HON. W. P. REEVES AT AUCKLAND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4708, 2 May 1894, Page 3

HON. W. P. REEVES AT AUCKLAND.

(By Telegraph,—Press Association,) v Auckland, May 1. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, Minister of Education, addressed a public meeting of citizens in tbe City Hall to-night. There wero 800 present, and the Mayor (Mr Holland) was in the chair. On ooraing forward Mr Reeves received a cordial recaption and an attentive hearing. He stated he came before them as a Parly man, and would apeak on Party lines, and in favour of Party Government, through which, as history showed, our noblest informs had been achieved. Fixed exeoutors would oot get rid of what wero called the evils ot Party Government. These in New Zealand had been greatly exaggerated, and principally arose through the men who called themselves Independents but were really sitters on tbe rail, HIE UND QUESTION. He (tailed the Lund for Settlements Bill und the eternal lease. In the South, through l>indinonopoly,the people had reason to curse the very name of freehold. The Government admitted thoy ought to make evory effort to acquire the native lands in the North forsettlenieKt.aud it would be a plank of their platform. But the Northern Liberals must .assist tho Southorn Liberals in supporting tho Government in measures for reauminj possession oi private lands in the I South on fail' Mid reasonable terms.

LMJPUR MEASURES. Tho Labour Bills would receive mote consideration next session {torn the Upper House. He would stand to his gmifi and ie introduce the Labour Bills blocked la.it session, including the Concilia-ion ,iud Arbitration Bill.Shop Iloins Bill, Conspiracy Bill, and Shipping and Seamen's Bill. As the iosulo of ihe verdict of Iho last general election, ho believed theso measures would bo' on the Statute Book in a few months. There would be a half-holiday weekly for overy trade, with local option as to the day; but piece-workers would be brought under the provisions of the Act, as originally intended, Provision would he made for seeing that childien wore educated btfove emering factories, and that nftor entering they were taught their respective twdes, instead of beiog tinned off na improvers, in the fori,/ of boys and girls who knew nothing, to compete with adult labour. CO OPERATIVE SYSTEM With regard to the co-operative movement ihe Retnier deserved all the credit. Tho inteution was to rid 'ho workmen of middlemen, He was

sorry that sonie municipalities and local bodies in accepting lenders did not imitate tho spirit of tbe general Government. EIGHT HOURS A DAY, An Eight Hours Bill had been drafted, embodying the principle of local or trade option by which the majority of a trade might fix the hours of labour.