"OPPORTUNISM AND TIME SERVING."

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12365, 2 December 1905, Page 11

"OPPORTUNISM AND TIME SERVING."

MR DUTHIE'S REPLY TO MR SEDDON.

isrr.cLu- tc "thb vekss.") WELLINGTON, December 1. Mr John Duthio, who in meeting v itii enthusiastic (support in Wdlingum North, mado s-ome pert-iiieut reniarks in his address to the electors evening. The. Premier has been distorting j some remarks made by "tlio Iron Duke" lat tlio Wellington Fire lirigado dinner, ! with a view to showing that nothiiig i liad b.en done th:it v/as not in the puLi lie intt'iest. Mr Dnthie, however, p.>intjed out that !iib i\fiMe:ic> was to l'arliai merit and net to the Government, and !as to his further statement that on tlio ! u'liolo ho thought tin.' present Muii.-Uy had g!Von the p.ople what tney dt«i:o..i, piintetl out that the Govenimcnt j should not tal:o credit i<*r a statement which, in fact, accu.-t-d it of opportuni<m and iimc-i-ervinfi;. The Premier al.«o Ktatod that, in M;:y la.-t. Mr Ditthi" had said that the n.>-c'.s and liaiiiliiifti wore accurately sM twth. Why, he (•lionld the Premier come to him for n certilicato to that ofiVct ? W«« not the word of tho Gjvcrnir.c'ut Fiifliciontr , Was the GoverniiH-nt po dfMituto of character that it had to £(• to a member of tli? Opposition for a <vrii:k-ar« beforo it, could zot thn public, f> believe tit? As a matter of fact ho oontended tJiat Uk> accounts were improperly ki'pt, and ho tliat, in uiai;t: riu.nco ci telegraphs an<\ tolopliomis. repaiiv and iil'W \-.o:k-> wore [lvi.i (-cr i.id;.<criinir.a: !y <;iit cf luati im::i;\v a it' out of lev iiii?. Th:' expenditure of th« colc'iy, ho ni'.txlit be i. iiuceJ by liai! a mil lion without any dilVx-.ihy and wirlicut any injury to tho puhiic i-crvic-o. This crcilit, < f tlie cair,iiy was very low, our 3 per cents, etnndinrj only at 87, and thy Government did not feel abb to bsrrcw on the 3 jvr cent, ba.siri o:i tiia la'->b occasion on wiiich it required mrmey. The 3 p;.'r c.-m. debent tins matured in 1015, and were. looked upon a> the p-..! iiianeiit di.'bt of tho colony. 'Ihe GovarniniMit, licwever, refir.iiicci fijjm putti)!g a loan on tho market nii'i borrowed on sbort-dat-c-cl dobonti-.re.i at 4 per ct»t., which was a higlic-r rale. than twi'iity yeais ago. T!ih=l' debentures were continually fulling due, and the amount of tho unfunded debt was rso groat Hint attention w:i« b&ing drawn to it at Home. Th,< matti"r deserved very oarnott conHideration. and would one day cati.se serious einl.arran-iimuit to whoovor was in charce of the alfaus of tho colony. (Applause.)