PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 956, 27 June 1890, Page 30

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESSES.

MR H. S. FISH. (per press association.) Dunedin, June 20. Mr H. S. Fish, M.H.R., addressed his constituents this evening. He declared himself opposed to Mr Fergus’ proposal to acquire Native lands, and also to the consolidation of local loans. He declared the suggestion to purchase estates from financial institutions to be a vicious one. He regards the accession to the Ministry of such a strong Freetrader as Captain Russell with suspicion. With regard to the present session, he thinks the House ought to pass the Estimates and be then dissolved. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed, being proposed by Mr Millar (Maritime Counoil) and Mr Maxwell (Wharf La. sbourers). SIR ROBERT STOUT’S REPLY. Oamaru, June 23. Sir Robert Stout addressed a large meeting here to-night. The address was mainly a reply to Messrs Hislop and Richardson. The Mayor occupied the chair. Sir Robert said he came before them as a citizen of the Colony, but he would make some reference to what other speakers had recently said. He said he had never asked Mr Hislop’s consent to address an Oamaru meeting, and Mr Hislop’s strictures on that matter went for nothing. The speaker first dealt with the land question, and more particularly with the remarks.Mr Hislop had made with the spanker's so-called changes of opinion on the subject. The speaker said he had always held the that the land should not be sold. Mr Hislop had voted against the village settlement being held in perpetuity by families, and by his action had swept away the perpetual lease system. Their member had also voted against the area of the runs being limited po 20,000 acres, Mr Hislop also at first

had expressed his satisfaction at the alliance of Stout and Vogel, and had afterwards spoken against it. For the sake of getting revenue the present Governmont had parted with the perpetual lease system, but with the growth of labour unions and other factors he expected to see the same thing that existed in America—the State holding the monopoly of land in its own hands. The overthrow of the Stout-Vogel party's village settlement scheme had hiudered the progress of the Colony. The preseut Government had not given due attention to the settlement of bona fide settlers on the land, but had by their cash sales opened the lands to all and sundry. The Midland Railway Company had got a better contract from the present Government than from the Stout-Vogel Government. He read extracts from the contracts prepared by each Government to prove this assertion. The present Government had granted a concession 'to the Company that would cost the Colony three-quarters of a million of money, besides giving 40 per cent of the earnings of the railway to the Colony. He charged the present Government with sacrificing this to the demands of the Company. A portion of the address referred to personal matters between himself and Mr Hislop. The Government took credit for doing something for education, but they had endeavoured to raise the school age, and that was doing very little for education. The speaker then dwelt on the good that would follow the State keeping possession of the lands of the Colony, and concluded his address amidst much cheering. MS E. VV. HUMPHREYS. Christchurch, June 23. Mr E. W. Humphreys, M.H.R. for Christchurch North, addressed his constituents to-night, and was awarded a vote of thanks and confidence. He expressed himself satisfied with the surplus, and thought great credit was due to Sir Harry Atkinson for obtaining it. He was against farther borrowing or any interference with the Education Act. MR ARKWRrGHT. Marton, June 24. Mr Arkwright, one of the candidates for the representation of the new electoral district of Rangitikei, addressed a large meeting here last night. He was accorded a good reception, and at the close of his address received a vote of thanks and confidence.