NATIONAL LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 129, 2 June 1891, Page 2

NATIONAL LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of considerable importance was held at Dnnedinlast week, the object being the inauguration of a National Liberal Association, The report ia too long to publish in fall, bat information regarding the pro. oeedings will be of interest to our readers. The chair was taken by the Hon. B. Seddon. who-eaid that when he received the invitation to attend the meeting he consulted his colleagues, and while the Government did not commit themselves to the twenty-four articles of the Association (wbioh will be found below), to the general principles of Liberalism and to enoeurage Liberalism in New Zealand the Government of the day wore fully committed. In the oourse of a somewhat longthy speeoh he referred to the land question ; to the neoosaity for a vigorous publio works policy bo far sb the money was available, though he was distinctly opposed to further borrowing ; and to the intention of the Government to construct all publio works in future on the co-operative prinqiple, which was already established at Wostporfc, where, it was found to wotk splendidly. He said said that when the men wore got to work he laid down the following rule :-" I will give you the same price as the contractors. The State shall fix the value of the work, but you must not take oil the strong men, and leave the weak ones to the Charitable Aid Board, The strong men must help the weak,"— Mr Pinkerton, M.H.R., enlarged upon the objeots of the Association, which were to raise the social condition of the mausea, the means to be adopted being the dissemination of information regarding political matters by means of Ifamard aad Parliamentary Papers, and by the circulation of literature bearing on the social and political questions of the 1 day,— Mr Earnabaw, M.H.R., congratulated the meeting upon the fact of there being a Liberal Government in power, and also that in the Literal party there was a good deal of the socialistic element, Referring to the platfotm of the proposed Association, he said that he went the whole hog,— The platform and objebts of the Association were then read as follows ;— Platform.— The National Liberal Association is formed to advocate— l. Securing voting power to every adult, and the abolition of all property qualification, 9, That the , Government undertake as a State function the employment of all needing work, Tho State ownership of land, mines, railway*; a'ad ; coastal marine ' service, ' 4, - The statutory limitation of legal rent and interest, 5. That tho State place the best education within the reach of all, Ojwkots,— Some of the means adopted by

the association to oarry the above prinoiples into operation shall be the advooaoy and support of:-!,; Residential qnalJfloafcion only for eleotore^ 2. Female franchise. 3:' State aid for op-operative indttatrial settle?*s*', *• Qoyernmettt- labour bureaux, 5, The appointment of a Minister of Labour, 6, Extension of muaiotpal furi^tions and an increase generally oMbcal governmedt 7, Absolute stoppage of the sale of ■ Crown lands. „ 8. Progressive . land and income tax and abolition of property tax. 9. Land succession due* to be paid in land. 10. Land oompauias to be taxed periodically to an amount equal to the average proaeeds of succession dues. 11. Solo tenure of land to be a lease from the state. 12. Nationalisation or land. 13 Nationalisation of minoa, 14, Nationalisation of all railways. 15. Nationalisation of ooattal marine services. 16, A 'egal periodio adjustment of rents, 17. Statutory limitation of the maximum amount of recoverable interest. 18. A State band of issue. 19, The State to supply eduoationol ; requisites at cost prioe. 20. That equal facilities be given for acquiring primary and secondary education. 21. An eieotive revising committee with limited powers instead of a Legislative Counoil, 22. An eieotive Governor.---28. Simplification of the maohmery of the Governtnenfci 21 Simplification of judicial procedure. *•:•■••.. . . Sir R. Stout said there were some of the objeote of. the Association ho did not accept, but he felt that in the Liberal party there mußt be some give and take in order to obtain unity of action, and if he could agree with some 19 or 20 o£ the objects that was a good number for a b\ais of unity ©'£ lootioh. lie apoke strongly iv favour of village settlements, and against the State allowing another foot of land to be sold. The subdi. vision of land and the prinoiplo of complete education open to all were very valuable objeots, and were at the foundation of the well being of a nation. The foregoing are hrier" summaries of the opinions expressed by^the priuoipal speakers.