POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3736, 10 May 1899, Page 5

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

THE HON HALL-JONES AT TTMARU.

PRESS ASSOCIATION. TIMARU, Tuesday. The Hon Hall-Jones addressed a crowded ■ meeting at the Theatre Royal to-night, the Mayor, Mr Keith, presiding. He spoke of the hard work of Ministers, and of the false charges of corruption brought against them. He criticised briefly, Mr Scobie Mackenzie s recent speech, and then referred to and explained away some of the chargee of corruption. He dealt at considerable length with, the marine scandal on the lines of his evidence in the recent Supreme Court case, quoting the same documents. He exhibited a photo of the envelope memorandum, and asked if any business man would have acted upon auoh a thing. It was impossible for the Minister* to be behind all his officers to see that they did their duty properly. Speaking"of the work done by the. SeddSh Ministry, Mr Hall-Jones said the Government had really done much to increase the prosperity of the colony. The unemployed had been dealt with in a more satisfactory way than ever before, and generally the results of the Government policy weie its complete justification. unable to speak of all the subjects he wished to touch upon that evening, and would take another opportunity of speaking before the session. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to, the Minister and of confidence in him as a member of the Government. I MR MILLAR AT DUNEDIN. HIS VIEW OF THE MARINE SCANDAL. DUNEDIN, Tuesday. Mr J. A. Millar, M.H.R., addressed his constituents at the Princess '.theatre tonight. There was a, good attendance. He reviewed the work of last session, and defended the policy and administration of the Government. He spoke of the success of the land policy and the Advances to Settlers Act. Mr ACI- - defended Ministers in connection with Jones’s certificate case, and threw the whole blame on the Secretary of Customs and the Chief Clerk for having permitted the examination, adding that if he had been in the Ministry he would have suspended both these officers at once, and reported the matter to the Cabinet; and if it had not dismissed them he woyld not _ have remained in the Minisixy five minutes. He criticised the speeches of Mr Scobie Mackenzie and Captain Russell. A vote of thanks-and confidence was passed to Mr Millar, and also one of continued confidence in the Government. MR HOUSTON BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS. PRESS ASSOCIATION. RUSSELL, Tuesday. Mr Houston, the member for the Bay of Islands electorate, addressed_ the electors in the public hall last night. Mr Houston explained several Government measures, including the Old Age Pensions Act and the Kauri Gum Industrie* Act," which-hie considered two of the’ best measures the Government had passed.