Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 11 February 1898, page 6


SIR HORACE TOZER.

-"--'N... .

VISIT TO GYMPIE." ' FAREWELL ADDRESS

(Abridged from Yesterday's "Gympie

Times.")

Sir Horace Tozer addressed a crowded meeting at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday night His worship the Mayor (Alderman Mulcahy) presided. Quite a number of ladies were present, and occupied the front benches, while on the platform were seated various prominent citizens of the town and

district.

The Chairman, in a very few words, introduced the speaker of the evening.

Sir Horace Tozer, who, on rising, was greeted with cheers, said Whatever your shade of political thought, whether you are politically speaking with me or not, I want you to join with me on this, perhaps the last occasion I will address you for many years, just as we join hands at Christmas time in wishing " peace and goodwill to all." I come before you to-night, not to ask you for your suffrages, but to tender you my thanks for the dignity you conferred on me ten years ago, when you chose me as your member. I think it my first duty to thank you, not only the electors of Wide Bay, but the citizens who aided me and the ladies who assisted me so heartily In the benevolent and philanthropic work which is controlled by the department that I have administered. I tender you all my heartfelt thanks, and hope that my successor will receive the same support that was given to me. (Cheers) I perhaps may be more discursive than usual to-night, but I don't think I need apologise to you on this occasion. During the time I have served as your representative I have never missed one day from office except when business called me elsewhere. Providence has been kind to me, and I have always been blessed with rude health, which enabled me thus to carry out my duties. In consequence of some of my colleagues not being so fortunate in this respect, I have had cast upon me sometimes the work of one or two additional offices. Last year, too, the Premier and my colleague, Mr. Byrnes, were called upon to attend the Jubilee functions in England, and I had to undertake my heaviest duties as Acting Premier. By this morning's paper I see I am expected to-night to not only give a defence of the actions of the Government but to make some prophetic utterances in regard to the future, but I can assure you that I intend to leave the future for those who have to deal with it. Six months ago I felt I required a rest. You know you cannot always tell a book by its cover, and you can't tell by my appearance the sick headaches that I have continuously suffered from of late. My medical adviser told me that I must take a holiday, so I gave the Premier notice to that effect ACCEPTANCE OF AGENCY-GENERAL.

When he returned from England he told me he had to select some one to fill the position of Agent-General, and asked if I would undertake that work in the other part of the world. I agreed to accept the ap' pointment because of its high and honour-

able position and because I required a rest. My representation of the colony at home means my resignation of the position or member for Wide Bay and the office of Home Secretary. I have booked to leave the colonies for the scene of my new duties on 16th March. I thought to make this public to you first to-night as a mark of gratitude to my constituents, but it had so sooner been decided upon than It leaked out, got into the Brisbane papers, and was circulated all over the colony. I had no absolute need to come before you to-night, but I had promised the electors of Wide Bay that I would see them, and had hoped to come before. But the Queensland Home Secretary has to keep at home and do the work while others go from home. I come before you to-night, not because I want anything, but because I feel it my duty to show my grate-fulness to you. Ten years ago I was in England, making up my mind to return to Queensland. The general, elections were looming, but I never had the slightest desire to enter political life. I left England on 17th March, and intended to return to look after my own professional business, and I can tell you now it would have been more profitable to me had I done so. People get a very funny idea of the profit that accrues to a Minister of the Crown, put' I can tell them that if he attends to his duty as I have attended to mine, and as his country requires that he shall, he will not be much of a gainer financially. Personally, I have not invested in one single speculation during my term of office which could detract from my official rank, or served myself instead of my country, in s s. date actual loss to me has been

something like £7000, and, in addition, I I have lost the best ten years of my life.

But often there is more pleasure in giving than in receiving, and it is a pleasure to a man to give his best abilities for the benefit of his country. I would thank members on r both sides of the House for the treatment , I have had from them during the last ten

years They have made my work happy, and I am absolutely satisfied at their appreciation, which will bear testimony to the > value of the work Since office was conferred

on me in 1890, my two watchwords have been, as they were my harbour lights through life, Honour and Truth" (laughter). Yes, I say truth, and there is to that hospital of yours the sum of £100 to any man who can come on to this platform, now or at any time, and show that I ever broke a promise, failed to pay an obliga-tion, or said a word in public or otherwise that was not in accordance with truth. - ' When I was going to school I remember my

. master telling me that I could always fight

for myself, but would never be able to meet that general accusation, "You're a liar." - He told me the only thing to do with a man who called me a liar was to knock him down, but the man who calls you' a liar is often a literary assassin who never comes into the Might to let you knock him down. He fires from behind the hedge, end you are not in a position to give him the physical punishment he deserves. If that literary assassin came forward now I would be in a position to administer that physical punishment, were it not for the

office I hold as Home Secretary. But I say this-I challenge any man to come forward now, on this platform, and Show that I ever made a misstatement to the injury of any man in the colony. (Applause )

AN HONOURABLE CAREER.

. (But there is another side to the question. I The person so maligned has risen from an

Obscure corner of the House, where he was relegated SB member for Wide Bay, to the position of Minister for Works and Home Secretary. During the eight years I held office surely there must have been some fact which would have arisen which could be proved in response to my challenge bad I ever done or said anything of the character, stated, t have come time after time before the electors of Wide Bay, and last occasion they practically said they wanted nobody else by electing me unopposed. The whole of my party were glad that I accepted the position of Acting Premier and led the house during the absence of the Premier. I occupied that honourable position for seven, or. eight months, and received, at the end of the term, one of the highest com-

pliments my Sovereign could pay me. (Cheers.) No higher refutation of the in-sinuations made against me could I receive. When I came to the colony I had to succeed without influence, friends, or money. By my own labours I have succeeded in bringing the colours of Wide Bay to the front, and I trust that whoever succeeds me will by persistency and stability do his best to keep them there in spite of everything, and in the long run you may trust the people to do what is right There will be some boohoes who howl and screech", but the day of reckoning comes at the polls, I am now going to give you a retrospect of the doings of Parliament since I have been a member, and I would ask any one to come here and tell you one single act the Home Secretary or Minister for Works has done that he need he ashamed of. Now is the time to do it. I am going away, and wish to maintain the credit of and do the best I can, for the colony. I want the best wishes of all in it

SIR HORACE" MISSION.

?? -As a native of Australia, and one who has

travelled throughout Queensland. I shall tell

the people in England, the true state and condition of Queensland, without glorification fit pessimism. it is necessary for

our prosperity that we have a larger population,' and it is necessary that we bring more money for that population. There are those in England who are willing to come who are stretching " hands across the sea" to us, and we have millions and millions of acres of land lying idle, waiting to be taken up. You may not think so, but that is because the fact has not presented itself to you. While in Cunnamulla, a few days ago, I heard of a case to point my argument. (Here Sir Horace referred to the success met with by an ex-groom of Cobb and Co., an account of which previously appeared in these columns.) Continuing, Sir Horace said Such opportunities are open to many others if they seek similar places, but not if they crowd together in the towns. Many more have told me that localities, previously considered and, had, through a supply of artesian water being struck, become fertile, and provided the opportunity for others to succeed. With our vast unoccupied areas in Western Queensland, I cannot see how people can say we can offer no opportunities for those who wish to come here. We have markets for our wool, our sheep, and our mutton, and therefore why should we not bring people here to make a profit for themselves, and distribute money in the shape of wages? I hope that some of the practical common sense for I claim nothing more which has been so useful to me while in office here will operate in England to induce persons to come out, not to compete with mechanics, for there are plenty of them already, but to occupy some of the land we have in such quantity and to spare. In the past I have carried your good wishes, and I wish to still have them with me in my new sphere. Whilst every colony is disunited each must have a representative in England to deal with the thousand and one point which crop up, or the questions that from time to time arise. My experience as Home Secretary, and the information thereby gained, should be of some value to the colony, as also that gained during my acting management of the Stock Department up to the last six months My worst enemies cannot say that I have not gained a knowledge of the mineral industry in which I have invested largely.

WORK OF THE MINISTRY.

In referring to the Agricultural Department I should like to state that some time ago they worked under no definite system, but now we have one of the best, ablest, and most conscientious of Ministers controlling it, but I regret to say It is possible Mr. Thynne may not continue much longer to give to the department the benefit of his valuable service. He has shown his sincerity in the industry by settling some members of his family on the land at Westbrook. He brought the proposal to estab-lish an agricultural college Into concrete shape, and intends starting agricultural farms all over the country. The success which attended the establishment of colleges and farms in Canada, and conjoined science and labour, made him look forward with hope to the fruits of similar institutions in Queensland. The first experimental form was started on the Downs, but I am perfectly sure, before long, that another will be established in some portion of the Wide Bay district, in order to test what the mative products and land can bring forth. To get next to a subject which you perhaps know more about, I think I am correct in saying that the success, of a board of directors is gauged by the result of their banking account, and in the same way I think you may gauge the work done by the Ministry of which I am a member. In August, 1890, the present Government took office. Two years before there was a disastrous deficit of £818,000, and the Treasury asked for increased taxation. Mr. Donaldson, the then Treasurer, in 1889 wanted for schedules £311,000. Last year we were able to do the same work for £129,000. Mind you, I am quoting from the Auditor-General's figures. In 1889 the Executive and Legislative departments wanted £18,000 ; we asked last year £12,000. In the Home Secretary's Department they asked £529,000 ; we wanted £446,000. Their Works Department required £92,000, ours £82,000 ; their Treasurer £166,000. ours £231,000 , their Lands Department £102,000, ours £58,000 ; their Public Instructions £256,000, ours £254,000, so that we did not save in the direction of withholding education from the masses. In 1889 the Mines Department asked for £35,000, we wanted £32,000 ; their railways, £697,000. ours £682,000 ; their Postmaster-General, £364,000 ; ours, £309,000. By financing we have not only been able to pay off the deficit of £S18,000,i' but the last three years, follen long on the last crisis, have resulted in a clear profit of £187,261. We have succeeded in doing this in spite of the bursting of nearly all the banks, and without increased taxation. In 1889 the taxation per head was £4 9s. 6d., in 1896 it was £3 4s.. 4d. proceeds from sale of land in 1889 totalled per head of population £1 13s. 10d" and in 1896, £1 2s. 6d. From the two sources the revenue in 1889 was £6 3s. 4d. per head, and £4 6s. 5d. in 1896. In 1897 the expenditure under the head of schedules was 19s. 11d. per head, now it is 5s. 6d.; interest then amounted to £2 14s. 6d. per head, now it is £2 14s. 2d. In 1890 departmental expenditure was £5 7s 9d., now it is £4 14s. 10d. In these figures you have the result of the work of the Government. It has been attained through the close application of the various Ministers to office, and to the saving of a pound wherever it was possible. You can see that those in charge of the finances have thus kept up the credit of the colony, and realised a surplus during these ears.

ANOTHER SURPLUS THIS YEAR. .

This year there will be another surplus, and a record will have been established, as never before in the history of the colony have there been surpluses during three consecutive years. Not only do the Ministers deserve credit, however, for the state of the finances, but also for the fact that they had been able to conserve, without prospect of 'loss, the colony's Interest in

THE ON. BANK,

and at the same time keep the Institution going., (Cries of " Oh ! Oh !") I heard those cries, and would like to ask, the man who uttered them if he knows what he is condemning. Does he know what sum of money the. Q.N. Bank has paid to the Government

of Queensland for interest (and by the Government I mean the people of the colony; who are the first to condemn it) ? None can answer the question. I thought not Well, I think I will surprise you when I tell you that the bank has paid the Government of Queensland over £1,300,000. Some absurd statements have been made about the revelations in connection with this institution. I heard that I was afraid to face my constituents because I was afraid of these revelations, but I have yet to learn what the management, shareholders, and depositors of that institution have to do with the Government. A lot of hazy statements have been made, but what the Government did was to protect the public, and by their knowledge of the affairs of the institution take ten times more care than they otherwise would. In August, 1890, the first thing some of us new members did was-to take up the bank-book, when we found the bank held Government money to the extent of £2,000,000. But how did they come to owe It It was this very state of affairs that the country went up by to remedy. We would not let the amount Increase, and had also to look after the safety of what was already there. Well, We have not let it increase, and are in a fair way to save the most of what was already there when we went into office. And yet we are blamed, land people talk about revelations ! I am the only Minister who has a personal interest in the Q.N. Bank, and that is a credit interest. Perhaps you would like to know how it was the bank originally got hold of the £2,000,000. It arose In the first instance out of the wish to push Queensland forward and stimulate her industries. In order to do this first £1,000,000 was borrowed, then £2,000,000, and finally Sir Samuel Griffith borrowed £10,000,000. This money had to be placed somewhere, so it was lodged in the Q.N. Bank, and Interest paid on it. All thus joined in creating what was almost a State bank. This was done certainly at the risk of both the shareholders and the depositors, but for the benefit

of the people of Queensland. The bank took the money, paid it out to others, and I thus stimulated the industries of the colony. (Laughter.) You may laugh, but if there ever was one factor that operated In the

progress and advancement of both Charters Towers and Gympie it was the Queensland National Bank. When they opened here they lent us money where the other banks refused, and helped us to develop the field. (Applause.) Some of that £2,000,000 was lent out to some of your most prosperous mineowners. One in particular got £70,000, which was not only distributed in wages, but enabled him to strike gold, pay the bank back the £70,000, and make £100,000 for himself as well. Supposing when the Government went into power in 1890 they had told the bank to pay up the £2,000,000 what would have happened 7 Why, they would have been forced to screw it out of their customers, some of the best of our people, who would have been probably ruined, and the result would have been wholesale disaster to the bank, to the people of the colony, and to the shareholders, whereas now we are getting our interest, we have a preferential claim on the security of the bank, and we will likely get the major portion of our principal. In 1893 when the bank closed they had £2,360,000 of State money, so we told them we could not bargain with them till they paid us back the £360,000. They promised to repay within eighteen months, but managed to do it in six, thereby getting out of the payment of the 412 per cent interest. Then they paid us a further £160 000 In gold, reducing their liability to £1,833,000, or £170,000 less than when we took office With all these figures before us, you hear the talk about our feet looking after the public interest Then comes in the question as to whether the money is gone or not. I can tell you. Judg-ing from my knowledge of the law, that we have a preferential claim on all the assets of the bank, secured to us as first mortgagees. No dividend can be paid till our debt is satisfied, and they have to pay us 3% per cent on every 15s. in the pound, or £2 12s. 6d. per a ent on the whole amount, and yet our opponents talk about our fear of the revelations ! One tender point with

me Is

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE

SHAREHOLDERS,

who, however, should have looked after their own interests. There is, I think, a claim on the honour of the people Of this colony to do more for the shareholders in England it is said that the Government have gone too far, as men of honour and business, as regards the protect-ing of the money of the people of the colony and the depositors in the bank, while in the colony itself an opposite statement is made. There is one thing I am not afraid of. When history is written Sir Hugh Nel-son will receive great credit for the thoughtful manner in which he watched the finances of the colony during a time of difficulty, and the way in which he piloted her through those difficulties and assisted the shareholders and depositors who helped to develop the colony. Then there is another parrotcry In reference to Nelson and Barlow's investigation of the bank's affairs. I again consider they deserve the thanks of the colony for what they did. In 1893, during the bank crisis, the credit of not only Aus-tralis but of the world trembled because of a convulsion which paralysed the financial world. These were depressed times in Queensland, and then come the big flood. DEFENCE OF SIR HUGH NELSON AND

MR. BARLOW.

Do you think, under these circumstances, Nelson and Barlow would have been doing their duty had they come down with a pessimistic report, saying that the bank was insolvent, and had better shut up. How could we have got credit ! We certainly could not have got money to pay our way for at least a month. Then there would have been £8,000,000 worth of depositors crying out for their money. It would have been a heartless thing for anybody intrusted with the government of this colony to have done. Those two men spent three weeks In looking through the affairs of an institution like the Q N Bank Do you think, at the end of that time, they could give anything but a conjectural guess of its state. Do you think they could value £6,000,000 to £8,000,000 worth of assets in that time accurately. They had to do all this in three weeks. I think honour is due to them for the conjectural guess they did give. If the bank is let alone I think it will he able to pay its way. Is there any one can tell me of one person injured by the action of the Government regarding the bank ? While are there not hundreds who have been benefited by its keeping open its doors ? I have Sir Hugh Nelson's authority for saying he believes his statement, made In 1893, will be more nearly realised than that of those men who took six months to investigate its affairs and received £4000 for doing it. The rise in Mount Morgan shares and values of property in which they are interested have already increased the value of their securities by £500,000. Recently I passed over Ardoc station, and it was perfectly bare a few days later, when returning, owing to the 4in. of rain that had fallen, the grass was a foot higher (Laughter.) That laugh shows the ignorance of some people. I made that statement to draw some of them out-those mere boys, those twenty-oners. What I wished to convey to you was that by those rains that station had gone up 50 per cent in value in such a short time. There are transactions in regard to the Q.N. Bank that reflect very little credit on the directors or managers of the institution, I am not here to defend the manager, who is dead, nor Sir Thomas M'llwraith, who was outside the Government when his transactions with the bank took place, but whether the shareholders or directors acted imprudently, or the manager fraudulently, criminally, or foolishly, is nothing to do with the Government nor myself. It is no concern of ours unless you can show me where the trust you imposed in us was betrayed. We have done our best to conserve your money, and when the day of reckoning comes, as it assuredly

will, whatever else (Barlow and Nel-son did you can thank them for keeping the bank Alive. There is nothing like a simile occasionally to point of argument. Now, supposing some one came on this platform and told me there was a serious danger behind this building. I had a look came back, and cried out to you, "Get out of this as quick as you can for your lives," thus creating a panic, and in the rush most of you were killed ; supposing this, or instead I came back and told you there was no immediate danger, and you all filed out quietly without injury to any one, ought

not you then to thank me. (Laughter and cheers.) The question was' not what was done or said, but whether it did good or harm. (A Voice : " Good.") Yes, it had given them a chance, and speaking to you as one who may never address you again, I say there is no reason why one man should say a word against Barlow or Nelson for what they did in 1893, or accuse the Government of having injured the colony or any one in It There is one thing they should remember, and history when written would record It, that they saved Queensland by their action in the hour of peril. In regard to the rumour that the Ministers are an unhappy family, I might state that I never worked more in harmony or shoulder to shoulder on any board or committee than I have done with all my colleagues in the Ministry. There is, therefore, not

scintilla of truth In the statement that we are an unhappy family. We are termed the Conservative party. Some of us are of the Liberal party, some of the National. I care not what you call us.

A PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT.

I say what we have done is the best evidence of what we are or whether we were progressive. I introduced the Shops and Factories Act and the Elections Act, which all persons admit are measures of reform. We claim for the Ministry that it has been both Liberal and Progressive, and as long as our work is good we are content. It has also been rumoured that Sir Hugh Nelson is going into the Upper House. if called upon in another sphere, having once placed his hands on the political plough, Sir Hugh will follow where duty calls. I can assure you that he does not covet his present position, but if the people appreciate him as I do, and they ask him at the next general election to renew his control of public affairs, he will feel it his duty to do so, and I have his authority for saying that his services will be at their disposal. Sir Horace then referred to the washing of dirty linen that was taking place between prominent members of the Labour party and the Opposition in the metropolitan and other Journals, and contlnulng,S|,ne said And, you are asked to bring all, these conflicting elements to

gether to form a Government ? I ask you is a Government to be formed out of such units as these ? He then briefly explained the principle of party government, and continued : There is only a blank of nine months between now and a general election. I sincerely trust your choice of my successor will fall on one who will give his general support to the Government to which I be-long.

FEDERATION.

In regard to federation, I should like to say a few words before concluding. It certainly was shelved, but by whom ? In, accordance with a resolution carried in the House by 38 votes against 12, I was asked to wire the President of the Convention, asking for it to adjourn to enable Queensland to be present. Sir Horace then gave a resume of what had occurred, and explained why Queensland was not represented at the Convention. Continuing, he said I also thought it only right to acquaint a prominent Southern politician connected with the Convention with the actual state of affairs, and sent the following telegram :-" Brisbane, 17th September, 1897 Motion carried by 38 to 12. Had all members been present relative numbers about same. One-fourth of our Chamber may be reckoned as nonfederationists. From debate it is clear sectional differences exist even amongst the majority, principally territorial, fiscal, and labour, and it would be unsafe to rely upon more than a dozen out-and-out federalviolets in the House, so that I must anticipate some difficulty in passing any Enabling Bill. I think these differences of opinion may be harmonised It Nelson on his return warmly endorses the evident desire of the majority to be present at your future deliberations. Have wired President request of Assembly. My hope is that you will see your way to a final sitting next year, say February or March, in which event you may rely on the best efforts of myself and colleagues present to shortly pass an. Enabling Bill. The majority may ask that for the purpose of this election the < colony be divided into its three local recognised divisions. North, Central, and South. I prefer your lines, the colony voting as a whole, but hardly think this will pass (Signed) Horace Tozer." Sir Horace then pointed out that matters had turned out as he expected, and went on to say :- I do hope that those gentlemen who are de-liberating now, and approaching the question of Australian unity with the broadest minds, will bring the colonies closer together, and leave the door open for Queensland to come in when she wishes to do so I trust that this will come to pass, and that when I am in England I will be able to say that I am not only a Queenslander, but an Australian, and a member of an Australian nation. And now I thank you for your patience. I would be wanting in sensibility and sense did I not utter words of thankful-ness for the manner in which you have assisted me in my work. Ladles, I thank you for your assistance. Officers of the Home Secretary's Department, thanks for your past service. Old electors of Gympie and Wide Bay, good-bye, farewell.

The conclusion of the speech, which was of an hour and fifty minutes' duration, brought forth considerably applause. On its subsiding Mr. J. Stumm, M.L.A., moved, " That we, the electors of Wide Bay, residing on Gympie, desire to record our appreciation of Sir Horace Tozer's services to the electorate and the colony at large, and wish him every success in his new sphere of duty as Agent-General."

The motion was seconded by Mr. By theway, and carried with acclamation. Sir Horace replied feelingly, and afterwards he proposed. a vote of thanks to the chair, which was cordially given, and concluded the meeting.