LABOUR WELCOME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 9447, 23 June 1891, Page 5

LABOUR WELCOME.

MONSTER MEETING AT WELLINGTON, fPEOM OT7B OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, June 22. A monster meeting was held this evening, in the Opera House, to welcome the Labour members and to celebrate the success attending the Labour party in the Colony and the House. Every part of the Opera House was densely crowded, and the utmost enthusiasm, and at the same time the most perfect order prevailed. The chair was taken at eight o'clock by the Mayor. Sir George Grey and al} the members of Parliament in the Labour interest occupied seats on the stage. The entry of Sir G. Grey was the signal for an outburst of applause. The Chairman read apologies from the Premier, the Minister for Lands, the Native Minister, the Post-master-General, Mr Guinness and the Speaker of the House. Addressing the meeting, his Worship briefly set forth the objects of the gathering. THE MATOE of Wellington, he said, shonld be neutral in politic] iu the interest of the community. He would, however, ask them now to listen to him in hia personal capacity, while he congratulated them on the success of the popular party. He was himself a Radical almost, and he thought Conservatism did not fit the crisis of the Colony. He was proud to see so many ladies present, for he believed in female franchise. (Applause, and a few noes). The present was a Liberal Government (applause), that is, a progressive Government. He was proud to be present, because he had watched the grand career or their great leader. Sir G. Grey—(applause) —who was an example to everyone. He was proud to offer a welcome to the Liberal members personally, and, as Mayor he wa t pleased to welcome the Liberal members. (Applause). The Chairman then called upon Mr M’Lean to present

AN ADDRESS TO SIB GEORGE GBET, on behalf of the Trades and Labour Councils and' various labour bodies. Sir George, on rising to listen to the address, was received with a tremendous burst of applause. The address conveyed a welcome to him on his return from Australia, and was numerously signed on behalf of all the' labour organisations. A lady who was present then handed Suf George a splendid bouquet. Sir George Grey, on coming forward-to respond, wai received with another ovation. He said he was truly grateful for their welcome, and ho would show by hii actions that he fully sympathised with the object they had in view. It might interest them to learn something of the work now being done in Australia. He would observe that Australia was a very different country to this, and it differed greatly in its productions. It had its special sources of wealth, especially in vineyards, olive groves, sugar, &c. They had abundance of sheep and cattle, ana their mineral wealth surpassed that of New Zealand. The climate, however, was not to good as this. The periodical droughts of Australia were to an extent overcome by irrigation. The social conditions were good, but the political position was by no means assured, owing to the prevalence of plural voting, which has never been so well regulated there as here. The elections in New South Wales did not occur on the same day, and the Government arranged the days and the localities so cleverly as to enable plural voters in particular to record their votes. In one Colony they had voting by letter. He himself knew a gentleman possessing twenty-one votes, ten of which he recorded in person and ten of which he posted. The system of postal voting had its merits, and if they got the franchise for women it would bo very useful in saving women from the dire consequences of which we hear so much from the opponents of the measure. He had been referring to South Australia. One consequence of the bad system of voting was that waste lands in large areas fell into the hands of the monopolists. A man having friends at Court could easily acquire lands, and the effect was that in some of the Colonies there was a great deal of poverty. He saw more signs of poverty in Sydney than anywhere else. In South Australia there was a better state of things. The people there were a dogged and determined people, and he had himself assisted them in their earlier legislation. Sir George Grey explained the early system by which monopolists got large areas of land. He had assisted to break up this monopoly, braving the ill-will of the interested. Then they got another system, by which a person depositing £20,000 could purchase 20,000 acres of land without competition. But by-and-by the copper mines were found, the monopolists got together £20,000 in bills, and asked for 20,000 aores. The officers waited on him (Sir George Grey), and be on consideration pointed out that this was wrong, and that the Act said cash must be paid, and only cash. (Applause.) What, then, did the wicked working men P They gathered £IO,OOO on miners’ shares, and the, Bank advanced £IO,OOO to the wealthy men; but these latter disliked the company they found themselves in—(laughter)—and they proposed to divide the land into two parts and draw lots. This was done, and the “nobs” and the “snobs”—(laughter)—picked, and again the working men got the best of it, and thus the foundation of prosperity in the homes of the Colony was laid in South Australia. They got the one-vote system, and one of the consequences was that there was no poverty. He had never been sued to give alms in Adelaide, and that was the only city in which this was the case. They had an elective Upper House there too, and that was a great triumph.

THE FEDERATION CONVENTION was the next subject touched upon. Many privileges were held out in this matter. The Pederationista were looking out to secure the principle of plural voting. The idea was that the House of Representatives of the new federation should be elected in the same manner os the members of the Colonial Parliament were elected. At the time the Act was passed in all the colonies the plural voting system prevailed. Was it strange, then, that an old student of politics should distrust what was being passed or intended to be passed F (Applause). He was regarded as irrational in opposing the plural vote, but he insisted that the principle of liberty should be announced at the outset ; that the forefathers of the federation should not make the community slaves to capital. (Applause.) The new men of Australia should have handed down to them the record of their fathers” fight for liberty. Then the questions of Legislative Councils and Governors came up. In reference to the latter, it was said the Governor-Gene-ral at least must be nominated by the Queen, on the ground that if the official was elected he would be too powerful. They wanted a mere figurehead, but he held that the Governor r General should have a voice in the rejection of bad measures, so far that he should have power to object to giving his signature to a measure of which ha disapproved, before he had consulted his Ministers. The advocates of federation wanted the Governor-General to be a social ornament at a large salary. Well, to him the thing seemed to be intolerable. (Applause). These young Governors were to be sent out from the House of Peers to learn politics, in order to become useful at Home when they went back. (Laughter and applause.) Well, £IO,OOO a year (and other charges) was a great deal to pay for training young politicians. (Laughter and applause.) But he wanted to know why this social ornament should only be able to be given to the community by imported nobles P Why, they had in tneir public schools girls who were distinguished, and who in the future being mothers might train their children to become Governors or Governors’ wive?. (Applause). Well, that opened up a better idea of social duties than mere dancing in a ball-room. Confining the Governorship to merit gave a grand scope for talent Mid work,

*ud might stimulate many a worthy young man to deserve well of his country. When the question was put in the Contention of appointed or elective governors, they all'trooped out to the ayes lobby, and he thought, "Shall I do ,my duty to the last ?” Then, determining to do so, he walked out alone, almost timidly, to the toes side—(tremendous applause)—but as hedooked over his shoulder there stepped Out-one ■ man. from them all, a South * Australian, then another; and the three of them recorded their protest by voting •'No.” (Renewed applause.) It was now for the working men to stand together. In South Australia they had set the example Of having an elective Upper Chamber. Just lately two working men had been elected to the Council, and, wonderful to M)ate, these two men had pleased the entire community. (Applause). ■ It was determined in the election contests of South Australia that there should be no unfa? proceedings, and this had been earned out, and the of the elections had been mopt cheering, fpr, the fittest men had been ohdsen by the people to represent theakr : '-The-people feltthat, they now. had hefote them the chance of making their country great, and they used their chances. Political enthusiasm there ran very high. There nevet a finer spectacle presented by any nation than by that Colony. He hid received day , ! !A BOOK’OF MB HERBERT SPENCER S, A, great friend of his,? published by Mr Niorray, also a friend of bis, sent out for fria conversion. (Laughter.) Hehad apwoached lit with an unbiassed mind. Mr Spencer opened well. He did not make light otthe suffering, which he recognised and sadly deplored as bad altogether. Then he proceeded to saythat our present ' aocial system* fostered dishonesty and lyW prompted adulterations of all sorts, aST imitations which thrust genuine actioles out and led to short weights, briberyand deception. This last was eerried so far. that a shopman who could ndfcrlio was useless; It led to frauds, bankruptcy, and ao forth, all duo to tho pßeasure of’?competition./ 'lt also entailed the-success of .wealthy men, who afterwards Sot titles . and honours and made laws, t)' also led to the distribution of profits in such, a manner that the workers got anything^but a- fair share. (ipplyißw.) Mr Spencer went on to say ; toat the consequence of the system they la'fNew Zealand were using should be that .Civil. Service would be created < which would completely crush the country, and individuals who made their own contents libuld be-vilified as blacklegs. The new bbite of things would also entail nepotism to a surprising degree. Mr Spencer said this would be the case in a century, but he , (Sir George Grey) was prepared to reply that all these evils were now in existence, and he said let, them break these evils down now, and ,the .people who came a century after ponld do the same if necessary. (Applause.) Md not those in power crush the people now ? Tea. The greatest and mightiest of the land. Why! the house of peers had agreed that nobody but a peer should be a Governor. (Laughterand applause). Was it> ■ not time they checked these abuses ? Was it not time that labour should participate in the reward which it had earned by the sweat of its brow, and, often, by early dqath from unhealthy avocations ? (Loud applause.) He was taunted with ■(,. ... HIS EQUALITY THEORY, but Were they not all children of the great Father. (Immense applause.) The times had changed. A great wave of thought was passing over the world. Not outrage and .violence, but convictions and determination (Applause) and the noble object and aspiration of freedom, would give a grand opportunity to those who were now young, pui who might one day take part in the Qonpoils of the nation. He thought that the measure of freedom was not full when they bad a nominated Council who should have a baud in making the laws. Should this go,on? (Cries of no, and applause.) fot them alter it, and elect another Chamber. . He could not feel free when he walked about beholding people endowed with no particplar. qnality put above his, head, (daughter and applause.) If he wanted to frame a Bill he must do so in fear of its . bhjag thrown out by those upper people. Bit thought they might alter all this. Ttattewas no army and navy here paid for by England, and that being so, might they not now claim to elect their Governor P (Loud applause.) Might they not alter their laws? Why was the law full of Latin,- and so not understood by the people ? Shame upon them that their U— were so obscure. Hew Zealand could nqt, stand still while Australia was advancing- They must do their duty. If a proper Federation were adopted, the United States would be swept into the gtsat concourse of English - speaking nations. Prom, this federated country would arise great men who should deal with-the things he hadindicated. Throughout ’ Australasia lie had found New Zealanders highly prized; he had found eloquence among the Mayors; he had found men worthy and competent to sit in Parliament. He hoped the House now sitting would do its duty. One word in conclusion he would say, namely, that the Trade Unions resembled the AngloSsixon assemblies of representatives, who met and instructed the Senate in the needs of the people. The sufferings of the present time had led to the formation of Unions which resembled those early ones, and he hoped they would be useful and never noxious to the community. (Loud and '• prolonged applause, by a tremendous cheer called for by an individual in the pit.) v mb d. p. fisher was called upon to present the address of welcome to the Labour members, and the document was .handed to Messrs Pinkerton, Hutchison and E. H. Eeeves, who received }t on behalf of the Liberal Party amid hearty applause and a most generous wel'cbhie from the audience. The Chairman ;tben?ead A CABLE, MESSAGE, Just received by Sir George Grey from Sydney to the following effect“ Twentyfour labour - candidates .returned. Expect , tfen more.” The . announcement was received, ,;with great cheering, which was renewed on , , , , the minister for education being called npon to speak. The Hon W. P. Eeeves said they had coma to hear Sir George Grey, who, as always, had come, seen and conquered. He (Mr Beeves) used to think it a hardship to have to address a meeting before Sir George Grey, but as a matter of fact it was much harder to speak after Sir George. (Loud applause.) He would recall an incident in the political life of their old friend, who some . twelve years ago came down to contest a seat not a thousand miles from this part of the Pacific. (Laughter.) The Conservatives there were highly indignant at his temerity in trespassing on their premises. He (Mr Eeeves) was on the platform at the meeting. The -reception of Sir. George Grey was wonSerfull He’ was received with a burst of applause and the May,or,.who presided, was With deafening groans, and howls, and a perfect pandemonium • ensued. (Great laughter.) When Sir George Grey went forward the so-called law-abiding citizens of the Conservative 'side kicked up such a shindy that had even *MrT.'Kennedy McDonald, with ms jin- . .rivalled power ; p£ Jungs (laughter), then ladfiressed themj ho could nob have been heard. (Eenewed laughter.) Sir George ■sat and waited. Some people thought his safety was threatened, and imiplored /.him to retire to another hall. -.Sir George, however, advanced to the .front, and, raising his arm, said only, i " Gentlemen, I never ran away in my life, and I’m not going to run now.” (Great applause). Well, he got a hearing, because New Zealanders like adroitness, patience and pluck. (Applause). The Mayor had 'asked, “What is a. Liberal?” Well, one who allowed himself to he terrified against .passing a good law by the whisper of “don’t. frighten away capital” (applause), one who was afraid to pass ,a : good .law for the protection of —these were not Liberals. , A - Liberal was one who was dissatisfied with , the present conditions of poverty, overcompetition, and the wild trampling down . ‘ of the many by the few. (Great cheering.) j tXb*.Creator never meant.that the lot of should be poverty) ; vice - and

suffering, and a true Liberal, understanding this, would do his best to mend this state of things. If they could not get remedies they could get palliatives. They could devote their lives to ameliorating the condition of their fellow-creatures. A true Liberal would not be led away to rank himself only with the wealthy and cultured and titled; he would rank himself rather with the great mass of his suffering fellow-creatures. (Immense applause). Such a Liberal would not be content with political reform; he would work for social reform, and the better condition Of the masses. (Applause.) The day of political reform might, indeed, bo well nigh spent; but the day of social reform was but beginning. Education made people work together better, and the Liberal party, so far from being afraid of State interference, welcomed it, because the State was now the People and the People were the State. (Loud., applause.) By one weapon, the stump of a blue lead pencil, every man could overthrow or elevate, every three years, the mightiest of rulers. He needed no reassurance as to the success of the Tarty. This meeting was an evidence of success. But they wanted union of Liberals in the House. When he entered Parliament four years ago there was no Liberal Party. Now they had one. But he would not speak much of its doings, for he remembered that he who was putting on his armour should not boast like him that taketh his armour off. (Applause.) The force they had to oppose was strong, and it didn’t stick at trifles. (Great laughter and applause.) Those who fought the people’s battle needed courage, and patience, and unity. private affairs, so in Parliamentary—unity gives strength. The Liberal party was united, strong; and he believed the doings of the next three years would demonstrate their possession of these great qualities. The bon gentleman resumed his seat amid prolonged applause after one of the most effective speeches delivered in Wellington for a long time past.

MR GEORGE HUTCHISON, who was well received, came forward to speak in response to the address on behalf of the Liberal party. While he reserved the right to think as he liked on matters of detail, he would say that he was with the patty firmly and unitedly in every principle that bound them together. He thought the great difficulty of the day was the settlement of the wastelands of the Colony. To this he looked forward, and this would be the solution of the great problem of depression which had driven so many people away from the Colony.

MR PINKERTON, M.H.8., was the next speaker, and received quite an ovation. In a terse and able address he sketched the history and described the position of the labour party in Dunedin, whence he came. They had heard of paid agitators misleading the people, but he had never seen or known them, nor did he know anyone who had been paid for his services to tbe people, except for ioss of time, perhaps. He himself had been a labour leader. He had never received a shilling, and he knew others on the platform of whom the same might be said. (Loud applause.) The leaders could not call men out on strike without the Council’s assent. He was the President of the Council of Trades, and that body held tho right to veto a strike proposal. This might clear their minds of misapprehension. The troubles of the Labour Party had greatly resulted from disunion. They had been charged with keeping wages at an artificial rate by their organisations, but this was not so. They did not ask artificial wages, but a fair share of the profit which labour gained. (Applause.) Their contention was on the side of numbers and humanity. With their present organisations and aid they would get a solid front to their party, such as had, never been known before. (Applause.) The people were watching their representatives, as was right. (Applause). Any member who falsified his pledge nowadays would be very sharply criticised, and politically damned. (Applause.) He was pleased that it should be so, for the formation of public opinion strengthened the hands of members. It was a healthy sign of the times. In conclusion he thanked the meeting for their reception, and retired amid prolonged applause.

MB WILLIAM BOLT moved—“ That the time has arrived for the formation of a National Liberal Association, and that a branch be formed in Wellington forthwith.” Mr Poynton seconded the motion, which was carried nem con , and the meeting broke up at a late hour.