Political.

Southern Cross, Volume 3, Issue 51, 21 March 1896, Page 11

Political.

THE PREMIER AT NELSON"

The Hon. Mr Seddon addressed the ■electors at Nelson on Monday night, aad at the close of an address lasting tyro hours and fifty minutes, received a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr Seddon, in the course of his remarks, said that the so-called National Association was simply a band of Tories who had bought over a large section ■of the Press. He had heard that Sir H. Stout was to be put forward as the leader of the Opposition ; if so he would like to meet his opponents in the open with no hitting below the belt. Regarding the Christchurch election, the Conservatives looked upon this as a victory for them, but there were about 8000 Liberals to 3500 Conservatives in Christchurch, as shown by the voting. If there were a straight run between two ■candidates in Christchurch the Liberals would win by two to one. One of Captain Russell’s charges was that ihe population was decreasing under the present Government, but during the time the Ballance-Seddon Governments had been in power the population had increased by 72,028, and there had been an increase of 12,558 during the last twelve months. The charge that the Government had driven away capital was a glaring misstatement. Plenty of money was now obtainable at to 5 per cent. ; capitalists actually, running _ after borrowers. About three millions were about to be invested in our mines, yet Captain Russell said capital was being driven away. Tinder previous Governments the working man fared worse than now. When a million and a half of loan money was being spent by the Conservative party there were over 2,000 employed on relief works at 2s 6d and 3s 6d a day ; now, with no loan money the Government was employing 3,000 or 4,000 at fair wages. The old borrowing and squandering policy was a thing of the past as far as the present Government was concerned, and the colony was now more prosperous than for many years. The Opposition were trying to educate the people up to the borrowing point for settlement purposes ; the Government were prepared to borrow, but not for political railways and other squandering. They had placed 11,331 new settlers on the land and the effect of the Advances to Settlers Act had been a reduction of 2 per ■cent, in interest, which meant a saving of a million to settlers. Rs the banking legislation Captain Russell, after condemning the Government in 1894, now admitted that the Government had done right. The banking legislation was passed on its merits, and he deprecated the slanderous imputations ot self-interest on the part of Ministers and members. The ■debt had been increased by L 1,566,000, but the interest received back on L 1,330,000 was more than they had to pay on the total. Customs, railways, and nearly every other department would show an increase; direct taxes a surplus of LIO,OOO over the estimate ; in territorial revenue there would be a fall for which the Government was not responsible, and the general surplus this y ear would be over L 150,000. Referring to the influx of aliens he said they should impose a poll tax of LIOO on Chinese, and not allow them to acquire an acre of freehold. There fas no truth in the statement that the Government would introduce a bare majority prohibition measure, nor that they were fthe mouthpieces of the publicans. If he could not stand without the support of either habitual lawbreakers or the advocates of coercive prohibition he preferred to fall.