THE OPPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 7

THE OPPOSITION.

' MR. R. B. WILLIAMS HONOURED.

SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY.

STRONG CONDEMNATION OF THE GOVERNMENT. Electors who supported Mr. B. B. Williams in contesting tho Wellington Suburbß seat at tho general election entertained their candidate at a social in.the Municipal Concert Chamber last evening. Seats on the platform were occupied by Mr. W. F. Massey (Leader of tho Opposition), Mr. A. L. Herdman, M.P. (Wellington North), Mr. H. G. i Guthrie, M.P. (Oroua), Mr. TV. C. Buchanan, M.P. (Wairarapa), Mr. W. Eraser, M.P. (Wakatipu), and Mr. E. R. Mailiu (Opposition organiser). There wero also present in tho audience Mr. F. M. B. Fisher,'. M.P. (Wellington Central), Mr.'R. A. 'Wright, M.P. (Wellington South), and Mr. J. Duthie.

"I DR. NEWMAN'S ; y. Dr. Newman,'chairman,: remarked that .thesupporters who .had' arranged the '• gathering ■:[ appreciated the'-pluck ; with which Mr. WilHams had-'contested" the-election; - It was a ; : ,niisf prtune,for,.tho, Opposition' that the elec-v, ,tioh had; taken .'place; last' November l instead, \\ .of nestvNoVcmber,.for ! the people's eyes were ; :'now opening. '-At the.'next electibn.thb.result;-' would-, be- even'-better.;//The ! Ministry; were ■ - already beginning to; tremble. at; the kneesjte and by"the time the-ne'rt election'came'round':.' ..they-.would;nothavbaleg'to staiidon. "The"/ supporters of;Mr.':Willia'm's'iappreciatcd tho-;; loyalty, andV - which ik .he.;' had;," fought the election; battle,-:;arid, believed 'that' ■ it -had:been d clean/and:.honourable/ cam- / : paign. ■ They;'desired..'now r 'tb, ; present him .'i ; with' a,i token' of':their -affection/arid/ regard," \ and to.wisli-him'every.success'm-.the future.•■ (ApplauseO ■;> ;-/:„.*:. ;/-^//;-"r : ■'' The chairman then.;handed';Mr.; Williams o : : : purse of sovereigns, subscritecl tb-by.bis sup-i-----^irM'-/:;-.;^;;;:./-.^/:^.^--/-. ;/;.,/.-./■

WILLIAMS IN REPLY/- '}; ;[±: :-;Mr}Williams was greeted} when he-' rose •to reply'..; - After. ; aid" swift-; campaign ; df.:two; had .gonei 'down; at the '.election'; but}hewould hibstxbr-.: ;tainly come up again V.when."the opportunity' offered. - (Applause:),; He wished to refer to ; . the loyalty of his for'during ihisolection campaign he had made friendships > : jwhich;he wbuld-value'throughout life;'' : .He; [had-'no -fault'.whatever, to find .with".anyone-' for words spoken to or about him throughout ■ election;:campaign.; }}(Applauge.};f}lf; at-any-.future date":his; services; were desired,' ;they.;;.would-l.be- given •promptly vand -:' whole-;} heartedly— he •would find the} experience of the; last; general election-of-jgreat .value. He .wished to'.'.express'-; thanks l to"■■ all \who.had- stood': by- him'}in' his ireceht : : ■:;•;;};•}}};}.:,}}}}:;} ; }#:}: Mr; massey'SspeeghC,;; ; ";V>-^ ..Mr Massoy,; who. on: rising ■ ,was.v accorded.' nn.enthusiastic, reception^.,said;■ it;,'gave"him;a ycry i great deal of pleasiire,'"to 'be present" tp, assist in;doing honour'jtd ;the 'guest of tho evening.;;. Prior., to/leaving -Wellington',;.':in' order ■to comment }tho; .electionisampaigh,;, he did not have an opportunity of'meeting Mr. who had not than, returned ■':■ from .the;..pld.\Country;..b'utj he'had since'; 'heard.irpin.: thenewspaper'sj and;'from"other'> sources,'. that; at 'the:''-recent elections Mr'.Williams- had; put'up; a ■ straight jrslcan. andhonest fight.;. And -from;/ the, opinions ex-), pressed by-people: who''."ought .'.to knbwy he' ;belicved,that, if->:Mr. ; .Williams 'kad}had-thb' : } ordinary tim'e..at,his c 'disrwsal—say;:five,'or. : : six ;weeks—in; which-.;to' .conduct}his r '. cam-: paign,.in}all-probability.K'e would-have-beeri} .returned-' by. a great; majority:.-.-'. (Applause;) He thought' they would agree with--him that after - the fight" Mr: < Williams had .put up, : and .after/what:-h'tid/takcn .pla'ce'at.'the last} elections : : .in'WellingtonVarid;.:ifs ■•neighbour-:': ;hpod,--sooner or :]at«iv.Mr. 'William's-would: enter Parliament:'! (Applause.) Hewjas very} strongly of opinion—amd'he knew those present -would-"agree.}with .him—that-, a. -man with: Mr'.: Williams's "high ideals wou]d. be: a 'decided : acquisition to -Parliament:■■!; ■: }

y'vy'y v/ :." Iti.passing; 'lie'; would" likeVto/re'mind them i; —because ;hp\kflew'they v were-all filtered in political.'matterST-ho '. thought' .be ;- was;' another'..census'• prior .to l -the 'next;, general;- ; electioni;.;aiid..' that. ...wpuld-'me'an-iaVreadjuaK.'f; inent'.;of ; theV-bouridaries /of..electoral ;■ dis-.■. tficts.; ahd,:in view of 'the increasing popu- ■ ■lation ,'of the' North. Island,, there'■ would,.pro-V bably.. bo .another V electorate' in the', heigh-ii/ bburhood of Wellington.city. ■-,':./.V/;'/-'-;•:>;;£• > ;He/;bad-,'been': particularly pleased'■'to see '■ ■ that so /much/support'was,'giVcn'to7Mr/Wfl-'v ■lianjsVand : itfio^;.oth6r^OpppsitioK-" : candidaUs.-'' and ; morabers'/iir 'the ' neighbourhood •of. lmgtpnjby._pepple,jeho.'at:one time supported' . the present Administra'tion. ;r : He>had' no;; doubt'.they;-had;bee'n,led 'astray by..thb.pre- i sent'Administration;or by-tkVfact that the.:present; Administration: were 'in.' l , the habit''-'of •'■■;' calling themselves Liberals. ■.They.;had taken ■;■ that title; /but like the'kittens 'Dr..'Newman'; had : : referred:-;to,•' the /people of. Wellington^: ,;had: had'/'their/eyes, opened,: and 'they. knew';. . •better now.,■ (Laughter.and.applause;) ■They : ,knew. 1 : that -if there was one .party.;moreV.; •Liberal,".: honest,: and. democratic than another .y, it was the .Opppsitibit party, aud;theif..sup-:. ■; porters.throughout the; country'.'- (Applause;) :''•'' ',"'':-■ ::-rl, 7- :' : He hoped-that.the g6odr ! exani'ple:.tbat-had// •beenvset'by.the peopleiwho'iha'd. come, 'oyer> to'the Opposition would be followed' by many// otters.' - -;HB,.' ; knew ( -'that/ njaiiy;; more .rjeople:;/ were"wavering; ;~* and; .there. many: wlip ::- were beginning .'to/doubt.whether.;'forl.'a num-:./ b'cr of 'years; past .they. had. been 'travelling: ;■ along .the straight path.;--...-'.':'. i-;';/ 1 ;-' -;./■'/;::// ..■•;,Dr. Newman. had;asked"him(Mr.,Ma'ssey):/ whether/,ho would at,ahNearly.:date".take an / : of addressing-the people of Wei-/: He "could .6uro"themthat;he.wou]d be! only .top glad, to;.' .'do so when thoToppoftunity came along. / But .it • was •:scarcely, necessary; after : what had': taken -place that ho should deliver an" ad- ■ dress in Wellington, /for, the simple";reason"/'.■ that: Wellington :was the/political centre--.of:;;: the country,;.and.itlie I people'here;knew;-bet- : / .tef/.what- was;,goirig -pri:. in ..'the /Parliainerit 1 ;/ Buildings than the' people in .other-parts -of ':,, thp-Dominion.;':'■; ItcWas(.quite;evident that;/; -they; kne'w;-the'^ and: the.' mbro'they know .of ;them'"the.- less,.;; they liked-them/; (Laughter.) .It was also.; quite evident that ; the:moro.they;,knew ofUhe..;'/ Opposition, party theimore".they: appreciated .'.; th em.: ((Applause.) v -:■' .-■^'■;:// -VK/'// :.:/-:/■ The Reconstructed Ministry; .?■';'■ '"■ :■ ;/v, ...That, was the. first ■opportunity, he; had : .had;-: of speaking -publicly., since/the. r-jepnstruction.; of the. Ministry, .and ho would 1 say. a'word or;;'; two' on-that,subject., 'Many;, changes/had// taken place during the: last, year- or ;twp,: aiul;/' now there :Were;only..twb.nienibefs-left:.of:tlio';:' Government of,;;.the; late: Mr. Seddoii;,-. - So'/-; many/changes"had taken placb.evpn/siiice.-the.Y generaTelection that .'the Adm'histraiiori might.: : -'-: be said .to be almost a-different Administra'-:>; tion froirithat'inofficepribr'to the. elections.';/: The,greatest.surprise in connection;withothe;/ reconstruction.' was; the. retirement, of 1 Mr,/ 'M'Gowari.'■'.'•He. (Mr. .Massey): was/riot,/ he-7 need:. r say, : : in : .the confidence .of.-the:;;' Ministry. ..Tlioy. did ' not' entrust him 'with';/ their /secrets.- (LaughterO',"'lt had;-been : stated .that Mr.; M'Gowan' was.,.''squeezed '"; out''- ; -that_ he; was called- upon to give ;up ' the portfolio/of Minesr.that : up:3«fased to// do .itjthat/thp'l'rimb'Minis't-er insisted; arid : : ;the;- result was that Mr! M'Gbwaii '.retired.-.; He -took'.'.thjit/opportunity: of.■ saying—and. he knew: what he; was tallnng .about—that;V : Mr. M'Golvan,: was' ine ;.of- the straightest: ; members,o» tho".Ministry. .;..;i,.: ■. . ;v,;..;;The.;,New"Ministers..:. ; For the .first:time for many years;a; Miri-' ister had -been: appointed, without and;': another. Minister had. been ..appointed as re-A-. 1 presenting the Native, race.:. The v latter ap-;- ■ : poiiitmont was provided; for by kw, and -his : salary-was tised by .-Act of ! Parli>inient., Tho - other Minister, of oours'e,- would not:-receivo:.. any .salary..':; Both. Ministers- would.;receive;:; the ordinary - tra veiling /.expenses aiid .allowances, and siiice.th.eir,appointment,those, two-,; gentlemen liad been' travelling ', all tho.time;: ■and: according to the morning's paper, one: .of themhad done-so much) travelling that his

v^K ; :logs:'had: mon : way. :• (Laughter.) With rer :i:iV': gardv.to/tne/Zother.'.- three .members-—Messrs." ;»¥/:>ll^McKcnzie;.-■;Budd.oy and Hogg—there/was ///-Knot ;i avgrcat;Z dcal/'to'/bb ...said/at/ present.• long time .faith-. ;W:F;'ful supportersjof;tho.presenipartyin power; : ;:/;K/Z;aud • they /were'j.now. recoil &v. ■;'/'Whether;, they fwould, : be/successful/ adihinisr.;i.!:;trat6fs; remained; to-be'; seen.. , Ho, wished' to i2./s.';jsay'.'-this:'candidly::-.that ; .we: had/at'-zthe :pre-, pSv-ifsentiim6'a/Govemment' : in power with whom,: '■ Si : : on' every 'occasion, when' the,: interests.:of the v;i /;. ; individual'/ clashed- .with .the - interests/ of the. /ii^country,.-the; .interested : '#%i Second pn ;J ; that ac-, >i-^';/.cbnht->tho;/present:-,GoVemmeht/./.wanted /':a' ;;;/;: Vgreat'deal Zof i /wa'tching--no"t- only.' f rdm -.'■ the' '%?i ■'."■. Opposition, - /whose /duty; it'/was /to /watch A/;,//them,'but/also from the/peoplo/of the coun-'-.'•Af ;|^/The Government consisted of ten/members; '#"/s^at ; were;:theif',poh^ics?;vDealing i ,;; V s ft'thV land/question, ;thero wefo'in; the Ministry :;:;p:;'/loaseholders,-and':frdeh6lderSj/and. land.n'B-t/VpZ/tionolisers^and'sirigle-taxers;.-and Socialists, -ftAivand: /individualists /■' arid--,; protectionists,'/.arid «/';:/'freetraders,-/': and; big-loafers Z arid .'little-loafers' «#';i(laughter), /'arid'./prohibitioriists; : and y-inodr. im'mbderates| and-'people who be-.' ;,■'/:.'/■;lieved innothing, and.people who.believed,in-:/-ft'';"ariytliirig-tnat;the majority believed.' (Laugh-Zg-'/./ter.)/; Jw they Halted; of the: colours, "• of Sffif Joseph's coatlrThe' colours /of/ Joseph'sZcoat: ;■"/:.:■ 'were ,;nothi'ng ; :-;to -.; the ./colours.of- Joseph's, //..'C:/:Cabinet;!';.(Laughter.).V;l±:Was quite':.evident >; r; [c that. politics - were/ goingto .be : more, -interest-. «;-r:'ing .in; the/.future than /.they • ha'd-beeri: forV;;:.-.;: someStiW/past.. //If ;:th'eZmembers /of,-/the. .acted;: up -to .their./professiqns./on ;;':"-v, tho: platfonrij/ arid /their/pledges-to their,.con- ;;:;"■<: it ;.would take, the.,-Prime Miriister, •i-:.':. : -;"all--- his ■ time,-and; it'- would require, ; all the (MrJtact: with which/his ;friends_credited .him,/to /;/; running./-■'. feS-y^'"'AV'"Attitudo/;OfAtn^ ./.::',:/ ./'After.'paying/ ji warm ; tribute' to !;p: /H'Mr. Hone'/Heke,;' Mr... Mas'sey ;.said;'that:-/a' :: v/j'certap' amount'- of /curiosity/ .haH-.;b'e'en. 'ex-:' :-/,/ ///pressedZ ; as' to'/ the;'position: that /would/be y'-.//.taken/up/''by-'-the .strengthened''aridZ re'-iri- / Oppo'sitiori; X.-What;.they/.were■•'go- ■ :,/ Sing. to do' would'-depend very; '/.//' greatly;; vupbn /: /circurh'starices: '•''■';. But •: he //A', believedos what; '/''.at'- -/.the;/ clec- / j?//tidns; : 'showeaM this': ..'/"that ■ vthe. //people:; of; ■;;/;';New,: discovered/'that. *;/// sent Adniiriistration ; had/been characterised to' ;./: '//a-'very; '/•//'.garice'.; They: the,cost/of '/•A-igovernmeiit-had gone:up.out'of all proportion/ that; the/expenditure >t;i Ah/ad';g'6ne /up/ out-- ef/ air proportion;yto ; the: ;^; : :-revenue;'■/andithat.'whefo the/interests;of .the/ .:':,-'. party /in power.clashed with-the interests of /,i .' country,// the interests/; of. the" country ti'/'A'topk''second-place. -/They/;Vhad discovered; '://:/.: that/measures iwere.very often/introduced by/ ffif the! GoverrimentXaiid; rushed /through;: Parlia-; without^ ; being /■/./.given:theretoj;;/arid/the.cbisequence was,that ;W: hardship,:-loss,',and -inconvenience were, caused ./i/'i./te/mariy. very, important jseptibns'of: the'corii-. A immunity./'/He spofo^fof/the/party v to:which-he; //;;^ha4/the^hbnpuritoAbelong;Varid/he wished to ./'/.;>Bay' i th'at'it- would./be/-the duty..of; the,;op:'•:;//position/ to insist, :whenever:/it--was. possible'• .-,.-:-./j'-.to. do' so', /upori': : the/ business of .the. country :'>;- 'teing i .--coridiaotei.---6ri-''-inore'';-'Bane;'.more. sen////.sible;:/orid: riiore';satisfactoiy;/methods. (Ap-; /.//'.; planse;); .It.would/be the'business of the/Op-/ ://;/: ters,:and' ;tp.' put., theA real;/ financial--'position: '/■'.:'..;-. before thepeople of /the country, so thatthey SSlirriignt; be ;--'.able'|.'; to /'judge;; for fff;' rattier', than/accept ;the; fictitiousipositibn'-yery; £/ ; ::often;;put'.forward by/,the'/pfcsent party' in" . ;'...'. .//power;."! That.would- be J-.the./dnty-'of'.the.'.Op;'- . //position. -' In/: cpriclusioii, - he', hoped' : the time; ' : /'.;-:would'' coine' in'' the n^';future':wheh;;'those l/A/presorit/and'imany,/others:with theni "would" ■ ;//assemble;to^:Teioice;at/ffie return of'Mr;-Wil-/ ZA yh'arflsas;prie/br.tt : :^//^i»nJdistrict.;/(Applause;)^;.';/'/:///',/*.' /;-'■';;;'■ ■.•'.:■'■' S/g/Ar^/^/^R;:^ /;;;/:;; ;<Mr; J? ./remarked: that'it/had. |///&Beea^generally/ knowji that;;at, the; time ithe ;///;';candidate entered the lists'/it/was.impossible, w.//:for'him to/succeed. A.The : campaign/.was /well ';/;'on the:-way:;when he/arrived V ; : but Mr;VWil-. - ':v..;.liams,;'facing -iiriany -.; . difficulties,/-ha'd-con-V:y:./;ductedot]i.e/fightvWith , .vig6urZand: spirit./,.8e , /://; : ,wasf'qiiite B/ure;that::ifMr.''WilUams[had/been' ;-/,/ : :/:able:,to/comriience -his';campaignl'-ffiiiri-we'eks: ::/;-: ; v earlier,;'his- positionon/ the;./poll /wouldZhave ■'•■■. ,.;. bee n have.hear,d .Mr; ;/■;// ; '. /'; ; .;':, him; : sm^i''and:''inA.thi^. years'-, :/;./J/hear,;him/./;sirig !:-ok ythe;/top' : ;bf >bice' /to' ;^;;Airiark>his;rjctor^'*Z(^pkuseZ); ; If '.-• Jliam's . /were i not./able„• to: speak, his way into' ■:L.:'.\-l J arl^me/nt^';-lie.''' J (»nJd:''L.'sing. : '.;his -Z Way , ; ,in., /y':;: (Applause;)/// that, - before' ■'v-.V/Miext electidri/we shbiild "set to' mnsic :a;/speech'-; /.///of f Sir /Joseph;- Ward's", oh'i/th'e. Second'/Ballot' ■ ■ ; & Bill;/andfget/Mr./WflliamsVto go,through. -..'•'/r the/:ierigth•-. arid /breadth;','of/;the. cbuntfy-. to ; ///'//sing it;; : /I;kTiow'!that/''if/we;Bid.,the-Ppp6r: ; /ii/vj/^er/'and/applause.),;/!;/;;////// &.'■/.;■ ■/'./'Zv'v/-.- V '■

/'Political; Adventurers arid Theorists.' 1 :;

/went ;\on;"-. for ■■ aft man\t'b\i;c'ontest r! ' a. ; seat ■ for .; Parliament;i 1 of .Bonsiderable energy', - and'; air enormous amount ;bf;nervous/power.^^-;EesponMble'Vduties iriust ;be ■ thrown '■■ to i brie;■' side when;' the' : affairs;; of ■the; country'demanded that 'men: should] come forward and; devote'.their ; whole-energies 'in .'the'jnter'ests/ot ;Mr; 'Williams •had /dbnej/'and! no doubt/success. ;wbuldibe: ; hi3;]a : ter , 'o'n. ; '.present'. j juncture ;J the■; country i was I .;passing, through' a .period /of,; depression, and,'.every man; and "woman .who. possessed.-'' a' sense >ai ; respoiisibility : Vshbid-'rise'"' ; with'enthusiasm 'andvigour,'determined;that before;the/next ;elebtion/the';bbdy.ofapolitical adventurers and ; theorists 'who ; now ruled' the : country ' should .be; hurled'.ouV'pf"office/'; ; (Applause.); For/the .past ;teh ";bf;': twelve • year's * those. • responsible/ for the'Gbvernmont'of;the'countfy;had/been experimenting^',and-;tests.'ibw showed;"these experiment's -to-have' failed. 1 ;Anunsuccessful '.experiment'had/' been-'made/ with" .the/man.agemerit' of ;'■ the; railways.-- The* system .of industrial ; legislation.' which . had come into force isomer;;;years ■ iback'^'had'.' &■{ /failure'.'v/ ; S£rike's;; -were ' i'iibw the 'fi'!', order'--'/;■'&'; '.'.:.'. the] 1 '/';diy, . the Conciliation!: and.'; Arbitration ; Act'- • had; Doen'.p'assedifbrl theVspecialypurposo ';of;.prc- ; ventingHhem/;f;The*gehcfal'topic of c'oriver- • satiori nowadays !was the.; condition of. depression which prbvailcd—the-tightness of money.; He had not ;by;;any. means! lost- faith;, in /the -country;because/of a temporary,depression,, ' but the, Gbverriirieut' had: squandered' money' right; and:!left,''hadt m obopblised money'from' ;tho'Savmgs'Bai)k,''and-'the' result ;wa's:a/utii-; Iversal.financiaLbmbarrassment^;;.;'■■ '-'v; "v"-." Wanted: A •Goyernmentlof ; Common Sense.' ■ /TV.e; remedy; was .to', remove from office the ■/GoVernment' in -power -and appoint in .their ; stead : men/bf.common'sense, who understood Business principles;-, and, ;whb.w'ere prepared to govern the/country •..-on:, hilsiuess'.lines. : (Applause.).•.Mr.'Masseywas.the. embodiment of common sense—(applause)—and if ho were ' placed' in; the position of /Prime ..Minister he would insist upon'common sense. : (Applause.) .'How''could;they ; puthim";there? -They must ..'stick ■' to men .like Mr'/'- Williams, who . were ' not' disconcerted; "by \ defeat, stand together, ■disseminate "sound political thought throughout .the'country, and return men filledwith ;common sense. "(Applause.};''/' -'/'.. /';/!•■ : "' />;P;//;/../.;MR.; : CUTHRiE^M.P.;-//.: : ' ■!■-:: Mr.': Guthrie, M.P., said that there 'must '•: be; some vitality in the Opposition, andper- ■■■ haps- it was; drawn .from; their able leader. .'(Applause.) '■■ : A short tinie'ago the Opposition '/party; had .been/regarded' as 'a vanishing ; ■; quantity, but now - the political soul-of the /people'.had awakened. -Mr.'Massey, when ho was alone,;had; bravely stood up in the fight /for, the country, and during ;the. last twelve /years he had;: done, sterling service. The Opposition; had-.fought against, fearful odds ; and had achieved great :'things> • The people •of.tho country could never/repay Mr. Massey /for what he had;done behalf..:(loud ...applauso.) It Mr. Massey - had constantly raised his voice in the Honse, ,; but .how.;could; ho; sit/ stDL and refrain -from telling the people'of'the'bpuntry what was taking place? -The people had now risen and had dono their duty to a very large'extent/ they; had- shown that 'they believed the only way to remedy the, present evil was to "turn'-tho present" Govern;-; ■ H 'out of -office. /(Applause.) ;. : He;, was "quite' sure' that .'Mr. ■Williams would/be. rewarded at; the -next .election/ (Applause.). ."■ -.

.MRiW.C. BUCHANAN, M.P, ■ ' Miv W. C. "Buchanan, M.P., remarked that, the Opposition to-day had a: different spirit: from that, .which, had. characterised ' them.a few'weeks ago. "He had fought ten political battles;' and the-memory of liis. two defeats gave 'him' a; feeling of sympathy with ■Mr.'Williams. However, ho had not been cast/down about; it,/for he believed that the tide of tho Dominion's affairs had turned. Although: Opposition/candidates had been lotli/to come-forward, ho felt sure that•, at the next; election "they would bo' tumbling over./each .other;'-'..'.(Applause.):,; It ; .had been said by the■ Prime .Minister/that depression would not. come upon the Dominion,-.but it had been experienced, <and no relief had yet .beenfelt,; for unemployed, were found every-, 'where. '■■ The Minister for Jlailways had stated in. Auckland that;he. did.not expect any financial improvement in his Department for at least six months. -The Opposition had been/called;pessimists, and had been accused of-decrymg the credit.of the Dominion. He 'denied that absolutely;; those/ people' \ were net/, pessimists who-.warned' the public of 'dangers- ahead; He feared a 'serious cheek, arid this had -been- partially felt already; The .Government,, should ■;, have ; taken the people ,into.'.; their "confidence..... If .the'.-Bruno . Minister, .instead of being, an optimist; and blinding himself and the people,'had pointed out the .need for: a'-little more caution,', a vast amount of ;good wpuld. have been the .effect, ' and //enterprising, settlers ...would' have been in' positions of' much greater safety. / (Applause.) -, • : :;; :: f/.'.'other ■;;'■';,'' :; ' : ; /.Mr.'.'Fraser,'M.P.j'in a brief speech; said that, the' Opposition were fighting to elimin- • ate 'personal' government in favour 'of constitutional government. .'■ There-must be no. relapse .now on their-part.; they must have -organisation, and.great good would; result [ from" their/ efforts. '(Applause;)? ■:" ./Z// ; ;■'■' . .-'■' Mr.- Martin' (Opposition \ .organiser) : ;remarkedithatthis'.was his first meeting with ...a; Wellington audience, but during; the coming session'he hoped to be able to arrange of. Opposition, supporters ,in':Wellington. He' could.a-ssure"'.them that /rhany;Z good men were - ready to take .up the 1 : cudgels, in .the Opposition interests in .variousiparts/of./the country.; (Applause.) . \. ,'. .An excellent musical programme was con- . tributed to' by. the guest of the .evening, and . by;-' Miss Mina Caldow (songs), Mr.-.-Towry-/Pjper/,(violin, solos), .and Mr. : D,, Kenny, (songs).:";;-' ///." /';-':./" : ' ■'■\\y'[ ;:' 'A vote of thanks' to the/chairman and the. •singing of "AuldLang Syne" ■■■ concluded the ;prpceeaings. "■-..: V ; ;',:.■:':■;'■:•// ;'•.•-.-■>;.