PEOPLE'S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2120, 4 November 1890, Page 3

PEOPLE'S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of persons interested iu establishing a branch of the People's Political Association was held last Saturday evening in the Social Hall. Mr Moynihan took the chair and said the object of the meeting was to form a society to educate the people in politics. It was to be a permanent institution. He then read the platform of the parent association in Christchurch, which was to the following effect:—To enrol votes, purge rolls, aud assist in electing to Parliament candidates pledged to support the platform of the association. The platform was as follows: 1. The immediate aoppage of sale of Crown lauds, and cancel ation of existing provisions for conversion of perpetual le«se holdings into freeholds. 2. Legislation giving the State power to eompulsorily resume possession of freeholds at a fair valuation for settlement vid subdivision.

3. Retention of present system of Tiiennial Parliaments.

4. Seamen's Representation, Shop Hours, factories, Buildieg, Lien, Truck, aud other L*bor Bills to be supported.

5. Legislation for eight hours as a day's work.

6. Special tax on absentee landlords, 7. The present educational system to be maintained ; uoiform school books for the colony, published by the Government. 8. Radical reform in the management of the milwayß of the colony. 9. Securing the rights of labor. 10. Progressive taxation on lund held (ut speculative purposes. 11. Elective Legislative Council. Mr Duncan aioved a resolution to the effect " That a branch of the association be formed in Temuka." He had several letters, and said it was intended to be a permanent body with branches throughout the colony. They had a very strong association in Ohristchurch, and anyone subscribing to the programme would be elegible for membership, Mr W. McCaan seconded the motion.

Mr Groodey would support the motion with all hie heart because that was exactly what they wanted so that they might work together. Several men had told him they had learned more during the last three years than erer before, because it was the trick of the Tories to hide everthiag. Ha remembered the Chartists—some of them who were sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered and others sentenced to Van Diemens land for advocating odo man one vote. It was in this way everything was kept back, but by slow steady progress and persevering effort they had seen what the Chartists asked for passed into law. It was necessary for them to go on in a similarly steady and persever ing way and if they did" ss they would hand down to their children a more valuable heritage than bir Harry Atkinson had given them at the end of his pslitical career. The metion was carried amidst applause. The chairman next read a letter from the secretary of the Christchurch branch to the eftVt that the officers should be president, vicepresident and a stiong committee, and to send their names to Christchurch to the parent society. The subscription was one shilling per member. Further instructions would be got from Christ i church.

Mr Duncan said it, was intended to make the institution educational They knew very little about politics and in election times were at the mercy of candidates who had axes to grind. Theße candidates who had axes to grind were more frequently rich tkan poor. Almost all present were then enrolled as members, and a strong committee being formed the proceedings terminated.