DR. BEGG'S ADDRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1148, 29 November 1873, Page 1

DR. BEGG'S ADDRESS.

His Honour the Superintendent happily introduced Dr Begg to the large audience in the Drill Shed last week as a " representative man.' 1 He might have added that he was a representative Scotchman, and above all a representative Scotch clergyman. To those outside of Scotland — even to philosophical historians like Buckle — the Scottish chai-acter has proved an enigma. " How comes it," have many non-Scotchmen said, " that in Scotland you behold conservatism in religion and democracy in politics existing side by side, nay, each increasing by the other's growth ?" No better illustration of this phase of Scotch idiosyncrasy could be given than that of the able and illustrious Scotchman, the Rev. James Beug, D.D. In theology he has been the recognised leader of the Conservative pa7-ty in one of the most flourishing of Scotch churches — the Free Church — and in politics he has cast in his lot with the Eadicals. His position is, however, quite understandable. He accepts the Bible as the revealed will of the Deity, and he believes that, so far as religion is concerned, this revelation is closed. In politics, however, the phenomena of life vary, and with these variations — politics being a practical thing — men's opinions must vary, and men become reformers. Nor has Dr Begg accepted a secondary position in social reform. As he stated last evening, he has considered it his duty as a Christian Minister to look after the temporal welfare of his neighbours by whatever name they may be called, or whom or how they may worship. It is this feeling which led him to take such a prominent position in the agitation for better homes, for the working classes.; and even the Scotsman newspaper, that has had no, particular regard for clergymen, except they were in a minoiity in their Church, has given to Dr Begg great credit for his efforts on behalf of the improvement of the dwellings of the sons of toil. And when we only remember what was. the state of things in cities even thirty years ago, we could imagine thaf; \t was with, just pride that D.r Begg could state that the "workers " in Edinburgh had spent £]L5G,000 in building 1000 houses ; that new streets had been built, and elegant "self-contained houses" erected.

D, r ffEQG in his address did not, however, confine himself to a mere assertion of the res\ilts of the efforts of social reform. His speech teemed with many shrewd practical suggestions. To give these to an Otago audience not only pam© with grace from P»e wty ha*

been such an advocate of social reform, but when it was remembered that he stood, as he said, ' at the " cradle" of the Province, and was one of the leaders of that Church by whom the Province was founded, they came with great weight. At present we can only deal with two or three heads of his address. On one subject, vital to us as a Colony, he offered some practical suggestions. He pointed out some difficulties in conducting immigration to the Colony. First, our colonists have been too prone, in. sending photographic views to their friends, to select those of the rugged gorges and wild mountain scenery of the interior ; and hence it is not surprising that people unacquainted with New Zealand should have come to the conclusion that we had no plains and no undulating hills. This, however, is not difficult to remedy. There are deeper causes which will militate against immigration j and first, the class of ploughmen who used to be seen on the farms of Scotland are no longer to be found. To the bothy system much blame attaches for this. There were no proper dwellings for the industrious farm servants, and as a consequence of want of accommodation, when the servants settled in life they sought residences in the towns and cities. Employment in the factories was readily obtained, and the race of stalwart ploughmen became diminished in numbers. To such an extent has this system of drafting the farm servants to towns been carried on, that, as Dr Begg states, the farmers have had to seek for farm servants from the towns. "What has followed from this need not be portrayed. Incompetent servants and high wages are the necessary consequences. What our Immigration Agents must do will be to convince the farm servants of the United Kingdom that in Otago there is a better future in store for them should they cast in their lot with us. Another thing that has militated against immigration to New Zealand has been the picture drawn by interested Immigration Agents of other Colonies of, to use Dr Begg's graphic language, " the danger of being eaten " that every new settler has to run. That we in the Middle Island are as safe from the Maoris as the inhabitants of London seems to be beyond the power of belief. This has no doubt resulted from the loose notions of geography that even people interested in New Zealand possess. Of these the lecturer gave some humorous illustrations. And when Dr Begg returns, an address frona him will, we believe, do more to dissipate the foolish opinions concerning New Zealand than the efforts of all our paid agents. Of our Provincial system Dr Begg seems to have a high opinion. Though he is willing to grant that the union of England and Scotland has conferred benefits on both countries, still, like an Irish Home Ruler, he asserts that the want of local legislation has been severely felt. In effect, Dr Begg claims for Scottish affairs a Scottish Parliament, and for Imperial measures an Imperial Parliament. In New Zealand he beholds the Home Rule doctrine carried to its extreme limit, and being fond of the utmost freedom, he cries to the Provincialist : — "Keep your local Councils. If you part with them you will regret it." It is true that the illustration he gave of the want of a Scotch Parliament was not a happy one. The quarrel" about the new water works for Edinburgh is known to readers of the Scotch papers, and t'lose who have mastered the " water catechism," know that on this very ( Vater question there was not only no Such thing as unanimity, but, on the contrary, a wide difference of opinion amongst the residents of Edinburgh.! Indeed, had there been a Scotch Parliament, there might have been some expense saved in fighting out the water question, such as the item for depiitations against which a righteous bailie so loudly protested ; but we dwubt whether the result would have been different. The other topics discussed by the lecturer— Gaols, Poor Laws, and Education, we must again refer to. About the Permissive Bill the Doctor feels as strongly as the most enthusiastic OrCfld Templar, One remark he made

we hope will not be forgotten, viz., that moral evil cannot be cured by physical means ; and our total abstaining friends cannot expect the Permissive Bill, nor their agitation, to be successful it it ends in the passing of a legislative enactment. There must be a public opinion formed in favour of temperance. This Dr Begg recognises ; but this, we are sorry to say, some Permissive Bill agitators do not. The address must have, however, many good results. It points out to those in the Colony what social reformers aim at in the older countries of Europe. It also explains how we stand, what advance we have made, and what we have yet to make. Our Gaol, oxir Short Hour System, our Benevolent Institutions, are favourably criticised, and our total abstinence legislation is extolled. But we have yet many things to accomplish. Andtoshowushow we can best attain our aim, what can be better than to hear from a practical social reformer, and a man of shrewd intelligence and ability, an address on Social Reform in Scotland ? This Dr Begg has given us, and while on some points we may disagree with him, still none who heard him speak, and none who read his address, but must feel indebted to him for his able and clear exposition of the tendency of the times towards reform.