THE HON. G. FOWLDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13927, 12 June 1907, Page 3

THE HON. G. FOWLDS

SPEECH AT GREY LYNN.

EDUCATION AND THE LAND BILL.

(Pea United Pbiss Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 11. . Ihe Hon. G. Fotvkls, Minister of Education, delivered a lengthy speech to his constituents at Grey Lynn There was a bijr gathering, ami Mr l'owlds's political opponent nt. last election (Mr John Farrell) presided. Mr Forrell paid a- tribute to Mr Fowlds'a character for integrity and Jngh purpose. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. Mr Foivlds raid he though! the country would agree that all the members of the Cabinet were imbued ■ with tho idea of serving tho country to the best of their ability, and that they wero men of earnestness and thoroughJicse.—(Applause.) Tliero were few, if any, people in Now Zealand who were not proud of the position which Sir Joseph Ward had won for himself in connection with the imperial Confercnce.-lApplaiise.) Sir Joseph had expressed this colony's views on all questions before the conference with clearness and forcefulness, and. when he recognised . that tho Eritish Government would not accede to some points he did not eay nasty things, but directed his attention to more- practical methods, and a largo amount of tile more practical portion of tho work of the conference was duo to him.—(Applause.) He (Mr lowlds) had occasion recently to criticise some of tho other members of the conference, and ho knew his statements had met with hostile criticism; but those who knew him would know he did not wait to consider whether a statement would meet with approval or not. H c first made up his mind that a thing wae right and required to be said, and tlien he said it.—(Applause.) H« had notlung to .-eeret and notnimr to take back of ihat criticism. He was an Imperialist, and he believed in n great deslinv for the British Kmpirc, and wanted to »e the influence and strength of that Empire consolidated, for he believed the British Empire- was the greatest force in the world to-day making for peace and jiwtice, for liberty and progress and righteousness. Ho was anxious to sec its power anil influence exteiuH!. but what he wur afraid of was that if tboj- had a roTKitatioii at future conferences for the tone adopted bv somo delegates there would soon be a- Mine at Home that Knplanil could not lv> bothered with the colonies. Peoolc Home would irot tired if tho colonies tried to force them to adopt eomcthin? thev believed to h> inimical to tho interest of tho country. Vh>it we had to look- out for vs« that we maintained unimpaired our own independence of acfion. Wo must lie rendv to crant. thn samo liberty to the pcoplo of tile Old Countrj'.-fApplauso.) THIS HON. W. HALL-.TONFA Ho wne sure everyone in the colony would .loin in regretting the illness of the AetintPrime Minister (Mr Hall-Jones) and in hopmy that- ho misdit soon be restored to Jiealth.-fAppl.uisi>.) Mr Hall-Jonra was one of the most mmsrnkinfr and able administrators New Zealand ovor had, and it vould ho a. severe lew if the colony weredeprived of h. 6 services for a lengthened penod.-(Anplause.) IMPORTANT REFORMS. The Minister eaid that in tJio Governor's Speech and the Financial Statement, several important reforms wore outlined which had since boon effects. Amongst, these was the provision of a. sinking fund for some of the old and unproductive loans, and last year, out- of ordinary revenue, £39,950 was provided. Then there was an item that had stood for years before the present party came into office, £700,0C0 on debentures and £150,000 was paid off that.—(Applause.) Certain works carried out by the Public «ork6 Department, more in the naluro of maintenance than new work,' had always l>eeii charged to ■ loan, and some members contended that this should bo charged to revenue. The reply to ■thai was that 6O long as they were transferring- largo sums from the ConFolulated Fund to tho Public Work's Fund Hie money was not really paid out of loan. •Still, as a matter of proner bookkeeping, it was better to charge this to revenue, and Lift year (ill similar sums had been paid out of revenue. Practically all these reforms had l>een advocated by different members of the Ministry. The' Lender of jho Opposition said these proposa's wero his. and look credit for them: but his (Mr Fowldi) opinion was that if tho devil himself was leader of the Opposition- ho would be found preachins righteousness. Tho chances were, however, that if that Opposition pot into power it would ray tho timo. was inopportune for reforms.

, EDUCATION. In connection with tlio Department of Education ho was very nleascd when ho got tbo IloiifO to agree lo free education •Yom (lie primary schools lo tlio university.—(Applause.) . Under tlio present conditions of administering secondary education the schools were not, as formerly, practically tlio preserves of tlio wealthy, made so by the heavy fees extorted; Hut a bright girl or boy could now, by means of proficiency certificates awarded, pass on and . receive secondary education free of charge. In regard to technical education, seven yoars ago, when ho entered Parliament, the total sum spent, in that direction was £2296. and at that time it was generally regarded that New Zealand was iv lonic way behind the most progressive countries. Tho system and votehad sineo been enormous!? extended. The technical and continuation classes last ycir numbered 1173. and school classes receiving manual instruction and t-eriching in rookery totalled 3830. The number of students holding free places in the technical schools aggregated 35.051. The total expenditure amounted lo £63.186. In view of tho rapid development of technical education and tho improvements made in education in other directions, the Government, had pent its General Inspector on n tour of other countries to examine thoir methods, and he (llr Fowlda) anticipated great advantage to colonial education as a result, lie also met. tho attacks of critics against the School Journal recently brought out by the department, and expressed the opinion that tho introduction of the journal into the .schools would l>o accompanied fof extensive benefits, while it would get over the difficulty of the heavy cost of school books to parents. In the early days of settlement endowments were mode in Canterbury and Otago, but at the present time- stem op|»sition was offered. "The basis of the opposition I don't quite und?Kt'-iml," he .'•aid, "but I'm inclined to think that now the democracy is entering into its own, and when we democratise pooomhry schools, the wealthy classes consider there is not ro much valuo in endowments ■ as when they themselves had the monopoly of them."—(.Laughter.) PU.BLIC lIEAI/NI. Referring to tho public health, the Minister remarked that the prompt and effective manner in which tho local staff of the Health Department set. about coinb.itin.tr the recent outbreak of disease in Auckland J'ustificd the existence of the department, t showed, too. that; an officer working independently of local authority was more

likely to deal fearlessly with all owners of insanitary premises than an officer controllwl by the local authority. THE LAND QUESTION. The Leader of the Opposition had frequently stated that llie speaker was the real author of Ihe Land Bill; that he was the stronp msm of Ihe Ministry, the power behind Ilio lhrone;'..and, in fact, the tail that wagged the dog.-11/iushter.) Ue often wondered whether Mr Mnsecy believed fho statements himself.—{Laughter.) Those present knew him and his opinions too well to think that, he was the author of the. liand Bill, and ho Jielicved Mr Massey knew bettor. Mr Jfassey called him a ' Socialist, single-ta.ver, and land nationalist. There was such a. w7dc difference between these things be did not too how he could 1.0 all at once. He was not a Socialist, but lie would rather be a Socialist than uphold the present system.— (Applause). Mr Jlassey had held him up as a bogeyman, especially in country districts amongst the farmers. Jfr Massey threatened that the Land Hill would never lie. passed unless he was first carried out of the House. That was the threat of an anarchist. It meant that whether Ihe maiority of members were in favour or not Mr Massey would eet up a persistent stonewall until he was carried out on a stretcher. This was hardly the position for the Leader of the Opposition to take up, especially when lie had maintained for years that Parliament was capable of dealing with tho land question and had denounced tho Land Commission as useless and unnecessary. The last election altered Parliament a preat deal, and therefore, in Mr Massey's opinion, the present Parliament was not to competent to deal with tho Land Bill. But Parliament and Government would do iis duty, oven if it was necessary to carry out Mr Massey.—(Laughter and npnlause.) Undoubtedly there was si pood deal of genuine opposition in ilio Auckland district, and it was all to the effect that no bill would bo satisfactory whicli did not contain the option of the freehold. The fact was that tho optional clause was in the Land Pill. It was true the operation of tho option was considerably restricted because of tho larjre endowments proposed, but the bill proposed that the millions of acres of Native land should be opened under the optional system, and what Parliament luhl to decide was whether itwould agree to the endowment , ;. A good deal of the onncition in Auckland • was due entirely to misrepresentation. There had been the direct statement and innuendo that the bill was an attack on tho freebold already existing. - There was not tho sliriite*t justification for that except the £50 000 limitation clause.—(A Voice: "Too much.") Yes. it was proKibly too much, but Mr Massey and purlv dared not take up the position' of out-nnd-out opposition to that, and that was the only direction in which the bill infringed noon the fullest ricrht to the freehold, and to the ireneral eommuni'tv that could hn nothing but. a fair proposition. He concluded by referring to a of local matters, and the usual vot» of thanks was accorded.

The Hon. G. FiwMs. in a speech at the Richmond Oruisinjr Obib's Focial last nieht said ho would enronro-ee aquatics, It wae a very (treat factor in liuiMin? up n stamp and vitrorous manhood, which wonld be of immense vahio to tho colony in days to come.