Political.

Otago Witness, Issue 1420, 8 February 1879, Page 6

Political.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL AT INVERCARGILL, Invercargill;, February Ist. This evening the Hon. the Attorney- General addressed a large meeting in Ramsay's Hall. There was a large attendance in the 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 address a meeting in Invercargill, because he thought those connected with politics should address the people as often as passible. He thought they should glance at the past, and then look to the future. Ha referred to the struggle between the Abolitionists and Proviucialists, and said that after this question was 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 same point of view, since men were differently constituted. When the Abolition question was disposed of it was felt that reform was neceseary. What did they come to the Colony for ? They had come hoping there would be a better social life in this country than in the country they had left— better government, and better laws. There were many who thought some > reform programme should be sketched out, and one had been sketched out by the Grey Government. That Govern, ment thought, in the first place, that people should be properly represented, and they had conceived the scheme 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 carried, which would have bettered th£ 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 bill they extended the franchise in iwo imp )rtant respects. One of these was manhood franchise. It was right there should be universal suffrage ; they should 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 members of Parliament. These were the main points 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 tho 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 members of Parliament and have their other rights swept away. The Government, however, had found it was impossibln to introduce the Re-distribu-tion of Seats Bill, and therefore they proposed Maoris nhould have the freehold qualification. In putting that in the bill they took away somo o£ their rights, so thai Maoris were shorn of

several privileges they had enjoyed in the past. Various 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. Ifc bad been said they wished to swamp some of the Northern constituencies. This was not true. The hon, 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 laod. If they had adopted the Electoral Bill, they would have deprived the Natives of a right which they were fully entitled to. He then Bpoke as to the treatment of 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 be able to accomplish something in electoral reform, and also that they would carry a bribery bill. This bill proposed to make it an offence if there were cabbing and drinking expenses attendant upon an election as at present. There was the Re-distribution of Seats 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 publii works had greatly enhanced the value of land, and he considered the land should bear its proportion in the expensos of the Colony. He then referred at length to the question of "unearned incremont." 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 exemption 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 wore denounced strongly for what was called an " inequitable system of taxation." Some Conservatives urged that they should hive 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 opponents 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 State, he thought, should not teach religion. He should like to know what religion they were to teach. The State 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 who did not at least understand the fundamental principles- of education. It was not the rich boy that had always got the brains. He submitted the very best way they could deal with the education question was to exclude religion, aud teach other things, such as reading, writing, &c. The schoolmaster should not be set up as the teacher of some dogma which took 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 secular system was being introduced. Then denominational schools tended to bitterness and strife in the community. Why should not all boya and girls get a good education irrespective of religion, and get that from the proper source—clergymen 1 The State should confine its endeavour to give a really sound secular education. He thought the aim of all New Zealandera should be to settle the country with small holdings ; no country could progress satisfactorily unless this was done. He believed this country would never be really prosperous until some reforms were made in this dhection. 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 alao that there should be an elective Governor. He would like to know why tho people should not have the power to elect the head of the Colony. He denied thit an elected Governor would savour of disloyalty to the Queen. He looked upon 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 the Government had eudaavoured to set before tho people, and referred iti eulogiptic terms to the bold proposals made by his colleague, the Minister for Public Works. The works it was proposed to execute would be of immense advantage, and ho considered a gross blunder had been committed in not allowing the Government to borrow the L 4,000,000. The hon. gentleman then touched upon the forms of our local government. His opinion was that the 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 secured, sjkl the country would at that rate never be settled. The Government should, he thought, have the power to buy up the land, or else the man v/ith small capital should have an equal chance with speculators. He then referred to what he thought the people of the Colony should do in regard to politics. He thought everyone should have the courage of his opinions, and should not be bound down to vote according to the dictation of anyone. The hon. gentleman, in concluding, appealed to tho people of New Zealand to look to the future, and not be contented with the wrong they had been subjected to in the past, so that this Colony would be free from the abuses of other lands.

Mr Stout sat down amidst lou<l and pro longed applause.

Mr Kinross, then moved—" That this meetiDg thanks Mr Stone for his address, and considers it tho duty of every colonist to support Sir George Grey's policy." The motion was carried amidst much, applause, and Mr Stout having returned thanks, the proceedings terminated.

New York, the best part of Pennsylvania, and the northern part of Ohio make butter and cheese a speciality. In a, large part o? Michigan, Northern Illinois, VYisconsi , and lowa, cheese and butter making ig tho chief: industry.