SIR R STOUT AT AUCKLAND.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1030, 20 April 1894, Page 6

SIR R STOUT AT AUCKLAND.

Sir Robert Stout addressed th^ citizens of Auckland on Tuesday night, at the City Hall on ' The Aims and Methods of the. Liberal Party.' The Mayor (Mr Holland) presided, and there was a large attendance. Sir Robert Stout said the aims of the Liberal party should be to get the best men into Parliament, in the Executive, and in public life generally. He urged parliamentary reform by having the Euecutive elected by Parliament and appointed for three years, also a reform of the Legislative Council by electing new members for a term of six years by the Lower House. — half of the number to retire each Parliament, so as to bring the Council into touch with the popular branch of the Legislature. As to the land question, it had been un satisfactorily dealt with by the Libernl party, and he denounced the { eternal lease ' as only freehold by another name, and the single tax, With regard to State acquisition of lands for close settlement, these should only be taken under stress of necessity — not by the stroke of a Minister's pen or a proclamation, but by a judicial tribunal after judicial investigation. There should be no political element in it, and the same safeguards should be given to Natives and Europeans alike. He approved of Ministerial control of the railways, and said the railways should be more utilised than heretofore to promote settlement and aid struggling farmers to get their produce to market. Coming to social reforms, Sir Robert said, why should the Liberal party be afraid of Liberalism, yet some of them shrank from trusting the people with power to control the liquor traffic. If the time came when the saloons controlled the Liberal party that party would seal its own death warrant, and thenceforth become known not as the Liberal party but the Liquor party. He urged that steps should be j taken to initiate State old age pensions, commencing at 60, as one solution of the poverty, and leading to the betterment of capable workers left in the labor market. A low scale of contributions would encourage thrift. Sir Robert got a good reception and a i cordjal vote of thanks at the close of i the address, M * _