THE PREMIER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1899, Page 2

THE PREMIER.

SPEECH AT NELSON.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

NELSON, this day. The Premier addressed a large meek ing last night. Keferring to the fma/> cial position of the colony, he quoted figures showing the increasing prosperity of the colony, and the reliSfif;' afforded to the bulk of the &etti?tt« under the policy inaugurated ani caigit ried out by the Liberal party., &$m anticipates a surplus of half a million, and, with a view to increasing railway . revenue, indicated that, as the lines are not regarded as mere revenue pro-< ducers, reductions will be made %i|| charges to encourage the producers^ and benefit the people. ' He urged that reductions in freight to the Home markets must take place, and that th«s' Government must aim to secure that end. The shipping companies should be satisfied with moderate pro--' fits,' and if they were they would have done good service and merited support r in return. He indicated a reduction in land postage to one penny, though tfcu|p meant a sacrifice cf seventy thousand;pounds. Eeduction must come. He|r; also favoured a penny rate on paperiS, Home. Kelative to the Local GovdijJHJ ment Bill, he expressed a hope thaMlß would be carried next session, and be \ spoke at length on Old Age Pensio'^®! instancing the good already bel|j§l|| done in creating a feeling of hojjjj!}-*?1 and in relieving from depressing anxieties aged settlers who had heljp'j;;;' to build up the country. He mentioned • that some foreigners who were o||^r; colonists, and who had fought fpr£. this country, had never been natural lised, and under the Act were not en*' titled to a pension; but he promised to rectify this next session. He spoke very rally about the Midland Railway, referring to the victories of the Government on the legal questions afe arbitration and in the Supreme CourtHe said if .anyone had a claim for., damages, it was the residents of the1 localities where land had been locked'j: up against settlement for over twelve/ years, with the result that the son3| of farmers were driven to other places.!? He said the time had arrived now; foffc Cabinet to cons, r the advisability'; of throwing open the lands, and ths only question was whether this should' be, done on the authority of the Execu--tive or by Act of Parliament. He twitted the Opposition, arid apologised for his surplus being so large. Hs questioned the wisdom of reducßp| taxation, as«they needed to expend the. money to improve the colony. Thequestionwould be carefully considered by Cabinet. The Premier was frequently loudMf' applauded, and at the close of his address was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, no one opposing.