MR. F. LAWRY. M.H.R., AT PARNELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9044, 24 November 1892, Page 6

MR. F. LAWRY. M.H.R., AT PARNELL.

Mr. Frank La wry, M.H.R., addressed a meeting of his constituents at the Parnell Hall last nighb, on bhe leading feabures of the recent session of Parliament. There was a large attendance. A number of members of Mr. Lawry's committee were on the platform, and Mr. Beehan, chairman of the Liberal Association, was also present). Mr. N. W. Pollard was called bo bhe chair, a ud beforo introducing Mr. Lawry he apologised for the absence of Messrs. Jennings and McCullough, M.L.C.'s, and Mr. John McCabe, Mayor-elect. He also stated that Mr. Lawry was nob in good health, and if there were any shortcomings in his address, he hoped that thoy would excuse him.

Mr. Lawrv, who was received with applause, thanked the Chairman for hia kind opening remarks, and said bhab during bhe day ho thought ib would have been necessary bo postpone the meeting, bub ho concluded, as the matter had been advertised, that ib would bo better for him to deliver a poor address than nono ab all. His remarks on tho various subjects to which he would have to refer would have to be brief. The session was, on the whole, he considered, barren of practical results, but that he did not consider an unmixed evil, for session after session they had been piling up sbatubes which no one could inberpreb, and any Government would deserve thanks who went in for economic Government and simplification of the laws. THE ICIiECTORAL BILL. He thought when he last addressed them that he would now have been able to congratulate them on woman's suffrage having become the law of tho land. Two leading lights had addressed them in Auckland recently. Mr. Reeves' address dealt with this question from the position of the Government, and he had come to the conclusion that bhe Governmenb was justified in refusing bo accepb bhe amendments proposed in the Legislative Council. The Bill proposed to givo the same rights to women which men now enjoyed, bub the Legislative Council proposed to give in ad-

dition tho right bo vote by post on accounb of the difficulty of getting to the polling-booth, bub he thought with a slight increase in polling-booths women would have no difficulty in recording their votes, for he had seen on gala days that they had come from distances of 20 miles and more. But the strong point was this : The proposal of tho Legislative Council would practically destroy the secrecy of the ballot. Tho Legislative Council contended that women should have equal rights with seamen and commercial travellers, but these were not allowed any special privilege unless they were absent from their own districts. He believed in the Government giving votes to women because of their womanhood, but thoy were justified in refusing the amendments suggested, and he contended that the Legislative Council had no right to dictate to the elective body, and entirely endorsed the action of tho Government. Of course, when the Government refused to accept these amendments the whole Bill was lost, and he was not sure that it was not as well, for the franchise which they now possessed was liberal enough for any country in the world. Those who had watched events would seo that one clause in the Bill provided that a person should only be registered for one district and one voto, so as to have manhood suffrage pure and simple, but while property has its responsibilities, he considered it would be unjust to prevent a man from registering in respect of his property, so he thought it as well that the Government dropped the BilL APPOINTMENTS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In regard to the recent appointments to the Legislative Council, Mr. Lawry said that he found on going through the country that they wore very generally approved. As regards the Auckland appointments, Mr. McCullough was a man of high standing, and besides he was familiar with the goldfields, an interest which hitherto had not duo weight in the Council, and as to the other appointment, that of Mr. Jennings, it was acknowledged that if. labour candidates were to bo appointed, and none of them denied its justice, no better selection could bo made. During the recent strike Auckland stood head and shoulders over any other part of the colony, mainly owing to tho advice and counsel of Mr. Jennings, and Sir John Hall told him that of all the appointments he most approved of that of Mr. Jennings. They had been told by the Opposition that the Governmenb had no right to make those appointments, bub could any Government stand bo see their measures kicked from post to pillar for want of representation in the Council, especially as the Atkinson Governmenb when in a minority had appointed six and wanted to appoint fifteen. Mr. Lawry proceeded at some length to defend the right of labour being represented in the Council as well as in tho House. PAYMENT OK MEMBERS. In regard to this measure Mr. Lawry said that he believed that when the present House was elected there was a tacit understanding that the members' honorarium was to be £150, and no more. The Legislature recognising this, allowed £150 for a session in each year, and in the event of there being a second session, only £100 would be allowed for it. He thought the Government would have been wise to loave this matter stand over till after the next general election. He voted against the measure. He was not going to say whether members were paid sufficiently or not, but if the matter had been placod before the electors at the last election they would have said to any candidate who did not think £150 sufficient that they did not want him, and would send someone else to reprosent them. The clause making the honorarium unattachable was, he considered, a disgrace to the Legislature, bub it was thrown out by the good sense of tho House. There was some misapprehension as to the result of the increased payment of members, and after all members wore not so selfish as thoy seemed. The payment of £20 per month would only commence in February, and Parliament would expire in September or October, so that the present members would get no more than they did under the old system, and if a dissolution took place earlier they would get less ; but when that was urged as an argument, his reply was that they should let their successors do it.

NAVAL AND MILITARY SKTTLKKS BILL. This, he said, had been a bone of contention for years, and he had hoped that it would have boon settled last session. He considered they were bound to carry out not only the letter, but tho spirit of their engagements with those old soldiers, and in committee he and Mr. Joyce had endeavoured to make the Bill applicable throughout the length and breadth of the colony. They did not obtain all thoy wanted, bub had got the best they could under the circumstances.

CUMI'KNSATION TO LICENSED VICTUALLERS. On this subject Mr. Lajvry referred to the Bill which he had introduced. When ho was beforo the electors ho bold them the administration of the liquor trade was perfectly safe in bhe hands of tho people, bub there were circumstances when a committee might take away a license where there had been no violation of the law, and in such circumstances the publican should be entitled to compensation, and ho thought so still. Taking away one license did hot lesson drinkingonly took money from one and gave a bonus to others. Even in Sydenham the closing of all the publichouses in the borough did nob lessen drinking, and only increased the trade along the city side of the street. They could not make people sober by Act of Parliament; they must train up the young in sober habits, and he was proud to say that the young people of New Zealand were remarkable for sobriety. Ho had been charged with bringing in this Bill at tho instigation of certain parties, but he never had a conversation with anyone in the traffic. He was asked as a moderate member to take charge of the Bill, and he did go as he saw no more harm in taking charge of a Bill than in voting for it, and although he had offended some, he would do the same again under similar circumstances.

WASTE LANDS BOARD ELECTION BILL. The Government had introduced a Bill which he was sorry was not carried into law, / that : was . the Waste ' Lands Board Election Bill. ' The present system of nomination gave'too much patronage and power to tho Government of the day. " The appointment gave a good deal of prestige to a member of the Board in his district. Let them take,' for' instance, the personnel of the Auckland Land Board. Mr. Babor, an

old surveyor, thoroughly acquainted with the lands of the province, gaVe" general satisfaction, bub lie did not suit the Government which succeeded that which * appointed him,'.arid he was removed. If ib was necessary that they should have boards they should bo elective on eome broad principle, say by the local bodies if not by the general franchise, and he hoped to see such a measure carried next session. THE LAND ACT. In regard to the Land Acb passed last session Mr. Shera said it was the sheet anchor of the Government, and he coincided with him. It was exhaustively debated by the Government and obstructed by the Opposition ; ho did not know why, as it was almost similar to one previously introduced by Mr. Richardson. There was a cry before the session that the Government was foing in for a fireworks policy, that the settlers would be up in arms and hat financiers would close their coffers, but when the Financial Statement was brought forward it was such a moderate one, and so opposite to what was expected, that it received the approval, not only of New Zealand, but of all the Australasian colonies; and of the financiers of England, and placed New Zealand in an enviable position, as an example for all the colonies of the Empire. It was said the whole burden of taxation would fall on the settlers, but he believed no reasonable man could take exception to the present Act. A person could buy land for cash if he so desired, but only under such conditions as to improvements as rendered speculation in land impossible. Or they could take up land under lease, or have a lease for 999 years, paying four per cent, on the capital value. It was said that this would do away with the unearned increment, but he looked on that as a myth. If a man converted a bush farm into a smiling homestead he deserved all the unearned increment. There was one wise provision in the Act. The Government could not dispose of more than 250,000 acres in any one year. It had been said that the Government should promote settlement, but if they gave away all the land they would place their children in a worse position than they were themselves, and from his own experience he observed that land was now being largely taken up by the sons of colonists. (Cheers.)

BOGUS HARBOURS. Ever since what he called bogus harbours were started, those who lent money on them recognised the harbours as the security for their loans, and the State had nothing to do with the payment of interest on these loans; and he, and a strong party in the House, would resolutely oppose the saddling of the colony with any liability with regard to them. Attempts were being constantly made in this direction. Government had no more right to grant £3000 to dredge New Plymouth harbour than they had to give Parnell the same amount for a drain, bub it was passed. If the Government, howevor, took over one of those harbours, it would be a precedent for all the others.

NATIVE LANDS. It was a fatal mistake when the Government gave up the pre-emptive right to the purchase of native lands, and even now they should place a proclamation over all lands fit for settlement. lb would be a barrier to monopoly. There was, in fact, no free trade in native land. It had been said that Government was relaxing its energy in regard to the acquisition of land in the King Country, and, on heating this, he had written to the Hon. Mr. Cadman, urging on him that it was the duty of the Government not to relax but to increase their energy, and if the natives would not sell to make them pay taxes. Mr. Cadman's conduct had gained not only the approval of the white population but that of the natives as well, and he instanced the recent enforcement of the dog tax on the Maoris in the North. PURCHASE OK PRIVATE ESTATES. One Bill was introduced which at first he thought unnecessary, and that was in regard to the monopoly of land in the South. He found no fault with those who had acquired large estates, for the fault was in the law which allowed them to do so, and he would not for a moment favour despoiling them of their property, bub he felt it was necessary to give the Govern ment power to acquire some of these estates for the purposes of settlement.

CONCLUSION. There were many other subjects to which he meant to refer had time allowed but he intended shortly to address a meeting at Newmarket, and he would then bake up his discourse where he now left) off. During the last session he knew he had given dissatisfaction bo some of his friends. It could not be otherwise, bub he had attended to his work, and Hansard showed that his name was on every division, and he never failed bo attend the committee meetings at ten o'clock in the morning, however late he might be detained in the House. He alluded to what had been done by the Industrial Committee and the Dairy Industry Bill. He had just returned from Waikato and could say that if stagnation existed in the towns the country was getting better. It was said that at the next election he would stand for Waikato in the Government, interest, but he assured them if he stood for anywhere it would be for Parnell, for if they did not know when they had a good representative he knew when he had a good constituency. They left him free and independent, for they asked for nothing, and although generally supporting the Government, he would not give them a slavish support, and they could bring no pressure to bear on him in regard to any roads or bridges required by his constituents. He sympathised with members who were so circumstanced, but his constituents asked for nothing ; they only asked him to vote straight and attend to his work. (Cheers.) The Chairman said Mr. had intended to reply to the statement made by Mr. Shera to the Liberal Association as to the rival routes, but owing to the lateness of the hour he would defer it till he addressed them at Newmarket, when he would go exhaustively into the matter. Mr. Shera had made statements damaging to their member and to Mr. Thompson, and it was proper that he should reply to them. Mr. Lawry then answered several questions, and on the motion of Mr. Elliott, seconded by Mr. Holmes, a vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously accorded to him.

A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.