The Liberal Federation League

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3101, 22 September 1899, Page 5

The Liberal Federation League

Theliberals .of Kaitangata mustered in large force on Monday evening at M'Veigh's Ball "to" m^t; JVir iEdwards, the organising* secretary of the' Liberal federation __ssooiß> Motf (.bf jNew. Zealand, c for purpose of hearing Irom "liim the "objects and aims of the Association, and to form a polling branch of .the Bruce .Awopiation inKaitan f gata. About, 150 .persons were present in ; the hall, inclu_ing a few of the Opposition I color, who helped by "their questions, &c, to, provide*, a little extrg- diversion. >-,■■ •' AbUr Caird, president pro ietii, was in the ch-iir... .", i . ...... ... „.=,._: ...■;.:.. ...... ■•• Mr Edwards, who was W«. 11 received ,, prefaced his remarks by explaining the objects of. tlie Association, and minutely explained, the rules for the conduct of the branchesformed at the various centres, and covered ;the. same ground as that, which appeared in ou. issue of the 19th, in our report of the meeting held at Milton last Saturday. He explained that a branch of the Association Would be formed in every polling centre in the .County, to work their own particular district ; that delegates from each of the centres would meet at the central polling station (Milton) to form the central committee ' for the county. Delegates from all pa^ts, . of * New. Zealand would meet in Wellington for the purpose of drawing up a platform for the party — not a platform that will suit a particular locality — but one that will suit North and South Island, town and country, and a platform that will at once be workable. The Association distributed literature amongst its members dealing with legislation, &c, affecting the country and themselves, and did whatever it could to help the cause of liberalism — such as sending a lecturer to address them if such was wanted. What had been done by organisation in other parts of the colony ? Look at Bruce ! A neglected county like Bruce, beoause it had no organisation, got no .assistance. Bruce was one of the connties that required organisation if ever they meant to secure the return of their choien . candidate. The Association will shortly know which electorates are quite safe, and which are not, and will then devote their attention to providing assistance for the electorates that are not Hafe for the return of Liberal candidates. He had been asked since he had been in Kaitangata why it was that no definite reply could be got as to when the arbitration case pending was fixed for hearing. He had replied that he did not think there should be any difficulty about fanding this out if inquiries were instituted in the .proper quarter. He accordingly telegraphed to the Premier and had got a reply stating that word would be sent tomorrow stating when the case would be heard. — (Applause.) In matters like thia the Association could be beneficial to them, and the Association is always willing to do anything possible in that way. Writing to the proper quarters it is always possible to get information of that sort. Of course you should be able to get the information from your member, but then he is very busy, and has lots of such applications before him, and perhaps he does not want to give you the information anyway. He then went on to read a list of the bills the present Government had brought into operation, and asked whether there was any one of them, the electors present, would like to see repealed. There was no doubt the Asaoclation was going to be a great affair. They had only to look at the importance of the Great Liberal Association at Home and see the wonderful results of its working to see what effect it would have in New Zealand. He had sent a copy of tho following letter to every polling district in thia County : 1 " The Secretary Polling District Branch. Dear Sir, — The Bruce electorate is asked to take steps to secure the nomination of a Liberal candidate at the forthcoming elec^ tion. It is proposed that the branches shall be asked to forward to me the names of persons whom they think best qualified to fill the positions of M.H.R. Will you, therefore, please take steps to get your branch to nominate a person so that I may receive the nomination on or before the 9th of October. If mora than one person be nominated, a ballot of the members will take place on the 2§th. Each person nominated will be entitled to nominate a member ot the committee that will work the ballot Yours faithfully, Arthur Edwards, Org. Secretar}*." He would like to say a little as to their choice of a candidate. They would all know that only two lobbies existed in the House— the aye lobby and the no lobby. Some politiojana wquld have a third, lobby. Now, there were only two sides that could be any good— there was no room for a third. At the present time we have a third party — Independent Liberals. He would reeom.mend them to avoid that class of politicians. They were nothing more or leas than rail sitters, and rail sitters of the worst type. What -waa an Independent Liberal independent of? Why, of his own constituents, the very people whom he represents. They wanted a man who would do what they wanted him to do, who would do their bid ding, andnot whathia own opinions prompted him te- do. He is returned to voice the opinious of his constituents in the House. In conclusion he would be most happy to answer any questions, and {.o explain anything th.af tt\e i .nesting did not understand, I At thia stage a wire was handed to Mr Edwards, which proved to be from the Premier intimating that he — the Premier — was in communication with Judge Edwards re the date for hearing of Arbitration case, and would Bend word immediately date was fixed for hearing case. Mr Cornish asked if the telegram just handed in bad any political significance, to which Mr Edwards replied that tie dM not Jjuow. I^e *-*-*as mejesly tisked -^ straightforward question by some of the miners, he sent the ' wire simply asking whe,n pqq^t would sit and, hat} received. t^ e reply jusb read. He did not know what was meant by political significance in this case, sMr Donaldson : I think if Mr Cornish had taken note of the name at the bottom of the telegram, he would have seen thab it I was of great political significance, that of

■R. 3X Seddo-n, 7 Pr^ier.^n^ns*^-r to . a I further question /f*j>*n\ Mr J3ornis^, Mr Edwards said*" that his .usinesa donsist^d. merely of organising .'and ■ettingj-tlie machinery of these, Liber al,prganisations in motion.. They . were open to ohoose any-. candidate; they , like& ! XXX^X'X^ . -''■"'■ X X . __r Beardsmore said he 'thought he ought toj -say - spmething. ; ' '.$f r ' $ornish jno , doilbt ; knew >that he (Mr ■ Beardßmore) had been; elected chairman ib f tlie 'Miners' Uiiion. a • He* [thought thaFttf.was"iime 'sqnfe^jnioh association was formed -for; the education of the people in pblitibs.' 'It •' cost \ bin? Jffuch' anxiety tp see, how,,ijgnprant, ; a,loti of the. people were of- politics— hot miners' only but farmers and .others '.w^om , they -w ould expect: to know, better. For the life of him he could not see why so'-'inany of the farmers were opposed to the 7 Government ; r the, present Government wasthe best one for the' the farmers that they had ever had. He hiad,. recently, in conversation with a farmer in this district tried tb 'convince hiiri that the House; ef Representatives and .the Legislative Council were not one and the same body," but had failed. This was .a. sample of the ignorance of things political. in this district,' such as an Association 1 like this one would dispel. Regarding the telegram spoken of,, he himself had at the instigation of some of the miners mentioned to 'Mr Ed wards that they could not find out when the Arbitration Court was going to sit. Mr Edwards ( said that he thought he could get a satisfacto y reply, and sent a wire to the Frcmier and had got the reply read. He thought that was straightforward enough ; and there was no political dodgery about ib. — (Applause.) Mr Malcolm Morrison who described himself as a very old settler and a Government supporter said he had been asked to attend the meeting that evening to hear a report of. the Government's doings, and what they expected to do. Now, the present Government might have been as good as gold, but when they lowered themselves to send a man round the colony telling people how they should vote, they were doomed. There are farmers, miners, tailors, laborers he could see in the meeting, who if left alone would vote on the right side, so the only thing he could see for it was bo let everyone go on their own way. The Government were making a great mistake in sending out paid officers to support them and keep them in office. If they overdid this, they would surely ruin themselves. He had been a Government supporter for a long time and waa Borry to see such tactics. Mr Edwards said that the gentleman who had just spoken was simply at sea over the whole affair. The Government had nothing whatever to do with the meeting. He was no Government paid servant at all. He was simply the representative of the Liberal Association of New Zealand, composed of electors like themselves. The matter of selecting a candidate will be quite in their own hands, and he should be put in for the express purpose of representing the eleotors of Bruce, aud not the financiers of Dunedin. — (Applause.) After some conversational discussion, Mr B.ardsmore moved and Mr Duncan seconded, " That it is desirable to form a district polling branch of the Liberal Federation of New Zealand in Kaitangata." Mr Beardsmore said that before being put to the meeting, he would like to see an amendment moved to test the feeling. Everyman present knew how they were at present represented in Parliament without him saying anything on the subj act. He wished them to understand thab this organising league was no new thing, in fact in New Zealand they had an Opposition Association co mmonly known as the National ASS. That association was composed of men — monied men — opposed to the working man's interests, and it was their duty to return members opposed to the nominees of the National Association. No amendment being moved, a show of hands was taken, and the motion carried unanimously. The election of president and a secretary and treasurer was then proceeded with. Mr W. Duncan proposed and Mr Welsh seconded, that Captain Rutherford be elected; carried unanimously. Captain Rutherford here jum,ped to his feet and explained, that he had been busily engaged talking to same of his friends and did not know he had been elected. He begged" to be excused, as he oould nob always be present at their meetings. On the motion of Mr Beardsmore seconded by Mr Thomson, Mr Caird was elected president — only one dissenting. Mr Donaldson was el^oted secretary and tr.easv-r.er on the motion of Mr Gribben, seconded by IS^r Edmiston,. The amouut of bhe subscription was fixed at Is per annum. Mr Christie's motion that the arflount be £1 ls only met with support from one elector beside himself. Mi*' M.' Morrison, who had previously left tho meeting, again appeared, and commenced to deliver an impromtu condemnatory address on the Goverment, Mr Edwards, ■ and things in general. ITe. finished by , asking Mr Edwards who appointed him to come to Kaitangata, but very promptly ■ collapsed, and apologised when Mr Edwards told himJthaf'He didn't, anyhow, and that he had better mind his own business." Mr Edwards, intirqated that that praoticftlly concluded the business. The secretary would be supplied with membership cards, literature, &c. from headquartrrs. Ladies would be admitted free as members,. and he hoped that they would eet as many }ady members as possible, because they were far hette.- persuaders than men as a rule.— (Applause.) • ' - Mr Beardsmore moved a vote of thanks to Mr Edwards lor his 'address, -3,qd Ivjr, W* Duncan nrojoo^ed,,'*., . siu^ila,r,,,v,ote to- the qhai ri] Pi an * o,°th of which were • parried ■ by acclamation,-, Mr .Ed*-y-*,rds, -thanked them for their patient hear-big and said that He' wou\d always do anything in his power for them whether it referred to trade"' or politic3.-(Appkusej. . n A - t r A considerable number gave in their names and. joined as members of the League^-, and it would seem as if the Kaitangata Polling Branch will prove the rhost enthusiastic in Bruce,