CANTERBURY LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5057, 17 September 1894, Page 2

CANTERBURY LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

The second annual general meeting wm held in Hobba'a Building ow Friday evening. The President was unavoidably absent, and Mr J. Nancarrow was v<7fced to the chair. The report dealt exhaustively with the suspension of meetings and work during the last few months, and with various other matters. It stated 1 , fatcr alia, that the Association was f orated alittle over two years ago for the purpose or enrolling electors, selecting candidates 1 for Parliament and securing their return, assisting the establishing of simifiw, societies, and to do everything to pro* pagate Liberal principles by holding: public meetings and spreading Liberal literature. The Association has held over tbijty paWio meetings in various parts of Canterbury, and distributed many thousand "circulars, leaflets and pamphlets, and the results have been most gratifying, Similar associations were formed from Waimate to Lyfctelton, and from there to Araberley, and these associations have done good eerrioe to the party. Attar organising tbeir forces they were able in every case to select a candidate and to secure his return; in faot.a Liberal of Borne shade was elected for every seat in the province, a result never before achieved, and the Canterbury members- have proved to be the backbone of the Liberals in tho Houee. For this the Association 1 may claim some '■ credit. The Association strongly advocated the stoppage of the sale of Crown lands,, and the adoption of the perpetual lease, with revaluation and has made several representation* to the Government upon this subject, but np to the present without effect. Further agitation upon- this question is urgently required. The Government was- also earnestly requested to appoint a royal commission to make every inquiry into the advisability of establishing a State Bank oßlssue, and this request met with the same fate. Eeoent bank legislation has, however, trended in this direction, and it can only be a matter of time when the State will control the note issue of the colony. The Association was more successful in dealing with old age pensions and the tariff reform. The committee aßked for in both cases some twelve months ago was Bet up this year, but its reports .will be too lata for any. change being made this session. This is greatly to be j regretted, aa hundreds of the workers are buffering great hardships through the delay in these two reforms. Dealing with eduoation, the .Association has advocated one system— primary, secondary, and University education, under. one governing body, and with one complete set of book* for the colony. This would enable the scholar to go right through free, it would prevent overlapping, and enable the teachers to beoome the professors, and all fees to be abolished. This matter will '< tax the energies of the Association to the* utmost. Together with other bodies, the Association has . assisted to urge theGovernment and the Midland Railway Company to arrange matters at an early date to enable the East and West Coattt Bailway to proceed. Our united efforts in this direction are, .at: last,, likely to b» suoorsaful. On the enfranchisement of the women of the colony, arrangements were at once made to register their names not only i ft Christchurch, but in the surrounding districts—the committee themselves taking a most active part — andsome three thousand naineß were added to the rolls. The women formed a strong section of: the Association, and during the election as well as tb» registration proved ofr great service. The proposed extension of the municipal franchise to householder* has made little or no progress. A limitation of votes is proposed in the Government- Bill. Great reform ia urgently needed, in this direction. The report, in oonolueion,.pointedout ramy reforms that are needed, and urged upon the members the necessity, for renewed, activity.— The balance-sheet and report were unanimously adopted, and nominations received for the positions of officers and committee, and- the election fixed to plaoe on Friday, Sept. 21, in ttobba* Buildings.—After, the ÜBual votes of thank*, the meeting adjourned.