NATIONAL LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2208, 30 May 1891, Page 2

NATIONAL LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

I Dunedin - , May 27. 3 A largely attended meeting wai i held in Princess Theatre this evening, s to inaugurate a National Liberal AsI sociation. The Hon. R. J. Seddon, ) Minister for Public Works, was iu the t chair, and gave a long speech, dealing i with the policy of the Government, , In the course of bis remarks be said i that the attitude of the Ministry towards the capital of wealth and the capital of labor was one of justice. , The rights of both would be respected i and maintained. Labor capital had not been conserved in the past, as was evidenced by the census returns. Settlement and cultivation must ha provided for, and regarding tha prosecution of public works, so long as be was Minister they should be carried on on co operative principles. There were some five hundred men in the Government employ constructing public works, and he asked, Where was the revolution P It was not the strong, but the weak also, who were employed, and as they worked iu small gangs the wages they earned were equally divided, so that the strong were helping the weak. They were making an average of 9a per day, tha extra shilling representing what would have gone to the contractors, who would have made thousands, to be invested probably in Australia. A mong other - speakers, who proposed resolutions, were Messrs Pinkerton and Earnshaw, M.H.R’s, and Sir R. Stoat. The latter stated that he did not agree with some of the- planks of the Association, but be agreed with a large number. An Association was formed, Sir B, Stout being appointed President. was stated that it would be but a Dunedin branch of a New Zealand Association. Fourteen other branches are said to be in process of formation< The platform of the'Association'is as follows:—

1, Residential qualification only for electors. 2, Female franchise- 3. State aid for cooperative industrial settle

laents. 4. Government labor bureaux. 5. The appointment of a Minister of Labor. 6. Extension of Municipal functions and an increase generally of local government. 7. Absolute stoppage of the sale of Crown lands, 8. Progressive land and income tax and abolition of property tax. 9. Land succession dues to be paid in land, 10. Land companies to be taxed periodically to an amount equal to tbe average proceeds of succession dues. 11. Sole tenure of lands to be a lease from the State. 12. Natioaalisation of land, 13. Nationalisation of mines. 14. Nationalisation of all railways. 16. Nationalisation of coastal marine services. 16. A legal periodic adjustment of rents. 17. Statutory limitation of tbe maximum amount of recovers b’o interest. 18, A State Bank of Issue. 19. The State to supply educational requisites at cost price. 20. That equal facilities be given for acquiring primary and secondary education. 21. An Elective Eevising Committee with limited powers instead of a Legislative Council. 22. An elective Governor. 28. Simplification of the machinery of government. 24. Simplification of judicial procedure.