Banquet to the Minister of Lands

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVII, Issue 2954, 17 October 1891, Page 2

Banquet to the Minister of Lands

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

PALMERSTON 8., October 17.

The complimentary banquet to Mr. J. MoKenzie last night was largely attended. The chair was ocoupied by tbe Mayor. Mr. Ballance, replying to the toast of His Excellency's advisers, said tbe Government did not intend to abandon either their principles or the measures rejected by the Legislative Council. They meant to make those measures still more liberal and more acceptable to the landowning and other classes in the country. They hoped to introduce them into the Upper Chamber next session under more favorable circumstances than before. So far he had pot advocated tbe abolition of the Legislative Council, but if he thought tbe obstruction they witnessed in that branch of legislature last; session would continue he would raise tbe flag at once and proclaim himself a supporter of the unioameral system. Mr. Ward also spoke in defence of the Government policy. Mr. McKenzie, who was received with loud applruse, denied that he was trying to abolish freehold in land. His bill did provide there should be not more large estates with very few improvements on them. There was no truth in tbe statement that the Premier and be differed as to accepting tbe bill in tbe iorm amended by the Legislative Council. He repeated|',the description he gave to the House o: men who destroyed the bill in the Connoil, and spoke generally in severe terms of their action. He defended the one-man-onerun prinoiple on the ground that the colony would get muoh more for the land if ocoupied by small owners. He concluded by saying he hoped he would never do anything to disgrace his constituents.