HON. CAPTAIN RUSSELL AT HASTINGS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12120, 14 March 1895, Page 2

HON. CAPTAIN RUSSELL AT HASTINGS.

(Pub Pbess Association.) Hastings, March 13. Captain Russell addressed his constituents last night, the Mayor presiding. Captain Russell explained that he had spoken in Napier before he met his constituents in Hastings bocaus9 he wished to n ply to a personal attack made upon bim by the Premier. Ha doniod that employers had got rid of their servants for the purpose of damaging the credit of the colony.- Owing to the fall in the values of products, (he farmer was not able to Bpend as much as in previous years. With regard to the borrowing policy of the Government, :*f they had not actually raised the money they had endeavoured to pledge the credit of the colony to the amount of £7,500,0C3- Tha people of New Zealand had nob thoroughly realised the folly of pursuing suoh a course. Tho lino of conduct of the Government would simply lead the colony into a state of bankruptcy. The information given as to the internal affairs of tha Bank of New Zealand at tho time the guarantee was given was most meagre. In the event of a crisis, he asked, were the interests of tbe colony to be farther pledged in behalf of this private trading firm ? Tho Premier had told him that what he had said iu tho House regarding the Bank was unpatriotic, but he con. sidered it was the most patriotic policy to let the people know the truth. On the 29th June he became aware that the whole Bill was to'be passed through before the House rose. Ifc was sn unfortunate thing that a preat many men in the House wera interested in the Bank, and therefore a very great responsibility was throwu upon the small Opposition, who were in an absolutely independent position. The Opposition could have stonewaltei the Bill, but that was their only resource. They were therefore practically compelled to agreo to the passing of the Bill upon information which no busineia man would lend .£2O upon. Captain iiussell commsnted upon the passage in the Governor's speech a woek before declaring that the position of the colony was one of reil satisfaction. The Government, he held, ought to have considered the intsrssts of the people first iu preference to the interests of Ihe shareholders. The position should have baeu faced, snd even had liquidation been necessitated, it would only have been temporary. Another in- , stance of the inaccuracy of the Premier was shown at Napier. The Premier said they had acquired 1,074,000 acres of native land, a«ainst 70,000 purchased' by thd Atkinson Government. As a matter of fact, 657,825 acrei was the aetutl amount fch»y had purchasid. If they had these large quautities of land on hand, why was the Land for Settlements Bill brought in ? There was plenty of l^nd • in the market. Mr Pirani mo?ed a most sensible ammdment in the Bill as to the order in which estates should be taken.but the Government refused to accept their supporter's amendment. The % present was a time of great depression, but it was merely temporary. Au effort must, how- • ever, be made to restore confidence. The ■ Government had not affected the pticsi of wool or grain, but they had etruok at the capitalist, and he would not invest capital. Although the Government had a strong majority in the House, they had not in the eouutry, Out of 303.076 '■ vote3 recorded at the last ole ition, 153,683 were for the Government, and 149,418 for the unsuccessful candidates— in reality a very 8m sil majority. He believed that nt the next election the majority woqld be on tho other side. He did not'think tho people of the colony believed tfyat revolution and confiscation were good things j and the Opposition -vould aq to - th-3 country with a name for restoring confidonce and with a prograiq-ne of social progress and eooial reform. A vote of confidence was unanin) lu^'y p.issed.