POLITICAL FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

An adjourned meeting of the above was held last evening at Robson's Rooms, Mr D. Goldie, Vice-Chairman, presiding. The principal business before the meetirig; was the election of an Executive Committee. The election, which was conducted by snow of hands, resulted in the return of the f ol-lowing--Messrs A. Boardman, S. Vaile, F. Cherry. J- H.UptOn, F. Jeune, W. R. Waddel, W. Hodge, E. Bell, W. Duncan, H. Hamilton, J. M. Shera, R. J. Duncan, J. M. McLachlan, E. W. Burton, J. 11. Field, E. Withy, A. Campbell, Theo. Cooper, W. Crowther, and Joseph Newman. The discussion on Mr McLachlan's motion was then resumed. The motion; which had been formally moved at the last meeting of the Association, was as follows: — "That the attention of the Committee bo drawn to the excessive cost of administration j and the advisability of reducing the Governor's salary and allowances, the number of the House of Representatives and their honoraria, of the Civil Service, and teachers and their salaries, and of altogether abolishing the honof aria of the members of the Legislative Council, Ministerial residences, and the practice of granting pensions." , , ~ Mr T. B. Hill, who had seconded the motion, expressed the opinion that it did iibt go far enough, as it omitted the getting rid of Sir Julius Vogel. He thought something should be saved in the administration of native affairs, while paid Ministers of the Crown should be reduced to four, with a salary of L 750 per annum. Mr Hill was ruled out of order, whereupon Mr Theo. Cooper moved an amendment :—" That the following be the platform of the Association: (1) Reduction of future Governors' salaries and allowances to £5,000. (2) Reduction of number of paid Ministers of the Crown to four. (3): Sale of Ministerial residences. (4) Reduction of number of representatives to fifty. (5) Abolition of honorarium of Legislative Council. (6) Abolition as far as possible of all pensions, allowances, sinecures and unnecessary offices of Legislature. (7) Persistent opposition to any -Ministry that will not pledge itself to the simplification of government and the reduction of the cost of the Civil Service by 25 per cent. (8) Reduction of education vote by 25 per cent., with abolition of Boards of Education. (9) Abolition of the property tax; and, if any tax is necessary in ■ substitution, tho establishment of.,a graduated land tax. (10) Stoppage of all railway construction for three years, except such as has been begun and cannot be stopped, owing to, engagements with contractors. (11) The excision of every expenditure that can be made without detriment to the State. (12) No more borrowing for three years. (13) Opening up village settlements everywhere On the lines of the present system, so as to meet the want caused by the stoppage of public works and retrenchment of offices. (14) Rigorous reduction of taxation of all kinds. .'(15) Substantial decrease in the . Customs tariff;: and With the tariff so adjusted as to give substantial protection to all possible local industries. (16) Social questions as Local Option, Women Suffrage, etc, and vexed questions in general, not affecting financial reform, not to be touched by the common public pledge, but no candidate to be accepted who will not pledge . himself , ; to resist any and every Government that will not carry Out the foregoing vigorous reform." The Chairman ruled this out of order, as it introduced party questions. After some further discussion, the meet- . ing was further adjourned till Saturday, in order that time might be permitted the Committee to consider the points of Mr ■ Cooper's amendment.