NEW LIBERAL PARTY.

Colonist, Volume XLVII, Issue 11433, 12 September 1905, Page 3

NEW LIBERAL PARTY.

VISIT OF MESSRS T. E. TAY-! LOR, LAURENSON & FISHER, j THE MID-DAY MEETING. Between one hundred and fifty and two hundred persons, including a very few ladies, attended the meeting ht the Theatre held between noon dnd one o'clock of yept9rday, at which short political addresses were given by Messrs T. E. Taylor, Laurenson and Fisher, Ms.H.R. Those present represented ali classes nf the community, the artisan and laboring class predominating. Tbe speakers received an attentive and, judging from the frequent andi hearty applause, an appreciative! hearing. The chair was taken by Mt T. H. Lukin, President of the Trades andi "Labor Council, who asserted hip confidence that a fair and impartial hearing would be given the speakers, j Mr Taylor was tbe first speaker, j acd he, having stated the necessity I upon the speakers to hurry over! their subjects by reason of thej limited time at tbeir disposal, re-, ferred first to he New Liberal Party as a party of protest against tbo rule of party Government, whir'; was a burden upon tbe individual members of the House, and a reflection upon both the educational system, and upon the Parliament of the country. (Applause). Political affairs, he said, had reached the point tbat an autocracy was governing, and thfi democracy existed only in name, nnd he then proceeded to denounco the present Ministry as the trustees of public affairs. Legislation, be said, came from tbe people, not from Parliament, there was never a question but what was dead ripe for legislation by public discussion and ventilation in the Press before it came before Parliament, therefore ifc was not so much tho legislation as tie administration of the Ministry that required tbe scrutiny nf the representatives of the people. Of course the Ministry claimed credit for the increases of the butter product, the railway returns, sheep and cattle, etc., and might even go soj far as to say that they were respon-! sible for the increase in population, but ifc was not that so much aB the! manner in which tbe trust of the poople was exorcised by tbe Ministry during the months Parliament was not in session that was under review. He said the power of the Ministry during this period was' enormous, and asserted that it was! abused. He said tbat the Premier had brought the Legislative Council into such condition tbat himself he had said that in the face of public opinion be would.'not make further appointments, They knew that the Premier had put in his personal friends, and men who fawned on and flattered him. As tothe Ministry itself, he said that the nominations to that body had been, with the exception of Sir Joseph Ward, men of such mediocrity as to always magnify the position and ability of the Premier. Outside the two heads the Ministry was the laughing stock of the House, and it was no un common thing for the Premier to wave down the Minister for Marine, or tell the Minister for Lands to sit down. These wore matters which the new party contended should be put right, and would be if the democracy war: alive to its political rights. Proceeding, he said that his colleagues w\.;o solid on the question nf elective executive, and i if a Legislative Council was needed \ afc all ifc should be elected by the people, or a small Council elected byi the House of Representatives. Mr Taylor also referred to the' necessity for a protective tariff toi foster, indeed to prevent the ruin, of Colonial industries, instancing the evidence that had been given that unless restriction was imposed the agricultural implement manufacturing industry of the Colony would be absolutely ruined by the American invasion. He also referred to the necessity for giving the workers of the cities and suburbs equal facilities to acquire modern dwellings— by the loan of State money at 4^ per cent— as was given land owners to acquire their properties. He contended that his party had justified its existence notwithstanding all the storm of criticism. (Loud applause and cheers). He claimed that by bis action the old age pension had been made available to those who owned £150 propreties, as the Premier had cunningly given that much when he fouud the majority in favor of his (Mr Taylor's) amendment. Referring to the "voucher" question, he paid that it was rot settled yet, and he gibed at tbe Premier for putting so much stress upon this matter, when he (the Premier) had to. answer for drawing 30s per day travelling allowance for 42 days ho was travelling in a steamer found by the public, even to a doctor on board, and used by the Premier wfceu on the trip to fit him for the coming session. He designated this "insatiable greed," and said more would be hoard about it. Concluding, he had a fling at some of his fellow-membars, saying j in effect that the criticism that had ; been directed at himself and colleagues — who were prepared to do their dufcy and take tbeir share in criticism of the administration — might well be diverted against those members who put in their time ?->■> ~k inf? and read'Dg, nnd generally acting like puppets at tbe dictation of the Ministry of the day. (Loud applause). Mr Fishor asked his hearers not to b 8 disturbed by the opprobrium that was being heaped on tbe new party. Ihe fact was that both parties resented anything coming between them, and the criticism WBnt to show thafc the New Liberals were rncognised as a force they did not like. He said whafc were wanted were men who valuer! then principles more than the £300. The voucher incident, he said, tha country was fairly tired of, but he affirmed thafc there was jobbery going on all round the country. He used the term of "miserable peculation," and the handing out of tbo taxpayers' money in £50 and £100 here and thero. Had he time, he said, he could noinfc out a very neat little pi fco cf jobbery that took place here in Nelson, and it would be pointed out in the right place. He then referred to the Canadian system cf keeping and publishing the public accounts in a lucid and detailed manner, and claimed thafc if a legislator wished the sight of any pubic document or voucher thafc he should be able to obtain at once without any humbug, and so satisfy himself as representative of the people. It should not require a criminal court case or a Royal Commission to settle so small a matter. In coonclusion he asserted

that daylight wanted to be let into tbirige. (Applause.).. Mr LaufenSoh devoted his remarks mainly to;the incidence of tax.it.iou, tbe land '^question, and education, but in'his'opening he had somethirg to say in justification of the new patty, and showed no disposition to rate ;its influence lightly. lhe clamor that had greeted the formation of the party he regarded as the birth throes of a new P a W *? r reform and purity, and he stated his conviction that a large proportion ot the 45,000 voters who for the first time would exercise a vote this year would bo found on their side. He acknowledged tbat some of the things they assailed were small in i themselves, but so, he ssid, was the action of John Hampden in refusing 'to pay ship money, and yet how far I reaching the result; and he con-, tended thnt they were working notj so much for their day and generation, as for those to follow. He then ' touched upon the incidence of taxa- ; tion, quoting figures to prove that the burden fell upon the shoulders of the workers, who, through tbe inequitable system of Customs taxation, were paying on a low computa tion (figures were given) at least 11 per cent on an income of £130 per annum, compared with 4J4 per cent by the man of n thousand a year allowing equal families and double quantity of everything to the rich man. He claimed that this was out of all reason, and 2y 3 millions of the eeven millions (round figures) 'of total revenue came from Customs. With regard to tho land he urged such a progressive land tax being imposed as to make impossible the existence of a landed aristocracy in our democracy. In conclusion he said that the four members of the party would he hoped be able to pay Nelson another visit before the session ended and "have a real good time." (Applause.) Questions were invited, but none being forthcoming, the Chairman read a motion expressing approval of the aims and legislative programme of the New Liberal party, and wishing it success in Parliament and at the approaching general election. Mr T. Brough moved the motion read by the Chairman, and Mr J. M. Calder seconded it. On a show of hands being taken the majority of those present voted for the motion, and the Chairman declared it carried unanimously, omitting, however, to ask for those who disagreed to show their hands. This called forth a protest from one part of the hall that the meeting was not by any means unanimous. [Our report of the second meeteng is crowded out of ihis ipsue,]