NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9811, 21 August 1897, Page 8

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

The usual monthly meeting of the members of the National Association was held at the Rooms, Gloucester street, on Wednesday evening. The President, Mr A. E. ii. Rhodes, occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance of members. A letter was received from the Under-Secretary for Lands,, with reference to the recommendations made by the Association in regard to the Wharenui Hamlet, stating that they will receive due consideration, and that no doubt the subject, will be brought up in Parliament. The business of the evening was the reading of a paper by Mr C. Percy Cox on " The Abolition of Party Government," which provoked a good discussion. Most of the speakers disagreed with Mr Cox's view of the matter, and pointed out that the remedy lay with the people themselves. When electing representatives they should be careful to return men who were capable and honourable. It was generally admitted that grave error exisced at present, but the scheme proposed would not improve matters. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Cox, who replied briefly to the remarks of the different speakers. Attention was drawn to a paragraph in the Star newspaper, which stated that the National Association was going to nominate a candidate for each vacancy in the City Council at the forthcoming election and also for the Mayoralty. It was pointed out that this statement had not the slightest foundation, as the Association had not taken any steps whatever to run candidates for the Council or the Mayoralty.