success, end the Ministry had to pive effect to the policy of their predecessors. Electoral reform was alsq touched upon by Mr Ballance, as well as cedistritmtion of taxation. He said he expected to see the property tax so modified as to become more of a land tax, and he considered that absentee landlords should be subject to a higher tax. Mr Ballance commended the appointment of the present Railway Commissioners, but concidered that the Government should be made to give their m-sons ’or passing over Judge Ward and'placing Mr Ber.niaton on the Bench, tfie latter having nd more reeotar.-(en-dation for the post than other members of the Bar. Mr Ballance also condemned the Te Kooti fiasco, and censured the Premier for his action in the matter.

At the conclusion of his address Mr Ballance was accorded a vote of oonfidenoe,