POPULAR GOVERNMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 157, 6 July 1887, Page 2

POPULAR GOVERNMENT.

lecture by the Key. D.-F. Vasgioli

IFathek, Vaggioli, in his lecture on the above subject at Coromandel, expressed his pleasure at, seeing s\*ch a large number pf feceg before him, and hoped they would not feel disappointed at what he had to say, and expect more than what he could give 1 them] It was'but recently that he could'speak the English language,- and he yet felt great difficulty in finding correct language by which he could.-express his views on the important subject before him. Men wore created by God for society, and it. became necessary to have rules or laws for their guidance and government. The Czar, or Emperor of Russia, is, in Russia, the supreme ruler of State and Church. The Czar calls his advisers of administrators of the government, to sit in cquncil,principally from amongst the nobility. The subjects of the Czar have therefore no voice in theiy selection, quite different to you in New Zealand. If a person there should wish to change his religion or to express dissatisfaction with the actions of the governing body, he would run the risk of being taken to gaol between two men or so.nfc to Siberia. An absolute monarchy is one of the worst kind of governments conceivable. The autocratic ruler may at times become benevolent, but the power to send a man to the scaffold without a fair and impartial trial before, judges such as you are accustomed to seq is too great a power in the hands of any one man. Other countries over the' continent of Europe have constitutions of a more liberal character, such for instance as those of Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, parts,, of.. South America, Engiaud and her colonies. In Germany, about onethird of the adult population have a vote, and by the exercise of this they send representatives to sit in unify and frame lawa tor-the guidance of the people... They have also a hereditary Chamber of Lords, and some nominatedj ■ who have a controlling! power over hasty or improper legislation. The goyerning powers, however, try to" keep the sole control in their own hands, and an attempt was made, to legislate upon religions matters, but failed. Lot the people be free in religious, matters, and they will not complain ; this is, the " lion" in the way of freedom and unity. In Italy and Franco, socialism is growing in strength and becoming a great evil. Socialism is just another name for Atheism. You will see Italy doclining, not in the number of her guns, soldiers and, men-of-war, but in the principles of truth, rigliS, and the justice of her governing men. A few years ago the people of Italy were very much burdened with taxation. For instance, in addition to land and other taxes, they had to pay for every chimney of a house 4s ; for, every wall 10s ; for every pig a poor man kills the Government demand 43. Suppose you have a room in your house with four chairs and other articles of furniture in it; the tax-gathered would' take the measui'ement of room, and, according to foe size, he, would say you should have eight chairs, and, as a matter of course, you woulcj ibave to pay for eight chairs, whether you possessed tho articles or not. A working man had to go outside the gates of the city upon one occasion, when he took with him (wo loaves, to keep him for a day or two; hut having changed his tuind, aricj before having disposed of the two loaves, he returned with one under his arm,' and the officials demanded duty upon this loaf, am] he had to pay. Italians have not been of a, roving disposition, but in consequence of this vexatpus and grinding taxationtowhjch they! are compelled to submit, statistics now show that thousands of Italians leave the beloved home every year, and find their way to America, where taxation is light and the laws are free. Ho might tell an incident that occurred when 'Tie was 2i\ years of age, to show the character of the men who bring about this state of things. There was about that time a shoemaker returned asa representative to theGonvention; lew years qfterwarda he had an income of 1/2,000 a year. He regretted that•'such a beautiful country as Italy should be so' mis-! governed. If he were to make such a speech "exposing the Government ac he wass making that night, he would be, run in by the authorities 'at once. Sej believed in calling a Black cat a black cat ' and a white cat a, white cat. Thirty years ago the Italian Government's, debt was L50,0p6,060 of English money. Jt is now L475,Q00,000, and no wonder. Every fighting ship or man-o'-war vessel costs half a r million, and all this" going on' while the' poor people are'actually sta,rvin<jj and being, ground down by taxation to keep ' up this gigantiq expenditure. Soldiers' are paid a halfpenny per day, and supplied with fqocj and clothing, powder and while ministers are receiving pne. thousand a. year, lit this the people have gottP keep, up from the taxes they pay. Austria is at the pr£ day better governed than any ptljer pountry in;Eurppe;' her rulers are nioye inclined to do gqod. The; Jte.piiblip, of France, in Europe without dqinj* greajt '.h'firrh. 3Trancehasresources second to no other country of Europe, but she is not strong, in power, there, is.no. union amongst her, people,. To foriiift strong ng.tion al| the people must hold the game opini 0 "?' a Pd have the same Toghes. France >' national double that of England. France, like Germany, has been, meddling m religious matters, and as a epusequence the Government that does this nutst fall. If France, will permit' freedom of thought in religion eh? \vill h.ave a better clmnpe to f'o ahead; The["American Kepublic is the est. She receives and'welcomes the people of'all nations', and does not" interfere with their religion and belief. Ypu will meet in America, Tiu'k,6reekJ Austrian, Indian in bjit tf "Chinamen. THere ftrS, however, 30,000 Chinamen in' San Franciapo alone, and if the American government did npt stop the influx of China people to that country they would run the risk of being d'livHi'oujb'pnt themselves. 'The Americans ■ are fjfcrongly lmjjued with good principles of Humanity, and like to see;their neighbours Advancing : in '' prosperity a,iid goodwill toward one another. To enable ypu to become a" President ' of the' American Repi) bljc you niusV.be born in tljp epuntry. This'is one of the clauses, inserted in their written Constitution. ; In order to lecturer a rest for a few" minutes, flic interval was qecupied by selections frojn " the ladfes, "who- kindly yplunieered their services for the occasion. Miss Agatha Greenwood gave a recitatjqn, "Wounded Sea, Bird," with very great effect, and received quite a volume tif applause from the' audience. Miss Kate Lynch'sang the "Flowersof Hpnie" in a sweet voice, accompanied on the piano by Miss Lynch. Miß.iGreenwobd thengave » piano solo," Aniiie Laurie," With variations.' Two musical pupils 'of Mr French a -irioliri" duet, acporiipanied by Miss rench on the piano, Iftiss A.': Greenwood's (|[png from If Faust " was received with, much acclamation and' approval ]>y the audience. "Father Vaggioli' then continued his' lecture on the Tiritish Cqiistitution and her government of the "colonies. Old England, the mother of colonies, had been fruitful for at least fifty years. This fruit started to grow \vhen' she granted freedom and self-; * government tq her peqple. ' Hijs it 'npjj bgen for the foresight of her rulers in granting this freedom, the .colonies' would have SSSSlfJpd'from the Crown similar to tlie American States. Ireland; he said, would naye been freed long ago but f°r r Pligipn. If Ireland'was a Protestant country, §he would, hayq'beep''■freed "long, ago: *ney are ready to recognise our Queen, and W v ? J °een :her ; bub *uyejy they could' A o\yn "affairs. ; X the Government oflEngland would 'give ttome Rule to Ireland— that is with a; fesi-

dent minister there —he was sure Irish men would shed the last drop of their blood for Queen and country. Irishmen do not wish for separation from England, but simply for* the management of affairs in Ireland. We have in New Zealand 600,000 of a population, we have our own constitu" : tipn, .and can manage our own affairs, and why should not Ireland ? Irishmen are not babies to be fed upon cop. There are certainly great blockheads amongst them as there are amongst other people, but thore are also some of pur best and most valouroua men Irishmen and descendants of Irishmen. The constitution of New Zealand is tho most liberal of any he knew. Where would you find another country where every adult male had the right to a vote for its representatives in Parliament ? But had thisbeen turned tq thebest account? In 1869 our public debt was L 500,000, today it is over 36 millions, and including its private indebtedness, it is 7,0 'millions.; There is, at the present time, 5£ millions, going from the country to pay interest alone every year. It is impossible that such a state of things can continue; and;' prosperity attend upon its populace. 'Hell must point out that it is the people who} are responsible for this state of things, andj it is only jvhen the tax-gatherer comes; round to their doors that they would try! to remedy the evil. They would find] that the question, "Is New Zealand to; be a, groat and a free country?" mustj be answered by themselves, and the con-! duct of the men they olected to make laws, and govern tho expenditure.. New Zealand at the present time was like a crab-, fish—walking backwards. Tho blamo of this'was on the people. They hid the sole control in their own hands,' and, it rested with them if they send com-; petent men to govern them, nien of sound! principles, men who will keep from drink,: honest men. We arc 600,000 people with 91 representatives ; 25, would be enqugh. As a rule legislators/ <}° not turn' first to their own pockets for taxes when they require money to carry on the Government. They say wo are the rulers, but yqu, the electors, are tho donkeys who must carry the burden. I)o not forget this when you have the opportunity, and do not sell your votes, for boer, grog, or money, but stand forward for the good of your adopted country. At tho close of tlie lecture, Mr Home, on behalf of the Jubileo Committee, proposed a vote of thanks to the lectiirer and to tho ladies and geutlemen who assisted in the musical programme. Mr RouklitYseconded, and the motion was carried, nem. con.