POLITICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1731, 24 January 1885, Page 13

POLITICAL.

THE PREMIER AT TJttE NORTH DUNEDIN »RtLL-SHE».

. Tho Hon. R Sfcont adfirows^d a Tnaating <• fheDunedin E«iPt electors in tbfi North Dunedi 1 Drill shed on W<--dnepdav Rrening. There v«ft l»r«e attfndance -sufficisn^ to fill the ha' without crowditip' ifc. Ur Fabquhabsor, Mayor, ef North-east Volley, oooupkd the ohair. He said that he Mt highly honored in having the opportunity of iuttuduomg Mr 3tout, their .representative in I'ftrlKineut, as Prima MiaUter, and he was aare tha& the electors must feel gratified at tkit sentleuaAii filling so high *nd honorable a paiitloa, Mr Stout proposed to address those jiwiont on. the various political questions of the day, and he (the chairman) felt sure that the eleovors would extend to him the courtesy of • fair hearing, ■ „ , The Pbshibb, who on rising was received with applause, said : Mr Mayor and Gentlemen,— l h&ve ever recognised it to be the duty of a repre<enUtlve to meet his constituents as-soon •a poseible after each session of Parliament, and tonight I come before you feeling that it Is, perhaps, more neoestary to meet you ' thus oftrlkr than might have been the ease, because, as one of the members qf Government, Z hs.ve been placed in this . position : that while In England and In the Australian - colodes there Is In every chief town ft newopaper or newspapers representing eaoh side of all political questions, in Dunedln we are plaood in this position— that we have no mews* paper th»t might be called the Government organ to give any explanation of the actions of tlieparAp which I belong/ 1 don't know whether tut* isT^mbfortuue or the, opposite. True wd have &evr«p»pers In Dunedln that occasionally ■ give support to the present Government ; but while they one morning give support to Govern* meat views, by the end of the week they are found on the side ' of the Opposition,— (LstugHtert) So far as the Evening Star Is concerned, it hag for ft series of years taken up a most consistent and/straightforward position opposed to the party with whioh I am allied* ' But I am not going to. refer to .what the papers m*y have said, nor am I going to deal with 'their articles. There is np need to comment on these matters so far as Dunedln readers are concerned, and outside of Dunedln their articles are not muoh read.— (Laughter.) In Dnnedin you aro woll aware who have been pulling tho - tarings behind the papers that were supposed to be supporting the Government,' and if the writers in these papers are now and again harsh on me you need not be surprised. I leave, them, believing from what I have heard among my constituents that their critldsms and their abuse have but little, inflaenoe.— (Applause.) Tha, difficulty lam in to-night Is that there are somany subject* on which I would desire toapeak, and I know not which of these to select. I ■•ftzu afraid thai if I neglect to speak on some qim&ions some may jay that I have wilfully omitted reforenea to suoh matters, and others may iay that I have not . referred to them t>-o»a>e,,they might be "unpalatable to you. Bab if there aro any. matters that I ii ay nut touoh on on whioh you detire ma to uuarfss you, )f yon aek me' questions on thsafc «abj.eot4 at the close of my speech,' I will answtr you to far as I am able, for nothing has " taken pla:e since you eleotod me as your repre- - teutativ*, but what I should desks to sflo carefull; scratlHked. by all. I shall begin by giving -. , /.

A OUSIOBY BXVIBW OF WHAT BAS TAKUf HiAOl DUBINO MU •BSBIOX. I told you at the time you elected me that there were liuuy subjects on waioh Sic Julius Vogel and myself were »»greetd t and I eJsa told „ you th&C it was neoeseary for the good of Hew ' Zealand that there should be a ohaafe of Ministry, and how that should be brought about ; aud the reault^of the elections proved ' that I was correct/. .Wh«n the ' House met there were four distinct parties ' represented there. ' Ons compact following . recognised Major Atkinson as .../'its, leader J another equally compact parly recognised , Sir' Julius Vogel ; a third party recognised,' Sir George Grey ; and a fourth party looked' oq Mr Montgomery end Mr Mttcandrew as leaders. Nor can it ba /aid of these four parties that they were to diverse in their political opinions. In Mtjot Atkinson's following were to be found buta Liberals and Conservatives; In Sir Julius jiV-gel's party the same. , Those, who followed **4Ar lieorgd Grey were all Liberals ; whilst the ! lame might be said almost, entirely of those who folia red Mesus Montgomery and Maoandrew. Baeing that there were four 'parties In the Boose, the question was;* '' How wm ft liable Government to be ' formed from these ' lourTi' Not long after the House (met Major Atklnsot found his party in 'a minority, and he tendered his resignation, • No one party of those 1 have mentioned was by itself strong enough to farm a Government, and the question aroie: ' "How was a coalition— a union of these differ* log four parties— to be brought about, So that ft ■table Government might be formed?* Many members wanted to- see Sir, Julius Vegel and i Major AtkimoD. allied. There were perhaps ft ratjorUy of both these parties Censexyative, There were others in the House,, however, who . tkought that there were tuffi oient Liberals In the Bomb to form a Government composed entirely of Liberals, I was conbultod onjthe subject, aid ' gild that It was impossible' to form an Admlnla. <tiation entirely Liberal, having. a majority ef \liberals at their baok. The present House dues not contain a majority "of Liberals— t^at is, If you. ,apply any reasonable test .tn the name. What/ then,vw«i to J>e done? Some wanted Mnjor Atkinson and Blr Jklius Vogel to unite; others desired ft union Utween all the opponents of the late AdmlnlsapAjpelon. Praotloally the epponentiof tho were two- thirds of the Heuse, aad those in favor of the Atkinspn Admlnis* tntlon onothird. The problem then *as, as It Is whenever a Government is displaced, how was au Administration to be formed out of this Opponticml That Is the problemwheiesver there Is'aß»rllam«nt— that Is- the constitutional courSS^* adopt.- The Administration must be formed out of those opposed to the Government. How was this to be set about ? She Governor sent fox Sir Julius Vogel, aid entrusted him with the task of forming an Administration. I don't think It is neeeisary to g« over all the negotiations which then took place. Sofw as I. am personally concerned, notwithstanding the untrue charge and the grow abuse oontained ia one of oui newspaper* pretending to be supporting the Government, whneln It was stated that '> I intrigued - for the office I holt, tola was utterly without foundation, I offered to do this • If elf Juilua Vogel thought he wuld form an Administration out ;<jf those tpposed to; the Government,' r'trsis'«tiing ' to tUti a»idei and assist. Mm.^o th^bßsti. of my ability, 'ihero were, Ko weijer, ' sbine ; of aiy <MottdB f ,wh(» have kept warmly arid- loyally to •"BfßVer nines I have, entered the political arena. - and! the*e insisted that .if, I, repreientlig what mi.hfc bo termed the Budical ieptlon of the Hoi«e, shouldaccepfc office It iboujdbethatof the : RBp^'ljEii* %f»rdno 1

ch«t, ? couniddriflK hit* health, he could not be expected to ba continually in the House from early morniag till early morning, he asked me to aaoept the Pr«mi«trship, which, after eon■suiting my friends, I agread to do. IHAT IB HOW THE FIEST QOVIBNMINX WAS

fOBMED, And In It, you are aware, thero were Metsii Montgomery, Maoaadrew, Kichardsoa, EaUance, Vogel, Captain Morrio, »Colonel Whitmore, and myself. Well, what was discovered soon after the Government was formed ? We found that there were a considerable number of those who were Liberals In the House who were (ilts&titfied, because the Government vrai praoiically a coalition one, and net composed entirely of Liberals. Then a few wore dissatisfied, . I presume, because they weie nit ia it — (laughter) — and there -wt»« .others so unacquainted with either pairiUmentary history or procedure that th6y were fouad in opposltien to us, who introduced a vote of want of confidence, hn mediately it was ascertained that we ware in *. minority I resolved that I would be no party to what was done by the Hall Government m 1879, but instead of putting off time In dUouj sion I chailaoged the House to come to a division and let us go to. the coaetiy And ' meat our fata at once, — (Applause.; You are aware of what happened : that Immediately the motion was ptop&sed I challenged the BLouse to go to a division, that bhortly »f ttr a oivl«ion was tak«n, aud that we were dtfeaitod What *hoa happened 1 A Government had yet to be formed, and the question than arose : Would the men who had been returned pledged to put cut th» late Administration after ail join in repl«olng them on the becoha/, tand 1 «hink it is to the credit of the House tbat c majority of the House determined that that %hottU net happen, Hence it was that the Atkluaon Adailnittratton that wa« forme > U»ted finch a short time, and was dtfesmd X am not going to oast a single reflto'vioa on »sy of the members of the late Govero- . meat (some of ttitm I value exoeediogiy) but' I say the House would not have been acting -loyally to the pledges gWen to their comtltuents had any other courso I been adopted Wh&t then happoned was, <as jon are aware, that was asksd to move » vote of want ef confidence in tha .adinlnl&tiation. That vote was carried, and tbe Governor I oatrohted me with the task of forming a n<>w Administration,, and I may say that I fouud a great difficulty in doing that, beoauie there were these two things to be kept in view. Firtt— I knew perfectly well that I w«i unable to form what might bs termed a Liberal AdmlnUtration, and that the only Admlniiitrtktlon which had a ehanca of Hvlsg in the Houno wan a coalition Ministry. I also knew that because of the deeiuion the House had pronounced, that it waa impOßßlble for me to ask the Governor to •coepfc the Ministry that had been previounly in office— to accept; the same men as the House declared th*y had uo confidence in ; and I am glad to say that tome— that all, in faot-of my colleagues who had been ia the previous ! Ministry aotod not only in a generous way, in a handsome way, to myself, but so aoted that I they showed that they had the interests of the j oouutty at heart more than their individual ; interests. One or two of them said this : " i-'o not consider me ; try and form a strong Admlniitration, and do not consider me or any Z may have." ; Mr Mftoamdrew, Mr Montgomery, Colonel Whitmore- all of thorn, expressed themselves In this fashion. And now let me say thi* first : that I exceedingly regret that Mr Maomdrew is not a Minister,—(Applause ) * know that ouMde.of Otftfe and (Q'some D^rti of theNoittt lalaadhe hat beea accused of having nothing but Otago lntatesU'at ' hoart. This I caa «»y, haviag been with him in ,tha Cabinet «f 1878 and 1879 and for, the rshort time daring last stiilov, that there is no fairerminded man in the di*otuslon of any subject, whether it relates to Auckland, Canterbury, or - Otogo, than Mr Maoandrew ; that his sole desire is ever to try and do anything he can to path , *b* Gol*ny ahead ; And that he bas no such petty feelings or provincial jealousies as 'his enemies accuse him of.* "^ So far also as Mr Montgomery la concerned, he hu been critiolsed very adversely, I say he is also a\man whose sterling worth one can only know by meeting him In what I may term clone quarters, and dhouistng any question with him. And I may s»y that I recognised this: that the great man of the Liberal party — thoie who were Id- the House when 1 was not there, those' who voted ' against the Atkinson Administration, noted in a spirit of extreme generosity towards myself, for I raoognhed that, considering their claims, 1 had no claims equal to theirs. When I had been out of the Howe they had been loyally fighting for what they believed to be eorreot and for the Interest of the Colony, and they had claims to office whioh I did not possess. At the tame ■ time, it was at their request that I came for* ward. v It was at their request that I took office, and they urged me to do so, I may say that in the first Administration Colonel Whit- ) more came. forward and did work without i claimlec any salary In the Upper House, Mr Reynolds, also, all through the session worked morning, afternoon, and night, looking after our busineis, taking control of one of our depart- ! mints, and he also would receive no salary, simply ! doing what he could -to aid the Government I in carrting on the busineis of the country, I ! of ten think that some of us do not sufficiently r&cogniie the public spirit that animates many of those who are In our Houses of Parliament, and who spend their time and nights, injuring their ' health, doing/ what they cim for the | Colony, and getting In return wy ,often nothing but sharp criticism and abuse? Now, I hare told yon something in reference to the position of the parties, I need not say that, being pledged to obtain a change of Government, It was the duty of those who were returned on that pledge to sink minor differences in the meantime in order to get the desire of their constituents carried cut, I again repeat that, se far as this Government Is oenoerned, and this Parliament Is concerned, it Is neither so Liberal nor so Kadlcal as I would like to see It, and not so Liberal or so Radioal as I would like it te be ft the Interests of the Oelony. At, the same time that 4s not my fault. It Is the fault of the constituencies, land until the electors get more what I might term political eduoation and take more Interest in the welfare of the country by sending up members pledged to reform, you cannot expect | anything different In the House of Representatives.' It may be asked why you have a change of Government, Ido not preach *~l have never preaohed— the dootrlne is most dangerous to preach, in ' my opinion, In any democracy— that any change of Government can alter the business of a country or change depression into prosperity. That was the favorite doctrine prenohed throughout the length and breadth of the Colony In 1879 : Vlf y«-u can only g»t rid of the Grey Administration this Colony will blcss«m like the rose." You got rid of the Grey - Admliiixtrailon, axd there was not a rose to be teen I— (l*uxbfier,) Now I do not ssy, aad I have not said, that any Government can change depression. Into prosperity. At the same time. - 1 do'not thiuk it Is good for any eauntry, and especially for may Colony, that the only political nabulum ttat tftejaen In the load!*>s osdfttaßß io &4 GW«arßme*fch «vi

oiiv.r v. i 0' i>siiutniu» '» givion y j'ori'b. d ngn of !i<r Hi U'« (f>«»r) A:'«l I think the chni!gi'..nf Govt-ri in lit '<vk« u'cdfd tor other i'O-i<") « •h^fcideti Ido tan OjHi if an Administ.ratiqn is «s .wb »» r-vor *n Adu\iui faction Wiv< I d" not t,hi.iit i! id nhe \.o tliow i.h<jui -to T».Tn<Av\ t<-.o hn.g in power lam not going to crit',o!*e the AOTIGiVN OF IMB PAhT ADMINISTBATION. If I <>>i.i »• ti> do «n> ) coaJdiLow various things tha* C'ljp t>> bfihc la the Jait soi»*i«o, <>f Parliament; tb-**, do nut redound td 'faeit ability. I am t>"- in iking a- > personal chuge ag»t>*st any mt',r<b-.-i'h of tbe Qovomraeat. 'oeouujj I do not for >»ac inome«6 ttoppune tbab anything they <5i.l vr»« done ficm *ny oomtpt or imwupur motive. Bat; pn<iticitu« are but mm, liable to errc* at w« ail are, and I rfo Ihiuk it i-s good for a OAuntry that it hha kuffi ieut capable men in it »hu zre nhU to t»ke their Him at tho bead of An An mii) ls to« ion, to Rhow that no oouutry t« bound to have on* olais of vixen for ever gorerniDg ifc< Some thiago which were done, t h»ve «aKI, will not bear criticism, and these things the newspapers supporting them hate carefully covered up Let vi take one or ttro thins* to ihow tbe different mode of dealing by the two ArtoiUilstrations— tha strong Adminiatratlon as compared with the weak Administration. I shall take an iUugtratton, not from my own departmont, bat frcm, one of my oolle»gue»\ lake tha ?an Francisco contract, as n6t being pcreonftlly interesting to ourielren. Now how wao that oentract; drawn up? I say It waa no credit to any Administration to enter into tnob* ft contract ai was enierf d Into with the American Company. It was entirely oo»-sldsd a« against New Zealand, and g»ve everything to bydney, and It also left everythlcg In the power of the contractor Notwithstanding that Sydnoy got all the benefit of the San Fr»nolsoo oei-Tite, Sydney being the headquarter* of the service, and the steamers merely touching at Auokl&nd, Sydney did not pay more th»n half oar subsidy. Ido not think that displayed any great admlniatratl ye •kill on the part of the lato Government. — (Applause. ) That is not all. The contract was so drawn that Sydney, at the end of ISB4, by giving notlee to the contractor, got oat of the contract, while wa were bound to it a year longer. Now, Sydney attempted to do what seemed to me to be very like a bit of shaip practice. The Sydney Government said : "We give notice of this discontinuance"; and Immediately afterwards, ''they went quietly behind onr backs tried to arrange with the contractor to carry the mails at something Ilk* half the subsidy they were paying • before, so that, had they, been successful, we would have been paying four times the subsidy that Sydney was paying. Well, what has the weak Administration done? It would hays been presumed that the weak Administration would have done the same thing — Buoonmbed to Sydney, and be afraid to say anything. Now, how did our Administration deal with It ? We aaid to the contractors : "Very well; Sydney is out of the contracts and Sydney shall not join the oontract without oar consent. ~Vfe shall draw up a new time- tabl* that shall regulate your service toruit ours, and If Sydney wants her letter* carried let her come to us and make arrangements " What did they attempt to do? Seeing the hole they were put Into by thlt extraordinary action, as they put It, on oar part, the Postmaster of Sydney attempted to get rid of the " notice of discontinue ance ; withdrew it ; and wanted to fall back on the original contract. We said," Oh no ;it is too late ; you have withdrawn. It you wish to get into the oootraot you Bhall only get in through us." — (Laughter.) The result war that we made Sydney do bo ; and by that one admtalstratWp act we saved the Colony L 9 000, I only give that as an example. I tumid in-u-tlon many similar Instances, but I will content myself with mentioning one mattes connettod with the Atklnion Administration daring tbe few days they were In offioa last s«s*ion. In one small transaction in transmitting- money t*England they lost to the Colony the sum v 1/2,000, so that, Independent af other lopsc: that the Colony sustained through putting n out of office for a f«w days, It last ifc»t *v » oi L2,Ot)(V I have told you of the new Government bsiag formed ; I shall now tell you abou;. some business that Government undertook, ann what object they had in undertaking it.' When Z stood as a candidate for Dunedig East I told you that I believed what the Golouy required more than anything was oareful aduainltraMon 'adlclo''' comb* d

-] U9 aammisiifanoa oombinti. with proper polltloal roform f We found tho Oolcny •uffarin* from depression, greatly ehrougfa w*nt of confidence. Our fiitnre had been ho piotu«-a to the people, and the Btats of oat 6naacea w«,s •uch, that tbe Colony w»>t la auoii » otata of want of confidenoa thai it wat absolutely rcce'teary, »a far sb a Government onuld, to retire confidence to th« people. Notwltluwdinir, all the »tateme»ta mado abont the oarefnl p.dmiui'.tratlon of oar predecessors, we find that m the mouth of August, when we took office, of tnu one million l»»n to be raited in this month, tb.er>-' wat only L 414 000 open for «• to de»l with. That wm the w*y in which the finatxtei had been left, by the late Administration. Of course it was explained by Major Atklntoa in the Hotue that the oauae of this was the enormous amount of money ipent on opened line* of railway ; but that wa» no excuse, became, X apprehend, th&t If he told the Howie of Representative! tbat there wai only to be a million speat in each year, he ought to have kept within thai million, or el«e have given the House Ample warning, so as to make fre»h arrangementg. However, that wa» the position In which we found the finance*. We, therefore, had to provide sufficient money to carry on the pnblio works of the Colony, because we found that a great amount of money had been waited by making little bifco of railway here and there, completing nothing, and that there was need to have MOBS VWOBOOS PROBEOOTIOH OF LABOE

BAILWAT WOEKS, sven If the small railway work* had to stairl still. That was the policy we adopted. However, I shall deal with public works further on I now wish to point out to you some of the B 11s passed by the Heuse last session to show you that even in matters of

SOCIAL BEFOBII we were not forgetful, and that every Aot pasxed dealing with social reform waa framed on the widest, most popular, and liberal basis,— (Cheers.) Let me take two or three. We had, for example, the

MABBIXD WOMJN'S PBOPBBIT ACT. Of course, that was an Aot that had been passed In Eagland. having been moved in the House of Lords by Earl Selborne and seconded by Karl Cairns ; but it was a most important alteration In the law relating to married women. Under It practically all that belongs to & married woman, ail the property th%t may come to her, ali that the may eurn, belongs to her. It does nob. as it Aid under the old law, belong to her husband. She oan deal. with it as she pleases it is recognised as heir own property. We wil not now sse women going into Court for protec tion orders to protect their eKrnlugs. Whethe • their hur.bands are living with them or not, thL Act pro'eots the earnings of married women, and makes a married woman, so far as her own property is concerned, independent of he hu|baad.— (Applaute,) Then we had to dm,

myself to introduce mynelf if possible, sotnfc law glvlog WOBtfMBN A LIBS tfOB rHLSIB WAQK3 on building or other work that they might o We bSd what is called a Contractors' Debts Lai In forne. Sat it tfas praotioally onwork*'»le and entirely nnnuivable to tbt? want* of the Colony. X had prepared * Workmen «. Lien Aot, but finding that Mr Oadmati, she member for Ooromandel, had given notice of & Bin dealing with the name mbject— introduced i-he session before by Mr Feidwick-I at sece— desirous of seeing my rlew3 carried out, and o»reles» who carried them out, not thiokKJir <>o much of oomlug before my constituent* *nd saying I carried this Bill afld «bat ßill— handed coy Bill |« Mr Oadman, who tntroduoed it, aad carried it tbrotigh the Koustr, and it ia no* lw. It is the most liberal of lien laWa affefltJog workmen. It is a lien law euch as doeu boi <-xl»fc in any other British possession Jn the United Kingdom, and it goes farther, so far an workman are concerned} than most of the ji merioan lien laws. Then there was a question that; h ever perennial, and that, in my opinion, !•' only now beginning to be understood by maay In oar community. I mean

THB LAND QUESTION, 'I'h&t again came up. We found whan w« got u.io.ffice thM Mr Bolleßton had pr*pared a bsd Act, which he desired to introduoe, bat "t' oh had not been formally considered by the l siti Odbinee. It had provisions dealiog with otrrj 't,ual leasing and deferred payment*, and I <:o-ni(i!ly approved of moßt of its provision*. iJc-ie. let me say this: Although Mr JRolleufcon ac pTo^ent I know is not popular in his own oisi.r'cb, and perhaps in other parts of the o'"iiy, yet I believe that he was sincerely rit.> irons to do what he could to further the H-i't'ement of the people on ths land, and to i-b rullie our laed laws.— (Applause,) Theenly M>i',g I regret Is that he had not adopted the Uv'-.al view* whioh he now holds many years Stfora. I cordially approved of the seotlo/iB In his Bill dealing -with deferred payments, and they are now law,. I knowIt baa been raid that X was the introducer oi tbose clauses — that they were my idea alone. n< re yon have, however, a Bill drafted by Mr Eo.leiton before I was ever elected' to the House, bat some of the provisions of whioh t cordially approved, If there is one defect more than another In the deferred-payment system it has been that by letting people freehold of tho Und three years you have practically encouraged all kinds of dummylsm, and done what you conld to stop real bonj, fide settlement. It is bo injury to a bona fide settler to say to him " you shall not pay us the fall value of the land for six instead of three years." If he is really anxious to get the land for himself and his family, he will not objeot to spread his payment over *ix years. There are only two classes of men anxious to pay for the. land ia three years. The first claßs are the men who wish to sell their land to the neighboring owners of big blookr, and the oaoond class sre the men who are such bad farmers and settlers, who are anxious to go at once to the loan agent and mortgage 1 their land, and so begin their ruin*fe.What I would like to see is this system carried much farther— as in America : that there shall be a homestead belonging to a family, so that no creditor can seize it; and it shall bs theirs for ever. —(Applause.) I believa you will not have bona fide settlement until the law step* in and Bays : There is one place the law shall recognise an aaored to a mtm and h!s family, which no creditor can touch, and that piece of land shall be his home. — (Applause.) There was, however, one important provision that I got Introduced into this Land Blty, Ido not say- that, 1* was my original suggestion. It was nnggesfred by Mr John Duncan, of/ tho Land Be*rd, and myself. We found that-tbera wfti a wise provision introduced by Mr Donald JKeld— who has Introduced many wl«e provisions .nto oar lind laws—in hit Aot of 1877, that runt ihonld be etit op of only a certain sice. Now. what was the meaning of that provision? It was that, if possible, monopoly should be jtopped, an 4 that mes »11 over the country ibould have an opportunity of getting a 'small ran, and that wa should not see vast tracts— tn lea ani miles of country— in the hands of one •empany or 'ndl*fdnal< ''But what happened ? Because there was free and open, auction «ala md competikUn. men went in and bought this And that ran- »nd the result wan that the aub- & vision waa of no avail in securing small runs 'or tettlers. The whole of the runs went baok Inta the hands of large companies aad large holdings. How wai this to bs stopped? This was what we snggeated: W« entd we otnnot expect the Parliament of Mew Ztaland — the Honss of Representatives' even —to limit the area that any one man shall hold. I will- tell you why ; .Because we , had not the piople to back us ; we had not the newspapers te baok us in this, Yon remember how oar newspapers, especially our morning newspaper, denou&ead the M'Eeczle clause, objecting to any legislation providing that; a man should. hold only a certain ara». They ttld it was opposed to political economy. I knew w« could not carry that, although the time will come when we can.— (Oheera ) But I thought we could carry this : We could provide that when runs near settlement were cut up one man should be only allowed to hold one run and no more. Consf qusntly, I get introduced section 21, whioh provides in the ctaea I have mentioned that no person shall be allowed to become the puroh&sar of more than one suoh lease in any part of the Colony, and the Boud may require eaoh purchaser to make the necessary declaration. We have, drawn regulations whioh will be gazt-ttad in » week or so under this clause, prcvi^h^- ' that one man shall only bold one lease of atun tn a settled diatriot, and then there will be some ohanoa of settlers and settlers' sons obtaining small runs, and large owners shall not swallow Hp the lot,— (Cheers.) I hope we bhall t'aen have a large area ocoupied by grazing farmers, who will not only benefit themielven, but also largely benefit the Colony. Now, while on this land question, let me say ons word more, After all a great deal depends on admlnivtrfttion—and what have we done in reference to administration during the short time Mr Builanoe ha* been in office? I saw one of the papers sneering at Mr Ballance, and saying that he did net understand the land question. I only wish everyone else had suoh a knowledge ef it. During the short time he haa been in office, what has he done ? He haw prepaved

SHALL FABM ASBOOIATION BEaULATIONB, whioh provide that there shall be blocks set •side of from 2,000 to 5.000 acres, and no man it to hold more than 150 Bores in that block. These blooks shall ba of the best land, It shall be aheap, and one-third of the proceeds shall be devoted to making roads in and about the blook. It will aluo be provided that one-half, at le?,»t, of tfeoie who nettle on the block shall reside thereon, and \hose who cannot reside shall pay a ftubatitute to re; lde on each seotlon. What will be tbe result ? We shall have, at any rate in the North Island, where several applications have already been made for these blocks, and I hope ultimately in this island, from ten to twenty or thirty families settled on each blook. They will have m long time to p&y the purchase moiuoy, which will be small, and, by settling substitutes alongside those who reside on their secWons, the settlers will be able perhaps to obtain labor, and I bejleye by that way we will tyMrtfo a very rirpfcrlw kind of tfetfleme&t-

beMtf even tba» the jpreseatf deferred, payment To rbow you the «">rmou* danger of dealing with our Grown land. in the wm we hate been hither » dealing, X may mention th?t n« were exceedingly deslrousr tf having thl* •aiall.foriß «it.m »PPlied to OJ», terbury, but when *« wkedthe Chief Sureyor if he knew »f on* o» more blook. it Canterbury of 3,0530 or 5,000 acres of good agricultural land which would be suitable for th •■pnrpjm, hia amwer was that in tho large pi ovlno* of Canto*, bary tkere was not a single acre lef t naltaole fo* .uch a system, tfhat comes of ftUow ing th» whole Crown lands to be dupoand o, by what U oftlled the free selection «yntem. We fonad that it w»8 absolutely neoeHßry to make due provision for the i -«,«.«.„„ DEVIBLOPMBNT OB 1 OTRCOAI. IKDOSTRIES on tne Weit Coast, lhas wa» thj reason wny the Westport and Grey motssh Harbor Boarrt Bills ware V"«d, »»« .ho th« Bill^»*hocbli>B the construction of tho Ka«t sad West Ooa s« Middle Island .Kallway, Sa^eral »®*x m»tte» were de.lt with during ti|e eentor, b»» Jmj dees not parnilt ma to dwell upo» them. I mey any one or two word", however, with retaen*. to

BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS I exceedingly regret that Mir Banana Bill f rt the abolition of plural votln*. and also the iSM lutroduoed by him nith reference to tae eight bottra' system, did aot pass. —(Applause ) » regret that that waa the eaie, baoauiie I fceiieve , both Bill* were neoawary. I belies it Is »bsnlately neoewary in this Colony, especially when I sea coming here the ttruggle for Bianuras-lui-a, that thla eight hoars' nystom should bs maintained.- (Che ere. ) I hftvo takes that post- • tion always, and I may »»y that; was the wain reason »l«d th*t made mo advocate In theHouse that tuere e'aoald bs as hurxdty labor. I do not object to people «njoylng themiiplveor on Sunday In any way they pleaae foul I do objsot to having the hours of labor inflr«as6<7, either with respect to eight hours each day or working oa Sunday. It fa accessary for the physical health of tho people iudepecdeutfy of other oontideratioas, tiiat the hoar? of teboy should not bs increased ; ar»d )' warn tW who are agitating bo strcngly fur the v»r»duotioa of manufactures -— although no ana In mors desirous- of »eeing manmaotoaw* Introduced and encoarpged than, my*eL~ that if they Inttist upon introducing all and suadry manufactures Sat© this Colony ins competition will be ao keen tint tbe m<M.uf loturera will at once nay unless yea get, the hoars of labor extended it will bn impossible to maintain our faotortes, and then the rea-i eight hofli'a' struggle will aoflmmce. i. would o&utioa thoße mho are adtatlng t«j question, and whe wish to see thts physic** »nd moral health and intellectual weu'aie or «•« people maintained, that they should sot aim* the slightest infraction of aur enfctom. It m*y lse Bald that putting that into l*w ia the !«.?& In whiok it wan proposed woutd hwi v*ry liitk effect. True, it would be of very little efte«r, as it only provided thai whuea a ma-a dm >.»n make a written agreement he shopld only <mi£ eight hours a day, but still tbafc van «om*thirvj/. It wowld be a recognition by the Stats that «>»fc wm tbe proper tetin of daily work, and w«*b recognition, I believe, won'd have korei f» «' effect in future dealing* 'with manaviturers and those' *who ara to manufaoturr. I have not time to deal with tbe Looal Courts Bill and the Seamen's Frtnohlw Bill 2'« latter was introduced by Mr Bruce, th« mf.mi>f. for Bangitikei, in a very able mancer ; d X ■till hope it. will become law. Neither have t time to deal with tho queitlon of

♦- ' " DISTRICT BAIMVAYS except to My that- the Dhtricti itetl*w» T? n was practically the very Bill whirh I ?.w c l -a on this platform when I appeared as a candidate. Now, I wish to say ona or two wordi with referenct to the Legislative Oounoll, because I recognlne thai there in an abioluta necessity for tome BKFOBM OF THE SECOND OHAMBHK, — (Cheers). Of oomse you all know my vUwi on that nubjsot. Th»y have not altered for many yeara. I have not changed them one whit. Ido not believe that ttro Chamber* are necessary for legislation t.t all. I believe that on* Oh&mber is all that is necessary. At the, «ame time, we have at present two Chambers, and the Colony ia not ripe fo* the establishment of only one Chamber. It is necessary that the Council should be made efficient, and 1 belleva the proper way will beta limit the term of office 10 as nut to allow 'the memb«» to be nominated for life. It should- be provided that their term of offiod should be perhaps fo? sevea years. — (Oheers.) If that Is dons yon will be able to get new blood into the Council, and I hope w« will then hay* better legislation. I may nay the Goyernmmt were in this unfortnuatt posltioa during lust *e«s'on, that a majority of the Legislative Council were agUntt na, and if you read 'Hansard' and see the criticisms of some of the members of that OsvinoJl— memb«ra, by the way, who were put thero because they could mot gat Into the House of Kepreßentativea— (laughter)— you will «cc that ooma of them wer« exc«M?tugly sharp on rayßelf. We oiperiencod thla dif&culty all through th« acusion : that we wore not certain that aay mea.« auro whloh might pass— whatever the majority m?ght be in the Lowar Hou«3— would have any chanae of paislnji in ih« Oouholl. It is not fail that any Government thould be placed in that position ; and the only reform I on hope to see Accomplished is to have limited the term of offios to seven or five year». If that wire done, I hope we would have » better £«gtslijtlve Cotmoll Having spoken of somn of the Aoia of laitt ass»ion, I aw wish to touch upon some part of our administration, tiet me first deal cursorily with

PDBMO WOBKS.

You will remember nhere weie two thlmga whiohl advocated in. ref eronca to public works. Let u» ses whtthor X have been able, dr the Government have been able, to carry out f.heie Ideas. One of these wa» that there ought to be wise Board ef Supervision or Conciliation at the different centres — » Board to which men might 'appeal if they were 1 -Wrongfully dkoaiHsecl 'ok wrongfully treated by r theit superior officers in tha Railway Department. Well, we hays been able to do something in that direction. We have established fcnoh Boards In Napier and Ohrlatohuroh, and I hope In two or three weeks to have a Board in Dunedin, aad ulno ia various part* of the Oolany.— (Oheer».) I bollere that will be bamfioial to the Government sad to the men. It will guarantee good work si en that they will not bo dismissed exaept for (,ocid oinn6; and it will alto gave a good deal of W.H-3J7 to wkloh I Am sure every Ministex of Publl, Works is at prenent subjected, , I also jL'Otntevj out— and I believo this in a proper way toeuoourf je manufanturei— that weihPuW doall woik thsil tin properly 'be don« in the Colony if vr& csiu d< It at a leauonuble price, .and not tend in outside for forsign competition.— (Cheero.) '•.'•A>w, what has been <Jone in that retpeot? We Uvi done more during our short term of office .it reference to ironwork than any MiuUtrj had iK"i.« for five jeava before. We have, for • <xi«niple> had a viaduct; for the Otflgo Central Kailw*y raade by a Duuedin firm, and we hava r.ito Ut work to a Daneiin firm for the North I dand. ,W« have invited tenders for the constvuotlon of looomotiyea,ln the Ooloayj We h(tva not maroly promised to do it. X miy tizy 5 do not . with to refer to

pubHc works for any particular district, beoau3a I think it is ;, lowering of the ooastitu. eaoy. an<J a lowering of the member, for every member who has to go to hi 3 coastitueats at the •and of tha session, and say " I ? 06 this bridge and that road for yen, " lam happy to say tha* ■daring the fcimo I have beea iv office Hfri one of aay constituents has como to me to auk \ne for *ny personal favor. I do not know that there Is another member ot" Parliament who can say me same. In referenoa to our at! ministration, we have not ooufiaed oat attention to one part of the Colony alone. We have done what wo thought was fair to all parts, fend looked *t this question of public works in tha Hijhi; of th« wants and necessities of all parts of the Colony. W« have, as you are aware, determined to Sniih the OatKn Rtver Railway, and to actively go on with the Otago Central H'ailwfcy, We have now let mora contracts tha*. were le* for .three yttts previously. Then Mr Ballanei, in the

VtATXVB LAND AND DBFffiSOC DEPARTMENTS, Will be able to show a baying- n«xi session of from L 50.000 to LBO,OOO a-year. I will go eveu thus far and say that if w« o&unoe «how In all three departments a saving nexo year of someihing like LBO.OGO per ap.num wa are not fit to hold office.— (Ohesrs.) I know we may be said to ba doing very hard things to individuals. I cannot help that, We are placed in & very difficult position, Wa have got no doubt to recognise the claims »f old officers •nd see that we do nothing harsh to men who have watted perhaps the beat of their days ia serving the Colony. Bat at the same time it is absolutely necessary for our finatoe* to effeofc ■airings. \ believe theae will amount to liloo,ooo. At any rate unlea* uomohing na•fcoward happens befora mxt «essio». I believe we shall bs able to show a Having «f at least £80,000 a year in doj»artmontal expenditure for the Incoming year. 1 think if we do that we shall show that our administration has not been for naught nor in vain. Now^ let me say. something "about the Native administration. You know what my opinion about the Natives all along haa been for I wrote to the papers on the question. All along I have been opposed to dealing with the Natives in any harsh way, and I believe if the Natives are kindly dealt with aud considerately treated, and if at the ,sama time they are treated with strict justice, and are told that they will not be allowed, any more than Europeans would be allowed, to disturb the peace of the Colony- if you deal with them in that way, I believe you will have no trouble with them. Ido cot believi, in having special Peace Preservation Acts passed, and I can Ray this for our Administration, that ours is the first Administration sinca 1879 that has left Parliament without any special Peace Preservation. Act, and has trusted to carry on the Native business without any appeal to any other laws than those which regulate the. conduct of Europeans, and I cay tbe Natives have appreciated this. When I attained office the first time, I got private telegrams from some of the greatest chifcfo in the North Island, in which they said they were pleased to see me at the haad of affairs, as they believed I would treat them with justice »nd see their race preserved. I have no doubt you have read about what Mr Ballance has accomplished already, and how he was received by the Wacganui Natives that actually would not before allew Europeans even to approach their territory. You have all heard of Moffafc'a murder when he attempted to proceed to the Upper Wanganui in 1879. „ I myself waa up at Taupo immediately after Moffat's murder, _&nd was present at perhaps one of the largest Native meeti^s ever hold, there beinff 4000 or 5000 Natives psesont ; and I heard, of course through an interpreter, the speeches delivered in reference to -Native affairs, and I then learned something of their feeling towards the Government^ ".Though I was then in opposition, I epoke. "through an interpreter, and told them it was their duty, if they wished to preserve their race, never to think of who waa in office, but to aid the Government in keeping peace. As to the change of feeling among the Natives, I would point to what we allowed to take place in regard to Titokowaru. Two years ago, if such a large feast had been made, the Government would have had him and all his men in prison. _ We allowed him to have his feast, to meet his people, to enjoy himself, and what harm has happened? I do not say that the King Natives will at once come to us and forever remain peaceful, but I say we are takiug the proper course regarding them. Wahanui, who has spoken at tha bar of the' House —a most eloquent man, and on* of the ablest chiefs of tha North Island— would not, when the previous Administrat^.u was in office, when invited, have dinner at B 'lumy's, because he behevad his people had hem badly treated- j wtr.tßt no sooner had I been installed in office tnan he sent a letter saying be wished to see toe, and when he came he uaid, through the interpreter, •• I do not wish any favour ; I have only come to congratulate you. Good day." The attitude of the Native* towards us is quite chaaged. Then tiieie k Major Ropata, a man who fought bravely for us when the lives of hundreds of Europeans hung in the balance, who took out his men when hB himself wm wounded, ?nd many of bis mou had been killed, aod fought, bravely. Y»u know ho,i he was treated by tbe previous Administration : "his small p«mion was. taken away from him. We restored that pension, and wo also restored his pcicion to the man who saved tba town of Wau^aui, who kept the Natives from it at the time of the war. The to,vn of Wanganui was thi-^toned, the whole of the Wesfc Coast was m a feu>;f nt, and the town vx-s saved, by ihe man of whom Coloijrl Whitmore s.vid — and Colonel Whitmore is a brave man — thera was no braver Miori in tha war. Wa restored Major Kemp to bis position. The fact that we have done wi-.boui; ft Peace Preservation Act, that tho Natives ?.re friendly, Bhows this : tbat if we only Ireat the Natives fairly, are firm with them, but tieat them as men, and not as slaves, th^y will act fairly towards us. I think we have ari to claim that no far oui^Native administration has been fair and successful There are several other matters of Native administration of which I should lika to speak L time pirmifcted, buj; let mp s.iy one tl- ; ng more. Ido not think that I evtvir.^uc-d '-GovcrumsntcKcunieat with greater nlLAinra iL^.-i ows 1 signed woir>« weoka ago. It 'vas « uyoeLu.atiou by the Governor that ov?r :io »norra.-i3 teniloiy in the North Imlujic;— ,'joii c millwud of acres, tha whole of the Kinp "oiiulry, taking in from Taupo (riftht boyond K.vwhir,) north oh to Alexandra— the greater pr.ifc, I nngU say, of tha No.th Island — ;tfi:it fill in >t ba-; bec*D rot abide under tho LSwrnojiig Ac-, -Aiif 1 thr.t not one drop of dtiuk c;n; ba bought (! '-;o or coW thore except a Bp.-cial AcS cf PurliameKi allow'ng iS to be done is pas-ei haieafter. I believe tb:.t by tbat maanu —by entirely prohibiting the Natives from obtaining alcoholic liquors —we ehall be doing ' something to preserve the raco, and something to prova to those who come after thst we h?,ve done far more than express a sflniirnnntol regard for our brown brethren, and lhat we really hava tried to save tbarn and thoir children from tho curee tfcat has cursed thorn and is cursing u», fiu>w I desuttd to aay Bomethiog absitt edu-

(Mbtioto, but I sse so "many thmg« uo ta'M; ivUons. that I find it impossible in anything like reasonable tittie to gat through halt vxy noleo. Let ma «ay thh : 1 have been a»d am, aa you arm aware, Minister of Education. Some people apparently don't lik« that. — (tiWifhter.) " Well, I may cay this: thac vfaaa some of those who criuiciito ine\ /n»ve done what I haye donft 'fyp educaion since I havo been in tho 'Colony, then 'bey can afford perhaps to be criticised. — (Hoar, heav.) I generoUy find that thoeo wLo foifc loudest aboi'k education and tho Bible in schools urs doing nothing whatever for either tho veiigious or tha moral education of lh« children. I should like to know how many mnnV hers of tha Bible in- Schools' Association bpend their Sundays as I spend mine—in teaching children morality! I way Say that I wish to get the syllabus altered. Ido not know thai it is necessary to eaplain to you how I intendto get that done. ■ I have invited the Jnfipeetors to consider ths question, and all I ban tell you is tbat I shall have it altored, whatever tha inspectors Bay. Of «ourjfe, it is my duty to get all the information I can upon this subject, and I recognise that those engagod in the practical work of education — the inspector* of^school*-: 2niust have ideas and facts that £ do not possess, and therefore I havb invited their consideration ; but if thoy do not agree with me I am afraid I must have my own way. One thing I *ay in reference to education is this : tbat we must begin technical education if we wish for anything like trained working mols. ,We must begin technical education in some' shape or other, in our primary schools j and I recognise this also, that we must havt technical education in the secondary sfchbols as well. I have prepared a circular, and have aent it round, telling the boards of management that they get largo reserves for education, and that they are not using their funds properly by making education purely classical, and that they must make it scientific and classical. 1 have no doubt they will do what they earn, and if they do not something must be done. But I recognise that technical education must begin in the primary schools, and I intend, if possible, to take the first steps to get that 'done. I have spent a considerable part or my time reading the reports of commissioners dealing with technical education' in Germany, in France, ia Switzerland, in America, and in Snglai d, and I find they almost all agree in this : that you must begin technical aducation oy innißting upon the universal teaching of drawing ; and that that, after all, must be the basis for technical education. I intend gradually — it must be done gradually, because you have to train the teachers— to introduce that into the syllabus, and when we get that done we may perhaps be ia a proper way to go in Advance of the United Kiugdom and in advance of most of th« Colonies. I saw it Btated in a paper the other day, and received it with considerable laughter, that the way to obtain technical education was to provide free public libraries. Any person who wrote that does not know anything about the subject. Public libraries are all very well; they can train your working men— tbat ia, givo them a literary education ; but to talk or write about public libraries being a means of technical education shows little knowledge of the subject. Now I must hurry on to other things — to the proipeots for the futuro.

TAXATION. 1 cannot deal with the qucatioa of taxation as I Should like to do. 1 mußfc deal with it on «ome other occasion. Let me only cay this, th.vt Ido not see aay chance of this Parliament pettivg paesfcd a land tax, »uck as I believe oupht to bo passed ; the majority of the House is rcr.if ft it. I hope, however, to see the property tax bo altered s>s to make it, at all eveult;, a laud, and wb*t may ba termed a money ot capital tax. How that will bo accomplish* <\ it is difficult or impossible for mo to exy. AVj will make sui effort to acconiplif.li it, a/.d to provide * better system of taxation thau tha piesenl; property tax.

Now for one or two words with reference to loans, before dealing with tho subjects of federation and local government. In the nevrapapers you have seen a great deal about this two and a-half million loan, and it hi a been asked, Why did not the Government float, the two and a-half million loan at once ? One paper went the length of saying that it wa3 thfs bad credit the Government otood in on ths Stouk Exchange that accounted for the loan not being floated, as if the Stock Exchange knew the present Minister** - paying us a very high compliment. Tho Stock Exchange neither knew us, nor, I suppose, cared » fig about us. But what wan the fact? Tha fact was that the Bank of New Zealand said that Major Atkinson had pledged tha Colony only to borrow a million a year, that the million had been floated, and that the year, they considered, did not expire until March 31, 1885, and therefore it would be • breach of faith for us to ask the Bank of England to float a million and a-balf extra. That is the true explanation, as appears from the telegrams, respecting the loan ; and that is the reason the loan was not floated.

PRESS CRITICISMS

Let me Bay a word or two about the newspapers, I will mention it because you will have noticed that if a single leading article appears in any of the Northern papers against myself it is bound to ba wired in full to tae Ofcago Daily Times ; thoy go Uia length of paying specially for thoaa epccfoiUy-wirad le ding articles. And if they know tha writers —just fancy the Ofcago Daily Times having Mr Chantrey Harris' editorials wired down to them ? One of the articles was on my views on education, &nd it was said I had changed my viows, but I do not know whera or how ; and another article was about tha SLrr.f.h-Tiiieri casea. It was said that tha Court of Appeal had eat upon Mr Stout about tho Strath-Taieri cases, and had declared certain sections of tho Act ultra vire£ -»It is true tha Court of Appeal came to a decision — and we are bound to respect the highest court of judicature that we haye — that this section of the Act, which had not been framed by ma, and which was altered by the Legislative Council, was not retrospective, and did not accomplish what tha Legislature thought ought to be accomplished, enabling us to get back the " dummied " land of the Strath-Taieri. Well, I was not content with the Court of Appeal's judgment, and gave riotice of Appeal to the Privy Council ; *nd what has been the result ? We have mada an arrangement that, instead of poing to the Privy Council, all the lands of the Strath-Taieri that the Land Board declared dummjed shall be voluntarily given up, that all our law costs shall bo paid, wad £1000 paid for trespass. — (Applause. ) Well, Ido not. know that that ha* boun in the Timo3 yet. I hopa the editor of th? Tirnoa will wire that to the editor of the Nay Z- aland Times, with my compliments. Ido not think, after all, that the dummies have got tho b, t'.er of it, and I hop?, now the land h?s hsen ub taiued by the Government, that wo will have it let en this system of small runs, and havo on it really bona fide settlor* engaged iv :ij, r ; i*ultural and pastoral pursuits. Now, gonUemon, I come to the questions of FEDKRATION AND LOOA.& GOVERN I'.ENT. I am erceediogly Berry fcbat with tha tune at

>y conmiind it will be simply impossible to .\ c you more than what may be tormedi a very <-iuf sketch of my vinwe en these questions. So i' \r as ffjde/'ivti^n is ooncerned, I at once admit 5o you Ihfct rrjy views have been considerably ".ochtk-d dnce I last appeared on this platform. I tohi you fchun that I lc;okod forward to New Zealand having a federation of the Paoific for Wself ; though I looked forward also to that wider federation of English speaking nations— a f' deration of En^Uud, Austrfilfioia, and even of ths United States' *o that we might h-viten in noma Veapects that time which I b'nm yois to nee coming near, whea there 'A)k'A ba no more war in the world { but that I thought ths Australian federation iv premature, and I was, »» yon are aware, rather opposea to tba Federal Council Bill. After further carefully comidering the question and reading all I could on ths subject, and also considering tbe position in which we were placed iii" .the Pacific, I found it was absolutely necessary tbat something should ba dune to, unite all the Australian Colonies, and I thought it my duty at the time not to raise anything against Major Atkinson and Sir F. Whitaker's proposals, They having been to Australia, and having done so much in the way of federation, it appeared to me that perhaps it would be the best id»a to carry nut, in a modified way, federation if I believed it would benefit the Colony. Ido not believe in any politician opptaicg proposals b^oause they do not happen to come from himself or his party, for it is his duty as a true oolunißt to do what he oan to support anything that can benefit the Colony, from whatever source the idea may have emanated. It appeared to me that it was absolutely necessary that there should be federation— that is, a union — between the Australasian Colonies. I thought it was necessary if we were to have any command of the Pacific What, then, w&s to be done? The Federal Oounoil Bill, as you are aware, provided that there should be a Federal Council established for Austral aaia, and that this Federal Council should be one Chamber (that is an advance), and should deal with tbe following subjects: — The first is: The relations of Australia with tho islands of tha Pacific Hooof.d : Prevention ef influx of criminals. Ibud: Fisheries in Australasian waters, Next: The improvement of judgments. Next: The enforcement of criminal processes. The next : Tho custody of offenders on board of ships belonging to her Majesty's Colonial Governments beyond territorial limits. Council was also to deal with other questions if referred to it by any two Colonies. But these laws were only to be enforced in the Colonies that referred the questions to the Federal Council ' — the law, though passed by tho Federal Council, should not be enforced in the Colonies unless passed again by the Legislatures of the Colonies. I believe a Federal Council in that form would be of enormous benefit in the Pacific. What is our position here? For many years we hava been urging that tha English rule should be extended over the Pacific. In 1878 I brought tbat question prominently before the Governor by a memo, which appeared in the Bluebooks in reference to tho Isew Hebrides. Those islands, yon know, hava been tbe seat of the Presbyteriaa missions of Scotland, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, and I thought they, at all events, should not become French territory, but British. Unfortunately, the British Government have doDB nothing- to bring that about, but, on tha contrary, have practically allowed the French to gut enormous power over those islands, Tbai], in raferoioce to Samoa and Tonga, we — I Me 3ti lisa ptopln of tfov Zeaifu-'d— felt that at tho time Fiji was annexed those klaiMh Fhould also have been bcought ander th« British ruls. New Guinea was of little interest to us in New Zealand, but we also desired t< &3ft it under British rule. Now it may be asked, What objection can .yon have to the Germans or the French baring colonies in the Pacific? I «ay we have no objection to German colonisation, no objection to Frsnch colonisation, as, if ths Gorraau colonias and the French ♦aloniea were placed in this position— wunely, that tha French and German colonies were allowed to federate with us, — then I think we should rather, if anything, like them to come. But I want to know what ia the meaning oi French and German colonisation in tha Paoifio. It cimply means this : that in tbe event of a European war tho site of the war will ba chingad from Europe to the Pacific- We kuonr .very well that when thera was danger of a war with Russia there were Rnsoian men-of-war in Siberian and Japanese porls ready to attack the Australian Colonies. That ia wall known at Home and well known to m?.ny here ; and the result of this colonisation will bo this : that if you allow these various nationalities to spring up in the Pacific you will simply destroy all chance of having what wa all hope to see — that is, these new Colonies saved from the ruinous wars tbat have baen devastating older lands— European lands, — »nd instead of having peace reign here, we shall have all the horrors of war, and all the injuries of war, inflicted on v«. I therefore say there is no question of loss of territory. There is no desire to exclude the Gftmauß or French from having colonies. Why, Now Zealand has invited Germans here; it hai paid their passage*, and founded settlements for boih Scandinavians and GetTP..MK in the North Island ; and, so far as this Colony ia concerned, 1 am glad to say we hay« never raised th ' question of nationality against any who have come to us. \Ya have, I aay. wo objection to German and no o! j motion to French colonisation, but if we ars t» y,ili>w tha Pacific to ba divided among tha European nations without at all consulting ths inhabitants of these islands, and to bs divided not really for the purposes of colonisation at. &U, but for tho purpose of providing coaling ports and naval Ktations, then in case of war we are, I say, inviting? something Against ourselves, and the result will ba tbat wa shall have to keep & lar^a iloet in the Pacific-rto go to a largo expense defending our porta. Wo hava already gone to considerable expand ; in Australia the axpenditurs for dafeuca haa been greater, and we must go to further expeaas, and all this will be brought about, nofc from any danger of any dispute between New Zsaland and any other Colonies that may be in the Pacific, but because of European disputes. We say, if we could have done any thing to prevent that, it was onr duty to prevent, it. Now I come to wh.it c, gi'f>&'. deal has been written about— the Hinomotv and Samoa. What was the position of nffaira with regard to Samoa,? Wo had private lßtteru from Sairoa stating t.hat lucre was a, petition boing ptv pared for prps'flPifticHiu to tha Quecm, and that then 71 w»!) coi;ii<'r> »bl» mghtfuiu p,o*»f.' ou a* W whether it ou^ht not to b^ r.cn>-.xod to Britain. S'iuu>.i h:\p a hiag, a vice ■ king, and tvn Hnuwi oi Parlkvinpnt, and it in in v/hat w» mry Kurm ft soioi civilised »tate ; and it ban be -st Teeoft'iused by Germany, fiugland, and An.triciv fl» an independent Sls»te, for all Uiaiv tv.U'inrj haveciafle trealieu with ii;/* We fiuri l;(. a, Samoa auxioua to join Now — anxious to become pint of Nuv; Zy.ik-mi, or pat o;' ih * Britich Empire ; aori what we aaUed r,o n<. t?au iAiis — to &ecd down a aieaiUOT sad ascertain

the feeling, becauie we heard there had been a treaty made between Germany and the King of Samoa : not a treaty made voluntarily on tho part of the King of Samoa, because ho wroto -n say that he was forced to make it by the officaru of the German man-of-war ; that an Boon as the German officers knew that he batl petitioned tho CJueen for annexation they oama down and demanded* that he should make t a treaty, and -forced him to do so. A fortnight after he made the treaty he wrote to the officers telling them that not withstanding he had made the treaty, he was still desirous of annexation with Britain, and that the treaty had been made through force or duress. Then what we did was this: we were prepared to lend a steamer down to ascertain the feeling of Samoa as to annexation, and we considered it our duty, so as not to cause any complications between tho Home and the German Governments, to wire to Karl Derby telling him our intentions, and that the steamer would leave in 10 days, *nd, of course, he was to understand that if 1 he did sot stop the steamer it would go.' £ know the Press nave asked, Why do you not tell us all that yon are going to do ? But surely there would ba no such thing as proper government carried on if we had to go and "blab" at each street corner of all that we were going to do v One would imagine from what some of the~papers said that whenever a Cabinet Council was held the members skould be surrounded by special correspondent* and editors. We did not disclose to the newspapers or anyone (for the secret was well kept) what we were going to do with the steamer till the answer came from Lord Derby; because we did not wish anyone to know it. Well, Lord Derby said that considering Samoa was an independent State, he Could not allow us to send a steamer, but he has — and tha papers can get this, though I should not tell them now, only the steamer will be there— -sent the Miranda war - vessel from Sydney, and she wili be there now, I expect, two or three days. That is all in reference to Samoa, and I think, looking at these islands, seeing that they are practic »lly the centre of the Pacific, and contain one of the finest harbours in the whole of the Pacific, the English ought to have annexed Samoa and Tonga .when they annexed Fiji. I think, however, it is very unfair, as has been done in England, to blame Lord Derby, &b if he were alone to blame. If you read the history of the Pacific question you will find that the present Gladstone Government is not more to blame than ths previous Tory Government, but tbat all English Governments, perhaps through not thinking sufficiently what toe Pacific means and what it will be, have been supine in dealing with the question of Annexation. No one can say that if they had chosen to annex Iths whole of New Guinea anyone would have objected, or that any injury would have been done. I say it is exceedingly to be regretted that English statesmen have not looked ahead in this respect. In fact, it proves the remark made by Sals, in his book, "The Expansion of England," that almost all the territory Britain has acquired has been forced upon her, not by her statesmen, but by those practically acting against her statesmen for the tima being. I say it would be to our advantage, and to the advantage of Britain, if these islands become British possessions ; and if we could have a federation, perhaps including America and England, we should save the expense of defensive worko and of a fleet, and also save ourselves from the horrors of war in the future.^ „7. say, further, that though the New Zealand Parliament does seem to be acainst federation at present, it m for the interest of New Zealand that it bLoiuu riot stand aloof from the rest of the Colonies. . No doubt & grander and better thing for Now Zealand to have carried was the motion of Sir George Grey some yean ago, that she herself should be then centre of the Pacific, with steamers carrying her produce and her educating men to the Pacific islands, as various of her educational grants provide, aud that she prac tically should have control of tha Pacific. I say her day is past in that respect, and I much regret it ; and I blame the past Administration for not seeing that it was enormously to our advantage that we should have the High Commissioner of the Pacific remain our Governor, as that linked us to the Pacific in a way whioh we now lose. Seeing we cannot succeed in that, it is our duty now not to stand aloof, but unite with the Australian Colonies, and do what we [can to bring them together. Of courtse I do not wißh to see Australia interfere in the slightest degree* with our legislation or in any local laws, or to see a dominion formed such as some of the Australian statesmen have pictured. I desire to see a kind of legalised convention, that will enable our various Australasian Colonies to unite on things of common interest, and to act as one in all matters dealing with the Pacific, and with the various matters to which I have referred.

LOCAL GOYEBNMENT.

Now, gentlemen, I find that I const come to the question of local government. I segr6t exceedingly that I shall not be able deal further with this question of confederation. It is, I think, a question whioh needs almost an hour to itself ; but I must say something to you about local government. But, considering that I have already spoken nearly an hour and a-half, and that I have been engaged in Court all day ..ad feel a little tired, I shall try and make my remarks as short as possible. Let me say, gentlemen, standiug here, that I feel now as strongly as ever I felt that the Colony committed a huge mistake in passing the Abolition Act.— (Applause). I, ray this calmly, after considering the outs and the ins of the question, and having had to do what perhaps few people have had to do — viz., to sit down and see if I could draft out some system of local government that would be suitable to this Colony as a a whole. I do not say that out provincial system was perfect; I have nevqr said that onr provincial system might not have bean altered— perhaps it might have been made more suitable for us ; but I say that they were aot true statesmen who attempted to alter our local government by passing the Abolition Act. They should have taken the system as it existed, and have adapted it to our ciroumstances. They were not true statesmen who tried to destroy institutions that have grown with the people in the Colony. They should have tried to adapt those institutions to the changing circumstances of the Colony. What is our position ? We have now 69 boroughs, 48 town distriotß Or little boroughs, 68 counties, 344 road boards in counties, and 303 road die tnota im the Colony. We have also harbour boards, river boards, domain boards, education boards, school committees, aud all aorta of things iv this Colony; yet everyone, from Auckland to Stewart's Inland, says that our local government system is imperfect. From the way that some people talk ona would imagine that the looal government of other oountries is perfect, but unfortunately the local government of England, for example, is aot perfect. If you will only read a little book by Chalmers on " Local Government in England " (the work belong* to the " Citizen " reriea), or a book on local government in France, jj^ wiH ees that tbia problem of lpcal

government— thia pu.oi.oia ut „.>. i «. w ion m the Central Government of cerUia fnuc.ionn and to looal governing bodies of certain other functions — is ju3t as difficult o', solution au v/a find it to ba amongst ourselves ©^What do you think the local government of L'udon h liko ? The i City has 120 charters, 50 general Acts, besides unknown special Aclb ; whilst tha parishe*, oe they are term 9^ — though lhay »se really cities — have ISO general Acts, with an unknown amount of special Actn regulating tho various places about London, You will thus see that even in England there is no such thing as an efnoisnt synteiii of local government ; and we have no efficient system of local t'overumeut here. What, then, do I propose ? Well, gentlemen, I propose that there shall bo no rude carving and cutting of existing institutions, but th&t Ura shall take existing itxtitutiona c.s they are, and shall utilise them I would not disturb the road districts, I would not disturb the counties, and I would not disturb the boroughs. I would continue the -riding in a county or a road district as a local government unit, outside of boroughs or town districts, but I would try and make the ridings, the counties, and road districts coterminous if possible. But I do not believe that the Colony should have all its institutions exactly alike — of one pattern. That is the Chinese syHtem-. If you wish to give anything like trua liberty to tba people in the matter of local government, you must let them huva what pleased thpra L would let them have different institutions in Auckland to what they have in Orago, if ie pleased them — for example, tbe county system might suit Auckland, and the Road Board system might suit Otago ; or the road board tsystein might suit Auckland, and the county system might suit Otago, All tbs>fc the Colony caret* for is that the looal system is well man&gVA that the roads are well looked after, and t'afi local institutions are properly managed. Again I say that our present system cannot be continued. Do you know what happened woeu we had to pass the last Loan Act ? Gentleman, just consider what the General Government are called on to do in reference to roads and bridges You know it was said when we got abolition that the counties were to do everything ; tbat there! was to be no such thing as a road or a bridge heard of in the General Asuembly, except for the purpose of congratulation — (Laughter.) It was said that no such thing as a road or bridge would tver come before tbe House. What was the position we found ourselves to bo in in preparing this Loan Act ? Wo fouud that out of the million and a half ot in* loan we actually got £700,000 for railways; that all the rest— some £62O,C00— wao waote.l for roads, bridges, and public works. X aa? that no Colony's finances can stand tbat. You cannot expect tho General Governmeat to perform their functions efficiently it tba Legislature has to vote suoh euormoun «ams a* these for roads. When I argued against A bclition in 1875 I told the Houae they war* simply shifting tho question from the Provincial Councils to the General Assembly. I s*\z you to bear these figures in mind, nnd to *uy whether I was not correot in what I than stated. In 1877-78 there was expended <m roads and bridges £8i>027 ; in 1878 9, £IX4 904 •■ in 1879 80, £133,251 ; ia 1880 81. £232,251 ; in 1881-2, £145,714 ; in 1882 83. £210,6052 1 0,605 ; iv 1883 4, £328,642 —80 that practically since 1877^ the expenditure on reads and bridges, instead of never being heard of again in the House of Representative*, has increased fourfold, mounting up from £81,000 to £328,000 ; whilst this year-1884 bto meet liabilities for roads and bridges wo had to vote the enormous sum of £810,515. 1 repeat tbat tne nnaaceu oz wiu uoiony cannot stan'] that ; it is simply impossible to do no. I)i you know, gentlemen, what it mesas ? Thr amounts we have voted for roads and bridges are as much as New South Wales, Victon.*, Queensland,' and South Australia 'havo voted for roads altogether. I say that this system of the Roads and Bridges Construction Ant has virtually broken down ; that this system of the £3,000,000 Finance Aot has broknu down ; and that this system of managing roadu by the House of Representatives has virtually broken down. It is the duty of ths coloniuts to face this question, but bow is that to be brought about ?

OHABITABIE AID. There is another matter which is in a terrible mess,' and it waa in a terrible mess whan I was in office before. While we were tbea in office we did a great deal towards putting it iv a proper position, and 2 believe that if we bud remained in office a year or two longer we should have put it in a propet position. I allude to hospitals and charitable aid. What is the present position of this matt9r ? I say tbat the position in whioL. it is. now is a diegrace to th« Colony ; but, unfortunately, wo have not been able to alter it this year, just as tbe late Government were unable to alter it. We have, for example, some hospitals that are entirely maintained by the Government, and we have some hospitals tbat are partly maintained by the Government,'" $Ye have, too, charitable aid that is entirely maintained by the Government, and we have aid that is partly maintained by the Government: but there is r<o such thing as rule or regulation in respect to these matters in any two districts. You cannot do anything in the matter with our present local government institutions. You must have seme large group of districts and counties, otherwise the General Government must continue to attend to charitable aid and hospitals; left to be dealt with as it is now t I e»y that it ia far worse than a poor rate, because you will have tbe demand on the Consolidated Fund : wbiob now amounts to £90,000 a yo'*r, greatly increased, without having any efficient supervision, on the Government having ai>y proof that the funds are being properly applied. It is an absolute necessity that something should be done, aud 1 say tbat wo must utilise our Misting institutions. .1 do not desire to faavs the cpunty system' destroyed, though some Abolitionists told yon that tbe Provincialista were agaiaat the county system. But wbf> passed the first Counties Act in New Zealand ? Why, tbe Provincial Council of Otaßtg^i&i, in 1872. sod they waco termed ultraProvin^lists. I say, therefore, tbat w« must have an *ggrejjatioo ot districts, because it would be nionstroos, to* example, to ask the r.ity of Dunodin to maintain its owa Hospital. What would that mean! Tout you in Dunedin hava a hospital for a very largo district — extending itom tha diggings to Oamaru, from Oamani to Daaedio, and from Dunedin mmosi. to I»vcro&rgill so that patients corny to your Hospital from all these dietapces. It would be a most unfair thing, therefore, if the whole of the maintenance of your Hospital fell on tba Duuodin people- So with tbe distribution of charitable Aid, And with ttiH maintenance of maio arterial roads -- it could not be managed in that way. It could not be expected that & district, iv which there happens to ba a road, which ws>a an arterial means of communication, sheukl have lo maintain that road. 1 believo that there is no way of .doing tbes» tilings but by aggregating some of tbe counties together, and creating what are termed new districts to deal with charitable aid, with maiu . roads and uridgea, and wittj ths various other thiup

which the local bodies and General Government now undertake, I repeat that the present By stem cannot last, and tha"; you cannot have a new system that will bo satisfactory unless you aggregate the districts in tha way I have pointed out. But some people will say, "Oh, this is a return to Provincialism"; but Ido not wish any provincial councils. I have my views here in print, but I have not time, nor would it be wise of me now to read them

to you. lam not hero to give you the full details of an Act ; lam merely giving you tbe outlines of a measure which I believe will be auitable for the whole Colony. Suppose you had a large district, and, for the sake of comparison, I shall take a district outside of Otago. We have in South Canterbury a district which is called the South Canterbury education district, and we have in North Canterbury another district,

which is called the North Canterbury education district. Why should not South Canterbury form one district, taking in the counties of that district? The chairmen would meet once a year, and having ascertained what fundb there were to distribute for hospitals, charitable aid, main roads, &c, woald proceed to distribute those funds, giving, for example, to the Timaru and Waimate Hospitals certain allowances on condition that those institutions did certain things ; or if the funds were not sufficient they would make a levy on the counties tor the purpose. I believe that some auch system as this, giving to boroughs due representation, would work well, and would enaS)the General Government to get rid of a grea'aeal of work which they cannot perform. I tell you, after having been in office, that it is simply impossible that the General Government oan efficiently perform several of the functions that they are now called upon to perform. I do not say but that in many respects they are doing their best — certainly the officials are doing their best — but I repeat that it is quite impossible any Central Government can undertake to manage properly the various local affairs which the Central Government of this Colony are now called upon to undertake.

CONCLUSION. Gentlemen, I am not able to go any further into this and other questions, but I may be able before Parliament meets to meet you again, either in so mo other partTof the district or in some adjacent district, .because I urn desirous of speaking to you on a great many questions on which I have not even been able to touch to-night. Allow me to say only this : I hope you will recognise that no politician can be expected to carry out all at once the opinions he desires to see made law. You must remember this, that the true politician who desires to get his views carried out will proceed leisurely, and will proceed carefully, ever keeping his aim in view, never flinching from carrying out his aim ; but he will not do as some people do, rush " like a bull at a gate," not thinking of tbe difficulties he has to over come nor the circumstances in which he is placed. He has to romembar this : be has not only to consider himself and hia own opinions, but he has to consider the opinions of (nay) 90 other men who are just as obstinate as himself. He cannot be expected to have his own way. I have done what perhaps very few who have been placed in my position have done — I have net broken a single pledge.— (Cheers.) Though it was distasteful to many of my supporters, I rave voted for every measure to which I pledged myself. I voted for elective justices, and against plural voting; I voted for the Eight-hours Bill, and for all radical things I believed in, although, it was distasteful to a majority of my supporters, and though I offended many of them, I did it for this reason : that these were not Government questions. Some of my colleagues differed from me, and I ana entitled to my own opinions, as they are to theirs. I would not hold office, not evnn the office of Premier, if I bad to sink my opinions and not vote for what I considered to be right. — (Cheers.) I have already told you that this is a coalition Government. I admit it. I have told you that in many things the House does not go th<* length I should like to see it ; but the blame is not with- me— it i 3 with the electors who returned the present House. I

would ask you to believe this, and I know

you will believe -it — never mind what they say in the papers about me — that I have got as clear and definite aims as to what I believe to be necessary for this Colony as any man in the House, and shall, in season and out of season, try fairly and aboveboard, and not by_ any attempt at cheating or underhand dealing, to get them carried out. And I will do so for this reason :

that tbe views Lhold I bold by conviction, and I think they will be beneficial for this Colony.

There is a rising here, there is a rising in America, there is a rising all over the world — what may b9 termed the democratic tide. If you wish to see our institutions remain intact —if you wish to see true Liberalism intact — if yon wish to see individualism intactj and not socialism — it is your duty as wise men to make the reforms that are necessary. In 1875, when the Legislative Council were dealing with Abolition, some of them said that if they could only get rid of Provincial Councils there would be no morn humbug about; the tuns, and that there would be no more declaring the runs into hundreds. But I warned them that that would be no settlement of the question. What has been the legislation since ? I say that the laws on> our Statute-books dealing with the lands are ten times more liberal than they were in the days of Provincial Councils, and they, will have to be ten times more liberal jret.— (Cheers ) I ask you to remember this— l*To bear with me, and to consider that he is tho true man and the true reformer who bit by bit chooses his way of carrying out his object. But he is no reformer and no statesman who joeß on slashing and cutting right and left, jareless of the position and the surroundings, [t is our 'djjjjry to carry out reforms carefully md calmlyj»»id not our duty to do anything hat would cause a fear that any propertied ilbbs would be ruined. It is not our interest that ,nyone should be ruined, nor that the thrifty aan Bhould have said to him that he should ot be in a better position than the man who is .ntbrifty. The unthrifty and drunken man hould have no right to come to the State and " iemand from it more consideration than the thrifty and sober man. In a trying time during the last session I sometimes felt this : " What ia the use of my worrying and sitting up late at night— 'of my going without sleep and working hard; when I find that men 'are abusing and vilifying me ? What benefit to me is all tbis?" Why, some of , your me"tnbero; as Mr Gore, Mr Bradehaw,- and -others, were sjittjhg \ip till all hours' and impairing ftieif nealth— indeed,' they broke ddwn entirely through overwork — while they were being «ifP*ised and vilified by men who are uot worthy to unloose their shoes.— (Cheers,) There were times during the session when I felt that I ought to throw the whole thing up and not submit to such treatment ; but I knew from many of you that the nan of Dunedin East remained loyal to me, believing tbat in doing what I was doing I was acting for the beet interests of the Colony, and for your interests ; and never, co long as I remain your member, shall I do anything derogatory to you, or derogatory to mylelf.—(Loud and long-continued cheering.) The Qhaibhak having invited questions,

An Elkotor asked whether Mr Stout would be in favour of additionally endowing the Graving Dock at Port Chalmers.

Mr Stout : I am afraid you have uot read fche Statute book. I got that la^t session. The Elhotor : But I heaid it said that this was not enough. Mr Stout : Wall, some people are nevor content, you know. - (Laughter.) Mr C. S, Beeves said : Mr Chairman and gentlemen, after the very able and int-ref.tu?*r address we have just heard from the Promier aud the member for Ihia district, I think we must pass a unanimous vote of confidence and thanks. As an elector of Dunedin East, I think I may say that wo all feel highly flattered at Mr Slout having come hero to address us first —(Applause.) I know that for my own part I thought it was rather injudicious in him to have taken such a small hall as this, as it i 3 certain huudrods in the city would have gladly gone to the Garrison Hall or one of the theatrpn to hear him. However, having come here, he has certainly had an immense meeting, and I am sure if he will, before his return to Wellington, address another meeting in the_ city he_ will have a very large attendance. I believe this is expected. He occupies the position of Premier of the Colony, and therefore belonps to every constituency. I beg to move—" That this meeting accord a hearty vote of thsiuks to the Hon. the Premier for his able address, and that the electors of Dunedin East continue to entertain the fullest confidence ia him as their representative." — (Applause.) Mr E. J. Schlotel seconded the motion, whitjh was put, and carried unanimously. The Pbkmieb said : Gentlemen, I assure you that I thank you very heartily for the vote accorded to me. I only feel that I have not done justice to you in trying to speak to-night at all, as I have been in Court all day, and felt physica-lly unable to Bpeak. It waß after 6 o'clock when I left the Court. But I thank you for your vote, and assure you I shall never cease to remember the kindness I have always experienced from the electors of Dunedin East.— (Cheers.) The meeting broko up shortly after 10 o'clock