GREAT POLITICAL MEETING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 7

GREAT POLITICAL MEETING.

MASS GATHERING AT THE OPERA HOUSE. TUB GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. SPEECHES BY MINISTERS.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION.

An important political mooting took ’place at ttio Opera House last night. Shortly after seven o’clock, when tho doors wore opened, tho Opera Plonse -was rushed, and half an hour later 'loating room was not available in any part, whilst people lined every vacant standing spot. In addition, several hundreds occupied all the possible accommodation tho platform afforded, tho wings of the stage being removed in order to give still further room. On tho arrival of tho Ministerial party, Alinifio’s orchestra, which had kept tho vast audience entertained before the .lonner appeared on the scene, struck up "For He’s a Jolly Good Follow,” which tho Premier duly acknowledged. Dr Findlay, who occupied the chair, ■won supported on Ids right by the Right Hon R. J. Seddon and tho Hon Mr Pitt (Attorney-General). On his loft »at Sir Joseph Ward (Minister for Railway s) and Mr Harold Beauchamp. There was prolonged cheering as Ministers took their seats.

THE CHAIRMAN'S INTRODUCTION. Dv Find lay said, in opening the proceedings, that tlio chairman at such a gathering was commonly a man whom the audience did not know, and who liad boon induced to introduce to the audience someone who was very well known. In this case his simple duty was to ask the audience to listen to the addresses of the Right Hon R. J. Seddon and his worthy and loyal colleague Sir Joseph Ward. These gentlemen had had much to do With the conduct of public business, and had taken a fair nharo in making New Zealand the cynosure of all observers as a progressive country. (Hear, hear.) It -would ■{said Dr Findlay) bo a mere impertinence for him to ask the _ audience to m vo these gentlemen their attention. A chairman, ho thought, should keep himself in the background as much as possible. Probably all who were present had Laurence Sterne’s “Tristram Shandy”— . , A voice: “Oh. never mind the ■Shandy 1” (Laughter.) The chairman said he was not referring .to the “shandy” supposed to bo composed of lemonade and beer (shouts of laughter)—but to the statement made in that well-read book that .u husband was a good thing to have about the house—if he kept himself m the background. (Laughter.) in tne same way, a chairman should remain m the background. SIR JOSEPH WARD’S ADDRESS. Sir Joseph Ward, on rising to address the meeting, wasgreeted with prolonged cheers. Ho said it had fallen to him to bo called upon to fire the first shot, and he would preface his obWvation by saying A voice; “Oats.” Sir Joseph Ward: X can.only reply that the person who said that should have added “ ass.” . (Laughter.) He had been associated with the Right Hon the Premier for a good many years, and, as was apparently the inevitable, he had had to endure a good deal ot oritioium, and sometimes m no measured terms. The political situation was pow at a critical point, and the people were on the eve of a big political battle. In common warfare iii such conditions i was, he thought, customary for the ■commanding ollicers to their forces and to bring their armies into array. (Hear, hear.) And the present Rov >r nine at said to the people of the colony that although they might disagree upon minor matters, they tuioulci endeavour t° come to a settled c*.ncluidem upon matters constituting a policy which they believed would be and maKe for the welfare of the majority of the people of the colony. (Applause.) It there was disagreement upon the minor matters, he thought the people might uotne together—meet one another —so to speak, and settle them. And the major questions could be dealt with in a similar manner. (Hear, hear.) He stated, without fear of contradiction, that none of tho many charges that during tho past fift.on years had been levelled against tho Seddon Ministry had heen shewn to be true. (Cheers.) If those who were seeking to occupy seats on the Treasury benches put in a term of public service of fourteen years, and passed through the ordeal as successfully as the present Ministry had done, they would hay© something to be proud of. (Cheers.) The Government had been severely criticised, and in a most pessimistic way, as to their conduct of the frnnnoea of the country; but, as a matter of fact, tho Government had steered dear of any such cyclonic disturbances, wad had emerged in such fashion that tho position of the colony was entirely satisfactory. Yet there were found Some opponents of the Government who desired to displace the present Administration, which had don© its duty A voice: “We want a clean Government.^

Sir Joseph Ward said that was one of tho party clap-trap cries that ■were so often heard in New Zealand. (Cheers.) If tho only true test were applied to the actions of public men—and that was the test of the actions they had actually performed, ho maintained that the Government would be found to have done its duty. (Applause.) Ihe “ Evening Post ” had said: 11 Dealing with another phase of the subject last mentioned, Sir Joseph Ward plight tell the meeting whether he considers that the Government is entitled to the gratitude of tho city for putting a clause in the Hutt Road and Railway Bill to prohibit the extension of its trams to Kaiwarra, even after that township has been merged in the city? Will tho Minster of Railways also say whether the raising of the wages of tho railway hands on tho eve of the general election is a purely accidental coincidence? and how can the postponement of their just demands till their gratitude was meet likely to take effect in votes be •justified? and whether these demands would not have been satisfied long ago if the Government had not Stubbornly refused to give the service the benefits of the Arbitration Act? ” Well, tho Hutt Road and Railway Bill was introduced for the purpose of connecting a great city with a place that was destined to become a groat city, and which was only removed by a distance of a fow

miles. When the time arrived, the electrification of such lines would he done by the State, and the State was the proper authority to carry out such ivorks. ('Loud cheers.) As to tho raising of tho wages of the railway employee:-;, it might be supposed tluit this was done for an electioneering purpose. Hut ho pointed out that tho railways had Keen under a classification scheme for some time. As a matter of lact, there were something like 480,000 people in tho colony who were receiving groat advantages from the cheap methods of transit that had boon brought into existence. I’oonlo hero liad now to compete with other places — tho Argentine and Russia, for instance— A voice: “ Rot 1”

Sir Joseph Ward said tho gentleman who made that was, of course, entitled to his own opinion, and it was to bo hoped it would not injure liis constitution, but, all the same, the cheapening of the railway rates had had a distinct effect in increasing tho usefulness of the train service and improving the earnings of tho employees. (Applause.) During the term of tho present Administration the capacity of the railway service hud been doubled, and now they were practically making their own rolling-stock in tho colony. (Cheers.) As to tho superannuation scheme, tho only railway service south of tho equator which mode reasonable provision in this regard was New Zealand ; and ho believed tho Government would yet bo able to place upon the statute book- a superannuation scheme for tho Civil Service which would do for those officers what had been done for the railway servants. Once create an indepenc. ~-nt institution to control the service, and they would in a very short time hand tho service over to an autocracy time was not under tho control of the people. They hud had tho Railway Commissioners, and what grow up under that system? Dissension, amongst the railway men from end to end of New Zealand I It meant handing over the control of property valued at twenty millions to throe or four men who were irresponsible, so far as tho cublio was concerned. And so it would ho with the Civil Service if they handed it over to men free from tho control of Parliament. In the host interests of this country, what they ought lo do was to carry out the provisions of the bill put upon the statute book (Civil Service Classification Bill). By this hill the Civil servants were classified, the rates of. pay fixed, and were moved up by gradation, as had been done with the railway, post and telegraphs, and police service. Then they would find the cry that permeated tho ranks of a few to remove the service from the control of the people would cease, and a stronger, wiser, system would take its place, and for the benefit of the Civil Service as a whole. (Applause.) GENERAL PROSPERITY. They were bound to admit that there was not a class in this country at tho present moment which, upon the whole, was not doing well. (A voice: “On foreign money.”) No. This colony’s indebtedness was something like fifty-nine millions sterling. Why, one public railway company in Canada, without the State assets behind it—the Canadian Pacifio Company—had a greater indebtedness than was held over the whole of New Zealand, with all our lands, railways, State buildings, and properties as an asset, and with thirty-one ini'lions of the indebtedness of this country directly reproducing, interestboaring money; that was, that for the money invested in the purchase of largo estates, railways, and other State undertakings, this colony was getting something in return. None of them wanted to borrow any more money than was necessary.

A voice: You like borrowing. Sir Joseph Ward: And so do you, if you can get it, but no one will trust you—(laughter and applause, and a voice: “He wants oats ”) —and you would not make a greater quadruped if you were stuffed with them. (Great laughter.) Let the men who were decrying this colony transfer themselves to some other country. Here they had one of the grandest countries in the world, where there was a higher level of wages, and where the wealth of the country was more evenly distributed than elsewhere, whilst some of the evils which existed in the Old World had in Now Zealand been taken up by the roots. The only desire of these critics was to put someone else in Mr Seddon’s place. Wellington was more prosperous at the present time than it had ever been before, and the same was the case in Auckland, Dunedin, and Invercargill, yet some people were doing so well that, they felt they must have a good old growl at something, like his friend in the audience. In this country of ours we were doing well. We were carrying out a progressive railwaymaking policy, and a progressive roadmaking policy, developing the dairying industry and giving improved facilities in the way of deep-sea freights to con-

vey the colony's goods to the Old Country. With complete confidence in the future, at the next general election they would find the old warrior (indicating Mr Seddon) coming back with a strong party behind him, going on fearlessly in hia work for the good of the people, all continuing to do their best for the “greatest little country south of the line.” (Loud cheering.) THE PREMIER.

Mr Seddon received a great ovation. It was some seconds before the demonstration in his favour ceased. “The reception you have accorded to me,” he said, "has cleared off everything the Opposition said last session. (Applause.) I want nothing more than the goodwill, the esteem, and confidence of my fellowmen, and the people of New Zealand. (“Hear, hear, Dick.”) I know they are true to the race and' the stock from

which they sprang. They telieve in fair play, and you know X haven’t had fair play. (Hear, hear.) But it matters not when you are fighting for reforms. When you are struggling for the good of tho people you must be prepared for these dastardly attacks, and the more they come, tho more determined you must bo to resist; place the facts fully before the people, and you never need fear the result.” (Applause.) He had sat there—an old man now, but young in spirit, and ns determined as ever—and had, listened with pleasure to the speech just delivered by his worthy lieutenant, Sir Joseph Ward. No one knew better than ho (Mr Seddon) tho foul calumny that had been hurled against him unmerited. He had always found Sir Joseph Ward true, manly, and fighting for the right, bnt when 'people sought to put him down, and used every means in their power to do it, they did not succeed. Sir Joseph was hero and full of fight yet. (Applause.) In the city of Wellington they had first of all the “four Jeremiahs,’' followed by the “Young New Zealand party,” which had popped and fizzled, and he supposed they considered they had annihilated both Government and Opposition. (Laughter.) They did not, however, think so now. Tho ‘Young New Zealand party”

had started eleven in numbers, now practically reduced to three, and he thought that after the next election there would bo a still further reduction. (Cheers and counter cheers.) Then they had the Reform League. (Laughter.) Would they believe it, amongst those young reformers (and the Premier looked up in the circle whore Mr Duthie was sitting) they had Mr Duthie! (Laughter, and a voice : “Good old hard face.”; Mr Duthie must that night mark tho contrast between the meeting held by the four reformers in the concert chamber of the Town Halt, which was half full, with the reception given to him (Air Soddon) and his worthy colleague. (Applause.) Ho did not purpose going too closely into details, but he had read carefully what was reported, and he was so well satisfied with it, that ho did not think what was said at that meeting was worth replying to. It was just the same, old, old story, tut there were four big guns of the Opposition and four young New Zealanders, and himself and Sir Joseph Ward were supposed to take on four each. (Laughter.) There was, however, nothing to fight—they were killed by pnblic opinion before this meeting took place. (A voice: “Wait until after tho election.”) All ho could say was, when they had reformers of that class, it would bo just as well for the electors if they reformed them out of existence. Ho believed in reform himself; that wa.s very necessary to hove, naturally, and he was always doing it, but when they had such statements from tho Opposition as the repeal of the Public Revenues Act, tho restoration to the people of tho control of tho finances, and the audit of public accounts, things they heard so often, why one simply smiled at it when one heard it again. (Applause.) THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION He noticed that the loader of tho Opposition, speaking at Pukckoho, had brought another charge against tho Government—a most serious charge brought by tho “great gun” of the Opposition on tho evo of a general election, that he (Air Seddon) sported himself in Windsor uniform and wore a cocked hat. (“Good on you, Dick,” and laughter and applause.) At any rate, if ho could not that evening knock tho leader of tho Opposition into a “cocked hat,” he would not follow him in his lino of argument. But tho loader of the Opposition on ono occasion disported himself in a gown and mortar. They met. Ho (Air Seddon) was in tho gown of an LL.D. Ho was entitled to wear it. Air Alassey was only masquerading, but he must have been in a very Conservative humour whoa in his very first speech after tho session ho made a contrast between the parties in this way, and referred to Windsor uniforms. Purity of government and purity of administration was claimed by tho loader of the Opposition, of which they had read in the columns of tho Conservative papers of the colony, but ho (Mr Seddon) could answer, and answer correctly, all the charges that had been levelled against tho Liberal party during tho last fifteen years, nob a single ono of which had been proved. (Cries of “No.”) Lot them approach questions of public policy without personalities. What lino of policy would tho Opposition toll 1 £ ©lectors to repeal ?' Not a single ono. Tncy had opposed plank for plank of that policy; they said it would mean tho ruin of New Zealand, yet to-day they wero supporting every one of tho Government's proposals—laud for settlement, old ago pensions, and every step the Government took, even to reviling tho old people who received tho pensions. (“Oh’s.”) All advanced legislation was opposed by th© Opposition. Tho only policy tho Opposition could put forward to-day was tho_ restoration of the powers of the Auditor-Gen-eral, tho repeal of th© Public Revenues Act, th© placing of the wublo of tho Government departments under a public board, and the opportunity of acquiring tiho freehold of all classes of land. (“Yos” and “No.”) That was the policy supported by tho Opposition, but before ho loft that platform he would show that that policy was a policy of shreds and patches. First of all, there was the Opposition plank of full control of the public finances.” The -Audi-tor-General, now had full control of orery shilling of public

money, in regard to which there had been no alteration during the last fifteen years, and yet the apposition tried to deceive people hy tolling them otherwise. In respect to the creation of a Civil Service Board, so long as he was in power, he would never be _ a party for the rights of the people being vested in a hoard. It had been done before, when the Hallway Commissioners were appointed, and ho did not think any one in this colony ever desired to re; turn to that system. (Applause.) THAT VOUCHER.

“What about the voucher?” He would tell them. It had taken up 490 columns of “Hansard.” The time occupied in the House over it was 34 hours 55 minutes, nearly four sittings days. The cost, including “Hansard, of each sitting day of Parliament 3 was £532. The cost of the voucher, excluding “Hansard,” was £2129, including “ Hansard,” £2544. Adding to that amount £SOO for expenses to come in connection with this matter they had a total of £3O-14 involved in the search tor the voucher. On the 14th August last Mr Fisher said that “ho would resign if his charges were disproved.” He had. then said that he liked to bet on a certainty, and “if you are sure you are right.” On the Ist November Mr Fisher said, “I have come to the conclusion I was wrong” Dr Findlay: “ You admit that Captain Seddon never got the money?” Mr Fisher; “Yes, I am quite satisfied about that. ’ (Groat applause.) Circumstances prevented him (Mr Seddon) saying anything more, though he had not yet referred to that which had struck a deep blow, and which was jocringly remarked upon at the meeting of the New Liberals as a “tear-drop.” (A voice: \ou better sing it.”) Ho would say now to Mr Fisher: “Why did you go to the Registrar; why pay half a crown to find out about the death of a old Id of mine ” (the remainder of the j 1 i-ie 4- In Afr

Fisher must answer to his constituents, but what would Mr have said had the positions been reversed? At any rate, he did not think that it was right or just for Mr Fisher to have spoken jeeringly of this phase of the question before three or four thousand electors of the city of Wellington. (Hear, hear.) PICNICS, TRUSTS. AND FREE SPEECH. There was another matter, and that was tho Mapourika trip. He supposed the audience had heard all about it? (Avoioo: “No; tell ns.”) Well, that trip was suggested by the Opposition, and after they had enjoyed the good things they turned round and tried to put the blame on the Government. Then there was another picnic—this time in connection with tho Main Trunk lino. It was an Opposition picnic, and they paddled their own canoe. He quoted from a return to show that the expenses of canoes had amounted to £lO€T. Amongst the list of requisites were largo quan-

titles of pepper, Worcester sauce, a tomahawk, two tins of in-oct powder—(laughter)—and on the expenses ret urn thcie was Is Cd for a corkscrew. When the Opposition in future threw the Alapourika ,i him he would throw the tin i.u insect powder at them. (Laughter.) To come to more serious matters: air A lasso;’ had stated at Pukekohe that the Opposiici. would come hack strengthened. That was all right. Air Lewis, Opposition Whip, told his constituents that ho “ preferred to be in opposition rather than bo a Government supporter,” and said, “wo shall remain in opposition still.” Under these circumstances the audience would realise that ho was in a cheerful mood. Was it a creditable thing for party purposes, and to injure the Government and the colony, to attack the credit of tho colony? Tho Opposition had done this repeatedly—had tried to compare tho credit, of this country detrimentally with that of Australia. It all went back to the Alother Country, and had an effect upon the finances of New Zealand. Wo had to pay more money, and those who held our stocks got lees for them. Surely wo could fight our battles without overstating or understating the position. Mr James Allen, at Christchurch, had misquoted tho position, and it was not fair criticism. It was his duty to expos© it. AVc stood well in tho Alother Country, and wo had every reason to stand well. It was unfair of the opponents of the Government to decry our credit for tho purposes of getting upon tho Treasury benches. Referring to the Harvester Trust and tho bill passed dealing with tho manufacture and sale of agricultural implements, he said that New Zealand was threatened with monopolies that had cursed America, and led to the downfall of the masses. We must not allow them to grow, and we were not going to have any of those monopolies in New Zealand, nor allow tho Harvester Trust to cnish tho life-blood out of our industries. (A voice: ‘What about the Chinamen?”) The bill provided for a bonus being paid to our manufacturers under certain conditions until the next Parliament met and dealt moro fully with tho question. They had a right to know why the Criminal Code Amendment Act was passed. There had been no suppression of the freedom of speech. Speecli was as free to-day as it was before the act wa.s passed. The man who at a public mooting told the truth did not speak slander. (Hear, hear.) That was what had been kept back. If tiic truth was spoken there was no punishment, but ho had yet to learn that it was a fair position when public men’s morality and honesty were assailed that there was no remedy when the assailant was a man of “straw.” (Applause.) Yet such was the law before tho act was passed last session, and there were men and women who had suffered because of it. (Applause and ironical laughter.) Ho hoped ho was not to- he told that a public man was not properly equipped unless ho carried a horsewhip about with him. Fight public matters as keenly as possible, but do not, take away a man’s honour. Tho Education Amendment Act was a wise and prudent measure. The superannuation to teachers was only doing justice to a noble band of men and women. A country that placed its various grades of education within the reach of all was bound to keep to the front, and in this respect ho was proud of what had been done last session. Ho then came to the Factories Act, and said that if an industry could not afford to pay a young man or woman 17s or 20s a week, as .provided under tho measure, tho quicker it perished the better.

SHOPS AND OFFICES AND LAND. Nest ho came to the Shops and Offices Act, and said he had a lively recollection of meetings he had attended at Die Druids’ Hall and at the Victoria Hall at Newtown. “My word,” he said, “they did hoot me, I can tell you. I never thought there was so much lung power in the shopkeepers of this country.” He had told them then they would have to let him got them out of the mess, and they had waited. Now he was afraid to go to Newtown for fear they fell on his neck. Justice had been done to the. shopkeepers and to the assistants, and there was no longer any heartburning. The assistants’ hours had been limited, and ho believed it was a good thing to give the shopkeepers some chance to bo with their families in the evening, and not to keep open all night because somebody else kept a shop open. (Applause.) He dealt briefly with Maori lands and the bill passed in respect to them. “I can sec half a million acres of native land for settlement; I can see justice to the natives in them receiving fair value for their land, and a marked improvement in settling the people in the North Island.” He believed they could get half a million acres of native land 'for about £1 an acre. -There was nothing of greater importance to the North Island than the settling of the people upon the native and Crown lands. The Maori lands—surplus lands—were retarding settlement. There were only five million acres of Crown lands left, and the Maoris had something like six million acres, and while justice must be done to the natives, those lands must be settled in the interests of both races. BENEFITS TO WORKERS.

The Workers’ Compensation for Accidents Act was an act of great importance to the -workers, and a man maimed or injured so that he could not follow his calling would he entitled to £1 a week. It was only fair to give an injured worker what would buy bread and butter for his family. Then there was the Workers’ Dwellings Act and there was no part of the colony where homes at reasonable rents were more required than in Wellington. (Applause.) The Corporation had had the power to deal with the matter for the past five years, but they had had so much else to do that they had. not done anything to erect homes. If they had attempted it. he did not think they could have obtained authority to raise a loan in Wellington for the work. At all events, the act had been passed, and the Government was going to build the homes. Houses of five rooms, with all conveniences, -would he leased for 10s or 13s a week—houses of the kind that were being leased here now for 2os and 26s a week. They had fifty acres at Polhill Gully and the military reserve at Shelly Bay. He looked upon the measure as increasing the pay of the workers all over the colony. Any amount of workers were paying onethird of their wages away in rent. (Voices: “More, more.”) Before long they would find the cottages being erected ; it was not a case of “Wait ’til the clouds roll by.” The act had not been passed for clectionering purposes—(laughter and applause)—it was passed from a sense of duty. “Hake no mistake,” he said, “I will ask yon to meet me when we open some of these cottage homes at Polhill!” THE MEIKLE CASE. The present situation in regard to the Meikle case was that the Government had submitted to Mr Meikle points of reference in regard to the Commission of Inquiry. He had re-

coived replies of a very satisfactory character. Tho inquiry would bo a just and impartial one, and as to the result tho Government and tho Parliament would do their duly- (Applause.) A good deal was heard about going back to tho "good old days of Conservative ride. Ho did not want to have, in Wellington, tho shelter shed and the soup kitchen revived. (A voice; “The old gag.”) To show that Wellington had not suffered at the hands of a progressive Liberal Government, ho would quote some figures. During the last three years of the last Conservative (Atkinson) Government, there was spent upon tho Wellington province tho following sumsßailway construction (including additions to open lines) £159,516; public buildings, lighthouses, etc., £20,990; roads, etc., £27,806; telegraph extension, £7531; purchase of native lands, £16,635. A total of £232,388. During the Liberal Administration for tile three years ending Alarch 31st, 1905, tho expenditure in tho province was as follows:—Railway construction, £253,806; additions to open lines, £149,408; public buildings, lighthouses, etc., £169,369; roads, £198,007; contingent defence, £4319; lands improvement, £2838; Education Department, school buildings £34,896; rates on native lands, £42; telegraph extension, £33,823; purchase of native lands, £B7o—a total of £847,278, or four times as much as a Conservative Government gave to Wellington. (Loud. cheers.) Population in the province showed an increase of 60,759, trade an increase of £4,200,905, area of land under cultivation an increase of 1,349,652 acio.s. In live stock tho increases wore;— Horses 21,838: cattle, 231,015; sheep, 524,830; pigs, 12,561, The increase in tho unimproved value of laud was £16,733,930, and in the value of land improvements £8,854,037 —a total ni-cree-so in capital value of Lo,587,907. (A voice: All your work!”'. The population of tho city of Wellington in 1891 was 32,000, and in 1904 it was 53,900, an increase or over 21,000. (A voice: “All my work again !”—loud laughter.) During prosperity there was generally an increase in tho population of a country. Onr prosperity had attracted people here and that had done something towards Idling the cradles. Wellington people had not been ignored; their necessities had been attended to. Ho would say, further that they had never had a Government that had done bo much for them and for their good as the present one. (Cheers, nnd a voice; ‘Keep it up, Dick; you’re doing all right!”) SPENT IN WELLINGTON CITY.

To show what had been done in the direction of expenditure on P u ““ c buildings, etc., in Wellington city dining cho last fourteen years (to Alaich 31 1905) Mr Seddon quoted tho rollowing figures: —Railway Offices ana Wellington station yard, £o5,000; Post Office (Wellington) land and buildings, £54,000; Victoria College, £8300; school buildings, £25,000; Custom house £32,000: Government Insurance Building, £.36,000; Parliament library, etc £28,000; printing office additions, £20,000; Supreme and Magistrates Courts, £15,000; Terraco Gaol, £9000; Victoria Depot, £7000; Alouut View Hospital (mental), £5000; mines library. £4000; Telephone Exchange, £30,000; Te Aro Railway, £15,700; other buildings and services, £59,091; total, £403,091. The votes for the current year included Victoria College, £25,000 ; telegraph extension, £IO,OOO ; public health, £6000; Customs, £7700; Parliament Buildings, £5000; othei buildings, £13,490; X J uhlio Trust Office, £15,000 ;■ a total of £82,190.. What other Government, he asked, had done so much ?.■ Another ■ Government had given the gaol—a standing monument to the stupidity of the Conservatives. (Applause.) Tho Government had given £25,000 to the Victoria, College, am, it stood on a site in’bold relief, tower ing almost to th© sky. Ho was detei mined it should never go where tho gaol now stands, and time had provoa that ho was right. (Applause). NORTH VERSUS SOUTH.

The Opposition were pitting Auckland and Wellington against the South Island and vice versa. His worthy colleague (Sir Joseph Ward) had only touched the fringe of a great subject.' We must not have jealousies between north and south. We must realise that, though the south had been the larger revenue producer, the north would have a larger population. Both must keep together as one people—New Zealanders. ' (Cheers.) Parochialism—lack of patriotism—was the curse of many a country. It must not he the curse of this, and whoever set towp again*--country and country against town was an enemy to the country at large. (Cheers.) During the last five years Auckland received £1,856,937, Taranaki £449,929, Wellington £1,192,183, Westland £254,346, Canterbury £9X1,278, and Otago £1,478,950, a total of over six millions. The provincial districts of Auckland and Wellington together received £3,049,120, Otago and Canterbury £2,390,228, a difference in favoui of the North Island of £658,892. Ana yet Aucklanders said that the present Government was a South Island one. During the past seven months the cash issue was £898,000, and after spending that the Government still had £1,500,000 to the good. (Loud cheers.; And still the money flowed in. Notwithstanding the unfortunate Seddon Government 1 On seven months this year the Government had an increase' in revenue of £153,000 as compared with the same period of last year. (Cheers.) They were approaching the time when this should be a self-supporting colony. The public indebtedness had gone up, but private indebtedness had gone down, and would go down further still. (Cheers.) ' INDIRECT TAXATION TO BE " REDUCED.

Last year there was a surplus of £761,000. He thought the time had now arrived when the Government could afford to reduce indirect taxation. He had to announce that next session he and his colleagues proposed to submit a proposal for reducing indirect taxation, and it would be in the direction of allowing a “free breakfast table.” (Loud applause.) In addition he considered the time had arrived when the 3s 6dl ner lb now charged on tobacco might be reduced. (Renewed applause.) They would say ho was going to sweeten the voters up, but bo thought that with a surplus of £152,000 more than last year, although they had increased the charge on the Consolidated Fund, the Government could give this reduction without impairing the finance of the colony. A GRADUATED LAND TAX.

As to direct taxation he did not think there was enough. The aggregation of large estates was going on, and owners of largo estates were evading the law. If it was found that expenditure and revenue were getting too close together and more revenue was wanted, and it was necessary to raise more money by taxation, on would go an addition to the graduated land tax. The country was ripe for it. (Applause.) These large estates were blocking settlement. The way to keep down the prices and do justice to all concerned was to impose an increase in the graduated tax. (Applause.) OLD AGE PENSIONS. 1 He wont on to refer to the increase

in old ago pensions, which meant the payment of £IOO,OOO per year. Last year the cost was £190,000, and already £1,147,000 had been paid to old age pensioners. The money had never been missed! (Cheers.) Taxation had not had to be increased, however, but had been reduced by over £2,000,000. Some members nad said that they had better have spent the money on making roads to the back-blocks, but in view of the increased cost of living since the pensions were granted, he thought the old age pensioners had stronger claims than a few yards of metal on a public road! (Cheers.) He was now going to announce what was perhaps the boldest scheme ever put before the clectois of New Zealand, Sir Harry Atkinson had tried to introduce a compulsory scheme of Insurance. No such scheme was practicable or workable in a selfgoverning colony. What he did think was possible ana what_ he and his colleagues intended devoting their host interests towards encouraging was a national pension scheme, applicable to every soul in New Zealand. (Loud applause.) He believed it could be done. Such a scheme should bo established with a view to encouraging thrift. Let the people take their money and pay it in wlien they could to a common fund, and as it was paid in year by year let the State subsidise it. In the first place the State would have the advantage of the nee of the money thus placed at its command. Secondly, local bodies with charges upon them, for support of infirm people, could be saved those charges. The State had already guaranteed the'police fund, the railway men were provided for, now they had provided for the teachers, and wore preparing to extend a superannuation scheme to the Civil servants of the colony. All this went in one direction, and.it was a great goal to have some provision made for every thrifty soul in the colony, and keep them from want in their old age. (Prolonged cheers.) NATIONAL QUESTIONS. Coming to national questions the Premier said that America was blocking our ships and produce. Mr Roosevelt, he said, was wrong when he declared that America would dominate the Pacific. There was only one flag that would dominate the Pacific, and that was the Union Jack; (Vociferous applause.) The Japanese could not come to this country, and would not be allowed to come. Some said that -pressure would be brought from Home to make ns admit them, but we were a self-governing country, and would stand together and refuse to be dictated to by anybody* CONCLUSION. In conclusion Mr Seddon said the issue submitted to his hearers and the colony was, did they want a progressive government—a government of and by and for the people, a continuation of prosperity—(A Voice; “Yes!”) — if so leave well alone, and that was to leave him where he was I (Prolonged cheers). Mr Harold Beauchamp moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Premier and Sir Joseph Ward for their addresses, and “that this meeting expresses unabated confidence in the present Government.”

• This was seconded by Mr Murdoch, and carried by acclamation, amidst great enthusiasm. Mr Seddon moved a vote of thanks to Dr Findlay for presiding, and the orchestra, struck up, “For he’s a jolly Good Fellow” as the meeting terminated.