NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13483, 9 May 1907, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

SPEECH BY MR. MILLAR;'-

LARGE AND REPRESENTATIVE

GATHERING.

THE BONDS OF EMPIRE.

AUCKLAND'S/ GROWING PROS-\PERITY.VriJv:;^K:-S%^

Some time ago a number of personal friends of the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for/Labour arid <'Marino'- and Commissioner for Customs, decided to tender him a complimentary dinner. The movement found such favour in the city that a banquet was held in the Royal Hotel last evening, at which there were /over 130 representative men present, v The Legislature, City Council, Harbour Board, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Education, Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Arbitration Court, .the legal and medical professions, Trades and Labour Council, Liberal and Labour Federation,' Seamen's Union, and many other bodies were represented, though not officially.// ' / '"■ * ,/? /'. '/ "

The Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers) presided, and there were present, amongst \ others : —Messrs. . F. ■• E. Baume, F. Lawry, and E. W. Alison, M.H.R.'s, the Hon. J. A. Tole, Messrs. . N. A. Nathan, ' L. J. Bagnail, M. McGregor, G. Knight, C. J. Parr, S. Langguth, H. W. Wilson (town clerk), W. E. Bush (city engineer)/J. M. Brigham (secretary Harbour Board), W. J. Napier, C. P. Murdoch, E. Canavan Smith, Ernest Davis, J. K. Kneen/A. J. D.. Irvine/ A. H. Hanna, R. E. Isaacs, D. R. Caldwell, R. H. Abbott;' C. Macklow, ; C. Seager, G. Seager, M. Foley, J. Harrison, M. O'Connor, F. Battley, Hi- G. Wade, G. Goldsboro', W. E. .Bruce, H. Holm Biss, S. Brown (Arbitration Court), W. H. Churtou, T. Harle Giles, T. Gresham, J. H. M. Carpenter, R. McVeagh, J. J. O'Brien, . R. 0. Clark-/ A. • Keyes, - D.-; Gouk, • M. Walsh, Isaac Clark, J. H. Bradney, G. Higgins, T. Long, A, Wright, B. Myers, A. Atkin,. J. Endeau, J. Regan, J. R. Lundon, C. Brown, M."31. McCallum, A. Sanford.W. G. Smith, R. Hall, E. Ford, J. K. Harty, A. Burt, W. Coleman, P. M. Mackay, G. Aickin, G. L.'Peacocke, S. Nathan, C. A. Whitney, G. Gribbin, H. ,; O. * Nolan, • Angus Gordon, H. Li. Brett, W. C. Somers, A. L. Weather'ilt,' S. Hanna, H. W. Brookes (Trades and Labour, Council), Captain. Sharp (H.M.c.s. Iris), Captain Duder (harbourmaster), Captain Fleming (Marine Superintendent), Drs. Purdy, Hardie Neil, King and . Stopford. Apologies for absence. were received from Sir John Logan Campbell, the Hon. E. Mitchelson, Messrs. A. Kidd and C. H: Poole, M.H.R.'s, Lieut.-Colonel Wolfe, Messrs. J. Mackenzie (Commissioner, of Crown Lands), H. Brett, P. J. Nerhenv, H. . T. Gorrie, J. Mills, W. S. Whitley/ F. Bodle, W. Johns, H. Stebbing,. G.- Lewis, F. Bennett, W. H. Hazard, C. Bauson, and about 50 others., ' - "GREAT MARITIME DESTINY." After the usual loyal toast, the Mayor proposed ''The 'Guest of the Evening." Mr.. Myers, who was received with loud applause, "referred to the 'non-political character; of the gathering, and said the numbers who attended proved the popularity Mr. Millar had gained,; although until recently he was-a comparative stranger.* The Minister had proved v himself a thoroughly capable administrator, and/ was looked upon as a strong member of the Cabinet. (Loud applause.) No Minister had been appointed in whose/ case there had:; been: a more general consensus of opinion as to his j fitness for the position than there had been ; in the case of Mr. Millar's appointment as .1 Minister for Labour and Marine. (Loud j applause.) Ultimately this colony must j have a great maritime destiny, and no man i could better fill the position of Minister for Marine than Mr. Millar. (Applause.) | In conclusion, the Mayor referred to' Mr. Millar as being responsible for a large share j of the -navigation legislation of the colony i being placed on the .Statute Book. / Mr. Millar was not born with a, silver spoon in i his mouth, but had forced himself to the j front by sheer force of character, energy, j ability, and integrity. . (Loud applause.) ' SPEECH BY THE MINISTER, Mr. Millar, who. was received with cheers, . I said he occupied a somewhat difficult position, seeing that he i was at the same time Commissioner of Customs and' Minister for Labour. He sometimes thought it hardly compatible : that the two -portfolios should be given to one man, but he intended to fill ; them to the best of his ability. (Applause.) As politics could riot be dealt with at that gathering, he asked himself, was there anything upon which they could join hands, and undoubtedly there was. ; (Applause.). With a country . like this, capable of great development, they could talk about • what could be done. to further that" development arid prosperity. (Applause.) ■-. He deprecated the raising of the cry of North v.. South; they all belonged to. the one country, New' Zealand; ' (Loud applause.) Not one-third of the settlement had taken place in the North that would yet take place, and it was to the interest "of the whole colony to further that settlement. ; (Loud applause.) Speaking personally, he had never had a better reception,' in his life than ; he had iD '/ Auckland. (Loud applause.) The people of the colony were . proud to know of the prosperous .condition of the country. (Applause.) During the past year ! £775,000 had been transferred from Con- ' solidated Revenue to i the Public Works 1 Fund, and there was a surplus of £717,000 | at the end of the year. , (Loud applause.) Considering the small population of this country that .was very satisfactory,' and the fact ' that there was £1,300,000 over and above, the cash ; requirements of the year showed that the finances were in a very sound 'condition. (Applause.," It might he asked why they did not do more with the money, but the Government had to forecast its expenditure and its revenue,"* and had, to take care that its expenditure did not exceed its revenue, and if they had more money at the end of the year it was better than a deficit. (Applause.) He thought those present, as business men, would.agree with aim that there was no ' reasonable cause for apprehension as to falling off in the prosperity of the colony. (Applause.)» There were greater questions than the mere questions of the hour. He believed in looking after the rising youth, and in providing employment for him. He believed in finding food for our own people, before those in other countries. (Applause. / I , t THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. They must have read with pleasure the remarks in regard to the Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, at the Imperial Conference. (Applause.) It was highly satisfactory to know that from this little country we could send a man who, mixing with the master minds of the Empire, could yet be referred to by one of the leaders of the Empire as putting forward more practical suggestions than any other. (Applause.) It was New Zealand's proposal that was to be given effect to, and that was going to bind the link a little closer. (Applause.) The conference had shown the Home Government that the colonies were independent children desirous of helping the Old Country. It would ill become him to criticise the doings of the Home Government, but it appeared to him that the trade of the Empire was steadily dwindling away. The exports did not show tho ratio of increase of three other great manufacturing countries, and if the Home Government did not wake up it would find the trade gone into other channels. There was no use bringing bread down to Id if thoy couldn't find work for the men to earn the penny. (Applause.) New Zealand would be asked during the year to do something towards the defence of the Empire. He did not believe in an Australian-New Zealand .navy, . and hoped • and believed this country would come forward with a substantial contribution. to the navy.. (Cheers.) He referred to the importance of the secretariate and reduction of cable rates. In his

duties he" would' endeavour to- safeguard -the interests of labour: and also the interests of employers. (Applause.) It was his duty to get freedom for all and license for none, and the spirit of friendliness between employer and employee that was growing up was of material benefit to the colony. (Applause.) They would never do any good if they were at one anotner's throats all the time. (Applause.) He was laying himself out to give the best facilities possible for production. . (Applause.) ■ "• ■ ■!/ •■■■//'" ;, - ; ' ; .Mr. ;. N. A. Nathan (president of the Chamber of Commerce) briefly proposed the toast of Parliament." In responding, Mr. E. W. Alison, M.H.R., eulogised the work of Sir Joseph Ward at the Imperial Conference ■ By its natural position, Wellington must always be the capital of the colony, but Auckland would always be the premier province. * (Applause.) J ■

" A SERIOUS INJUSTICE. - ' , In proposing the toast, ',' Prosperity of Auckland," the Hon. J. A. Millar said Auckland, "the Queen City," was indeed a revelation to anyone coming from the South. His journey through portion of Auckland province" had been a complete revelation to him, and he must admit that Auckland nad been labouring under serious injustice in having the lands of the provincial district locked up in the manner they- had been. (Applause.) When.one looked at what the city had done already, and then looked at the small portion of the country under cultivation, it was easy to see that the opening and settling of the lands now lying idle must inevitably, make Auckland the principal city of the colony, for -Nature had so ordained it that everything grown in Auckland must pass through the "city. (Applause.) He referred to the various municipal works, such as the City Council's proposed drainage, electric light plant, etc. : He complimented the city upon them, and urged the necessity for a Greater Auckland. . He also dwelt on the great harbour, works. " He had statistics drawn up for his own information, and these showed that the population of Auckland city and suburbs . in 1891 was 51.287; in 1901 it had increased to 67,226, an increase in 10 years of, roughly, 10,000, whereas in 1906 it" Was 82,101, an increase, of 15,000 in five years. ; , (Applause.) The revenue received by the City Council in 1891 was £27,167, in the general account, and in 1906 this had increased to £41,972. (Applause.) That did not include any special accounts. The valuation of the city in 1891 was £294,611, and in 1907 £474,690, representing a capital value of £9,500,000. (Applause.) The Harbour Board was one of the most progressive bodies in the colony. (Applause.) To a stranger, wharf extension costing £2,000,000 seemed madness, but an analysis showed that the Board could complete its scheme without adding a penny to the charges; of the port. (Applause.) THE TRADE OF ; AUCKLAND. - Then turning to the trade of Auckland, imports in 1897 totalled £2,125,706, and in 1906 £3,592,317, while the exports in 1897 were £1,364,688, and in 1906 £3,168,927, an increase of ; £1,804,239. (Applause.) The total trade in 1897 was £3,490,394, and in 1906 £6,761,244. "an increase of £3,270,850. (Applause.)" In 1897 Customs revenue to the amount of £525,374 was collected, . and 1906 £779,702.;? 'It was pleasing to note that for the first four months of this year the amount, collected in Auckland was £40,000 greater than for the first four months of last year. : (Applause.) These figures showed great and steady prosperity, and he : trusted it would long continue. (Applause.) /•• . Mr. F. «E. Baume, M.H.R., responding, said no single member of -the, House stood higher in the estimation of members than Mr. Millar. (Applause.) . Mr.. Millar showed that he had-recognised that both employers and employees had rights, and that Labour could only be safeguarded if capital was safeguarded also. Mr. Baume then .referred to the prosperity of Auckland, and trusted the better education of Ministers through their visite to Auckland woUid lead to better results next session. (Applause.) ,•',•_./ .". .' Several other toasts were honoured, and the gathering dispersed shortly before midnight. . "'•''' '~