LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 150, 6 July 1901, Page 3

LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

TRENCHANT SPEECH BY ME ROSS. The monthly meeting of the Cook County Liberal Association was held last night, the President (Mr E. P. Joyce) being in the chair. @ LOCAL BODIES. Mr A. Y. Ross moved : " That Govern'ment be asked that the Local Government Bill provide for the following matters :—- 1. “That the fact of rates being in arrear should not be a disability from voting at local elections, as it affects the poorer classes in favor of the rich. 2. “ That one person one vote be a cardinal principle, absentees to have no votes, and agents of companies to have only one vote, including their own (if any).

8. " That it bo the duty of the Audit Department to see that all borrowed moneys are spent according to the schedules on which they are borrowed.” In ltoad Board districts, the mover said, a poor man in arrears was not only penalised by a ten per cent addition, but was deprived o;' the right to vote though the rates were still a charge on the property, and the result was that only men with good hanking accounts got into control. Then instead of special loans being spent as per schedule, on which ratepayers had pledged their properties, it was spent round lawn tennis courts and such pleasure grounds. In his own locality, he said, they could not get the money expended in the way they had beenjed to expect. Several members spoke in support of the motion, winch was carried unanimously.

IIKI-UESKUTATION ON" LOCAL IIoDILS. Mr Loss then moved, in accordance with notice: “That this Association in future take an active part in all local government elections by nominating and supporting Liberal candidates for seats on all local bodies Municipal Council, County Council, Harbor Hoard, Load Hoards, Domain Hoards, Hospital Hoard, Charitable Hoard, School Committees,

etc.” Speaking in support of the motion, Mr Koss said : —One gentleman hinted that my proposal savored of Tammanyism. I I fool sure my friend neither understands Tammanyism or me, or he would never couple us together. No one would deplore the introduction of Tammanyism into this Association more than I. Tammany - i.sm the nightshade, the foul vulture, the demon that lives upon bribery and corruption, could no more live within the pure atmosphere of Liberalism than a snake could live in the green hills of Ireland, ff it were possible for such a curse to intrude itself within the holy sanctuary of Liberalism, I would he one of tin; first to invoke the aid of the great Irish saint to banish it for ever. You will recollect how in the past the lying, libellous, venal, subsidised Tammany press endeavored to pack the House in Wellington with their Crokers. Their ignominious defeat has paralyzed them. Though scotched, they arc not dead, and, if you support them with your patronage, they will yet rise like noxious weeds in battle array against you. I’ass them by, and, like Maori bugs, they will discharge their noxious exhalations at you. This foul brood of inkslingers are never without a straw in their boot, and, for a paltry advertisement, they would blacken the archangel, and paint the devil white. Bribery, corruption, and a degraded Tress are the tools used in Tammany llall workshops. livery article of our creed is in direct opposition to these practices, nod it is to oppose such that we are associated here. All my proposal aims at, is equality of representation according to numbers on all representative bodies ; in this respect wo are far behind the Mother 1 Country, for nil the elections of the vari- 1 ous boards and County Councils there arc 1 now conducted on tho lines of the throo 1 separate political divisions of the people, 1 and the result of these elections always indicate tho political strength of parties in '• the districts in which they are held. If wo have a moral and legitimate right to nominate and support n candidate to represent us in Wellington we have an equal right and duty to perform in seeing that we arc equally represented on our local bodies. A far-seeing one said, “ Let me have tho administration of the law 1 mul I care not who makes it." Have we

not seen our local bodies spend money contrary to law time after time? Have we , nut seen these bodies let by tender works which were intended to be done on the co-operative system ? Have we not seen an attempt at building a harbor contrary to the meaning of the Act under which the money was borrowed. with the disastrous results you all know uf ? Have we not seen road boards borrow money on schedules of work which were wholly disregarded when the money was got ? Have we not seen favoritism to contractors and men, regardless of . merit? This is a species of Tanimanyism which Liberals should put down with a strong hand. The impartial carrying out of the law is of more consequence than its enactment, and as these bodies are wholly administrative, we should see that we are fairly represented thereon. Are we to admit that though numerically strong wo are mentally weak and unfit to represent ourselves on these subordinate bodies, and yet presume to judge who should represent this progressive district in the highest council in the land ? If it is admitted that Liberalism is a synonym of progress, I am afraid many of us are yet in the swaddling clothes of Liberalism, looking upon every new move 'as a leap in the dark. The X ray of knowledge and the searchlight of reason are not strong enough to penetrate the hard conservative shell that covers some of our mollusk ■ liberals. Do my Liberal friends think that their duty begins and ends in sending a representative to Wellington? How much more potent for good would the voice of our local bodies be in Wellington were it known there to be “ Ghu na slcougli,” the voice of the people ? The local bodies having failed in their duty to the district, caused us on many occasions to go out of our province to initiate that which by right they should have done — notably, the stock track, Gisborne recreation reserve, nationalising of thermal springs, purchase of land for close settlement, sending an expert to report on the Motu bush, and last, if not least, the postollico clock. I have already said that there are four Liberals in Cook County for every Conservative, and yet we find that there are four Conservatives to every Liberal on our local bodies. Take, for example, the Harbor Hoard with nine members and only two Liberals. Now, Sir, I think all must admit that this is not as it should'be, and I have no doubt but all true Liberals, when the time comes, will put up their right hand for the motion, and prove that they have the courage of their opinions by so doing. Continuing, Mr Ross said that lie did not claim that a Liberal should bo supported against a Conservative of greater ability, but he claimed that there were quite as good men on the Liberal side, and that it was useless for them to make further efforts to send Liberal members to Parliament if they did not strive to get a fair share in the representation on the local administrative bodies. The remarks ho had made in regard to the Harbor Hoard had to some extent been modified by events since he had put those thoughts together. All that was wanted was equal representation—there was nothing in his proposal of " spoils to the victors,” or of pecuniary gain. Mr Ryan said that if they were united they should be able to carry anything they liked. Mrs Fox said she was sorry to oppose a motion brought forward by such an energetic member as Mr Ross, but she thought the Association should bo of an educative nature. The whole bedrock of the question was rating. There was an attempt to make settlement on boomed land values. The only solution was to bring about a system by which holders of large areas of land, European or Maori, should have to bear the burden of taxation. To bring the people up to the crying wants of the district they should have a society formed as little as possible on party lines. Mr Maher supported the motion. If a

poor man put up for election every effort was at once made, to shut him out. They had an instance the other day of what

could bo done, by an attempt to make people get now wheels for their drays. The inability to pay workmen for two months by the County Council showed a very bad state of affairs.

Mr Hirrel! said he approved of the motion, but did not think they need yet bring it into active force. As to the charge of Tanmianyistn bo strongly den n-n cd it, and said that if over he said a word in favor of Tammanyism might his tongue blister. The great creed of Liberalism was progression ; if that was good for colonial politics, it was also good for domestic politics, as one was a replica of the other. He did not claim this Association to be an ideal one, but its guiding principle had. always been advocating measures for the good of the community. (Applause.) He went oh to enumerate some of the good works taken in hand by the Association, all of which were advocated for the common good of the community. Tho first clause of the Association’s platform was the perpetuating of Liberal principles. His view was that they should affirm the principle laid down by Mr Ross ; it would be impolitic to put it into practice at present—they should first work up the strength of tho Association, Liberal principles should bo applied in every walk of life. (Applause). Mr Cogar said that theoretically he was at one with the motion, but whether the Association was in a position to take the field and nominate candidates, he doubted. Ho would vote for the abstract principle, but was strongly opposed to acting on it. Though that meeting was advertised in both papers there was only a small number of members present. Who could they nominate of those present ? Voice : Every one.

Mr Cogar said it (would bo absurd to take up the matter unless more life w, cr( s put into tho Association. Thev have Liberal literature attributed thioughout the district, Lectures given, and the Association energised and onlarged.

The Secretary said they should return progressive candidates j and use their influence educationally, but ho thought they would lose a great deal of their influence if they split up into cliques to return different members to local bodies. He combatted Mr Cogar’s ideas as power of the Association.

The President supported the principle of the motion, but said that there had been so much deception shown, and so many cliques and jealousies been found to exist in Gisborne, that he did not think it could bo ever carried out in Gisborne. Mr Pioss : Trv !

The President said they might try for a good deal longer, and it would not succeed. His idea of Liberalism was that everyone should do what he pleased in sueh matters, and vote as he liked. The Liberal principles wero broad and open, with no secrecy about them. They did not bray at election time, and then lock up the stable and cease braying, as was the case with another organisation. Mr Cogar suggested an amendment, affirming the principle, but not makhm it operative at present. °

Mr Ross, in reply, urged that if the motion were right in principle it was right in action. He claimed that that Association had originally put Mr Carroll into Parliament, and he believed that by introducing local politics they would greatly extend the power of the Association. In the colony, they pretended to be in foreground, but in the Old Country every election was conducted on the / he now proposed. He felt contempt fol . the Liberalism of the man who wi the backbone to act on hP rmncinles Such gentlemen were afraid 0 f P t u„ n' servative press-they the applause of their enemies.

Mr Cogar : No ! n' 0 ; . Mr Ross, sa ; c ] jj, at } IC was independent, and. would not let a feather ruffle his back.

Mr Birrell 'resented the reference to Mr t-ogar, who had been more outspoken tnan any nther member. T .^ rs ,?' os sa M If 'vas not, to her mind, -Liberalism to dictate to a person how they should vote. They should leave it to their intelligence [to do as they thought proper without interference. A member : All the influence of the Association is to get Liberal candidates elected.

The motion on a show of hands was carried by one vote.

. WHEEL TAX. It was unanimously resolved “ That this Association protest against the Cook County Council’s proposal to levy a wheel tax, adversely affecting the electors of the Waiapu district.”