THE PREMIER AT NELSON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1159, 14 February 1874, Page 18

THE PREMIER AT NELSON.

(By Telegraph.)

Nelson, Feb. 10th.

The dinner to Mr Vogel was a great success. There was a large attendance. The Superintendent was in the uhair. The Hon. Dr Renwick and Mr Barnicoat, tho Speaker of ihe Provincial Council, were vice chaiimen.

In proposing the health of Mr Yog< j l, the Superintendent said that no ralogium was needed, that they found Mr Vogel in the distinguished position he had attained by his great talents and indomitable force of eh iraoter.

Mr Vogel, in responding, said that it was • n 'iatilyin o ' to find iv Nelson such kind ex-pres-mna of opinion, as Nelson had hitherto •■een a stronghold of opposition. He took the change of their opinion as the appreciauou of the Government policy. He then • eforred to the Government policy of public works and immigration, and veiy naturally expected opposition in Nelson, as it was founded on principles opposite to the present policy. He spoke of two distinct methods of colonisation — <>ue, where a few persons settling early became jealous of othets sharing their profits; the other method of at111 1 great value to waste lands, and feel'm* it no lia'dship to tax suoh l-»nda for future in habitants. These typts represented Nelson ■ma Canterbury. Ho hoped Nelson would hereafter become as pr< isi>er. ius as Canterbui y. He hoped that sp.edy n-sults would not be anticipated from the now policy adopted iv Nelson, as Parliament las~t session opposed Provincial borrowing. Without indic-itin^ the future policy, he trusted the General Assembly would not. fail to see that Nelson had a fair claim to share in a policy of borrowing for public works, but could not say what would be the effect if similar claims came in at onue from several Provinces. But he would assert that no Province had a greater claim than Nelson. He approved of the Provincial Government policy a3 one based on opening up the eotiutry by roads and bridges. He congratulated the Province on the new order of things, and anticipated great results from opening up the resources of the Province. Nelsou set a social example to the Colony in education and other matters. It had been said that men of means would realise and leave when the borrowing policy was begun ; but rich men had increased their investments. Of course there must bo bad times and good, and those who over-speculated might lose, but the Government policy on the whole had proved to be a success. Those who said the prosperity of the Colony was due to the rise in wool, and not to the public policy, should reflect that only those parts whioh carried on public works and immigration shared in the advance He thanked the audience for the kind welcome, and hoped on his next visit to find Nelson as prosperous as the other parts of the Colony.

In reply to the toast of "The Ministry," Mr Voge], for himself and Mr Kichardson — who had such a bid cold that he could not speak — thanked Mr Curtis for the remarks in his opening address to the Council. Referring to the General Government public works policy, he wished to say to all New Zealand thac people should be more careful to retain in their hands the power of saying by whom they should be governed. la Eug land, in the elections now going on, and with very few exceptions, the candidates dare not decline to say which Ministry they would support. The cry of measures, not men, was

most undesirable, and the people of New Zealand should insist upon their representatives saying whether they would support or oppose the Ministry, and not leave i* open to them to be influenced by any of the thousand caprices which sometimes affect men as a division draws nigh. Mr Vogel was enthusiastically received, and his speeches were loudly applau3ed. The Luna started for Wellington, with the Premier on board, a little after midnight.