LECTURE BY MR.J. E, FITZGERALD, C.M.G.

Evening Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 100, 16 November 1882, Page 2

LECTURE BY MR.J. E, FITZGERALD, C.M.G.

The announcement that Mr. J. E. FitnGerald, C.M.G., would deliver a lecture in w the Atheneum Hall last evening, under the ? < ' auspices of the Union Debating Society, on "The Possible Future Development of Go- . vernmentsin Free States," drew together an assemblage of about 300 persons. The chair i was occupied by Mr. W. H. Levin, M.H.R., i who said the only regret he felt was that an : office-bearer of the Society had not bees ' asked to preside on such an occasion as the present. He thought it was a matter for , congratulation that Mr. FitzGerald had bera ' persuaded to come forth from his retire* ' ment to give his views on such an important , .' > subject, and allow the audience to listen to k one of the most distinguished statesmen the ' colony had produced. (Hear, hear.) The ' lecturo, which occupied an hour and a half ¦ in delivory, was then proceeded with. Mr. ¦ FitzGerald commenced by saying he was • afraid that the subje it of which he was about i to speak would nof prove of absorbing interest, but ho would endeavour to keep their attention throughout, mnd trusted thoy would . be pleaded -with hw efforts. Hethen referred '' at length to the growth of modern systems of government, and in the increase in the liberties of the people as conferred in the rights accorded them of having a voice in the administration of public affairs, mentioning especially the boon given the misses by the initiation of the ballot system. The relation of capital to labour, strikes, communism v and co-operation, banking and insurance . were also dealt with. He spoke at somo length on the scheme of national , insurance, which he considered should be fostered, an he was of opinion that the people would derive great benefit therefrom. '- l'he establishment of a national bank, which would do away with the savings banks, was also advocated. The rapid strides which science had made of late were then referred to, and the lecturer went on to speak of the ; land question. He strongly condemned the i holding of the fee simple of large blooks of i land as injurious to any country, and gave it as his opinion that the accumulation of i capital by a few persons was a bar to the . progress of any country. In concluding, Mr. FitzGerald said that the question whether onr civilisation might not be based ' on erroneous principles, and die out like those that had preceded it, was one that , must always be kept in view in con. sidering the question of the possible I future development of Governments in free states. If something was not done to regn- v late the distribution of we&lth, the scheme , of universal education, wbioh many fondly

ohorishod, Appeared to him liko tho dream of a mapiaa, tor, whilo tho gulf between the rioh ana the poor was allowed to widen, the ¦proad of education among tho lower olasscs would only bo tho means of breeding dincontent, and tho sohooln would become tho hotbed* of anarohy. Thoro was a hope, however, in tho fact that Govonimontn of civilised States booomo more and moro a reflex of tho will of tho people. The lecture was listened to most attentively throughout, and at its close ft hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. FitzGorald on the motion of Mr. Maxwell, secondod by Mr. Robert Stout. Tho usual complimont to tho chairman brought the proceedings to a close.