MR GEORGE HUTCHISON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1289, 12 November 1896, Page 31

MR GEORGE HUTCHISON.

HIS FAMOUS SPEECH IN THE SESSION OF 1890.

Hansard supplies the following, date 1890: — Mr G. Hutchison : "I speak feelingly, and| I say that I , and many other members of this House, and certainly many of our constituents, havo been, rated specially to meet loans advanced, under the Loans to Local Bodies, Act, succeeding the Roads and Bridgsa Construction Act. Settlors in various parts of the Colony havo had to, repay advances so made at the. rato. of 5 per cent., of which 1 por oent. should have gone to make a sinking fund. But nothing has been devoted to that purpose. Let it be told the Colonial Treasurer that he has collared our Sinking Fund ! Mr Kerr : What has he done with ;t e>

Mr Hutchison : Ho has p,ut it in his surplus. ... If wo now add up the various sums which I have enumerated, and if wo add, the expenses neoessary for floating such a loan, we come within a little of ojght millions. . . . Within, I say, a year or two this Colony will have to find eight millions in tho London market, or becomedofault. It is enough to make a man iiJt. I do not marvel at the absenco of the Colonial Treasurer. A year ago h« was hale and stalwart—one whose strength men talked of; and now he- has broken down ! There has beon A indeed, sufficient cause. What is au.r outlook ? We wish to, " leave, this land as a noble heritage to our children." It will have to he den© by better men than those who a,t present hold the Treasury benches. 1 yjUs not, whatever I may think, refer these honourable gentlemen as the and panders of banks and loan a.vs mortgage companies, because that: would be unparliamentary ; but I deplore the fact that the oonduotof those who occupy tho Government benches has be«n such as cannot h 3 described in Parliamentary language, iney have sacrificed tho interests of this Colony through three long years. We are nob safe for one single hour while these gentlemen have control of the finances of the Colony. No wonder th<*t they cling to officGi and that they wish to postpone their day of reckoning. '

Messrs Willis and Carson are both busied with their organisation arrangements. It is not expected (says our Wanganui correspondent) that the public campaign will be opened until after the issue of tho writs, which, the Premier said in Hawera a few days back, would be very soon now, and that the elections would take place before December sth,