Sir Robert Stout Before his Constituents.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 215, 12 March 1895, Page 2

Sir Robert Stout Before his Constituents.

(Per Press Association). Wellington, March 11. Sir Robert Stout addressed a crowded meeting of his constituents at the Opera House this evening, the Mayor in the chair. He said one of the first duties of anyone claiming to be a true Liberal must be obedience to the law. For the first time in tbe history of the colony the Liberals had broken the law, and, moreover, it was to be one of the planks of the party in power at the present time. The Civil Service Act of 1886 had been deliberately set aside. Political corruption of the worst kind had prevailed. He knew that within the last eighteen months lads had been taken into the public service because of tbe political opinioD of the parents. He had been informed that the system had been introduced into the railway service, and every man set as a watch on his neigh--hour. He meant to enquire into the matter next session. Political corruption prevailed in regard to the press and the distribution of Government advertisements. What had become of the non-borrowing policy they had heard so much of ? Debt was increasing daily and since Major Atkinson's death it had increased by one and a-half millions. He thought it wiser to help the Bank of New Zealand than let it close its doors. He disapproved of the cheap money to farmers scheme, because the mouey was obtained from the London market and the interest went to absentees. He could have helped small farmers moderately and well out of our own means, and it was not in the interests of demo* cracy or of the State that snch a system as that passed last session should have been introduced here. Referring to the financial position of the colony, he said our revenue was falling and the outlook was not bright. He did not think the net surplus to begin next year with would exceed j6100,000, and that would not be sufficient for all requirements. As to the Shop Hours Act the halfholiday ought to have been made universal and the day fixed by statute. He did not see why the State should allow one man to sell whiskey and prevent another selling sugar. The Legislature should have decreed that the halfholiday commenced at two o'clock for all classes on Saturdays. Speaking of the temperance question, he declared there was an alliance between the Government and the Licensed Victuallers to prevent Jthe passing of any effective temperance legislature, and he quoted the famous clause 21 in support of his contention. All that could be done next session was to pass a short amending Act to remedy the existing defects. There had been a lot of talk about want of enterprise and confidence in the country, but this was the outcome of lack of security and the want of pure Government. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried almost unanimously.