THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8374, 30 September 1890, Page 5

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

MEETING OF THE PARNELL ELECTORS.

A meeting of the electors of Parnell convened for the purpose of forming a political association and forming a platform for the approaching elections, was held yesterday evening at the Newmarket Hall. Mr. Whyman presided. There was a numerous attendance.

The Chairman said that a political association had been formed in Newmarket three years ago, and this was considered an opportune time to revive it. For that purpose the meeting had been convened.

Mr. A. Kelly then moved the first proposition, " That the property tax bo immediately repealed, and substituted by a tax of 1 per cent, upon the value of all land, exclusive of improvements." He maintained that the most effectual way of promoting the settlement of the waste lands of the colony was by the imposition of such a tax upon land. Farming could never be profitable whilst farmers were handicapped by the speculative values upon land. It was not the proper way to encourage settlement by taxing improvements. The public works expenditure had added immense value to land, and the public ought to derive the benefit of that. He thought it outrageous that in a colony like this there should bo such a congestion of population, caused by the inflated value upon land. A tax such as he proposed would make it impossible for men to keep large tracts of land locked up for speculative purposes. (Applause.)

Dr. Laishley suggested that they should first form tho Association, and then decide upon the platform.

The Chairman said the conveners of the meeting proposed to lay down the platform, and at the end of the meeting receive the names of those persons willing to become members of the Association, and subscribe to the platform which had been adopted.

Dr. Laishley said he would bo opposed to the formation of a platform at that meeting. He considered that the proper course would be to form an Association, and appoint. a committee to decide a platform, and submit it to a meeting a week hence.

Tho Chairman replied that tho association was already in existence, and it was only necessary to revive it. They would therefore go on with the programme.

Mr. «T. M. Lennox seconded the motion. Dr. Laishley pointed out that the first question that should command the attention of the people in the present state of the colony was immediate relief, and the second quest ion ' was permanent prosperity. The finances of the country were at present in a most disastrous condition ; and it was altogether beside the question to talk about settling people upon the land, or imposing a land tax. The first thing the colony needed to get rid of the depression was financial immigration ; they should give confidence to capital, and to relieve the depression now existing they should go in for sweeping retrenchment. It was nonsense to talk of substituting a land tax for a property tax when they saw that in 1891 it would be absolutely imperative to borrow again, and imperative that instead of cutting off taxes they should devise fresh taxes, unless they put in members who would retrench to the extent of £1,100,000 per year. Dr. Laishley moved an amendment, " That this meeting considers that the question of sweeping retrenchment, involving constitutional reform, is the most vital question, and after that the question of permanent prosperity."

The Chairman would not accept this as an amendment, giving as his reason that it did not mention the property tax. Ho said he would receive it as a new motion after the one before the meeting had been disposed of. Dr. Laishley then moved the following as an amendment:— That the property tax bo abolished, and nothing be substituted in its stead." He urged that tho people wanted to get rid of taxation, instead of substituting one tax for another. He gave reasons for objecting to a land tax. The amendment was lost, and the motion carried.

Mr. Bishop moved, *' That as an inducement to attract suitable people to come here to take the place of those leaving our shores, the Government be requested to advertise widely that all waste lands of the Crown can be had on free selection, and on perpetual lease." Mr. J wry seconded the motion. He believed the cause of the exodus from New Zealand was that the land laws had not been liberal enough. The motion was carried.

Mr. Holmks moved, "That a Couth of Arbitration be instituted to relieve labour disputes." He said he agreed with the suggestion of Dr. Laishley that they should first establish the Association, and then formulate the platform. Mr. Gij.iks seconded the motion. In reply to Dr. Laishley, Mr. Holmes said ho proposed voluntary and not compulsory arbitration. Dr. Laishlky pointed out that at Wellington the employers of labour had simply declined to attend the conference to bo held there.

Mr. Jury thought that labour could take care of itself, and that the Government should not be asked to interfere,

The motion was carried.

Mr. French moved, " That this meeting considers it imperative for the well-boing of the colony that in its essential features our present system of public education should be maintained." He thought that if they allowed the system of aiding private schools to grow up, one system would simply kill the other. He also maintained tnab in giving aid to private schools, they were subsidising certain religious denominations. They should endeavour to obliterate social and religious distinctions, but the private schools system prevented that; it aimed at keeping a Presbyterian a Presbyterian all his life, and preserving those distinctions. Mr. E. W. Burton seconded the motion. He said that, in order that a person should be a good citizen, he must be educated ; and whilst, in so democratic a community, they imposed such weighty duties upon their citizens, they should at the same time train them to a due appreciation of those responsibilities. He considered, however, that the secondary system was in need of reform.

Dr. Laishlky said he wished to put one fact before the meeting, and that was that the cost of tho present system of State education was altogether disproportionate to the means of tho colony. He agreed that there was great force in what Mr. Burton had said ; in a democratic community it was important that the people should be educated. But, apart from other objections which he would not deal with then, he maintained that the cost of the system was disproportionate to the means of the colony, lie cordially endorsed what Mr. Burton had said about higher education, and the need for reform in that part of the system. The motion was agreed to. Mr. French then moved, "That to promote tho efficiency of the public school system a uniform series of school books be prepared and issued by the Government for use in the public schools in the colony, and sold at a fixed uniform price." Mr. Hallkt seconded the motion, which was also adopted. Mr. Kelly was about to submit the next motion, " That it is desirable to make the Upper House elective," but it was now ten o'clock, and many people left the room. The chairman accordingly declared the meeting adjourned.