POLITICS AND POLITICIANS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1157, 4 May 1894, Page 17

POLITICS AND POLITICIANS.

BANQUET TO MR M'KENZIE. ♦ Palmerston, April 27. The Minister of Lands was entertained at a banquet .at Shag Point this evening, Thero was a large attendance, including tho Colonial Treasurer and several other members of Parliament. The Treasurer, on responding to the toast of the Ministry, expressed the opinion that there was no necessity for the Colony to borrow at present, or for somo timo to come. He informed the mooting that the Colony’s 31 per cent, stocks were now approaching 100.1. They were over 100.]-, a tiling which had never happened before. Regarding the surplus for the past financial year, he declared that not one payment had been kept back by the Government, and that their liabilities at the end of the financial year were never as low as at tho present time. The toast of the guest of the evening was received with enthusiasm. Responding to the toast of his health, tho Hon. J. McKenzie referred at length to Mr Scobie Mackenzie’s recent utterance. Ho pointed to the land and Labour legislation as a reply to the charge of bastard Liberalism. He denied all knowledge of the proceedings at Mr Scobie Mackenzie’s meeting on the night before the general election, and said lie was satisfied that nothing was done that was wrong or disgraceful. He denied having made undue use of his position as a Minister during the election. When the proper time came he would defend himself from tho charge of corruption, and in such a way that Mr Scobie Mackenzie would have to withdraw the charge and be branded as a speaker had called him at Palmerston.