SIR JULIUS VOGEL'S ADDRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4460, 29 February 1876, Page 3

SIR JULIUS VOGEL'S ADDRESS.

The telegraphic version of Sir Julius Vogel's speech was pretty full and pretty accurate, but, from the extended reports in the Wellington papers, we give a few passages :—

SEPARATION". —THE COMPACT OF ISSO. If I were in Otago, which I believe is the headquarters of this separation movement, for I do not think it was seriously spoken of in Auckland, I would very respectfully intimate to the people there, that the idea of separation is a very shortsighted one. I say distinctly, that matters affecting the colony as a whole are more important to the province of Otago than any local matters can be, and nothing could be more shortsighted than for that province to cry out for separation, to the damage of the whole colony. I will now leave the question of separation and come to another, which I think has equally been made a stalking-horse, without respect to the real question at issue. I refer to the compact made in 185 C. I believe that all that lias been said respecting this compact has been said with view of creating a feeling against the abolition of provinces ; but 1 do not think the North Island can look upon that compact as having operated prejudiciously to its interests. Have not roads been made from one end of this island to the other, uuder the authority of loans contracted on the responsibility of the whole colony 1 And has not the other island agreed that, at the expense of the whole colony, the lcuavvi din.*, cuuicroe purchased should be purchased for the benefit of this island ? (Applause.) £700,000 has lieen devoted by the Legislature for the acquirement of.this estate. I trust that neither the arguments of one aide nor of the other will operate against the plan of having oneJGovernment, one finance, and an extended system of local government for the colony. (Cheers.)

INSCRIBING THE LOANS. There wag another subject, and one of a technical character, with which I had to deal, namely, the arrangement with the Bank of England for inscribing our loans. In my opinion, such an arrangement cannot fail of very much improving the character of our finance, and increasing the value of New Zealand securities. Now, gentlemen, the way in which my attention was directed to the subject was this : I was told that a very large amount of trust fuuds would have been invested in New Zealand securities, but that the trustees naturally felt a disinclination to hold the debentures, and, thereby, become responsible for their custody, which is necessary when trustees invest in stocks payable to bearer. But by malting the arrangement for having them inscribed, there was no responsibility attached to the trustees. I am of opinion, and I think the opinion is shared in by the other colonies, that this result will very much enhance the value of all colonial securities of every colony that takes advantage of the arrangement. (Applause.)

WORKING MEN. I am not in the habit of speaking much about myself or my past career, but on this occasion lam tempted to say, that auyone who knows anything of my past career must recognise me as a member of the working class. (Applause.) I have known what it is to work very hard, and I have known what it is to want, and I have known what it is to depend upon my own personal in« dustry; and I may say to those who wish to know what facilities this country affords to the working men, % that whatever position I ho.'d, I owe entirely to my own industry. (Loud and prolonged chcering.) When I landed in Victoria, now nearly a quarter of a century ago (I went there contrary to the wishes of my friends), I had a very considerable amount of support. I had plenty of letters of introduction, and plenty of means to guard me against any misfortune that might arise, but I came to New Zealand without a single letter of introduction, aud without any extraneous aid, and I owe to my own exertion, and to the generosity of the people of this colony, who, I believe, are quite prepared to recognise the efforts .that are made in public affairs, quite independent of those considerations which have much more weight in other colonies—l say I owe to that generosity the position which enables me to appear before you in my present character. (Loud cheers.) I say emphatically that this is the colony for the working classes—(cheers) — and so it is regarded in other parts of the world. In other countries the working-man may be well off, but not so well-to-do as he iB in New Zealand. Tn thi3 country every' man has the means of obtaining ample food, aud also of getting a freehold. He has every means of obtaining the comforts of life, and above all he has the means of educating his. children. Therefore, I say that the people of this colony, as a whole, should endeavour to distribute the wealth over the many, and not confine it to a few. Taking the population altogether, I question whether you will find what in the older countries would be called a very rich man; but yet wealth is so equally distributed that I do not think there is so rich a community in any part of the world. I hope this will continue to be the case, and that the money will be distributed among the many, and not confined to the few.

EIGHTS OF LABOUR. Sir Julius VogeV, before proposing a toast not: on tlie programme, disclaimed any intention to detract from the ability of the Council to manage the harbour, but merely meant to say that, as all government should be of a representative character, it was not proper to give the management of works outside the city to those who were onlj T representatives of the city, though undoubtedly able. Sir Julius then said he desired to. propose the toast which had been suggested to him, namely, i( Prosperity to the working classes." 270 one more than he appreciated the rights, privileges, and value 01 labour, There was

a feeling growing up in the world that labour Had its rights as well as capital, and there was also a feeling that hitherto capital had had rather too large a share of the rights. He did not desire to enter into a vexed question, but he would say that in any venture the labour which achieved it should receive a share of the profits, as well as the capital invested in it. That question was now urgent in Great Britain, where people saw einplo}'ers of labour leaving grand fortunes behind them, whilst the labour itself was left to starve. Labour rail its full share of risk of failure in a venture, but did uot obtain its adequate share in success. The legislation of the Imperial Parliament —the slowest in the world—had at last recognised this. Happily, in this country there was little need for such legislation. In proposing the toast of the working classes, he was only iu another sense proposing the colony itself, as the prosperity of the colony intimately associated with the prosperity of the working classes.