MR. MACKENZIE'S SPEECH.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8482, 13 May 1893, Page 4

MR. MACKENZIE'S SPEECH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THB PRESS.

Sir,—l am Borry to see such a cowardly attack made upon any man, aa Mr Bcobio Mackenzie made upon Mr Ballance, when the Premier was on his death bed and unable to defend bimself. If Mr Mao„e_ue had anything to lay to Mr Ballauce's charge it would have shown better taste to have brought it long ago when Mr Ballance vjfas able to defend himself. In Mr Mackenzie's report on the land settlement question he states that the Minister for Landa reported that 1700 people had taken up land, whereas according to Mr Mackenzie's report »educes it to 137 If Mr Mackenzie means Alford Forest district he is perfectly right, as I see we have exactly 13 village settlement sections in our district. Then he makes a very unfair remark about Mr Ballance that he had been the means of getting four J.P.s appointed from the working men. Does Mr Maokenzie imply by this sneering remark that none but the wealthy class are fit to adjudicate upon esses of breaking the law. According to the report, his audience must have oheered him about every ten minutes. Perhaps those Urn who cheered him were liquored up for tme occasion in order to make it appear that he was very popular. However, it seems very strange in tne midst of such cheering that Mr Mackenzie should have come to the conclusion that he has no more chance of being elected for Mt. Ida. And he therefore declares that he will try for Waihemo, which means water passed away. Now, Mr Editor, I think that, according to Bishop Williams' definition of the word it is a very suitable place for him.—Yours, &0., MIOHAI- Fagan. Alford Forest. [By the re-arrangement of boundaries Mt. Ida district has disappeared.—Ed. Press.]