Captain Russell at Palmerston North

Feilding Star, 13 June 1893, Page 2

Captain Russell at Palmerston North

» Captain Rußsell, M.H.R., for th( Hawkes Bay electorate, addressed a meeting at Palmerston last night on th« political quostious of the day, the Mavoi Mr R. Edwards, presided. In the course of his Bpeech Captain Russell denied thai there was disaffection in the ranks of the Opposition, or that their leader Mr Rolleston was not fitted fur that position. He said that it must not be thought that because the Opposition had not done much that they had not carried out their duty. As to the Htatement that the Opposition had no policy, it was not the duty of an Opposition to formulate a policy, and he would further point out that the only policy the Premier of the colony in his address at Napier the other night had put before them was merely a statement that the Government policy was one oi moderation. To a great extent he received the statement with pleasure, because he believed that for years past the country had been overridden by empirical politicians who by constant tinkering with the laws of the colony had retarded its progress. After fairly criticising the present Government; he concluded his speech, for report of which we are indebted to the Standard, by saying that in no part of this colony were there better evidences of what could be achieved by self-reliance and courage than on this West Coast of New Zealand, and on no part of this West Coast had rewards of self-reliance and courage been better exemplified than in that part which, by good omen, had been called after one of the most selfreliant an! enterprising of England's statesmen, Lord Palmerston. A vote of thanks to Captain Russell lor his able and instructive address was carried, and afterwards Mr Firani moved a motion of confidence in the Government, which) on being put, was carried by an overwhelming majority. A vote of thanks to the Mayor terminated the meeting.