THE HON. W. P. REEVES MEETING.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8357, 16 December 1892, Page 6

THE HON. W. P. REEVES MEETING.

At the conclusionof hisaddresa on Wednesday evening the Hon. W. P. Reeves, in reply to questions, said—ln respect to the railway employees losing two days a month, and the foremen not, the railways were in the handa of the Commissioners. The people would have to say very shortly what was to bedone with regard to their own railways. As regarded the introduction of an amended Municipal Act forming the rolls on the one- ,- man-oiie-vote system, he was in favour of it. He was of opinion that it was desirable to purchase laud with non-interest, bearing debentures. With regard to the question asked whether he was drawing travelling allowance during his visit to Chriatchurch, he answered at once that ho did. He had been playing cricket one day, and when he made up his bill he should not charge for that. As regarded the encouragement of local industries, he regretted to say that they had not increased as much as he should have liked. When the tariff came under consideration he hoped this would be remembered. Their policy had he asserted conduced towards the shortening of the hours of labour and the increase of wages. A3 regarded the appointees to the Legislative Council, the Government did not consider when they did this whether the appointees were farmers, doctors or what not, but whether they possessed the respect and, confidence of the people. Hβ contended that the appointees to the Legislative Council were of this class. Under the land and income tax, he said the persons who came lightest off were the small farmers, but tliey could not expect him to go into so large a question as Che incidence of taxation at that late period of the evening. Speaking generally, he was in favour of putting everything in the Rating Act on the ground landlord. As regarded improvements, he would do all he could in the direction of exempting them from taxation. He might say that as regarded the matter of the Inspectors submitting questions as to the Head Master of the iSTonnal School to the subordinate teachers, the question had not come before him officially. As Minister for Education it was his duty to say whether any action was within the scope of the Act or not, and when the matter referred to came before him he would go into it thoroughly and without shirking. All the papers in the EU case had been handed over to the Premier, who, he was sure, had not kept any back from Sir K. Stout. It was quite true that he had told a gentleman interested in the Ell case that it would do no good asking "hini (Mr Reeves) any question about it at'a meeting. He did noc know whether the Mount Magdala Asylum came under the Factories Act, but he would consult the inspector of Factories on the subject as to whether laundries were exempt. He said that if a female teacher did the same work as a male teacher she ought to receive the same pay. Hβ thought that the Liberal party should be the first, to support the increase of the honorarium to members, because it. was to their iuterest that members should receive a fair remuneration for the time expended by them in serving the i public. He therefore considered that the increase was a step in the right direction. Ho did not think it likely that the question of women's franchise would be postponed until after the next general election. The matter would have to be decided by the Government, and he would go with the Government as a whole. Hβ did not think, personally speaking, that the postponement referred to would take place, as he thought the Bill would be carried next session. He knew there was great difference of opinion as to his having supported the vobe of £500 to the Magdalen Asylum, but he had done so because the Institution was doing a very excellent work. If any church could come in and show that they were doing so good a work as the Sisters up there, he said they would be ready to admit their right to share in the public money. He had been endeavouring to meet the case of working men who suffered from contractors not paying their wages by the Workmen's Lien BUI, and he trusted to yet carry it into law. In reply to a question-why he had supported the vote of £5000 to the family of-.tne late Sir M. A. Atkinson, Mr Reeves paid a high tribute to the worth and pubfic services of the deceased gentleman, and pointed out that as he had devoted his great talents to the service of the country it was their duty to see that those he left behind were'not unprovided for. ;