THE PREMIER IN DUNEDIN.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1397, 7 May 1884, Page 2

THE PREMIER IN DUNEDIN.

The Premier's address to the Dunedin people seems to have been almost as stormy as the one he addressed a little later at Christchurch. It is worthy of notice, however, that Major Atkinson's remarks relative to bogus mining ventures on the West Coast, are not reported in the Otago Daily Times, that portion of liis address, about which so much was said at the Christchurch meetiug, haviVig been omitted. As the Times report is in all other respects a very full, and apparently verbatim one, the omission is rather suggestive. We append a few of the questions and answers. ■ ' Question: Why did the Government last session oppose the motion of Mr Swanson, M.H.R., one of their own supporters* to "reduce the Estimates by £50,000 in "order to economise the Civil Service v expetfditure ? Major Atkinson : I did it, genfcle- | men, because I knew that it would be ! impossible, without reorganising the "I Service, to effect such a saving, and I 1 | undertook to attempt this task But , i it is a work of months, and I should j ' have been down here before but for the | work entailed by it The scheme > ! will be submitted to Parliament with | ! the object mentioned in view. I was [ i not prepare! rashly to dismiss men or 1 ! rednce their salaries without knowing \ the effect of such action. —(Hear.) j Question. — Did not Major Atkinson i then declare that further reduction w the Estimates was, impossible with ■ due regard to an efficient public [ service ? Major Atkinson: No;' 1 . never drenint of such a thing. I proposed I to reorganise the Service with a view ■ ; to reduction. I said, further, that it was impossible withqut altering ths 1 system and I say it still. ' ! Question : — Are you for insular or financial separation ? If not, please , , give your reason. ; ; Major Atkinson did you quite comi prebend the wording of the question. 1 If by insular separation was meant ? the establishment of two colonies — no, he was not. — (Applause,) He believed nothing would do more harm to both ■• colonies. ' And if the questioner meant two separate governments, under a federal government in Wellington, he • would also say, Certainly, not. It would, be believed, be no advantage, I and would greatly increase the exr ! penditure. As to financial separa- ■ tion, the same applied. He did not see how the two islands could have '■■ separate financial accounts with advantage to both or either. : . Question : Are you in favor of abolishing the Upper House, or nicking it i elective by the Colony ? > Major Atkinson : No, not at the present time, so far as abolishing it goes. Aud lam doubtful whether any J advantage would result from making it elective by the people, because of the conflicts with the Lower House. J Question : Would you make the judges of the Supreme Court amenable to and under the control of Par- > , liament ? I 1 Major A tkinson :No? If I under--7 stand the question. I believe the ! safety of a democratic country is to ' have judges impartial and entirely j untamed by suspicion. — (Applause-) Question : Are you in favour of j ' having the Governor elected by the people? Major Atkinson : No, gentlemen. lam not, (Applause and hisses.) The effect would be to change the Constitution, because responsible Ministers under an elected Governor would be impossible. Nor would I (to another question) change the seat of Government. I can see no advantages that would follow it. > Question : Are in favor of continuing i the pawnbroking system and borrowing foreign, capital? s Major Atkinson : I rather thought i the pawnbroker, was a domesctic i animal. I am in favor of moderate > borrowing and always have been, and ■ I am cbrtvinced that without -capital ' i our progress would be infinitely de- : layed. s Question : Knowing your desire to i economise will you forthwith abolish s -the Native Department ? Major Atkinson : I venture to say ' that if it were abolished much more » than at present it. would dissappear i altogether. i Mr Isaacs : I understood from your i address that yon are antagonistic to } dummyism. Will you say why the i Government has taken no notice of the • action of the Chief Commissioner for • Lands on the late dummyism question, i and why all the members of the Board were reappointed ? Major "Atkinson : The position is this : The Land Board, as constitued under the Land Act, is appointed for certain purposes. Parliament coni fides to them certain duties, which it would be highly improper for the Govi ernmentto interfere with. When the late members of the Board went out of office there were some very important casps still under consideration of which they had heard part, and the Govern*, ment felt that it would be very wrong to interfere with the decision of a body chained with special judicial functions by Parliament. "Mr H. S. Fish, M.H.R., who was received with hisses and applause, said : I wish to ask if Mrv'o'' Atkinson is *V i official head of tho 0-o^mnwit Insurance Department? Major Atkinson : Not the official, but the political head. Mr Fish : Well, I want to ask if you

are aware that forms of surrender value, purporting to belong to the Australian Mutual Provident Society,, are forged hy th« Government Department and issued to agents in order to take away business from the Society ? Major Atkinson : I am not aware that such a circular has been forwarded. I know one was printed,, and took measures to stop it, and see that it never occurred again, I entirely disapproved of it r and I may say that this circular was issued 1 without the knowledge of the Comrodssiomer,. who> is the responsible head of the Department. • Mr Fish: If the hon. gentleman is aware that those forms were actually^, circulated froua l&W for two- years? Major Atkinson : If the gentlemen* who knew all these matters would bring them under my notice, they would, have been rectified. Mr Fish: Is it not a fact that a doctor without a diploma was sent round with Government agents topass lives for the Department — a man whohad been convicted of felony; and* was actually no doctor at all ? Major Atkinson :I am sore- 1 cannot tell you. If so, it wiM be my duty toinqtrire into it. Mr Fish then read the- telegram (already published) from- Mr Geo. Tborne, jun., to Mr Macbfty re Victorian insurance agents. Major Atkinson thought it was very '->* wrong indeed for any Government , I officer to send sucu a telegram; — (A Voice : " Sack him.") Mr Fish: Is thai gentleman, although the matter is some months old, still in the employ of the Government? Major Atkinson : Yes-, he is.-— (Hisses.) But I am going to make no* statements in the matter at all, seeing that there is still a case pending concerniug it. I can only regret'that- 3ir . Fish should have thought it his daty^to bring forward a question which, is still Kubjudiee. . ' In reply to a question by Mr Bolt; as"; to the electoral vote. Major Atkinson said ii was a matter of sentiment in a great measure. A large number of people seemed to think an incentive should be given to meu acquiring small freeholds, and theLegislature had permitted such to obtain a vote if resident in the district or not. Replying to a question re Federation,, he regretted not having been able togo into that subject, which, however,, would have taken a whole evening. ' But he was quite in favour of federation, and thought it a necessity with certain limitations. Mr J. G. S. Grant: Have you abandoned your National Insuranco policy X Major Atkinson : 1 have not, gentlemen ; and lam not going to. I houfe . shortly to have the bill before you— -it is now being printed. (A voice : '• We don't want it.")— Yes, you do. It is a question, as I told you before, which cannot be hurried. The people thehnaelves must demand it. Mr Grant then pot a question or two upon educational matters, and finallyasked . Do you consider it light for a Government official to edit a newspaper in a great city of New Zealand ? « Major Atkinson: I do not; most certainly. . * ; Mr Grant : Pot ajlop to jt then. ;\ k Major Atkinson : I should put astflp- c to it directly. In response to shotits of name, Mr Grant and others in the body of thetheatre mentioned a name. Major Atkinson : Really, gen tleruen,,' I do not think such statements should be made. Ido not know whether they > are libellous or not. ' a -' Mr Grant: They an in the mouth of the public, anyhow. In reply to other questions, Major Atkinson said that he did not see why leaseholds should not be franchised if freeholds were. Ifheremembed aright, about £200,000 had been allocated out of the loan to the Otago Contrtt! railway, and, with liabilities, about thesame amount spent Mr Robert Wilson had great pleasure in proposing — " That a vote of thanks be accorded to Major Atkinson for hi» address." — (Applause and hisses.) Hethought the speaker had done well, considering the number of interruptions,. : and that he had given them a great deal of information, and stated nothing but facts. • Mr J. G. 8. Grant spoke amidst a great deal of interruption, and was understood to suggest that Major Atkinson should he sent to the Soudan, to check the False Prophet. Mr Bossbotham moved as an amendment — "That Major Atkinson be thanked for h\» address, hut thsit thi* meeting has no confidence in him *w aft . administrator of the Government of New Zealand. Mr Isaac spoke at length, amidst great disturbance, seconding the amendment, and attacking Major Atkinson. Mr Wilson had said the speaker had given them a great deal of information, but had not told them how much he had omitted. Properly calculated, our railways had been made to cost us just 50 per cent, more than they should have done. The Chairman then put the amendment, and there appeared to be some misapprehension about the voting, as only comparatively few hands were held up on either side. The amendment wfliS declared lost and the voting on the motion, which was then put, seemed equally unsatisfactory, the confusion in the theatre being very great The motion was declared carried. Major Atkinson, on coming forward, was received with groans and cries, oil "The amendment was carried." He said I was going to thank you for your vote. — (No, no?) I am quite satisfied with it and with the way we have 6pent our evening. I camu down ,

here to give you my reasons for the action of- -the- Government. 1 have given them, and all I ask is that£ou will consider them for what they; are worth, and let us part as good friends as we met. The meeting then broke up at 11.40 p.m. '■ ■'