THE PREMIER AT PETONE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 55

THE PREMIER AT PETONE.

Wellington, May 1.

Tho Premier received a very enthusiastic hearing at Pefcone last nighfc. He contrasted the divers utterances of Sir E. Stout and Captain Bussell and of Captain Russell and Dr Newman. If the Conservatives got into power he would -undertake to say that they would turn them oat again in 24 hours, In 1890 there was distress from one end of New Zealand to the other, and in three years 14,000 men had been driven from the country. Since his Government had been office the population bad increased by 72,000. Captain Russell had indulged in personalities, and then complained because he (Mr Seddon) had quoted Rudyard Kipling. Captain Russell, too, had charged him with cowardice, and on that same night he (Mr Seddon), along with other brave men, was facing death at toe Brunner mine. He regretted these references to tho private business of public men. That sort of thing was dangerous. Some day the members of his Government might be in opposition, and they might retaliate, He could then » tale unfold thst vreold make someoao verj

uncomfortable; tmt he "would scorn to take tip such a position. He defended tite taking of the sinking funds, and the Controllergeneral when before a parliamentary committee had said that the transaction was legal. Sir R. Stout had advised him that Mr Fitzgerald's interpretation of the statutes was correct, and the Secretary of tho Treasury confirmed ib. Ho had joined the Assets Realisation Board because ib was his duty to do his best to work out the estates in the beat possible manner, and to relievo the bank of responsibility in that connection. As to joining a German syndicate, he had been asked as the highest antbt r.f.y in New Zealand to assist this capital into I- guim&be channels, and he had done what he believed to be in the interests of the colony. He declared that it was mean and coufcempUble to say that he *was a rebel and untrue to his country because he had gone into a, legitimate business, which he had a perfect right to do. Captain Russell had beeu a director of a land and loan company, which borrowed money at 3^ or 4 per cant, and lent ib at 7 or 8. Then there was the East Coast Land Company, whore fate they reme nib's red. The Minister for Lands and the Colonial Treasurer were directors of public companies before they wera Ministers, and would continue to occupy that position. Mr Reeves wished for the Agent-generalship, and he (Mr Seddon), knowing that he was fitted for it, had great pleasure in appointing him. Similarly Sir F. Buckley, by virtue of his office as Attorney- general, had a right to the vacant judgesbip, and he should have thought that while he was ill in bed the Fre3S newspaper would have withheld the comments it was making. He quoted figures at length to show that there had really been no increase in the customs taxation. The Opposition forgot to say that there had been a redaction on tbe tea duty amounting to £34,000 and other remissions, bringing the total np to £52,470, and that' the articles on which bhe increases' of revenue had been greatest were those on which there were no cbaDgea. He also explained that a sum of £680 for expenses amongst the Natives in the Uriwera country, on account of Mr Carroll snd himself, were really a charge for a whole year. In conclusion, he believed thnt the country would be true to ibaelf, and that the reßulfc of the general election would be the same as in 1893, A hearty vote of thanks and confidence in the Ministry was carried unanimously with cheering and the singing of " J?or he's a jolly good fellow."