CAPTAIN RUSSELL AT WANGANUI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9775, 23 March 1895, Page 5

CAPTAIN RUSSELL AT WANGANUI.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wanganui, Friday. The Hon. Captain Russell delivered a political address at the Theatre Royal tonight. There was a large attendance and he received an enthusiastic hearing. He opened by saying that it was with pleasure he addressed the people of Wanganuf, although hi& pleasure was afterwards tempered by some diffidence when he knew he had to follow such a man as the Premier of the colony. He had not come to have a shot at the sitting member, as he had the privilege of being on friendly terms with Mr Willis. Moreover Wanganui earned an enviable reputation by its selection of members in the past, having chosen such men as Fox, Vogel, John Bryce, and Ballance, to which the people hart seen fit to add the name of Willis. Why should ho assail so wise a selection ?_ The Opposition had had great difficulties to overcome. The people of New Zealand in their wisdom had seftn proper to place unlimited power in the hands of the Premier and hie colleagues. FKTTKRING OF SPEECH. The latter he characterised as mere followers, bound to d« the will of their leader. By the new Standing Orders the [tower of . speech had been fettered, so that while the i Premier was able to speak to the people the other night for three hours, members in the ' House had only half-au-hour in which to deal I with any measure, with the result than I Bills were forced through the House. The Opposition were obliged to sit in their places J until rendered physically weak, because the ' overwhelming autocratic majority refused to i allow them to adjourn at reasonable hours. I Sis the result, much of the legislation passed was imperfect. He impressed upon them that the people were the real Government, and that there being no beneficial fairy to ' "keep the public exchequer filled they themselves had to dig deep into their pockets to carry on the extravagant public works policy with which they had been encumbered. HEAVY TAXATION. The people were the most heavily taxed in the Australian colonies, but they did not notice it as their taxes were paid through the customs. The relative customs taxation of New Zealand as compared with the other colonies showed that while we were paying at the rate of 25 per cent. Victoria, which was claimed us a protectionist country, paid only 13£ per cent.; New South Wales, 12f per cent. ; and South Australia, 8| per cent. They had a Tariff Commission travelling round the country, and in contradiction to what the Premier said he believed the object was to ascertain some means of wringing further taxation from the pockets of the people. He contended the indebtedness of the colony had increased by £1,500,000 odd during the Government's term of office, and it was time the people put a stop to the reckless expenditure which had been going on for the past four years. He was amused at the Premier's explanations that the increased indebtedness was due to extra salaries, a matter which had nothing to do with the national debt. An increase of salaries meant merely an increase of annual expenditure. He would not be surprised when his successors turned out the pigeon holes of the Treasury to find the floating debt at the round sum of £1,000,000. He would not have mentioned that, but that the Government claimed to be self-reliant and non-borrowing.

TUB RAILWAYS, He considered that one of the many rash things done last session was the transfer of the control of the railways from the Commissioners to a Minister. This simply meant taking them out of control of competent men and giving them in charge of a man who was incompetent and unfit by training to properly carry out the work. He proved that under the Commissioners' management the returns were more profitable. Every branch of the service had been improved, and the hours worked by the employees had been reduced.

THE SERGKANT-AT-ARMS. The way Mr. Seddon referred to Colonel Fraser'B appointment, he took as an indication of his ability to draw a red herring across the scent. The Premier had said the appointment had been made strictly within the law, and had drawn the herring in the shape of the statement that Colonel Fraser's treatment by the Conservative press had been unfair. He had nothing to say re Colonel Fraser and the Conservative press, but he contended there had been a gross violation of the law in his appointment. With reference to the Premier's refutation of the charges of nepotism, Captain Russell t said all kuew there was a law which said no one should be appointed to the civil service except by passing a certain examination, yet dozens—scores perhaps —were being appointed who had never passed those examinations. Mr. Seddon merely said all who were appointed were competent, and although that might be open to aoubt, in any case it was not sufficient to be within the law which distinctly stated that such examinations must be passed. BANKING I,KGISLATIOST. Dealing with the Bank of New Zealand Share Guarantee Bill, he said he considered the matter more serious than many yet recognised as the colony was now pledged, if necessary, to pay up the sum of £2,000,000 when called on. There was a certain degree of truth in the Premier's statements concerning Sir R. Stout, Mr Mit-chelson, and himself, but Mr. Seddon had not taken him into his confidence as stated. OTHKR MATTERS. With reference to the charge of gross calumny made by Mr. Seddon against him (Captain Russell), he quoted from the report of his Hastings speech to show ho never used the statement alleged ; _ contending, however, that what he had said was quite legitimate. Captain Russell dealt with the native land purchases, and said the credit the Government took for large purchases was to a great measure due to their predecessors in office. Ho opposed the Lands for Settlements Bill, and concluded by contending that the great majority against the Opposition existed in the House only, and not in the country. The returns at the general elections showed only a majority of 4000 odd votes in favour of the Government party.