THE LIBERAL AND LABOUR FEDERATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9112, 18 December 1907, Page 1

THE LIBERAL AND LABOUR FEDERATION.

ATTITUDE OF THE PREMIER. THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION. AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY BILL. pTBOM OnS C-O&RESFOHDINT.] WELLINGTON, December 17. Sir Joseph Ward was in good form at the Town Hall last night, when he was entertained by the , Wellington branch of the Liberal and Labour Federation. Amongst the subjects touched upon by him in the course of a fairly lengthy address^ were the Liberal; and" Labour federation and the next general election. In speaking about, the Federation Sir Josepn said the change in administration had disorganised the Society to a certain extent, and it was only in the process of time that it could regain its former position, not only in returning members of- Parliament but in the moulding of public opinion. In consequence of the change of administration it was impossible for him (the Premier) to give as much time to the affairs of the Federation as he would have liked. The change meant a great deal of work and a great deal of application. The Government had to see, above and beyond all, that the principles which the Federation was anxious to see carried out were not allowed to flag in the political arena itself. He was glad that the work done by Parliament had commended itself to them. The Government asked them to .judge it by its accomplishments in this direction. There were some people who hoped, that the Government might make serious mistakes, and, under the circumstances, it was gratifying to realise that the people recognised that the legislation which had been put upon the Statute Book was valuable to them as a community, and that it was calculated to enable the country to attain a stronger position than it occupied today in evehy way. The Government had not swerved from a well-defined policy. Every branch of legislation touched upon was intended to assist and develop this oouiitry. In the realisation of this ideal the Government, 'he said, had made a very drastic change in the land laws' of the dominion. It was futile for those opposed to the change to believe that they could stem the current of public opinion. This country would not allow the excrescences which had arisen in the Old Land in connection with land administration to operate here. (Applause.) It was not conducive to the best interests of New Zealand that any man should be allowed to accumulate huge areas of land. Business men in the s towns, the > working man, the. commercial man, clerks and Government employees would find that it was in their truest interests that there should be increased settlement, increased production and increased exports. These things would be brought about by the Act passed last session. He congratulated the.Federation on the good work it had done duriing the year. With men like Mr 'Winder and Mr Arnpld at the head of affaire, it would gradually and surely extend its influence. Sir Joseph said he also desired \to acknowledge the good work which was being done by the secretary (Mr" Gallachin). The orr -ganisation" was' as necessary;' and more so to-day than had ever before been the case in'the political life of the country. He was afraid they were going to have too many candidates at the next general election. That was a weakness which was not unnatural. He felt that it would be 'necessary for them to assist their friends on their own side and to make a true selection of the men they wanted to carry on the Parliamentary work of New Zealand. Next session of Parliament it would be necessary to make an alteration in the existing electoral law. They could not allow a man to be put on merely to split votes. No one objected to a man being beaten where the combat was a fair trial of strength, and where the majority deinred. a particular candidate ,to be rev.urned, but what they did object to, I and did not want, wae to be defeated in an election by a process of slipping in on the part of the minority. For that -reason he was persuaded it was the duty of the Government to insure that a majority of the people, and a majority only, would rule. If the Government did that it would minimise the weakness, which had been a visible trouble in days gone by, just as it was to-lay. After saying this, the public would realise that next session Parliament, was not simply going to sit and put through the Estimates. By the time Parliament was due to assemble ample room would have been provided for carrying on the work of the session, i and fcr dealing, with some important measur3S. He ' sincerely hoped the i Liberal and Labour Federation would go on increasing its members, and that ' it would not expect Parliament to per- ' form impossibilities. . The Government . could not go in advance of public' opinion. To do so would be only playing into the hands of its enemies.