LIBERALISM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 43, 21 October 1913, Page 5

LIBERALISM.

PAST WORK REVIEWED. „ OPPOSITIONIST MEMBERS AT THE TOWN HALL. SUPPORTERS IX FULL FORCE. The Town Hall was crowded last night on the occasion of the reunion given under the auspices of the Stratford Liberal League. Addresses dealing with the leading political questions of the day were delivered by Messrs J. C. Thomson (Wallace), H. Atmore Nelson), and L. M. Isilt (Christchurch North). Ihe proceedings were enthusiastic throughout, several statements arousing much applause. The Mayor <.Mr W. P. Kirkwood) presided, and briefly introduced the speakers. Mr N. J. King, as president of the Liberal League, also extended a welcome to the visitors. MR THOMSON. Mr Thomson said that as a student of history he believed that the Liberal party was on right lines—it stood for progress and not stagnation. The Liberals stood not for a square deal, but would give the people social jusice. Under a scientific form of election the last general election should have resulted in the return of 37 Liberals, 10 Independents, 2 Laborites, and 27 Conservatives. Before the last general election the Conservatives indulged ,in a programme or abuse, and one of the chief allegations made was that the Liberal Government was a corrupt one—that if the Reform Party had access to the departmental pigeon-holes they would make startling revelations about the Liberals’ corruption, Tammany, and worse. They had had access to the pigeon-holes, but they had disclosed nothing tending to discredit the Liberals. New Zealand was a prosperous country—nobody could deny that. The country’s prosperity was easily seen by reference to the Customs returns, tb.e banking returns and the returns of deceased persons’ estates. In New Zealand—a country only seventy years old—there were people making fortunes of up to half a million pounds; and it had always been part of the Liberal policy to allow every person to share in the prosperity cf the country. What had contributed to the present prosperity? There were young men in the audience who did not know the conditions obtaining twenty years ago, but those who did Know those conditions would have to . # admit that the legislation of the Liberal party had, a, great deal to do with the. present prosperity. ln f this connection it,had to be remembered, that the fruits of legislation might not be felt until some years after it was passed into law. _ Two things the Lib~CraTs~~Mc! 'dtftt& 'CoutrihutetHargely w" the country’s prosperous state—land for closer settlement and cheap money. The purchase of large estates for closer settlement ha<f ; been; opposed in 1894 by Mr Massey—]ie did: not be 4 lievc in borrowing for such a and he did not believe in confiscation. 1 It was quite allowable for a man to . change his opinion, but if a man did so change his opinion lie should come before the country and say : “I 'have

; changed my opinion and am prepared to carry the policy of my predecessors further than they did.” In the present Land Bill could he found a provision for the borrowing of not more than si:: hundred thousand pounds a year for the purchase of estates for closer settlement. And who introduced the cheap money at heme ? The man who had been defamed before last election—Sir Joseph Ward! (Applause.) Sir Joseph had resumed leadership of the Liberal party; and ho (the speaker)' believed that next election the North Island would co-operate with the South Island in putting a Liberal Government once more in power. (Applause.) The Liberals had done a great deal for the farmers of Taranaki, by providing land for c lose settlement and cheap money. Mr Massey had opposed the State lending department and had called it the “State pawn-shop”; but he was only serving the interests of those with money to lend at 8 to 12 per cent, while the Liberals desired the farmers to have money at 41 per cent. The Liberals had also appointed dairy instructors. In those dairying districts where the farmers recognised what the Liberals had done for them they had stuck to the party despite the vituperation preceding last election. Mr Massey had promised the freehold to ail holders of Government lease, but bad not granted that. He (the speaker) desired that all farmers should recognise this: That if the Croup parted with all the laud, the whole of the revenue of the country must be made up by taxation. Iu tlio I uited Kingdom the Government owned only pbout six and a-half million pounds’ worth of land, but in Germany tin* Government had fortv million pounds’ worth of national land. It was unnecessary to draw attention to the manner in which the German navy had been creeping up. Thev Mould find that when the electors had to pay in taxation the whole of the revenue of the country they became very discontented. In 1911 it was said that the cost of living was going up. and Mr Massey said tin's was so because the Liberals indulged in too much borrowing, too much extravagance, and too much taxation. Mi' Massey argued that the increased cost of living was caused by the increased income tax—the merchant’s income' tax was increased, he increased his price to the retailer, and the retailer increased his pried to the 1 * work in or man, the working man thus

paying all the increased taxation, La /. j since the pfesent Governtnenb tdbl. | office there I 'iiiid been no attempt to reduce the taxation, on the working man. The whole policy of the Liberals had been, to reduce taxation. In Jlß9l twenty per cent, of the taxation was on foodstuffs, but the Liberals had reduced the proportion to 4L And taxation had, been largely taken off articles in general use i In the home. Similarly the. Liberals had reduced the percentage of revenue derived from’takiitioj} from 75 to 60. If the Liberals had Oontitiued in power they had intended to grtirtt further

remiss ipns in taxation ks tlie revenue phrmittjed. Mr Massey previously decried borrowing; but while his party had cried out against the borrowing of the Liberals, they nevel stated what good assets the country had as a result of that borrowing. The

mpnny had been borrowed for advaifcoS to settlers and workers and- for railway 1 construction, only a small proportion being borrowed for rdads and

bridges. had been borrowed to increase the national property, and, that property, he hoped, the people would, never allow to be fijcljed frohi them, Massey hadj objected to the. State fire insurance departirieut! } but out that depai'tnjent tl|e cott.Ht,ry had la.st year; 1 received a revenue of fourteen ppimds. Ip all departments the present Government had followed the load, of. their predecessors' as- rega,r.ded ( borrowing, apd, imitation was the sinchreat fqtni j6£, ; ljntteny. The. present. Government fcnow they could not abandon the policy of the previous o tthich liafl, dpue so nrucli foi- the benefit of-tho country. As regarded the prospectus for the three million loan, the pre&ent Prime Minister had: previously inferred to the liberal G'oroVnment as tlio “sham surplus Governipeht;”- but op tho prospectus tkore had been quoted the.'whole of ,£sho surpluses for the past twenty; years. The statements regarding, the .airpluaes were either true or false; f- they were false surpiupes the 'Minister should not have deceived the lending afld; if th<s. wer;e tnio, surpluses the Government should ad-mit-that they had. made statements bout the public debt without suffi'liqnt knowledge of the. affairs, of. the .o|ntyy. ’ The %f.oi ! gi: Bnvty lyer.efxe ; t.nlned, to power as a- non-bprrmying ,’pa|ty, but as soon as Mr Allen went lljilhh he’ made-suggestions for ap. [expeditionary, force; arid; a Ev|r since then the Government had re|h. discreetly 'silent.on naval policy.. Thl Liberal party stood ‘for cmdpeijddon with%o- lU^nal : d]a.thprifi.dß.

jgarded; haitfal defence/ ' A Ibcol navy noulld'bie suibidph '(Applause.)' There who :gHjatly ; dekirqcl 1 !to h^W 1 a 1 'monopoly of'tmf cbUritrJy’k 1 ( water power, 'blifc Sir Jbs'djih Wald hid 1 it, and it "¥'&a bile b£*l!hb 1 ■things which the people should jealously, guard. If the electors desiied 'to' §ee : sbtial justice (justice for every ■ class), equalisation of the conditions ' qf r life, .easy access to capital and iuflidj and) easy access to education ~uid other dienM-tS; they ; return;to PdnUftnientfWen ! ftjydrinct of tlie"iib'emls; (Applause.) ' ,l> ' jTd A'^.y;^ : » ■■- ■’•-• Mr! Atmor©' prefaced 1 his'retnarks by .dating that tubtigh his criticism would jq direct it must not be taken as personal. His remarks wouiupe,such as would be allowed; oy the speaker of *inh Hbpso. . ti(e was pot a party: niali. tie was a Liberal ; and he believed the majority'of those present .that eyenhng were Lil)erqhi: if the democracy hvefe educated ttyey became Liberalstie gave'his vofe most often with the because they approximated 'mere to' his idqals than the Massey 'Government ever could. As regards the attitude of Mr Massey the I ‘Tost,’ , die independent Wellington journal, said: ‘‘He has adopted a attitude and a Taihoa. policy peypr equaled by; Joseph Ward.’.The biggest question in any country was the land question, and land monopoly was tlie greatest curse in New Zealand at the prosept time. In Nelson and Taranaki there was close settlement, but in Hawke’s Bay ttyepe were large !tracts of country in large Jiol, dings. L'he land in Ha tyke’s Bay was as good as any in the country; and the intelligent people of tlje Dominion desired to know why it should remain in tho hands of a fevy people. the total larea of the country was sixty-six million acres’ Qpe Hawke’s Bay man owned one three-thousandth part of that—if pvery other landowher held the same amount of lapd, the whole of the land of tlie colony would be in the hifeds of three thousand persons.

A Voice: Why didn’t the previous Government alter the condition of things? M,r Atmore: There is a belated in-, dividual who is not up with the times* He might just as well ask whjv the Liberal Government did not bring the Millennium. The' Liberals ■ had hot time to break up all the large estates. The Millennium will come in time, as also will the breaking up of, estate's. Continuing, Mr Atmore referred to the “Reform” party and “the square deal.” He knew- 1 why the audience laughed when those terms ivhre used —they had been discredited. Tfhe “Reform” party of “the square deal” !might also be called “the Royd Gardick Government,” “the Westport Harbor Hoard Government,” “the Railway Manager Government” or the Government which did not dare to reIdrice Customs taxation because then the revenue would have to be raised by a tax on large landed estates. (Applause.) Ho was a freeholder, arid had voted for the freehold clauses of the Land Rill; hut the freehold he wanted was a freehold to enable everybody to own land, and not a freehold •which enabled large estates to bo aggregated, young colonists -being .driven to other colonies to secure

land. (Applause.) It was a quite legitimate desire on the part of the farther to have the freehold; hut aggregation must Ito checked.

A Voice: didn’t Sir Joseph Ward break up the big estates? Mr Atmore: Why didn’t you do your month’s work last week? (Applause.) Mr Atmore then qnoted figures to show that during his term of office Sir Joseph Ward had settled a great many people on the land, and in the direction of showing! that he had. done everything in this respect that was. possible. That was, said Mr Atmore, w hat Sir Joseph Ward had, done; but he could tell one thing with which Sir Joseph would never have been as T sedated—-that was the Rhodes clause.. The vofe of Mr T. W. Rhodes was absolutely necessary to keep Mr Massey in power—with a full House the Conservatives would have a majority of only two. Mr Rhodes had secured 'a. lease of a thousand acres of Hauraki Plains land in his own name ;and. a thousand acres in his son’s name, and brought down a clause to grant the freehold of the land. Roads were being put through the land, and t,l)o Commissioner of Crown Lands said ■the land, would, be highly suitable, for pastoral purposes, so that it could be seen, that a man holding two thousand ;aci;es of it would be in a good position. Ijt would, take a hundred, millions to buy out, land monopoly , in iNew Zealand,, and that aujount, could never be borrovyed|. The land (purchase policy was d,eadj, and the, only way to combat monopoly was, to put on a stiff graduated land taje. „ The Massey Government claimed that their graduated land tax would gradually break up; estates; but he (the speaker) thought the operation would be one 'of, extreme gradualness. As regarded the recent Westport Harbor Board lease, he thought that if the, .Reform Government thought a man with six .convictions was fit to represent people on a local body it showed that one Minister at least had no convictions. ![further: The chairman of the Board received, an honorarium' of £2OO per (annum. At last election lie was the [Government candidate, and; would be so fit the next election. Ijle would no longer be chairman, if the Govern- ' r.enfc had not Gazetted put two members opposed t.Q hirp holding the position of chairman and Gazetted fn two members who supported turn, The .present Government was no, good to the j country; and lie (Mr l Atmoye) jeould give a good, rule to elect,epp in ■choosing. representatives for Parliament: If they., earned more. t]W; a

j thousand a year tho .el.ectprs , should ',■>l j lip all night schppiihg, to put, them but, add if they panned, under tjHou'sand a year the electors (should. ,sijfc up ■alj night ,i'wealthy| ( was ip' chftrgp !£ pf. s ssate advances .department ;aiud,iwas backed by a Conservative Government ■it could be taken for granted that the. d partment would not. bo run on -lines to compete with the private borrower. I his principle should be remembered : If the ratje of, interest .were dipped bt sl a' certain, by _ tyak, mprgip tfie iehdbr’s pud 'Gib borrower’s incpme, ipcjrepsefL Jar IMikssey surrounded ,by Liberals wpuld be an ideal Minister for L'andsi;,. ! but 'i\r‘ Massey was not the brain-power of the Government—it was in the , Upp.u;, Ifouse. ; di

A Voice : you’re. wrong. Mr Atmore: to. twenty guesspg you would; n °t guess more correctly,,

Concluding, Mr Atmore said, there ivaa, sonjetkihg better worth lifing for tiiaji the accumulation ofmuch land or much money; and he believed that if electors would concentrate their efforts on putting into Parliament, irrespective of party, a mart who would do right by the people, that man elected would have more power than a Minister of the Crown. New- Zealand jvas a specially favored -country, hut i thei;o were being allowed to grow up those conditions which had been the curse, of. every country. They were allowing land monopoly, which made for, the unspeakable poverty which obtained in the Old Country, They were not thero tlpit night to speak against the present member for Stratford; but they were there to give a true account of: certain facts which had been represented. (Applause.) ; THE FOR CHRISTCHURCH NORTH. On rising to speak, Mr Isitt was greeted with continued applause. In opening, he referred to the first -time ha passed through Stratford. It was a long time ago, and he was on horseback. There were no roads then, and he contrasted the position of the town nbw with its 3000 inhabitants, electric fight, good streets, and with every indication of prosperity. Upon those happy conditions lie 'congratulated them. flo had often been in Strat- 1 .lord, as a preacher, but this was his first visit as a politician. It had been said that it was a stp down to be a politician after being a preacher, hut | he did not think so. Taken in the | right sense, and with no axe to grind, j a member of Parliament had great op- | portunities to do great good for the I greater number of people. He held l that it was a noble thing for a man j to legislate in the direction of the uplifting of humanity. As to those who were too pious to vote, lie would bury the lot of them and make no charge for doing the job. (Laughter.), Those were the sort of people who did not fail to solicit the aid of politicians when they wanted assistance in removing, the duty off the articles they traded in, and were the first to “squeak” about the City Council when they thought their rates were too high. Mr Isitt said candidly that ■ *c wanted the votes of the audience that night. (Laughter.) He was delighted to see so many young men present, and he urged them not to throw away their

votes to any side, because, perhaps, their intimate friend held certain strong opinions, or because they knew a Cabinet Minister, or for any other reason. There were responsibilities attached to their position, the value o' which could not be-over-estimated. The 'chances were here; they were free from vested interests; and with such a foundation they should do their best to help the ship of State. • “I am as Rady a Radical as it is possible to be,” affirmed the speaker amidst applause. The struggle’ will be between two classes; the Unprivileged many and the privileged few. In all the older countries* the "struggle was between the “haves”'-and the ' “have-nots.” Conservatism, call it'what you like—eVeri Reform 1 (lahghter)—what does itj stand for ? It was a relic of the past, when the Conservative had no one to boss him, 'when brain could always upset brawn; all brawn could do was to sweat and suffer. Conservatism was always out for The' exploitation of the nuyiy and for the benefit and the enriching of the few. And his audience kiieiy it—(applause). Mr Isitt referred to the conditions in the Homeland when the laboring man earned probably 10s or 11s a week, and had a cottage and a pigsty; when their meat was perhaps a “tuppeny” bullock’s liver, or half a sheep’s or bullock’s head, or some scraps brought , cheap last thing on a Saturday night because ’the butcliei- 1 would have to throwdt'aw’aj?' on Monday as not being fit to ’feat!’ 1 "HP himself had seen people corh'e'tij His' 'qwh house in the Old Country 1 and' 'beg for the used tea 1 leaves ' so that they ’might boil them again ’ and :: have' What they called “tea.”'“ “I hate'that sort of thing as I l)atd the Dbvil, 1 ’he exclaimed dramatically. ■ “I hot only believe in telling' the people” bhorit the Heaven we hope' ! to' see, but -1 try to make their' conditions such that they will have a Heaven to live in here.” (Applause). Of whatever religious creed a man was, he considered that there could be no love fof God if it did not mean a love for humanity. (Applause.) No religion was real and true and genuine if it did not truly interest itself in the service of its fellow men—(applause). But about their votes —(a voice mentioned the local member, Mr Hiue, as alright). “Yes,” said Mr Isitt; “but got him to come over tb tHA right side of 1 the House.’* As to 1 fhe' l, cbnditioh 1 herb, they were told it a question of “ins” , and- bbfrtS,arid'that thei'e were no

CoriSs<srvfttivete. p ’ But did tliey believe it?4-‘*sd«* Were thei-o any in tlie Old Couhtlfy *Y©s’.*’, ‘ ’Tlie”'condition's oi' J -tlie laboring mad with a family thefA w#e "jidch ‘that there wasr need to'liglft.' *Thote Ida A hdge ’ wealth’ on One) sido-'.Vnk/'dfrd 1 j^dVei’ty 1 on the otheir. •LioJM’tbWdgie/Mr 'Asquith and Winston w’dre 'at’ tfre’ head ofH,life‘!Bibfentl‘ Fatty*fighting ror progress, and opposed to them were’ names they all knew well—-Mr Bonar Lawj WTOTfourj and'others/ I'hey knew the men who had established the Dominion newspaper with a huge capital to ; 6V¥WBhow-Slr •JosepH’ Ward and spilt Thefllbmjnibn is the •piWr • C^sei^ativ^party.' Tk |Vok4 : ■.^sf‘*A/^o6H : | ! p£i|iei^. 1 rtiese Imen ai4* WWd t3dh^p\*& ! t&© : p'i^y in was/alwaysa cheap sneer aboWi/lby'd ; ’€feoVgfe HiiS the dtlier Libfcyals-'oiWHis aide/' while' it championed the cause of Bonar Law aiid Bal|qur, and it was the "latter thpy were fightiffg.'’ At one’ time the members of the patent Government objected fo cli6ap money for iarmocs, s;, fiFo-'insurance/ etc. It was said ’that tho eld age pensions would threaten thrift and that the cheap money scheme was making “a New Zealand -pawnship.” Further, it was all the more to the credit of the Liberal Government that these reforms ~were instituted in the teeth of the ■present Government members. (Applause.) Imagine a person hanging on to the wheel of a Vehicle and asking tho occupants why they did not go faster;/' Was it riot a fact, he said, that 'the present Government members had for years done their titmost to. ptevenb-arid'thwatt the Liberal legislationj 'arid now-ask why the Liberals 1 did not travel faster. They could not get away : frhm the fact that those meashres-which Were now on the Statute Book'of this country’ singled out New Zealand as the most progressive land associateduwith the British Empire and as i(h. example, worthy of condition.’ Wprp those, measures not l|he work of the Liberals despite every, toffort to thwart them ?—(applause). As to the loan prospectus you Id they imagine anything more extraordinary than the position the Government was placed in? “Truthful James” (laughter), weeping and wail>nSj,;:lls°d tf> hang over the head's of they Liberals their so-callec?"question-able surpluses, but ..as soon as he grasped power, used them and tho favorable conditions of the country in ;prd|r to'‘make sure of the loan. Either ■’t|ie /surpluses of the Liberal party were ;j|| .line, or 'the members of tho present Government were misrepresenting tire Position. Which did the audience tinier ? The GoVethirient were on the hoi;|s of a dilemma ! Mr Isitt admitted tha| the Liberals had gnade mistakes. Yet 7 the couiitry progressed in spite of tlie misrepresentation' indulged in. The; present Government members avoii|. into tho' country districts and said tlie Liberals wore plunging the couiitry into,debt. Twenty years ago the .public debt was 40 millions, and now it was 81 millions. Many of those who received the money that was responsible for the increase of tho debt now turned round and “bit the hand that fed them.” (Hear, hear.); The farmers instead of paving 8 per cent, got it at 4J. But it was only a nominal debt; there was no reaij debt.. Twenty ,years ago the 40 mil-, lion /debt was more for non-productive than* productive wor'-s. The amount

per head was then £1 2s, but now, with 81 millions, most of which is productive, the debt per head is only is s 6d. (Applause.) On 10l ways, besides, they had been terribly misled. That was not all. When he (Mr Isitt; went into the House he heard day in and day out charges of bribery and corruption and Tammany, and he honestly confessed that those Charges which were so plainly and freely repeated puzzled film. They would believe him when he said that if he found anything wrong, he would speak pretty loudly within 12 hours. Well, his honest conviction was that, whatever mistakes Sir Joseph' Ward Jiad made, he was a clean man.—(Loud cheering and applause.) He was a man of great ability and had served this country honestly and faithfully and well. (Renewed applause.) They had been told that the Liberal party were leasehold and freehold. That was their glory. They were different from the “dear old conservatism” which was followed on the principle of the sheep that when one jumped over a stick all the rest followed.—(Laughter.) They boasted about their solidarity! Yes, they were about as solid as a suet dumpling! (Laughter.) The leaseholders voted solid against clause 25 of the Land Bill because it was -ax) iniquity. It referred to 250,000 acres in the Hallrain gold mining field. There was no saying what its value was. There might be half a dozen “Waihis” in it, as it had not”T)een developed yet. There might be a gold reef there rich beyond imagination, and when that was discovered the man was entitled to claim the surface value of the land. It might cost hundreds 'of thousands of pounds to bring it back. Some newspapers said a vulgar attack had been made upon Mr Rhodes, bub the whole affair was a gross political impropriety. No man had a right to take an active paid, in legislation benefitting .himself. When Mr-. Massey, with his hand to his heart, said: “Mr Rhodes is a noble man, an honest man,” and so on, I said to myself:,. 1 'Leonard, my boy—(laughter)—you try to run fairly, straight, don’t you;, but if you had 1000 acres and your son had 1000 acres, and there was the opportunity to make a few thousands by getting that clause in, could you withstand it-?’ - • 1 don’t think that I could!” (Loud laughter.) Mn Rhodes,had no right-, to., take, an.ac-) five part in. placing legislation, on, the. Statute Book by which he, would, be benefitted. . ,Mr. Isitt,said he would. ~stand, of .fall; by the,,statement, -q At this, stage Mr Isitt read) the, following telegram from.Sh'.Jps.eph Vfprtp jpony-eyt my ygood,-\t\ishqs /tc?l those, ’attending, yquj’. jneetiqg; tp-pight; ,Hope . tp‘ ; fhq ;qf ‘ responding, to . tjie inyitatipk: 'to ’visjfyttyft; 'diftvMl” There. ( tremendous followed by ,three cheers for Sir Joseph * .' ~i t Mr the Royd Garlick appointment. He pointed out that though, on September 16 on the sitting of tlie Commission, t Mr,; Alfep;fiandlrlhfc , bqth i said, .they i had ino.dhuwghtnofiiMin i Rpyd Garlick ,he,ij)gl .aspifanttiitor The,- position of instrocto ITrt)hiS*wedish , drilT,; the. lafttnnemftiuedht baitj theAaf);/ter wrote ,to. : Mr Alien •oUyAngust 29* ; .st?itirig, that, he ,understood;.Mr Royd .Garlick would accept,tlie, < appo.intihrint. Strange; was,, it not that;‘theyi.bpth should .have forgotten the, letter. Should nob Mr Allen,, said Mr .Isitt. have asked Mr, Royd, Garlick .To resign from the Commission whic. had been appointed in connection with the matter. And at the salai-y of £6OO, when old, trained, and tx’usted schoolmasters, after working their way rung by rung up the laddex - , got £4OO. Proceeding, Mr Isitt said he wanted every man and woman to-recognise that they should place political power in the hands of those who were imbued with, the desire to give the -greater happiness to the greater number. (Applause.) The Conservatives now stood where the Liberals were 20 year| ago, and it was so to a large extent elsewhere. The struggle was going on between the privileged few and the unprivileged many. “Which state are you in?” he asked. Is it a comfortable position, with motor car and fine clothes and the best of everything or moleskins and the children wanting clothes and food ? There was the question of the economic and social conditions of people to be seriously Considered, and he advised them to ’throw in their lot with the Liberal and progressive section in politics. The man who didn’t take an interest in politics was conceited. He should consider it a privilege to work for his followman.

Mr Isitt spoke for over an hour, and concluded with a stirring peroration, being loudly applauded as he resumed his seat.

Mr N. J. King then moved the following resolution :—That this meeting heartily thanks the members for coming to Stratford, and explaining the political situation in such a lucid man] ner, and trusts that after the next general election the progressive Libn oral party will once more guide the destinies of New Zealandfi and, fur-l ther, they heartily congratulate Sir: Joseph Ward on assuming the leader-! ship of the progressive Liberal party, i This was seconded by Mr F. Lun-S don (of Whangamomona) who said he! heartily endorsed the same on behalf! of the people of The backblocks. Every Liberal should bo up and doing, as the time was not far distant to the ; elections, and they could not put too much work into the fight before them. (Applause.) t The motion was Carried by acclamation.

On the motion of the two speakers, Messrs Thomson and Atmore, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman for presiding, and J he meeting closed r i 10.20.