MR. GREEN BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5495, 27 June 1879, Page 6

MR. GREEN BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS.

0 : -*~ 1 [b\; telegraph, press association.] fc DtTKEDEf, Thnrsday. 1 Mr. James Green, M.H.R., iddressed his (; constituents at Pott Chalmeru last night. Mr. Green said he had learnt; a good deal j since he went to the Eonse, and then ext plained his reason tor voting against the Land Tax BUI, which would want considerable amendment. Ho also opposed the 3 Companies Bill, as it crippled enterprise. Hβ considered the magnitude of the public x work 3 scheme had become Mo great. The construction of a main railway liDe might j have been desirable. Referring to the Tapa- , nni branch line, he thought the line waa re- \ quired, but the method of letting the contracts waa objectionable. He voted for it, r but as a party vote, to enable the Govern- , ment to go into Committee of Supply. If he . found that the Government had entered into ! the contract during the recess for the Waikato ( railway, he would vote against such proceed- [ ings whatever might be the reaclt. Hβ did I not think the Government had been wise in . interferiug with the tariff last seasion. He would moat cheerfully and willingly give his I vote in favour of a new loan, which was necessary to carry out works entered upon. He still opposed the Triennial Parliament. He considered general elections every three years would be most injurious. He also ! opposed the Education Act, and hoped that -on this he and his colleagues were at one on ', education. He was still a secularist, pure , and simple. Referring to the coming session, he said it was impossible for , him to state what course he would take, as he waa not aware what new measures the Government intended to '. bring forward. So far as old measures were concerned, he would not say that he should render whatever assistance he could in putting them into such a form as would be moat conducive to the welfare of the country, but would not support them, simply because they were old measures, or because they were the Government measures. He claimed the right of using his owu judgment in regard to the measures submitted to Parliament. He was very sorry that Mr. Stout had resigned, because he recognised that his resignation was likely to alter the entire political aspect. There was no doubt this gentleman held a leading position, not only in the House, but also in the Government, and no one could forecast what would be the result of his retirement from political life. In answer to a question, he said he was in favour of the Local Option Liquor Law, on condition that compensation be allowed to licensed victuallers, but not otherwise. A unanimous vote of confidence in Mr. Green was carried.