MINISTER OF LANDS AT STRATFORD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3438, 20 May 1898, Page 2

MINISTER OF LANDS AT STRATFORD.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Stratford, M ly 19. The Hon Mr McKenzie was entertained at a banquet last night, over 00 of the leading townspeople and settlors being present. Toe Hon J. Carroll (Colonial Secretary), aud Hon Thomas Kelly, MID were also present. The gathering w : -.s a success. , ~ ,

To-day the Ministers wore h-V\ imay receiving deputations. Mr McKenzie opened t. \ ;ctcui«. ‘ ,r “ this afternoon in the presence of ao u« 200 U people. A proc-'shon of the Statescho.fi c* dr local bodies, etc., headed by a ban h i through tho town before i ■>- c- rem *ny. MMrK>nzV *H!d to-* -f in' bri.-ige Witiioui G .voluuihui the remarkable progress of the t showed that the people were energetic ana self-reliant. ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER. ) AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. Stra-Tfoud, May 19. The Hon Mr McKenzie addressed a densely p.tokcd meeting here to-night. The Minister, who was receive! with applause, said that he was there in to a requisition, and be believed it was also the wish of his political opponents that ho should lot them heat his views. In referring to the unfair maimer m which the Government w..s treated by the Press Association and the National Association, ho mentioned tint recently ho ha 1 received a vote of thank* and confidence at a political meeting in Southland, When sending through the report tho Prsaa Association ciretully omitted any reference to the veto of confidence and seat the v.-te of thanks only, tie characterised the tactics of the National Association ia endeavouring to impugn tho personal honour of Ministers of tho Crown as faoanda’.ouH and moat unfair. Regarding the speech made reoent!y r in Auckland by Mr Soobie Mackenzie and bis remarks that tho Government supporters ware hypocrites and mean creatures, ho (tho Minister) denied tho truth of this, and charged Mr Bcobie Mackenzie himself with inconsistency, as during the 20 years he bad known him he had never been for four years on tho same side. _ Ho came out as a strong Conservative candidate for Mount Ida. He was opposed by Mr De Lautoar, who defeated him. Three years utter, being thus defeated as a Conservative, he cams out as a Liberal supporting the Stout-Vogcl Government. On this occasion ho was successful in being returned and moved the AdJross-in-Reply in most laudatory terms This was ia 1884, but how long did it last? Why-, in ISSS Mr Scobie Mackenzie commenced to veer round, and in ISSG ho supported a vote of no confidence against the Government, and in 1887 ho was cm aof its most bitten opponents. In tho following year he came back to tho House again as a supporter of the Government of Hr HanyAtkiuson, but next year he had again changed his views. Yet, in face of all this. Me Mackenzie had accused some Government supporters of turning Liberals because they could not pot elected as Regaidirp tho surplus for this year Mr Scobio Mackenzie said tho Government did not understand finance, and these were hia very remarks when tho Stout-Vogol Government, which ho was elected ta support, came cat with a deficit. He denied tho allegations made by Mr Mackenzie that tho Government had influenced tho votes of Civil servants. For his own part he had never attemped to do this, and ho was quite positive none of his colleagues had. In his opinion the Civil servants were generally devoted to the best interests of the colony, and were prepared to do their duty, irrespective of what Government was ia office. A large number took no side at all in politics. The remainder of the speech was on the same lines as speeches recently delivered in the South, and, in addition, several local subjects were dealt with by the Minister, who was frequently applauded during its delivery. A vote of thanks and confidence was proposed. . A person in the audience, in the course of some irrelevant remarks, which were received with expressions of amusement and disapproval, moved an amendment of thanks only, giving as a reason that tho Minister would not answer questions. On being put, four voted for the amendment, and the motion was then put, and carried with acclamation. The meeting broke up with cheers for the Government.