PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 140, 12 June 1908, Page 6

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

ADDRESS BY MR C. H POOLE.

UNANIMOUS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. ( A large meeting of the electors of , City West was addressed last night in the" Ponsonby Hall by the member lor ( the electorate, Mr C. H Poole. Mr . J. W. Rees presided. 1 In the course of a speech lasting for about two hours, Mr Poole said that . be did not fear criticism. There was no doubt that at present they were enjoying unprecedented prosperity in , this "country, but it was a very short , step from the position of national prosperity to that disastrous boom. This . was the danger which faced New Zealand at present. Hundreds of settlers had gone on the land, paying high prices for their property and calculating their positions on the highest rates for their , products, and under these circumstances a slump would mean disaster for many of them. Mr Poole went on to quote from the Premier's recent speech in Christchurch, with reference to the financial position of the country. He also • r „fn n -e(i to the land legislation of the last session, and in commenting on the graduated land tax, he observed that the man who held more than a certain amount of land would have to pay handsomely for it. He thought the £4<'.' worth of unimproved ianu was too much, notwithstanding the fact that some people said they should not interfere with the liberty of the subject. (Applause.) The success of the city, however, was contingent upon the success of country settlement. He went on to quote from the Hon. R McNab's recent remarks concerning the immense growth in the value of agricultural products. Last year SO per cent, of our exports were associated with the products of the soil, and he impressed upon his audience that what was needed was an internal reciprocity of trade as between town and country. He also touched on the subject of national endowment and the valuable work which was being accomplished by the Native Land Commission. These who advocated that the natives should be allowed to freely barter away their lands, recommended the maddest policy which could be listened to. (Applause.) His next subject was the tariff reform carried out by the present Government, and he commented on the fact that in the course ' of some of the debates, the votes of country representatives were opposed to the city members, so far as local ' industry was concerned. When the South African Reciprocal Treaty was before the House, he heard an impassioned appeal by the Leader of the Oppo- , '-_ eition--regarding retention of the duty \ - on osteieh_feathers, and he noticed that - -_ he had since become a partner in one '■ of the-largest- ostrich farms. (Laugh- . - ter.) With respect to the Pure Foods '■ ■ Bill, this was a democratic measure, and , eternal vigilance was the only metnod which would ensure purity in our food- , stuffs. Regarding publib works, the Main ( ; Trunk line was going to be finished ( before the end of the year—(applause.) , . —and a good deal of attention and \ money had been spent on the trunk line , North, and it was quite time this was j done. (Applause.) Every member sent from Auckland had been busy en- , endeavouring to get fair consideration in • w the matter of railways, roads, and ; ; bridges. ; Last session, too, had seen tbe introduction of a Tramways Bill—(applause) - — =-as- a result of questions asking for J>etter supervision of the rolling stock of the Auckland system. (Applause.) It was a great pity that they had lost the grip of this system—it was one of the misfortunes of their national life. Every enginedriver or firemen had to have some standard of competency, and why not the motormen? He had ' stated there, and would state again, that the men who stood on the " fronts of those cars had to stand , any of the elements which God likes to send along—rain, hail, or snow—but . only one- word was remembered "Snow!" , Journalism and his opponents had juggled with it until they did not know where they were. (Laughter.) There were many people in the community - who were prepared to draw and quar-1. ter him because he had tried to defend / the interests of these men who were , imperilling their health by standing on the cars in all weathers. He wished also to absolutely refute the statement that during the recent trouble he had , incited the men to strike, and encou- ! raged them to resist. (Applause.) He ~ could have settled that strike like other men by sending telegrams to the Minister for Labour, and then getting up j a drain-pipe out of the way. He felt -i it has duty to stay there and bring = about conciliation, and he did. He was a asked to make a statement, and did so a in the direction of conciliation, but he refrained from taking any part in the d debate. (Applause.) Referring to the lighting of dangerous d portions of the Northern coast, he said 0 that they had a promise that a light D would be placed on Cape Brett. He also v referred to the action of the State in s ; taking control of the oyster beds, so p that this asset would be conserved, and picking eanied~out~ On scientific lines. One of the audience interjected some- ti thing concerning Socialism, and Mr. w Poole replied: ."Well, -and is -Socialism a- -a crime? I say that if humanitarianism p, is Socialism, then lam a Socialist. (Applause.) We are socialistic in our tendency all the time, and we would be queer people if we were not." Great sums had been spent in dealing! c with the fisheries of this country, but in order that the public and the fisher- f men should receive proper value and I \ compensation for their labours, they I should have a public fish market. (Applause.) He went on to speak of gambling, which he denounced as one of the curses of the country. (Applause.) One of the unfortunate clauses of the Act of last session had been that providing for the licensing of bookmakers. It was said that they would work against the "tote," but the two went hand in hand. "Many of the clauses are good," he concluded, "'but the bookmaker clause is a caution." (Applause.) Touching on the labour question, he Baid that amendments to the Arbitration Act were absolutely necessary, and must take place. Where extreme methods | were adopted for the making of un- I reasonable demands, the results were often found to be chaos. He advocated the exercise of greater care in the classification of prisoners sent to Waiotapu and prison camps. The speaker also urged the necessity for a bare majority in dealing with the liquor traffic. (Loud applause.) With respect to the coming election there was a possibility of a hard struggle. Tremendous sums of money were going to be spent in an endeavour to alter the representation of Grey Lynn and City West. There was further opposition as well. Some time . ago hie asked some questions in the Honse cont ogrnmg a steamer wbkJT-was allowed, *o ...... :.,- y :u.-i-c. -r^ftana

»o to sea in an unseaworthy condition. Word was passed to him at the time :hat if he continued with the case, hia position in Parliament would be eniangered. He thought that such a ase would not be heard of again. (Applause.) Was it right that the influence which sent that ship to sea should be used against him? (Cries of "No.") Then there was a coal :ompany in the Waikato that was doing its best to secure all the coal areas in .he district and effect a corner in joaL That influence was fighting igainst him, and he would ask them to keep an eye on it. Then ft-ith regard to the tramways, people had said that if he ran against vested interacts that difficulties would he placed in his way. One movement was to push i. man into the field who thought that by subtle methods he would capture their sympathies. The term "carpetbagger and adventurer" had been used, but he felt that they would not allow such a second-hand insult to pass without taking exception to it. Mr. Poole resumed his seat amidst long-sustained md vigorous applause. After a number of questions had been answered, a vote of thanks and continued confidence in Mr. Poole as the renresentative of City We=t was proposed, by Mr. Darlow, and carried unanimously imidst applause. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.

MR. POLAND AT WAIHL

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. In view of the fact that Waihi has been included within the boundaries of the Ohinemuri electorate, Mr. H. Poland, M.H.R. for the latter district as at present constituted, addressed the electors of Waihi last night, and was very well received. He dealt exhaustively with Furious questions affecting mining, and he was warmly applauded for his action in exposing the methods adopted by Auckland Stock Exchange in the quoting of shares. This criticism was made in connection with his advocacy of substantial State aid being given to prospectors. Dealing with the Tregoweth-Comstock he stated that Tregoweth had prospected hills for over 14 years to his (Mr. Poland's) knowledge; and, after he had experienced hardships, md had spent thousands of pounds on the ground, the Exchange refused to quote the shares. In another case, shares were quoted when no money at all had been expended in development: in fact, i two-roomed office and blacksmith's shop in connection with the said company had seen erected on the wrong claim, and had to be removed. He strongly advocated ;he erection of public batteries at Waitekauri. and also in connection with the Schools of Mines at Waihi and Karangalake. and he considered that by so dong the Government would be materially issistiig in having new discoveries made nsieau i>i all successful mining at present jeing conducted on two or three claims leveloped by English capital. He considered that, as there was a State coal nine in the South, there should also be mc in the North. He warmly champimed the Arbitration Act, and its proposed amendment, especially in connecion with the personnel of the Court, vhich he maintained should consist of an ndustrial council. Other matters were touched upon, and questions satisfactorily answered, after which a vote of thanks to Mr. Poland, and confidence in the Government, was :arried unanimously.