FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 7337, 8 October 1887, Page 1

FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

»■ : A meeting of the Financial Reform Association was held at Mr Hastings’s office last evening, Mr J. Roberts presided, and there were fifteen persons present. MB PEARSON’S PAPER. Mr Peabson read the concluding chapter of his paper on “ The Advisability of Selling or Leasing our Railways.” MISCELLANEOUS. After the reading of Mr Pearson’s paper Mr Roberts left the meeting. The chair was then taken by . Mr Sinclair, who said that during the session he thought it would not be advisable to hold meetings regularly as usual, but that power should be left in the hands of a subcommittee to call a meeting whenever it was thought necessary to do so. Mr Peabson thought that an association such as theirs should meet more during a recess than during an election, in order to instruct our representatives. He was of opinion that one great want in this Colony was to understand what form of government we had got. It was a most ridiculous form of government, and was utterly out of proportion to our requirements. He entertained , the idea of writing a couple of papers about the form of government if the Association were carried on. He ridiculed the idea of “ a tin-pot little place ” like this having a government like America, and, in concluding, stated that in America the Ministers could not travel as they dd hero, as they had too much work to do. They, however, lived on their salaries; but in New Zealand they lived on their travelling expenses, and saved their salaries. — (Laughter.) Mr Babtlkman said he thought that another meeting should be held shortly for the purpose of discussing Mr Pearson’s paper, and after that meeting was held it might be left to the Executive when to call the Association together. It was ultimately resolved that Mr Pearson’s paper should be discussed next Thursday night, and the secretary was instructed to write to members of the Association with a view of securing as large an attendance as possible. Mr Kjmbell asked if the Association were in in communication with kindred associations throughout the Colony. The Secretary stated that the Association exchanged papers with the Association in Auckland. He believed all the .other kindred associations in the Colony were defunct. Mr Sinclair said he would be sorry to see this Association cease to exist. He would suggest ths.t they should continue to discuss questions that were of importance to the colonists as a whole, so as to create public opinion. It was very satisfactory to notice that neary all 'the members of the House had pledged themselves 1 o the objects of the Association. The Association had therefore excited some influence for good already, and if they had done that much he had no doubt but that they would do some good in the future. He hoped members would do their best to enlist the sympathies of those with whom they came in contact, in order that they might join the Association.

The Si chetaev said that he would probably have L 4 or L 5 in hand in a short time, and suggested that the money should be spent in books for the use of members of the Association. He also intimated that he would throw open his room one night during the week free of charge, if members desired it, so that they could peruse ' Hansard' and ether Parliamentary papers which would be placed at their disposal. It was resolved that the offer of Mr Hastings and other matters should bs considered at next meeting.