POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 154, 20 June 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL.

HON. k MciNAB IN THE SOUTH. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Oorc, Last .Night, J lie Hon. It. MeNab addressed his constituents at Mataura this evening. He ( was greeted with a packed hall. The Miiiisiey referred exhaustively to the | land legislation of the jmsi session anil I its successful opera!ion in the settle- - nient ol land, lie condemned the work of the Boundary Commissioners in his own electorate, and advocated Parliament fixing llie electoral boundaries, lie staled thai a Second Ballot Bill would lie int induced next session. He received a unanimous vote of thank-: and confidence. I lON. ,1. A. MIIjUU! AT A'API I'll. Napier, Last .Night. The I 1011. -I. A. Millar, Minister ol Labor, addressed a largely - attended meeting in llu- theatre Uoyal this ((Veiling on the labor question. The .Mayor (.Mr. .1. \ igor Brown) presided, 'the .Minister dealt chieiiy Willi labor null ters, defending the Industrial Conciliation and Arliiiralion .Acl, which he declared was the best Act that nad been parsed in New Zealand, lie defended Hie Arbitration Court, which, he *aiil, was .not at- the' present time in such favor willi the workers as it might lie. The Court had to ileal with the condition ol things as llicy found them, ami' when they had found tiie country prosperous they had taken liiat into consideration, ami wages of workers hail been ra'iscil; but there was a limit beyond which they could not go without increasing tin; cost of product ion to such an extent that industries must cease. The increased cost of living, the Minister said, was due more to prices rilling for our export--, in outside markets, which all'ccud the price of land here, i and also of our products, than to an increase ill wages, lie urged workers loyally to observe the provisions of the Arbitration Act if they wished employers to do so, because the Act had to be administered fairly to both sides. He advocated amendments to the Act,, and also iu the Employers' Liability and Workers' Compensation Acts, so that sufferers under those Acts might receive the full amounts to which they were entitled without haying to disburse large sums to ascertain their legal claims. , Mr. A. L. I). Eraser, M.P., also spot-, advocating the second ballot at elections and the abolition of special Maor representation in Parliament. A vote of thanks and, continued conhdeucc in the Liovermnent was passed.