SPEECH BY PREMIER

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2019, 2 March 1907, Page 3

SPEECH BY PREMIER

THE ARBITRATION ACT. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. Speaking to-day at the luncheon given by the proprietors of the Lyttelton Times anil Press, to tho members of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, at present in Christchurch tho Acting-Premier, Hon. W. llull-Jonos, said tho finances of tho colony were in a wonderfully sound condition. He was. not going to giro them a mass of figures, but lio could say this that tho finances of tho colony were in a better jiosition for tho first 10 months of this year than they had been for tho first 10 months of any previous year. The increases had been in a larger proportion than in any previous year of tho colony’s history .ami ho saw no reason why that prosperity which hail existed so long should not continue. It was true they had hail (luring the past few days a little “rift in tho lute” in connection with tho Arbitration Act. He might ho pardoned for snying one or two words upon the matter, because it was an important one. It was a subject which concerned every man, woman, and child in tho colony. We at present occupied a proud position, and wo had to he careful that nothing was done by which the progress of the past few years might he affected, anil that nothing should he dono to cause any reaction or cessation in tho onward move we hail been taking. Ho would illustrate wliat ho meant. We hail a big meat trade with the Old Country. He knew that it had been cabled to tho Old Land flint a' strike lmil occurred in Now Zealand, and that the men were leaving the works. A meat buyer in the 01(1 Cuntry would sav to himself:: “Trouble in Now- Zealand; we may have to look out for fresh supplies if we cannot get supplies from New Zoaland, then wo must look to some otlior source for it.” The mere suggestion of a strike, of the cessation of our supplies, was calculated to do us an immense amount of harm. There was no need for any trouble. Some people had said the Act.' had failed. Ho (tho Hon. Mr. Hall Jones) said it had not failed. The Act was as strong as they could wish it to bo. Tho only tiling that had failed had been this, that those who should have (lone so had not taken ailvantago of the provisions of the Act. Two cases hail been brought before the Courts recently. There was the Pareora case, in which the Act did not fail. The men were fined. Then there was the case in Wellington, where the Act was not at fault, blit the fault was with those who did not seo that the agreement with tho men had been executed in tlio terms prescribed by the Act. That was not the fault of the Act, hut there might he faults, anil one of tlieso difficulties lie foresaw was that it would ho necessary to provide for matters brought before tlio Court being more expeditiously dealt with. If that was going to assist in a solution of the question tlion that additional assitance would be provided by the Government; but in the ease that hail occurred it was regrettable to think that those who had been the prime movers were many of them—most of them—were not people belonging to our own colony, anil tiiov had not taken advantage of the 'opportunity afforded by- the law of bringing their case before tlio Arbitration Court. There was not a failure on tlio part of tho Act on Saturday, when 23 convictions were recorded against employers in. Wellington, and a fine of from £1 to £5 was imposed, and very properly so, becauso a broach of the law had been committed. There was tlio law, am 1 anv person who committed a breach of‘tlie law ought to bear tho penalty imposed by law. The employers had incurred a penalty, and the fine was imposed upon them. If they did not pay tlioil- fine there was a sure legal recourse in order to obtain payment, and if there was no means of obtaining the amount of the fine—well, then the employers would have been imprisoned. He hoped it would never be said, as hail been said in some countries, that there lyas one law for the rich and another for the poor. The Government realised their responsibility in the present position of affairs. They realised that the law ; u all integrity must be sustained, and those powers which existed for the enforcement of the law must be so enforced". It was for the benefit of every mail, woman, an dchild in the colony to see that our laws as passed by Parliament "yvore enforced. He trusted that the prosperity which the colony and the press now enjoyed would continue for many years to come. |)y each one doing his duty faithfully we would be assisting .in the promotion and continuance of the prosperity of the colony.

METHODIST CONFERENCE

press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. ' Tho New Zealand Methodist annual Conference .opened to-night, the President, Rev. T. G. Brook, of New Plymouth, being in the chair. The President, in his retiring address, made reference to the death of prominent members of the Church, the ’Frisco and Jamaica earthquakes, the Russian revolution, and the death of the late Premier, and the constitution of the now Ministry. On the subject of the English Education Bdl the President said that nothing less than full religious equality could be accepted, and the House of Lords and Bench of Bishops must learn the lesson that was taught their predecessors in the days of the Commonwealth. There should be such a combination of free Churchmen as should at once and for ever sweep away tho institutions which throttle the spiritual independence of the nation. It was the same struggle, only in different terms, because under dif-

ferent circumstances, that was now in progress in France. What was hoped of French statesmen at the present juncture was to exalt the priesthood of Christ and of the individual believers. That was the only effective antidote for sacred-otalism. Referring tn the new Ministry, the President said that great satisfaction was expressed at the changes. That was especially the case in regard to Messrs, Fowlds arid McNab, who from the very commencement of their public career had ranged themselves on the side of moral reform, and were ever consistent to their ideals. The most important event, as far as the Methodist Church was concerned, was the publication of t'h.e census returns. Their own figures were in marked contrast to those of the RegistrarGenerals, for they were 9094’ higher than the census of returns,' for the latter were actually 7431 less than they were from the same source 5 years ago. The Rev. W. Slade, at present stationed at Onehunga, was elected on a ballot as President for tho ensuing year, and the Rev. C. 11. Laws was elected Secretary. Tho first reading of stations for 1907 was submitted, and tlie Cpnforeuco adjourned until to-morrow .

The first reading of stations for 1907 was:—Wellington district: Wellington (Taranaki street), P. W. Fairclongh, C. Porter; Young Men’s Movement, IX. L. Blamires; Wellington South, W. J. Williams; Jolmsonville, E. P. Blamires; llutt, S. J. Garlick (Supply, J. Richards), It. W. Wilson; South Wairarapa, J. IV. Griffin; Carterton, IV. J. Elliott; Mastertou, J. Buttle; Napier, A. C. Lawry; Hastings, L. Hudson; Gisborne, C. Grilltn; Ektjtnliuna, G. T. Marshall; Daimevirke, T. Thomas; Levin, Otakl, G. Wrigloy and J’. R. Paris; Waipawn, G. Frost; Woodville, B. H. Ginger; Pahiatua, T. F. Jones; Norsewood, a home missionary.

RIFLE SHOOTING. Press Association. TRENTHAM, last night. The prize list of the Wellington Match, 600, 700 yards, ton shots, 80 prizes value £l9O, is as fallows: — Lester, Chistchurch, £O, 90. Frank, Nelson, £4, 90. Handley, Wanganui, £4, 88. A. Crimp, Dunedin, £3, 88W. Ballinger, Petono, £3, 88. W. Randall, Linton, £3, 86. Rennie, Christchurch, 86. Williams, Timaru, 85. Nat Willoughby, Gladstone, 80. Catley, Nelsn, £2 each, 84. This afternoon tho 500 yards range of tho Nelson Match (500, 600, and 700 yards), and the 900 yards of the Canterbury Match were taken. The weather was fine, but a puffy, strong wind, varying from seven degrees left rear to seven degrees right rear upset the shooting, arid the scoring-was not gC, Tho highest scores at 900 yards wore Catley 30 and McLeod 32. At the 500 yards-of the Nelson Match the highest scores were Welch (Opaki) Domigan (Feikljng), Well wood (Hawke’s), and King (Opaki), 33 each. Both matches will be resumed to-morrow morning. Mills (Dunedin) 63, McCaliey (Isew South Wales) 62, and Moore (Piako) 61, were the top scores at tho two ranges of the Canterbury Match. Government do not propose to send a team to Bisley tliis-year, but may consider a proposal to send 20 men to Melbourne to meet a team of English marksmen visiting Australia in October.

.Williams, of Opawa, while cycling from the range to-night, collided

with a car, and broke liis arm. Ho was sent to Wellington hospital. Tho following are the highest aggregates up to tho close of to-day’s shooting. Cameron-; Opaki, 269. A. Ballinger, Petono, 261. W. Ballinger, I’etono, 264. Drummond, Dannovirko, 201. Frank, Nelson, 260. Lester, Christchurch, 260.

Who does not remember (says .the Tribune) that triumphant sweetmeat known ns “stickjaw, which conferred a lasting satisfaction on tho small boy when tlie fleeting merits of chocolate and peppermint balls had begun to cloy? Stickjaw was a good thing for the man who first made it. Tlie will of its inventor, Mr. George Osborne Barrat, has been proved at the handsome figure of £153,000. Yet that sum does not include the present value of the industry, for Mr. Barratt divided the business between his four clndren some years ago.