AUCKLAND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8600, 29 September 1893, Page 6

AUCKLAND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, September 28. The annual - meeting of the National Association was held The report stated that during the year the membership had steadily increased on the Auckland roll alone by 40 per cent., and in the branches the rate was much greater. Thirty-two branches had now been established. There was a credit balance of £40. The report stated that female franchise could not fail to have a beneficial result, provided that women exercise the right of voting. The following political programme was adopted and recommended to the electors as embodying the principles of reforms which should be urged upon candidates for the new Parliament. Freehold tenure of land to be preserved and encouraged, and the procedure for acquiring land by intending settlers simplified. That the land laws be improved so as to lead to the speedy utilisation of the lauds on conditions equitable to the Natives. _Members of the Upper House to be elected, by the people instead of being nominated by the Minister of the day. The franchise to be restricted to bona fide colonists; criminals, lunatics and paupers to have no votes. The principle of ihe one-man-one-vote to be applied to the city constituencies by dividing them into single member electorates. No important amendment of the Coustitution to take effect until after confirmation by the popular vote. The national debt of the colony to be reduced by the operations of a sinking fund. All future Loan Bills to specify the particular works for which they are intended to provide. To assign particular revenues for paying interest upon the principal within a stated period, and not to take effect until confirmed by the popular vote. The authority now vested in the Ministry to issue deficiency bills to be materially curtailed, end the limit to which they may pledge the public credit to be fixed at £500,000. Taxation to be reduced so as not to exceed the amount required for administrative purposes. Such Customs duties as retard the settlement of the country to be reduced or abolished. State interference with industrial and commercial enterprises to be limited to prevention of abuses. The system of local government to be simplified. Government administration to be more economical. Payment in the public service to be in keeping with the earnings of the non-official members of the community. The system of keeping public accounts to be simplified and the balance-sheet annually presented to Parliament to be on tbe lines shown in Fitzgerald's." Balance-sheets of the colony." Reciprocal trade relations with the Australian colonies to be established and the Imperial connection to be maintained and cultivated.