THE HON. G. FOWLDS

Otago Witness, Issue 2779, 19 June 1907, Page 65

THE HON. G. FOWLDS

SPEECH AT GREY LY>^. EDUCATION AND THE LAND BILL. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 11. The Hon. G. FowkJs, Minister of Education, delivered a lengthy speech to his constituents at Grey Lynn to-night. There was a big gathering, and Mr Fowlds's political opponent at last election (Sir John Farreil) presided. Mr Farrell paid a. tribute to Mr Fowlds's character for integrity and high purpose. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. Mr Fowlds said he thought the country would agree that all the members of the Cabinet were imbued with the idea of serving the country to the best of their ability, and that they were men of earnestness and thoroughness. — (Applause.) There were few, if any, people in New Zealand who were not proud of the position which Sir Joseph Ward had won for himself in connection with the Imperial Conference. — (Applause.) Sir Joseph had expressed this colony's views on all questions before the conference with clearness and forcefulness, and when he recognised that the British Government would not accede to some points he did not say nasty things, but directed his attention to more practical methods, and a lar^e amount of the more practical portion of the work of the conference was duo to him.— (Applause.) He (Mr Fowlds) had occasion recently to criticise some of the other members of the conference, and he 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. He first made up his mind that a thing was right and required to be said, and then he said it. — (App'ause.) He had nothing to regret and nothing to take back of that criticism. He was an Imperialist, and he believed in a great destiny for the British Empire, and wanted to see 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 justice, for liberty and progress and righteousness. He was anxious to see its power and influence extended, but what he was afraid of was that if they had a reputation at future conferences for the tone adopter! by some delegates there wouW soon be a feeling at Home that "Rneland could not be bothered with the co'onies. Peoole at Home would eet tired if the colonies tried to force them to adopt eomethine they believed to be inimical to the interest of tho country. What we had to look out for was that, we maintained unimpaired our own independence of action. We must ba ready to arrant tho same liberty to the people of the Old Country. — (Applause.) THE HON. W. HALL-JONES. He was sure everyone in the colony would ioin in regretting the illness 'of the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Hall-Jones) and in hoping that he might soon be restored to health. — (Applause.) Mr Hall-Jonee wa« one of the most mLnstaking and able administrators New Zealand ever had, and it would be a severe lose if the colony were deprived of h ; s services for a lengthened period. — (Applause.) IMPORTANT REFORMS. The Minister caid that in the Governor's Speech and the Financial Statement several important reforms were outlined which had since been effected. Amongst these was the provision of a s.nking fund for some of the old and unproductive loans, and last year, out of ordinary revenue, £39,950 was provided. Then there w:i= an item that had stood for ycar>3 before the present party came into office, £700,000 on debentures, and £150,000 was paid off that.— (Applause.) Certain works carried out by the Public Works Department, more in the nature of maintenance than new work, had always bec-n charged to loan, and some members contended that this should be charged to revenue. The reply to that was that so long as they were transferring large sums from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund the money wa* not really paid out of loan. Still, as a matter of proper bookkeeping, it was better to charpre this to revenue, and last year ell similar sums had been paid out of revenue. Practically all these reforms had been advocated by different members of the Ministry. The. Leader of the Opposition faid the«e proposals were his. and taok credit for them ; but his (Mr Fowlds) opinion was that if the devil himself was leader of the Opposition he would be found preaching righteousness. The chances were, however, that if that Opposition got into power it would say the time was inopportune for reforms. EDUCATION. In connection with the Department of Education he was very nlea s ed when he got the House to agree to free education 'rom the primary schools to the university.— (Applause ) Under tho pretent conditions of administering «econdarv education the schools were not. as formerly, practically the presen.es of the wealthy, made w'by tlie hoa\y fe<*s extorted, but a bright girl or boy could now, by moans of proficiency certificates awarded, pajs on and receive -^econdarv education free of charge. In regard to technical education, seven \can' apo, whf-n he entered Parliament, the total sum spent in that direction was £2226 and at that time it was generally iegar()(<l that New Zealand was "a long" way behind the most procre^ive countries. The system and \ote had since been enornno'-irlv extended. The technical and continuation ela«se« last year numbered 1173. and school clashes loceivmg manual instruction and teaching in rookery totalled 3339. The number of students holding free places in the technical schools aggregated 15 051. The total expenditure amounted to £63,186. In \ iew of the rapid development of technical education and the improvements made in education in other directions, the Government had sent its General Inspector on a tour of other countries to examine th«ir methods, and he (Mr Fowlds) anticipated great advantage to colonial education as a result lie also met the attacks of critics against the School Journal recently brought out by the department, and expressed the opinion that the introduction of the journal into the schools would be accompanied by extensive benefits, while it would get over the difficulty of the he«.\v co.-t of school books to parent*. In tho early dd u \«, of settlement endowments v.en made in Cajueibury arid Otago, Ll.i ?t the pr;.;;-...'

time stern opposition was offered. " Th# basis of the opposition I don't quite understand," he said, "but I'm inclined to think that now the democracy is entering into ite own, and when we democratise secondary schools, the wealthy classes consider there is not co much value in endowments as _ when they themsehes had the monopoly of them." — (Laughter.) PUBLIC HEALTH. Referring to the public health, the Minister remarked that the prompt and effective manner in which the local staff of tha Health Department set about combating the recent outbreak of disease in Auckland justified the existence of the department. It showed, too, that an officer working independently of local authority was more likely to deal fearlessly with all owner* of insanitary premises than an officer con. trolled by the local authority. THE LAND QUESTION. The Leader of the Opposition had fre* ' quently stated that the "speaker was the real author of the Land Bill; that he was the strong man of the Ministry, tho power behind the throne; and, in fact, tb« tail that wagged tho dog.— (Laughter.) He often wondered whether Mr Massey believed the statements himself. — (Laughter. fc Those present knew him and his opinions too well to think that he was the author of the Land Bill, and he hollered Mr Massey knew better. Mr" Massey called him a Socialist, single'-taxer, and lanct nationalist. There was such, a . wide difference Itetween these things he did not see bow he could be all at once. He was not a Socialist, but he would rather be a' Socialist than uphold the present system.-— (Applause). Mr Massey had held him up as a bogeyman., especially in country districts amongst the farmers. Mr Massey^ threatened that the Land Bill would never be passed unless he vat first carried out t>fi the House. That was the threat of, anf anarchist. It meant that whether 'the majority of members were In favour or not Mr Massey would set up a persistent stonewall until he was carried out on a stretcher. This was hardly the position for the Leaden of the Opposition to take up, especially; when he had maintained for years that' Parliament was capable of dealing with the land question and had denounced tha Land Commission as useless and unnecessary. last election altered Parliament a greflPaeal, and therefore, in Mr Massey*, opinion, the present Parliament was not co competent to deal with the Land Bill. But Parliament and Government would do its duty, even if it was necessary to carr* out Mr Massey. — (Laughter and apnlause.l Undoubtedly there was a Rood deal of genuine opposition in the AnckiaTid district, and it was all to the effect that no bill would be satisfactory which did nott; contain the option of the freehold. 'W**i fact was that the optional olauee was inf the Land Pill. It was true the operator* of the option was considerably restricted^ because of the large endowments proposed--but the bill proposed that ih* millions o*t acres of Native land should be onenedS under the optional svstera. and wh»<t Parliament bad to decide was whether i$ would aeree to the endowments. A goo* deal of the opposition in. Auckland waa due entirely to misrepresentation. Tm>r« had been flip direct statement and innuendo that the bill was an attack on the ""^"i hold already existing. There was not tb« slightest justification for that except <ne( £50 000 limitation clause.— (A Voice : ' Ted much.") Yes, it was probably too murbj but Mr Massey and party dared not t»k« up the position of out-and-out oi^nosition to that, and that was the only direct-on in which the bill infringed unon tha fullest right to the freehold, and to th« general cornmunftv that could be nothing but a fair proposition. He concluded by, referring to a number of local matters, and the usual vote of thanks was accord^. The Hon. G. Fowl*, in a speech at the Richmond Cruising Club's social last nifhr said he would encourage aouatics. it was a very jrreat factor in building up i'^ and vigorous manhood, which would be ol immense value to the colony m days bo come.

AUCKLAND, June 12- . In the course of bis remarks* on tht. Land Bill at Grey Lvnn. the Hon. (r. FowlcU said that the Opposition was rommitted to a prowsal to give tW freehold to the tenant* of Crown lands. That meant! handing over a pood deal of land value to those tenants. Never in the history o5 New Zealand had such a political brib« bee* offered before. It was a. r>rooosaS actually t© pay from £200 to £300 ne* head for the votes of Oown tenants. Quitq rece-ntlv the troodwill or' one of those J£*«hold sections brought from £2000 to *30Kfc If freehold was given to those C rowrt tenants it was too hieh a price to oa/». merely to Ret the Onncsition into vowr. The "Government also realised th«- immediate necessity for dealing with lam's Tn answer to ouc^'o^s. Mr Kow <w Raid he believed that the Mini«t«r if Mnr^ h.id (he matter of placing n li<?ht on +he Three Kinc under consideration. Ho thoueht the time had arrived when -u» increase in the. pay of pob'ce enn«rablej» shon'd be made. 4 s to (he alxjl^'^n o£ Sarmaids, he was in favour of a bill fnr that punwi* On the Question of *ba weekly half holiday, h'« opinion w."»« that the peonlo in ear-h locality fehou'd be left to regulate the r'nv for th*Mn<=elv€S.