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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3048, 2 April 1881, Page 2

Mr. W. J. Speight, M.H.R., for Auckland City East, addressed his constituents last night, and spoke for nearly two hours and a half. He condemned in strong terms most of the Government measures that were submitted to the House. The Native Lands Bill, he said, vested too much power in the hands of tbe Government. Mr Sheehan, be considered, had latterly falsified every principle which he formerly advocated as to the mode of dealing with native lands. He (Mr Speight) would resist any attempt to increase the Customs' duties aR tbe maximum of taxation in that direction was already reached. The land, as being the common heritage of the people, should bear the cost of government. In two or three years valuable lands would fall into the hands of the Government, which if honestly and properly administered, could bear the whole burden of taxation. He condemned the Charitable Institutions Bill as legalising pauperism and frightening capital and immigration from our shores. He believed there were in the present Cabinet some men as pure-minded and fitted to rule as any that ever held office in the colony, but others were the very reverse.