POLITICAL MEETING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2668, 8 October 1881, Page 2

POLITICAL MEETING.

A public meeting convened by the Timaru Working Men’s League, to consider the position of the working daises in connection with forthcoming election, was held last night in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Barnard street, About fifty persons were present, an attendance which would very probably hayo been larger but for the inclement weather- . , Mr A, &• Stone occupied the chair.

Mr Cowley was the href fa wtdpess the meeting. He counselled the wording classes to make up their mind beforehand to rote for a particular candidate, so that when the polling day came they would not be throwing away what political power they had by splitting their votes. Mr Turnbull did not seem to have made up his mind whether to come forward again. He was a good member, but scarcely a working man’s representative. They would prefer their representative to show more energy in pushing the working man’s interests. Mr Harvey said the time was come for them to decide what course' to take, as the elections would probably take place in a very few months. They must be careful bow they put,a second candidate forward, for whoever stood for Tiraaru, if he was to have a ghost of a chance,

must be ti. Liberal, and two Liberals! in the ' field wbiild bp likely to split the svoteu of the working entered upon a brief examination of . the present member’s. (Mr Bichard Turnbull) action as the representative of the district. He was not quite satisfied with.Mr Turnbull, as a representative,and while he confessed to having a weakness for him, would like to see him modify his views in some matters.: It .’was now time to decide whether they should support Mr Turnbull again, Or'seek some other candidate. He had a letter from Mr Turnbull which he would read. He had not received Mr Turnbull’s permision to make it public, but the letter to which it was a reply was written to him as a public man, upon a' public matter. He had asked him in a letter written on August 10, if he intended to stand for Timaru again, and the answer he got, dated August 13, was to the effect that until he saw what measures were passed by the Legislature that session be couldhot give the information asked for. That was not a very satisfactory • answer. He had written at the same time to Mr Andrews, member for Christchurch, and had received a very different kind of reply. He had asked among other things the cost of an election and of attending Parliament, in case they should send one of themselves to Parliament, and what steps should be taken if they desired to do so. Mr Andrews Replied that he was much pleased to find that the working men of Timaru were moving politically. He was puzzled to answer all the questions asked. It was very uncertain that his friend Mr Turnbull would not stand again, and if he did, whatever his constituents thought of him, he could assure his correspondent that there was no sounder or truer working man in the. House, and if the working classes wanted to have justice done to them they must be represented by men like themselves. Each 'of the other classes was too well represented, and their interests too well looked after, and the interests of those classes were opposed to the interests of the working classes. He recommended that every working man should register his claim to vote, select a man of their own views, and determine to run him in spite ; of all opposition. A change was certain to coraii, things could not remain as they were, with industries crippled, business of all kinds in a state of stagnation, and the weight of the property tax driving away the pick of the men, leaving only the aged and infirm to do battle with the difficulties that oppressed the country. Nine out of ten of the Members at present had axes to grind: it paid them to go to Parliament, but it did not pay the independent Member. He considered himself a loser of £IOO every year he attended Parliament—That was a common sense letter, and he would have felt better pleased if Mr Turnbull had been as straightforward and open in his reply. Mr Andrews saw plainly that the working classes should be represented by a working man. He (the speaker) had a very great respect for Mr Turnbull, but he was not really a working man. He did not think there were three really working men in the House now. The position, of the working man —due in the speaker’s opinion chiefly or -wholly to the failure to carry out the ' Public "Works Policy as originally sketched—was so unsatisfactory that it required they should make an effort to improve it, and the question was how and where could the effort best be made—by individual striving on the spot or by affecting the Legislation, by sending a Member who would truly represent them. The professional classes, the landed and the commercial classes were fully represented in Parliament, but the working classes were almost without representation there, although they formed the largest fclass in the country. He did not consider Mr Turnbull belonged to the working class, but to the class above them. There was no doubt he was a man of liberal ideas, but his ideas were not exactly those of men who wielded the pick, handled the trowel, or drove the plane, and who should be represented not only in the General Assembly but' on local bodies. The speaker referred to Mr Turnbull’s opinions on the Chinese question, as expressed by him at a public meeting in Timaru, when, in reply to a question on the subject, he said, “ The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof, let the Chinaman come if he likes,” or something to that effect. Mr Harvey could not agree with this, and he considered the Chinese question deserved more attention from the working classes than they commonly gave it. They could scarcely expect those whose interests required cheap labor, such as the majority of the present representatives, to see this question and deal with it as a working man’s question; the more reason, therefore, that the working man himself should pay attention to it. He then read a number of statistics, to show the hold the Chinese had obtained in San Francisco, in nearly all departments of trade and industry. There was room enough for the Chinamen elsewhere. They were undesirable immigrants, inasmuch as they took away whatever wealth they accumulated. On the whole he must disapprove of Mr Turnbull’s views on the Chinese question. A working-man’s measure that was much wanted was an Employers’ Liability Act, which would make employers liable for injuries sustained by workmen in their employment, as they were for injuries occurring to any other person. But it was useless to expect such a measure to be framed and passed by an Assembly of lawyers and landholders. Mr Harvey concluded by saying that as the other classes were over-represented he thought they would be justified in bringing forward a working man pure and simple in their own interest, whether Mr Turnbull n as a candidate or not.

Mr Harvey received gQffle applause on resuming bis seat. The Chairman said they would have no difficulty in finding a suitable man if they wanted one. The main thing for them to do was to secure the means pf returning him when found, by getting their pawea pigged °. n the roll. Mr Partridge, the pest speaker, showed how the various loans for public works and other means for developing the country had been spent, and said that th® prevailing dissatisfaction of the working classes was proof that the legislation under which the expenditure had been made was mistaken and faulty in the highest degree. It was evident that it was to faulty legislation that the present unsatisfactory statj of things was due, and the question was, should anything be done to try to alter the character of the legislation. If they thought that things were going on all right, they need take no trouble, but satisfy the taxpayer when he called, and let things take their course. But the

country was in such a state that they could not think so, and they must make up their minds to take a good deal of trouble, if necessary, to get things improved. If the Public Works policy had • been properly carried out they .would not have had the cause to complain that they had, but it had beeu so carried out that the, Public Works were in the condition of a house that had been carried up to the first storey and then come to a standstill. Railways, roads, and bridges had been made to make the land available to the laborers and artizans who were brought out to oecupy it, and the land was seized and locked up so that the works were of the minimum of use. The men were not employed, they produced nothing and could afford to consume nothing, and so the merchandise to be carried on the railways was next to nothing. If they noticed how many more empty carriages than full, ones were run on the lines they must ask how long the system could last before ruin and repudiation would come. If these did not come the money to satisfy the public creditor must be found somewhere, and be paid by someone. It was clear that it must be found by those who remained in the country, the holders of fixed property. He contended that the charges to meet the payments of interest on the Public Works loans should be charges upon the fixed property. . It was evident that the working man who resided for any length of time in the country must contribute largely to the national exchequer, in Other words, must help to pay the charges on the Public Works ; but while the existence of those works was continually adding to the value of fixed property,' the working man gained no such advantage. If the landowner desired to leave the country, he would recover all he had paid towards the Public Works in the increased price of his property, and most likely some other person’s share too; but the working man without fixed property, could not recover a farthing of his contributions. He must leave his share of the public property he had helped to pay for, behind him. His earnings were being continually decreased by taxation that went to improve the property of others. They had to consider whether some alteration could not be made in this state of things. The working classes were so dissatisfied that they could not give a hearty support to the development of the country, and their strongest desire, instead of to help the country to prosperity, was to make a cheque large enough to take them out of it. He had been told, before he left England, by the Agent-General of Queensland, that the land policy of New Zealand was a ruinous one, and that gentleman predicted (in 1876) the exodus that was now taking place from New Zealand to Australia. The speaker then read extracts from an article reprinted in the South Canterbury Times, of Sept. 30, on the immigration to America, which showed that a number of people equal to one and a-half times the whole population of New Zealand had passed over from Europe to the United States within one year. Quoting further as to the . causes assigned for so extensive an immigration, “ Militarism, Kaiserism, famines, the oppression of .land laws, and an unwillingness of the great to allow the poor and humble to better themselves in their native land,” Mr Partridge said it was evident that if the same causes were allowed to operate here —if the great or wealthy were unwilling to allow the poor to better themselves, and the land laws were oppressive—the people must get dissatisfied as they did in Europe .and would endeavor to leave the country. ,If they looked at the streets full of men walking about with nothing to do, and at the great number of boarding houses in the town they would see that there was something radically wrong; while the United States could absorb twice the population of New Zealand in a year this colony did not keep employed th® comparative few who were in it. Men were anxious to get away on account of the difficulty of “ getting on ” in the country; they liked the country and the climate but could see no chance of getting a home in it where they could be sure of getting a living if they did get a home. How different things were in America, the lives of Presidents Lincoln and Garfield would show, both of whom rose from the ranks of the working classes. There was no chance of such a thing taking place here. Mr Partridge concluded by saying that a consideration of these points showed the necessity for their taking care to hare their own class properly" represented in the House, so that they should receive that consideration which was their duo and what they did not receive at present. The Chairman asked if anyone else wished to speak, whereupon a person in the body of the hall enquired whether Mr Turnbull had had intimation of the meeting being held. The Chairman replied that he had had the same intimation as others; by the advertisement. No special intimation had been given so far as he was aware.

Another thought he should have come without special intimation; they were not bound ’to think about Mr Turnbull \ anyone could do as well as he had done. The Chairman said it was not so much a matter of Mr Turnbull or of anyone else. The thing was for them to place themselves in a position to return the candidate they chose, by registering their votes. Someone proposed that Mr Thomas Mewis should be called upon to give his views, but the Chairman objected that they were met for business and not for amusement, Mr Murdoch being called upon said he did not know why the meeting was called. Was there any dissatisfaction with Mr Turnbull ? The Chairman—That is what the meeting was called for ; to see whether there is or no. Mr Murdoch —My opinion of Mr Turnbull is that he is as good an all round man as there is in the House. Mr Harvey gave us about ten minutes of as good a trade unionist speech as ever I heard in my life. I should like to aslf Mr Harvey if he is a free trader, Mr Harvey—l am a free trader in some things, not in all. Mr Murdoch—Then if you are a free trader you must swallow tb© Chinaman, for free trade says we meat buy in the cheapest market. As to Mr Turnbull, I think he is a good Member. I have not heard much here to night against him, but I have heard a good deal outside. 1 consider him as good a working man as any of us, and as for most of your working men’s candidates—l know too much about ’em. The Chairman—Are you thinking of

the old saying “ Put a beggar onhorae back? .

Mr Murdock—l have seen some good working men’s candidates, but they were not the rule.

Mr Harvey spoke tor » few minutes on the question of free trade v. protection, urging that such articles of import as could be produced in the colony if protected should bo protected. Free trade was said to have made England what she is, and so it had, it had ground down the lower classes till their lives were scarcely werth having. The Chairman wished to disabuse the minds of any present of the idea that the meeting was called to express dissatisfaction with Mr Turnbull, but simply to enquire what was the opinion of .the people. He was sure there was not one present who had not the highest respect for Mr Turnbull, although they might think that, Liberal as he was, he was not quite Liberal enough. It had just been suggested to him that Mr Turnbull should be interviewed and asked if he intended to come forward. If he did come forward he would go in “ hands down,” and it would be useless to put up a man against him. But Mr Turnbull had not declared his intention, and as time was slipping away the League thought they should move, and see what should be done. If Mr Turnbull was coming forward, well and good ; if not, they must look for another representative they could believe in. But if he were coming forward the thing would bo settled. He would have liked to see Mr Turnbull present, but there were many reasons that might have kept him away.

Mr Harvey said the Committee of the League had decided to interview Mr Turnbull, to get an answer from him, but they thought it advisable to hold this meeting first, to get an expression of opinion as to whether they should support Mr Turnbull if he came forward, or block for another man.

A vote of thanks to the chair termi nated the meeting.