Page 2 Advertisements Column 1

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 157, 24 November 1896, Page 2

confidence in the candidate, which was duly seconded. A hostile amendment of thanks only, and confluence in the Seddon Government, was also moved, but on a show of hands being taken the motion was declared by the Chairman to be carried almost unanimously, A cry of "Three cheers for Seddon " evoked cheers and hoots, and the meeting, which during the evening had beeu rather lively, ended with the customary vote to the Chairman. MR. D. B. DUNCAN'S ADDRESS. Mr. D. B. Duncan delivered his first address to the electors at the Willis-street School last evening. There was a fair atteudauce,.about half of thdSe present being women. Mr. W. Quinn was voted to the chair. The candidate, after expressing thanks to the press of Wellington for the publicity which it gave to the utterances of aspirants for political honours, said he came forward as a Liberal 1 and Labour candidate, and if elected would support Mr. Seddon. The systemof Party government was a failure, and he held that there should be a reform of the Upper House, which had been created'solely in the interests. of wealth. If we had an Elective Executive he felt convinced that Parliament would be purified. An Elective Executive would do a\\ay with a deal of unwise expenditure to secure office, and each member of it VNfyldVbe responsible for the economic administration of his own department.. Another reform which he advocated was the adoption of the Referendum, which would be a proper constitutional safeguard against the passing *f 6upireßsive measures. The legalised sale of liquor for profit resulted in the manufacture of criminals and drunkards. ; The ' revenue of, the City from all liquor' licenses was £2800 a year, and-on charitable aid the expenditure was about £5000. per , anuum. There was evidently nothing in the liquor traffic so far as the public was concerned, and the country would be better without it. The total revenue of the colony from liquor was £498,000 a year, and the probable charges x against the traffic amouuted to £(330,000, showing an aunual loijs of £134,000 a year. He believed that ground-rent was the only true source of public revenue, and the only efiective means of economically nationalising the land of the colony. In New Zealand 2G2 persons and compauies ovvned 7,840,000 acres of land, and he held that the country could not h£ prosperous if the large estates remained in the hands of a few. The best part of the Wairarapa was held by only 27 persons, and the district would be better if the lands which they owned were occupied by more people. If elected he would oppose any interference with the present system of education, but he should advocate increasing the number of scholarships. He was not a believer in monopolies. The creation of a State Fire Insurance De-. partmeiit would, he believed, be a success! As to foreign borrowing; he agreed with the late Mr. Ballance that we should be selfreliant. If we continued to borrow be felt sure that before long we should be unable to pay oitr interest. The Government should hot sell any more of its lands, as he considered that the leasing system, With revaluation every 21 years, was preferable. The unearned increment would then go to the Slate. A 999 years' lease was, he considered, tantamount to a freehold. He could not agree that our representatives in the past had done much in the direction of creating hew industries. Much had been done in Denmark for the dairyiug industry, and he thought that much might also be done in that direction in New Zealaud. In Germany the manufacturing industries had been properly fostered, and had progressed at a wonderful rate, and there was no reason why our manufactures should not also be equally successful. He strongly advised the ladies to vote only for men of good moral character. He was a Freetrader, and favoured the transfer of Customs taxation to the Land Tax as gradually as would be prudent un l?r present industrial conditions. His honest opinion was that if we had Free Trade many new industries would be established. Rent and taxation were grinding down the people. The necessaries of life were much cheaper than they had beeu, but the great bulk of the people were nevertheless getting poorer. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer, and the explanation was that there was not sufficient taxation on the land. He believed the Single Tax was a cure for the evil, as it would tend to lower the price of land, and thus facilitate closer settlement. No questions were asked. On the motion of Mr. Kelly, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Duncan, and after the usual compliment had been paid to the Chairman, the meeting terminated. GOVERNMENT CANDIDATES AT THORNDON. Lane's coaoh-house was packed last night at a meeting convened to hear addresses by Messrs. G. Fisher and C. Wilson. Mr. Robert Gardner was in the chair. Mr. Fisher claimed that the principles he advocated on the hustings prior to the general election of 1890 were those he upheld to-day. He put it to the electors that his 21 years' service should receive recognition. Prohibition, he held, was not necessary in a country like New Zealand, and it had the effect of creating a race of hypocrites. The intolerauce of petty clerics in this matter was unbearable, said Mr. Fisher, and he proceeded to bitterly criticise the address of the Rev. W. A. Evans as reported in last night's Post. Mr. Fisher considered Party government indispensable, and appealed to the audience not to be led away by the purity cry. Next he touched upon -a number of subjects connected witn the Mayoralty election in similar terms to those in his speech of Friday night at Newtown. A vote of confidence was, on the motion of Mr. J. Smith,. given to the candidate. Mr. C. Wilson undertook to remedy the defect found by the Evening Post in his speech at the Opera House — viz., the want of any acute criticisai. The Opposition had, he said, no policy to put before the country. Its alternative to the Government policy wa9 absolute stagnation and negation. Captain Russell's speech at Hastings was a virtual admission of the failure of the Opposition to propouud a policy. In other ways, he claimed that the Opposition was a house divided against itself. Having spoken on other questions, Mr. Wilson said dfefeat on the present occasion would not dishearten him. He was a young man j-et, and could afford to wait. On the motion of Mr. Mercier, seconded by Mrs. Hicks, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously amidst hearty cheering. mE ARO SWIMMING BATHS. MES. MEECH Pbopbietbess. These Baths are now Open for the season, having been thoroughly renovated. Bathers can depend upon receiving every care and attention. Ladies' Hours— From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily Gentlemen's Hours — From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 2 p.m. until sunset. Blue flag hoisted during ladies' lioura. Eod flag during hours for gentlemen. Professor Pannell, the Swimming Expert, in daily attendance. ripEEHOLM & TOLLEY, V^ 1 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, No. 8, Willis-street. Telephone 1018. Estimates given for Electric Lighting, Bells, and Telephones. Repairs Promptly Exconted. Special attention given to Medical Electrical Appliances. Incandescent Lampß and Accessories always instook.