POLITICAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8953, 12 June 1907, Page 4

POLITICAL.

THE HON G. FOWLDS AT GREY LYNN. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June 11. The Hon G. Fowlds delivered a lengthy speech to his constituents at Grey Lynn to-night. There was a big gathering, and Mr Fowlds's political opponent at last election, Mr John Fan-ell, presided. Mr Farrell paid a tribute to Mr Fowlds's character for integrity and high purpose. Mr Fowlds said he thought the country would agree that all members of ttie Cabinet were imbued with the idea of serving their country to the best of their ability, and that they were men of earnestness and thoroughness. (Applause.) There were few, if any, people in New Zealand who wore not proud of the position which Sir Joseph Ward had won for himself in connection with th© Imperial Conference. (Applause.) Sir Joseph had expressed this colony's views on all questions before the conference witn clearness and foroefulness, and when he recognised that the British Government would not accede to seme points he did not say nasty things, but directed his attention to more practical methods, and a large amount of the more practical portion of the work of the conference was due to him. (Applause.) Ho (Mr Fowlds) had occasion recently to criticise some of the other members of tho conference, and he know his statements had met with hostile criticism, but those who knew him would know he did not wait to consider whether a statement would meet with approval or not. He first made up his mind that a thing was right and required to be said, and then he said it. (Applause.) He had nothing to regret and nothing to take back on" that criticism. He was an. Imperialist a<nd he believed in a great destiny for the British Empire, and wanted to see the influence and (strength of that Empire consolidated, for lie believed the British Empire was the greatest force in the world to-day making for peace and justice, for liberty and progress and righteousness. He was anxious to see the power and influence extended, but what he was afraid of was that if they had a reputation at future conferences for the tone adopted by some delegates there would soon be a feeling at Home that England could not be bothered with the colonies. People at Home would get tired if the colonies tried to force them to adopt something they believed to be inimical to the interest of tho country. "What we have to look out for," he said, "is that we maintain unimpaired our own independence of action. We must be ready to grant the same liberty to the people of the old country." (Applause.) He was sure everyone in the colony would join in regretting the illness of the ActingPremier, Mr Hall-Jones, and in hoping that he might soon be restored to health. (Applause. Mr Hall-Jones was one of the most painstaking and able administrators New Zealand ever had, and it' would be a severe loss if the colony were deprived of hie services for a lengthened period. (Applause.) Mr Fowlds said that in the Governor's Speech and the Financial Statement several important reforms were outlined which had since been effected. Amongst these wa6 the provision of sinking funds for some of the old and unproductiveloans, and last y-ear out -of ordinary revenue £39,950 was provided. Then there was an item that had stood for years before the present party came into office, £700.000 on debentures, and £150.000 was paid off that. (Applause.) Certain works carried out by the Public Works Department more in the nature of maintenance than new work had always been charged to loan, and some members contended this should he charged to revenue. The reply to that was that so long as they were transferring large sums from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund, tho money was not really paid out of loan. Still, a« a matter of proper bookkeeping, it was better to charge this to revenue, and last year all similar minis had bee<! paid out of revenue. Practically .all these reforms had been, advocated by different members of the Ministry. Tho leader 'if the Opposition said these proposals were bis. and took credit for them, but his (Mr Fo-wlds-') opinion was that if the devil himself was leader of the Opposition, he would bo found preaching rightemifiiiess. The chances were, however, that if the Opposition got into pnwor it would Bay tho time was inopportune for reforms. In connection, with tho Department of Education, lie was very plea.s?d wl'en ho get the House to agree to free education fro>m the primary schools to the University. (Applause.) Under the present condition'? of administrntron secondary schools were not as formerly practically the preserves of the wealthy, made ec by t&o heavy fees extorted, but a bright girl or b;y could now, by means of proficiency certificates, pass on and receive seorndary education free of charge. In regard to technical cduc.'tirui several j years, ago- when he entered Parliament ! the total cum spent in that direction i was £2296, and at that time it was generally regarded thnt New Zealand ' was a long way behind the most pro I gressivo countries. The system and ■ vote had since been encTinously px- j tended. Technical and continuation ' classes last 3 r ear numbered 1173, the j Gchoa-1 classes receiving manual instruc- i tion and teaching in cookery tctallrd j 3539, the number of students holding I free places in Tecl->nic:;il Schools a,sgve- j gated 15,051, an:l the tat;l expend tw-e ! amounted to £63,186. In view o>f the- : rapid development of technical education and improvements made in educa- .; tion in other directions, the Govern- j ment had sent its inspector general on : a tour of other countries to examine [ their methods, «nd he (Mr Fcwl-ds) anticipated great advantages to colonial education as a result.. He alsomet the attacks of critics against the " School ' Journal " recently brought oufc by the Department, and expressed the opinion that the introduction of the journal into the schools would be accompanied by extensive benefits, while it would get over the difficulty of the heavy cost of school books to parents. In the early days of settlement endowments were made in Canterbury and Ota.trp, but at the present time stern opposition was offered. " The basis of the oppesikm I don't quite understand,'.' ho said, " but I am inclined to think that now the democracy is entering into their own, and when we democratise the secondary '. schools the wealthy classes consider : there is not so much value in endow- i meiitfi as when they themselves had a monopoly of them. (Laughter.) Re- >. ferring to public health, the Minister remarked that the prompt and effective i manner in which the local staff of the j Health Department set about combat- I ing the recent outbreak of disease in ■ Auckland justified the existence of the , Department. It showed, too, that an j oflieer working independently of a Iceal authority was more likely to deal fear-le-.-ly with ail owners of insanitary premises than an officer controlled by the j local authority. Although a succession | of prosperous years had lately been experienced, last year had been exerptitnal, notwithstanding the payments out of ordinary revenue which ! lie. had mentioned, and the additional expenditure. The leader of the Oppofiition had frequently stated that the speaker was the. real author of the Land Bill, that he was the strong man of the Minis'ry, tho power behind the throne, and in fact tho tail that. wagged the dog. (Laughtor.) He often wondered whether Air Ma.ssey believed these .statements himself. (Laughter.) Those present knew him and his opinions too well to think ho was the author of tho Laud Bill, and no believed Mr Massey knew better. It wafi reminiscent of one of Barry Pain s «tories, in which a weak old missionary confused by Herbert Spencer's _ { arguments of an unbeliever, said, '' Well, perhaps you're right. I've been SO I

busy teaching others I haven't had time to learn milch myself." Mr Maesey | called him a Socialist, a single-taxer ! and a land nationalist. There was such ; a wide difference between these things that he didn't see how he could be all at once. Mr Massey had held him up as 1 a " bogey man," especially in country districts amongst the farmers. iur | Maosey threatened that the Land Bill i would never be passed unless he was ! ' first carried out of the House. That j was the threat of an Anarchist. It ! meant that whether the majority or : ! members were in favour or hoc, Mr j I Massey would set up a persistent stone- | I wall until he was carried out on a j : stretcher. That was hardly the position for the leader of the Ox^posuion to ; take up, especially when he had main- | ! tamed for years 'that Parliament was ' : capable of dealing with tho land ; '. question, and had denounced the : , Land Commkeion as useiets and mi- j necessary. Last election altered j Parliament a great deal, and therefore, iv Mr M-arasey's opinion, tho present Parliament wa« not ao competent to deal with the L«nd Bill, but Parliament and the Government Mould do its duty, even if it became necessary to carry out Mr Massey. (Laughter and applause.) Undoubtedly there j was a g; 00^ d^ °f genuine opposition : in the Auckland district, and it was >ail i to the effect that no Bill would be satisfactory which did not contain the .option oi the freehold. The fact was that an optional ciauee was in the Land Bill. It was true that the operation, of option was considerably restricted, because of j the large endowments proposed, but •. : the Bill proposed that the millions of : acres of Native lands should be opened j under the optional eyetem, and what Parliament had to decide was whether ■■ it would agree to the endowments. A ' good deal "of opposition in Auckland ! was duo entirely to misrepresentation. j lliere had been uirect statement and I innuendo that the Bill was an attack on the freehold already existing. There Mas not the sligJiti est justification for that, except the £50,000 limitation clause. (A , Voice: "Too much."). Yes, it was 1 probably too nu;e:i, but Mr Massey and i his party dared net take up a position of out-ihd-out opposition to that, and that was the only direction m wlucn the Bill infringed upon the fullest right to the freehold, end to the general community that could be nothing but a fair propcvsition . . . Mr Fow-lcu? concluded by referring to a number of lc-tvl matters, and the usual vote of thames van accorded.