MR SEDDON AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7984, 22 November 1905, Page 2

MR SEDDON AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.

A CROWDED AND ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING, The Theatre , Hoyal on Tuesday evening was crammed to overflowing, the stage 'being utilised to ils full capacity, and numbers were unable to gain admission, so great was the eagerness of the people to welcome and listen to the Kight Hon. the Premier. At a rough estimate there must have been from twelve lo lifteell hundred people present. U hell: the Premier appeared un tin' stage t here was a scene of great enthusiasm thai must, ha\e been gratifying to Mr Suklon. and afforded him allot her proof of the honour and esteem wiih which he is regarded in New Plymouth, it may safely he assert! d that never before has such a spectacle jboen witnessed at the theatre as was the case on Tuesday evening.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr U. Cock) presided, and in the course of his opening remarks said no consider, cd it was only right to express sympathy with the Premier or, the way he had been treated in Parliament. Mr Siddon, who was again accorded hearty clivers, said.it. was a great pleasure to him to muci *'the elec-. tors nl' New 'Plymouth, lie stood before them with confidence thai those measures which he promised here on the eve of the last election had been carried out.

HIS TOIJII, lie had a good precedent for going round the country 'and/.iddressi'ugtube. electors.. The Government waston its trial, anil it was only just that .when, attacked, the(lovenniietit should have a reasonable ..opportunity of defend ing themselves. (Applause.)! Gladstone, 1 Sir George lUrey, Sir Harry Atkinson, anil others hail adopted this course. lie was therefore following good precedents! and if he wanted further proof lie could refer to Sir William Jlussell, who adopted the same course. The Oovenimont had been subjected to u course jjf attack seldom experienced in a civilised country. There ought to be ft sullicient number of sins of commission on questions of policy without the Opposition descending to such laeties as they hud done, lie cmifrl in fair warfare give his opponent n Roland for his Oliver, but if struck below the belt he could, only say the attack ,\v,is unfair ,and unmerited. (Applause.) But those who sulTcral most were those who made the attack which ,was inconsistent with the li'ndil ons of our race. He quoted Jlr Fisher's reported intention oi resigning if he was ui'oved to be in tin' wrong, and yet when the accuser himself confessed to being in the wrong lie made no retraction. It was unjust and unfair lo snake such I accusal ons. ami charges such as these li.usl recoil on the head of Ihe accuser. Thenj was a circumstance

in connection with the matter that pained him (the speaker) greatly, ami that was that, the Leader of the opposition anil his party with four glorious exceptions voted with Mr fisher. If the position had been chang.il. ami Mr Mussel had been Prime Minister, he (Mr Soddon) j would Jmve brought the whole weight, of his parly lin prevent the, Premier's good name being assailed and his amily besmirched with false accusaions. Uiou-eihor the quest ion of the false allegation.- hail cost the colony ab'out t:i(inip. which wi-nld -havn much better spent on metal on th, Last Coasl lioad. The slock-in-

trade of ihe Leader of the Opposite n when touring this district was 'spoils to the victors." but the returns showed thai the papers who opposed the (.'ovei'iimenl :g,.l the most of the loaves anil fishes, so that instead of ie being 'a' case of spoils to the victors it was a case "f spoils to the varnished. TIIK MAI'OI'RIKA TIHP.

"Hy tin. way j (hi smile." said Mi Seddon, -it is evident, (lint the nudicinc Ims hoard ell :t I>oii t tlii: trip." 'J think," I I added, "tbev must have had a \oi\v good time." (Laughter ) lie proceeded to draw n fanciful and humorous verbal sketch of I lie pleasures the parl.x had enjoyed. Members. In- said, wanted losco inr themselves the lift est (er liton nnnox.-il l,v this rolonv. arid it was .. right: The trip was nr ranged openly across the floor of the House. 'lnn if .(he Opposition insisted on taking exceptions to this -trip, it ivas only fa,r to 'bring up the North Island Trunk Hail way picnic in the bi.si days of the 'Conservative Ad niinislnilinii. .Anions Ihe items «•( expense wvre: Hire hi canoes £]•>.-,. gratuity for hire of horses r ildi-n to (leaHi by Captain, Itassell £,->. allot In r horse .(.Ininaged Ul li. All the food was provided tv | |he cost of (the Stale, and great fun was caused 4>v Hie sprilker reading details i f the .Unres. including two I ins of vaseIdle, and a like number of tins of insect powder. CLoud. laughter.) He believed in cleanliness, and was therefore surprised to find that only Is (id was put ilpw-n for soap. He would also mention -to his No-license friends, w-lvo were always on the alert, that amongst the other items was a corkscrew, and a curious fad was that one ot Hie Conservative Party on returning 'ln New Plymouth had to be Ircand for corkscrew-pho-bia. (Laughter.) Kxecpiion had been tak'en to the payment of allowances to a Minister whilst on that trip. He promised his Conservative friends thai if they brought up any more of 'these charges he would give plenty of illustrations of their misdoings* lie considered, however, thai; dwelling on such matters was time unprolilabl.v spent, but when attacked the Covernmeni. must defend itself. TIIK lIICH COMMISSION!-'.!!. Ml- Massey had prophesied -I he Premier occupying the position of High Connnissirner and inasfpiorading ir a cocker! hat in London, lie pleaded guilty to wearing a uniform occasionally, but he did not heed -i he cocLud hai so much a, 1 hi- head that was under it. WHAT IS THK OPPOSITION POLICY.

The Opposition would siiy thai it was ii»l usual fur tin Opiinsititni to submit u policy. 'liul Ulndstonr in his Midloibian cn,nipaii;n sijljinittod a policy mid carried ii. Sir C.oorgv Ore\ and Sir Hurry Atkinson also subedited ii policy, As far as il is -noun. Ihr (Ippi.silinii policy -is : Repeal of the Public Revenue Acl' (clause .'!), an elective Council, and a Civil Service lioanl. lie asserted as a fiivt tliat every penny of the public expenses was amliloil i,v the Depart men t. except Hallways and Custom!!. It was the Atkinson (.'<>- vermiipnt. which nvcnipled Railways and Customs ii'imi audit 'by the I)e----paitnieiil. "Be Tair." said ATr Seddi n. "(or the Audiler-fleiieral has power ol' complete check under clause 111 of Ihe I'ublie Revenue Ad". Il was'therefore necessary to expose the nicks of t lie I ippu.sil ion. I

F.I.ICCTIVC. CO! \CU.. An elective Council was a Tory catchword. Our Council, defective as it illicit be. was more closely in I ouch with the people than nnv Kleclive Council could he. rrivuc sintYKT, uoATiH.

The request for such a lioanl was an admission of weakness. Public :,ei-\iinls should be amenable le Ihe t.'overniiient. and the Covoruinenl should he amenable In the people. There should be no buffer such ' as a Public Service Hoard would proviil . iusl as it- was with Ihe liailwnv Commissi is. who Kn-r made Ihr scapegoats in all troubles. "A nice mess they miwle of it," sard Mr Seddon. "and never again would Railway Commissioners be wanted." As lone,as he was, in (illioe he would oppose' a. Civil Service Hoard, which was against I li,i best, int'erests of' till* colony, OPPOSITION TO PROdRPSS. I Me would ask—Oid the Opposition support the I,'aiul for Settlement 'An. .(lid Ace Pensions, or inn ol her pro-jjie-isivc measure ilurino the lu4 lj

years ? No. They opposed every ; progressive measure.. An Opposition Riding as a brake going down, hill would he a necessary and wise precaution; but what had occurred was uhat while the coaclv of progress was being driven up the hill Mr Massey and his followers had done nothing Wit put lhei# foot on the brake. And now they have the cool audacity to

suy the Ooveriiment copied their measures from the Opposition. lie quoted the speeches of Ihe . Loader of the Opposition and some of his followers against the Advances ( 0 Settlers Bil—a scheme that had been a "Ood-seud" to the settlers, ;as he proved by the liguns of 'amounts Advanced. The cost of management had been .'ii per cent., and the pi'olit had been € Kiii.tKlii. These advances leleasul capital for investment in industries. On mortgages in Hie colony there was - ji.IiI.OIHMKM, and when it was remembered tliat R, 111, and 12 per cent, was charged before, it would not be surprising lo Mud that the suv ng to the settlers was >M,IHIii.(»Mi. but if the Opposition had had their way this saving would not have been 'inade. Moreover, now I hut the borrower has Hie Oovcrnmeiil lo go lo he can go i(i the tender like a'n.au and ask for what ho wants, lie related an instance of a fanner's wife coming to him and Hi,inking him for the cheap money, and stating they had cleared their farm last week. She remembered in the earlier limes when they were pacing 8 per cent, it was like, milking three teats for the moneylender and one for themselves, and now it was all four for themselves. Jt was the Conservative Tally ,who sold laud in the South Iskind (or ,"is an acre that was now sold at £2O. It was theisaine party who wanted the cheap money scheme to be put into the pigeon hole.

HAND TENTHE. Itcganling laud settlemeot Mr Seddon gave details of Ihe result of the purchase of the Cheviot, Tlaxboiirne, and oilier .estates acquired under the compulsory clauses of Hie Lknds for Settlement Act, which Mr Massey and his followers opposed. It was in the interests of.'the colony that close settlement should be continued. He iLd not wish to go into the history 'of the way in which latids'were acquired from the Maoris in the early days, but it was well known that some of the ileeiW'Were smeared with rum and others with blood. It wgs the people .who had acquired land in that way who objected to the purchase of estates for closer settlement. It was wrong lo .lake the reehold from one landowner and give the same as] frecuold to allot her. The present land systems were optional, and ,yet there were those who saiil they- wore not opposed to the leasehold trying .their rt/esf 0 make the leasehold a thing of the past. The leasehold was |the only plan to give a poor man a chance. 1 I lie selector chose his own terms a uoor man the leasehold was most l.enelicial, as if enabled him lo improve and slyck the land with any small capital lie might have or earn. It was the unfavourable land laws that forciil the Irish in large numbers ti'i leave Ihe land of -their 'tiirih. During Hie Conservative Administration from l.Hß7ito 189(1 no less than 17,(1U(i people were driven tram the colony, but during the lifteen M.ars lie hail been in olliee ihe population had increased by X2OH.IMII). The last Conservative :iovei-nment. in the last three years of olliro, sold for cash .'01.(1(1(1 acres. It was the greatest scandal that over happened' to Ihe colony for the (lovernmcnl of 'the lay to part with the heritage of Unpeople by selling- unsuiveved lands.

TIIK U'OKKKK.S. Quoting from Hansard, Mr Scdilon showed thai lit- 'Masscy said the workers were ' receiving too much wages, but Mr Seshlon insisted that, tile wages were not toe high, „ s good wages meant prosperity —a greater security to capital. ' The ! Liberal (.'overmncnt had pro led a fair day's wage for a -fair day's work, and the consequence was that we were the most prosperous pcoplr in tile world. ■••Lei those," said Mr Seddon, "who want to go buck Mi tile 2s (id a day time, clear out of tile country." There were pcopls lcre from America to-day stiidving out labour laws, which the neighbouring colonies were copying. It was only the other day that be (the .peakor) was ottered most tempting terms to go to America to instruct. them it, the labour laws of New !/«,- land. [,ut he knew: where lie was well oil and could be of most service, so Hint lie preferred to remain n liis present position. Farmers sometimes thought industrial legislalion had g0,,,, 100 far. but the increased prospei'ily.Y-'oi' the country was proof to Ihe contrary.

(.'OMPKXKATIO.V KOII H'CIHICMTS. (Last year the Act was amended so 'hat n man maimed at -his work should receive ,'ills I H week, .as £1 a week was I not enough for a man with i, family. This did not increase the cost of the insurance, -and proved anient benefit to the family. LNCRKASKP WAHKS. Mr Seddon then reminded the ~11 diencc of the legislation whereby the position of I work girls and apprentices had been improved. Last year the .minimum wages -had ■been raised to a better figure, and if industries could not aft'ord such wages then "perish the industries." The (Government had been, called .hard names but they could stand Hurt. The (Gocerniurnt had recovered for boys and g'irls hist.year JC4OOO for underpaid wages <!ood ompfavors paid the wages ns lixed by 'the.. awards, and others must lie made to do so. DAIRY PRODI TR. Coming to butter and cheese factories. Mr Seddon ipioied lig-ures ta -ihow the great increase in these factories, and he staled that Hie value of dairy piodnce last year was over '.we| million sterling. The Government had assisted by Hie cmplovmenl of instructors, grading. cool itorage, ami opening- up | new markets. It was Slate aid assisting- ca»'tal that had developed the most niportaiit industry in the colony. Hid he was going- to insist thai tile highest price paid for but!,.,- j M the world should hv paid iV,. \, „- Z1 ..,_ and produce. -Mi- Ivinsclla. writiii"o the Secretary for Agriculture 1c-

lativc to butler ndiiltcriition. sakl hut owing to the fact of factory managers having, practically ignored his recommendations bv shipping 1111salled butter, ihe shippers were playing into I In' hands 01 ihose wiio mmle a' profit out, of adulicrat ing butter to the extent of I'll per cent, .those who shipped away unsalied butter were not only cm ting; their >wn throats but injuring the imlusjlry, iii,-d Mr Seddon warned all exporters agn.inst ! < 'Sending away unj sailed butter. Xow was'the jtiine i„ speak ~f this danger, and he considered i( Ins ■duly („ warn the producers. Siberian ■buleer was a keen roinpelitor in the market, hut Xew /.calami could heat any nation in llie butter market, and if thov 'did not stop this aduliyration it'would be necessary for Parliainrnt and the British Parliament to interfere.

PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE With reference to public works expenditure; Mr Seddon gave the amounts for ihe various districts, showing that Auckland bail received £',01,000 moie than any other district dining the last live years, while Westlaud had received the least. Tukiii" the districts represented by the Ministers of the Crown, it would be seen that the cry of spoils to the victors was far from justified. Mr Massey, at! Pukekohe/said that £IO,IOO had 'been I voted for I'Yanklin. "It was not," said Mr Massey, " flic weak man that' truckled to the Ministry tl at got the most, but the strong man who stood up and demanded justice." The members I for Taranaki were tt oug,and they had J got just ice for the district.

[ ROADS AND nUIIXiK*. Tai iu';i ravive.l or the last three yours of a Conservative Oovernmeut £9-157, while in three years of the Seddon (iovoriimont the district received /;07 ; 61o', The vote ol' last sea-

.•ion was half a million, which it was ntended to spend during the summer, but uven if a million were required for rjads for the baekblocks it would be a good tiling to borrow it and spend on the roads, and he believed nothing would be more likely to popularise the Government than metalled raids. He considered that the Government should carry metal on the railways at the lowest rates, and also give fanners metal at cost price. DEDUCTIONS IN CUSTOMS DUTIiiX Mr Scddon pointed out that all the time he hud been in oilico 1 eductions had heen eJl'ectcd in Customs cliitins to a large extent, ns he proved by figures which he quoted. He considered that the time hud arrived when taxaticn could lie further reduced, and the Government thought it best to do this in the direction of a free breukfasttable. If, after- making reductions on the necessaries of life, more money was wanted, then he would favour an increase of the giaduated land tax. NATIONAL INSURANCE.

Sir Harry Atkinson had proposed a system of compulsory insinaiiee, hut it, was fatal te try nr..[ force people into such a scheme, yet if they go into it voluntarily they will do so readily. He suggested the establishment of a fund so that anyone might deposit sums of £[ and upwards, receiving a subsidy from the Government of a percentage. It would pay, as the Government would have the use of the money. It would save charitable aid rates. There were schemes for superannuation of railway men, school teachers and Civil servants, and if these servants were provided for the masters should certainly have their right to an annuity. Such a scheme was at work in Belgium and partially in this colony. He was opposed te making tho old age pensions universal, but to adopt Mr ilnssey's proposal of taxing tea and sugar to provide pensions for people worth thousands was monstrous. The money paid for the old age pensions had never been missed, and the increase to ten shillings was justified. It was only a little food and comfort for thousands in their old age, yet the Opposition fought the Liberal parly four days ere these pensions were granted, and he hoped the same provision would soon exist in the Old Country.

Before concluding, Mr Seddon referred to the State Eire Insurance Department, and pointed out that the reduction on cottage properties had been :iol per cent. (Applause.) If the private companies were going to penalise the merchants by the high premiums on large risks, then it would be necessary to apply to Parliament for an extension of the present (State limit. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Mr Seddon paid a warm tribute to the good work accomplished by Friendly Societies. He was prepared to submit to Parliament a proposition that all local bodies and the Covernmcnt should exempt these societies from all rates and.taxes. He proposed to have a conference ( f delegates from these societies, the State to pay the expense.

TAHANAKI. The confidence of the Government in Taranaki was shown by the fact that the lending departments of tho State had advanced to the district JGI, 2 0,000. PROGRESS UNDER LIBERAL GOVERNMENT. Mr Soddon then referred to the increase in the population, land values and stock, and gave statistics on the subject, both as to the district and the town of New Plymouth. He claimed this was a tell-tale of progress under a Liberal Government, and he contrasted these figures with those during the time of tho Conservative Government showing the latter as £27,0u0, as against £2 9,000 under tho Liberal Government. It wns therefore with confidence that lie asked the people of Taranaki to continue to support the Government.

THE TAIUNAKI SEATS. The Opposition were boasting they intended to secure at least two of the Tni-anaki seats, lie could not, and did not, believe the Government had lost the coniidence of the people of Taranaki. lie saw there were too many candidates in for the one seat, and he warned the people against that danger. He urged them to consolidate and to vote for " little Mr Smith, their mem ber." (Loud and continued cheers.) Some people said tho place had outgrown the member. This was a keen stab. There were marked signs of prosperity. Possibly they wanted something more aristocratic (laughter), but he urged that if Mr Smith's representation had been for the good of tha district then they should continue their confidence in him, Mr Smith had been a good and faithful servant of Taranaki, and he was, aid is, the Government nominee. He pointed out that those candidates who professed Liberalism, should show their Liberalism by retiring in favour of Mr Smith. He had heard that night that it was rumoured that Mr Belhinger would at the last moment retire in favour of Mr Okey. lie (the speaker) would be sorry to sec a young political life spoilt by such an action. ''Ours," said Mr Seddon; "has beer, a policy of mutual help, of helping those who need assistance, while the Opposition has tried to retaid individual pi ogress." On nil hands, whether from a linuncial, moral, educational, or any other point of view he claimed that the Liberal Gove nment hail done its best to forward the p. ogress of all sections of the tomnm..ity and he wanted all the men and women of the colony to show at the p j'l their coniidence in that party who had placed (he welfare of the (jjuutry on the broadest principles of Immunity. (Loud applause.)

VOTE OK TJANW AND CONEIDENCE. Mr Hoy, in propping n hearty vot« of thanks to the Premier aid con£dencein the Government, congratulat ed Mr Seddon on his enjoying such excellent health after his arduious labours. Mrs Dougherty seconded the mo'im, saying that .she only voiced tlie feelings of the teachers by saying " Long live the Present Minister for Education." The motion was put and carried by acelain ifcion, anil brielly acknowledged Ly Mr Seddon, who expressed the utmost confidence in the result of the goner;! election. A'v.ile of thanks to (he Mayor concluded one of the most sucossful meetings ever held in New Plymouth.