THE POLITICAL HORIZON.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 91, 10 January 1908, Page 8

THE POLITICAL HORIZON.

SPEECH BY HON. J. A. MILLAR. . LIBERAL AND LABOUR PARTIES. MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF A / SPLIT. (BY/ TELEQRArH—BrEOIAL COBMSrOSDENT.) : > ' Auckland, January 9. Speaking at Ellerslio last night, the. Hon. J. A. Millar inado somo interesting remarks upon the political horizon. The present Government; he said, had succeeded the lute Mr. Seddon, the greatest man in New Zealand's political history.. The late Premier had dono a . great deal for the country to which he had devoted his life, hut ho had left a legacy of Work undone which the prosent Ministry had, to take in hand. It was impossiblo for such important matters as the land tariff and the Native land questions to bo dealt'. with - in a short session of Parliament, and the Government would not havo been prepared, to go before the coiintry and' ask for a-renewal of confidence unless they; had first shown tho policy that they were prepared .to carry 'out. Of ,courso,.it was impossible for the Government to please everybody. What 'they had to consider was what •was best for the Dominion as a whole, and, having decided', what that best was, to endeavour to give effect to it. That was the spirit that , actuated tho present Ministry. (Hear, hear.) POSSIBILITY OF A SPLIT. At the present ■ time, the Minister, continued, a. movement appeared- ti bo on foot in . tho direction of a. split in the Liberal party. Those who. wore agitating in that direction should carry their memories back a few years,, and ask themselves what had been effected by-the amalgamation of tho Liberal and Labour,parties. Nearly all tho'great' reforms had been brought about by tho amalgamation of the two forces. In Australia and England .efforts had been mado to accomplish something by means of ah Independent Labour party, but thoy had not succecckkl in getting what had been obtained in New Zealand by the coalition of tho two parties. . He. strongly deprecated anything in the nature of a split between tho Liberal and Labour parties. In 1896 a meeting of tho • Labour party, at which thirty-two wero present, was held, and tho question aroso as to who should: bo tho leader of that party. That' question had never been settled to this day. It was agreed .that they could riot expect to do much by-themselves, and that it was only by a coalition the Liberal party that they coiild hope to accomplish', reforms. - • THE'COMING .ELECTIONS; Passing . on to; the coming elections, Mr. Millar said that ero long tho country would bo called upon ,to pass its verdict-upon tho present administration.. Those who believed that tho pqlicy of' the Government was a right one should .sink all petty differences and loyally support the men who were selected by the people of tho district as tho men best, suited to bo their, representatives. 'He was not speaking in an'individual sense, but from tile -broad point of view , of- tho Liberal and Liib.oiir parties. . If they wished to .lose ; seats-, they should _. start quarrelling amongst themse]v,es,"hut : if' they, wished to preserve . the ' solidarity .of the .pairty they must/prevent, men from coming in arid:.splitting tnoi-votes, of.< : . the - Liberal.; party.', - ".Let tho Opposition/' lie said,-." put up their man and wo will put up ours, and I have no fear of tho result." Ho was not, ho said, afraid fair ■ fight, and if they wero beaten at all it would not bo by tho Opposition, but by men ' calling themselves Liberals, who woro working, not for tho good of tho party, but for themselves, and who woro trying to use the party for their own ends. If'a man who was not selected by tho representatives of the party came forward he did so in his own interests. He was working for himself,i and not for the party,, and tho party had life right to study such a man as against the party as a whole. (Applause.) EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY. (DY TELEGRAM! —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) 1 Auckland, January 9. In the course of his speech at Ellerslio last night tho Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labour and Marino,, said no Ministry would over pleage everybody. What they had, to do was to carefully consider what . was' intheir opinion the best for tho Dominion as a whole. He thought that was the desire of tlu present Ministry. Ho bolioved that was tho desire of great. Liberal party of. this country. Ho ni'aintained it was the duty of every p,irty to' strive to put legislation m a state that would givo equality of opportunity to ■ ovory.' man, andI,'1,' having given .that, then it rested with the individual himself if he. had the ability and application to raiso. himself to the highest position. But they should not'go further than giving equality, of opportunity. They had to watch experiments . going on throughout tho country, to watch tho results of certain legislation,,arid, the conditions ill older countries, because they knew that liko conditions produced like results, and'if they found that the. • experiences of older, countries had led them into certain; channels not to their advantage, it -would then bo their duty to prevent anything ,of • that sort taking place in this country. "Wo want no poverty in this country," said the Minister. "We know perfectly well we cannot have absolutely equal distribution of wealth, but we want to make that distribution as equal .as possible. The .happiest, most contented, and prosperous 'country in the world is that whei'o the wealth is riiost equally divided throughout tho country, riot whero a few hold largo money-bags.and tile rest a mere pittance." A A'oico:," And .that's New Zealand."

Mr. Millar;," Thank.Gqd, it .is .New Zealand thnt gives, greater opportunities for men than any country I know. It will be a sorry clay for ,us a's : members of the 'Ministry if we ever allow any legislation to pass which will in any way curtail thoso .rights which tho people of. this , colony, after many years of struggling,; ha,ve obtained." (Cheers.)