Captain Russell at Pahiatua.

Hastings Standard, Issue 16, 14 May 1896, Page 3

Captain Russell at Pahiatua.

SEVERE ATTACK OF THE PREMIER.

THE COLONY MISGOVERNED. SURPLUS RIDICULED. HEABTY VOTE OF THANKS. [Special to Standard.] Paiii vTi a, This day. Captain Russell spoke last night at the Olympic Theatre to a full house. The speech dealt with the same subjects on which he had spoken at other centres. He made a severe attack on the Premier /< the Uriwera trip. He said that the statement of the Premier that one of the members of a special paity on the trunk railway expedition had to go into the Wanganui Hospital with ih liriiun tn im-ns was an unmitigated falsehood. The party only took a small quantity of liquor, and had used it long before the trip was over. He said the people of the colony were beginning to mistrust the statements of Ministers, and the colony was being misgoverned in the worst sense of the term. " Seddonism pure and simple was the policy of the present Government. He .ridiculed the statement of the Premier that the surplus was £150,000, and did not believe such a surplus existed. lie attacked the Colonial Treasurer on the famous 3 per cent, loan, and showed that the other colonies had made bettor terms on the English money marpet. lie attacked the Advances to Settlers' Act, and stated that for the first seven months the Board had lent £'-150,000, and cost of management had amounted to £24,-500. He dealt with the unemployed question, largely blaming the Government for the number of men looking for work. It was not the intention of the Opposition of putting their policy before the c-olony until they were sure of being returned. The Captain spoke for two hours, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.