THE.REFORM CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1183, 19 July 1911, Page 8

THE.REFORM CAMPAIGN

POINTS FROM SPEECHES, Ono of 'ho questions put to Mr. Buick at liis meeting on Monday night in I'almorston was whether ho bail not said in tho Houso that working men were a lot of fools. Mr. Buick made a telling reply. The incident, lie said, ivas us follows:—Mr. T. I], Taylor had compared a successful fanner with au unsuccessful engineer, and asked how it was so many farmers died rich men? He (Air. Buick) replied, "perhaps it was brains." Mr. Taylor had twisted this into his having said that tho artisans had no brains. "How could I say such a. thing?" said Mr. Buick. "I come from a class from which tho best artisans were produced. My father was a carpenter, and my grandfather was a sailor. It was only an accident that 1 am uot an artisan myself."

Mr. Fisher's Hastings meeting was a very gooil one. The Ministerialist organ records that it terminated with cheers for the speaker. In tho course of his speech, Mr. i'isher referred to Mr. Buddo's attitude ou the Kacing Commission's report, and, according to tho "Ilawke's Bay Herald," proceeded as follows:—"Tho future, Mr. liuddo had said, lay in the lap of the gods, and there was no telling what would happen. Who were tho gods? There wis only one god that tho Government worshipped, and its name was Office. (A Voice: Oh, give us some politics.) The interrupter, Mr. Fisher said, would get. some politics, and might get somo culture, too. (Laughter.) Where were the gods, he repeated. (A voice: On tho platform.) He had never known ho was to near divinity before. (Laughter;) Tim god of finance" was steaming somewhere on the Meditsrranean.'nud the god of humbug had gone to Germany. When they eanio back they would do as they always did—bend like willows to tho strongest wind that blew. In his opinion only those men should bo sent to Parliament who had strong convictions, and were prepared to stand by them. Thb paltry, system had its disadvantages, but lie hod found, after four years in Parliament as an Independent member, that there were difficulties that it would be impossible to overcome without that system. Why was it, he asked, that while New Zealand was becoming more prosperous tho more it borrowed, tho more its people were taxed, and the greater became the cost of living? Where wero the increased profits on the Dominion's produce going to? (A voice: Monopoly.) The" worst monopoly the country had known was tho monopoly of government for twenty years by the members of tho present Ministry. The late Johii Ballaace hnd advocated a self-reliant policy. (A voice: John's dead.) Yes, and if he were alive to see the present condition of tilings he would die again."

In tho course of an effective address at Oliau on Saturday night, Mr. Monckton, tho Reform candidate for tho Otaki seat,' made a lengthy reference to the. Cook Islands scandal. In tho course of his criticisms upon this matter, Mr. Monckton dealt with the secret character of tho Chief Justice's inquiry, and added: "These secret umyjiries were un-British to tho last degree, and degrading to the liigli office of out Supreme Court Judges. Sir Eobert' Stout, however, had held an inquiry into the death of tho murdered man before referred to, and from this evidence it was clear that tW European inhabitants of tho islands obtain largo quantities of spirits and beer, that some assemble .regularly for a' weekly drunk, that tho .enforcement of the law regarding liqupr trading is .a farce, that the brewing and drinking of native beer lias spread to an appalling extent—and all this in three years! There was only one remedy, said the speaker, and that was a full inquiry by an independent Itoyal Commission, open to the public, with evidence 011 oath, and report to Parliament, not a Minister. He thought, if this wevo done, it would bring to light a festering sore that would shock the people of Now Zealand."

Mr. W. C. Buchanan, M.P., has been very._busy in the,. Wairarapa and neighbouring districts, delivering "political -addresses, and the bad weather which has attended some of his meetings has daunted neither, himself nor,his audiences. Last Wednesday he addressed a. gathering at Langdale, and although the night was extremely , wet and cold, there was a good attendance and a most cordial reception.