SPEECH BY MR W.S. ALLEN.

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

SPEECH BY MR W.S. ALLEN.

Last evening Mr W. Shepherd Allen addressed a crowded meeting of Parnell electors in bhe Public Hail ab Parnell, Mr H. C. Tewsley presiding. In bhe course of his speech Mr Alien took occasion to deny various charges which had been made against him, and said thab he was afraid that the Star did nob consider him as its neighbour, if ib observed bho injunction to "love thy neighbour as thyself." He had no fault to find wibh honest criticism, but he did object to the Star making capital out of a rumour bhat he was going to England next year. The Star had made a great deal of capital out of a speech delivered by his (Mr Allen's) sou in England recently, at a dinner civen to some three thousand workmen and their wives and families, in which it was stated thab he was expected to return to England nexb year. The Star very properly asked whab was bhe use of bhe Parnell elec'ors returning him to go to England ? He had no doubb thab wibh bhe Star bhe wish was father to the thoughb. He had no intention of going back to England. On bwo occasions the JNew Zealand climate had been the means of saving his life, and if for no other reuson than that he could not stand the severe winters of England he was going to. remain in New Zealand. He had made his home in New Zealand, and be intended to remain here. He was not in favour of reducing the presenb rato of wages, and to prove that ho had never favoured low wages to those working on his farm at Atinadale, he quoteu the following facts :— " The bead man on his farm had a free cottage and £3 a week ; the second man had a free cottage and 383 (id per week ; the third had a free cot.taye and a garden, and 358 par week ; the fourth had his food and longings supplied, which ho considered to be equal bo 12* 6d, and received 22s 6d, equivalent to ■''<■>._ per week ; nnd two young men, whose board and lodgings were worth 12s 6d e»ch, and who received 17. lid each per week, making bhe weekly wage* ot oach young man equivalent to 30y." It had bern sbatod thab he was a money lender, und that he had lent money oub on mortgage. That, was untrue, and the statement that he was in favour of paying starvation wages was another lie. When ho camo to New Zealand ho resolved that his employees should be as comfortable as him-'.'.. He had for 30 years always paid full wages bo his employees when disabled by accidenb or sickness. Ho habed fcelf-praise (laughter), and he would nob have mentioned whab ho had done bub for the charges mado against him. He did nob bring cheap labour oub from England. He was a Liberal to the backbone, bub he was nob a Soc;alisb. Ib had been said that he waa not " sound " on the question of taxing absentees. If there was one thing on which he was stronger than anobher ib was a tax on absentee landowners, which had been the curse of Ireland. He thoroughly believed in the tax on absentees. As to the graduated land tax, he Baid tbe measure had been passed, and he would be the la6b man to alter it. Wibh regard to the labour question he said that they must be careful not to at'ract across to New Zealand all the unemployed of other countries, or else the present rate of wages would inevitably go down. In New Zealand work was more plentiful than workmen. If the Government were to provido work for all the uriem- | ployed, New Zealand would soon bo | Hooded with unemployed from Australia and wages would soon come down. He referred to bhe stabe of tho colony's finances ab the end of Sir Julius Yogel's administration, which broughb the colony to the verge of bankruptcy, and bhat Sir Harry Atkinson reduced the expenditure of the colony, and credit was due to him for increasing the taxation in order to restore the credit of the colony. This he succeeded in doing. He (Mr Alien) stood (here as an independenb man. (A voice : "I thought you were a Libera!.") So he was a Liberal, and ib was bho very fact of his being a Liberal that made him independo.**t. He wenb on bo say that he had very little confidence in the presonb Premier. This statement caused much dissent, and three cheers for Mr Seddon were called lor and given most heartily. Loud cheers were also given for Mr Frank Lawry by the meeting. When tho cheering subsided, Mr Allen proceeded to say that iia admibbad the Premier's ability, but ho did. not like bhe honesty of his finance, nor did ho like his Liquor Bill, in passing which ho had sold the public to tho publicans. ("No.") The Government had spent money recklessly on public works, aud bhat was anobher point againsb them. The presenb Governmenb had also neglected to make tuilicionb provision for the sebtieaienb of tlio people on the land. Ab bhe conclusion of Mr Allen's speech he answered a largo number of questions. Mr A. Wright moved a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Alleu. Mr Schofield moved an amendment to the efioct bhat bhe meeting thanked Mr Allen for hh address, but had more confidence in Mr Lawry. The Chairman refused bo pub the amendment., and declared the motion carried, although less than half of those presenb held up their hands for it.

Mr Vaile's meeting ab St. George's Hall, Newton, last night was poorly attended. Mr S. C. Brown presided. The candidate dealt wibh a number of quesbions covered in previous speeches, and referred to the single, tax stating thab Mr Withy had nob answered bhe speaker's objections. Our Te Puke correspondent wires: Air William Kelly held a ineetirg iasb night to a full house, and received a vote of thanks and confidence, Mr F. W. Lang addressed the electors ab Papakura on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence which was carried almost unanimously. Our Tauranga corresponded wires bhab Colonel Burton addressed bhe doctors ab Grcerton lass night, Mr W. Elliot in the chair, and was accorded a vote of thanks and was cheered by the ladies on leaving- for town. Our Pahi correspondent wires :—" Mr R. Thompson addressed a large and influential meeting of electors ab Paparoa lasb night.. He referred to misrepresentations and newspoper reports, and cleared himself of all accusations brought againsb him. A vobe of bhanks for his address and pasb services and confidence in him as the Marsden representative was passed by a sweeping majority. Mr Thompson will be largely supported in this district."