THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8583, 9 September 1893, Page 10

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

MR RUSSELL AT ADDINGTON. Mr G. W. Russell, who ia a candidate for ;he Riccarton district, addressed a meeting of electors in the Oddfellows' Hall, Addington, last night. Mr J. MunnJng3 occupied the chair, and there were about 120 persona present, including several ladies. Mr Russell opened his address by an allusion to the candidature of the Hon. Mr Rolleston and Mr E. Blake, explained why he had come forward, and said he stood before the electors a whole-hearted supporter of the principles of the Liberal Government. He would only mike one or two reservations, but otherwise he pledged himself to give the present Government a thorough and eutiro support in the measures they proposed to briug in. There was now a wave of liberalism passing over the world—a revolution which was not bloody or tyrannical or possessed the eligliiest element of force or injustice, which wae worked by the upheaval of the tnafges for 'he establishment of those rights Chat had been so loDg kept away from them by the aristocracy and landed gentry. That power would be exercised in using the back of liberalism to provide old age pensions for the men who had spent tho best years of their lives for the good ond benefit of their country. lApplause.) As lar as he could, were he returned, he would devote himself to the ■study of all those social problems which were in the interest of the people. He said he would refer first of all to what he termed foreign questions. He was not an advocate of elective Governors, as a nominated one was about the simplest and easiest link we could have between ourselves and tlie Mother Country. He was opposed to political federation with Australia, but was not averse to an Australasian federation with England and her other dominions, or one jjraud Imperial federation. He spoke in strong terms of the importance of the Midland Railway to Canterbury and the West Coast in developing land settlement in one and mining in the other, and without expressing an opinion as to the proposals between the Government and the Company, he would say in general terms he would assist in the formation of the railway, and would be very well pleased if the people could.-get back "«he control of the lauds which had been granted to the Company. He considered that the Riccarton district wae too heavily rated for the drainage scheme, which benefited Christchurch and its immediate suburbs, and favoured a'reform in the direction of a reduction of rates. Upon the land question, he said it was a dividing line between political parties; by it could be told whether a man was a Liberal or a Conservative. While he would riot rob a man of a bit of land to which he was entitled, be would like to see created a fund by which the Slate could buy back its own land, and then let it out to people on fair conditions. (Applauee). It was the duty of the Government to endeavour to* find land for settlement, and to purchase in Canterbury large blocks for private homesteads for the people. He read the opinion of Mr Merchant, 1892, on the absence of suitable land, and said the result of that absence was to drive our young men to other colonies, while all the while Canterbury was not carrying the population it could. Such a state of things came from the Conservative policy which had ruled New Zealand generally "and Canterbury in particular for forty, or fifty years. The three essentials to make a village settlement scheme a success were good land, near to a market, and near to an employer or employers of labour. Had the late Mr t Ballance's scheme been fully carried out some thousand people would have been by this time successfully settled in Canterbury. tFhis success would be helped by making the railways (subordinate to the interest of the people, made a means to distribute and not concentrate the people. If people were thus induced to settle on small blocks, women and children would not be thrown on the State for relief, and there would be less unemployed. He disagreed with the Government on the " eternal" lease of 999 years; the land might be juet as well sold for cash as leased for that time. It was wrong to part with the land without provision for periodical revaluation. He was in accord with the advanced Liberal party of New Zealand, that the land should be let on perpetual lease with periodical revaluation. The Liberal party had changed the incidence of taxation under which now the farmer's position was improved, and there were no gioliticians of standing in the country who were prepared to go back to the Property (Tax or make any alteration on the present system of taxation. The only thing objected to was the graduated tax. He entirely agreed with it. It was necessary owing to the rapid aggregation of large estates, and it would be successful in compelling owners to improve or Bell them. When they asked that the graduated tax should be put on they were called a ranting, rabid, revolutionary lot of Radicals. They were prepared to let the ballot answer. He always advocated putting the burdens on the shoulders of those who could bear it, and should'the Government possess a surplus next year he would like to see ie used in reducing the cost on the necessaries of life. In respect of the liquor question, he maintained that the day had come when there must be a great reform in the liquor lawß of the colony, and that reform would take the direction of a more direct control by the people than had hitherto obtained. If the question came to the vote between the rights of the people and the vetted interests, his vote would always -go for the former. He believed that a bare majority of the electors should rule regarding the decrease of licenses— (Hear, hear)—but more than that should be required when the question became one of closing the houses, and in this respect he approved of the Government's proposal for three-fifths. - (Applause and dissent.) He did not like the licensing districts being made coterminous with the electoral districts, as the proposal for many reasons was absurd. He was also opposed to anything in the shape of compensation to those houses which were closed by the public vote, as it would lead to corruption and abuse. The proposal to give a licensee a three years' tenure -was an improper one, and the licensing laws required to be more strictly enforced than they were now. On the '. matter of education, he announced himself as a strong supporter of the present system •—free, secular and compulsory, more com- j pulsory than at present. He could not support or countenance any Bill which would endow schools of any denomination, as j school grants in that way would eventually place the teaching in the hands of ministers, hardly a achcol would be strong enough to have one good master, and the education of the people would become aa disgraceful as it was under tho Church of England at Home. Hβ wanted to sco the secondary schools thrown open, and 400 or 500 boye, instead of 150 a year, getting some benefit from our High Schools. This, could not be done until the Boards of Governors were made elective and consisted of representatives from the people*. Then a system might be introduced of awarding so many scholarships to each school district, so that country scholars would be placed at no disadvantage by competing against town scholars. The scholarships he would also make open to the Catholic* and other denominational schools, and would further permit such echools to be examined by Government inspectors in order that the scholars might be able to get an equivalent to a S>xth Standard certificate. Hβ was opposed to the present man. oer in which the Lincoln College was controlled, and wished to see its management composed of representatives from the agricultural and pastoral and other classes elected. Concerning railway matters, he read a portion of a paper delivered before the Industrial Association in 1889, aud said he had found no reason to chtoge his views. He objected to £15,000,000 worth, of an estate being placed in the hands of three irresponsible men as being ene of the biggest farces a Government ever perpetrated in a selfgoverning caiurtry. He would like to see railways well the control of Parliament, arrant fools if they said that could manage their post offid&£&ad public works they could cot their railways. The whole policy-vjftiould be altered, and the last six-pence-should not be squeezed out of the men who'yAfereoornpelled to use the lines. The lines »hoUM be used to facilitate settlement and a revenue from this ehould be a secondary *n«.ter. There was no thought of wanting ojpjer cent, on the construction of the roads. W ny ehould there be on the railways ? In conclusion,- he said he had made no lnwty ojpuuo&s. What he had made he would not

alter to suit any party, and he counselled the electors to vote for a man's principles father than for a man himself. (Applause.) In answer to questions, Mr RcssELL said because a man was a Government servant he should not be compelled to contribute towards any pension or other kind of scheme. His reference to pensions was with tbe idea of making provision for assisting old age generally in such a way as a Royal Commission which had well studied the subject couli recommend. Whoever was the accepted and accredited representative of the Liberal party he was prepared to follow. At present it was Mr Seddon. If Sir Robert Stout were made Premier by that party he would be prepared to follow him. He did not thhik the whole cost of charitable aid should be thrown on local property; the whole system wanted reform. He was a protectionist. The statement was an " absolute lie" that he was in the habit of employing boy labour at his printing office. He advocated every employer being compelled to register at the Labour Bureau the names of his employees and the wages paid. This would be a means towards putting an end to sweating. (Applause.) ] No man had ever been employed in his I garden at less than six shillings a day. He was opposed to any further borrowing. They should try to make the people in the colony prosperous instead of assisting immigrants. (Applause.) Mr Stunner moved a hearty vote of thanks to and confidence in Mr Russell. j Mr W. Doio seconded the motion. j Mr C. Brown moved as an amendment a vote of thanks. (Hear, hear, and cries of sit down.) Mr J. VI ilsox seconded the amendment. Mr J. T. Ford suggested that it would be tbe wiser thing if the amendment were accepted. The motion was carried, and the meeting closed with the usual compliment to the Chairman.