THE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9308, 18 September 1893, Page 6

THE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

A LARGE meeting washeld in the Gladstone Hall, Northcote, in order to form a branch of the Auckland Liberal Association. Mr. Haines presided.

Mr. Napier expressed himself as gratified at the spread of Liberalism in the district, and the prospect of a branch of the Liberal Association being formed, ad it would proTe effective at the coming elections. In spite of the predictions made in regard to the land tax, settlement had gone ahead with giant strides, there being more land settled within the last three years than the previous fifteen. Prominent features of the Government policy were the land tax, the Factory Act, and the Conciliation Act. Under the nrsbmeasure the large holders were now called to pay, in proportion to their holdings. So far from capital being frightened away from the colony, as had been predicted, there wan more in the colony than on their accession to office. He proceeded to show from statistics the difference between the operation of the property tax and the land tax upon large estates, large landowders having to bear their fair share of taxaticn now. The speaker then referred to the Factories Act, of which he spoke highly. He denounced the truck system in regard to bushrnen and gurndiggers, who were simply slaves to the owners of land. He produced a copy of a gurndigger's license of a particular firm a having compelled diggers to. ?:gn an agreement as to the ownership and value of the gum before they commenced digging on the firm's land. In concluding, Sir. Napier spoke of the Conciliation Bill, and then of tbe Hailvray Comrni*Hioners, to who*e control of toe railways of the colony he was strongly opposed. Messrs. Wilding, Nokbov, and Bekhan gave addresses in favour of the establishment of'a branch of the Liberal Association, after which

Mr. Napier proposed, and Mr. Heath seconded, the following resolution : — " That a Northcote Liberal Association be now formed."

Before the resolution was pub Mr. Bell arose and asked to be allowed to say a few words. He stated that he listened with considerable interest to the speeches of Mr. Napier and his friends, which led him to Relieve that happiness and prosperity prevailed throughout New Zealand as the result of the policy of the present Government; but unfortunately such an idea was mi illusion, or the position of the workmen would be better to-day. For was it Hot true that mechanics in Auckland did not average more than £70 per annum, »nd, appealing to the audience, he asked if It was not true that few of the settlers sould earn on an average more than 5s per day. He remarked was it not true also that the unemployed were in large numbers ? Returning to the speech of Mr. Napier, Mr. Bell remarked that that gentleman had studiously avoided dealing with the great Liberal platform, bub had simply confined his remarks to empty platitudes. Mr. Bell produced a copy of the Dunedin Liberal platform, as well as the more recent Auckland production, and saidit, uatssiugiilar that the Hon. Mr. Seddon, who presided at the Dunedin meeting, and supported the Dunedin platform, had ruthlessly kicked the Auckland edition (though practically the same as the Dunedin,one) downstairs, thus showing their inconsistency all round. Mr'. Napier was not candid in his statements, or he would have told his audience that the present Government inherited a surplus, and that the exports wete greater in. that year than any succeeding year. Mr. Napier during his speech had produced a copy of a gum-digger's license : from a firm, but Mr. Napier's deductions were altogether unwarranted. What were the facts ? The firm in question controlled only a very small area of gumfields, and the gum diggers had the option of digging on the millions of acres not belonging to them, #6 that Mr. Napier's bogey of while slavery was simply a myth, and the product of a partisan spirit. The resolution was then put and carried, the title including the districts of Northcote, Birkenhead, and Chelsea.