MINISTERS AT INVERCARGILL. (PER NORTH OTAGO TIMES SPECIAL WIRE.) INVERCARGILL, Feb 1.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2107, 3 February 1879, Page 2

MINISTERS AT INVERCARGILL. (PER NORTH OTAGO TIMES SPECIAL WIRE.) INVERCARGILL, Feb 1.

The Sons. Mown Stout and Ballance arrived by the express from Dunedin this afternoon. A crowd had assembled on the platform previous to the arrival of the train, but there were no demonstrative proceedings. The visitors were simply welcomed by His Worship the Mayor, Mr Feldwick, M.H.R., and a few prominent citizens, and accompanied by whom they walked to the Albion Hotel, where they are staying. In the evening, the Hon. the AttorneyGeneral addressed a large meeting in Ramsay's Hall. There was a large attendance in the lower part of the building, the gallery, whioh was reserved for ladies, was not, however, well patronised. With Mr Stout, on the platform, Were several leading members of the local Reform Association. Mr Joseph Schneider was called to the chair. Mr Stout said he had readily consented to address a meeting in Invercargill because he thought those connected with politics should address the people as often as possible. He thought they should glance at the past, and then glance at the future. He then referred to the struggle betweentheabolittonistsand protectionists, and said that after this question was disposed of it was felt there should be two distinot political parties, These parties were in existence everywhere the necessity of the cm* demanded it. No two men looked at anything from the same point of view. Men were differently constituted. When the abolition question was disposed of, it was felt that reform was necessary. What did they, come to the colony for 1 They bad come hoping there would be a better social life in this country than in the one they had left ; better Government and better laws.

There were many who Itymght mnm re* form programme ihould b* tl(etched out, and one had been iketcMi oat m the Grey Government. Th|| O^Mt^a^nt thought in the first plact t jMopm «houM be properly represented, w they had oonceivod the schome of nleocqnJ reforms. They had brought in a Bill that would Tiring »So»»rr3T<SlWriH tltts matter HWt session. The Government attempted to yet two electorar Bills carried, which • wouW'hmyr bettered <Aim condition ef ihe people. Th«y lost them, »nd he, would tell them why the Government lost the Electoral Bill. They were aware that in this ■ >lony there were various systems of Vvnchise. In their Bill they extended '>•) franchise in two important respects. One of these was manhood franchise. It was right there should be universal suffrage. They should not recognise leaseholders or householders in preference to others. In addition to this the Bill 'gave ladies who had" property a* rijrfii to vote. They thought women were entitled to take pare in the election of members of' ! Pftrliamnnt. These were the main points of tbe 6flt Then there was the registration, of qualified electors. The Government did not see why men should not be able to register at any time. The boint that led to the dropping of the BUI, was the Maori .franchise. The natives at present had equal right with Europeans, in addition to the special right enjoyed by them. They Were justified in having the special privilege. The natives thought that they could get disputes adjusted through Parliament, ana not by the sword. Some had proposed that Maories should have the right to elect members of Parliament and have other rights swept away. The Government, however, , had found it was impossible to introduce redistribution of seats in the Bill, and therefore they proposed that the Maoris should have the freehold qualification. In putting that in the Bill, they took away some of their rights, so that the Maoris were shorn of several privileges they enjoyed in the past. Various faults were,, found with it in the Legislative Council, and the Council (many of whom disliked the Bill entirely) struck out some of the points, and when it was returned to the House, the Government said they could not accept it. The Government then proponed a conference, and he would tell them what took place at that conference. He held in his hand the original documents that were submitted to the conference. It had been said they wished to swamp some of the Northern, constituencies. This was not true. The hon. gentleman referred in detail to the matters brought up at the conference, and argued that Government had done their best. He declared the Council were stubborn on the matter. He put it to them what was the position of Native affairs t The Maoris had now come into union with them, and had allowed men to go over their country and set land. They adopted the Electoral Bill. They would have deprived the natives of the right which they were fully entitled to. He then spoke as to the treatment of the natives by the Atkinson Government. Electoral reform, he considered, was only a means to an end. It had an object in view. He, therefore, did not place electoral reform in the first rank, but thought it was the stepping stone to higher measures. He hoped next session the Government weuld be able to accomplish something in electoral reform, and also, that they would carry a Bribery Bill. This Bill proposed to make it an offence if there were all the cabbing and drinking expenses attendant upon elections as at present. There was the Redistribution of Seats Bill, too, and he hoped this would meet with favor in the House next session. He would now allude to other reforms they considered necessary. The system of public works had greatly enhanced the value of land, and he considered the land should bear its proportion in the expense of the colony, He then referred at length to the question of unearned inoretnent, The Government/ thought the landowners should contribute to the revenue, and they proposed a land tax to bring this about. They did not wish to tax improvements. What they wanted to get at was the land. It was better that the improvements should go than the exemption clauses of the Bill, which were much fought Against. The Government found the exemption system was carried out in other countries, and he argued that it would work equally well here. Conservatives wished to have improvements taxed, but it was unfair. Yet the Government were denounced strongly for what was called an " unequitable system of taxation." Some conservatives urged they should have an income tax, but he submitted this would not answer. The Government had had to some extent to defer to the cry for taxation all round, and they embodied the Joint Stock Companies Bill, because these companies had cortain advantages over private individuals and private enterprise. In reference to this question their opponents snid they were putting a tax on industries. A tax that had met with much disfavor was that proposed by fj|<j Beer Duty Bill, and referring io that he said the question had always boen coming up. The land question and the education question : luckily they had no State religion. The State should not teach religion. He should like to know what religion tfcey \yere to teach. The State should have nothing to do with relisfion, and should not interfere -with the religious beliefs of the people. The Government should confine its endeavor to giving a really sound secular education. Touching the land question, he said that in time gone by if a man had died in New Zealand having a few thousand pounds worth of property it would go to the eldest son— a most iniquitous principle. Now, the Government argued that this money should b« equally divided. "He thought tho aim of all New Zealanders should be to settle tho country with small holdings. No country could progress satisfactorily unless this was done. He believed his country would never be really prosperous until some reforms were made in this diveotion, Other reforms were necessary. Then they must have same alteration in the constitution of the Legislative Council. They were aware members df that Council were nominated for life. This system he thought should not be tolerated. He desired also that there should be an electoral governor, and he would like to know why the people should not have the power to elect the head of the colony. He denied |that an elected Governor would savor of disloyalty to the Queen. He looked upon the question from its educational advantages, and believed that were the Governor made elective, it would greatly help the political education of the people. He then referred to the social and other reforms the Government had endeavored to set before the people, and referred in eulogistic terms to the bold proposals made by his colleague, tbe Minister for Public Works. The works it was proposed to execute would be of immense advantage, and he considered a grow blunder was oommitted in not allowing the Government to borrow the 14,000,000. He then touched upon the forms of our local Government. His opinion was that the counties should unite to execute Urge works themselves. The method of dealing with native lands should be altered, Speculators had raised the cry of " fre# trade " in connection with native lands. This would not answer. It meant that a

bja; block of land would W luWwJ, and the country v«U at that rate never be settled. Th» Qorernnwsjt should, he fhonght, ha**** powef-to hsjrvao the wild, or else £m man with small capital should hare an equal chance with specnlaton. He then referred to what he thought the people of the colony should do in regard to polKld*. "He thought •Tefytmtndlotild har« kh« oonrage of hit opinions, and. should not be bound down to rote ac'6oratti£ to tnv cnetsAtoM of ■■yow#»" zhshon. gentleman, ia oomludin^, appealed to the people of New Zealand to look to ths future, -and not be contented with the wrong they had been subjected to in the last, so that this colony would be f r«e fr >m the abuses of other lands. Mr Stoat «at down amidst load and prolonged applause. Mr Kinross then mored— That this meeting thanks Mr Stout for his address, and considers it the duty of «rery colonist to support Sir George Grey's policy. Tfee motion was carried amidst much applause, and Mr Stout haring returned thanks, the proceedings terminated.