THE PREMIER AT AKAROA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10062, 14 June 1898, Page 5

THE PREMIER AT AKAROA.

(By Tkijkjraph.)

(BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) AKAROA, June 13. The Premier gave a political address in the Oddfellows' Hall at Akaroa to-night. The building was tilled, there being over 500 people present, including many ladies. The Mayor (Mr Innes McGregor) presided, and on the platform were Mr Auson, Chairman of the County Council, the Rev. J. Smyth, Lieutenant-Colonel Francis, Captain Oharlewood, and the Borough and County Councillors.

The Premier, who was received with applause, contrasted the present state of picturesque Akaroa, the town of the long sea beach, with what existed in August, 1840, on the tenth day of which month Captain Stanley, of the Britomarte, hoisted the British flag. Then there were four men, one woman, no Maoris, one house, and of fifteen ncres holdings two acres were in cultivation. Now there were 639 occupied hodinge, 177,YiV acres under Cultivation, 145,500 sheep, and 21,000 cattle; 211,862 bushels of grass seed were annually threshed, and the population, of the Peninsula had increased to 4'W9. Ho said it was due to the ladies that the South Island became English, and not French, for the Britoinarte slipped away from Auckland while tliu French were engaged making bread for the Governor's lady. (Laughter.) He thought that public men paid too little attention to the .country, ami lie was told that he was the iirst Premier who had visited Akaroa since fcjir George Grey did in 1878 or 1879. He felt that Aitaroa "deserved better treatment. He believed in Ministers and public men meeting as he met the people that night. In thinking of Akaroa, ne remembered his old friend, then his leader, then his colleague, the Hon. Wm. Montgomery; then he remembered his friend the Mayor, who was the junior whip ot the Opposition, but though they differed they were still friends. (Applause.) This brought him to the question ot parties, and they were told there was a turn of the tide, and that the present Government was on tho down grade. There had been no turn. Mr Sligu elected on the policy of the Government, though personally opposed to it. Then Mr Duthio took the place of Sir Robert Stout, of whom none could say ho was not an opponent of the Government; so'they lost nothing by the election. Were he to choose he would prefer Mr Duthie. Then came Mr Richardson's retirement, the result was the return of Mr McNab to support theGovernment. A section of the Press said he was a Conservative statesman, but when he announced his support of the Government ho was denounced as a political wobbler. This loss to the Conservative party was clearly a turn of the tide in favour of the present Government and the Liberal party. The Opposition had had their turn, and he was going to return it. He quoted liberally from tho Wellington "Post" on his Home trip, and said that no soonei had he landed back than, he was lauded applauded, and when the elections took place the language used towards him was a disgrace to the colonies, and must lower us in the eyes of those at Home who jcead them. The throwing out of inuendoes and misrepresentations by the creme de la creme of tnis Conservative party almost made a public man's life unbearable, and deterred good men from giving thaw 1 services to the colony. He quoted Captain Russell's remarks on representation in London, and also the remarks of Mr Scobie Mackenzie, who acted as the comedian of the Conservative party. He had received a communication from Mr Chas. Lewis, who was authorised on behalf of Mr Rotteston, on behalf of the Opposition, to request him (the Premier) to announce the overwhelming. disclosures he had referred to in Wellington. He had replied to the deputy of the deputy that he had no locus standi. He (the Premier) asserted that at the Christmas session the Opposition were responsible for tlie obstruction, and it was not on account of the election of committees, but as Captain. Russell had said —and it had not been contradicted —as a protest against the autocracy of the Premier. Bb would tell them what too policy of the Opposition was, as annotinced by Captain Russell at a banquet. Hβ wan not responsible fox the language which, was used, but the remarks meant that the policy was a "breeches pocket policy," or "unless you put your hands in your breeches pockets to run the National Association next general election, you can't put the Government out.' (Loud applause). They wanted to. corrupt the men and women of the country, but the people would resent it. Then, they aejierted that the Premier was afraid to-face the charges made against him. When, time and his work permitted he was not afraid to be in the midst of the people. He woe charged with being connected with the Ziman Company. The statement was without foundation, and Mr Rolleston should have made himself acquainted with the facts before he made such an assertion as he did at Ricearton. It was said that Mrs Scddon received shares from .Mr Ziman. This was untrue. As to his position on the Anglo-Continental Syndicate, he pointed out that it had only been asserted that his duties might conflict. He was the judge of his own honour, and the honour of the colony, and his duty would be to the people of the country if it might Be at great personal risk. (Loud applause). It was wonderful to .aim that the Oppose tion did \not sooner find out that it waa improper for Ministers to be on, certain bodies, and without mentioning the names of any who were not alive, he would tell t)hem ttiat Mr Hislop, of the Atkinson Ministry, who increased the tariff on woollen goods by 5 per cent., woe Chairman of Ihe Oainaru Woollen Company; Mr Alifcchelsen, when a Minister, re-borrowed, as Chairman of the Kaihau Valley Railway Company, the sum of £40,000 from the Government, and the Government were eventually compelled to foreclose and take the line; Captain Russell, while a member of the same Ministry, wag also a director of the Northern Insurance Company, who were lending money and purchasing lands side by flide with the Government, and the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens was in » somewhat similar position. The Hon. Mr Rodleston is and had been a taker of the A.M.P. Society, also a lending -company, which ran iJhe keenest competition of any office in the colony with the Government Insurance Department, fcir Robert StoDt, whilst Attorney-General, was a director of the New Zealand Land and Loan Company, which lent money asid bought land-in competition with the Government. That Kaihu railway was a good tilling, which last year paid 8 per cent. In these instances, he might use the weapons against them, as had been against him, but 1»3 woild not say there was any corruption. If our public men could not be just to the colony and be on companies at the some time then we had come to a very low ebb; and further, he would say that there were members , families who get legistered with seven members, and evaded the charges of corruption. Yet among them were those who' accused the present Government of corruption. If the Opposition view were taken, , it would mean that no men could take up woollen companies and so on. Let them take. another charge—Uiiat of • tho Premier's expenses Home. They were the expenses of two persons upholding the dignify of the colony. P-y_ way of contrast, he quoted the allowances in addition to their expenses, to Sir Julius Yogel, Sir Wm. Fiteherbert, and Dr. Featherstone. In connection with the charge against him under the Appropriation Act, he said that had Mr Rolleston written to him he would have made an explanation of certain payments, under the Truck Act. The first he heard) about Mr Rolleston asking a question in the House appeared in the Press, no doubt inspired. No such question was asked. He explained what was done in the way of a "tack," and held that it was no "tackY and he told Mr Rolleston in chatting that there was onlyone Bill, and not two. He returned the remark to Mr Rolleston "thac cleverness went with truthfulness." Aβ to the Parliament Buildings, there was nothing un* constitutional, and up to date a very little over £7000 was spent; but in the Appropriation Act authority was given to spend the same amount in the next three months. He pleaded that not to take tho necessary steps to protect the records of this colony was. not to know what was good fov us. As to temporary clerks, the late Atkinson Government, to reduce the Justice, Department, discharged clerks, gave them compensation, and reinstated them as temporary clerks, and then accused the present Government of putting on temporary, clerks. In the Waikato, a company of which a member of Parliament was a member, got 2b 6d »n acre for irrigation. If this Government did that, say forßushy Park, what a howl woyl3 there be. (Laughter.)' He would direct tiiem, ii tiwy deetad* tg fiad gnqftun*,-.

JLa to Bushy Park, the year before it was sold it did not meet its expenses by £46. It was advertised for sale, and as it was reported unsuitable for settlement, the Government could not buy. It was sold on the terms and price of the Chairman of the Board, and on those terms it was opened to the world. He denied that the Government had degraded the Civil Service, wliich now was not afraid uf immediately being dismissed. He believed in having no more in the service than was wanted, but he would pay them what they were worth, and that was* the line they were working on. (Applause.) As to the question of policy, ii the Opposition would agree to the propi-rty tax against the land and income tax, the line of demarcation would bo defined, and he would welcome it. Under the Advances to Settlers Act, the Government luxd lent about £1,400,000, and had not lost £1; and they had £2 security for every £1 they lent, and their action had reduced interest 2 per tent., which had gone to the settlers who required cheap money f _.i

improvements. (Applause). Under the land for settlement legislation fifty estates' ■were purchased, costing £70,000, with 10S3 eettlers, and tlie return had been 4£ per cent. Tliis did not include fetarborough. As to the glorious system of freehold, it could only be purchased by the wealthy :ind the land worked by the poor, but under present* Government legislation the poor people could get on the land. Speaking -with regard to the destruction of cattle by the inspectors, iio held that the Government should compensate the owners. In the matter of irrigation, he repeated bis promise that the Government would facilitate the perfecting of schemes by the advancement ot cheap money. As to his increasing tho public debt, he would do so to provide land for .settlement, as by that they obtained a good asset. He supported a technical class being attached to every school in the colony, and intended to pusb the Technical Kdutation Bin right througn its stages. Alluding to the old age pension., he said that ttie surylus had been swelled by £90,000 through the Bill being thrown out. He made a strong appeal in the interests ot humanity for the measure, and said that if passed it would be followed by others as a glorious example, and would be one of the best day's work done for the people of this colony. (Loud applause). On the motion of Mr Perm, seconded by Mr Armstrong, a vote of thanks to the Premier and confidence in the Government was carried unanimously. In the course of his speech the Premier -referred to a number of biUs, and handed lists to the reporters. They arc: —Bills before the House, which have been read a second time—Bank of New Zealand and Banking Act Aemndment, Eight Hours, Land and Income Assessment, Alining, Orchard and Garden Pests, Pharmacy, Sale and Disposal of Reserves, Enablemeut, Slaughtering, Technical Education. Bills prepared and in course of preparation —Native Land Protection and Administration, Wages Protection, Masters and Apprentices, Workers' Compensation for Accidents, Old Age Pension, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration, Produce and Export Beetroot and Sorghum, Dairy Industry, Immigration Restriction, Government Advances to Settlers Amendment, Native Reserves Settlement Sale and Exchange, Municipal Franchise Reform, Loan Votes Reform, CD. Act Repeal, Payment of Juries, Indictable Offences, buminary Jurisdiction Consolidation, Post Office Act, Education Boards Election, Local *Bodies Constitution Reform, State Fire Insurance, State Accident Insurance, Shorthand Reports in Courts, Coroners, Egmont National Park, Rotorua Township, Second Ballot, Referendum, Legislative Council Reform, Liquidation, Landless Natives, Motor Cars, Street Betting and Gambling Amendment, Young Persons Protection, Animals Protection, Fisheries Conservation. Mr Charles Lewis's telegram, referred to in tho Premier's speech, was one authorised by Mr Rolleston, on behalf of the Opposition, "to request that you will at once make known the overwhelming disclosures of which, you apoko at Blenheim." The Premier to Mr Lewis—"Hope you will not think mc discourteous in informing Jrou that the deputy of the deputy has no ocus standi when he at the direction, and on behalf of bis party, assumes the right to govern my line of action. There is a saying which otherwise defines the position."