The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1893. The Ministerial Address

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4675, 20 June 1893, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1893. The Ministerial Address

The Liberals of Christchurch who Jast night crowded the Tuam street Hall to listen to the Hon W. P. Reeves, were rewarded by bearing a masterly address, brimful of matter, instinct with true Democratic feeling, and thoroughly up to date in all that pertains to progressive legislation in New Zealand. From the opening sentences to the vote of confidence at the close, meeting and speaker were in complete accord, and all the points scored by Mr Reeves in his criticism of recent Opposition speeches were heartily appreciated by the audience. Naturally, the address dealt more with the immediate past than with the future. A Government that has for two years been engaged in earnest legislative work, and has effected changes of vaßt importance with tbe greatest success, is not in the position of a soldier who i 3 about to don his armour. It rather is like one who has i passed through the thickest of the fray, who 1 has achieved victory, and who is entitled ( to rest awhile from bis labours and sum ' up the results achieved. The vindication c of the Government policy that Mr Reeves last night put forward was complete and unanswerable, and the Opposition critics were left "frying in tbeir own fat." In an address delivered on the eve of the last , seßßion of an expiring Parliament, no reasonable person would expect a comprehensive statement of Ministerial policy or a long list of new legislative measures. The present Parliament has pretty well fulfilled the purpose for which it was elected ; it will, indeed, have completely i done so if it should pass in satisfactory form several measures that were either - mutilated or dropped last session throngh the action of the Legislative Council. The presentation of a fresh programme is matter for after consideration when the Ministry and members will return to the constituencies and ask for a mandate as to their f nture course. And yet the addreEs of tbe Minister last night was by no meanß barren in promise of future legislation. There was no lack of proposals designed to place labour on a more equitable footing before the law than it now occupies, and the large audience gave warm signs of approval of the legislation that was foreshadowed by the Minister as supplying work for several years to come. On the question of educational reform, too, Mr Reeves bad something to promise, on tbe lines of the Liberal Association demand for the opening of the seco-dary schools and University Colleges to all sections of tbe community. Personally, Mr Reeves J has every reason to be satisfied with his j ] cordial reception last night, and the manner in which the amendment with t regard to tbe direct veto question was ' withdrawn constitutes a pleasing testi- ( mony to the general confidence felt in the ] Minister for Education and Labour, no t less than in tho Government of which he forms part. The electors, in' fact, have echoed his sentiment that no apology is required for the Government, and most of them, we believe, would look upon his earnest adjuration to unity as being super- /■ fluous advice, in their present temper. _ j The warning, however, is none tbe less a useful at a time when the enemy iB using i all his" wiles to sow distrust and division * in the Liberal ranks, and as the elections ( draw nearer, that warning will require to ( be heeded and acted upon. . I I