CAPTAIN RUSSELL AT NAPIER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1196, 1 February 1895, Page 28

CAPTAIN RUSSELL AT NAPIER.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Napier, January 28,

Captain Russell addressed a public meeting at the Theatre Royal this evening. The theatre was crowded in every part. The Mayor (Mr G. 11. Swan) occupied the chair. After some "chaffing” references to a recent attack made on him by Mr Carnell, Captain Russell went on to deal with the recent speech of the Premier, whom he accused of inexplicable ignorance or wilful misrepresentation in stating that Hawke’s Bay was not so prosperous as the rest of the Colony, and that its population had not increased so fast in proportion since the last census. He quoted from official figures and the journal of the Labour Department to show that proportionately the population had increased faster than that of any other provincial district, and that labour was in greater demand. Referring to the Premier’s accusation that he (Captain Russell) had denounced Sir 11. Atkinson as worse than a highwayman, a footpad, he quoted at length from Hansard to show that the words had no reference personally to Sir Harry. Atkinson, being applied first to the Stout-Yogel Ministry when they proposed to largely increase the Customs duties, and only repeated in general terms when the Atkinson Government proposed similar duties, and he and others left Sir Harry in consequence. As to the Premier’s charge that he, as representing sl9 practitioners, was responsible

for bleeding the people, he pointed out that Sir Harry Atkinson only carried increased duties by aid of Mr Seddon and the party , now led by him. taxation. . -® e contended that however taxation was imposed it must eventually fall on the working people. The people of New Zealand were taxed through the Customs 25 per cent, on the value of all imports, while the figures for Victoria stood at per cent.; New South Wales, 12£ per cent.; and South Australia, 8f- per cent. All those who heard the Premier the other night must be prepared for a further increase. He condemned the ■ Government for sending over emissaries to Australia to advise that work was plentiful in New Zealand for the purpose of ini creasing the population. The co-operative system introduced by the Government he contended was only a big engine to secure work for men of the “right colour,” especially when election time was coming round. THE LAND QUESTION. On the question of land monopoly ho said he was fully alive to the importance of smaller holdings, and quoted a long list of official figures to prove the inaccuracy of the statement of the Premier with regard to the large holdings held by a few people. The inevitable tendency at present was, he said, to destroy the large estates .by division among families as the present owners died off. It was the terrorism of the present Government with regard to large holdings that kept the large army of unemployed parading our streets. Captain Bussell then went on to contrast what he denounced as the “ spoils to the victors policy ” of the Government with that of Sir Harry Atkinson, He mentioned as an instance quoted by the Premier against the late Minister, that Mr Moss, who was appointed Resident of Raratonga, was opposed to the Government at that time, also Mr Gillies, when made a Judge of the Supreme Court, was also politically opposed to Sir H. Atkinson. THE POLHILIi GULLY PURCHASE,

Captain Russell then alluded to the purchase of the Polhill Gully rifle range, and contrasted that transaction with the present purchase of the Pomahaka Block. The Polhill Gully range, he said, was the only practical rifle range in Wellington. When the lease was falling due the officers of his department came to him and advised the purchase. Enquiries were made, and after considerable negotiation through a firm of solicitors it was acquired for .£3OOO and not .£3600, the price which it was valued at by Mr Macdonald. Mr Mackay, the Land Purchase _ Commissioner of the Government, advised that the bargain was a good one, and if the land was put into the market at the present time and a road put through the section, it would fetch <£2oo an acre. In contrast he would take the Pomahaka Block. He then reviewed the vai-ious transactions between Messrs Douglas, the bank manager, Ritchie and Barron with regard to the petition for the purchase which was got up and paid for by Mr Douglas, and it didn’t reach the Commissioner until long after the land was purchased. Mr Stephenson, the owner of the adjoining land, on oath stated that the land was not worth more than .£1 to <£l 10s, while the Government paid fcr the land <£2 10s. While he bought Polhill Gully at <£6oo less than the amount wanted, the present Government paid .£18,560 for that which the bank thought was bad value for <£Booo. Captain Russell then reviewed Colonel Fraser’s appointment of Sergeant-at-Arms, which he characterised as a job perpetrated to reward political support. THE COLONY’S FINANCES. The indebtedness of the Colony was then touched upon. The Premier had stated that the taxation per head had decreased, but that had only been brought about by swamping the Colony with a number of outsiders whom we would have better been without. However, notwithstanding the decrease per head of indebtedness, the public debt had risen <£1,587,873, and although the Government had not gone into the English market, he had no doubt a large amount of sly borrowing was going on under the Public Revenues Acts, which gave power to borrow .£1,476,000 on Treasury bills which did not mature for five years. Captain Russell then touched on the amount of borrowing proposed by the Government last session, which he contended amounted to <£7,368,250, a far greater sum than ever attempted by Sir Julius Vogel in initiating his Public YVorks scheme. Captain Russell concluded by hoping that the day was close at hand when the people would speedily call for a change, and resumed his seat amid loud applause. A hearty vote of thanks for his able and statesmanlike address was carried with acclamation.