POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7655, 13 June 1896, Page 3

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

SIR ROBERT STOUT AT WELLINGTON (Per Press Association.) Wellington, to-day. Sir Robert Stonb addressed a crowded meeting in the Opera House last night. At the opening and towards the finish there were alight interruptions, but he received a patient hearing. Tho speech in the main was a oritioism of the Premier's speeches and an attack on tho policy of the Government. He made only brief reference to the disclosures respecting the Ward Farmers' Association as the case was still before the Corirtß of Justice. Replying to a question as to whether he would support a Liberal Government under Mr Seddon or the Tories under Captain Russell, he said he would do his best to oppose the present Government and ouat them from the benches. Sir R. Stoat received a vote of thanks and confidence and three cheers were awarded him.

IFkjOM ovr Parliamentary Reporter. -i , Wbewnoton, to-day. Although Sir Robert Stout had a splendid reception at the hands of the meeting which filled the Opera House to overflowing last night, he waa subjected to considerable interruption in the earlier part of his address, and the closing scene waa remarkable for the fun caused by the member for Napier -taking a hand in the proceeding?. An old grey-headed man was prominent among the 'disturbing element, but after a policeman had ejected him, amid cries that the offender was only a West Coaster, Sir Robert was granted a fairly patient hearing. He made an excellent speech, the keynote to which was an appeal for pure and honest administration. He declared that the S resent administration was the most corrupt few Zealand had ever known, and said that Ministers in their recent platform utterances bad expressed the intention of adopting the Tammany - Hall policy of spoils to the victors.,, -.■-■'

Referring briefly to banking matters, Sir Robert »aid that whatever was the judgment of. Judge Williams in respect to the Colonial Bank liquidators' application, it wonld be the duty of Parliament to investigate the whole of the Bank business, and he Hoped it would be dealt with impartially, freely,' and fairly by men of courage. He alto thought it would be the duty of Mr John Murray to explain to Parliament what had been said regarding the offer to take over the Hon. Mr Ward's business.

As to Mr Seddon joining the Anglo-Con-tinental Company, he said it was not because of Mr Seddon's knowledge of quartz mining that he had been appointed (for he had admitted in the Midland railway arbitration proceedings that he was not a practical miner), bat because aa Premier of the colony his name was worth a great deal in London, because he waß not known in London.

Sir Robert Stout complaining that a number of members had at the last: election given a written pledge to Mr Seddon, promising to support him under any circumstances, ;• drew " the member for Napier, who was occupying a front scat in the circle, and who was understood in the uproar to denounce the statement as uncalled for. Sir Robert said he was not aware of having made any pointed reference to Mr Carnell, and asked whether that gentleman did say he bad signed such a paper. Napier's choice, who was in a very excited state, assumed a thoroughly defiant attitude and either did not hear the question or deemed it discreet to leave it unanswered, so tbat the senior member for Wellington scored decisively. f " ' The only questioner was Henry Warner, 'an ex-Dunedinite, and leader of light labor

organisations here, who wanted to know whether, seeing that Sir Robert Stout posed as a great Liberal, he would follow the - ' Seddon Government or go into the lobbies * with the Russell party. Sir Robert replied that he should do his best to oppose the present Government and put them out of • office, which was a more distinct declaration of his attitude towards the Seddon Government than Sir Robert Stout has hitherto publicly made on a political platform. '- More diversion was causod by Mr La wry, the member for Parnell, rising on the stage to combat another statement made during ■''.. the address, ; bat the meeting drowned his ■ voice' by giving three hearty cheers for Sir "...Boberb Stout. A motion of thanks and :• 'confidence, which was carried almost unani ■: thonely, was proposed by Lieutenant-Colonel ' McDonnell and seconded by Mrs Plimmer.

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