MR TUDEHOPE AT PONSONBY HALL.

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

MR TUDEHOPE AT PONSONBY HALL.

I The Ponsonby Hall was crowded lasb I night to hear Mr Thomas Tudehope, the ! Labour candidate for the City seat, give his j views ou I'o'it'cai matters. Mr H. T. |G«n*atb presided, and seated on the platI form woru a larj^u number of supporters of I the can aula to. Mr Tudohop. said that he 1 camo forward hi the interests of his fellow workers and the public generally to vbice the opinions and nspiracione of tho vast bulk of the population. Until recently tho workers h.'nl not. been allowed any voice in tho Parliamenb of the* colony, bub through the intellectual development among* the masses brought about by the present system of education, the workers, would no longer allow themselves to be wholly represented by tho^e who had no interest in their welfare. Their opponents I wore now beginning to admit thab the ! workers had a rght to be represented in I the councils of r,ha colony. He waa of opinion that the present Government was tho best they over liad in power for tho people. Their measures and actions had been very unfairly criticised by tho Conl i-ervative press. In all fairness they should i allow time for the Government measures to 1 take eirecc. Ho did not believe in the outcry about revolutionary legislation, spoliation and robbery, and driving capital* out of the country. These were merely party crios. He considered tho I presenb system ot co-operation in public I works a very good one, and he thoughb ib i reflected greab credit on Mr Seddon, to j whom the'conception of the idea was duo. j (Applause.) He would like to see all public I works done under the system, and he would jdo his utmost if elecbed to have it given I ehecb bo. If the worker wero doing well j everybody is doing well. Low vvagesnot only I stiuved the worker, bub they al.-o degraded the nation. If bhey could make aOO men prosperous by bheir industry and perseverance, was it nob botbor lor the community than bo make one man a millionaire. (Loud applause.) He was a believer in the land tax , because it tended to create small holdings, 1 and mado it unprolitable for absentees and owners of lar^e estates to carry on the policy of land booming which had been so detrimental to this and the other colonies. 'Ho was a believer in tho perpetual lease ! system. Mr Tudehope referred to the i throwing out of the Early Closing Bills by the Upper House, and said ib was a pity bhab legislation should borequired inordcrtocom- j pt>l certain individuals to do simply an act of j common justice. It was always the way. I A few individuals stood in tho way of every j reform. On tho subject of education lie | was in favour of the present system. He | did not think it possible that religious j training could be given in the Government■ schools. He thoughb parent:-' should be 1 repponsibl- for this part, of their children's training. Those who advocated Scripture ! teaching in the schools should formulate some scheme hy which a knowledge of bhe Bible could bo imparted bo children withoub interfering with our public schools. He thought both male and female teachers in Auckland wero unfairly treated in regard to oquali'y of salatien. (Applause.) Teachers of both sexes in the South, as a rule, were paid at a higher rate than they wero in Auckland. He was op-po-ed to bhe presenb system of scholarships. The. Auckland CoHege and Grammar School was a soled: school tor the children of parents who objected bo mixing with the children attending the primary schools, bub who did nob mind getting State aid all the same. He was in favour of the secondary schools being open to bright children from the primary schools, aud the University open to ihose who shovv aptitude from the secondary schools. He thought it, was the duty of the State to do for the children of poor parents whab wealth and influence could do for thare of the rich. (Loud applause). Mr Tudehope spoke in favour of Sir Robert Stoub'd Direct Veto Bill and the eight hours system. Ho wes loudly applauded ab the close of his address. No questions were asked tho candidate. Mr Hampton proposed a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Tudehope. This was seconded by Mr H. Darlow. Both gentlemen spoke strongly in favour of Mr Tudehope being returned to represent bhe workers in Parliament. The motion was put to the meeting and carried, there being only one hand held 1 up against it, Three ringing cheers were then given for Mr Tudehope. At the close v siumber remained to further the inberesbs of the candidate'in the Ponsonby district.