THB MINISTER FOR LANDS AT INVERCARGILL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) Invercargill, April 10.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9174, 11 April 1898, Page 3

THB MINISTER FOR LANDS AT INVERCARGILL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) Invercargill, April 10.

The Hon, John M'Kenzie, Minister fenLands, addressed a meeting in the thoatre here Iaet< night. The weather waa wot and stormy, and the ottendinoe only moderate. The Minister's remarks wore on the aarne lined as his nddresies dellvered recently at Glutha and Wyndhim. With some references to loo 4 matters us h reason for his presence, he said that their opp inenta were spreading poison in ih'> ftnape of faloo statements against the Government:, and ho wan there to set matters in thoir true light. Thia wan the more necessary browse oho press of the colony generally did not givo tho Government fair p'ay. The Proso Association, alio, was a polltfoal machine in the hands of the opponents < f the Government and the National Association. Referring to the purchase of tho Oahti Krtato, aboa whioh tbore wad a good deal of comment .locally, Mr M/Kunze assorted (hut no member of the Government knew who wore offering ir, nor who 'hd'bwnora wore before it was purchased, Speaking of the *Heged poor quality of the land and tho disinclination to take it op, he said that 640 acres had beon applied f>r (tut day, and that if the flcotiona were not taken op ho would next year do ah he had done with a portion of, Foma,b»ka, viz., farm it himiolf , and show what wai in ' ho soil. He denied that color had anything to do wi'h Government appoin'meutM or the selection of justices. . Regarding Mr Stddon'a exponsea to England, tho speaker quoted the cost of missions previous to th*t Minister'*, He did not say that these oharged too much, but he did say that tbefc figures should bo published by thoae who objootod to lie Premier's ex. ponditure. , Ho admitted thab the Govern* ment ,bad had to vary Mr Ballanoe'a policy, but asserted that Mr Balance, if alive, would h»vo approved of their so doing. Oomparing tho old property tax with the knot ana inoorao, no admitted th%t they t?ofc more money oat of the latter, but it came oat of the pockets of the Urge landowners, and 8000'fnrmerft had been relievtd. Mr M 4 KenzIo described Ht length the fiystom of land tenure ho hud introduced, and aoeerted that ib had been fairly saooossfut, and would be more to aa time went on. He thfcu stated that be waa in a position to announce thiM he result of tho flnanoial year just cloied wonld bo a surplus of not leas fo'un L470.000, and mi^ht be L40D,OOO, inoludirc; the balance fcr.m tho previous year. The Oustoms liad pro* duced LB5,000 in excess of the climate, ■tamps 140,000, L»nd and Income Tax 1*17,000, b«er L6.000, railways, L91.000, tnieoe laoeous L17,000, and territorial 1*12 000. At the oloso of ihoaddresaa vobo of thanks io Mr M*Kenzlo »nd confidanoo io tho Government was carried with om insentient. The Hun, Mr W»rd also, ppokc at some length, tho principal points being a denial that he bad, m .alleged 'by Mr T, B, Taylor, favored tho Colonial Bank by placing consols with it for LIOO.OW), that •am having been puid r year before the Ooflfloif Act prised. As regarded tho itaplratioiuft of th^ Le/o Wing to control the Government of the colony, he said he would fighb shoulder to shoulder with the opposition to prevent the Lofb Wing coming into power. j