SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 278, 23 November 1899, Page 5

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

RECORD MEETING AT TAURANGA,

TAURANGA, Nov. 22.

The Premier addressed a record meeting here last evening, the Theatre Royal being crowded, and many being unable to obtain admission. The Mayor (Mr G. A. Ward) presided. The Premier said that he had been invited for the last five years to visit Tauranga bj' all classes, by members of the Opposition, and by their member. He could.assure them that wherever he spoke he helped the Opposition. That would account for his being there that evening. (Laughter.) It was from Parliament that reforms must come. The well-being of the people of to-day and of future generations in a great measure depended upon those returned to Parliament. There were some gentlemen who thought lightly of the position, and to go to Parliament was to them a pleasure trip. OPPOSITION MISREPRESENTATION. At the present time there were eighty Oppositionist candidates and sixty Opposition papers abusing him (the Premier), and misrepresenting every action of the Government. They "had to admit the wisdom of the Liberal Government's policy, and could not dare to repeal their measures. Although accused of wrong doing, and although on their trial, Ministers were denied the right of the Opposition press of addressing the people from the public platform. British fair play admitted that those charged with any offence should have an opportunity of replying. Their accusers knew that there > was.no truth whatever in the charges that had been levelled, and that was the real: reason why they were a,fraid of the. exposure which folloVed when the facts were put before the people. SUNDRY CHARGES The Premier defended the. Government in connection with the Marine. Wrigg and police charges. As regards the Marine Commission, the latest phase of the question was the outspoken remarks of 'the Wellington magistrate. Mr Haselden. Giving judgment in the case Jones against Yon Schoen, the Magistrate said that Captain Yon Schoen had concocted a fraud, and that Captain Jones had participated therein; that, owing to the certificate being cancelled, then Captain Jones demanded his money back! The Magistrate* had looked up the report.of the Commissioners, and the Government had met and disproved the charges. -..,.;.." '.. ' THE HON. J. G. WARD. ■ ' The Premier defended Mr Ward.who, he said, had been a victim of one of for the purpose of injuring the Liberal party politicall. To-day it was-,. -admitted, that Mr Ward had been wrongly judged, and his actions had proyed him to be an honourable and upright man, and Mr Ward would be reinstated in the Ministry. MR HERRIES AND THE ALIENS' . BILL. Mr Seddon then referred to the determined opposition shown to the Asiatics;' Ksstription Bill, ; &ncj the maintenance of the purity of the race. -His audience was "greatly surprised whei. he poted from Jiansard an amendment moved- by Mr Herries to the effect that the Act should not apply'to any tourist .visiting New. Zeaa_d who was not suffering from tuberculous or leprosy, and that amendment had been passed. The Premier said that people suffering from even small pox would be allowed to come to the colony.•■ He also quoted from Hansard to show Captain Russell had some- time ago advocated Chinese coming to the colony, and had made the assertion that people who could live on rice would be the dominant race" as-. against '.'-those- who •ate meat, and that some Chinese'; were necessary in large centres to perform menial, occupations. ':■■.:', ~ LANDZSETTLEMENT. . ' He referred to the Land for. Settlements Act, and showed that the present Government had bough* 35,000----acres in the Auckland, provincial district, that they had spent £102,000 on land purchase under those acts, and that the rental received 'now gave equal to five per.cent, on the purchase money. He defended the action of the Assets Realisation Board, and showed that-the'Board had realised on real estate to the value of half a million, and were unloading as fast as was possible without making too great a sacrifice. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. As • regards the dairying industry there had since 1891 been an increase in the. value of butter exported of £200,000. Z MINING. i Referring to the mining industry he quoted from returns to show that when the Conservative party were in p'dWer they spent only £ 1300 iff three years for the development of tltis industry. On the- other hand the present Government had during the last heading. \ ; .RAILWAY CONCESSIONS. The Liberal Government had granted railway concessions to the extent of a quarter of a million sterling. Last year alone the. amount was £50,000. Notwithstanding these large concessions our railway revenue was still increasing, and there was an increase of £80,000; for. the past seven months over that of the corresponding period of last. year. Still further reductions were required in freights. FREIGHTS AND PRODUCE. •"' ' The question of freights on produce, sent to the Mother Country, was also of great moment to the producers of the colony. At the, present time, he said, there were orders for thousands of tons of produce for South .Africa, and .yet there were no steamers to take it there. ' The experts sent from the colony to the Cape." had cabled several times pointing out the opportunities that were offering. If he (the Premier) had. not been rblocked in, fixing up a direct trade by steamer it .would have been worth thousands to the farmers of New Zealand. ' , ... ZGOOD TIMES., He showed that capital had not left the colony, .and .that notwithstanding .the predictions to the contrary the credit of the colony stood higher today than ever before. Z -. ■';.-_.,* . a.warning: '.;.•■ '• He"- warned the.: people against the -Opposition programme .in . respect to, •taxation, -Captain-RusselD having: stated' that; there. should.' be "nb\ exemp- . :ttol}S. T' ■ < Z- i" :Z:.'_•■•_.- _.:._>