PRE-SESSIONAL.

Evening Star, Issue 8808, 25 April 1892, Page 2

PRE-SESSIONAL.

The Minister of Landß addressed a largo meeting at M ikon on Saturday night, and in the uouras o! his adoVcss said there were several good reasons why ha should come there to defend his own actions) and those of the Government. Ue appealed to the electors to look at tho matter calmly, and say whether he had not a right to bo there to defend himself, and to say if there bj>d ever been a Minister of the Crown in tho colony who had beon so much abused by tho public Press as he had.—(A Voice; "Never.") The English language, from oue eud of the dictionary to the other, roust hive been read np in order to find nameß to call him. Surely, then, they would not grudge him the opportunity of coming there and standing by his own actions and the actions of tho Government of which ho wis a member. What the electors of tho district had, in his (Mr M'Kerzts'p) opinion, to consider at the present time was whether they were prepared to give tieir Bupport to the present Government, or whether they were prepared ta revert to the policy which tho late Government carried cut. In answer to questions, the hoD, gentleman said he had always voted against the Private Schools Bill, and would do so again. Fe waa not awtre that large squads of men from Duncdin had been sent to paint tho public buildings in Milton, without giving the local painter a ohanco \ and if such had been the case he would take care that it was not done again. On the motion of Dr P. Stewart, seconded by Mr H. Murray, a vote of confidence in tho Minister of Lands was carried by acclamation. The Minister of Works addressed a crowded meeting ct Hokitikto on Saturday night, the mayor presiding. He ridiculed the statement made by certain Opposition papers with regard to the half-million loan referred to in his Palmcrston North speech, and declared that it was made either .through ignorance or something worse. The Government intended to preas the pasfling of the Electoral, Land for Settlement, and Land Bills on tho same lineß as last session; and he believed with regard to. the latter that the Legislature whs now convinced that tho land settlement proposals were entirely in the interests of thosa moat concerned. He had it on tho highest authority that en good security money waa availaWp »ow at a less rate ofinterest than formerly. *ho Government intended to continne assistance to prospecting as well as subsidising water supply on coldfields. The difference* with the Midland Railway Company were gone Into with the object of proving that the Government «ere anxious to facilitate in every way the working of the company, and to promote settlement over the area set apart, any delay in dealing with applications for tad being with the coanany. He hoped that, the Greymouth-Hqkitika Railway would bo open for traffic within twelve months. On the motion of Mr Ghesne*, seconded J by Mr John Bevan, a vote of confidence in Mr Seddon aa member for tjie district and in the Ministry was eWJfkd by acoja- \ action.