POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 162, 2 April 1908, Page 4

POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE.

THE CARTERTON IV!EETING. 'ADDRESS BY THE ORGANISER.^ (BY TELEGEArn-rSPEOIALVCORBESPONDENT.r Masterton, April 1. ■ , Mr. Martin, secretary and organism of tho Political Reform League, commenced a ... ' v''\,'ories. of>. addresses elec-; i torate when ho delivered a .-■ lecture at Cav- • terton Jast night. There was a-fairly largo [V V attendance.,, of.' electors'. .' Mr'. Martin.-. re-. ceived:.'a? very; attentivejlicariiig. -is: an vnblo ; sp«iker, l with, an aptitude; for placing ' his f points ' most; concisely," and ho: is likely '. rv to prove a : very. successful.' platform advo-' V oa'teV*; Mr.?Miirtm-explameti,'the.,objects.and < ' '; : .'aims of tho Reform League/ He said'that " ■ 'he did riot .for one. moment pretend to die- : tato as to how'the' Government,, Was to ..run. ': 'its ;,brganisation. ,: .' Be/ was ..only {too. pleased ;-'to' givo r.Uio. Govornmont crcdib;!for : what-, it V had dono: in the way of "organisation in ■ the . )%: .past, and .ho'^vould'.-'be^pnly';'to.o; : pleasecT'to '-Kf-'piek' xip-'-a -few; points front the State noxv " or .'in tho. futurb.r /The - Government wore ;■? 'yf' ■ able- to .make use' of influences, ,which- tho Opposition had. not- at its command. • The . i Government was ,entitled, to. its present ])oifunless: 'the;,: Opposition^clid :■ -'by' ; were ]-. ' i :vv:'-', standi ii g*'" 'by ,*. theirs J. thby t wbiild^go^. to ; '.the .; . v wall; 'The' speaker c detailed .tho '. history .of theAMMiukau''election;, after tlio. death , of. • ; ' Mr. Kirkbridc. ' • ■>;-. y'^ : : MINISTERIAL DEFEATS ' Tlie Minister for Land§, I interviewed .after ■] ; tli'o -election \whon ; the. Govpj'nniont nominee ■^;:"had^been:jddfeatcdi^statGd^thai;;;thovreßult.:llad , organisation.-.ln' ')' ;; !;"-thB;Tarahaki election, ;whicK.resulted: in the . return of Mr. .-Okey; the Hon. .J. Carroll '• had stated that he:;had;:'no : doubt ; that ..tho. ' ;.v'v; : .'. ; ; Opposition' would:have '-tdAljov-plciisetl i ivitti' h'' ': of' the : .Government;major- .. yclr/lt*'ha'd,''ancp;^bQ(W-^^ated-;,thiii>-vtfae" < ■' ■ 0 OppdsiMon w;oii h tho t blecMon'.: tlu'pugK:! JJ i 'jr.; organisation.'- • . This 1 showed ' that' organisation'':'was: everything.-. , dayi'tpK organise; .' i.'''!;' day: after- thp/proHoiisiolectipn.-.Jilr. S.;.'Martin a:-.qbniparisou:-bet.tvcen ;,thn: - ; mdthbds : vof;Vthd; ! qr2anis{itibn-';of'!,thd'::raini-' ; • ers', Union and the Miners' Union, in'show- ' ..A'iiig : . ;'th'at by 'orgijiiisation and -..voting - in, ■ jetuni;:pK» • /,' .' -Mr. \\'; 11. Hcrries, one, of, the; .ablpst .nitu- . : -Who had'over sat in Parliament-.- ; THE RAILWAYS VND OTHER MATTERS ■/v;/-■ "ihjidv^jqeji, st, il : '< •iii'cturhin , g:3^pcrjc , had .showii'-that-they;had returned : a ';'Ky.:. : loss, for tho 1 -past':'eight-.years of £21,621'p0t 1 . •vWf 1 ,": year;; It . had ' not: been:'shbwn that'tho figures v :.Tho^Government paid•; for its; ~ repairs' putepfibbrrowod.^^money,^i instead,;.of.vbut'.feyeflUe.V^Theimeinber^or:Wairarapa:.hiiii4; f re- . ! . gardmg-.the financial management of the New - i- i. :. lii: tho .courso of , .• ' . mr.rks on thd'iefdrm-flf'theiLegislatTO ; S^>: ; ally, ; beconun^^ ireje^s,-and . ? 0 ithere : :wquld ; be' ho satisfaction '!■-tioh,- of ;things altered;;;yApj)bintnients ill" Stho i(BT&.-&mc§' J 'sho«ld ; :'(lcp.eiSd-.>niM>u : mcHjb ■ • . ' alone,'; and- not- upon -/Ministerial "patwiagei" • '; • .'as at present., Referrinf; to local governmoiit V ... ' reform,' the. speaker'..lirged that all- arterial ;' . roads- should be : - maintained- iwholjy-.by.';.tljo .Government, and;-tlia't?tlie i :'inoiißy :; maintb'nanco 'of .other '■ roads - should .bo, avail--, able when' required. by 'loeal bodies. . THE LAND QUESTION ':legisiiti6iV:^ould o ;bo,>satiifabt:bry'-y-unless : tliero • was 'of thg ■ '■i : ;v: V ; The,', present. Cahiiie't-was' against •thisfjpropd-. :i-,. sal;, x Tlie '.speaker; quoted; facts to ; prpvo. tliis' ■;i ; coritontipiii JTliq for Labour. had : ox"irr Pfbssed^iT opinion 'in ofjli! Siring at £he death of the.tenaht.' The Hon; v .M'Gdwari .believed in retaining' all! Crown lands. Tho Leader of the Opposition: was an • '■■■:/} out^and-oiut: believer in. the freehold, and so: . . swore all < his party. "It was no uso anyone . saying that he.,could' suport ,tho. Government .:l-';and.the freehold.at'ith'e saino'timd. The/posi-<i-;V::;; opposed. EDUCATION AND THE TARIFF -R ; egarding',odyition, , ;'tlid speaker held that: a l :',.,:' ■ -greater;j-remuneration:; necessaryfor. sphobl teachers, so that the very.best class •of men • should bo available for scholastic /^ ; -;.;..-,:;'. : duties. >'!]\lr. •Martiri- fefprred humorously to ' S;\A thp'.'duties j. which .'.the.'- Government had taken ; -aoff In'; tlie ; life,. commenting ■jv,.?;.- 'mptbricarsVv/hich in a measure ; were";allowed ■' ;K,: ; :.^ n ' .inade" 'of 20: per cent;.oirbicycles, which da'ilyi ( wefo':! ~ becoming, more necessary,to.,the worlii'ng..man. : :-a f''.' Tho ■ Gdyerninent'':ha'd: also -not ;consitlfered<the-. working. : man in the <lnty.'on tea, when duty was; charged, upon a pound of: tea; 'while-' a . -:hest of tea was allowed.-to go in free'.'.'' In' . Customs^'fedutieil■':!wd•^paid: i :2os■. , .*^ than, the'population, .ofthe - Cpminpnwcplth.-' :Money' was being spent in,largo siinis -in"the':V; J. cities.- -. The'' Government .'was : pandering,-to , '.tho. cities, and 'cduntryjmembers had to crawl :-V;: to get "a" small:voto,for. a>'road;', Tho Goi'orn- ;.: .y.y.: ment • had put 'nothing ,a.>niiny\dayy 'Mr. Massey hd would through' adversity,-.but •••'3-.<-.':\tWc^.'.-^'i'pUblioV.t^l?- ! VV'finance.-The t: :- . , favour -of thd:'; ', as: . against :;iW;.:'facts ;iiV support,.bf;liis'(cbfetentiqS^iie 5 most: striking:"example:-.of the' co'-opcratjvd jsysteni ■;V: '". J : was tho .'expenditure of £120,000 upon. a ; road .'in Stratford,- regarding; which- a.-well-knowii, r-'contractor had stated that,:instead of filling iv.' up. the holes with 1 :ment ha:d t ; usc<l goldon'-'spyercigns. ; -V^[ 1 . Mr:'. Martin receirKrj'ii! hearty'voto (of ■ ; thanks, .and a branch. ,of the Leaguo .was r / formed in Carterton.