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Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 31

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May 4.— The Hon. John M'Kenzie addressed a large meeting of his constituents in Mrs Laverty's Hall last Thursday night. Mr P. Kinney occupied tha chair. Mr M'Kenzie defendud the native land legislation, and said the Government had a right to look after landless natives in the South Island, and would take care that no native was left landless. Regarding the complaints of the Opposition that they could uot get the returns they asked for he said the Government refused to give returns for broken periods, but gave returns for the full year. He said they had always allowed freedom of discutsion, and considering the smallness of the Opposition they took up a great deal of space in Hansard. He anticipated a surplus of over £) 50,000 this yea?, aud denied'the assertion that their surpluses were bogus ones. He said the Government had not borrowed money for railways. These, he said, were constructed out of revenue, but . they had borrowed to construct roads and bridges, which opened up the country. They had borrowed to buy lands for settlement and to advance money to eettlera, aid the taxpayer did not have to pay a shilling of interest on these loans. In regard to their financial position he said the London money lender wan satisfied, and would give them money at 3 per cent. Our exports were more and our imports less siuca this Government took office, and the debt per head was considerably less He claimed to have placed 11,000 settlers on the land sine taking oifice, and they had spent a quaiter of a million on roads and bridges last year, and thi3 alone he taid was a complete answer to the charge that they had done nothing for the working mau. N Taking the land which they had purchased for settlement all over, he said it paid 5 per cent. The Blind River ewtafce purchase had been run down. He only wished he had that estate in Maniototo, and it would be rushed in a week. This Government, he said, h.>d done more for the Otago Central line with the small means at its disposal than previous Governments had done with their borrowed millions. He believed in the abolition of special juries and a system of St<te fire_ insurance. He defended the banking legislation, saying that the Government had doua the be-jt for the_ colony under the circumstances which had arisen. In regaul to the Locil Government Bill, he thought there were too many small locaj bodies, and too much of their money had to go to officials. Iv some boroughs all the rates went for oificwls, and they had nothing but the license fees left. There should be a provision for national prohibition, and he believed in a substantial majority, as 'once it was carried by a threefifths majority, it took the same majority to reverse it. Being asked who introduced the 20 days a month on the co-operative works, he replied that it was a question of funds, and they had decided that it w»s better to give all a share than to give all the work to some and nothing to others.— A vote of tha-iks to and confidence in Mr M'Kenzie and the Government was proposed by Mr M. PrendergAst, seconded by Mr Maloney, and carried uuanimously.

Concert. — A concert and ball ia aid of the funds of the Naaeby Hospital ii announced for the evening of May 25, iv Mrs Liiveriy'i Hall, which has been lent for the occasion. The Naseby Hospital is aa institution which deserves hearty Bupport, and I hope to see a good sum raised.

May 12,— Blrs Trotter, an old Otauo identity, passed away last Thuisday at the re"iduncß of her son, Mi Alexander Trotter. Mrs Trotter was well known in the l'almerston district. For mtny years she taught the Shag Valley School, leaving there to take charge of the Goodwood School and thence to Wang*loa, where she taught for some years. About two y*ars ago she came to this district to live with her son, whose wife had died a short time previously. She leave* behind her five sous and one daughter, who are all grown up, and a Urge number of giandchildien, ami she hada very lar>{e circle of friends and acquaintances, who will be gvieved to hear < f her departure. School Commitjeg. — I sse that a correspondnnfc has sent > ou an account of the school committee election, but he has made a few mistakes. It is incoriect to state that the old committee were reelected, as there are two new members, Mr Jackson and Mr D. M'Kay. The result of the voting was— P. Viimey 57, D. M'Kay 49, J. Jackson 47, M. Prendergast 47, A. Trotter 46, R. M'Bride 45, R. Boy.l 41, R. Trotter 40, T. Ramsay 38, J. O'Duff 38, C. G. Trotter 36, J. Croft 18. A good deal of interest was taken in the election, several attending . and recording their vote 3. A good deal of dissatisfaction is aUo felt in the district, as it is contended that several persons who were not qualified voted, and attempts are being made to up&efc the election.