MINISTERIAL INTERFERENCE

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 575, 20 November 1902, Page 2

MINISTERIAL INTERFERENCE

MR SEDDON ON MR ISITT. PREMIER ADMITS FOURTEEN MILLION INCREASE OF DEBT, [By Telcgrttpb—Press Association.]

Dannevirke. last night. Mr Seddun delivered a political address m the Tuwn Ilaii ibis evening to a very largo and enthusiastic audience. In the course of Ins rem-.uks, he said he was conlident tiiat the verdict of the people at Die approaching eleciiou would be in favor of a return to power of his party, which had assisted the pru-pc-;it\ of tho colony. He ridiculed the elicits which were being made to organise an Opposition party, his criticism being chiefly directed against Messrs Aitkin and iiislop. Referring to tlie Isitt candidature lor several seats, he said there was a daw in Die Electoral Act, which should uo amended to prevent one man from contesting more than one seat. In de lending the increase in the number of officers in the several Departments, he

-aid that tho Atkinson Government retrenched by dismissing Civil servants and next day appointing them as temporary clerks to positions they still held. He defended tbe increase uf members' salaries, and in this connection staled that Messrs James Allen and llardie were the only members who did not accept the £4O, but Messrs Piruni, Massey, Hutcheson, iitul repaid their amounts to the Treasury, lie defended the Land Settlement Act and Old Age Pensions, which should continue to be a charge on the consolidated revenue. The public debt had, he admitted, increased by .LI 4,01)0,000, but £'10,423,000 was direct interest-bearing. Borrowing was necessary to properly develop the country. They had iron ore in the colony, and when this could bo manufactured here the importation of steel rails and railwav engines would cease. The wholesale destruction oi timber forests by tire should cease, ami the distribution of uiir produce should be improved by opening up meat emporums in the centres of thu population in England, where our frozen mutton could be sold by Government agents. The steamer freights should be reduced to give producers of the colony an equal clitmco in the markets of tho world. A voto of thanks was accorded to Mr Seddon, and contidenco in his Government.