The Premier at Masterton

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 136, 8 December 1893, Page 2

The Premier at Masterton

IMPORTANT SPEECH. THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [Per Press Association] Mastebtox, This Day. At the banqnet to the Premier last night about a hundred guests were present. Mr Hogg was in the chair. A large number of ladies were present. The Premier in replying to the toast of the Ministry said the highest legal authorities bad informed the Government since the close of the session they could appoint whom they liked when the present Railway Commissioners term expired. He would not say who the Government would appoint, but in his opinion one of the members of the Board should occnpy a seat in the House, and the lines should be used in aiding settlement, He never abused or found fault with people, but he wished to say the Commissioners had mistaken the intention of tbe Public Works policy of the Government. Workmen in the lower grades had been dominated by the higher officers. The press never noticed that, Since the appointment of the Railway Commissioners three inner circles had grown up apart from the Government ; first, a separate audit system of the railway apart from the audit system of the colony ; second, a locomotive branch; third, a traffic department. The elections showed the country wanted a change. The Government would try to carry out the wishes of the colony. He was not prepared to say what tbe Government intended to do with respect to tbe Legislative Council appointments, but he did not mind telling them it was recognised by the Government the farming community was not sufficiently represented. Also, it was an anomaly to find men sitting side by side, some for a period and some for life. The only fair course was to say the life members should be put on tbe same level as tbe others who are there for seven years. Another matter he had forgotten to bring forward was the question of the early completion of the Eketahuna-Woodville railway. The Seddon Ministry were banded together to do good to the country. They were not a one man or a two men ministry, but all worked together, and tbe country were not now governed by Undersecretary sas in the past, but by Ministers.