ADDRESS TO CONSTITUENTS.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1299, 18 May 1878, Page 3

ADDRESS TO CONSTITUENTS.

MR D. REID AT MOSGIEL. [By Telegraph.] Mr D. Reid, M.H.R. for Taieri, addressed his constituents at Mosgiel last night. He commerced by referring to the criticism of the s peeoh which ho delivered to them last year, and said that the Boanerges of the Opposition, Robert Stout, also wrote letters commenting on it. Mr Reid then went on to show that Air Btuut’e statement that to outward appearance he remained one of the 0-rejr pjrtv &)wa to tfce tiajo )j? tip

Taieri speech, was not correct. Mr Stout had said that his conduct degraded politics, but he maintained that ho was as respectable and as much respected as the most papular member of the present Ministry. The belief was not. abroad that he had sacrificed his principle for power or place. Ho did not believe in party Government without principles, and held that the system of party Government being initiated in this colony by Mr Stout and others, would have a most injurious effect upon politics. Some of the resolutions passed by the Dunedin Convention were exceedingly injudicious, and reading Mr Macandrew’s address there at by the light of subsequent events, the whole thing must have been a very great fiasco. No doubt one of Sir O. Grey’s aims when ho entered political life was to prevent abolition, but he also wished to get the land fund of the Middle Island, for that had been his programme in every address which he had hitherto delivered. The men around Sir George Grey, who bad aided him in that object, were but minnows in his hands. Sir George Grey, having accomplished his ob ject, was no doubt a most popular man in Auckland. The opposition offered to the late Government was unconstitutionally and dishonestly conducted. The then Opposition hud no policy, no principles, and when they came into power had to adopt the policy of the previous Government. If was dishonestly conducted, because an attempt was made to undermine the private characters of members of the late Government by insinuations and assertions which it was imposs.ble to refute. Piako Swamp and Waitoa land transactions were next commented upon, ai d the speaker proceeded to say that that the supporters of the Grey party, when in opposition last year, wasted the time of the country purposely and deliberately in needless talk. Referring to the policy of the present Government as indicated by the speeches of Sir G. Grey and Colonel Whitmore, he said that the Government had two policies—one a demagogue and the other a conservative policy. Ho pointed out that, notwithstanding what had been said against the financial proposals and Bills of the late Government, the present one adopted them when it got into power. The colonisation of the land fund was referred to next, and he add that, if he had sworn to protect the Otago land fund, the same as others had done, he would have retired at once and for ever from political life rather than consent to the passing of that measure. Sir George Grey had said that the interests of the country would be sacrificed by the Waste Lands Bib. If it were so, it would be the fault of th“ Minister who has charge of the Act. If Sir G. Grey believed that this Bill was a fraud on the entire people of New Zealand as he stated in Dunedin, lie should have endeavored to do everything to prevent its being carried into law,'and not have waited till it Lad passed, and then sought fro get the Governor to disallow it. He would like to see the Parliament of New Zealand occupy a high standard, but ho did not like the present political area, and considered the tone of the debates had dele iorated tojamn rkablo extent sire Sir George Grey’s advent to Parliament. A motion expressing regret at Mr Reid’s resignation and strongly urging him to reconsider his in'ention, was carried unanimously.