SPEECH BY THE PREMIER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9644, 20 January 1903, Page 2

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER

Mr Seddon was eutertutwect at a-ban-quet at Greymouth on Friday nirfit Crowds were unable to obtain admission' In the course of liis remarks the'- Premier denied most emphatically that- he had ever sounded underwriters m London regarding a loan, or ever approached -them m any way. On the eve of his departure, ■certain statements were sent Home regarding the "national puree," which wens quite unwarranted, and sent solely to prejudice him m. the eyes of the world. He went Home not as a party man but solely m the interests of the colony mid the Empire. Of 12 resolutions passed at the Imperial Conference, six emanated from New Zealand. He denied m most emphatic terms that he ever intended to leave New Zealand and go to South Africa. The financial outlook was, lie said, bright. The past nine months' returns pointed to a surplus equal to, if not greater than, last year's. Everything looked prosperous, and if he was speaking to a company lie would say there would be the usual dividend. This year £700,000 would be spent m throwing land open for settlement. He hoped to see coal shipped from the States mines m nine months. He would get all the coal trucks made m New Zealand, and promise 'that the Government would be more active m future m assisting m the development of the resources of the colony, such as gold, coal and timber. He expected on liis next visit to inform them that «. gang was working at the Otira. tunnel on the Midland railway.