POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11454, 20 June 1899, Page 5

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

THE PREMIER AT WELLINGTON.

MEASURES FOR THE SESSION.

(Per United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, June 19.

The Premier addressed a crowded meeting at the Opera House to-night, under the auspices of the Liberal and Labour Federation of New Zealand. On the platform were the following Ministers:—Hons. W, C. Walker, T. Thompson, and W. Hall-Jones. \ The Mayor presided, arid introduced the" Premier, remarking that; he was suffering from a severe cold.. The Premier, on rising to speak,- was received with cheers. Prefacing his speech with ;?ome humorous remarks, he proceeded, amidst frequent interruptions, to accuse theOpposition of swallowing every leek offered by the Liberals of the colony. He stigmatised the policy of Captain Russell as the " Sweet-by : aud : bye " policj*-. He ridiculed the claim-of the Opposition to having initiated the, labour and land legislation now in operation,' and traced their inception to Sir G. Grey and Messrs Macandrew. and Rallance. Contrasting the* present social conditions of the colony with those under the administration 'of liis predecessors in office, he accused, the latter of. offering .the unemployed shelter sheds, arid 2s 6d to 3s 6d a-day wages. He.challenged.the Opposition leader to test the issue on' the land./and income versus the property tax, and denounced as an insult to the men of the colony the epithet " waifs and strays" applied To"theTunemployed by Captain Russell. He defended the Marine department against tho Jones scandal, accusing the Opposition of deliberate misrepresentation. Could anyone say his colleague had been guilty of connivance at fraud?—(Cries of*" Yes" *and. "No.").- Captain Allman had admitted that he had in a' weak moment accepted the fraudulent examination papers of Jones. . One fact, which had not appeared in the press, was,that Captain Allman refused a bribe. When he refused that he was told:

" Well, we; will tell Pirani what you have clone; he's'gotjhis knife into the Government, and he will bring it before Parliament." ' He did not approve of referring the charges against the Marine department to a Parliamentary Committee, having had an experi-' ence of cases where the facts were made to support the, finding, and therefore he preferred to submit tiie matter to a tribunal independent of Parliament. Quoting figures as to the increase; of rjdpulatibn and trade, and the erection of public buildings in Wellington, he asked who could deny this was due to the present Liberal and .progressive Government? Enumerating various measures passed by the-present' Government, he claimed it had set an example for-other countries to follow. Proceeding to indicate the future policy of the Government, he promised the following measures:—Workmen's "compensation, accident insurance, extension of advances to settlers (with a rebate of per cent, to those who pay np xmnctually), loans on suburban property, acquisition of land for workmen's villages, Local Government Bill dealing with boroughs .'.arid"".counties'/ rating on unimproved value .(question to <be decided by a bare majority),' slaughtering and inspection of meat,' masters arid apprentices, Eight Hours Bill, Factories Act Amendment, Public Contracts Act to apply to Government and all local bodies;'whicli shall fix a minimum wage and the maximum number, of hours of work —(cheers), —reduction of taxation on the neces-. saries of life .where possible without disturbing the finances of the country, fixing the legal rate of interest at 8 or 10 per cent., registration of votes, young persons protection. Referring' to the New South Wales Civil Service Board, he declared it. was responsible to no one, and simply exercised patronage in another form. He challenged the press or plat-

form speakers to state that the Liberal legislation had reacted injuriously to the industries of tha colony, arid quoted figures showing an expansion in the pastoral, agricultural, and manufacturing industries under the present administration, together with increased wages and savings bank deposits; and improved hours: He stated that there was internal dissension in the party of progress, and combination was necessary. He declared that the only policy of the Opposition was to get on the Treasury benches, but when such men as John M'Kenzie and himself got on those benches they took some shifting. Ha concluded amidst cheers.

A vote of thanks and confidence was carried, with few dissentients, amidst cheers. The Premier, in returning thanks, said it had been stated he was to be drawn to-night, but he was too old in politics for that. .

The Premier spoke for upwards of three hours, amidst some noisy interruptions and good-humoured badinage, the principal offender being ultimately removed by the police. . ■

MR HUTCHISON AT AUCKLAND (Per United Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 19. Mr Geo. Hutchison, M.H.R. for Patea, addressed the City of Auckland electors to-night in the Choral Hall on the political situation. There was a crowded audience, and the mayor (Mr Goldie)' presided. Mr Hutchison received an excellent hearing. One man was so persistent in his interruptions that the police, at the instance of the chairman, requested him to go out, or he would be ejected from the hall. Mr Hutchison commenced by advocating Auckland as the port of call, whether the 'Frisco service was monthly or fortnightly. He then enumerated and satirised the various features of the Government programme for next session. He defended the action of the Opposition as regards the Old-age Pensions Act. He denounced the Native lands legislation as unjust to the Maoris and injurious io Europeans.. If in the next Parliament, he would vote for the repeal of the whole of it. Ho gave the following as the planks of the Opposition policy;. A freehold title to the leaseholder of Crown lands if he desired it, reform of civil service and of the Upper House, and a change of the incidence of taxation. He believed taxation through the customs could be reduced by £200,000, or a quarter of a million. The sale of. Crown lands should provide for public works. He was in favour of pushing on by degrees the central line, and also the coast line, but roads must be first. Let them push on the east road and Ohura road, 01 get-Taranaki connected with Auckland for trade and stock, which could be speedily done. He denoiinced the- co- * operative system, as in his opinion corrupt, and detailed what occurred in the Patea district.' Reference was also made to the appointment of a new official as examiner of masters ancl mates here to enforce the retirement of Captain Tilley, who was competent and efficient. Mr Hutchison then went at length into what is known as the Wellington

niarine scandal, and closed by stating that the Opposition, when they got into power, would put the public accounts on a satisfactory basis, forward strongly confidence in the commerce and industries of the colony, develop its resources, and provide' a freehold title to the land. He spoke an hour and a-half. A vote of thanks for the address was accorded Mr Hutchison by acclamation.

MR SCOBIE MACKENZIE AT

INVERCARGILL. (From Oub Own CoerespondentJ 'INVERCARGILL, June 19. Mr Scobie Mackenzie, M.H.R., addressed a very crowded meeting at the Theatre to-night, despite the rough weather. Amongst the audience could be noticed a very large number of up-country people. Mr Mackenzie's appearance on the platform was the signal for continued applause. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair,, and amongst those on the platform were Messrs J. E. Watson, D. L. Matheson, Robb, Gilmour, and Robertson. Before introducing Mr Mackenzie the Mayor called for three cheers for the captains of the steamers Talune and Perthshire, which were heartily given. Mr Mackenzie, who, on rising, was again greeted with applause, in thanking the mayor and audience lor their welcome, said that he had no idea he was to receive such a reception,. and was now sorry that he had not long -ago accepted one of the numerous invitations he had received:to address a meeting in-In.-; vercargill. Mr Mackenzie said that the Premier's action, of not giving a fair and impartial account of the affairs of the colony and an outline of the future policy of the Government emphasised the fact that the duty of a member of the Opposition at present is', to/ expose the misstatements anoT maladministration of the Government. He quoted figures, to prove that the progress oil the colony during the present Government's administration was not such as the Premier had stated in Invercargill. 3?he Premier in his speech had made it appear that the progress during that term was unprecedented, but Mr Mackenzie's figures showed that the progress stated compared very badly with that made during the period of 1880-90. These figures, he said, he had quoted in Dunedin, and they had goneunchallenged except, by a Government-ap-pointed Legislative Councillor, who asked for volume, not value. Mr M'Nab, in his address at Woodlands and Fortrose, had also given a good deal of notice to these figures. In some cases after shuffling them up had arrived at exactly the same results, but in' the,figures concerning the railways constructed he had taken into his statistics some privately-owned lines, which' gave him. still but slightly better results. The speaker dealt at length with the deception practised by the present Government in presenting incomplete, tables of figures to the publio t<. show them that the colony had made ho progress until the man from the West Coast was given the reins. Even in its worst periods the colony, had progressed by leaps and bounds. He asserted that the estate-buying by the Crown was no new thing, but was provided for in, the Land Act of 1885, and pointed out the • large increase of the national debt for whicli the colony had practically, seen nothing. The Government were running the railways in a most shameful manner, and, as a member, for Dunedin, be was constantly receiving complaints. The shortage of trucks, and the exceptionally.long hours that railway officials were worked were known.—(Applause;) The late Sir H. Atkin-r son's Government had been content with a, profit of £2 14s per cent, but this Govern-; ment, were taking £2 l?s. The expenditure in the former's time was £65 per cent, of the revenue, while under Seddonism it was only 62 per cent. He reminded them that when the railways passed from, the management of the Government to the commissioners, Messrs Cadinan, Beeves, Thompson, M'Kenzie, and Walker, all present Ministers oft this Government, had voted in favour of that clause, and now their cry* was, "Do not let the Opposition into power, for they: will hand the railways over again to the control of commissioners. He referred to the sale of railway stores to the Public Works department, and the marine* scandal, as instances of corrupt administration, and characterised *Mr M'Nab's excuse at Fortrose that he might'be called upon to sit on a commission to inquire into the latter question, and, therefore, did not want to prejudice his position, as ex r tremely weak. He also briefly dealt with the labour legislation, ' which the Premier was claiming all the credit of, and cheap money. The gradual, fall of Seddonism he traced from eight years ago, when it was almost gospel, to the present time, when it had reached a grotesque stage, and said, in conclusion,. the strongest condemnation of. Seddonism he could put was that ■■■■" Seddonism and true independence of character 'cannot stand together." "^ ..

In reply to a question, which the Chairjnan would" not'allow to be asked, -on the old-age pension question, Mr Mackenzie said that he* was sorry the question-had not been asked earlier in the evening, as there was not time then, to go into the matter, Mr Mackenzie's address occupied two hours and. a-quarter, and he was loudly applauded throughout. - Mr J. E. Watson moved, and Mr R; Aehi-/ son seconded—"That this meeting accords Mr Scobie Mackenzie a hearty vote of thanks "

fov coming from Dunedin to give his able and instructive aiddress." Mr J. P. Joyce moved as an amendment— "That this meeting accord Mr Mackenzie ai vote of thanks for his interesting address, and that he may long remain an ornament to the. Opposition." The amendment found no seconder. . ... * *■". The motion was then put and carried unanimously, with three cheers for Mr Mackenzie.;