MR JACKSON PALMER AT ARCH HILL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 270, 13 November 1896, Page 5

MR JACKSON PALMER AT ARCH HILL.

Mr Jackaon Palme? addressed a crowded meeting as Casey's Hail, Arch Hill, last night, Mr Bright being in tha chair. Mr Palmer said that having addressed himaeif to the financial question of politics on the previous night at tue North Shore he conid now devote hiraaelf to discussing other political atiairi. lie referred to n meeting called lately neai that district by the Opposition, and the condemnation by them oi the paat labour legislation. Mr Palmer Treat oa to defend the Coasiliation and Arbitration Act. Ha said the highest aim of a true statesman was to conciliate capital and labour, to prevent the evil effects and misery caused by strikes and lockouts, to prevent the resort to "brutum falmen" for the adjustment! of their disputes, and to substitute instead of ail this the settlement of these difficulties ia a constitutional manner by a constitutional court). The great aim of oar greatest statesmen should be to make capital snd labour go hand in hand, and tha first statute passed for tha,t object wa3 the Conciliation Act. Labour snd capital should not be antagonistic, for the prosperity of each is bonnd up with the other. Labour and capital are united by one common face; they are co-partners, nob adversaries. Mr P&lnier then proceeded to defend the Contractors' &nd Workmen's Wages Acij, the Vv'orkmens' Wages Protection Act, and the Truck Act, and pave several instances of the injustices that had been imposed on the employe before the Act waa passed, la dealing with the Factory Bill, Mr Palmer said the protection of the health of the individual units of the State should be one of tha iirst cares of a Government!. They should prevent the j use of unhealthy workrooms, which injured the health of the workers, for every worker whose health was injured and v/ho broke down entailed a losa upon society j and an injury to the State. The Factory Act would prevent thi3 evil, and closely j allied with this Act was the one relating j to protection of the workman from danger- j ous machinery. Had the latter Act been passed long ago, ona of the ssttiers of Birkeahead who had been msined for lifa would have now been enjoying the nse of his limbs, which were losb on account of the company for whom ho worked not being compelled to fence off dangerous; machinery.

Ab tha conclusion of tha meeting numerous questions were f-sked the candidate about the referendum, 5 sths majority, abolition cf Education Eo-iids, elective espcutive, etc., ail of .which ware answered.

Mt Moors proposed, and Sir Dines seconded, a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Palmer, which was carried unanim-

ouely. A vote of thaaka to the chair terminated the meeting.

At the close of the meeting a meeting of Mr Palmer's Arch Hill coaunitSeo was held.