MR LEE SMITH AT OLD KNOX CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 8364, 15 November 1890, Page 4

MR LEE SMITH AT OLD KNOX CHURCH.

Mr Lee Smith addressed a crowded and very disorderly meeting of electors in Old Knox Church last evening. Mr J. Robin occupied the ohair and briefly introduced the speaker, whom be eulogised for bis honesty and integrity. Mr Lkb Smith, after a few introductory remarks, referred to

THE LABOUR QUESTION, which he said should receive first prominence. His remarks upon this subject were somewhat similar to those given utterance to by the candidate in his speech in the City Hall on Tuesday last, and ho again advanced his ideas regarding the settlement of the people on the land. In connection with this matter he said he wished to refer to some remarks that had been made the other night by a gentleman who was a competitor with him in the present contest. He had hoped to have passed through this election without any personalities or any reference to the other candidates; but in self-defence he would have to explain away the remark that appeared in a report of one of the speeches in that morning's paper to the effect that ho bad filched the ideas of another person with regard to the land question. In order to show that he bad not done anything of the kind, he read an extract from an article written by him in the Daily Times long before the labour question had come to a head. This proved conclusively that he had not filched anybody’s ideas, but that the ideas which he had promulgated on this question hid been carefully thought over by him months 'ago, and were not the ideas of any other man, but his own. (Applause.) Referring agai'a to the

KIOHT HOURS’ QUESTION, he reiterated his previous statement the.; it would never do to make eight hours compulsory in all cases. With regard to these industries that were fully established, they could get as much legislation as ever tfeoy liked. There were, however, many industries which it was difficult to carry to a satisfactory point, and in theso it would never do to fix eight hours by law. He had been asked to take an interest in such an industry with the view of keeping it on, and ho was quite convinced that the workmen In connection with that industry would not vote for legalising the eight hour system if it were put to them. They would find that at Home this had recently been a burning question, and that some of the loading unionists had come to the conclusion that it would be to the disadvantage of the men to legislate in this direction. There was, however, another aspect of the question, and if he was to go back to Britain it would almost make him a Socialist—that was that there were great numbers of working men at Home who had not the opportunity of engaging in industries such as were here open to the masses, and that tho land was so locked up in large estates that there was not sufficient land for the people. Under these circumstances if ■eight hours or six hours would result in a fairer division of labour ho would, if ha were in Britain, advocate it with all his power. With regard to the

premier's manifesto ho referred to that portion of it dealing with land settlement, and stated that the figures given were highly satisfactory, but there was this great drawback : the bulk of the land was sold on settlement conditions with a power to purchase. Now that was wrong, and ho said it should bo put a stop to. If they allowed a continuance of this they would eventually come into the same position as some of the European countries—some men would gradually drop out and rich proprietors would buy till largo estates would be rolled up and they would be worse off than they were at the beginning. If he were elected as thoir representative in Parliament he would do all ho could to see that there should bo no alienation of Crown lands whatever unless there was a distinct limitation to the ownership. He would not say much about the Premier’s ideas regarding the purchase of Native lands. We ought, however, to carefully guard ourselves not to lay out any money on these lands unless -hey were wanted for settlement. The Premier also proposed to purchase some private lands. Now, he (Mr Lee Smith) was altogether opposed to this unless it was done through the agency of a properly constituted land court. If they did not set about it in this way there would bo great trouble and no end of jobbery and log rolling. With regard to the question of

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, they would have seen that during the last session there had been an enormous waste of time, and it had got to be a question of physical force against mental force. The business was continually obstructed, and difficulties ware placed in the way of the Government. Now, if Parliament had to perform its own functions it must have the power to carry on its work in a proper manner. The same thing had occurred at Home, and therefore he would insist upon those gentlemen who were returned to Parliament at once taking this matter in hand. He did not much care about the word “ closure,” but it was evident that they znnst have some means of enabling Parliament to carry on the business of the country. Ho was not surprised to find members who had to keep themselves always before the constituents in these days when the power of the press was so great, and news was so widely circulated, talking in the House on every conceivable opportunity; but if it cams to be a case of physical force against mental force they must take good care that physical force did not win.—(Applause.) There was another subject to which bo had not alluded at to hia previous meeting. Ho referred to

THE MINING INDUSTRY. He looked npou this in pretty much the same way as he did upon agricultural pursuits, it was a great safety valve for surplus labour, and every consideration should be given to it, and they should do all in their power to foster it and make it attractive to the people, for it was impossible for every man to hud work in the town. THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY he regarded as a matter of paramount importance to Dunedin. He believed this line had been very much neglected. It was now several years ago since he saw the first sod turned at Wingatui. What had been done since then ? Only 17 miles of railway had been constructed in 10 years! He understood it had been surveyed to Hawea, a distance of 182 miles, and that another 23 miles would be opened in February. That would be 40 miles at a cost of £500,000. To complete the line to a paying point at Eweburu would require another £200,000. Surely they could find the money to do that. Every member who went from Dunedin should press that great question on the Government, and see that money was found to complete the line to that point.

A Voice: “It should never have been started.”

Mr Lee Smith: Well, they had started it,and there was no use going back upon it now. They would have to do with it, and there was no use paying interest at 4 per cent, amounting to £20,000 a year for nothing. It was a serious matter. Coming to the question of

EDUCATION, he said ha fully recognised the necessity there was for supplying more technical education. It would be manifest to anyone who had anything to do with clerks in this town that there was a large over-supply of young men who were ready to go into offices and use the pen. Anyone applying for a clerk would get 40 or SO applicants. They should do something to remove that difficulty, and the only way he saw to do it was to give a greater manual and more utilitarian training. They should re-model their schools in this direction, and do everything they could to foster manufacturing industries. In looking round at the neighbouring colonies he found that they had all made a decided advance in this direction. New South Wales, for in dance, .'proposed to endow her schools with £50,000 per annum for purposes of technical education, and arrangements bad been made for a number of travelling inspectors so that every district and town would get the benefit of this training. In Victoria, too, they had made technical education a leading branch of instruction, while South Australia and Tasmania bad taken steps in the same direction. Reading in Hansard recently he saw that a proposal in this direction had been brought before the New Zealand Parliament last session, in connection with which it was proposed to purchase a portion of the exhibition building, but the proposal was lost through the jealousy of the Otago members.

IN CONCLUDING, Mr Lee Smith proceeded ; I can only say this, that if you do me the honour of returning me as one of the members of Dnnedin, I shall look closely after your interests. I shall abide by everything I have said, and stand or fall by that. It may be said that I have trimmed upon this or upon that, but I emphatically deny that I have departed from anything I have said. People hero know me—the working men of Dunedin know me for something like 20 years, and I defy any of them to come before me and say that I have done anything wrong or unfair by them.—(Applause.) You may look, ladies ani gentlemen, to those who desire to represent a class, but if you do 'you will do a great wrong, for class feeling will operate with disastrous results, and it will prove more disastrous to the working man than to anybody else. It appears that I have committed the unpardonable sin of being an employer of labour. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am very prond of being that. I came here with very little means and laid them out to what I thought the best advantage, and through my own industry, enterprise, and perseverance I have been able to extend my operations and to accumulate what some of yon think a very large, but what I think a very small amount of money. In doing so I can honestly say that I have never injured any man. Ad kinds of accounts are put forward at a time

like thin to prejudice candidates. There was, for instance, a letter in the paper the other day stating that I supported Home Rule, and that, therefore, I was an improper person to represent Dunedin. Well, I say, what has that to do with it ? There is no connection whatever between the two subjects; but if I am challenged on that point I say yes, 1 did support Home Rule for Ireland. 1 will stand by it; lam pioud of it; and, I would do the same again—(applause). Gentlemen, 1 say this; Apply the circumstances to yourselves. Supposing yon had to send your representatives to Melbourne and there was a preponderating influence that would outweigh New Zealand, Would you net want Homo Rule?—(lnterruption ) Weil, ladies apd gentlemen, those are my sentiments, and I simply say that 1 am net ashamed of them, and those people who say I am backing down, or am likely to back down, misunderstand me.—(Applause). At this stage there was a great deal of interruption, but quiet having been restored after the intervention of the chairman,

Mr Lbh St'rtii continued: The remarks I have just made should be convincing proof to you that if you send me to Wellington I shall stick to the principles 1 have adopted. Gentlemen, 1 can only say this; the fortunes of wbr are in your hands. If you do not send me, I must just wait, and try another time. Class prejudice had been pressed into the service of disruption. There has been put forward a policy of disintegration and dismemberment. But, gentlemen, there is another course —a policy that will avoid the dangers and disasters of class antagonism. You have only to adopt the principles that never fail—a principle of courage, of common sense, and of justice. I appeal not to one class, but to all classes—not to one party, but to all parties—and I look forward with confidence to tho answer that will be given to those who would sap the energies, the liberty, and above all, tho political integrity of the people of New Zealand.—(Loud applause.) The candidate having answered a few questions in a manner apparently satisfactory, Mr Mallard proposed a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Lee Smith.

This was seconded by Mr J L. Gillies, and A show of hands pro and con was taken, but it was impressible to estimate tho numbers. A large number of hands were held up against tbe motion, many of the larrikin youths, who had evidently enme there for the sole purpose of creating a disturbance, holding up two bands. Towards the close tho meeting was very disorderly.