THE PREMIER AT NELSON.

Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 9393, 18 March 1896, Page 3

THE PREMIER AT NELSON.

EIS POLITICAL ADDRESS

(PER P&ESS ASSOCIATION.) .Nelson, March 16. The Premier addressed a public meetlog at the Provincial Hall to-night. The Mayor was in the chair. There was a large attendance, Including a good propoitlon of ladles. The Hon R Reeves, ML 0, Messrs Graham and Mills, M H R'a, occupied Beats on the platform. Mr Seddon said that he was prond to meet a Nelson andience. The Nelaonians had been the most consistent Liberals In New Zealand. He referred to the miserable inaendoes and paltry charges put forth against the Government by the Opposition as something benea'h contempt. If the Opposition could find no better argument they should let 'ha Government continue their administration. He was nut going to use strong or abusive language, though strong provocation to do bo bad been reoelved. He lnstanoed the " bounce, bluster, bun* kum," eto» invectives raised by Captain Russell at Hastings. There was no truth in the charges against the Government that the country was in danger and that the enemy were at the gate?. They knew that threats had been naed by the party who, when formerly in power, had denied the people their just rights. Referring to the so-oalled National Association, he said that it was simply a band of Tories who had bought over a lasge section of the Press. An arrangement had been made by the Association with the Cbristchuroh Press to publish spechl Opposition articles every week. Money was thus baing used to parchase political support and for bribing the Preas to uphold the band of land sharks, etc, who desired to govern the country in their own interest*. The Conservative Press had generally taken but little notica of Captain Rns3eH's speech. He had heard that Sir Robert Stout was to ha put forward as the leader of the Opposition. If so, he would like to meet his opponents in the open with no hiding below the belt. Regarding the Chrlstchurch election, the Conservatives looked upon this as a vlstory for them, but there were about 8000 Liberals to 3500 Coaßervauve3 in Chrlstchurch', as was Bhown by the voting. There was ground for taking ilia result of the election aB a Liberal weakness. If there j were a straight run between two caudi« dates in Cbrlstchtrch the Liberals would win by two to one. Under adTerse circumstances the Government had had successive surpluses, whilst under the previous regime, whea prices were better and there was more expenditure of public money, owing t) bad Government the populat/on life the country to the extent of 14,000 between 1887 and 1890. One of Captain Russell's oharges wai that the population was de« creasing ender the pre;ent Government, but during the time of the BallanceSeddon Government being In power the population increased by 7208 and there wai an Increase of 12,558 daring the last twelve months. He read a copy of a circular letter sent last year by Mr. James "Wlikie to Conservative j mruals off ir'tog to supply them free correspondence In Opposition interests. A cor.-eapbn-dent could not work for nothing, and a select few must be paying him. The next oharge sgainst the Government was that th y ; had giyeri special facilities to manufacture locally made watches. Capt. Ruasell made out that this meant a loss to the revenue cf LI 2, 000 a year. This statement, was entirely erroneous. Capt. RuseeU forgot tn sby that there had been a reduction of 15, per cent in the cosjt to Oonßumera. The charge that the Government hid driven away capital was a rftost glaring mlaatatement. Plenty of moloey was now obtainable nt from i\ to 5 'per cent. Capitallats (? borrower) were actualy ruuning aftar ltnSors. About three millions were about to be fnvasted la our mine- ; yet, i n the face of this Captain Russe 1 aaid ih»t oipital wib being, driven away fqm the country. He must have been thmkii g o f the time that his party was In powtr. Under previous Goverrnunte the working man fared worse than now. When n million and a half of loan money wai being spent by the Conservative paity over 2000 men were employed on ri lief works at 2s 3s 6d per day. Now, with no loan' money, the present Government Ward employing 3000 or 4000 at a fair

wage. The old borrowing and squanderIng policy was a thing of the past as far as the present Government waa concerned, and the colony was now more prosperous than it had been for many years. He expected a public works surplus of LIB.OOO at the end of this financial year. The Opposition repeatedly demanded intercolonial reo'procitj, yet when the Government brought forward treaties with South Auttrßlia and Canada the Opposition opposed them. Sir Robert Stout said that the new tariff meant extracting Increased revenue from the pockets of the people, but Captain Rusboll said that the revenue w*a decreasing. He admi'tsd that the Customs returns for this year wera greater than last or the coming year, as stocks had been brought to their normal condition now that the tariff was settled. Another serious charge was that L 776.425 waa voted away last session without the Oppostion knowing where It was going. When the Estimates were brought down the Opposition walked oat of the House. Tfcace was nothing in the appropriations to challenge. The Oppoßiiion were trying to educate the people to the borrowing point. For settlement purpos s the Government were prepared to borrow, but not for polibioal railways and other squanderlig. The question had been asked as to wlut Government had done for the farmers. Well, they had placed 11,331 new settlers on the land, and the effect of the Advance to Settlers Act had been a reduction of two per oent interest, ,

which meant a saving of a million to the settlers. Re the banking legislation, Captain Russell, after condemning the Government In 1894, last week admitted that Government had done right. The banking legislation was passed on Its merits, and he deprecated the slanderous Imputations of self-interest on the part of ministers and members. Sinoe the Government came into power the debt had Inoreaaed by L 1,666,000,, 666,000, bat the interest recent back on LI, 330,000 was more than they had to pay on the total. He defended the taking of the local bodies' sinking fund, which his predecessors had done. The Customs, Railways, and nearly every other department would show an increase in direct taxes. A surplus of LIO.OOO over the estimate in the territorial revenue was a fall off which the Government were not responsible for. The general surplus this year would be over one hundred and fifty thousand. Referring to the influx of alienß, he pointed out that they should impose a poll-tax of LIOO on the Chinese and not allow them to acquire an aore of freehold. As to the abolition of party Government, he pointed out that a few years ago Sir Robert Stout rldiouled the idea, and he (Mr Seddon) opposed such as unworkable. There ware no truth In the statement that Government was going to Introduce a bare majority prohibition measure, nor that the Ministry were the mouthpiece of the publicans. If he could not stand without the Bupport of either habitual law-breakers or the i advocates of coercive prohibition, he pre« ferred to fall. He claimed that the licensing legislation was an advance on »ny temperance legislation in the world He meant to persevere, putting clubs under supervision. The Liberals should Blnk minor differences, and present a solid front to prevent a watchful Oppoaltlon from floating into place, power, and pay to the detriment of the great majority of the people. Mr Seddon spoke for two hours and fifty minutes, and was well received throughout. A vote of thanks and confidence was oarrled. Mr Seddon leaves for the West Ccaßt to-morrow morning.