Political Address.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6742, 26 April 1893, Page 3

Political Address.

Sir John Kail at Leeston,

[ssa ruEsa association.]

This day

Sir John Hall mldteesed v woll attouilod meeting of Mh eou;titueiitd at Li'iestou last evening. He referred to the unituduess of the Opposition under Me ilollustou, and defended his party from tue charges of obstruction. He dealt at length with the finance of tho Government, and Htiid that tho State Colonial ilreiisury was, from causes independent of tha action of tho present rulers, no loDger a some;: of anxioty. He pointed out, however, that tho receipts over the expenditure left uo surplus, and estimated that the surplus of £330,001) was not a genuine one. Ho ridiculed the idea that the Uovorument were carrying out a self-reliant and non-borrowing policy. He pointed out several inequalities in the present byoteui of taxation, &ucl quoted from a recent speech by Mr Beddon to show that the Govornciuit, by intending toput the whole taxation on laid, were not Uia frienda of the fanners. Deuling wiihfomalesuifrage, he s'iid souio Ministers would by liook or crook endeavor to prevent its pasaiug next si-'H.-iou. JJe advocated electoral reform giving protection to minorities , , and expressed dissatisfaction with tho present mode of appointing members of tho Upper House He touched upon tho Labor Bills, and referred to tho drifting of Ministers towards Socialism. At the close of a two hours' address he announced his intention of retiring at the close of Parliament. A unanimous vote of thanks and confidence, and re«ret at his intended retirement, was I passed.