MR. BARBER AND HIS SUPPORTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 148, 19 December 1902, Page 2

MR. BARBER AND HIS SUPPORTERS.

SOCIAL GATHERING. The friends and supporters of Mr. W. H, P. Barber, the recently-elected member for Newtown, were entertained by him at the Victoria Hall last night. There was a large gathering present, iaeluding the Premier and Miss Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. J. Carroll. The evening was chiefly devoted to dancing, varied by occasional songs, contributed among others by Miss Brightwell, Mr. De La Haye, and Sir Joseph Ward. Mr. B. Dawson and Mr. Nicoll acted as M-.C.'s. Refreshments were provided by Mr. M. H. M'Carthy. During the evening the Premier delivered an address. He was pleased, he said, with the result of the Newtown election, seeing that Newtown had ever been a Liberal constituency, and he did nofc think they had made a mistake in returning Mr. Barber as their representative. (Applause.) As they knew, he wished it to be understood from the beginning to the ! end that both Liberal candidates were acceptable to the Government ; it was a case of "how happy could I be -with either if tbe other one was out of the road." (Laughter.) They solved a rather difficult problem for him. (Renewed laughter.) Turning to public matters, Mr. Seddon urged the necessity of educating the rising generation, and giving the children of the poorest the opportunity of passing from the primary school to the University. Large areas of land had been reserved for educational purposes, but so far he was sorry to say only a few had been able to reap the benefits from those reserves. That was a great mistake. Those lands belonged to the whole of the people of New Zealand, and the profits from those lands should go to educate the children of all ihe people of New Zealand, and not a. select lew. One question that they would haye to deal with during the coming session of Parliament would be to see that the moneys derived from those reserves were So used that the child ef the poorest man in this colony should have equal opportunities with those endowed with wealth. (Applause.) During the evening Mr. Barber tendered his. sincere thanks to those who had woi'ked so hard to secure his election, and with songs and dancing a very pleasant time was spent till an early hour this morning. _„____________.