POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 46, 13 February 1908, Page 3

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

JiON.Mli. FOVYLDSAT DANNEVIRKE Per Press Association. Dannevirke, Last Night. Mr. Fowlds, Minister lor Education, delivered a political address at Dannevirke last night. He dealt mainly with the departments under his direct control. Dealing firstly with education, he said the position of any country depended on its education system. The in- | crease on expenditure was alarming, I but he believed it was the best investj ment the country could have. At present the ideal ol tue education systen was to provide free education from the primary schools to l e university. He advocated belter payment of country teachers and a proper classified system of promotion. He praised the work of the Health Department, a n, i considered the Pure Food Act and Infant Life Protection Act would do much good for the people. He foreshadowed an improvement in the Hospital and Charitable Aid Ait and the law" regarding mental ho'pilal". He commended the Premier's remark" regarding the attitude of Government- towards revolutionary socialism, and endorsed the sentiment* Ciprewed by his chief. The aim of the Government was to secure justice between man and man, preventing monopolies bv State ownership and operation. There should he no granting of special privileges to any man unless he (aid annually the value of the privilege Mi. He commended the Land Endowment and Tax Bill, and claimed that the Native Land Bill was an honest

attempt to settle the native land problem. Tlte remission of £4o.j,i>o in the tariff was a great benefit to the workers. He anticipated the system of annuitie-, would in time relieve the old-

age pension expenditure and provide oid persons with the means of support and independence. He was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and of continued coulidcnie in tlie Government.