AUCKLAND LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 302, 22 December 1898, Page 5

AUCKLAND LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

ADDRESS BY THE PREMIER

PRESENTATION OF A GOLD

MEDAL.

The Right Hon. It. J. Seddon was the recipient of a handsome gold medal which was presented lo him by the Liberals of Auckland at a meeting held on Saturday, Dec. I!, in the Wesley Hall. The attendance was so large that many were unable to obtain sitting accommodation. Amongst those oil the plat form were the Hon. W. Swanson, Hon. W. Jennings, Mr J. «T. Holland, M.H.R., Mr W. Beehan (President of the Liberal Association), Messrs Dixon, Bright, Reed, 11. W. Pollard, and T. W. Leys. The Mayor of Parriell (Mr Pollard) presided, and in opening the proceedings spoke commending;!y of the Old Age Pensions Act. TH E PJIESI2 NT ATI ON. Mr Beehan (President of the Liberal Association) said the object of the meeting was to present, to the Hon. Dv. Seddon a testimonial for passing the Old Age Pensions Bill, which he considered a. must important measure. Mr JJeehan then referred to 1 lie great benefits that would arise from the Old Age Pensions Act. He hoped lo see the Eight Hours Kill soon on the Statute Hook, but not in a form that would injure the bone and sinew of New Zealand —the farmers, lie also wished they had agricultural colleges in which youths could be trained to go on the land so as to relieve the congested stale of the labour markets iv the town. As they would soon be in the. throes of a general election he trusted the Liberal and Labour organisations would unite and only put three candidates iv the Held. (Applause.) Mr Beehan then presented to the Premier a handsome Iwo-clasp gold medal, enclosed in a nicely engraved silver casket, the whole being the work of Messrs Stewart Dawson and Co, The casket, which was of solid silver, had engraved upon it: 'To the Right lion. 11.'.1. Seddon. P.C. LL. D., Premier, JS'js, New Zealand.' The clasps, which were of gold, bore the words, 'Old Age Pensions,' and on the faso was engraved, "The Right lion. R. j J. Seddon, I.C, Premier. Presented by j the Auckland Liberal Association for | and on behalf of the Liberal party in I Auckland.' On the reverse side were the words. 'Old Age Pensions Act, New Zealand, passed October. ISOS.1 As Mr Beehan was pinning the medal on to the Premier's breast Mr j Seddon remarked: "If my friend Mr j Beehan had left this to a lady she would have done it in half the time,' which elicited a roar of laughter. Mr Beehan said it was only a small token, but. like the Premier, it was good. Mr J. M. Shera thought this v. fitting demonstration for the passing of such a noble and beiu'tieirnt. measure as the Old .\'j;^ Pensions Act. During the last eight years a Colossus of legisla- ! lion in the interests of humanity had [ been erected in Xew Zealand and on the apex was the Old Age Pension Act. Mr Shera mentioned thai Mr Leys also deserved honour, for lie had advocated thai measure fur the past Jive years. MY A. liosser "thought the brightest ' star in the crown of Mr Seddon would be the passing of that measure, .lust j as they remembered Sir George Grey j by the one man one vote principle, so ! would Mr Seddon's name be kept in ! remembrance by the Old Age Pensions ] Act. The Hon. W. Jennings said it. afford- J ed him very great gratification to also j add his testimony to those already j given. Mr Samuel Bright also spoke. Mr Theo. Cooper, being called upon. said he could not refuse the invitation to speak. He considered this measure I one that would benefit all, because it j tended towards the uplifting of humanity. When a community passed j such a measure it showed that they cared for the aged in their midst. They should therefore congratulate j Mr Seddon and those who supported I him in passing such a measure. He j hoped that, the system of pauperism j induced by the present method of j distributing charitable aid would now be done away with; that no man I would lose his self-respect in future I simply because he had been unfortu-| nate enough to lose his means of subsistence. (Applause.) Mr James Regan thanked Mr Seddon on behalf of Ihe workers of Auckland for passing the Old Age Pensions Act. I Mr .1. .1. Holland also offered his ; congratulation upon the passing of the measure. TUB PREMIER'S ADDRESS. ' The Premier, upon rising to reply, was received with applause. He said nothing had given him greater pleasure for some time past than being present that eveningl. He left last ] night's meeting with feelings of joy | and gratitude that the old people he then met had been relieved of financial j anxiety for the future. He came to | Auckland to attend the opening of the, ; Exhibition and lie must say it was a j credit, to the city. (Applause.) It! showed the many products and vast mineral wealth of the province, proving it to be one of the most favoured spots in the British Empire. (Applause.) But what was the use of showing to the people, of Auckland the advantages they already knew? What, did the outside world know about the Auckland Exhibition ? Practically nothing; but if the colony was to prosper they must, let the outside world know something about their producing power and progress in settlement. The State hud to do this, and he had already cabled to the AgentGeneral in London that the. Exhibition was a great success and would do credit to any part of the world. ' (Applause.) There ought to be thousands of people coining from outside the colony to visit the Auckland Exhibition. The means of communication required improving. They wanted coming here those magnificent vessels that ran to Australia and Honolulu, for the annexation of Hawaii brought Auckland within 10 days of America. They must bring their colony in closer touch with the outside world. Then thousands would come to this fine colony. I'AST LEGISLATION." Reference had been made to the various laws passed and the benefits they were to the people of the colony. It was pleasing to him to have such public evidence of appreciatino of the acts .of the Liberal Government. All must ..admit that the colony whs in ;i better position now than it was nine years ag-o. (Applause.) Yet they were told that capital was to be driven from the country and property would be;depreciated,,, They were also told that all/industries would languish,

wages be lowered, and that nothing but industrial distress would exist, but lie had not seen it yet, (Applause*.) The better the man was educated the more brains he had to do the work. There was now a better feeling- between employers and employed in this colony than there ever had been before. The American workman was an' educated man, and had up-to-date machinery. Organisation was absolutely as essential for the protection of the workmen as it was for the protection of: the employers. .(Applause.) What they wanted in New Zealand was population. Auckland was suffering; from want of population on the land now. The Waikato would carry thousands upon thousands of people. If the country was prosperous, the town would be in the same condition. The two must go together. The immediate cause of the passing of the Old Age Pensions Act was, he contended, the granting of the franchise to the women. (A A'oice: 'No.') Women were more sympathetic and could not bear to think of the aged suffering. Mr Seddon then referred to the condition of the workers in the coal mines at Home in the old days, until Lord Shaftesbury— (applause) — commenced his crusade. The same cry was raised then that they could not face competition if a better system was adopted, but public feeling was aroused. The condition of the colliers was now improved, but disaster had not followed. The factory laws iirst passed by the British Parliament raised another cry that it was interfering with the liberty of the subject. They had gone on from that until now there was freedom, and the. physical status of the people showed marked improvement. Still in Belfast lie had seen stunted children, and with impaired health, Ihe result of factory work. It was well the Legislature .should step in to see there was no impairing of the physical well being of (lie people of any country. (Applause.) He looked forward to the .physical development of the rising generation in this colony being far better than that of the parents. It was by the will of the people these beneficial laws were passed. The laws that were to bring ruination were not asked to be repealed, and even their opponents said it was best they should have a Fair trial. The will of the people would never be properly expressed without organisation: were the prepared in the course of a short time to band together to return to Parliament those alone who would leave that Act upon the Statute Hook. At present it was only a tentative measure. At next election they must make the Old Age Pensions a test question. There was i the question as to whether there was ft necessity for this measure, but they could give many illustrations of honest parents who because they had been good fathers and mothers and given thoir children a good education, through no fault of their own were poor at the latter end of their life. They should give cheerfully to assist such, and if would never be missed. (Applause.) There were also cases of people who at one time,were well-to-do who at the end of their lives were in indigent circumstances. Did not they deserve some assistance in their I old age? (Applause.) The whole of their present charitable aid system was rotten to the core (applause), and he hoped with Mr Cooper that one | result of the Old Age Pensions Act would he to alter Ihe existing state jof affairs. ' Under this measure provision was made for the deserving aged people who would not oven let {their neighbours know of their position. They had been good colonists, and the least, the State could do was to provide for them in their old age. \lf he had his way very different treat- . ment would be given the men who j woidd not work, but were prepared to loaf. They ought, to be put on a Inrin and made fo earn at least their tucker. (Applause.) Men who drank 'their wages should be similarly dealt J with. While they provided for the aged they should take care that the men who were able to work should have work to do, and be made to do it. New Zealand had set a glorious exI ample in passing this measure. From ! the structure now on the Statute j Book he expected great things for the : ultimate good of humanity. He felt lie was scarcely entitled to the thanks : given him with the handsome souve-

nir. There were many others who were equally deserving1 of thanks, both in and out of the House. He would take flu 1 souvenir as a reminder of those who had worked so well for the cause as an evidence for all time that the people of. Auckland were prepared to support, anyone who was trying to improve the condition of the people. The granting ol petnsions to the aged was now I he law ojf the land, and he hoped that /or all time it would continue to be the law in beautiful New Zealand.

Mr Samuel Clnrge moved n vote of thanks to the Premier for his able nnc! excellent address. This was seconded by Mr 11. Dixon and carried, three cheers being' given for Mr Seddon.

The Premier briefly replied, and on his motion thanks were accorded to the chairman.