POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3737, 11 May 1899, Page 7

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

OPPOSITION MEETING AT PAHIATUA. FREEHOLD v. LEASEHOLD. CRITICISM OF MINISTRY. ' ■ ' * I»EE3S ASSOCIATIONPAHIATUA, Wednesday. Messrs G. Hutchison and W. C. Buchanan, M.’sH.R., addressed a packed meeting here last night. •' Mr ; Hutchison - strongly criticised ■ the existing administration.. , He gave Mini.* tor*, credit for doing-some good,.some of it unintentional,- but-contended that the evillargely overshadowed the good. - The facts of, the maripe scandal, were fully dealt with J'a.s’ showing' pbliticnl ‘ influence ; and corruption without a parellel'outside SNew.Ybrk..-, The unemployed difficulty '-Was described as one of the chief engines of Ministers, who drafted outsiders to lo-cal-work for roll-stuffing, purposes, while local men were -left unemployed. The Premier had descended -to the un-British plan, of blaming subordinates. ( The lease in perpetuity was decried as an , ignominious failure, and' it was stated thus there had been 1500 more selections'under it, but 2000 more-forfeitures. The Mount- Cerberus, Tararua, Pahiatua anc. . Aohanga settlements were ; qnoted in support of freehold tenure,, with..varying; anc larger areas. It was announced.-that, the chief plank of the- Opposition would he that a man should have the option of becoming his. own, landlord.- - Bungling; in connection with Government loans had kept up the to /settlers, rate of . interest.. . The ; freehold tenure, it wai shown by statistics, was not likely tc tend to aggregation oHarge estates, tui George Grey had. introduced the grid-irpi system, and: Mu--Rolleuipn' had /preyeutec it. ,■ 5 The‘cohfinUft'iice in'hffice 'Of’thd Government was accounted for by corrup • tion and tyranny, and by the assistance of the Opposition in making tolerable the bungling legislation. The persecution of the public men-was Hie insincerity of the Government in connection with local government :reforms was also exposed. Mr Buchanan criticised the old age pension, system, Jbut stated that should the ,Opposition be returned'.to power the Bilshould bo nmde,,ww'kahl,e,; .atid given a teniyears.’ trial. Exception was taken to taxation on! . the unimproved . value, as this value had been-brought up.as the re suit of thd ;: expenditure -of' money -bo.r- : rowed,. . The Customs. tariff was; adversely Criticised,'andrtho principle was enun-, ciated. that xvhat cptild be got cheaper put of the colony .than in it shbuld.b'c got out-, side. The surplus labour,filmidd bo de' voted, to? developing.the..resources.of the colony.’, i i-..-.. ■■■

MR J. ALLEN- AT • MILTON. • ’ , ' ' DUNEDIN,' Wednesday.' " Mr .Jas. Allen, ! M.H.R. rfort, Bruce, spoke at Milton ■ lust night, t aiict received a vote* of-confidence.:: Jn.hisvspeech.he mainly attacked the administration of the Government.' - 'With'-respect--to themarine sbandal - ho - said tnoy would y’el find out that the : -Minister, of MarineImew .of jthe issuo of the certificate,,,arid winked at arid encouraged..', i};. /Rcgayd-. ing)tho railways,, ho said jo; vyas foitunatc 1 that the grain, had not Wn coming in at a r&pld rate or. the.,administration . must have broken down ba'dly-..;. Ho. blamed the- Minister for riot-'asking : 'Parliament to vote moriey for automatic -brakes.-"