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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 78

Attitude Towards Progressive Legislation

Attitude Towards Progressive Legislation.

Sir Joseph Ward might fairly claim to be above all things the farmers' friend. He was a business man—they must surely have seen that from any department be administered. Sir Joseph had done his best to help the farmers of this colony, especially the small farmers. As Acting Postmaster-General he (the speaker) knew what that gentleman had done for the back-blocks in the way of providing telephones. It was idle to say that the party Sir Joseph Ward led would upset the law affecting property in any form, and would upturn established institutions, or take away private property unfairly,—(As plause.) The Acting Premier, Mr Hall-Jones, was a man possessed of good judgment, true patriotism, and attention to work. The speaker felt that through the Cabinet there ran a whole-hearted desire to see the country advance by fairness in all directions. It was not altogether a question of the ins and outs. There was always a (second party who leaned to the side of keeping things as they were. On the other hand, there were those who, either from nature or training, were filled with a strong hope or a spirit of unrest which had made their nation what it was. They believed in the future that they could by some means find a better path of progress than their fathers had found. He claimed that the present Administrations were a party of progress; that they had striven in the past, and would in the future, by prudent legislation, to advance in every way the well-being of the people of the colony. The Opposition were a party of reaction. If they got into power they would annul some of the reforms of the present Government and administer other reforms so half-heartedly as to kill them.

After a few questions, a vote of thanks to Dr Findlay and of confidence in the present Government was proposed by Mr Neil and carried with only one or two dissentients.

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