SOUTHLAND MEMBERS.

Western Star, Issue 1577, 8 July 1891, Page 3

SOUTHLAND MEMBERS.

The special Parliamentary correspondent of the Canterbury Times gives the following descriptive account of Messrs Kelly and Mackintosh, along with a number of other members of the House : Mr Kelly, of Invercargill. An earnest, fluent speaker, with a Scottish accent, belying the Hibernian patronymic. He says what he has to say rapidly, and he goes very straight to the point always; and the point when he is done with it is never in any doubt. A strenuous man, who can always be depended upon by his party; it is very plain he has a brief for the Minister of Lands, and he speaks to his brief with great vigour. He begins with a reply to the charge of Mount Ida against the man Campbell. For a long time he devotes himself to the man Campbell. He gives the whole history of the transaction refei’red to by Mount Ida the other night. It is a very adequate reply, and makes one wonder what will be said on the other side by way of rebuttal. After the alleged vices of Mr Campbell have been got out of the way, his virtues are brought on statistically befoi’e us in the shape of recorded service. In fact wc have all the facts of Mr McKenzie’s Palmerston speech “in re Spence,” as the lawyers would put it, and as they are there it is of course open to anybody to worry them or salute them in a. friendly manner according to his lights. The point is that they are there, having been summoned to re?ly to certain charges formulated, his is the main business of Mr Kelly’s speech. The matter is, he reminds us, within his province as member for the district; “ the man Campbell ” is a constituent of his ; and, he adds, opposed him at the elections. Of public opinion, '• in re Spence,” Mr Kelly has much to say which is neat and vigorous and impressive. Having employed the remainder of his half-hour upon a few things that have transpired in the debate, Mr Kelly finishes. Mr Mackintosh, another of the n Southrons,” went into action also on behalf of the Government. The new champion has a rough voice_ and a rough manner of speech. Like his friend and predecessor he is fluent, and he has a characteristic style, as becomes that pronounced chief and burly figure. He says something “in re Spence,” with a fervour bordering on fierceness ; and in the few remarks he makes about the ingratitude of the late Government in leaving Southland out in the cold in the matter of the Tipper House, his fervour goes beyond fierceness and rises almost into rage, the hoarse voice reverberating among the■ consonants like distant thunder. But the reason for Mr Mackintosh’s speech concerns none of these things. He has risen to address himself to the question of taxation, and he does so. The property tax he denounces as vile and grasping. The principle of the Income Tax he takes to his heart with rough fondness. “ People’s banks ’’ he advocates as the only method of getting rid of the large estate?. He enlarges on this subject, and gives illustration that is very apt. Very well he tells the story and briefly. The Land Tax finds him a very staunch advocate. “ Sir George Grey’s Land Tax, Sir, he says impressively, and on that he dwells in a practical fashion. He refers to Irish land purchase, and he draws a picture of the state of the country from Christchurch and Inver-caro-ill. “The best land in the emptiest places, Sir. I wonder the people have stood it so long.” At the end of twenty-five minutes Mr Mackintosh sits down, and beams through the rest of the sitting with a sense of dutv discharged. Mr Taylor follows at five minutes to five, and talks with animation and his nsual point till dinner.