POLITICAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11898, 23 May 1899, Page 6

POLITICAL.

THE PREMIER AT NAPIER. FPer Press Association.] - '* , NAPIER, May 22. "The Premier was well received by a densery-crowded meeting to-night. . His taieech -was almost entirely a repetition of sddteases given elsewhere. Referring to Ihe remark of the Chairman that no Government could last for ever, and that Mr Beddon must now be ready to take a welltamed rest, the Premier said that he khnost .fancied that the Mayor was standing by the Ministerial grave with a funeral jmxeaih, but the Opposition had been ready with wreaths for the last fcirie years, and the flowers were, withered. He attacked the valuations of large estates inHawke'a Bay, quoting* instances where* lon,' revision, they had been largely inpreased and accepted by the owners. Even kt the higher values he was prepared to Wk'Paihamsnt to boy them all up to cut lap. under the Land for- Settlements Act. He went fully into the question of the' tedncfaon of freights, claiming that the bction of the 'Government alone had led Ifco the. successful result. The savin? on iwool alone was £70,000 a year, yet the jjiMtoralists, were among tEe chief opponents of the Gownrment. • Referring to Captain Rnssell's comparison of the infcreases in wealth and taxation, ha said fcha&.he was quite prepareu to increase taxation, bat what the Opposition wanted was to remove the exemptions under the land tax, ; so taxing thousands of farmers now Tsxempt. He stated that to prevent the tffortS' of monopolists in cohtrolliog the Stock 'market the Government would have to Oto: what was 'dons in South Austraha, bid 'establish State freezing works. The , Premier defended at length the old age 'pensions. A vote of thanks and renewed confidence was carried amidst cheering.

MR TAYLOR. AT AUCKLAND. ' ' ■ ■ AUCKLAND, May 22. : ' Mr T. E. Taylor, M.H.R., addressed a crowded meeting at St James's Hall tonight. The Mayor, Mr Goldie, presided. Mr Taylor eulogised Mr John Hntoheson, M.H.R., of Wellington, as a true Labour representative. At the close of his address Mr i Taylor was asked questions. Regarding the/San Francisco mail service, he said that to make Wellington an alternate port of call'savoured of parochial politics, 'To take mails past the door, of Auckland and • bring them back was simjply_ ridiculous. .He declined to express any opinion about ,the Stratford railway route. When the ,time came to consider the matter he would vote in the interests of the whole colony. At the close of the addressi the following

-motion was carried, without a single dis;.'sentient:—"That this meeting deplores the perils of party government, and is of ' '"opinion that the time has arrived for the ' Teturn to Parliament of men who, whilst . pledged to the support of constitutional reforms, progressive legislation and honest - administration, will place national welfare above party considerations." A vote of I,"thanks to Mr Tavlor for bis address and his efforts on behalf of pure government was carried by acclamation.