MR G. J. SMITH AT THE CHORAL HALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7147, 11 July 1901, Page 1

MR G. J. SMITH AT THE CHORAL HALL.

. Mr G. J. h Smitii addressed a fair meeting of 'electors at the Choral Hall last night, Mr J. T. Smith presiding. •

Mr G. J. Smith, who received a hearty reception on rising, before proceeding to his address proper, expressed . his sympathy, with Mr and Mrs. A. E. G. .Rhodes in the sad bereavement which 'had taken them soufchi 'Mr Rhodes had proved himself an excellent Mayor during his term of office, and : hcwl done credit to the. city. He.bespoke the sympathy \ofr the meeting fer. the -M^yor and Mayoress!. Referring to his candidature, he said that while many of- them . differed from Mr LewHsin his policy and views of adAiinistraiion-, the late member had still been a genial man and a painstaking member. .He himself, was standing for the. vacancy at the' solicitation of many friends, and only oh account of his friend MrT E. Taylor' having been unable to contest the seat. Mr Smith referred to the long -period of "prosperity which the colony .had enjoyed,*. an& which >he hoped- wouldcontiriue. tfi&dei had' gone forward by leaps and, bounds, and this was a condition of affairs" upon which he could heartily congratulate them. Much of this prosperity was due to the Government's live land policy, which he had; been- pleased to support: He would continue to support it, and to work for its extension. The pursuance of this policy had necessitated an increase of the public debt, but for every £ so. added they had the 'asset of the land behind. The assets we're paying good interest on the money invested. He had in the past strongly supported a revaluation ekuse in Crown -leases, and detailed 1 at some length Ms attitude on this matter, an attitude which 'had resulted in his exclusion, from the caucuses of the Great Liberal Party. MrSmith next referred to Industrial Legislation on the lines of ; his address as already reported. Incidentally, while referring to the Industrial and Conciliation Act, he paid a high tribute to the unbiassed attitude of Mr Justice Cooper in the Arbitration Court. . The conciliation part of the Act hatd -hardly been so satisfactory in Christchurch, inasmuch as the decisions arrived at 'had- jbeen too hasty.. He thought dis- j putes would be settled more rapidly and better if. the Con-cdliation Board were done away with, and questions were referred directly to the Arbitration Court. Referrifig to Federation, he I expressed the opinion that to have joined the scheme would have meant, throueb stress of circumstances and the overwhelming power of the proportionate vote, the making of our cities mere suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney, and the turning of . our colony into a, purely agricultural country.. Speaking. on the Eight Hours Bill, he stated that a. report was 1 in circulation to the effect that (he had opposed the passing of the Eight Hours Bill when in the House, and had also attempted to rob the workers of payment for overtime. This 'he gave an emphatic and unqualified denial, and a reference to "Hansard" would support him in this. As a matter of fact, he- had absolutely drafted an amendment which would have secured to &very worker, payment for any time worked in excess of eight hours, and at -the. same time safeguarded the rate of overtime secured by any trade by custom or award of any Court. He regretted this rumour, -and all he wanted in contesting the seat was a fair fight. (Applause.) He would,, if returned, do Ms very best to gefc an Eight Hours Bill upon the Statute Book. If any elector wanted a more unqualified promise than, ttha-t he was prepared to sign it ' if the> elector would wordl it and bring it along. Mr Smith next referred to the questions of. Master and Apprentice, Elective Executive, Referendum, Initiative and Reform of the Legislative Council in terms of his addresses at previous; centres during the -week. He noticed* that the Referendum Bill was again before the House, as a Government measure, but without the Initiative. He hoped that both would become law before the session closed. On the subject of education be reiterated the, opinion that tbe Government should provide a larger, capitation grant for the primary schools. He emphasised his opposition to any alteration that would in any way tend to break up the present national system. On the question cf denominationalisnf he wished it to .be understood that he would in no way support it. He still held that the present old age pension scheme should be made, universal in its application, subject only to qualifications of age, residence and good character. Regarding the licensing question he stood firm for the right of the people to settle the matter at the ballotbox. His attitude was absolutely unchanged, from what it had been in the past, and he would strenuously oppose any proposal to extend tihe time between the taking of the licensing polls. With reference to the Trades and Labour Council, while in favour of unionism as against disorganised 1 labour, he thought that both sides should play fair/ He did not think that labour should claim the right to run a* candidate solely in the- labour interest. The- workers already had two representatives in the House for Ghrietchurch, &n& ha thought that

the otbiv portions of the community had a right a'so to represcm.-u.ic.--.!. : H.g past record in the House vns :t":cj) p.s should have won him t-lve confidence of the Tildes and Labour Council, and lie was glad to knovv that he had the support of mrray Uiivnn-ists and workers r.ut>it<3e ihe wishes of the Trades and Labour C|oiincil. If the fact of his being nn employ^-'were to be a bar to bis election it meant- {that I all ambition to 'serve the colony would have to bs given up by anyone who showed an aptituds for' business, a,nd Avas a. bar to any worker's sort ever ' stepping from the ranks of manual labour. If honoured*with ft return o-f their confidence he woiild g(« : »ick to Wellington as an Independent Libaal. , He wouM support each measures- a^h 3 conceived to be in the btest interest^l'iot the colony, and he thought that h^. '^uld j do just • »s good work for the consti|ii^|oy as any other candidate for election. :*T^re had, been a marked improvement in railway matters, owing to a bnsine?s man/? being placed at .the head of afj^airs, and the pTinciple should be applied 'to the selection of members of the House. Concluding ;>Mr Smith said that -if ekcted he would dofhis best m the interests of the colony ara^ of the community, and' he would promiskflkb at any rate, the charge' of ha\nng'».yp|ed selfishly should never be brought a^iawst him. '.'■',.' ■ • • ; \.;p ' Having spoken for an hour Mr iSjjirah stated his willingn«ss to answer quest-ip||. In reply to tnese, he stated that he|jftvvoured "a raising, of the old age penlipn to 10s, and, if possible, withoxrfc beini^too heavy a; burden, a reduction of the _|^&:to sjxty; he favoured the paying of r%p^. r wage to school teachers, and the nat|rai<pisation of coalmines if the opening offv|ti*h Government mines were not practi^fle. He did not think a compulsory Ratiflpf n Unimproved Value Act should be ,p3^^, inasmuch as present legislation pro^did for tlie imposition of such a tax a|3V||| option of the ratepayers. He opposffl|^ raising of the members' honorariuiri^.tfip furth-er sale of the freehold of Crown ]s§m> the establishment of a State bank.^|]3e favoured the supplying of the lat*>st;^i|ibooks to volunteer officers and nonSQOiiamissionsd officers, with a view to unirasttni-t-y. He wais absolutely opposed to Sffl|y work in any shape. He would no.Kiiw' voiir an amendment of the Shop Assi^in]ra Act 'to provide Jhat when a public ho*lpa|r/ fell iii any week the statutory half-hjDjjcjfty^ should still be observed. ■£"■*■£&.• Mr.T. E.»TayloT moved—" That .^hW; meeting appreciates Mr G. J. Smith's ■>»ss& sisbent Parliaanentary services from ,^^s| to 1899, and, after hearing his views^n^ fehe political issues now before the counffl^vl is of opinion that the best interests oflpfijj| city can be safely entrusted to :hinX(^^|| therefore pledges itself to support bint; <^|| July ; 18." •■■.-■■. • ■ • ' #f| : § Mr W. J. Brooker seconded the r^lu^. tion, which was carried unanimously^ |p