GOVERNMENT'S IDEALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13672, 13 February 1908, Page 6

GOVERNMENT'S IDEALS.

SPEECH BY ME. FOWLDS. j FUTURE LEGISLATION. - J IllV TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Dax.vkvirkk, Wednesday. Tin; Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister tor Education, delivered a political address at Dannevirke' to-night. The Mayor presided, and there ■was a fair attendance of electors. Mr. Fowlds dealt mainly with the Departments under his direct control. Speaking on education, he said the position of any country depended on its education system. The increase in expenditure was alarming, but he believed it was the'best investment the country could have. In 1901 the expenditure was £578.595, and it had risen to £923.572. At present tie ideal of the education system was to provide free education from the primary school to the university. He advocated hotter payment of country teachers and a classified system of promotion. The work of the Health Department was praised, and the speaker considered that the Pure Food Act and the Infant. Life Protection Act would do much good to the people. tie foreshadowed an improvement in the Hospital and Charitable. Aid Act and in the law regarding mental hospitals.

J Mr. Fowlds commended the Prime Minisj ter's remarks regarding the. attitude of the Government towards revolutionary socialism. The securing of equal opportunities for all was a splendid ideal to have before any Government. No man had a, right to more than an equal opportunity, and no man had a right to put up with less. The aim of the Government was to secure justice between man and man, unci prevent monopolies by Slate ownership and operation. There should be no granting of, special privileges to any man unless fie paid annually tiie value of the privilege held. He commended the Land Endowment and Tax Bill, and claimed that the Native Land Bill was art honest attempt to settle tho native land problem. The remission of £405,250 in the tariff would be of great benefit, to the workers. He anticipated that the system of annuities would in time relieve the old age pension expenditure, and would provide the aged with a means of securing independence. The mention of a special grant .of £200,000 per annum for roads' was received with applause. , A vote of thanks to Mr. Fowlds and continued confidence in the Government was carried with applause.