PARNELL REFORMERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 127, 29 May 1914, Page 6

PARNELL REFORMERS.

ADORKSS BY MKSSRS DTCKSOX, M.WDKi:. AM) I'iRADNKY. j

A l.irjre tmniher of Reform party supporters met in St. Mark's Hall, Keniuera, last evening, under the a-.i-pices of the Auckland Women's Political Reform league. Mi.-s i:. Roskrilflli presiding, uhoi, nt . r e given by Messrs. .1. S. Dickson. ,1. 11. Hradney. and F. Marnier. M.l'.'s. ninl Dr. Hedl'ord. The menilHT for the district, Mr. • Diekson, who was very heartily greetwl, dealt largely with the carrying out r.f policy promises by the Keform Government, which be maintained had established a n-eord worthy of pride. He pointpil fo a number of enactments by which the present Administration had worked for the betterment of tlie people generally, including the extension of the U-i-.efUsof t!ie Old Age and Widows' Pen-:-ion« Acts, the liberalising of conditions under which Civil servant*, and particularly the police, worked, and the elTorts I milile In improve the state of workers. '.Referring to the strike troubles. Mr. Diekson challenged Sir Joseph Ward to say how he would have enrfed the difficulty, and declared that the Leader of the Opposition -had confessed that, he would have introduced special legislation for the taking nf a secret, ballni of the strikers, failing which lie would have had the Kiol ' Act reaul. Sir .loseph Ward's idea of the secret ballot was not, however, original, as the ijiicstiou was j before Parliament for the greater part, of last session, and was embodied in the 1 provisions of the Labour Hill introduced i by the Prime .Minister, .is To the Kint Act. that simply meant suppression at i the point of the bayonet. ; Messrs. Maixler and I'.ra/Iney spoke I briefly in praise of the Trime Minister as a' leader and state-man, -while Dr. j Bedford gave an address dealing with the | value of arbitration in conjunction with ' the secret ballot. I A resolution of thanks and of eonfi- : dence in Mr. Diekson as member for the i electorate was passml on the motion of ] Mrs. Rutherford, seconded by Mrs. Dun! .-.an Clerk, while votes of thanks were! I a.1.-o accorded the other speaker?. : 1