DUNEDIN.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4447, 6 April 1883, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

Yesterday. At the Police Court William Simms was charged with doing the match-box trick. The police only called sufficient evidence to justify his remand for a week, which was granted. he prisoner was admitted to bail; himself in £200, and two sureties of £100 each. Mr M. Green addressed a largely* attended meeting to-night in the Princess Theatre, He devoted the first hour and a«quarter to critcising Major Atkinson's scheme for the prevention of pauperism; then he explained his own. It is of a triple character: First, he would regu-s late the drink traffic by allowing one pub« lichouse to every 1500 inhabitants, and he propounded a plan for local bodies taking over present licenses by means of loans from Government, and placing salaried officers in publicbouses. The second proportion be devoted to the en* cooragement of local manufactures, such as locomotives, &c, by Government, in order to find employment for skilled artisans; and thirdly, he dealt with the land problem. He would have Government resume possession of all lands alongside railways, divide them into blocks of 10,000 acres, and lay these out each in a township and allotments on perpetual principles to the poorer classes at a low rental; and he would have the Govern* ment, if necessary, build small houses for the occupiers, giving them time to pay and charging them 5 per cent, for the money thus advanced; so would New Zealand, he thinks, become the Britian of the South. He was received with loud applause.—Major Atkinson is now (10.30) replying to Mr Green's criticisms of his plans. ■ •>■■■■.■ . ■-