MR STOUT AT INVERCARGILL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5298, 4 February 1879, Page 2

MR STOUT AT INVERCARGILL.

[By Special Wire.] INVERCARGILL, February 1. Mk Stout said, in continuation, that he thought the aim of all New Zealanders should be to settle the country with small holdings. No country could progress satisfactorily unless this was done. He believed that this country would never be prosperous until some reform was made in this direction. They must have some alteration in the constitution of the Legislative Council. Other reforms were also necessary. They were aware that the members of that Council were nominated for life. This system, he thought, should n.o^ b,§ tolerated,-. $c desired, also, that.

there should be an elective Governor, and he would like to know why the people should not have the power to elect their head. He denied that to desire to have an elected . Governor showed a feeling of disloyalty to the Queen. He looked upon the question from its educational advac» ? , tages, and believed that were the Govern nor made elective it would greatly help tHe political education of the people. Mr Stout thon referred to social and other reforms. The Government, he said, had endeavored to set these before the people, and he referred in eulogistic terms to the proposals made by the . Minister of Public Works. The works it was proposed to execute would be of immense advantage, and he considered that a gross blunder was committed in not allowing the Government to borrow over £4,000,000. He then touched iipon the forms of our local government. In his opinion the counties should unite. to execute large works themselves. The method of dealing with native lands should be altered; Speculators had raised the cry ' of v Free trade in connoction with the native lands. L This would not answer,. It meant that big blocks of land would be secured and that the country would at that rate, never be settled. The v Government, he : thought, should have power to buy up land, or else the man with smaE capital should have an equal chance with, the speculators. Mr Stout then referred to what he thought the people of the colony should do in regard to politics. He thought everyone should have the courage of his opinions, and should not be bound down. £to vote according to the dictation of anyone. The Hon. gentleman, in concluding, appealed to the people of New Zealand 'to look to the future, and not be contented with the wrongs they had been subjected to in the past, so that this colony wouldbe free from the abuses :of other lands. Mr Sf out sat down amidst loud and prolonged applausel Mr Kinross then moved "That this meeting thank Mr Stout for his, address and considers it the duty of . every colonist to support Sir George Grey's policy." The motion was carried amidst much, applause, and Mr Stout having returned thanks the proceedings terminated.