REFORM CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1189, 26 July 1911, Page 9

REFORM CAMPAIGN

MR. FISHER AT BROOKLYN, ■A STRIKING RESOLUTION. Mr. P. M. B. Fisher, M.P., addressed q gathering of electors at Brooklyn last ■.•evening, Mrs. Conzens presided. Mrs. Couzens said that tho meeting was convened by tho Women's Branch of the Political Reform League, which had entered on a crusade which it was hoped would assist to bring about a better state of things in the government of the country. (Applause.) A change was very needful. (Applause.) Mr. Jnsher was one of their most able speakers, and was recogliiicd as one of their-groatest fighters. He would fight shoulder to shoulder with their own- member, Mr. Wright. She also uoted- with pleasure the large number ot women present. Mr.; fisher, who was received with lmid upplausc, ■ opened with a eulogy of Mr. \\. F. Masscy, 'Loader of tho Opposition and of the party of which he was at the head. His remarks that the time was ripo for a change, and that the Reform party were quite capable of taking over the r&ins of goveriimout, and had proved their value to the country, were received with loud applause. In outlining the Opposition's platform, ho said that one of their planks was financial reform. This, however, must not be construed into moaning a- complete cessation of borrowing. Their complaint was in regard to the wasteful administration and exravagant expenditure of public money. Regarding land matters, Sir James Carroll's own figures recently had shown that under the Government administration there was aggregation of estates;'and, in spite of the Government's assertions to the contrary and their boast about their land policy, reaggregation was going on.

The Tramway Bill. Ho desired particularly to deal with the Tramway.-Bill. In his opinion the Bill was a good one, but defective in parts. This was one of the results ol' 'the system of party Government, because they had to swallow part? they did not like to get that which they did like. If the City Council had been wise_ they would have considered the regulations, and objected to those which they did not believe to be in the interests of th« tramways. If the Government then tried to ram, the regulations down their throats, the Council would have been justified in calling a meeting ol protest, instead of that, the course adopted has been to utilise the suggested regulations, which w.ere marked confidential, for political purposes, "and electioneering reasons, and this was one of the great disadvantages .of having politicians on the City Council. The Bill contained some good, clause*, one of them being that which conferred un Appeal Board. . .

Defence. . Mr: Fisher then went on to refer to the recent defence legislation. The volunteer ej'stem had been a good one/ under firstclass men they had had in the past—or, under a man like General Godley. But, unfortunately, men became promoted for political' reasons, and not for efficiency, lien were turned out of the service becausi) they displayed 100 much energy. The authorities concerned did not want anyone with fresh ideas and energy. What they wanted were political machines and not. fighting machines. He recalled the cost of the old system and the alternative that faced them of cither continuing an inefficient system or increasing the cost and having a good anil efficient one. Now they had youths coming forward and sayiug they would not enroll and : be murderers. If it was only to instil discipline into the youth of the Dominion, the system would be a good oiie.' He said' if blame were attached to anyone for the Act, it. must be to the whole of tho Parliament, because tho Bill went through practically unanimously. Financj. Mr. Fisher then referred to the Government's administration,, tho , increase,.ill. 1 borrowing, and the increase in taxes. Living was also increasing in cost. The, reckless expenditure was nullifying the benefits, of the. prosperity of .the people. Ho showed how ; Sir Joseph Ward had departed from his early declaration when he followed Mr. Ballaiice as Colonial Treasurer, viz., that borrowing must cease. It had , hecome important instead for the Government to lavish expenditure in districts to exert influence iHth the electors. This "sovereignitis" (expenditure of largo votes) became a moro conspicuous complaint as elections drew near. The unauthorised offer of the Dreadnought, and, more recently, an offer by. tho Prime Minister to pay half the cost of a wireless telegraph station at Singapore—the six Australian States paying the oilier halfwere deprecated. Evidences of, lavish and needless expenditure were given. Ho further dealt with tho necessity of keep-' ing tho Supreme Court judges free from political influences, and also- the magistrates. He was pleased to see that a resolution had been passed at Stratford thanking Mr. Hinc for his service to the country: It was sometimes' glibly paid that Mr. Hine's charges had failed, but although one or two had failed eight or nine were proven, a.nd on tho motion of the' Prime Minister himself a vote of censure had bean passed on a sitting member of the House. Ho spoke in terms of highest praise of Mr. Hine's action in fating opposition and abuse and coming forward with his charges. The Most Pressing Need. A resolution was carried unanimously as follows:—'.'That-this meeting . thank!? Mr. Fisher for his able address, and also •xpress-es the opinion that the most pressIng duty of the electors to-day is to secure the removal of tho Ward Administration from office."

MR. NINE, M.P., THANKED. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) Stratford, .Inly 25. At the conclusion of an address to his constituent* here last night by Mr. J. B. Hine, the following resolution was passed:—"That Mr. Hino bo thanked for his interesting address and for his services to the constituency and the country."