MR. F. LAWRY AT NEWMARKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9774, 22 March 1895, Page 6

MR. F. LAWRY AT NEWMARKET.

At the Newmarkeb Public Hall last evening Mr. Frank Lawry, member for 'Parnell, addressed a meeting of bia constituents. There was a large attendance, upwards of 150 being present. ; Mr. F. G. Clayton, Mayor of Newmarket), presided. Mr. . Lawry on coming forward was received with considerable applause. He said if there was any elector in the Parnell district who had a grievance against him be hoped that one would come forward like a man. Any individual who declined to come forward when called upon, and then went outside and talked behind his back, was a coward. (Hear, hear). • PERSONAL MATTERS. Before he proceeded to deal with general subjects he had one or two matters of a partly personal significancethough at the same time of national importance—that he wished to speak upon. He referred, in the first place, to the action he had token in connection with the Licensing Bill brought before the House the previous session. He had gone exhaustively into the matter in his address to the electors at Parnell, and he did not anticipate that it would be necessary for him to refer to it again. But since that time fresh developments had arisen. Sir Robert Stout and some of his satellites, who called themselves temperate people— but who he (the speaker) considered were the most intemperate people to be met with—had __ stated that, when holding the high position of Government whip, he had been put up by the Government to stonewall a Government measure. Any man who made such a statement must either be speaking without knowledge of the facts, or either wilfully endeavouring to misrepresent him. Mr. Lawry went over much the same ground that he did in his speech at Farnell, with regard to his action in this matter. He was surprised that a man with a political reputation such as Sir Robert Stout possessed should make such a statement. He was sure his hearers would say that the Government were justified in the course of action that they had taken upon the occasion referred to by Sir Robert Stout. Sir Robert Stout had also stated that the Atkinson Government and he (Mr. Lawry) had been in communication previous to the retirement of Mr. Moss, and, as a result he was returned for Parnell. He had never, directly or indirectly, had any correspondence with the Atkinson Government on the subject, and he defied Sir Robert Stout to prove otherwise. Proceeding, Mr. Lawry spoke of the position that he had occupied at the general election of 1891. He denied having given promises at that time to support the Atkinson Government. He was returned on the independent ticket, and on the promise that he would vote against the property tax. SIS ROBIiRT STOOT'S SPEECH. In his speech at Wellington, Sir Robert Stout had scandalised the working men of the colony, when he said thab only men of the right colour were employed on the cooperative works. He (the speaker) had had a great deal to do with co-operative works, and he could give the statement an emphatic denial. The question of colour was never taken into account. The same thing had been said about the railway servants, but there was not, as they were well aware, any truth in it. It would be very degrading for him to hold the position that he ! did, if such were the case. The speaker further referred to the remarks made by Sir Robert Stout about the Colonial Treasurer, Ho did. nob consider ib right I of Sir Robert Stout to rake up the past ' in the manner he had done. The action of Sir Robert Stout in this matter was the ; most contemptible that ever came under his (the speaker's) notice. There was also i another point of view to consider in the matter. There was a time when Colonel Fraaer was considered as one of the • strongest members of the Atkinson Government, when he was consulted by Sir i Robert Stout upon every question of importance. The latter might ab least have shown a little gratitude for past services. OPPOSITION MEMBERS. He then proceeded to refer to the address delivered by Mr. 0. E. Button at the City Hall. Hs believed that there was no man in the colony who had the welfare of the country so much at heart as Mr. Button, and yet there was no address delivered to any constituency that contained so many fallacies as that delivered by Mr. Button. He referred to the statement made by Mr. Button that the Government had taken moneys out of several institutions of the colony, namely, the Government Life Insurance, Public Trust, and other offices. These statements made by Mr. Button were misleading, whether intentionally or not, he could nob say. Mr. Lawry procured at some length to quote figures showing how the funds of the different Government departments were invested. On the 31sb December, 1893, the funds of the General Host Office were invested as follows : —ln Government securities, £2,719,924; in securities of local authorities, £487,100. Of the Government Insurance funds, £926,896 were invested in Government securities, £157,155 in securities of local authorities, and £532,132 on mortgages. Public Trustee : £299,300 in Government securities, £289,680 on mortgages, £2001 in securities of local authorities. Mr. Button's remarks on the Land for Settlement Acb and the question of cheap money were alike misleading and calculated to do a great deal of harm. Other references made by Mr. Button with regard to private members were commented upon by Mr. Lawry at some length. SWEEPS. Mr. Lawry then proceeded to attack the Gambling Bill introduced by Sir Robert Stout, He contended that •ib was impossible to make people abstain from gambling by Act of Parliament. They had tried it, and found it a failure. Notwithstanding all that had been done, from sixty to a hundred thousand pounds a year went every year to Australia. He strongly advocated the legalisation of sweeps, and the imposition of a Government tax in this colony. The Government, he said, might as well legalise sweeps, for there was no chance of checking them. THE SHOP HOURS BILL. If there was anything wrong with the Shop Hours Bill ib was nob the fault of the Government, but of the people. The Bill had passed through all stages in the House without the least trouble. Its provisions had been endorsed on all sides. The only trouble at the present time was thab bhere was a difference of opinion as bo which day should be observed. He referred bo the mutilation that the Bill received ab the hands of the Upper House. Had he been in Mr. Reeves's place he would nob have accepted it. He admitted thab the measure was in its present condition unworkable, and would doubtless have to be repealed/ He recognised thab bhe less the Government interfered with the channels of trade the better for all parties concerned. If this Act was going to cause the shopkeeper to lose money, the working class would be the first bo suffer. ' HARD TIMES. ; He deeply sympathised with the people of the colony in the prevailing depression that existed. Still he did not see what could be gained by endeavouring, as some people sought to do, to make matters worse than ' they really were. He concluded by thank' ing hie audience for the attentive hearing ' they had given him, and hoped for a , continuance of their confidence. , THANKS AND CONFIDENCE. Several questions having been asked, Mr. j George Klliott proposed and Mr. G. Robertshaw seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr. Lawry for his address and confidence in him as member for Parnell. The resolution was ] carried unanimously. ; ' _ ]