PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 95, 25 April 1891, Page 5

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESS.

MR SAUNDERS AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

(BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CiiRiSTcnuKCH, this day. Mr Sauxders, M.H.R. for Selwyn, addressed his constituents in Hororata Town Hall yesterday. He regretted that New Zealand had not joined the Federation Convention, and hoped tho present Government did not entertain the same ideas on the subject of federation as the late Government. He reviewed the characteristics of the leading members on both sides iof the House, and opposed Hon. R. Seddon's proposed land tax if the exemptions were taken off. The question was whether a tax to suib the farmer better is to bo found than the property tax, and if that was tho case he would support it. He would like to see a tax which might come immediately on the owners of large tracts of land. He epoke wlch feoling as to the addrosa in reply, and folt that if the Hon Mr Rolleston had allowed it to pas quietly, ho could hare moved another motion which would have boen better supported. Ho disapproved of the Government not) allowing an opportunity for members of the House to place eorno limit to the amount of remuneration Ministers were to receive. Hβ was inclined to the opinion that the Hutchison charges were correct, since Sir Harry Atkinson and Mr Mitchelion had not taken the matter into Court, and quoted from the financial statement of Sir Harry Atkinson to show that his Government was responsible for the increased indebtedness of the colony. Hβ supported tho female franchise and submitted reasons for the assumption that hull' a million a year is to be saved.