POST-SESSIONAL ADDRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 270, 12 November 1892, Page 2

POST-SESSIONAL ADDRESS.

MR W. L. REES.

A number of electors assembled in St. James Hall, last niphb, for the purpose of listening to Mr W. L. Rees' review of the proceedings in Parliament last session. C)n the platform were several ladies, including Mi3S Morrison. The chair was occupied by Mr W. Beehan, president of the Auckland Liberal Association, who briefly introduced the speaker. Mr Rees was received with applause. He expressed pleasure at again meeting his constituents. He considered it was proper for members to give an account of their stewardship. He would also touch upon one or two important questions, namely the constitution of the Legislative Council, and the engrossing subject of throwing open the native lands. He wished it to be distinctly understood that in going to Napier he had not permanently ieft Auckland. He made Napier bis headquarters in order to be in touch with the native chiefs. Ho, however, considered Auckland his home, and trusted bo reside here permanently. THE LABOUR BILLS. Mr Rees then referred to the Labour Bills, the Conciliation Bill, and the socalled Socialistic Bills. He said that the whole tendency of modern legislation was towards passing measures to benefit all classes of the community. Where manhood suffrage was in vogue all classes were represented, and it was but natural that the interests of the people should be considered. Now, every man had a vote, and there was an immediate prospect of every woman having a vote also. (Applause.) Hitherto, the wants of the people had nob been properly considered. Any legislation thai was not socialistic must be class legislation. Conservatives were now advocating laws that a, hundred years ago would have gob them a trip to Van Diemen's Land. (Applause.) In passing Labour Bills mistakes might be made, but still, bib by bit, they would build up an edifice in which a free people might live. The Labour Bills of lasb session were in the main calculated to benefit the whole of the people. The necessity for COMPULSORY CONCILIATION was shown by the failure of the attempt to settle the difficulty connected with the TailoresseB1 Union. He objected to one or two persons having the power to prevent a settlement that would benefit the many. With a complex civilisation where all interests were bound together, they must have some power to interfere, with a view to prevent trouble in the body politic. They musb not however go too far, and if mistakes were made they must retrench their steps, because otherwise ib would inevitably rebound upon themselves. With the SHOP HOURS BILL he thought it would be better for the day to be fixed. (Applause.) Acts ought_to be made conplete and sufficient to provide for due administration of the laws. With regard to the Legislative Council he considered that tbe appointments recently made had met with general approval. (Applause.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. The Government had, he considered, I taken a wise step in putting into the Council four men who absolutely worked for their daily bread. They had a fair knowledge of the wants of the people from whom they had been chosen. He must, however, admit that there were dangers in a nominee council. (Applause.) Half the present council had been called within the lasb two years. Should a reaction take place—and some people stated that the female franchise would throw 60,000 votes to the Conservatives^ ib would mean that the opposite parby would require again to swamp the Upper House. For this reason he was not in favour of a nominee second- chamber. It either ought to be abolished or made elective by the general voice of the whole people on something like the Hare system, so that the besb and ablest men would be selected. Wbab they wanted was to bring the Council into touch with the liberal spirib of the age. He considered thab a great deal of time was wasted during the late Parliament. Every day bhe adjournment of the House was moved on Borne trifling question. He thought the waste of time had been a scandal to the community, and should be rectified. EXTENSION OF THE FRANCHISE. With regard to the Electoral Bill, Mr Rees said he was nob at all pleased at the Bill being dropped. The amendment suggested by th 6 Council was only an increase of the " electoral right" system. Electoral riehts already had been granted to seamen, shearers, and commercial travellers. He believed himself that it was a false step to allow any infringement of the ballot. (Applause.) If this wenb on they would soon return again to open voting. Then, how would a man vote in the face of bis employer ? He would even take the ballot away from the seamen. It was far better that a few men should be deprived of their votes, rather than thab the principle upon which the liberties of the people rested should be destroyed. He had, however, advocated the acceptance of the amendments of the Elecboral Bill so as to socuro the vote for the women. He believed that there was a desire for delay, but the Government had pledged itself to pass that Bill nexb Besßion. He had advocated the ABOLITION OF THE TOTALISATOR (Applause), because be felt that the gambling spirib was injuring the community. They had recently an instance of a young Auckland lad who had been ruined by gambling. How many others were ruined whom they did nob hear of ? It there was anything calculated to injure the community, he advocated stamping it down, even though it might be advocated under the name of expediency. He had advocated Mr Vaile's system of railway management. (Applause.) . NATIVE LANDS. As regards the native lands he musb Bay thab he was grieved nobhing had been done lasb session. Ho mentioned that in bhe Auckland province there were four or five million acres of Maori lands unoccupied. He could not understand why the people of Auckland stood ib. The people wanted ib, and the Maoris wanted to sell. Why, for all the good the land was, ib might as well be at the bottom of the Bea, or in the middle of the Fiji Islands. (Prolonged laughter.) In the old days the land was purchased by the Government from the natives in a very simple manner, but now the signatures of thousands of people were required to sign the deed before a block of land could be purchased. The consequence was that the land could not be secured. Already £1,200,000 had been expended on native lands, of which £400,000 went in expenses. Ho would much simplify the process. Let the Maoris first arrange prices themselves, and then let the land be sold like those of the Crown, tbe money to be fairly divided amongst the native owners by the Government commission. Thab would enable all the land to be thrown open for settlement. Asthe matter was going on at present, they would soon have a body of landless natives, who must either be supported or elso live by plunder. What they wanted was to enablo the Maoris themselves to sell portions of their land and work the remainder. He advocated allowing the natives to act tribally in the disposal of their lands. At present, he understood there were pending in the Native Lands Court 13,000 cases. There were also thousands of oases in which natives considered they had been defrauded. If the Auckland people wished for progress

they should unite to sotblo the native pro. blem. Guard them by proper restriction, and let them act as corporate bodies, and not as individuals. Ab present it wag only the large capitalists thab could deal with natives. They had thought to abolish th» Native Department, bub ib was still ».. powerful as ever. The question vttt whether they would allow a few clerks to rule in this matter, and let Auckland abag. nate. If they did, ib served them right, Whab he wanted was to have the nativt question settled once and forever. (An. plause.) In conclusion Mr Rees said be had during the laet session tried faithfully to do bit duty to his constituents and to the colou at) large. QUESTIONS. A number of questions were then asked Mr Rees. In answering these queries tin speaker stated that he was in favour of tkl Charitable Aid Boards being elective; hj was in favour of a State farm system on tha lines advocated by Mr W. H. Clarke. Ha was in favour of diminishing the large power of landlords over tenants. He advocated compulsory vaccination, and if they could get something that would atop strong drinking the same way he would auppon ib also. He was nob prepared to Bay that everything that could be made in a state should be protected, bub be thought modified protection should be granted to foster Borne local industries. He considered the system of the co> operative work a grand departure. He favoured all public bodies being made elective, also all justices of the peace, and even judges. (Applause.) He was also in favour of protecting colonial vessels against foreign bottoms. Mr McManus asked if Mr Rees would favour a public inquiry into the charge ho made against the management of the Avondale Lunatic Asylum. Mr F. G. Ewington rose to explain that) Mr Cooper and himself had inquired into that matter. For the sake of those who had friends in thab institution, he felt it incumbent upon him to state thab they might be perfectly satisfied that patienti were kindly and well treated in the Asylum. Mr McManus said this was a question of evidence and not of talk. Mr Rees said he would favour proper enquiry into everything that was wrong in public. Mr R. French asked "Why did you nob oppose the shameful paymenb to the Atkinson family V' Mr Rees said he did nob oppose it because he was in the chair ab the time, and had he not been in the chair he would have voted for it. (Cries of dissent.) Why if a man had spent bis life in the eorvico of the country he deserved—(cries of "He wag well paid for it.") Mr Rees said he should be sorry to think that a man who wag a leader like Sir Harry Atkinson—(hooting). He might tell them that no man had Opposed Sir Harry Atkinson more strongly than he had, but a memorial was brought before Parliament for a grant to his widow and he would vote for ib. (More dissentient cries, and some applause.) Mr Rees said that if any of those who were crying out would show that they had given as much time to the country aa Sir Harry Atkinson had done, (criesof "Wasn't be well paid ") he would support a motion for a similar grant. , Considerable uproar here occurred. Mr Rees then said: Don't think for one moment thab you will elevate public or political life by taking the harshest view of men when they are dead. . More uproar ensued, mixed with applause, and Mr Rees contined :—And if it costs me my election to-morrow, 1 will say I would just as soon vote for thab grant, as I would tear up this paper. The announcement was received with loud applause and some hissing. Mr S. Brighb moved and Mr Dunning* ham seconded a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Rees, and also a vote of con-; Science in the Government, which were adopted. . «.< Mr Kelly moved and Mr G. Peacocks seconded a resolution supporting Mr'Reea* suggested system for dealing with Native Lands. Mr James Mackay spoke in support of the motion. He said it was a question of paramount importance to Auckland. He considered thab in the past the Government had loab by the purchase of Native Lands. The motion waa adopted and Mr Bees briefly replied. A vote of thanks to tha Chairman concluded the meeting.