Political Labourers

Southland Times, Issue 19134, 26 August 1903, Page 2

Political Labourers

TRADES HALL . DESIDERATED. Per United. Press Association. Z . WhUEraGTON/ Aug. '25. A deputation from the Trades and. Labour Conference held in "Greyniouth; some months ago waited on the Premier this evening for the purpose of bringing under his notice the ; resolutions passedby the delegates »at that: gathering.: The deputation .urged the establishment of a State bank, tne abolition- of the sale of Crown lands and the periodical revalua-i tion of all lands held on lease, extension* of the. Parliamentary franchise to local polls, establishment of the referendum and initiative. State fire insurance, compulsory 'Unionism :«nd r subsidy to: a, trades hall. ■". -, ",; ; ..."■;. Mr Seddon, in reply; said that in some of the requests made by the 'deputation large, questions of policy Were involved ;'• Some of the questions were already, be--fore Parliament and others were ' being deait with by the Government. 'So far as a State bank, was concerned* he would not go to the extent of saying .that the comrmerciul business of the country should be conducted through a State bank. He was unable to see that it could be safeguarded against difficulties that would arise. Still, so far as the Bank of N.Z. was concerned, he believed £hat the bank .should "devote 'something out of its profits for wha-t the State had . been doing. Ho did not think it would be to the interest of %ho colony to go further tJjan to /retain . ; the , partnership.; Concerning l Crown -lands;: he pointed out that the area amnually disposed of was steadily growing less. In regard to pep-: iodical revaluations of leases, there was: a large majority of people against, leasing when there was revaluation. This was a question that would have to lxe left to the : people to decide at the next general election. Regarding the municipal franchise, he. still held: to the opinion that tenants were virtually ratepayers. He hoped to : make further improvements in this direction. Touching on the initiative being placed in the hands of the people. Mr Seddon said that if Parliament . widened the scope of the present Referendum Bill in that direction he wojuld be quite prepared to trust - the electors. The State Fire Insurance Bill wag, he pointed out, now before Partial ment. Referring to laboun matters, the Premier said that preference , was;, now ia . a sense established for unionists,' and" he did not think Parliament would be prepared to go further. He would give favourable consideration -to 'the;, request for a subsidy for a trades hall, if the money was to be spent for the benefit of all workers. . ».-.v