SPEECH OF THE ATTORNEYGENERAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5291, 3 February 1879, Page 2

SPEECH OF THE ATTORNEYGENERAL.

(By Special Wibe.)

Invjsbcakgill, February Ist,

This evening the Hon. the Attorney-General addressed a large meeting in Eamsay's Hall. There Was a large attendance in tho lower part of the building:, but the gallery, which was reserved for ladies, was not well patronised. With Mr Stout on the platform were several leading members of the local Reform Association. Mr Joseph Schneider was called to the chair.

Mr Stout said he had readily consented to acidress a meeting iv Invercargill, because he thought those connected with politics sbou'd address the people as often as possible. He thought they should glance at the past, And then look to the future. He referred to the struggle between the Abolitionists and Provincialists, and said that after this question wai disposed of it was felt there should be two distinct political parties. These parties were in existence everywhere: the necessity of the case demanded it. No two men looked at anything from the sanis point of view, since men. were differently coustitutofl. "W hen the Abolition qu«sti»u was disposed of it was felt that reform was necessary. What did they come to the Colony for ? They had come hoping there would ba a better social life iv this country than in the country they had left—better government, and better laws. There were many who thought some reform programme should ba sketched out, and one had been sketched out by the Grey Government, That Government thought, in the first place, that people should be properly represented, and they had conceived the schema of electoral reform, and had brought in a bill that would bring about reforms in this matter. Last session the Government attempted to get two electoral bills carrieJ, which would have bettered the condition of the people, but they lost them, and he would tell them why the Government lost the Electoral Bill. They were aware that in this Colony there were various systems of franchise. In their hill they extended the franchise in two imp irtant respects. One of these was manhood franchise. It was right there should be universal suffrage; they Bhould not reorganise the leaseholders' or householders' franchise. In addition to this the bill gave ladies who had property the right to vote; they thought women were entitled to have a vote in the election of membeis of Parliament. These were the main joints of the bill. Then there was the registration of qualified electors. The Government did not see why men should not be able to register at any time. The point that led to the dropping of this bill was the Maori franchise. The Natives at present had equal rights with Europeans. In addition to the special right enjoyed by them, they were justified in having special privileges. The Natives thought that they could get disputes adjusted through Parliament, and not by the sword. Some had proposed that the

Maoris should have the right to elect member* of Parliament and have their other rights swept away. The Government, however, had found it was impossible to introduce the Re-distribu-tion of Seats Bill, and therefore they proposed Maoris should have the freehold qualification. In putting that in the bill they took away some of their rights, so that Maoris were shorn of several privileges they'had enjoyed in the put. Variouß faults were found with the bill in the Legislative Council, and the Council, many of whom disliked the bill entirely, struck out some : of its points, and when it was returned to the House the Government said they could not accept it. The Government then proposed a conference, and he would tell them what took place at that conference. He held in his hand the original documents that were submitted to the Conference. It had been said, they wished to swamp some of the Northern constituencies, Thia was not true. Thehon. gentleman then referred in detail to the matters brought up at the Conference, and argued that the Government had done their best He declared the Council were stubborn on the matter. He put it to them, What was the position of Native affairs? The Maoris had now come into union with the Europeans, and had allowed men to go over their country and get land. If they had adopted the Electoral Bill, they would have deprived the Natives of a right^^f* which they were fully entitled to. He then spoke as to the treatment of *M the Natives by the Atkinson Government. Electoral reform, he considered, was only a ' means to an end, and he therefore did not place electoral reform in the first rank, but thought it was the stepping-stone to higher measures. He hoped next session the Government would bs able to accomplish something in electoral reform, and also that they would carry & bribery bill. This bill proposed to make it an. offence if there were cabbing and drinkingexpenses attendant upon an election as at present. There was the Re-distribution of Seat* Bill, too, and he hoped this would meet with favour in the House next session. He would now allude to the other reforms they considered necessary. The system of public works had greatly enhanced the value of land, and he considered the land should bear its proportion in. the expenses of the Colony. He then referred at length to the question of " unearned increment.1' The Government thought the landowners should contribute to the revenue, and they proposed a land tax to bring this about They did not wish to tax improvements. What they wanted to get at was the land. The exem| tion clauses of the bill were much fought against. The Government found the exemption system was carried out in other countries, and he argued that it would work equally well here. The Conservatives wished to have improvements taxed, but that was unfair, and yet the Government were denounced strongly for what was called au •■ inequitable system of taxation." Some Conservatives urged that they should h*ve an income tax, but he submitted this would not answer. The Government had had to some extent to defer to the cry for taxation all round, and they embodied the Joint-Stock Companies Bill, because companies had certain advantages over private individuals and private enterprise. In reference to this question, their ovponents said they were putting a tax on industries. A tax that had met with much disfavour was that proposed by the Beer Duty Bill. After referring to this subject, he said two questions had always been coming up: the land question and the education question. Fortunately they had no State religion. The Statp, he thought, should not teach religion. He should liksjM.know what religion they were to teach. TheSfrta should have nothing to do with religion, and should not interfere with the religious beliefs of the.. People. They had got to do with education,'and.he thought there should be no people in a Colony like this whodid not at least understand the fundamental principles of education. It was not the neb. boy that had always got the brains. He submitted the very best way they conld deal with the education question was to exclude religion, and teach other things, such as reading, writing, &c. The Rchoolmaster should not be set ' up .as the teacher of some dogma which took 1 his particular fancy. It was unfair to ask the ' State to do anything in religious matters. Denominational schools everywhere had been failures, and everywhere the seculpr system was | being introduce 1 Then denominational schools \ tended to bitterness and strife in the com- ' munity. Why should not all laoyj anl girls get a gocd education irrespective of religion, ' and get that from the proper source—clergymen ? The State should confine its endeavour 1 to give a really sound secular education. Ha 1 thought the aim of all New Zealanders 1 should be to settle the country with small ; holdings; no country could progress satisfac- . torily unless thi3 -was d >ne. He believed this country would never be really prosperous until - some reforms were made in this direction. Other reforms were also necessary: they must , have some alteration in the constitution of the Legislative Council. They were aware that the members of that Council were nominated for life. This system, he thought, should not be tolerated. He desired also that there should be an'elective Governor. He would like to know why the people should not have the power to elect the head of the Colony. He , denied th*t an elected Governor would savour of disloyalty to the Queen. He looked upon 1 the question from its educational advantages, and believed that were the Governor made elective it would greatly help the political education of the people. He then • referred to the social and other reforms 1 the Government had endeavoured to set 1 before the people, and referred in eulogistic terms to the bold proposals made by his colleague, the Minister for Public Works. The worka it was proposed to execute would be of immense advantage, aad he consider.d a gross blunder had been committed in not allowing tha~ Government to borrow the L 4,000,000. The hon. gentleman then touched upon the forms of our local government. His opinion was that tha Counties should unite to execute large works themselves. The method of dealing with Native lands should be altered. Speculators had raised the cry of "Free trade " in connection with Native lands. This would not answer. It meant.that a big block of land would be securt d, and the country would at, that rate never be settled. The GovernmendL* should, he thought, have the power to buy up' the land, or elae the man with small capital should have an eq-ial chance with speculators, lie then referred to what he thought the people of the Colony should do in regard to politics. He thought everyone should hare the courage of his opinions, and should not be bound down to voto according to the dictation of anyone. The hon. gentleman, in concluding, a( psaled to the people of New Zealand to look to the future, and not be contented with the wrong they had been subjected to in the pist, so that this Colony would be free from tna abuses of other lands. Mr Stout sat down amidst loud and pro* longed applause. Mr Kinross then moved—" That this meeting thanks Mr Stout for hia address, and considers it the duty of every colonist to tuppait Sir George Grey's policy." The motion was carried amidst much applause, and Mr Stout having returned thanks, the proceedings terminated.