THE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR CRITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12544, 11 April 1904, Page 5

THE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR CRITICS.

GENEROUS SPEECH BY SIR J. HALL. SUGGESTION TO THE PREMIER. [BT TELEGRAPH — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CmiiSTCHuncir, Saturday. Sir John" Hall,' at the banquet to the Governor on Thursday night, mad* a speech which has attracted a good deal of attention. The veteran statesman had been invited to propose the toast of "His Excellency's Advisers."' and only those who heard him spent on the occasion of the national purse presentation to Mr. Seddon in.the same hall a year or two ago could have imagined that ho could speak so generously of opponents who have frequently done him much less than justice. lie had sat, he said, at the same table with many of those who were now His Excellency's advisers, but on the opposite side. It had been his duly and certainly his practise to oppose the present advisers of His Excellency, but that was in bygone days, and he had a much more pleasant task to perform now. It was not a difficult thing for the toast to be well received, for the colony was in a prosperous condition, and when a man or a people was prosperous there was every disposition to look with favour on those who were governing. He did not suppose that His Excellency's advisers would say that they were the cause of the colony's present prosperity. The main cause of it was undoubtedly that we occupied one of tho most bountiful and bestsituated countries on th« face of Clod's earth, and the people wore industrious and hard working, aid deserved the reward they had received. At the same time ho would not say that His Excellency's advisers had not done their oest to help the people to make the- country prosperous. They had certainly spared no pains in doing all that in them lay to secure the prosperity of New Zealand. Though he had not been able generally to agree with them, he was bound to say they had been enterprising, sometimes they appeared to have been too enterprising. H« had looked witn apprehension oa some of their measures, but ho must confess that some of those measures had turned out very well after all. He could mention one, tho penny post, for which they were indebted to Sir Joseph Ward. Having been Postmaster-General himself, he must say he felt alarmed at the reduction of the postage to a penny for all over the. Empire. He had thought it would prove a greater saVrifice and heavier burden than the colony could bear, but the revenue had recovered in a wonderful manner, and the colony had now a very great convenience at a very small cost. Then with regard to the management of the railways, he must say that he thought Sir. Joseph Ward had brought great ability to bear upon that Department. From time to time Sir Joseph had made considerable reductions hi freights and passenger rates, though tho Canterbury people still grumbled, and the people of New Zealand, perhaps with their sense of the favours received from Sir Joseph Ward, had also a lively hope of favours to come. He would come to the head of the Government—the Prime Minister, Mr. Seddon, who was an old friend of his. Mr. Seddon had been working in the cause of Imperialism. He had convinced vis that we should not consider New Zealand as only a tiny community on an island of tho Pacific, but that we had duties and responsibilities outside of New Zealand, and were part and parcel of such an Empire as the world had never before known, and never again would know. Ho was afraid that Mr. Seddon \ was struck down with a serious illness. ! Knowing the man as they did, they knew it must bo -a serious illness or he would be there that night. Ho hoped Mr. Seddon would remember that no man could go on burning the candle at both ends without incurring serious consequences. He sawthat Mr. Seddon had been recommended to try the " rest cure." Those who knew him j knew he was the hist man to adopt such a I cure. Mr. Seddon was rmch an old friend I of his (Sir John's) that he might venture j to make him a suggestion, and lie hoped ] he would adopt it. He would suggest that Mr. Seddon should take a good 12 months' holiday. He had had a very long innings; let him now give the other side a 12 months' innings. If Mr. Seddon would come up to Hororata and enjoy the bracing breezes, and there study the laud question, he would bo like a giant refreshed. Tho speech was most warmly received throughout. The Hon. A. Pitt, in replying, said ho would have much pleasure in conveying to the Premier Sir John Hall's suggestion that the Government ought, to declare their innings closed, but ho knew very well how it would be received by the head of the Government.