AUCKLAND CITY ELECTORATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 278, 23 November 1893, Page 2

AUCKLAND CITY ELECTORATE.

SPEECH BY SIR GEOKGE GREY

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING,

Sir George Grey delivered his first political address in connection with the Auckland Ciby electoral campaign yesterday afbernoon in bhe City Hall, bhe speech being chiefly addressed bo bhe lady elecbors. There was a very large attendance, bhe hall being well filled. Those presenb were moßbly ladies, including many members of bhe Franchise League. Mrs Daldy presided, and in opening bhe proceedings requested the audience bo sing bhe hymn "Forward Zealandia,-' composed by Mr James Adams, copies of which had been disbributed amongst the audience. Tho hymn was sung by the entire audience bo the tune of "Onward Christian Soldiers," wibh a cornet accompaniment. One verse of the hymn was most appropriate. It was as follows :— " See our noble, aged Chief, Battline. for the right, , 'Gainst all wrong;, however strong, Foremost in the fight. Peace and joy in him abide, Long his earthly span ; Spare him, Lord, oh, spare him, Bless our Grand Old Man!" At bhe conclusion of the musical prelude to the proceedings, Mrs Daldy explained that sho was nob occupying the chair as President of the Women's Franchise League, bub as a private individual. Tho women of Auckland, she said, had every reason to go quite fearlessly to bhe poll nexb Tuesday. Women would havo a beneficial eflecb ab the polling booth, and none of them should stay away. Thero would be .some half-dozen women ab each polling booth, and if the lady voters had babies with them, they would be taken caro of quite safely while they recorded their votes. She had greab pleasure in calling on Sir George Grey to address bhem. Sir Goorgo Grey was received with loud applause. He said he wished he had a trumpet voice to make himself heard throughout the largo assemblage ho saw before him. He wan quite overcome when he reflected on the greub things of bhe future, when the women would exQrcise a merciful and an ennobling infineuce on lobulation. It was generally believed, he wont on bo say, that ho was associated with somo other gentlemnn in contesting the Ciby scab for Parliament. He was associated with no one (applause), bub wa». standing at t.he request of a largo number of electors. Bub it mattered nob very much to him whether he was elected or whether he was to servo the people in no.no other way, perhaps by watching out a long .esI hion. (Applause.) Ho had detei mined to I try nnd make a new law, and I that was that elections should be al- ' most withoub expense, without drinking, I withoub any of bhe enormities which had J been attendant on the elections in Iho I past. Ho asked the people to tnnt, him from a knowledge of what, ha had hitherto done. (Applause . Tho .-'op he was baking was really pregnant with great consequences; he canvassed no body, oilered no rewards lor votes, nnd bound himself by no promises whatever. HIS PAST CARKI'.K. He reminded the people of what, he had done for bhe people of Auckland und of New Zealand. Through many troubles ho had led them ; through revolutions and war*, through times when the heart was depieescd through reverses; when bhey I were bub tew in number and when j they cuuld hardly reckon on being I alive for a singlo day. (Applause.) lln all these positions he had worked for them, and he asked them had he led bhem triumphantly through all those difficulties. (Applause ) What, therefore, should he seek for more than this: Tho certainty bhnb there was in hundreds of hearts the same feeling wibh regard to himself thab he himself had towards t-he people of New Zealand. Therefore, as he had said, he should spend no money in electioneering work, but would quietly pass his days as i?nothing peculiar were happening to him. Ho would rest, assured that frho people would walk oub bo tho various polling booths and do thab which thoy deemed best and ri«hb for themselves. Ho stood there simply bo ask bhem to in'vc him thab which they considered righb and ju.C. (Applause). He t-bood before Auckland's citizens bhat day as having been called to contest, bho seat; he fpoke as part, of bis duby ; and he abked nothing from them but that which, bhey thom*.elvcs wished to bestow, or indulge him by giving him. THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE. With reference to tho cmuncipabion of women, Sir George said that bho people were nob to bhink that the women's franchise was something unnatural or sudden, because what had happened had boen coming on ever since he had boen a little boy. Women had been coming out here and bhere. women had turned oub famous in the worlds of prose and poetry, such as Misa Barrett, and great thinkers who passed in knowledge some of the greater men of the English universities, until for very shame men had allowed them to enter fcho.e universities. Step after step ot bins sort was taken, such as the tilling of bhe positions of ollicers in the Salvation Army, until ab last they had obtained the jusb right- bo a share in the law-making ot the nation. (Appiam-e.) They wero placed on terms of perfect equahby with men. He would remind them thab when he first came into public life here, members of Parliament scarcely addressed their constituents ab all, except ab the poilina booth. He (Sir George) was the first to traverse the counbry and address bho people on recondibe subjeebs. Tni. procedure was so rotnurkable at thab timo tbab he was laughed ac, and bho matter was brought before the House once. Bub bhe system of addressing tho people had now grown to such an extent that ho iolb tempted to say bhab Auckland was groaning undor bhe system. (Laughber.) There was .nothing but balking now, and every memben of Parliamenb musb bell the people ail the thoughts that were in his mind on political questions of tho day. Ho really thought bhab ib had passed bhe necessities of the case. One greab question of bhe day was EDUCATION. He had had sont bo him a series of questions on which direct answers "yes" or "no" were required bo most abstruse questions, which could nob be answered withoub some sort of explanation. He had long desired to see tho present secular system of education, and as a young man he had endeavoured to insbibute bhe secular system in England. When ho became Premier here ha found that thero was. a law before bho Parliamenb brought on by the previous Government, which contained clauses for bho payment for education by the children and for Bible reading in schools. His Government altered the Bill, and obtained for bhe colony bhe secular sysbem of education. (Applause.) He could nob fay bhat he would never niter bhe present system of education, for there was nothing so good thab in bhe course of timo but thab some alberabions mighb be necessary. He could nob bind himself to say bhat he would never favour an alteration in the present system of educabion. However, bheir present system was tho best in the world. (Applause.) He would tell them they musb not ask him bo promise nob to interfere with the present system of education, nor, on the other hand, would he bind himself bo alter it. He never could contemplabo such a thing as denominational education. Their pre-~-mb privileges were only to be maintained

Iby a free iorm of Government, and he deplored tho sending of members to Wellingtpn fettered by all sorts of promises. The really chosen of the people' must geb into Parliament. They should not consider wealth, but 'character and deeds—be the candidate rich or poor. He (Sir George) was not spending tn'eney on the election, so that he was not entering into an unfair contest with a poor man. (Applause.) That was the example he was trying to set, ' and if ho failed from not canvassing or incurring expenses, they could say that they would attempt to secure not only purity of elections but elections with almost no cost whatever to tho candidates. (Applause.) HIGHER EDUCATION. The people should see that every facility was given in the way of higher education to promising and apt scholars. There was a peculiar tie set upon electors in New Zealand. Tii6y would see from a map that the whole of the ocean, and the Pacific Ocean, lay around them; they lay alone. Aa Kipling said, " New Zealand stands alone," Now the meaning of this to him was that they should try to set up such a standard of learning and excellence as would bo a lesson to the people to the north of them, which would not be of such a pure European raco aa tbe inhabitants of New Zealand would be. Theyshouldhaveapertect system of education for their own people, they should be a great and learned people, every kind of knowledge should be striven after, so thab the isolation should not drag them down into barbarism. They must also take care that their educabion was nob swamped by the introduction of inferior people—races which would debase instead ot olpvuting tho inhabitants ot New Zealand. To the ladies especially ho recommended a consideration of those subjects. Ho also urged that provision should be made for the clergymen in the community, and for better salaries tor their ministers ot religion. If this were done he thought that move would enter the clerical tield, and they would find the KEr.ir.ioos KDUCATION of childen carried on in whab he believed wore tlio true interests of Christianity by tho fathers and mothers, the brothers and sister?, and the clergymen of bhe diil'eretib (Jeriooiinabions. (Applause.) Thus each denomination would ..trugijle to provide religion., education for itself, and thero would be no compliments such as wero hoard now. l'hey would then got Biblereading in tho homo and elsG--vl_cre, but ri!>.; in the schools, whoro perhaps the Bible would be road by a man who did nob belicvo a "Avoid ot it Each denomination ehonld provide suilicient religious education it., elf. new Zealand's rosrnoN. Sir Goorgo Grey then wont on to speak of (ho peculiar oxc-ll_nce of N?w Zealand.-. «eographicul position, and its infinite capj.cit.i__. They svero, he said, in a new world distinctly, cut apart from and having very little in common with the Old World. They *aw the enormous advantnije of thai. Tlio whole of Europe was cut up into a series of nation*, and each tit ther-o nations vied with tho others in mnitituiningahuge standing army in oiderio keep their territory intact. The result; \vu" that Europe was libtle else than a series of greab armed camps. In these Southern .Sea.-* bhey bud done their best to pur. the mi*erie.« und troubles of the Old World behind them, and they had succeed ad very well in forming the begining of a great European and an English-speaking race in bhe .South Pacific. He referred to tho lac;, that two places of importance in the South boa*— New Caledonia and Ta'.uti— had b.on allowed to fall into tho hands of France, and he explained how that had come about. New Caledonia and Tahiti should have formed part of the English* «*pea.<in_r colonial. i.« the Pacitie. In tho oa.-i. ot New Caledonia, he briefly described .•how ho had gone up lo visit New Caledonia iiom Now Zealand in ids capacity as Governor, and ho (wind thab the French flag had baeti hoisted thero only a few days before he landed, a.id tho French had taken pusso-sion of the island, ihe British flag had keen hoi-ted thore before bhab, but it. was not Hying ab bhe time, and the French were allowed to retain possession of ohe island in consequence of tho existing nature of international relations between England and France. Ho (Sir George) was ordered not bo interfere with the French annexation, and so lN'ew Caledonia, like Tahiti, passed away from them. Bub England had gob pousen-ion of many of the other important islands in the South Pacilic, nnd the peoples in these seas ehould puy thai they would let none of the Great Powers of Europe como in there with bheir groab armies and establishments which would make the New World like tho Old World—a ?erics of greab armed camps. America had taken up the principle of allowing no outside territory or power to e_-_b.ir_.-8 her national development, and thoj should adopt the same stand hero in New Zealand. Tiioy had hero every circumstance favourable to the true development of v great, nation. Here in the South Pacilic they should make their stand and should endeavour to establish a state of things here different altogether from those existing in the Old World. The people of New Zealand should keep this colony a purely Eu.opean country, and nob allow a coloured raco bo geb a toobing bhere, as inferior people wore doing in other colonies. The result would be that, they would practically havo a pure European and English community up to near bhe Line. They would thus be saved from many of tho greab evils which had overbaken other countries. Ifc seemed to him, for instance, a shocking thine bhab large braebs of land near bhe Cape of Good Hope had been given up bo those of anobher tongue and another race. ADVICE TO WOMEN. Ib was necessary for women, ho wenb on, to change their habits to a greab extent. They ready oughb bo study politics. He pictured bo himself n nation, every member of which ehould bo educated well and equally, in which women a. well a3 men should have an squal political understanding, and tako an equal share in tho discussion of politics. Tho prospect waa a brilliant one, and he bketched the family circle of the future, whon bhe women should take parb in polibical discussion on an equal foobing in every respecb wibh men. lie urged them to study politics with a religious faith. It was really a religious duty, and if bhey fulfilled their duty things would be vervditleront. Thore would, ho thought, be a much more equal distributionof wealth, and other objects for which mon have bo.n striving for so long would be attained when women" studied politic* closely and religiously. (Applause.) He urged bhem (o vote for thab which they thoughb was bhe bosb and which would besb promote the public interest. He would, whether elected or not, endeavour to serve the peoplo to the best of hif* ability, and no matter whab happened, every one of bhose presenb would nnd in him a friend. (Loud applause.) QUESTIONS. In answer to questions pub ab the clo.-e of hi_ speech, Sir George Grey said that he thought bhab the Governmenb Liquor Bill contained many evils, bub he really did nob know whab was proposed instead of ib. lie would do all in his power to bring about an abolition of the evils of intemperance, and he would do his best bo get bhe besb liquor law passed bhab was possible. He had never tasted spirits in his life. He would do his best to abolish the tobali.ator as he had done in the past. A question was a?ked as to who he would like to see ab the head of bhe Government ? That, he -aid, was a difficult quesbion. lb would dopend on who was sent to the next Parliament. It was a question which he did nob bhink he should bo called on bo answer, '■ Was ho in favour of the presenb

Government" was the next question asked. There were, be said, many measures which had been passed of which he did not approve altogether ; bub he musb take what he could get. He could notgo into those questions now. He wanted the women to pass the sponge over the past and to get nothing but good laws pasaod nnd bad ones altered. As to whether he was in favour ot Mr W. J. JNapier's candidature, he said he did nob come there to injure a man who was struggling. He did nob want bo injure anyone, and he wished to hold himself aloof altogether. Asked as to what measures of importance his Government had passed, Sir George Grey pointed to bho education system, the land tax, one man-one-vote, but, ho said, hia modesty forbade him to go further. The Chairwoman here exclaimed ; *"* Yes, and we may add the one-woman-one-vote." Sir George Grey (she said) had given substantial help to tho Women's Franchise League in Auckland, and had been their besb friend. (Applause.) In answer to further questions, Sir Georgo Grey said thab he was the first to bring in bhe Eighb Hours Bill in New Zealand, and repeatedly losb hia . Bill. He. had always felt strongly on tho question of limiting the hours of labour. They ought to see that the hours of labour were so restricted as to afford some compensation for the loss of labour for men and women by the introduction of machinery. Ib was very necessary thab the hours of labour should be limited so as to give the people time for study and recreation. On bhe mobion of Mrs Schnackenberg, seconded by Mrs Caradus, ib was unanimously resolved, amidst great enthusiasm, I " That bhis meeting of Auckland electors desires to record ibs deep gratitude bo Sir George Grey, X.C.8., for all tho benefits which he has conferred upon New Zealand, and upon Auckland in particular. That we acknowledge wibh thankfulness the splendour of his noble life, and rejoice that we have anobher opportunity of^elecbing binto represent the City of Auckland at the coming election." TheCbairwoman read the followingletter : —" VVe have been directed by tho Executive of the Auckland Tailoresses' Union to acknowledge the invitation to be presenb. Wo regret; that, owing to the workers being an their occupations, as many will not**be present as we should like. We can assure Sir Geortro Grey t.hab we shall not forgot his kindness ami advice when we sought his assistance ; and we hope bhab ho may long be spare, to New Zealand, and that his wise and jusb counsels may he still further available to the people. — William T. Jennj.vi.k, President; E. Birlby, Secretary; S. L -Johnston, Treasurer." Sir George Grey returned thanks for the resolution, and propo.od a vote of thanks to Mr.. Daldy, tho Chairwoman, which was accorded by the meeting. Three hearty cheers were then giienforSh' George Grey, and tho gathering dispersed.