SIR JOHN HALL'S SPEECH.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 10, 11 July 1890, Page 2

SIR JOHN HALL'S SPEECH.

« It is reasonable to assume that the fnlj defence of the Ministerial polioy an I ad. ministration has now been promulpatad. Tho guide, philosopher, and friend of tho Ministry, he who has tenderly nursed them from thoir birth, and by gentle admonition in their youth endeavoured to guide them in tho way they should go, has oome forward and delivered a long speeoh in their defence. Taking into consideration well-known faots, it may indeed fairly bu assumed that Sir John Hall last night spoke not only for himself, but also for and on behalf of the absent Premier. No doubt every argument used was disouEßed and weighed by the two, and therefore, although Sir John Hall ie not nominally a member of the Ministry, his speeoh must be taken as really tho official Ministerial reply to aU the advorse oritioism whioh has distinguished tho presont dobate. Sir Harry Atkinson was wise in entrusting the Ministerial brief to a veteran like ou Johii H«ii^MjjaadLafßlaoing it in the hands of any of hisowntßWJUlpewjntr colleagues, who wonld undoubtedly have made a mess of it. Sir John Hall made tho very most of the material he had to go on. Throughout, his speeoh was that of the skilled, and wary politician. He did not try to prove too much, and the skill with which he glossed over the admittedly weak points of his case, the speoious manner in which ho dealt with others, was beyond all praise. It was simply admirable. Ho laboured under one very great disadvantage, in that he had to defend the land polipy ot the Government and try and claim credit for them for succespf ully pursuing a policy known tobe altogether repugnant to his own principles and practice. It was amusing to find the greatest land jobber in New Zealand, the illustrious Knight of the Gridiron, lauding the Ministry for its libsral land admiatration and its successful efforts to promote settlement. Tho pretence was too thin to deceive auyono. It was self - evident that either the laudation was insincere or that the praise was undeserved and really Baroastio. The listeners had not much difficulty in determining which was the case. On the whole, however, Sir John Hall spoke his part well and elf eotively. He made the very best dofence of his clients which it was possible to make. He did not miss a point on which anything could be said in their favour, and with practised Parliamentary skill ho endoavoured to,slnr ovar and discount much that had been said against thorn, but when he had finished the impression on the mind of the House and galleries was that he had failed to establish conviction, and that if he had said all that could be said for the Ministry their case must be a shookingly bad one. _^^_____^____