THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

Mr Sloss at Parnell Hall.

s!Lr F. J. Moss, a candidate for the suffrages of the electors of Parnell, addressed a nrowded meeting at the Parnell Hall last evening. Mr J. Winks, Mayor of the Borough of Parnell, was voted to the chair. Mr Moss, who was received with enthusiastic applause, in a few prefatory remarks referred to those who had very jeeringly denounced himself and a few others as alarmists and croakers, and who were now trying to cover their past blun ders by a rivalry as to who could roar the loudest for retrenchment. The first ques tion he had to ask was, what is the cause of The Present Depression? To attribute it to the low prices of pro duce was begging the question. They must go behind that and ask to what the low price of produce is itself due. He at tributed this chiefly to the great falling-oil' in the world's yield of gold. In 18-19 the yield was about eight millions sterling a year. In the twenty-six years following it rose to an average of twenty-four millions, and for the last ten years has again fallen below eighteen millions a year. After mak ing the fullest allowance for increased faci lities of exchange, this decrease in yield of gold on the one hand, and the vast increase in the commerce for which currency was required on the other, were sufficient to ac count for the fall in prices. The nations of Europe all used more gold since 1873 than they had before. All of them had adopted a gold currency instead of the silver stan dard which nearly all of them had to that date. This was owing to the great dis coveries of silver, in such vast quantities that its market price had fallen 40 per cent. (Hear, hear.) The scarcity of gold and con sequent fall in money values throughout the world was of deep significance. The rich discoveries had stimulated settlement and production. Now, wish these vast means of production they had a les sened currency and lower money prices, while they had also a great mass of standing engagements made at the old rates of value. The widest derangement and much distress were bound to follow. The greatest convulsions in the world's history had been preceded by such derangement, and many of the best thinkers believed similar convulsions were likely to result now. The organisations of the Knights of Labour in America was one indication of the coming struggle. Where liberty was denied, and organisation of labour were sternly repressed, secret societies and their attendant violence and bloodshed followed. In free countries, the battle was fought at the ballot box. It was at the ballot box we should fight our battle in New Zealand. The battle would not be decided in a day nor a year, and upon it the destiny of New Zealand depended. (Cheers.) Its issue would decide whether class legislation and class administration should reproduce in this new world the fearful misery and de gradation of the old. Or whether, by God's help and blessing, we should secure for all alike a fair Held and make New Zealand the home of an educated, industrious, and prosperous people. (Cheer?.) To achieve this was the great aim of the Liberal party, whose shattered forces he hoped to see re united and able to show once more a solid front in the new Parliament. Its ranks were now in great confusion, owing to a pernicious system of coalitions, of which

The Present Ministry was the most striking example. Mr Moss .aid that he considered all coalitions per uicious except for rare and temporary pur poses. The present Ministry was put in office by some of the Liberals who thought they were doing a very clever thing in get ting together what they called a Liberal Government in the face of a decidedly Con servative Parliament. The coalition had certainly succeeded iD keeping out a Conservative Government, but at the cost of splitting up the Liberals. Their proper place as a minority would have been in opposition, and he waa sure they would have done more justice to their party and more good to the country had they accepted their true position. (Hear.) The last was undoubtedly A Conservative Parliament, and the most unsympathetic he had seen- Keenly sensitive to the smallest matter af fecting property, it was steel itself where human rights only were concerned. To the woes of unhappy property-owners it lent a willing ear. To the cry of the unemployed it was deaf as the adder, deriding them as loafers, and deriding those who spoke for them as sentimental hum bugs. The policy of the Ministry was largely affected by Its composite character. It was this which had led to the great job he had before de nounced to them, the purchase of the dis trict railways. The Hall-Atkinson Govern ment initiated this job, but the Stout- Vocel Government had completed it. He considered this one of the greatest swindles ever perpetrated on the country. Strangely enough, it was the one thing in them which Mr Seymour George had excused on the odd ground that perhaps they could not help it. Was Mr George afraid that in blaming them he would be blaming also those who initiated and connived at it? He could conceive no other reason for h*3 excuse. To his (Mr Moss's) mind, this coalition was bad and injurious. It must be broken. Only he would add, let it be broken by friend- who would break to re construct—(hear, hear)—not by enemies, who were only seeking the further confu sion of the Liberal party and the supremacy of the Conservatives for many a year. This would be a great disaster, and the way to avoid it was clear. Let the electors refuse to be influenced by smaller questions or side issues, and put into Parliament men on whose Liberal principles and sympathies they could rely. (Applause.) Send such men to Wellington, and they will soon form a party of their own—a party of reconstruction, and not the party of blind destruction to gratify personal feeling or to suit particular interests, which some would like to see. The Public Debt, so' recklessly and wantonly piled up by successive Ministries during the last 15 years, demanded notice. Mr Moss pointed out that the debt, after deducting sinking fund and unexpended balances, was thirty four millions on 31st March last. That the charge was £1,780,000 a year, of which one and a half millions afc least had to be paid to outside creditors. Add to this the interest on the debts of local governing bodies, and it took more than £5,000 for every day in the year (Sundays included) to meet the claim to outside creditors. He referred to what he called a common delu sion, that negotiating loans meant bringing large sums of money into the country. ' What really happened was this :We ex ported certain parcels of debentures, and got back large quantities of railway material, clothing, and manufactures, with perhaps a balance in money, and probably no money at all. We consumed all the imports and were then left to pay the interest. Con sequently, if we spent borrowed money for any other purpose than directly increasing our productions, we were bringing distress on the country. We had been doing this with many millions for several years. It was not the railways, with all their blunders, that caused the trouble. They only repre sented 13 millions, and we could have borne them easily. It was the great misapplied balance spent for purposes that ought to have come from revenue or not at all. He believed it to be our duty to begin paying off this debt. (Applause.) No finance would be sound that did not contemplate such a beginning in a very few years. Then we sSdsee New Zealand rapidly recover its aid elasticity, and its people, made wise by

the mistakes of the past, begin a new career of prosperity. The first step must be a

Reduction of Expenditure. It would probably take L 300,000 to make good the deficit of the present financial year. There was nothing to be alarmed at in this. They had a deficit three times as great in 1879, and Major Atkinson then added at a blow L 618,000 to our taxation, bub no one was alarmed then. The real reason of the present trouble was that we. had come to the end of our tether, and could no longer borrow in London. To his mind, that was cause of rejoicing rather than regret. It would have been good for the country if it had happened sooner. We had gob into the way of de pending on borrowed money for all our works, and now we must get out of it. Re trenchment to make good the deficit, or at least the greater part of it, was inevitable. They must have it. But they would still want money for all the local wants and works hitherto supplied by loans. Little of that had come out of revenue for several years. He asked them to bear this specially in mind. Mr Moss ridiculed the attempt of candidates or individual members at making retrench ing financial statements. lie referred to Mr Seymour George's efforts in that direc tion, arid pointed out that his proposed retrenchments, such as University and Girls' High School and Native Land Courts, fell on Auckland alone. In other provinces bhe higher education rested on great local land endowments, which tlie money granted to Auckland was intended to counterbalance. As to reducing mail ser vices, Mr George must know perfectly well that, if anything went ib was sure to be the 'Frisco service, which was only carried last year by the determined action of the Go vernment—especially of blur Colonial Trea surer. (Applause.) As to closing the deaf and dumb school, he could hardly believe that Mr George, calling himself a Liberal, was in earnest in making so wretched a pro posal. (Chfeers.) The country had not come to that yet. Air Moss also pointed out that in higher education Auckland had much lee way to pick up. In 1875, the last year of provincial institutions, tho nine provinces spent L 129,000 in education, and of this Auckland only spent L2,0Q0. Ib was poor policy to deprive the youth of Auckland of the chance they now had of a fair start with the youth of the South, and he would bo no party to putting them back to the old level. Mr Moss then drew atten tion to an analysis of the expenditure pub lished in a letter from him in Monday night's Stak. They would see what a complex machine the Genera) Government had be come, and how large a business of different kinds they were doing*. If they reflected on the difficulty that the Auckland Corpora tion, and even the Auokland Education Board, had in retrenching, they would ap preciate how little the hustings talk of any candidate would como to. Thero was only one way to retrench : that was to send back the Estimates and mako the Government for the time bein.!? reduce them to such an amount as might be found necessary. That had always been his view of retrenchment. That was his view still, and to it he was quite ready to pledge himself. Any other plan was useless. His own belief was that the easiest -way to effect an adequate re trenchment was to call other bodies into existence to divide the labour with the Assembly. To do this a

Complete and Thorough Docentrallsa tion

would be necessary. Public works and railways-, education, hospitals, gaols, police, lunatic asylums, and all their local legisla tion could be better and far more economi cally dealt with by properly organised local councils than by an unwieldy and ill informed Legislature in Wellington. The loans were pretty well exhausted, and they must be taxed for public works sooner or later. Why not, then, tax themselves and spend the money under their own eyes instead of leaving it to be done in Wellington for them. By this means they could reduce the Assembly from 150 members to 75, and reduce Ministers and all the Executive Departments of the General Government in an even greater degree. They could also solve the Upper House difficulty by leaving its election to these local councils. It was the conflict over local matters that killed good govern ment and sound finance in tho Assembly, which was unfit for such work. These local councils, without tho "responsible government " and other defects of the old Provincial Councils, would lead to a simpler government and more modest scale of ex penditure. The nine Provincial Councils, with Superintendents and all their execu tives, only cost L.,5,.181 in 1875, when they were abolished. (Hear, hear.) Their work was now* dono, or attempted to be done, by a huge Assembly, costing LSOO for every sit ting day, bya numerous and costly Executive and a host of under-secretaries and clerks, the whole costing at least L 75,000 to LBO,OOO a year. Add to this the sums they had to pay for interest on the millions bor rowed only to keep up a bad system. These millions would never have been borrowed if the I interest had been raised locally, and the money expended under the control of those who were to bear the brunt. They could hardly form an idea of what central isation had cost the country, and how much it was responsible for the trouble through which they were passing. He would now refer to what he considered as important as reduction of expenditure, namely, the

Protection of Home Industry,

Retrenchmentalonewouldnotre.. tore pros perity. Itmighteven increase the depression. They wanted something to revive confidence and increase employment. (Hear, hear.) Mr Moss held that protection for all indus tries suitable to our circumstances, and which could be enlarged sufficiently to supply all our home market, would put new life into the country. (Cheers.) It had become a necessity, because our im ports must continue to fall, and ought to continue to fall if we were to recover our position. We must look to, native indus tries and the increased produce of our soil and sea to fill up the gap. (Cheers.) We must exchange with each other on the spot instead of doing so 16,000 miles away. He considered a fall in wages would be a great public calamity, bringing discomfort, and perhaps misery, to thousands in its train. (Hear, hear.) To provide varied means of employment Avas the surest safeguard 'algainst this fall. The wage-earning .lass were the great distributers of money, and on their prosperity the prosperity of tho country depended. (Applause.) Mr Moss wentat length into the question, contending that to provide skilled employment for our people and skilled training for our children concerned every man and woman who had an interest of any kind in the prosperity of the country. He quoted Victorian statis tics to show how successfully protection had worked there in advancing not only manu factures but agriculture and external com merce. He also referred to Canada and the United States, and to the growing move ment in favour of protection in New South Wales, headed by Mr Dibbs, the lato Colonial Treasurer. In refutation of state ments made as to the iron and steel trade of the latter country, Mr Moss quoted the statistics of 1885, showing the following productions of the respective countries : — England, 7,811,727 tons of iron ; America, 4,589,613 tons of iron ; England, 1,299,676 tons of steel; America, 1,540,595 tons of steel ; England, 745,968 tons of steel rails ; America, 1,116,621 tons of steel rails. From this he argued it seemed clear that when manual labour formed a large part of the cost, as in mining iron ore, the country with the lowest-priced labour prevailed. But where skill or machinery came in, the advantage of low-priced labour was largely lost. It was to industries requiring skill or capable of using machinery that pro tection could be best applied. Protection was so natural to a young country that it

was sure to win, and he confidently relied on a very powerful party in its favour in the new Parliament. (Applause.) Mr Moss then referred to Taxation. He was opposed to tho property tax, pre ferring an unimproved land tax and an income tax. But he would still more prefer an alteration in our whole system that would enable the General Government to do without such direct taxation. It would be far better in the hands of local councils, who would work it more fairly to all, and with less friction. The property tax came from America, but it was there only us*ed by cer tain local governments for local purposes. The General Government in the Civil War, when it had to impose direct taxation, levied a graduated income tax from Is to 2s 6d in the pound, according to a fixed scale. Now the Federal Government in America depended almost entirely on Cus toms and Excise. It raised 67 millions, and out of it 02 millions by Customs and Excise. There, taxes on tobacco and other luxuries of the less wealthy were very low, while tea, coffee, and other articles they could nob themselves produce were free of duty altogether. On all that they could produce tlie duty was high. On luxuries like silks and satins it was 50 per cent., while champagne paid '28s por dozen. The American system was well worth study, and, he believed, in many cases would be well worth our adoption. It had enabled them to pay off' 300,000,000 of their war debt in 20 years, and they expected to pay off the remaining 200,000,000 within the next 12 or 15 years. Mr Moss also suggested the propriety of levying all local taxes, both in town und country, on the ground value (the unimproved value) to prevent people paying taxes on the im provements while those who did nothing alongside of them were receiving the benefit also. (Applause.) As to Tlie Village Settlements, Mr Moss .poke very warmly in their sup port ; and as to the L 70.000 of liabilities, it was only contingent like the million of similar liabilities incurred by the Grey Go vernment for native land purchase, and about which the I fall-Atkinson Government tried to horrify the country in 1879. (Hear, hear.) He thought the planting of forest and other trees might be with very great advantage added to these village settle ments afi a suitable means of employment, lilcely to repay its cost or even bring con siderable, profit if carefully done. Ho hoped to sco tho village settlement and forest planting in connection with it become a part of the permanent policy of the coun try. As to the native policy, Mr Moss spoke in terms of praise of the promptitude with which the law had been enforced in the North and on the West Coast, as the highest justification of what was called Mr Rallance's one-policeman policy. But the policy, in dealing with the native lands, was tortuous, and tended to reproduce in its worst form the corruption to which the old land purchase system had led. In Conclusion, Mr Moss said he must say a few words in reply to Mr Seymour George, who had gone rather out of his way to make his opposition purely personal. Why he should have done .so, he (Mr Moss) did not care to inquire. Mr George, to use his own words, asked their support " as an opponent of Mr Moss, who had left his party and joined the Government." It was a poor ground to rest a claim upon, but, poor as it was, lie was bound to give the statement a direct and flat denial. He had not lefb his party, for they would remember that he had. three sessions since, told them what confusion prevailed in Wollington, and how injurious it was to bhe country. He had then asked them both in Parnell Hall and in Newmarket Hall to release him from all party ties, and leavo him to stand alone, if necessary, until a party could be formed, however few in number, ready to devote it self to stopping the further downward course of the colony. They had released him and passed a renewed vote of confi dence. He had since acted without regard to either side of the House, seeking only to be faithful to the principles upon which they had been pleased to return him. He stood before them in that position now, neither seeking nor receiving support from Government nor any other party. He relied only upon his own past and on the support of those who cherished the Liberal principles which had always gained the victory in Parnell. He had never been beaten yet. (Enthusiastic cheers.) He felt sure that he was in the right, and therefore despite all adverse inlluences he would not be beaten now. Public feeling was aroused through out the colony, and he should not find him self alone in tho new Parliament. There would be many like himself determined to break up the present coalition Ministry, bub to do so in a way that would restore to the Liberal party its old unity and strength, fitting it once more to become the powerful guardian of popular rights for all, and the resolute foe of all who sought to establish class supremacy or to make class interests prevail. Mr Moss on resuming his seat was loudly applauded, his peroration having raised the enthusiasm of the audience to an unwonted pitch. Captain D. H. McKenzie moved a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Moss. He said that though they might not all agree with all his views they knew he was honest and conscientuons and they could nob do better than return him again as their re presentative. (Loud cheers.) Mr Caleb Wood seconded the motion, giving Mr Moss credit for having for years foreseen the present results of the borrow ing policy. He approved of the policy of decentralisation advocated by Mr Moss.

The motion was unanimously carried

Mr Moss briefly returned thanks, and a vote of thanks to the chairman was carried.

FREE TRADE VERSUS PRO TECTION.

A r_n_LiC debate upon this subject in con nection with the Y.M.C.A.'s winter course took place last night in the lecture hall o 1 the Y.M.C.A.'s rooms,Mr J. H.Upton being in the chair. There was a good attendance.

The Rev. J. S. Hill took the opportunity to correct the statement he had made on a previous occasion that bootmakers were tho worst-paid men in the community. The Auckland Boot and Shoe Manufacturers' Association had informed him that the trade worked 45 hours as against 47 worked by other trades, while the wages were at the rate of from Is to Is 6d per hour.

Mr Geo. Fraser (protectionist) opened the debate by affirming the proposition '' that protection is the policy best adapted to promote the prosperity of the colony." He referred to the boundless resources of the colony, and said that though the out look was no doubt a gloomy one, there was no cause for alarm if colonists did all in their power te eacw„*age local in dustries by purchasing local articles and by other means. (Cheers.) Free traders had all the ports in the world open for them, but if they bought cheaply they must have an outlet for profitable export. The speaker referred to the timber industry and the ex portof thatarticle. The otherexport articles of the colony were wheat, mutton, and wool, There was no outlook for the evport of wool at the present time, and the New Zealand frozen mutton industry had to compete with that of River Plate and other markets. It ■would be better for shippers to turn their attention to the encouragement of local industries, and thus create a market at home. Free traders had the idea that the protection of a particular manufacture was an injustice to the consumer. Mr Fraser combated this- argument, and held that a man should not be compelled to work for wages which would not

sustain him. Freetraders would tell the man to try some other business which would pay him; but they should state what that business must be. (Applause.) Sir William Fox the other night had de nounced as "robbery" the duty which obliged him to pay to the local shoemaker a surplus 4s for every pair of boots he pur chased. But he forgot that whereas the money which he had made would only yield him from 2 to 4 per cent, in England, yet in the colony it produced him from 6 to 10 per cent., and out of this difference he could well afford to pay a little extra for his boots and shoes. By supporting local in dustries the money wis kept in the country and the various members of the community helped one another. But the doctrine of free trade was to sell your labour in the dearest market, and purchase your goods in the cheapest market, careless altogether of what injury or suffering was caused by the process. The speaker, in proof of the quality of colonial workmanship and the sbrange weakness of some people for foreign products, contrasted, the Devonport Ferry Company's steamers' Britannia and Vic toria with the steamers imported from England by bhe North Shore Ferry Company, and which have been lying idle ever since they arrived. He main tained that local industry had never been properly protecbed here, and thab was the reason why it languished. Mr E. Withy addressed the audience on " the tendencies of protection." One ten dency was that the restriction of imports meant loss of revenue to the Treasury, the consequence being that the people were paying higher than they needed for their goods', while the resulting loss to the revenue of the country had to be made up by extra taxation. Competition under our condi tions here could not bringdown the prices of commodities to the low rate of imported articles, but it would bring: down the wages of labour and the percentage of profits on capital. Where wages were high and pro fits were large, labour and capital would both flow in until the rates were brought down to the normal level, and we Would be all the worse off by reason of {he unneces sary high prices we paid for our goods. At one time, people condemned labour-saving machinery as injurious, but gradual en lightenment had now corrected this short sighted opinion. Tho cheaper goods were sold the greater would be the consumption of them. On the other hand, any combina tion to increase prices tended to lessen the consumption. As well might a family or a city resolve to produce itself everything ib required as a nation. Henry George had well said that the full-blown protectionist, who wanted to keep foreign goods out of his country, would have to roof it in when balloon ships came into vogue. Commerce was merely barter, and all that was essen tial was to see that we got full value for our products. He believed that a free exchange between nations of pro ductions on the highest range of efficiency, both as to climatic advantages and handi craft skill, would lead to the greatest ac quisition of the satisfactions of life, and to the most rapid accumulation of wealth. Under such conditions the "greatest good of the greatest number " would be secured. " Keeping tho money in the country " was another of the favourite aims of protection ists. This was their cry in England also, but it was a fact thab more money enters England than leaves it in spite of the great excess of her imports over her exports. Did anyonebelievethat theamountof eoininNew Zealand llucbuated very much, or still less that it was constantly flowing out ? If the latter, it would not take long for it all to go. But it showed no such tendency. The interest on our State and privateindebtedness went Home as produce. If we had not made such a good use of the money lent to the Slate as enabled us to raise more pro duce than the interest we had paid, then we had made an unprofitable outlay. Our private indebtedness was largely mort gages on land. The interest on this, he considered, was wholly lost to the colony, and represented the cost to us of land mono poly, and in this lay the main secret of poverty and periodical depressions. Mr Andrew Bell (protectionist) denied the truth of the oft-repeated statement that free trade had made England what she is. The expansion of colonial trade, the growth of railways, and the strong current of gold from California and Australia to Europe, stimulating trade and industry, had been the main causes of England's prosperity in this century. But free trade was largely responsible for the misery and wretchedness that were so prevalantin England, and also for the present depression. Germany was now reaping the benefits of protection. The speaker proceeded to quote from an article in " Blackwood's Magazine,"affirming inter alia that the tariff reform of 1879 in the direction of Protection had saved Germany from ruin, and that this empire was now on the road to national greatness. The result had been that some English manufacturers had taken their machinery to Saxony, where labour could be had at Id per hour. In America the rate of production was 200dols per head, while in England it was only 175d01s per head. Every un employed man was a national loss, for a third of his earnings would go to the State. How large a loss were we there fore sustaining by reason of want of suibable protection for our industries. The " Herald " was unable to solve the problem what todo with the boys of our charitable industries,bub with a little protection to in dustry the question would be answered satisfactorily. Mi Bell exhibited a collec tion of hooks, bolts, pot and kettle handles, rowlocks and similar goods manufactured by Mr J. Dickins, of Northcote, and sent to the Industrial Ex hibition. He contended that if this industry were protected, all our charitable school boys could be profitably employed at it. Protection was a mother's question, for its tendency was to keep the labour in the country instead of driving it elsewhere in search of employment.

Mr Edmund Bell (free trade) considered a great many of those who advocated pro tection in a time of general elections were mere political mountebanks. Our present depression was merely the result of past abnormal conditions, viz., extravagant ex penditure of borrowed money. We had teen living like the Prodigal Son. Free trade was simply the right of every individual to dispose of the fruits of his energy and skill as he pleased and to ■she best advantage. Its justice could not be denied. Protectior, on the other hand, was a tax on some industries for the pur pose of beneiith-g other industries. But New Zealand was a highly-protected coun try as it is, and surely the people, suffer ing from depression as they were, did not want to increase still further the difficulty of making both ends meet by raising to a higher standard the cost of living. If protec tion were logical, the North should be pro tected against the South. (Applause). He had heard one local manufacturer complain that biscuits were being sold in Auckland at ruinous prices, and these biscuits were pro duced at Christchurch. It was really dreadful. Similarly we might require to be protected from Christchurch cheap cast ings. Two brothers came out from Eng land — one to settle in Victoria and the other in New South Wales. Simply be cause they lived on opposite sides of the river Murray, their commercial intercourse was impeded by taxation, whereas free trade would have been of far greater advan tage to both. The speaker quoted from Buckle's " History of Civilisation " to show how largely free trade had benefited Scotland; and he also referred to the injurious effects of obsolete British Acts of a protectionist tendency. England had passed through the depression far more comfortably than protected countries. In the United States the unemployed numbered about a million, and wages in some parts of the country were as low as 3s 6d and 3s 9d for a day of ten hours. Mr Bell also quoted from an American authority the s.-.'.'"_.n*f .....fc

from 1872 to 1883, wages in Great Britain had advanced 10 per cent., while in Massachusetts, United States, during the same period, they had fallen back to the extent of 5*41 per cent. The discussion was now thrown open to the audience, each speaker being allowed 5 minutes. Mr J. M. McLachlan was the first to accept the invitation. He informed the audience that on Sunday night he sab down to the perusal of a pamphlet by Mr W. M. Blair, C.E., on this question. (Cries of " Shame " and laughter). The better the day the better the deed. The speaker went on to argue that productiveness was the wealth of a country, and that it was best promoted by protection. Messrs White (free trade), Chas. Atkin (protection), Bridgewater (free trade), J. McGowan (protection), and Rev. J. S. Hill (free trade) also spoke. The Rev. J. S. Hill made some remarks of a singular tendency, that because a man named Jones (formerly connected with the Onehunga Ironworks, and now in gaol for shooting with intent) was possessed of knowledge which would render profitable the utilisation of our ironsand deposits, it would be a wise and expedient thing to commute his sentence. Messrs E. Bell, E. Withy, A. Bell, and George Fraser having replied, a show of hands was taken, with the following result: —Por Free Trade, 49 ; for Protection, 04.

PONSONBY CHORAL SOCIETY -"THE ROSE MAIDEN."

The Ponsonby Choral Society gave on Mon day night, in All Saints' School-room, under the conductorship of Mr T, Tallis Trimnell, Mus. Baa, their third concert of the season, the work presented being F. H. Cowen's cantata " The Rose Maiden. There was a . full attendance, and an excellent muster of the performing forces of the Society. The chorus comprised 55 voices, the different parts being well balanced, viz., 24 sopranos, 1.1 contraltos, 10 tenors, and 10 baritones and basses, while tlie orchestra numbered 23 instruments, and was therefore rather disproportionate to the vocal volume. Its power and the usual prone ness to play forte in solo passages severely handicapped some of the singers. Ih this respect the wind instruments were most at fault. Mr oharles Hemus Jed with his well-known skill and precision, and Mr I'nnes on the (lute, Mr Clough on the vioia, Mr Impey on the clarionettc, and Mr T. Wood on the oboe were heard to special advantage at various stages of the perform ance. The cantata is one of the most juvenile efforts of the popular song-writer, having* been produced in 1870, when he was only 18 years of age. It is marked by his exuberant play of melody, and is also very nicely harmonised. It is in no sense a protensious composition, but one that is admirably adapted for the purposes of a popular concert, and the Ponsonby Society have exercised a wise choice in selecting it for performance. There could be no doubt as to the pleasure with which the audience received ib last night, nor any question as to the proficiency of the Society. The orchestra played the bright and sparkling introduction with studied ex pression, and the opening chorus, "Green Vale and Vine-clad Mountain," was sumr with great spirit and confidence, the tenors being particularly good. The chorus for four voices in each part, "A Maid More Beautiful," was satisfactorily done, and the full chorus, **.** 'Mid the Waving Rose-trees," was marked by careful attention to the marks of expression ; but the time towards the close, viz., the movement in A flat, became rather ir regular. The subdued chorus, " 0 Earth born Sorrow,'' was given with good effect, but it was in the inspiriting and gladsome " Wedding Chorus" thab the Society achieved the " hit Vof the evening. It was sung with great power and resolution, and the audience promptly signified their desire for its repetition. To comply, of course, would be to violate the artistic fitness of things, and Mr Trimnell there fore gravely shook his head. But the "house" would take no denial, and the conductor, politely yielding to the popular will, gave the signal to recom mence. The choruses of male and female voicesrespectivelywereacceptably rendered, but the concluding chorus disclosed some degree of unsteadiness. The solos were dis tributed among Mrs Dacre and Mrs John son (sopranos), Mrs Edger (contralbo), Mr Edwin Hosking (tenor), and Mr Geo. Smythe (baritone). Mrs Dacre was in capi tal voice, and sang the pretty and melodi ous solos allotted her with undoubted effect and much sweetness. She gave the pretty recitative, " Oh, Hear, Thou King of Beauty," very correctly, but greater care of expression would have rendered it still more pleasing. The same lady sang very taste fully the solo in waltz time, " Bloom on, Bloom on, my Roses," and the duets in which she took part with Mr Hosking and Mr Smythe respectively were performed with gratifying success. The best two duets were (1) "Soon as the Mountain Summits," by Mrs Dacre aud Mr Smythe ; and (2)" I Know a Rosebud Shining" by Mrs Dacre and Mr Hosking. In the recitative "God Greet Thee, Fairest Maiden," Mrs Johnson displayed a clear fresh voice of agree able fwibre, and sang with good expression. Mrs Edger acquitted herself very credit ably, her chief contribution being the rather trying solo " Yet Chime they so Sadly." The orchestral accompaniment was too loud. Mr Edwin Hosking is an ac quisition to musical circles. He has a light tenor voice of nice quality, especially in the upper register, and he sings with much artistic taste. He executed all the tenor recitatives very pleasingly, and fairly brought down the house by his expressive rendering of the fine descriptive recitative, "For from the Summer's Blossom." Mr Smythe was unequal in performance. As we have said,he contributed his fair share to the duets in which he took part, but he marred the effect of the trio, "Hast Thou Wandered " (Mrs Johnson, Miss Harley and Mr Smythe) by getting out of tune, the con sequence being that the soprano got slightly out as well. In his solo, " Where Gloomy Pine-Trees Rustle," he gave the opening lines weakly nnd unsteadily, but with the change of style and tempo, he rose superior to these defects, and gave full and satisfac tory expression to the stirring, descriptive lines that follow. Mr Searell was handi capped in his rendering of the charming tenor air, " The Sleep of Even," both by the excessive loudness of the orchestra and by the fact that he was suffering from cold. He has a voice of good quality, but his sing ing was deficient in expression. Mr Barnes sang the concluding tenor air with fair effect, We are pleased to see that the Society intend to repeat the concert at the Choral Hall on Friday week, and we can cordially bespeak for it the patronage of the music-loving public.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1,87.

2



Election .Notices. 'PDEN EL E CTOKATE. MR MITCHELSON will meet his Committee and Supporters at Waite's Hall, Mount Eden, on WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY EVEN INGS, August 10 and 11, at 7.30 p.m. "OONSONBY ELECTORATE. MR E. COOPER Will address the Electors at the Ponsonby Hall, on THUK SDA V EVEN ING, ll th inss, at 8 p.m.



Election Notices. -T^T c W TON ELECTION. MR. R. T. GARRATT will address the Electors in the Eden Hall THIS (WEDNES DAY) EVENING, at 8 o'clock. mo THE ELECTORS OF PONSONBY; I have the honour to intimate that I am a Candidate for election to the Ponsonby district. Yours faithfully. THOS. PEACOCK. % mo THE ELECTORS OF EDEN. Gentlemen,- I am a Candidate for the honour of represent ing your district in the new Parliament, and will continue to address you at the various centres throughout the district. The dates and places of meetings will be duly advertised. j; CQNNELL> MR J. AITKEN CONNELL'S CANDIDATURE FOR EDEN. Gentlemen desirous of furthering Mr Connell's candidature as member for Eden are respect fully invited to place themselves in communica tion with the undersigned. T. 11. GILES, Political Secretary to Mr .1. A. Connell. Fort-street, Auckland, August 8, 18S7. in. DE N ELECTORATE. Mr J. Aitken Connell will have much pleasure in meeting the Electors at— The School-house, Mount Roskill, Three Kin"S (subject to consent of School Com mittee), on MONDAY EVENING, August 15, at 8 p.m. Waite's Hall, Mount Eden, on THURSDAY EVENING, August 18. at 8 p.m. Ha_l-tt's Hall or St. Sepulchre's Schoolroom, on MONDAY EVENING, August 2*2, at S p.m. School-house, Waikomiti (subject to consent of Sclioo! Committee), on THURSDAY EVENING, Au?ust 25. at S p.m. Further meetings at Avondale. Henderson and other places will be duly advertised. mO THE ELECTORS OF EDEN. 1 Gentlemen,—As I find that rumours are being circulated to my disadvantage, I beg to say that I pledge my word to be Nominated for the Eden Seat, and go absolutely to the Poll. I am satisfied that I already possess the con fidence and support of a majority of the Eden electors, and much as I regret tho necessity of contesting the seat with one of my own party, I feel that being first in the field and seeking to represent the district in which I am personally resident, taken together with the support and confidence I have referred to, constitutes a claim superior in all respects to that of my opponent to the seat 1 feel that I would be false alike to myself and to you were I now to do otherwise than fight the contest to the end. I have been subjected to many temptations from other constituencies, both in the North and in the South, to desert Eden; hut Eden was my flrst choice, and to my first choice I remain true. Yours faithfully. J. AITKEN CONNELL. mo THE ELECTORS OF EDEN. Gentlemen,— I have pleasure in offering myself as a Candidate for your electorate, and will, at an early date, do myself the honour of addressing you on political matters. EDWIN MITCHELSON. Auckland, 30th June, 1887. ELECTORS OF EDEN. Gentlemen,— In compliance with request of a Public Meet ing held at Three Bangs School, and also by request of the Electors of Eden residing in other parts of the district, I beg to announce myself as a Candidate to represent Eden. R, UDY. mO THE ELECTORS OF AUCKLAND NORTH.' Gentlemen, I respectfully beg to offer myself for Re election to Represent your District in the House of Representatives. Yours faithfully, T. THOMPSON. June 19,1887. mO THE ELECTORS of MANUKAU. Gentlemen— In response to a numerously-signed Requisi tion. I beg to offer myself as a Candidate for your Suffrages at the Ensuing Election. I will have the honour of addressing you at the several centres, and will give you duo notice of the dates of meetings. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Yours faithfully, S. S. OSBORNE. Penrose, August 9, J 887. ________ mo THE ELECTORS OF AUCKLAND CITY. Gentlemen,— I regret that I am unable to offer myself as a Candidate for one of your City Constituencies, but I propose to serve your interests in a more substantial manner. Trousers to measure at 10s may seem afallacy to you who havo been in the habit of paying 3 or i times that amount, but I cut outon an average 20 pairs per day, which is sufficient proof to i me that they are appreciated. Black Diagonal Worsted Coats, 30s;. Good Tweed Suits, 355; Best £1 10s Suits reduced to £3 15s during my Great Salo of Winter Tweeds, as I want to clear my stock right out before receiving new spring goods. Hoping to have the honour of dressing you at an early date, I am, Gentlemen, Yours faithfully, A. WOOLLAMS, Tailor, 3ydenhaw House Grey-street



• XT**-_interest.-.R tVS "*_i3£>v HEAD Office l. l A-cms Au^, Sy^H /roNEYadvaneaTC.. an.V amount requiml _. •& a W <__»> any TANGIBLE SEOUimT^^S. way as may be arrange,! . J^J MONTHLY, or QUaSk^ low est current rates. * includiu g _iO..L aS A tSjlEg^ BILLS DISCOUNTEDatou^t,, (Opposite A. Clark and s„^ \». AadUul ( .o o^us . 3[ .,'SelDaa^ LOANS are advanced from £10 to E.V Personal, Freehold, ampLea^.,,, _ Weekly, Monthly, o/Qu-t&rwJ At Lowest Current RatestS Advances made on Fnrnitar. wiL t _.„„» an<i aJ' classcs «* MercCSl^ Loans granted upon Life Policl^gL„ Interests under Wills l£* Bills Discounted at'Ci_jb)wt r.., Advances on Life Polities, MONEY LENT M PROJDSSOS! NOTES, HOUSE!?, PyitNlT.s BILLS DISCOUNTED DAILY MORTGAGES KEftOTlAin JOHN wThaRDIE, INDUSTRIAL AND PpOVHES _. PERMANENT BUILDING, LAND IS INVESTMENT SOCIETY OF AUCKlffl Repayment*! p..^ Totaliws extending over m weefc repaf* lyear .. .. £2 0 0 M.l 2 years .. .. .1 010 108.1' 3 years.. ~ OH 7 113151 ! . 4 years „ .. Oil 8 1216 J 5 years .. ... 010 0 130 {I 6 years .. .. o'B 9 13818 • 7 years .. .. 0 711 .1«!. 8 years.. .. 0 7*l Iff ill 10 years .. .. p6 3 I_lil The Board lias power in cases of §i<__Bf Want of Employment to S-6pß_&?,-I_a_ Borrowers Share in Profits. Part or whole-of the advance may J»_al '• at' any time. Interest ceases on to jb repaid. A member who has obtained an -_.__fiis liberty to sell his property at any l__e,_!' day off his mortgage; or may, il he desires,a his property subject to the ihortjftge _a Society.' , __~„ Corner of QUEEN-STEEETaEd VHP LANE, Auokland. ' __ • .' "JOHN BANCROFUtog, A UCKLAND PERMABSTJ iV OPERATIVE BUILDING Sflpl MENT SOCIETY. , Ofb-ioe. UI Qrara-isiBBB *LOANS granted upon approved w*j Freehold or Leasehold Prppertiffl ffl tm £20 to £6,000, principal and interest tenw able in instalments at the *™|_ff Rates for repayment of each -100 w» -■ —-—; —' £ B .d. "Tn* lyeaf „ .. 2 0 jj. ,« 2 years __. .. 1 010 «. 5 years.. _ 0-U7 W i years- ..OH -..Jj 6 years .. « -0 8» . « 8 years - 0J J »'S 10 years-- I 0« 3 _jj_L And to the same proportion' forjtf* or larger loans. ■m.POSITS.-The Society receives mwJ , "Sea*. ARTHUR " (JV" LAND AND MONETARY iff 2 . SHOBTif D-STBEH door Past STiB 0« I am prepared tevriuola^; theC°tr4rS^3^^ S^^r^* -fnneeotiate'Morfeisa'' 0 lampre P ared^ot^. sa , „ Gonial aß*-^ I Advances made on^M GRANTS LOANS, to FREEHOLD AND^J FIRST AND *fS] to o\ ANY AlSnfe^^ wnrfnS^r^; . " ■■"" -rtniit n-HO'Bl' ____ um.sgX*i&J_ __«_w*»^*_!W IUBI2 months ■• p> ■■}&.*»< : dtlt 0 misqaito^ | trial wg_i- heffljsto^.. lian4*bUM ' ' 1