SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 49, 20 September 1905, Page 4

SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL

Telegraph V\<^< A^.-;->fiatioii CiMiyuuht Na'.'ikk. ht'ptt j niber IH. Bip Wiiiiiiiu Russell, M.U.R., ii-id. *:«.-(■(! his constituents at Hast ings to ni^ht. Hg was well 'received by a large gather ing. He took occasion to duny rurooura that he would either be called to the Legis lative council or would, at tbe last moment, retire from the contest for tbe Hawke's Bay seat in favor of some other person. There had been no suggestion of appointing him to the Upper House siocu he had declined such an honor twenty yearn ngo, and neither for fear of any foe nor to favour any friend would he withdraw from a a seat in which bis constituents had honoured him by electing him as their representative for 30 year?. Referring to tbe voucher incident, he expressed his very great pleasure that the Premier and Captain Seddon bad emerged from the enquiry with their honour absolutely unsullied. He deprecated very strongly the system of political warfare which vw based on attacking a man through bis family affections, and he felt it was tbe duty of tbe Parliament and tho country to guard jealously the fair fame of their public men from beiug uselessly and unnecessarily assiukd. He spoke in favor of tho leaseholders under the Crown being granted the option of freehold if they wishful it. He advocated an alteration in tho Constitution, which at the piefent time left too much power in 'he hands of one man.