MR F. LAWRY AT PARNELL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 254, 26 October 1893, Page 2

MR F. LAWRY AT PARNELL.

•A POLITICAL RETROSPECT.

Last night the Parnell Hall was completely filled on bhe occasion of the initial speech in the contest for the constituency of Parnell, Mr Frank Lawry, the sitting member, being the speaker. The fair 'sex was well represented, some 30 ladies being presenb, and all listened with deep interest to the review of the pasb three sessions of the Government, for such waß the substance of Mr Lawry'a address.

Mr H. N. Pollard was voted to the chair, and in introducing Mr Lawry he said the address would be a retrospecb of the work of the present Governmenb, and nob an outline of future policy. Mr Lawry, who was received with loud applause, said he thought it would be graceless on hia part if he did nob congratulate the ladies on the possession of the same electoral power as had been lopg enjoyed by the sterner sex. He would like to remind his audience of one important fact in connection with the measure ; while he did nob wish to discount the work done by Sir John Hall, yet ib would have been impossible for a private member to have carried such a measure through the House. The real credit was due to the Governmenb of the day. (Applause.) He did nob appear before them to talk of the future ; it would be a valedictory address, as that would be the last time he would appear before them as their representative. It would rest with them whether they would return him again or relegate him to private life. Whichever they did, he would always remember with gratitude the time he had spent as a mem-, ber for Parnell. His principal reason for appearing before them that night was to refute certain slanderous statements which had been made against him. He had been told everywhere thab he had violated the pledges given to the Parnell electors when he appeared before them a candidate for bheir suffrages. Mr Lawry denied every word of the statements, and defied any elector to say he had violated any pledge. (Applause.) He had always advocated the removal of the iniquitous property tax, and the imposition of a tax on unimproved land and incomes. He then explained his connection with the Atkinson continuous party, and the support accorded him by the Opposition. He had been accused of taking the position of Governmenb whip. He bhoughb the position an honourable one. (Applause.) He had been advised to take bhe position by all his friends, and even by prominent members of the Opposition. AH the. latter had done was to carry on a policy of absolute obstruction until they came to any little job affecting themselves. He waa referring to Lhe East and West Coasb railway—to the attempt to foist a £700,003 liability ab bhe instigation of the Leader of bhe Opposition. He was glad to say bhe Auckland members had been ready to fight shoulder to shoulder for a month in order to prevent this job from being perpetrated. Mr Lawry then referred at length to the female franchise question. He had no doubt whatever but that the ladies would exercise their judgment with as nice a discrimination as any male elector. He had voted against a similar measure in 1886, bub had taken bime by • the forelock, and when he saw thab bhe extension of the franchise to women waa inevitable, he had given the measure his support. He further thought thab if woman could sit on an Education Board and in a Borough Council she was perfectly capable of taking her seat in the House ot Representatives. She was entitled to that privilege. (Applause.) Mr Lawry showed thab the appointments to the Legislative Council had been sincere, as several of bhe new Councillors had voted againsb Governmenb measures, proving that they were exercising their own judgments, and nob blindly following the Government lead. With regard bo his voting againet the grant to bbc widow and adopted child, he thoughb he was perfectly justified in recording his vote for a principle which he had advocated for many years. (Loud applause.) If returned to Parliament againj ai.d the choice of leadership lay between the Hon. R. J. Seddon and Sir Robert Stout, he would have no hesitation in following bhe presenb Premier. (Applause.) Touching on the Direcb Veto Bill of Sir Roberb Stout, he wanted to know whoever taunbed Sir Robert Stout with being a tool of bhe teetotalers. He (the speaker) believed thab the measure was absolutely unworkable and inapplicable to the circumstances of the colony. And because he and many others had had the courage bo aupporb their opinions, they were accused of being tools in the hands of a clique of brewers and publicans. If Sir Roberb Stout were such a greab temperance supporter, why was he nob consistent? Why did he live in bhe best hotel in Wellington, when he (the speaker), and others lived in boarding houses. He did not vote against the Bill because he disappioved of the principle, because he did nob, bub because he knew ib waa utberly inapplicable. Again, Sir Roberb Scout had paid the Governmenb Liquor Control Bill was an excellent measure when asked hip opinion of it, and had then systematically blocked the Bill in its passage later on. Referring bo some local temperance advocates, Mr Lawry said bhere were some men so rabid bhab nobbing would suib them bub pulling down public houses and hanging brewers and publicans. He believed .tfiab the Liquor Control Bill was an excellent measure, and one of the best the temperance party had ever had. It practically destroyed the property vote and established the principle of giving bhe control of the liquor traffic to the popular vote. The temperance people said this waa all they wanted ; let them übo their power. Mr Lawry then dealt with several other measures thab had been before Parliament, proving very satisfactorily the wisdom of the Governmenb measures, his utterances being received with applause. When the present Govern menb took office, ib was predicted that anarchy and mob rule would prevail ; bhe credits of the colony would be destroyed in the markets of the world. He asked them was not perBonal security more pronounced and property more safe than it ever bad been before. (Applause.) Was nob the credit of New Zealand more safe in London than thab of any of the other colonies ? The colony had advanced with great strides during the lasb three years, the result of the judicious legislation of the present Government, :,, . . / In answer to questions* Mr Lawry eaid

he would record his vote and support in favour of free, secular, and compulsory education. (Hear, hear, and applause.) A lisb of queries from the Auckland United Liberal Association '-was pub bo the speaker, and were all answered in the affirmative. Mr Lawry thought that if aman acquired land under any existing law, he could not acquire ib wrongfully. A vote of. thanks to Mr Lawry for his able address waa then moved and seconded, when Mr J. Bell, who bad previously inquired if an amendment would be accepted, made hia way on to the platform. The Chairman objected to him'and asked him to retire, and amidst an uproar in the body of bhe hall Mr Bell was vainly endeavquring to let those present know that he was a hearty supportet of Mr Lawry. After the poise had subsided somewhat, Mr Bell Baid he thought Mr Lawry should give way in this election, a statement that was received with cries of dissent. Again bhe Chairman ordered Mr Bell to leave the plabform, asking him if he were an elector of Parnell. Mr Bell did as requested, at the same time remonstrating with the Chairman for being so biassed. The motion was then carried, The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman,